A Glimpse of Eternity, Introduction
The INTRODƲCTION.
IN the eighth, and ſome following Verſes, are recorded the Sufferings of Paul, and other Apoſtles and Believers; they were troubled on every ſide, perplexed, perſecuted, caſt down: And this hath been the continual Lot of Gods people; though ſome times have been more favourable, yet there is ſcarce any time in which they have wholly been free from Sufferings. When the rage of Perſecution by the Roman Emperours was allayed, and ſome pleaſed themſelves becauſe the Emperours were turned Chriſtians, Auguſtine tells them, the Emperours indeed were turned Chriſtians, but the Devil was not turned Chriſtian; and as long as there is a Devil in Hell, and Wicked men on Earth, all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer Perſecution. Chriſt the Head of the Church, whom Bernard calleth the Bridegroom of Bloods *Sponſus ſanguinum., eſpouſed his Church to himſelf upon the Bed of his Croſs, his Head begirt with a Pillow of Thorns, his body drencht in a bath of his own blood; and if the head was crowned with thorns, it is unſuitable that the feet ſhould tread upon Roſes; if they called the Maſter of the houſe Belzebub, much more thoſe of his houſhold.bMat. 10.25. Chriſt himſelf drank of the brook in the way, cPſal. 110.7.and all his followers muſt drink of the ſame cup that he drank of: But though this hath been the Lot of all Believers, yet the dreggs of this cup have been uſually prepared for the Diſpenſers of Gods Word,dMat. 20.23. the Standard-bearers of this bloody band; as if to Preach, were nothing elſe but to ſtir up the rage of men. eLuther.There is no rank, or ſort of men that hath been expoſed to ſo much contempt, and ſuffering; If I were (ſaith Jerome) a Basket-maker, or a Garland-weaver, or any low Trade, that would make me ſweat for the bread I eat, no man would maligne me, no man would traduce me; but now I give my ſelf to the ſtudy and interpretation of Scripture, now I am a Preacher, a Writer, I am blotted with the obloquies of men.
As long as Chriſt was working at his Fathers Trade, and was employed, as Juſtin Martyr expreſſeth it, in making Beadſteads and Ploughs, fforeign.no man oppoſed him; but when he was Baptized, and went out to preach the Goſpel, preſently he is tempted by Satan, and perſecuted by wicked men: as long as the Apoſtles were mending their Nets, and following their fiſhing trade, none troubled them; but when of fiſhers, they were made fiſhers of men, they are forthwith made a spectacle to the world, and Angels, and men; and ſo the Apoſtle expreſſeth it, verſe 11. We which live, are alwaies delivered to death for Jeſus ſake; there were but few of them left alive, but were by the rage of Tyrants put to cruel deaths; thoſe that ſurvived, though they had not yet reſiſted unto blood, yet daily expected when they ſhould be offered up as a bloody ſacrifice, and were at preſent under great ſufferings: bearing about in their bodies, the dying of the Lord Jeſus, ver. 10. But did they hereupon repent of their engaging in the work of the Lord, or ſink down under diſcouragement and diſpondency of Spirit? Nothing leſs; ver. 16. for which cauſe we faint not, *foreign.the word ſignifieth to ſhrink back; as cowards in warre; to ſink down as a Porter under an overheavy burden. As one man, by the help of an Engine is able to lift up a heavy weight, which ten or twenty men might in vain attempt by their own ſtrength: ſo the Apoſtles went chearfully under that preſſure of Affliction, which would have ſunk the ſtouteſt ſpirits, not ſupported by Divine Grace. For which cauſe we faint not; if you would know for what cauſe, what it was that ſupported them: there are two cauſes rendred, one reſpecting the Corinthians, to whom he writes, that is partly laid down, ver. 12. So then, death worketh in us, but life in you: we dye, that you might live by our death; we ſuffer, that you may be ſtrengthned by our ſufferings; and partly, verſe 15. All things are for your ſakes, all the ſtreights we are put to, turn to your advantage; if we dye, it is to confirm you by our ſufferings; if God ſhall deliver us, and reſtore us again to you, it is for his glory, and your good, that the abundant grace might by the thanksgiving of many, redound to the Glory of God: and that is one cauſe why he fainted not; he counted not his life dear to him, ſo as he might be helpful to their Faith. The other cauſe reſpects the Apoſtles themſelves; their great ſufferings made both for their preſent ſpiritual good, and for their future happineſs.
1. Their preſent Spiritual Good: The cold Blaſts of Perſecution beating upon the outward Man, by a Spiritual Antiperiſtaſis, augmented the Heat of Grace within, for which cauſe we faint not; for though our outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day: He was three times beaten with Rods, five times received he forty ſtripes ſave one*2 Cor. 11.24, &c.. But as they ſay the Bear is made fat with blows, and the Aſs battens with pricking and beating; ſo it was in a ſpiritual ſenſe with our Apoſtle, he was once ſtoned, but†Per tot lapides petrae conjungitur …i. by thoſe ſtones he was knocked nearer to Chriſt the corner-ſtone: he thrice ſuffered ſhipwrack, but, like Noah's Ark, was lifted up nearer to Heaven, by thoſe floods of great waters; he was in Journeyings often, but every time his ſalvation was nearer than before.
2. Their future happineſs, verſe 17. Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. For Affliction, there is Glory; for light affliction, a weight, an exceeding, a far more exceeding weight: for ſhort affliction, that laſts but for a moment, an eternal weight of Glory. And this it was they had chiefly in their eye: ſo in this Verſe, While we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen. Things ſeen, and not ſeen, are, I conceive, the ſame with what elſewhere he calleth things preſent, and things to come a1 Cor. 3.22., and things above and things on the earth bColoſ. 3.1., and things of the life that now is, and of that which is to come c1 Tim. 4.8.: and ſo the Apoſtle explaineth himſelf in the following words, the things that are ſeen, are temporal; but the things that are not ſeen, are eternal.
The whole Verſe falleth under a twofold Conſideration.
1. Relative, as they are a Reaſon why they fainted not under their preſent troubles; as Moſes choſe rather to ſuffer affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin, becauſe he had an eye to the recompence of reward 1Heb. 11.25, 26.: and our Saviour Chriſt, for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the Croſs, and despiſed the ſhame 2Heb. 12.2.: ſo the Apoſtles having their eye upon things inviſible, and eternal, made light of all their preſent Sufferings and Perſecutions.
2. Abſolute, and ſo they ſhew what the Apoſtles made their Aim and End: that is implied in the word foreign, which ſignifieth to look, as the Archer doth at the Mark he ſhooteth at. There were ſome things they made their great buſineſs, which was the mark they ſhot at, the great End they propounded to themſelves: and what they were, is firſt specified, then more fully explained.
Firſt, Specified, and that
1. Negatively, what they look'd not at, things ſeen 3foreign., the things of this Life, which are things viſible to the eye 4Objecta ſenſibilia..
2. Affirmatively, ſhewing what were thoſe things which they made the matter of their choice, the great objects of their deſires and endeavours, things not ſeen 5foreign., the things of another Life, which are objects of faith, and not of ſenſe, things not viſible to theſe fleſhly eyes, onelyonly apprehended by faith, which is the evidence of things not ſeen 6Heb. 11.1.. And that theſe are meant by things ſeen, and not ſeen, the Apoſtle, ſecondly, further explaineth, in the following words, the things that are ſeen, are temporal; but the things which are not ſeen, are eternal: which are not onelyonly exegetical, explaining what is meant by things ſeen, and not ſeen; but, as the word [for] implies, contain the reaſon why they aimed at one, and not the other; the things that are ſeen, are temporal; all the viſible things of this life; whether proſperous, as health, liberty, riches, honour, and the like; or adverſe, as ſickneſs, poverty, perſecution, death, they are for a while, (u)foreign.for a ſhort ſeaſon, ſo the word is elſe-where rendred(w)Mat. 13.21. Heb. 11.35.; therfore ſaith the Apoſtle, we look not at them, we make them not our aim, we trouble not our ſelves much about them, they are things of a higher nature we look at, ſuch as neither eye hath ſeen, nor ear heard of; and theſe are ſuch as are durable; the things which are not ſeen, are eternal: And here there are two things I ſhall ſpeak to.
1. That the things not ſeen, the things of another life, are eternal: Or thus, that the condition of man after this life, is an eternal condition.
2. That That which puts the weight upon things not ſeen, and rendereth them proper Objects of a Chriſtians aim, and choice, is becauſe they are eternal. I ſhall ſpeak to theſe diſtinctly in the Doctrinal part, and then joyn them together in the Application.