A Glimpse of Eternity, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. An Exhortation to look on Eternal things, by our Meditations, Expreſſions, Affections of Deſire, Hope, Love, Delight, and Endeavours.
3. BE Exh…rted to look to the things that are Eternal; this is that the Text ſpeaks to, while we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal; and being the duty of the Text, I ſhall the more enlarge in ſpeaking to it; it is chiefly meant of the Eternal happineſs in Heaven, as appeareth by the words before, our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of Glory: To that therefore I ſhall chiefly ſpeak, and there are two things I ſhall do, if God permit: Firſt, ſhew what is meant by looking to things eternal, or how we are to look to them; and then lay down ſome quickning motives to engage us to it; take the firſt in theſe particulars:
[1.] We ſhould look to them in our thoughts, and make theſe unſeen, eternal things, the continual ſubject of our meditations; it ſhould be our morning thoughts, our evening thoughts, our night thoughts, our ſolitary thoughts when we are alone, indeed our continual thoughts, what ſhall become of us to eternity? they ſay at the conſecration of a Pope, amongſt other ceremonies, a Herald proclaims theſe words before him, Have in thy mind the years of Eternity. Think of eternity, was the Motto of Meurſius, a learned man(a)aeternitatem cogita., and hath been of many others; ſome writing it in their Books, ſome upon the wall of their cloſet, ſome upon ſome door in their houſe, that they might upon all occaſions be minded of it; neither is there any thing that doth more deſervedly challenge our more ſerious meditations: we ſhould every day ſet ſome time aſide to retire into ſome ſecret place, ſuch as Iſaac's fields, o… Davids Cloſet, or Cornelius his Leads, and there to think of our eternal condition: Thus it was with David, or whoever was the Penman of the 77 Pſalm, ver. 5. I have conſidered the days of old, the years of ancient times; it is in the Original, the years of Ages, and ſo the vulgar Tranſlation readeth it. I had the years of Eternity in my mind, and to the ſame purpoſe both the Syriack and Aethiopick Verſions; and it ſeems, he was ſo taken up with theſe thoughts, that he could not ſleep; in the verſe before, Thou holdeſt mine eyes waking, in the Original, Thou haſt held the watchings of mine eyes, or as the vulgar, Mine eyes have prevented the night watches. It is ſaid of an eminently religeous Miniſter (b)Mr. Ward., that being at dinner with ſome company, he ſate ſilent for a good ſpace of time, ſo as his friends wondered what he was muſing on, o… the ſudden he cryed out, Oh, for ever, for ever, for ever, and ſo continued almoſt a quarter of an hour together, and could not be taken off, but ſtill cryed out, for ever, for ever: Eternity is a thing of that amazing nature, that it may well ſwallow up our thoughts when once engaged in the meditation of it: while then others mind earthly things, let our thoughts be taken up with this; let us impoſe it upon our ſelves as a daily task, and ſuffer no day to paſs us, but to ſet aſide ſome time for ſo profitable a ſtudy.
(1.) Let us think what Eternity is, and run over it our thoughts the ſeveral particulars before mentioned; that it is without any end, ſucceſſion, waſting, intermiſſion, mixture, all which ſet forth the unſpeakable concernment of it: then reflect upon that twofold Eternity; think what a bleſſed thing it is to live in the preſence of God and Chriſt, and the bleſſed Spirit, to ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and the reſt of the Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven, to be made partakers of thoſe joys that no eye hath ſeen, no heart can conceive: think on the other ſide, what a dreadful thing it is to be for ever baniſhed the preſence of God, and Angels, and Saints, to be ſhut up eternally under chains of darkneſs, where a man ſhall ſee nothing but the flames of his own torments, hear nothing but howlings and lamentations, feel nothing but extremity of torment; Yet further, let us not content our ſelves to have ſome flitting tranſient thoughts about theſe things, but let us dwell upon them, till ſuch time as we have warmed our hearts with theſe conſiderations: there is a twofold meditation of things, one in the light, another in the heat; one in the underſtanding, the other in the heart and affections; we ſhould not think it enough to engage our underſtandings in a ſpeculative contemplation, but ſhould dwell upon theſe thoughts till we have wrought up our hearts to a ſuitable temper; as a man that in the morning taketh ſome Phyſical drink, will eat nothing two or three hours after, till it hath had ſome kindly operation; ſo having had ſome ſerious thoughts upon Eternity, we ſhould take heed that no intervening occaſions juſtle theſe out of our minds, but ſuffer them to ſtay till our hearts are throughly affected with them; that being done, proceed we one ſtep further.
(2.) To apply all this to our ſelves: to conſider that we are the men who are concerned in it, that after a ſhort time we muſt certainly enter upon one of theſe two conditions: and accordingly to beſpeak our ſelves in this, or the like manner: Oh my Soul! which of theſe is like to be thy condition? for temporals I am well enough, but what are my Eternals? at preſent God hath caſt my lot in a fair ground, I have houſe, lands, orchards, gardens, and other things, not only for neceſſity, but delight; but hence I muſt; and whither then? after I am gone hence I ſhall return no more to my houſe, my place ſhall know me no more: and what dwelling ſhall I have when I part with this? ſhall I dwell in Gods Tabernacle, and reſt in his Ho… Hill? or muſt I dwell with devouring fire, and Eve… laſting burnings?
I have now Wife, Children, Friends, who are ready to accompany me when I am ſolitary, to adviſe m… when I am in ſtraits, to comfort me when I am i… heavineſs, to tend me when I am ſick, and perfor… other offices of love and kindneſs; but time is comin… when I muſt part with them, when there will be a… end put to theſe relations, ſo as I ſhall be no longer husband to the wife of my love, nor father to the fru… of my own loins; and when I am taken away fro… them, what company ſhall I then have? ſhall I go t… an innumerable company of Angels, to the general Aſſembly and Church of the firſt born, to the ſpirits of juſt men ma… perfect? or muſt I take up my abode in Hell, where ſhall for ever company with Devils, and damned ſpirits I am well provided for the things of this life, meat drink, cloaths, money, lands, and other accommodations; but what proviſion have I made for my immortal Soul? what aſſurance have I that it ſhall be we… with me when I go hence? in theſe temporal things deſire the beſt aſſurance that may be had, thinking can never be ſure enough, but what evidence have for Heaven? what ground to conclude that that ſha… be the place of my everlaſting abode? If thou beeſt no… reſolved to think well on thy condition, whether good or bad, but wouldſt know whether thou ſhalt live or di… eternally, ſummon thy ſelf often to ſuch thoughts a… theſe, and deal ſeriouſly and impartially with thy own ſoul; if after theſe enquiries thou beeſt able to make it out upon good ground, that thou haſt title to eternal bleſſedneſs, rejoyce in it, bleſs God for it; ſay as David once, Lord what am I that thou haſt brought me hitherto? that thou haſt taken me out of the womb of nothing, and given me a Being amongſt thy creatures; that thou haſt not only made me a creature, but a new creature; that thou haſt made me of a chil… of wrath, a ſon of thy adoption; what am I, that thou haſt done this for me? but as if all this were a ſmall thing in thy ſight, thou haſt ſpoken of thy ſervant for a great time to come, even to Eternity, and is this the manner of men? do men uſe to deal thus? and what can thy ſervant ſay more to thee? what further happineſs can I deſire of thee? Will God in very deed dwell with men? ſaith Solomon; thou mayeſt ask, Shall man in very deed dwell with God? ſhall a poor crawling worm abide for ever with the high and lofty one, who inhabiteth Eternity? Shall this Soul that now dwells amongſt them that are enemies to peace, be one day made the aſſociate of Angels, and joyned to the ſpirits of men made perfect? Shall this vile body, this clod of earth, ſhine as the Sun in his greateſt brightneſs? Shall theſe eyes, theſe windows of vanity be admitted to ſee God in all his beauty and ſweetneſs? Shall this tongue which now ſo often letteth fall frothy diſcourſes, hereafter joyn with that heavenly Quire, ſinging Hallelu…ahs, and ſongs of benediction to God and the Lamb; Shall theſe feet which now tread a dirty earth, afterward tread upon ſtars, and trace the Streets of the New Jeruſalem? When the King of Pontus in Plutarch, had married a maid of an obſcure Family, and ſent to her aged father great ſtore of all good things: the poor man was ſo over-joyed, that upon all occaſions he would cry out, All this is mine: if thou beeſt able to prove thy title to Heaven, go round about the Heavenly Sion: tell the Towers, conſider the Palaces, count upon the ſeveral Beatitudes, the innumerable ſorts of good things there treaſured up, and ſay to thy ſelf, ſhall all this be mine? having this hope rejoyce in it, walk in the comfort of it, thou doeſt too unworthily undervalue thine own happineſs, if thou doſt not live comfortably all thy days: On the other-ſide, if upon enquiry thou findeſt thou haſt neither lot, nor portion in this buſineſs, bewail thy condition, ſit alone, keep ſilence, put thy mouth in the duſt, if ſo be there may be an… hope, give God and thy ſelf no reſt, till thou ha… ground to hope better things of thine own condition.
[2.] We ſhould look to them in our ſpeeches: thoug… at ſome times, and ſome company, men may ſpea… one thing, and think another, like watermen, tha… look one way, and row the contrary, like thoſe i… the Prophet, who cry Epypt, and look to Aſſyria yet there is ſcarce any thing, by which a man ma… be better diſcovered, than by his conſtant, and uſu… communication: The tongue is the pulſe of the Sou… the index of the mind, as is the man, ſo is his communication: Anatomiſts ſay, the heart and the tongue hang upo… one ſtring; there is as great a proximity between the… in a moral reſpect, as in their natural poſture: out … the abudance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh: Som… Phyſicians tell us, that in ſome diſeaſes, a mans temper is as well known by his tongue, as by his pulſe or urine: it holds as true in the ſpiritual frame an… temper of the Soul. Men are uſually known wha… country-men they are by their language: the me… of Gilead knew the Ephraimites by their pronunciation, ſaying Sibboleth for Shibboleth: the Maid told Peter, thou art a Galilean, thy ſpeech bewrayeth thee. By this we may know whether we belong to Heaven, o… the World: the ſpeech of worldly men is about worldly things, He that is of the earth, is earthly, and ſpeaketh … the earth (c)John 3.31.; They are of the world, therefore ſpeak the… of the world (d)John 4.5.; whereas heavenly-minded Chriſtians, who look to things eternal, make them th… great Subject of their diſcourſes: it is a burden to the… to be in ſuch company, where they hear nothing but frothy, unſavoury ſpeeches, or at beſt, diſcourſes about worldly things: whereas, diſcourſe of Heaven, is a precious balm to them, which doth not break their head: they are glad when others ſay, Let us go … to the houſe of the Lord, where they may hear ſome…ing of Heaven, and willingly embrace every occa…on to ſpeak of it; the primitive Chriſtians, into …hatſoever company they came, were ſtill ſpeaking …f heaven, of a glorious Kingdom they expected, …hich made the fooliſh Heathen tax them for ambi…ous men, who aſpired after Kingdoms; therefore …uſtin Martyr apologizeth for them: You hearing that …e expect a Kingdom, imagine that we lo…ok after earth… Kingdoms: but the Kingdom we look for is not of …his world, but is a Kingdom above with God, and …hriſt in heaven. While others are inquiſitive about …he occurences of the times, or how they may grow …ch in the world, the Believers enquiries are about …eavenly things: like thoſe, Iſa. 50.5. that ask the …ay to Sion with their faces thither-ward: Or thoſe Goſpel-Converts, who aſſoon as they were wrought …pon, asked, what ſhall we do to be ſaved? Or thoſe …oman Ladies who would not let Jerome alone for …sking queſtions; and thus it ſhould be with us: in …he things that concern this life, we are aſhamed that we …re aſhamed to ask about what might be for our ad…antage, and ſhould we not be much more forward …oth to enquire of others, and to diſcourſe our ſelves …bout the unſeen eternal things in heaven? Thoſe that fear…d the Lord, ſpake often one to another (f)Mat. 3.16., The Lepers (g)2 King 7.Having themſelves found plenty of victuals in the Tents of the Syrians, ſaid one to another, this is a day of …ood tidings: we do not well that we hold our peace, and …ccordingly went and told it in the City. Sampſon, having …ound honey, did not only eat himſelf, but carried it …o his father and mother. A man that hath been in a Perfumers ſhop, doth not only partake of thoſe ſweet …mells, but going out, they ſtick to his cloaths, ſo as …hoſe that come near him partake of thoſe perfumes: In …ke manner, having our ſelves taſted of the heavenly gift, and ſmelt the ſweet ſavour of precious oyntments, we ſhould be ready to communicate to others what we have found, and to provoke them to taſte that the Lord is gracious; and this would be a means to engage our ſelves to a more eager purſuit of heavenly things Natural bodies by motion gather heat. The Coachman by urging forward his horſes, makes his own way: in like manner, our ſpeaking to others, and provoking them, will ſet a ſharper edge upon our own affections; like the Boar that whetteth his teeth with his own foam; or the Lion that rouſeth his courage, by beating himſelf with his own tail.
[3.] We ſhould look to them in our affections: we ſhould often ſet our affections on things above, not … things on the earth (h)Coloſſ. 3.2., Affections are the hands of the Soul: He that hath clean hands and a pure h…art (i)Pſalm. 24.4.that is, he whoſe affections are clean, and heart pure; the Hands are the keepers of the houſe (k)Eccleſ. 12.3., they ſerve at al… turns for all offices: therefore Epictetus ſaith, tha… ſure God is a great God, who hath given us theſe hands▪ (l)foreign.Amongſt other Uſes, they are the Inſtruments and Organs by which we take things; if we take meat or drink, or any thing we want, we take it with th… hand; what the hand is to the body, that the affections are to the Soul, by them we ſhould lay hold upon eternal life; they are the feet of the Soul, Tak… heed to thy feet, when thou goeſt into the houſe of God▪ (m)Eccleſ. 5.1.It is by them the ſoul is carried toward things Eternal: they are the wings of the ſoul; by which … flyes to heaven as the bird to its hill. This is the great end why God planted theſe affections in the ſoul; to place them upon ſuch mean objects as temporal things, is infinitely below the nobleneſs of the affections. Neroes fiſhing for Gudgeons with a Golden hook, and digging the earth with a Golden ſpade, was thought ridiculous enough by wiſe men; the marriage of the Cedars with the Brambles daughter, as in Jothams parable: the joyning of a head of Gold with feet of clay, as in Nebuchadnezzars Image: the coupling of a living man with a dead carcaſſe, as in Mezentius his invention; none of theſe ſo prepoſterous, as for the affections of an immortal ſoul to proſtitute themſelves to ſo worthleſs objects: we ſhould then follow Auſtins counſel, to turn the water from the Bumbie into the Garden (n)Aquam fluentem in cloacam deducas in hortum.; to take off our affections from things temporal, and place them upon things eternal, which only are worthy of them, and ſuitable to them; but to inſtance in ſome particular affections:
(1.) We ſhould look to them in our deſires; while others ſay, who will ſhew us any good, and have their deſires eagerly carried out after worldly objects, the deſire of our ſouls ſhould be after heaven, and things eternal; There is no good Chriſtian but goeth thus far; though he may in ſome things come ſhort of what he ſhould be, and what he ſhould do, and be many times taken off from his duty, yet his deſire is toward God and Heaven. A Merchant may for a time ſojourn in a forreign Country to negotiate his affairs, but his deſire is after his own home; and no ſooner hath he diſpatched his occaſions, but he haſtens to his own Country; the Needle in the Compaſs, may be jogged another way, yet it maketh toward the North, and is in continual motion, and trepidation, till it comes to its proper poſture. A River may be turned from its courſe by a ſtrong hand, yet will be bending towards its own channel, and never leaveth winding and turning, till it worketh it ſelf thither again: in like manner, a Believer by the importunity of temptation, and the prevalency of corruption may be unſettled for a time, and taken off from God and heaven, yet ſtill the frame and bent of his heart, the deſire of his ſoul is toward God and heavenly things; neither ſhould we content our ſelves with languid deſires, but ſtrive to ſcrew them up to the higheſt pitch, ſo as to pant after them, as the imbosked Hart, doth after the water-brooks: to long for them as the parch'd ground gapeth after the rain.
[2.] Look to them by hope, we may ſay of hope, as the Apoſtle of faith, that it is the evidence of things not ſeen: for ſo the ſame Apoſtle elſewhere, if we hope for things we ſee not (o)Rom. 8.25., it is the property of hope as well as faith, to make things not ſeen as viſible, and things future as preſent to the ſoul. Gilead is mine, and Mannaeſſeh is mine; Ephraim alſo is the ſtrength of my head (p)Pſal. 60.7., and before, I will divide Sechem, and met out the valley of Succoth: Probably all theſe place were not yet in Davids poſſeſſion, but God had ſpoken in his holineſs as before, had promiſed them, therefore David looked upon them as already his; in like manner heavenly things, though removed from ſenſe, are preſent to faith, and hope, and we ſhould by the improvement of theſe graces, antidate our future happineſs, ſoar up before-hand into Heaven, ſolacing our ſelves in thoſe rivers of pleaſure, rejoycing in the hope of the Glory of God; and having this hope, ſhould purifie our ſelves, trampling under our feet the Mo… of theſe temporal things, and live anſwerable to ou… hopes and expectations.
[3.] Look to them by love, Let no man ſay, (ſaith Auſtin,) what Ladders or Engines ſhall I climb up to Heaven by? thou aſcendeſt by love; ſtanding on Earth thou art in Heaven, if thy love be placed upon God and Heaven. It is reported of Andrew the Apoſtle, that being taxed by ſome of the Heathens, that he did not lov… their gods; he replied, Let me ſee whether your gods can make ſuch a Heaven, and ſuch an Earth, and do as much for me as God hath done: when any of theſe temporal things begin to ſteal away our love, we ſhould conſider whether they do, or can ſo much deſerve our love, as heavenly things; if not, we ſhould reſerve our love for the things that are moſt worthy of it; we ſhould gather up thoſe ſcattered pieces of love diſperſed amongſt ſo many ſeveral things, and place all upon Heaven and Heavenly things.
(4.) Look to them by delighting and rejoycing in them, while others have their delight fixed upon things temporal, as the coveteous man upon the muck of the world; as if the Curſe of the Serpent were entailed upon him, to eat the duſt of the earth all the days of his life; the voluptuary upon ſenſual pleaſures, as if he were placed on the earth like the Leviathan in the Sea, only to take his ſport and paſtime in it; the ambitious man upon Preferments, delighting to ſee other mens ſheaves bend to his ſheaf, as it was in Joſeph's dream: let our delights be fixed upon the unſeen things laid up in Heaven; let us with joy draw water out of the wells of ſalvation, and with Iſrael, ſing this ſong, Spring up, oh Well, ſing ye unto it (r)Num. 21.17..
[4] We ſhould look to them in our endeavours: Macedonius the Hermite retiring into the wilderneſs, that he might with more freedom enjoy God, and have his converſation in Heaven: Upon a time there came a young Gallant into the wilderneſs, to hunt wilde beaſts, and ſeeing the Hermite, he rode to him, asking him why he came into that ſolitary place? he deſired he might have leave to ask him the ſame queſtion, why he came thither? I came hither to hunt, ſaith the Gentleman; and ſo do I, (ſaith the Hermite) I hunt after my God. Moſt men hunt after other things, the profits and preferments of the world; and many times are with Nimrod, mighty Hunters: Hunters uſually do not keep the road, but ride over hedge and ditch, many time through Corn-fields, any way their game leads them: ſo it is with worldly men, they care not what hedges they break thorow, what gaps they make in Gods Law, and their own conſcience; what wrong they do to others, ſo as they may advance their own deſigns. Again, Hunters ſtick at no pains, ſometime… ride both themſelves and horſes out of breath; ſometimes run till they can run no longer: with the like eagerneſs and induſtry do worldly men purſue theſe things; and with the like, and far greater eagerneſ… ſhould we hunt after God, and Heaven; we ſhould think no pains too much, no labour too great, ſo as we might attain to the end of our deſires, the ſalvation of our ſouls; this is that which is ſo often called for in Scripture, Seek firſt the Kingdom of Heaven (s)Mat. 6.33.; the word ſignifies, to ſeek as a man that hath loſt a treaſure, who ſeeketh diligently till he find it, Strive t… enter in at the ſtrait gate (t)Luk. 13.29. foreign., i. e. Strive as wreſtler… do for maſtery, or as a man ſtriveth for life when the pangs of death are upon him, Work out your Salvation (u)foreign, Phil. 3.12., it ſignifieth, to Work accurately, and with the greateſt ſtudy and care, Give all diligence, to make your… calling and election ſure (w)2 Pet. 1.10. foreign., which ſignifies to ſtudy and beat the brains about a thing; Labour not for the meat that periſheth, but for that meat that endureth to everlaſting life (x)Job. 6.27.; implying, that the labour we take for theſe earthly things, is not worthy to be called labour, in compariſon of that we are to take for Heaven… ſuch labour, and ſtudy, and ſtriving we find the Saint to have uſed in the purſuit of heavenly things. Since the daies of John Baptiſt, the Kingdom of Heaven ſuffereth violence (y)Mat. 11.12. foreign.; they did not only uſe, diligence, bu… violence, a metaphor taken from a Caſtle that holdeth out in a ſiege, and is not taken but by ſtorming; then followeth, the violent take it by force: thus Paul reach…d forth unto thoſe things that were before (z)Phil. 3.14. foreign, ſignifying …he uttermoſt ſtrains of the body to catch at any …hing: I preſs forward toward the mark for the price of the …igh Calling; i. e. I purſue and follow with the greateſt …agerneſs. He uſeth the ſame word, *Acts 26.11. foreign.to expreſs his …age in perſecuting the Saints, being exceedingly mad …gainſt them. I perſecuted them to ſtrange Cities, the …ame violence he ſhewed before in perſecuting the Church, he uſed now in working out his Salvation; ſuch …arneſtneſs and violence muſt we uſe in the purſuit of …ings Eternal, if ever we would obtain them: but …his I ſhall ſpeak more to in the next Ʋſe, and there…ore ſhall not now anticipate.