ETERNAL! What a sound doth this word Eternal make, in my Ears? what workings doth it cause within my [...]? What casting about of Thoughts, what Word is next to be added to it? Is it, Eternal World? Where? For this is Temporal! Oh! that Eternal World is now by us [Page 2]unseen, and as to us is yet to come. But yet my trembling Heart is still solicitous to what other word, this word Eternal might be prefixt as to my self, or those that hear me this day, when they and I (who through the long-sufferance of God are yet in this present and temporal) shall be in that Eternal World. Shall it be Eternal damnation in that Eternal World? How? aft [...] so many knockings of Christ? Striving [...] the Spirit? Tenders of Mer­cy? [...] of Grace? Calls of Minist­ers? Warning of Conscience, Admoni­tions of Frien [...] Waitings of Patience? All which put us into a fair probability of escaping eternal damnation. O dread­ful words! can more terror be contained, can more misery be comprehended in any two words, than in eternal damnati­on? But we in time are Praying, Hear­ing, Repenting, Believing, Conflicting with Devils, Mortifying Sin, Weaning our Hearts from this World, that when we shall go out of time, we might find Life or Salvation added to Eternal. E­ternal Salvation! these be words as com­fortable, as the other were terrible, as sweet as they were bitter. What then? [Page 3]This Word Eternal, is the horror of De­vils, the amazement of damned Souls, which causeth desperation in all that Hellish Crew, for it woundeth like a Dart, continually sticking in them, that they must certainly know that they are Damned to all Eternity. Eternal! It is the Joy of Angels, the Delight of Saints, that while they are made happy in the beat [...]ical Vision, are filled with per­fect Love and Joy, they sit and sing, all this will be Eternal. Eternal! this word is a loud alarm to all that be in time, a serious caution to make this our grand concern, that when we must go out of time our Eternal Souls might not be doomed down to Eternal Damnation, but might obtain Salvation that shall be Eternal, of which we have hope and ex­pectation 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 see [...] are Eternal.

The Consideration of these words may be twofold,

1. Relative, As they are a reason of [...]ed [...]stness in shaking troubles, [...] a Co [...] ­dial [Page 4]against fainting under the Cross. v. 16. For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. v. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment work­eth for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 18. While we look, &c. Not only the experience of present spi­ritual good in the inward, by the pressing afflictions on the outward man, in weak­ning of sin, in purging away our dross, in weaning us from the World, in humb­ling us for our miscarriages, in reducing us from wandring, in emptying of us of self-conceit, in trying our Faith, in ex­ercising our Patience, in confirming our Hope, in awakening of Conscience, in bringing us to examine our Ways, in renewing our Repentance, in proving our Love in quickning us to Prayer; but also the clear and certain prospect of Glory after affliction, of a Weight of Glory, after light Affliction, of Eternal Glory after short Affliction, of a Weight of Glory, far more exceeding all our pre­sent Sorrows, Burdens, Calamities, than Tongue can express, or Pen describe, or the mind of Man conceive, being more [Page 5]than Eye hath seen, or Ear hath heard, or have entred into the Heart of Man, must needs be an alleviation of our Sor­rows, a lightning of our Burdens, com­fort in our Grief, joy in our Groans, strength in our Weakness; though we are troubled on every side, yet not dis­tressed: though perplexed, yet not in despair, though under Afflictions both felt and seen, yet we faint not while we keep our Eye fixed upon the Glorious things in the other World that are un­seen, and Eternal too.

2. Absolute, As they set before us the mark and scope we should have in our Eye, all the while we are in time, viz. unseen Eternal things; you stand in time, but you should look into Eternity: you stand tottering upon the very brink of time, and when by Death thrust out of time, you must into Eternity: and if in any case the old Proverb should prevail, it should not fail in this, to look before. you leap. The Analysis of the Text breaks it into these parts.

1. The Objects that are before us,

1. Things seen.

2. Things not seen.

[Page 6] 2. The Act exerted on these Objects. Looking expressed.

1. Negatively. Not at things which are seen. The Men of the World stand ga­zing at these, till their Eyes are dazled with them, and their Souls damned for them.

2. Affirmatively. But at the things which are not seen. Men in this World minding another World stand looking at these, who have an Eye to see those things that are not seen: There is a Mystery in Godliness.

3. The Persons exerting this Act upon these Objects, We that have the Spirit of God: Who have our Eyes opened, who consider we are hastning, posting out of time into Eternity: These things are set before the Men of the World, who have Eyes, but they do not see.

4. The Property of these Objects.

1. Things seen are Temporal.

2. Things not seen are Eternal.

5. The Reasons moving Believers to keep a stedfast Eye upon Things unseen, and to look off from things seen is the Eternal duration of the one, and the short Continuance of the other: While [Page 7]we look—for, or because the things that are seen are Temporal—not seen, Eternal. The good things in this World that are seen, as Riches, Pleasures, Honours, are things of time, and only for time; therefore we are not much concerned whether we win or lose them: and the bad things in this Life, which are seen, as Poverty, Imprisonment, Persecution—are at lon­gest but for a short space, and therefore we are not much concerned whether we endure them, or be freed from them: But that which addeth Weight to the things in the other World now not seen by the Men of this World, and draws our Eyes towards them, and keeps them fixed thereon, is the Eternity of them.

6. The Influence that this looking upon things not seen hath upon the Beholders of them in keeping them from fainting under any Afflictions while we look, &c.

Three words require a little Explication.

• Looking.
• Temporal.
• Eternal.

I. While we look Skopountoon. The Verb is used six times in the New Testament, and is variously translated.

[Page 8] 1. To take heed, Luk. 11.35. Take heed therefore that the Light in thee be not [...]kness: have a care, see to it; in this sense it is as if the Apostle had said, We take not so much heed, nor are we so full of care about these visible transitory things as we are of the Eternal Joys of Heaven, and the unseen Happiness of the S [...]ts above.

2. To Consider, Gal. 6.1. Considering thy self, lest thou also be tempted. q. d. We seriously consider & weigh in our Minds the Vanity, Insufficiency, and short Con­tinuance of all visible things both good and bad, whether Profit or Poverty, Ho­nour or Disgrace; and the fulness excel­lency and everlasting Nature of things unseen, and therefore prefer these before them.

3. To mark, observe and take notice of. Rom. 16.17. Mark them that cause di­visions among you. Phil. 3.17. Be ye follow­ers of me, and mark them that walk so, as ye have us for an example. It is the Observa­tion that Believers make that all seen things are Temporal, unseen Eternal, which Worldly men take no Notice of, to influence them in what they do.

[Page 9] 4. To look, Phil. 2.4. Look not every one on your own things: To look with a diligent Eye, as the Archer to the mark whereat he shoots, to make a thing our scope and aim; and so the Substantive is used. Phil. 3.14. I press towards the mark. In this respect the sense is, the thing that we do aim at in all we do, is to get a Title to, and hereafter the pos­session of Eternal things, to secure our Everlasting happy state: to have trea­sures not for a while, but for ever: To have Honour, and Glory, and Joy, no [...] in hasty time, but in abiding E [...]erity: Be­lievers are lowly in Heart, but they look high: The Men of this World are of an haughty Spirit, but they aim at low Things.

II. Temporal. Proskaira. Used four times in the New Testament; twice con­cerning temporary Believers: Matth. 13.21. but dureth for a while. Mat. 4.17. dureth but for a time: Once concerning the pleasure of sin, Heb. 11.25.—then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season; 8 [...] in the Text comprehensively of all visible things; take then a summary account of all, that Wicked, worldly men have [Page 10]and all is but for a while. What the richest among them have, their grandure dureth but for a time, and then is past and gone, and hath no more existence. What the merriest among them have, Pleasures, Mirth, carnal Delights and Joy, and this is but for a season; their merry bouts will be quickly over, and then succeeds weeping and wailing for ever. What the best among them have, even their Faith is but for a time, and their Hope but for a short time; at longest 'tis Death shall close their Eyes, and then by down in Everlasting despair; that all their comings in, whether profits from the World, or pleasures, from their Sin, or supposed happiness from their suppo­sed Graces have their goings out; that upon all they have, you may write, all is t [...]porale They had Riches, but they are [...]one. Honours and Pleasure, but they are gone. Many good things in time, but at the [...]d of time, all have an end, & then when their endless misery [...] this will be their doleful tune, all our good is past and gone.

III. Eternal. Aionia, quas [...] [...]ei On; al­ways existing: all duration, even time [Page 11]it self taken metaphysically) is nothing else but the premanency of Essence. Time Eternal in sensu Physico, is but ens rationis, or nothing. Therefore according to the manner of Beings, must be the manner of their Abidings. All Beings may be ranked into three sorts, whence ariseth three sorts of Duration.

1. Some things have both beginning and end, as Beasts, and other Corruptible Creatures, and their duration is time, which hath both beginning and end.

2. Some things have a beginning, and no end, as Angels, and the Souls of Men, and the state of both in the other World? and the duration by which these are mea­sured in Philosophy to distinguish it from Time and Eternity strictly taken is called Aeviternity; which imports only an Ini­tial defectibility of the things in them­selves, though by the absolute power of God there might be a period put unto their being once begun, but there is no principal of corruption in their own Nature, which should cause a cessation of their existing Essence: nor is it in the verge of any created Power or second Cause to take that Being from them, [Page 12]which was given to them by the first; and these things because they have no end, are Eternal.

3. One only Being hath neither beginning nor end, nor can have; and that is God; and his duration is Eternity, properly and most strictly taken, which is a duration inferring simple interminability of Essence all at once existing without succession. Eternity in the most proper acceptation doth ex­clude not only actual beginning and end, but all possibility of both, and denotes indefectibility of Essence a parte ante, & a parte post, existing all at once in one continued immoveable instant, without consideration of any thing in it past or to come, though it always was and will be; plainly to every capacity might this be thus adapted: if you look backwards, you cannot think of any one moment, wherein God was not: if you look for­wards, you cannot think of any one mo­ment when God shall not be; for if there had been one moment when God was not, nothing could ever have been: neither God nor Creature, unless that which is nothing could make it self some­thing, which is impossible; because [Page 13] Working supposeth Being, a [...] on; because it infers the [...] before it was; for in [...] Nature, the Cause must [...] Effect: Neither can you [...] one moment beyond which [...] cease to be; because you can [...] any thing in God, or Distinct [...] that should be the cause of his [...] be.

The Object then of Believers look­ing is the unseen, Eternal God, as their Happiness objectively considered, which is so Eternal as to be without beginning and end; and the enjoyment of this un­seen Eternal God in the invisible Hea­vens, which fruition being their hap­piness formally considered, hath a begin­ning, but no ending.

Should I follow the signification of the Greek word, as looking at a mark we aim a [...], or an end which we desire to ob­tain, I should limit my Discourse only to unseen Eternal good things, but if it be taken in a more extended sense, to take heed, to mark, and diligently con­sider, I might bring in the unseen evils in the World to come: and indeed to [Page 14] [...] upon invisible things, [...] bad, that make men Eter­ [...] [...] or Everlastingly Blessed: [...] powerful influence upon [...] take in our daily travels [...] Eternal World.

[...] at unseen Eternal evil things, [...] [...]ight not fall into them:

[...] at unseen Eternal good things, [...] might not fall short of them: [...] is the design of the question pro­pounded for this Text, viz.

How we should Eye ETERNITY, that it may have its due influence upon us in all we do?

Which question will be more distinct­ly answered by resolving these follow­ing questions contained in it.

Q. 1. Whether there be an Eternity, into which all men must enter, when they go out of Time. That we might not only sup­pose what too many deny, and more doubt of, and some are Tempted to call into question, but have it proved that no man might rationally deny the Eter­nity of that state in the unseen World [...] [Page 15]for upon this lyes the strength of the rea­son in the Text, why Believers look at things unsen, because they are Eternal: and the object must be proved, before we can rationally urge the exerting of the act upon that object.

Q. 2. How we should Eye Eternity? on look at Eternal things? For if they be unseen, how shall we see them? And if they be to us in this World invisible, how shall we look at them?

Q. 3. What influence will such a sight of, and looking at Eternity have upon our Minds, Consciences, Wills and Affections in all we do?

Q. 1. Whether there be an Eternity of Happiness that we should look at to obtain, and of Misery, to escape?

Doth any question this? Look at Mens Conversations, see their neglect of God and Christ, their frequent, yea [...] constant refusals of remedying Grace; their leading a sensual flesh-pleasing Life, their seldom thoughts of Death and Judg­ment, their carelesness to make prepara­tion for another World, their minding only things Temporal, and then the question may be, who do indeed believe that these is such an Eternal state: Yet [Page 16]the real existence and certainty of Eter­nal things may be evidently manifested by Scripture, and by Arguments.

1. If you give assent to the Divine Au­thority of the Scripture, you cannot deny the certainty of another World, nor the Eternal state of Souls therein, tho' this be now unseen to you. Luk. 20.34. Jesus said the Children of this World marry—35, but they that shall be accounted worthy of that World, and the Resurrection from the Dead, neither marry; n [...]r are given in marriage. 36. Neither can they dye any more for they are e­qual to the Angles—Is not here plain men­tion of This and That World? and the different state in both? In this, Men mar­ry & dye; in that they neither marry nor die; yea Christ himself affirms, that in That World they cannot die; and what­soever words the Scripture borrows from the best things of this World to help our conceptions of the Glorious state of Ho­ly ones in the other World, some word denoting the Eternal duration of it, is annexed to them all. It is called a King­dom? It is an Everlasting Kingdom, 2 Pet. 1.11. a Crown? It is a Crown incorrup­tible, 1 Cor. 9.25. that fadeth not away. [Page 17]1 Pet. 5.4. is it called Glory? it is E­ternal Glory. 1 Pet. 5.10. 2 Cor. 4.17. an Inheritance? it is incorruptible: 1 Pet. 1.4. Eternal: Heb. 9.15. an House? it is Eternal in the Heavens: 2 Cor. 5 1. Salvation? it is Eternal Salvation: Heb. 5.9. Life? it is Eternal Life. Mat. 25.46.

No less certain is the Eternity of the state of the Damned, by the Scriptures adding some note of Everlasting dura­tion to those dreadful things by which their misery is set forth; is it by a Fur­nace of fire, Mat. 13.42. by a lake of fire? Rev. 21.8. it is fire Eternal, and Unquenchable: Mat. 3.12. Mat. 25.41. by a Prison? 1 Pet. 3.19. from then is no coming forth: Mat. 5.25, 26. by darkness, and blackness of darkness? it is for ever: Jude ver. 13. by burning? it is Everlasting burning: Isa. 33.14. by torment? Luk. 16.23. the smoak of their torment ascendeth for ever and e­ver: Rev. 14.11. & 20.10. by Damna­tion? it is Eternal Damnation: Mar. 3.29. by Destruction? it is Everlasting De­struction: 2 Thess. 1.9. by Punishment? it is Everlasting Punishment: Mat. 25.46. by the gnawings of the Worm? it is [Page 18]such that never dyeth: Mar. 9.44.46.48. by wrath that is to come? Mat. 3.7. 1 Thess. 1.10. When it comes, it will a­bide: Joh. 3.36. Is any thing more fully and plainly asserted in the Scripture, than that the things in the other World, (now unseen) are Eternal things? those that enjoy the one in Heaven, and those that now feel the other in Hell, do not, can­not doubt of this: And a little while will put all those that are now in time, quite out of all doubting of the certain­ty of the Eternity of the state in the un­seen World.

2. The Eternity of the unseen things in [...]eaven & Hell, the Everlasting Happy, or Everlasting. Miserable state after this Life may be evinced briefly, yet clearly by these following Arguments.

I. God did from Eternity chuse some to be fitted in time to partake of happiness to all Eternity. Eph. 1. [...]. According as he hath cho­sen us in him before the Foundation of the World, that we should be holy—& being matte [...], shall [...] happy in obtaining that Salvation to which he chose us, 2 Thes. 2.13. God birth from the Beginning [...]— [...] Thess. 5. [...] [Page 19]hath not appointed us to Wrath, but to obtain Salvation—which Salvation doth include absence of all evil, and presence of all good; and this Salvation being Eternal, Heb. 5.9. infers the absence of all evil for ever, and the presence of all good for ever, and whosoever is delivered from all private Evils, and possessed of all posi­tive Everlasting good, and that for ever, cannot be denyed to be happy for ever.

II. Christ hath redeemed some to be infalli­bly brought to Eternal Glory. What reason can be given of the Incarnation and Death of the Son of God, if there be no Eter­nal misery for men to be delivered from, nor any Eternal happiness to be possessed of? For,

(1.) Did Christ dye to deliver his Fol­lowers from Poverty and Prisons? from Sorrow and Sufferings, from Troubles and Tribulation? What! and yet his Holy, Humble, and Sincere people lye under these more than other Men that are Wick­ed and ungodly; Why was Paul then in stripes and Imprisonments, in hunger and Thirst, in Cold and Nakedness, in Perils and Jeopardy of his Life conti­nually: and such as Pilate, Felix & Festus [Page 20]in great worldly Prosperity? Or can it be imagined, that Men persisting in Sin should be more partakers of the fruits of Christ's Death, than those that forsake their Sin, repent & turn, & follow him?

(2.) Did Christ suffer and dye to pur­chase only Temporal good things, as Riches, Honours, for his Disciples? Were these worth his precious Blood; What­ever Christ dyed for, it cost him his most Sacred Blood: Was it then, for Temporal enjoyments only, which Turks and Pagans may & do possess more than Thousands of his true and faithful Followers? Did Christ intend the benefits of his Death for these in a more special manner, than for such as remain finally impeni­tent, and yet shall such reap the fruit of all his Sufferings, and those that believe on him, go without them? Sober rea­son doth abhor it, and all the Scripture is against it. Would Christ have hum­bled himself to such a contemptible Birth, [...]serable Else, lamentable, painful, shame­ful Death, only for transitory, temporal f [...]ding Mercies? If we consider the va­r [...]ty of his sufferings from God, Men, and Devils, the dignity of the Suffer, I pro­fess [Page 21]I cannot imagine any reason of all Christs undertakings and performances, if there be not an Eternal state of Mi­sery in suffering of evil things, by his Death, that Believers might be delivered from, and of Glory in enjoying of good things to be brought unto.

III. The Spirit of God doth sanctifie some that they might be made meet to be partakers of the Eternal Inheritance of the Saints in light: As all are not Godly, so all are not Ungodly: Though most be as they were born, yet many there be that are born again: there is a wonderful difference betwixt men and men: the Spirit of God infusing a principle of Spiritual Life, & making some all over new, working in them Faith in Christ, Holy Fear & Love, Patience and Hope, longing Desires, re­newing in them the Holy Image of God, is as the earnest and first fruits, assuring of them in due time of a plentiful Har­vest of everlasting Happiness. Faith is in order to Eternal Life and Salvation. Joh. 3.16. Love hath the promise of it: 1 Cor. 1.9. Obedience ends in it: Heb. 5.9. Hope waits for it: Rom. 8.25. and because their hope shall never make them a­shamed, [Page 22] Rom. 5.5. therefore there must be such an Eternal Blessed state they hope for.

IV. The Souls of all men are Immortal: though they had a beginning, yet shall never cease to be, therefore must while they be, be in some state, and because they be Eternal, must be in some Eter­nal state. This Eternal state must be either in the Souls enjoyment of God, or in separation from him; for the Wit of Man cannot find out a third: for the Soul continuing to be, must be with God, or not with God; shall enjoy him, or not enjoy him; for to say he shall, and shall not; or-to say he shall not, and yet shall, is a contradiction; and to say he neither shall, nor shall not, is as bad: If there­fore the Soul be Eternal, and while it shall be, shall perfectly enjoy God, it shall be Eternally happy. If it shall for ever be, and that without God, it shall be Eternally miserable, because God is the chiefest good, the ultimate end, and per­fection of man: The great work in this then is to prove that the Soul is Eternal, and shall for ever be: For which I offer these things.

[Page 23] 1. There is nothing within, nor without the Soul, that can be the cause of its censing to be: (here except God, who though he can take away the being of Souls, and An­gels too, yet he hath abundantly assured us that he will not.) Nothing within it, because it is a Spiritual Being, and hath no Internal Principle by contrary quali­ties, causing a cessation of its being; and because it is simple and indivisible, it is immortal, and incorruptible, for that which is not compounded of parts, can­not be dissolved into parts, and where there is no dissolution of a Being, there is no corruption or end of it; there is no Creature without it; that can cause the soul to cease. Mat. 10.28. Not able to kill the Soul. Luk. 12.4. Fear not them that kill the Body, & after that have no more that they can do: if they would kill the Soul, they cannot, when they have kil­led the Body, they have done their worst, their most, their all.

2. The Soul of man hath not dependan [...] upon the Body, as to its Being and Existence. It hath certain actings and operations which do not depend upon the Body, and if the operations of the Soul be indepen­dent [Page 24]from the Body, such must the prin­ciple be from whence such operations do arise: and if it can act without de­pendance on the Body, then it can exist, and be without the Body, In the Body with [...]ut dependance on the Body; it hath the knowledge of immaterial Beings as God and Angles, which were never seen by the eye of the Body, nor can, because there must be some proportion between the object and the faculty; and the Soul doth know it fels, wherein it hath no need of the phantasie, for when it is intimately present to it self, it want­eth not the ministry of the phantasie to its own intellection. Besides it can con­ceive of universals, abstracted from its singulars, in which it doth not depend up­on the phantasie, for phantasmata sunt sin­gulaeium, non universalium; therefore since it can act in the Body without depen­dance on the Body, it can exist without the Body, and not dye when the Body doth; which yet is more plain and cer­tain from the Scripture; which relleth us that the Soul of Lazarus, after death, was carryed by Angels into Abrahams bosom, Luk. 16.22. but they did not [Page 27]carry it dead or alive, but alive, and not dead. Stephen when dying expected the continuance of his Soul in being, and its entrance into Bliss. Act. 7.59. saying, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit. The Thief upon the Cross had a promise from Christ, that that day he should be with him in Paradise: in his body he is not yet, therefore in his Soul without the Body; therefore the Soul doth exist without the Body. Paul believed the immortality of his Soul, and its existence after the death of his Body. Phil. 1.23. I am in a strait, having a desire to depart, & to be with Christ, which is far better. If his Soul had not existed, he had not been a moment sooner with Christ, nay, his Soul in the Body had some Communion with Christ, if it dyed with the Body, it had none, and that was not far better but worse.

3. The original of the Soul by immediate Creation is usually brought as an argument of the Immortality and Continuance of it to Eternity; to assert the Creati [...] of the Soul hath this difficulty attending on it, how to clear the propagating of Original Sin: to affirm the Soul is ex­traduce propagated by generation, hath [Page 26]this knot to be united, how it doth con­sist with the Immortality of the Soul; when that which is generable is corrup­tible; but I for present shall take their arguing which prove it shall exist for e­ver, because it is created immediately by God according to the worne Axiom what­soever is ingenerable, is also corruptible: The Soul cannot be from the Matter or Bodies of Parents, because that which is Spiritual and Immaterial cannot be produced out of that which is a Corporal and Material Substance, for then the effect would be more noble than its cause, and the cause would give and impart something to the effect which it self hath not, but that which any thing hath not, it cannot give to another; as in a Spiritu­al also in a Natural sense, that which is born of the flesh, is flesh; but the Soul is a Spirit.

Nor are the Souls of the Children from the Souls of the Parents, either by Mul­tiplication, or Division; not by Division; that part of the Souls of the Parents should be communicated, and pass from the Parents to the Children, because it is a Spirit, and therefore indivisible into parts [Page 27]because it hath none, being without mat­ter, therefore without quantity, there­fore without divisible parts.

Not by Multiplication, for this must be by participation of something from the Pa­rents Souls, or not: if not then, it inferreth Creation, for that which is brought out of nothing into being is created; if by parti­cipation of something of substance of [...]e Parents Soul, this infers Division, which before was shewed cannot be.

4. That the Soul shall never dye, but abide to all Eternity. I argue, either God nither can, nor will maintain the Soul in E­ternal duration, or he would but cannot, or be could but will not, or he both can and will! If he cannot, then God is not Omnipo­tent, for the Soul being a Spirit it no more implies a contradiction that the Soul should live for ever, than that An­gels and Devils should live for ever. If he can, and any say he will not, I desire a reason of this assertion: how shall any man know Gods Will, but by what he hath revealed; and God hath not reveal­ed that he will not maintain the Souls of men in Eternal Being, but the contrary It follows then that God both can & wall, & [Page 28]therefore they must live to all Eternity.

V. The certainty of an Eternal State in the other unseen World is evident from the innate appetite ununiversally in all men after Eternal happiness. There is no man but would be happy, and there is no man that would have his happiness cease: a man might as soon cease to be a man, as cast a­way all desires of Happiness, or will to be for ever miserable, though most mistake what their happiness is. This innate Ap­petite cannot be filled with all the good things in this World; for tho the rational appetite be subiectively finite, yet it is ob­jectively infinite. God therefore & Nature which do nothing in vain, hath put unsatis­fied, restless desires after happiness into the hearts of men which cannot be any thing among things seen & Temporal, there must be something that must be the object of this Appetite, & able to quiet & fill it in the other world, though most by folly, blind­ness, and sloathfulness miss of it.

VI. The absurdities which follow the deny­al of an Eternal state, of men (though now unseen) demonstrate the certainty of it:

1. For then the lives of men, even of the best, must needs be uncomfortable, and [Page 29]the life of reason would (as such) be sub­ject to more fears and terrors than the life of sense, which is against all sense & rea­son: for Beasts must dye, but do not foresee that they must dye; but that rational fore­sight of Death would imbitter all his sweet­est delights of Life; if there were no reason to hope for another after this; & the more the Life of Man as Man is more noble than the Life of Beasts, the more the foresight of the certain loss thereof without another after this, would affright, afflict, torment: Now it is not rational to think, that God who made Man the chiefest, and the choicest of all his visible works, should endue him with such powers and facul­ties, as understanding and Will to make his Life (as man) more burdensom, by being filled with fretting fears, wrac­king griefs, & tormenting terrors, more than any Beasts are able to, or capable of Nay & add, that the more any Man did improve exercise, and use his reason in the fre­quent Meditations of Death, the more bitter his Life would be, to consider that all the pleasant good he doth enjoy, must certainly and shortly be lost by Death, and he not capable of any good after [Page 30]Death in the stead and room thereof.

2. Then the Condition of many wicked, yea, the worst of men would be better than the condition of the ungodly that are the best; if the Wicked have their good things here, and no evil hereafter; and the people of God their evil things here, and no good hereafter; 1 Cor. 15.19.. If in this Life only we had hope, we were of all men most miserable.

3. Then the chiefest and greatest encourage­ments to undergo Sufferings and Losses for Gods sake were taken away. Why did Moses refuse the Honours of Pharaohs Court: and chose to suffer Afflictions with the people of God; but because he had his Eye to the recompence of re­ward. Heb. 11.25, 26. why did Paul en­dure such Conflicts, but for the hope of Life and Immortality which the Gospel had brought to light: 2. Tim. 1.10.12 and well might he ask what it would ad­vantage him that he fought with Beasts at Ephesius, if the Dead rise not to Eter­nal happiness, 1 Cor. 15.32. Might not then the Suffering Saints repent when they come to dye, that they had been so imprudent and unwise, to endure so much, and lose so much, and say they have been [Page 31]loosers by obeying God, and by their ho­ly walking, for there is no happiness af­ter Death to be hoped for: wherefore I do repent that I did not take my pleasures while I might; but did you ever hear a serious godly man, when dying, utter such words? But of [...] contrary on their dying beds do grieve, [...] groan, mourn and lament, that they have been no more holy and obedient; and in suffering times, if they had Gold as Dust, they would count it all as Dross; and if they had a thousand lives, they would lose them all to keep in the favour of God & to gain the Crown of Everlasting Life.

4. Then would the Flood-gates of sin and profaneness be plucked up, to let in an Inundation of all manner of gross abomi­nations; for if men will not be affrighted from their sin with all the threatnings of the sorest pains of Hell, nor allured to leave them with all the promises of the sweetest pleasures of Heaven; if they were sure there were no torments of Hell to be adjudged to, nor Glory in Heaven, to be rewarded by, they would run with greater greediness to the commission of the worst of sins that the Devil should [Page 32]tempt them, or their wicked hearts in­cline them to.

Quest. 2. How shall we Eye Eternity? or look at unseen Eternal things?

They are said to be unseen, as they are not objects of [...] external sense? for in this [...] are not to be seen: but we must look at Eternal things that are unseen, with an Eye that also is unseen; and the several things denoted by the Eyes in Scriptures, will give some light to see, with what Eyes we must look at unseen Eternal things; viz. with an Eye,

Of Knowledge, Faith, Love, Desire, Hope.

Our looking at Eternal things com­prehends these acts of the Soul.

1. It includes a sure and certain Know­ledge of them: as things not understood are said to be hid from our eyes; so what we know, we are said to see. Eccl. 2.3. I sought in my heart till I might see what was that good for the sons of men; taking away of Knowledge is called the putting out of the Eyes, Nunb. 16.14. and the in-lightening the Mind, the opening of the Eyes, Acts. 26.18. and looking is put for [Page 33]certain Knowing, Job. 13.27. and ex­pressed by seeing; Acts. 7.34. so that the Looking at, and Eying of Eternal things, with the Eyes of the Understan­ding includes,

1. The bending of the mind to study them; as when a man would look at any Object, he bends his Head, and turns his Eyes that way.

2. The bending the mind to them, as a man when he looks earnestly at any thing sixeth his Eye upon it.

3. The Exercise of the mind thus bent and bound to Eternal things, that it is often thinking on the unseen Eternal God, Christ, Heaven, & the life to come.

2. This looking is by an Eye of Faith, Looking is believing, Numb. 21.8. Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: & it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when be looketh upon it, shall live. The Object and the Act are both expoun­ded by Christ, Job. 3.34. As Moses lifted up the Serpent, and in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. 15. That whosoever believeth in them, shall not perish, but have Eternal Life.

3. This Looking is with an Eye of Love. [Page 34]Though in Philosoph [...] the Affections as well as the will are blind Powers; yet in Divinity the eyes are put for the Af­fections. Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? & the Eye of then Lord denotes his Love. Psal. 33.18. and believers that love the coming of the unseen Saviour. 1. Tim, 4.8. are said to look for it. Phil. 3.20 ubi amor, ibi oculus. We love to look at what we love.

4. This Looking is with an Eye of De­sire, which is exprest by the Eye. Numb. 15.39. That ye seek not after your own Heart, and your own Eyes. 1 King. 20.6. every thing desirable in thine eyes. Job. 31.16. If I have witheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the Widow to fail.

The Eye is an Index of the desires of the Heart.

5. This Looking is with an Eye of Hope. The Eye is put for Hope, Job. 11.20. and things not seen are looked for by Hope. Rom. 8.24.25. and things hoped for are the Objects of our Looking. Tit. 2.13. Looking for the blessed Hope. In short the sum is, as if it had been said, while we have a certain knowledge of unseen Eternal things, a firm belief of them, for [Page 35]vent love unto [...], ardent desires af­ter them, lively hope, and patient ex­pectation of them, we faint not in all our tribulations.

Having opened the Eyes with which we are to look at Eternal things, I pro­ceed to the manner of our Looking: There is a looking unto them, Psal. 34 7. There is a Looking unto them, by studying the Nature of them, to know more of the reality, necessity & dignity of them, 1 Pet. 1.12. Which thing, the Angels desirs to look into. If Angels do, Men should. There is a Looking for them, either as we look for things that we have lost, look till we find, as the Man for his lost sheep, or the woman for her lost silver, Luke. 15.4.8. to look for a thing that is yet to come: Tit. 2.13. and there is a looking at them, which is not an idle gazing at the unseen Eternal World, but a practi­cal lively, affecting look in this manner following.

1. We should look at Eternal things with such an Eye of Faith, that should presentiate them unto us, though they are yet to come. Hence Faith is said to be the sub­stance, or substance of things not seen, and [Page 36]the evidence of things [...] for, Heb. 11.1. Faith so looks at things that are far off, that they have a kind of mental, intellec­tual existence; though absent as if they were present: being promised as sure, as they were already possessed: Faith convinceth and assureth the heart of a Believer most strangly of the truth of a thing, while it looks to the Revelation and Testimony of God, than any argument brought forth from Natural reason could do; and doth give as firm assent to the certainty and reality of Eternal things (though unseen) as to any thing he be­holdeth with his eyes, or perceiveth by the apprehension of any Sense; because our Eyes may be deceived, but God nei­ther can deceive, nor be deceived.

Look then, i.g. at the coming of Christ with such an eye of Faith, as if with your bodily Eyes you saw him descen­ding from Heaven, in flaming fire, with glorious attendance; as if you heard the Tru [...]pet sounding and the Cry made, arise ye I tad, and come to Judgment: At which command, as if you saw the Dead quickned, & peeping out of their Graves, to see why they are raised: as if you saw [Page 37]the wicked come [...]o [...]th, fearfully amazed, with vile and filthy Bodies, like Toades from their holes, with pale and gastly countenances, with trembling hearts, & their knees [...] horror knocking one a­gainst an [...] rearing their hair, smiting on their [...], and crying out, what is the matter! What meant that loud Alarm, that thundering Call that awaked us out of the deep sleep of Death? Oh! the Lord is come, the slighted Christ is come: Come! how doth he come? How? cloathed with vengeance, with fury in his face, and his Wrath like Fire burns be­fore him: because of his Indignation, the Heavens melt over our heads, and the Earth burns under our feet, and all is in flames round about us. Oh terrible day! such as this we never saw. Oh the storms! the storms! Oh such burning, scorching storms we never saw, nor felt before! We have been sleeping all the night of Death, and the morning is come, the day doth dawn: Dawn! Oh it is bread day all about, we were wont to wake, and go to work, and go to sin, to swear, and lye, to drink and take our pleasure, but now we wake, and must to Hell, to [Page 38]Pain, and Punishment. Now we must go from God to Devils, from the only Saviour, to Eternal Torments. Oh what day is this! What day! it seems to be rather night than day, fo [...] [...]is a day of Wrath, a day of trouble & [...] is, a day of wastness & desolation, [...] of dark­ness and gloominess, a day o [...] Clouds & thick darkness; a day of the trumpet & alarm against us all Impenitent Sinners, and to us all it would pove the great Damnation day. When our Souls and Bodies by Death were separated, it was a sorrowful parting, but this is a sorer meething: the Body with doleful groans doth strangely greet its re-united Soul. Oh thou cursed Soul! must I be tyed to thee again with a faster knot than ever? Death did heretofore part thee and me, but all the pains of Hell hereafter connot do it: thou wast commander over me, and shouldst have managed thy Govern mont better: thou shouldst have used this Tongue to call upon thy Maker: thou shoulgst have used these Ears to have hearkened to the calls of Christ, to the wooings of Grace, to the entreaties of Mercy: these feet to have carryed thee [Page 39]to the means of Grace: these hands to have been Instruments of good, they were all at thy command, what thou biddest them do, they did, and whither thou commandest them to go, they went. Oh that I might have lyen rotten in my Grave, for then I had been at reast! for though in the Grave I had no pleasure, yet there I felt no pain; but since I have been again united to this before damned Soul, I feel intolerable punishment, & I now perceive it is past doubt that it will be Eternal; the Soul will give no better salutations to the Body. Oh cursed flesh! what, alive again! Must I be linked to such a loathsome lump, worse chan any Carrion: thou didst rebel against the com­mands of reason, and thy Appetite was pleased, and thy Lusts obeyed, and all the time of Life on Earth was spent, and fool'd away, in seeding, cloathing, and a­dorning thee; & as I was led away, and entic'd by thee to live with thee a sensual stesh pleasing life, so formally, sowing to the flesh, now of the flesh we reap that Damnation that shall be Eternal For the Judge is come, his Throne is set, and all the World is summoned to appear, the [Page 40]separation is made, the Books are opened all on the right hand are acquitted, and call'd to the possession of an Everlasting Kingdom, while we are doom'd down to Eternal Torments. Lo they are going with their Blessed Glorious Lord unto Eternal Glory; and we with cursed De­vils, like cursed Wretches to Everlasting shame, and pain, and banishment from God and Christ, and Saints and Angels for ever.

Look thus believingly on these unseen things, as if you saw all these, and a thousand times more terrible and more joyful, transacted now before your eyes.

2. Look directly at unseen Eternal things. Many do look indirectly at things Eter­nal, but directly at things Temporal? pretending things not seen, intending things that are seen, in praying, preach­ing, and professing seem to have an eye to God and Christ, & Heaven, but they look asquint to their worldly profits, credit & applause: Should pray that they might see God, but it is that they might be seen of men: Mat. 6.5. But this is to look away, contrary to Solomons advise, Prov. 4.25. Let thine eyes look right on, & let thine eye-lids look straight before thee.

[Page 41] 3. Let unseen Eternal things be the first that you look at. Do not first look at Riches, Honours, Pleasures, & please your selves with purposes after that, to Look after God and Christ, and the happiness of Heaven, when sickness cometh, & Death approacheth, and when near the end of time, begin to make preparation for E­ternity. Men spend their days in get­ting a visible estate, while the unseen E­ternal God, and Glorious Saviour, and Heavens happiness is neglected by them; but it would make a considering man to tremble to think what a sight these Sin­ners shall have after Death hath closed their Eyes, when the separated Soul shall see an angry God, a condemning Judge, the Gates of heaven shut against it, and its self in Everlasting misery.

Unseen Eternal things are first in order of duration, for the invisible God was, when nothing was beside himself; and first in order of dignity, and should have the pri­ority of our thoughts, care & diligent en­deavours, Mat. 633. Seek ye first the King­dom of God, & hisrighteousness; & all these things shall be added unto you, when we first take care about Eternity, the things [Page 42]of time shall be given to us over and a­bove: but the Eternal happiness of Hea­ven shall never be given over and above to those that primarily look at, and seek the things of time, for amongst men, the overplus doth not exceed in worth the things contracted for.

But this damnable preferring things Temporal, and cursed post-poning things Eternal, is the setting of God in the room of the Creature, and the Creature in the Throne of God, as if they would set the heavens where the Earth doth stand, & the Earth where the Heavens are, & so subvert the order of things which God hath appointed to be observed in the Nature of things,

4. Look heedfully at Eternity. All the things that are only for time, are toyes and trifles: the Things for an Eternal World are the grand concerns we should narrowly look to in time; the gathering of Riches in time to the getting of Grace, and an interest in Christ for the escaping of Damnation, and obtaining of Happi­ness to Eternity is busie Idleness, careful Negligence, and laborious Sloth. If God that inhabiteth Eternity looks narrowly [Page 43]to all our actions done in time. Joh. 13.27. how narrowly should we look to our own, when every one is a step to Ever­lasting Happiness, or Eternal Misery? We should look narrowly that we do not walk in the broad way that leads unto the one, but in the narrow that will bring us to the other. Mat. 7.13, 14.

5. Look Earnestly with a longing look at unseen Eternal things. Let your Hearts be filled with greatest intense desires after them, as one that looks and thinks it long, till the desire be accomplished: as the Mother of Sisera looked out at a Window, and cryed through the Lattice, Why is his Chariot so long in comming? Why tarry the Wheels of his Chariot? Judg. 5.20. Why doth time make no more haste to be gone and flee away, that when it is gone and past, I might enter into Eternal Joyes, that never shall be past and gone? Why doth the Sun that by its alternate presence and absence, is the measure of my nights and days, make no swifter speed in its diurnal Motion? If it be as a Bride groom coming out of his Chamber, and rejoyceth as a strong man to run a race, why doth it seem to my longing Soul, [Page 44](as in the days of Joshua) to stand still; if the Sun in the Firmament be so slow, let the Son of Righteousness make more haste, and come and lighten my passage to the other Eternal World, that I might see him as he is, and be more like unto him, than at this distance I can be? Re­turn, Return, O Shulamite, return, return, that I might look upon thee: Make hast my Beloved & be thou like unto a roe, or to a young heart upon the mountains of spices, that my looking for, and after thee might be turn­ed into looking upon thee. Didst thou say a little while, and ye shall see me, & again, a little while, and ye shall not see me? Why dearest Lord! shall I count that a little while in which I do not see thee? hast thou lest it upon record, yet a little while, & be that shall come, will come, and will not tarry? Sweetest Saviour! to my thirsty, panting Soulit seems a great while, while thou dost tarry, and not come: time seems long till I do see thee, but when I shall see thee in looking on thy lovely glorious Self, Eternity shall not seem long. I will mind thee of thy Promise, surely I come quickly, and make in matter of my prayer, and in consider [...] [Page 45]of the performance of thy promise, and audience of my prayer, will say, Amen, even so, so quickly come Lord Jesus: for ac­cording to my earnest expectation, & my hope, I groan, and am travelling in pain, until I see thee who to me art now un­seen, that when I might live by sight, & no longer walk by Faith.

6. Look through with earnest, yet with Patient expectation, at unseen Eternal things. He that walketh now by Faith, that he shall hereafter live by sight, will not make undone, untimely haste; tho what he seeth by Faith in unseen Eternal Joyes, and Glory, doth fill his Soul with long­ing desires after them, yet hope doth help with patience to wait for them Rom. 8.25. For the beatifical vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end of Tempo­ral Life it will be given, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry; tho' it tarry beyond some Months or Years that you desire to be there, yet it shall not tarry one moment beyond the time, that God hath appointed to take you to it, therefore in the mean time live by Faith, and see in things [...]seen, what can be seen by Faith, [Page 46]till things unseen, shall clearly, and with open face be seen by you.

7. Look with a fixed, stedfast Eye at unseen Eternal things, if you give a glance, or cast of the eye toward things seen and temporal: the Eye and Heart too is ready to six upon them: if you would six your Eyes upon Eternity, upon God and Christ, and the Joyes above, Satan, Sin, the Flesh and World will be diverting of it, that now in time, com­paratively, you can but glance upon E­ternity: If you look that way, many Ob­jects will interpose themselves, to hinder your sight, and to turn your Eyes from things Eternal, to things Temporal, from God to the Creature, from things above, to things below: But yet if we were full of the Holy Ghost, as Stephen was, we might look up steadfastly unto Heaven as Stephen did, and though not with the same Eye, yet to the same effect and purpose, see the Glory of God, & Je­sus, standing at his right hand. Acts. 7. [...]5. Though the thoughts are immanent, yet in this respect they are too transient, that they do no longer dwell upon Eternity; But if the Devil & the World find yo [...] [Page 47]thoughts tyed to this subject, and go a bout to loosen them, say, why do ye this: for not my Lord, but I have need of them: Or if you are at any season seasonably got up into the Mount, viewing eter­nity, and they send Messengers to you to come down, reply (for they think to do you mischief [...] am doing a great work, so that I cannot come dowm: Why should the work cease, whilest I leave it, and come down to you? And though they send more than four times after this sort, yet answer them still after the same manner.

8. Look unweariedly at unseen Eternal things. The Eye might be fixed for a while upon an Object, and after a while be weary in looking at it; can you look unweariedly at the vanities of this World, and will you be so soon tired in behol­ding the Glorious things in the other World? Do you look on things Tem­poral, where seeing is not satisfying, and yet are never satisfyed with looking? And will you not look on things [...]en­ [...]al, where seeing would be such a fil­ing of your heart with satisfactory con­ [...]ent, that looking would be tedious to [Page 48]your eye? There is so much in God, in Christ, in all Eternal things in Hea­ven; so much Beauty, Glory, Fulness, that methinks we might stand looking at them night and day, with out any irk­somness at all. But alas, when the Spi­rit is willing, the Flesh is weak; and whilest the Soul must look out of Flesh to see those Glorious things, and so clogged with Corruption, that is like dust within its Eyes, that makes it weep, because it can look no longer: But yet in time we should endeavour to be more like to them that are already in that E­ternity, where they look at God and Christ unweariedly: and though their looking is not measured by Days, or Months, or Years, but by immensura­ble Eternity, yet they shall never be weary of looking at them to all Eternity.

9. Look with a joyful pleasant Eye at unseen Eternal things. Look till you feel your Heart to leap for joy; look till you find your Spirit is reviv'd with­in you; look till the sight of your Eye affect your Heart. Is Christ unseen? yet not unknown: Do not [...] now see him [Page 49]with bodily Eyes, yet you do with an Eye of Faith and Love, and therefore may rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of Glory, 1 Pet. 1.8. When you look up unto the Heavens, and see and say, yonder is the place of my Everlasting abode, there I must dwell with God, there I must be with Christ, and joyful­ly joyn with Angels and Saints in prai­sing of my Lord and Saviour; the ford-sight of this will make you joyful for the present, and pleasant in you looking at it.

10. Look fiducially at unseen Eternal things, with an Holy, Humble Confi­dence by Jesus Christ upon the perfor­mance of the conditions of the Gospel, they shall be all your own; that by turn­ing from all your Sin, by Repentance and Faith in Christ, you trust, you shall be possessed of them; that when you see there are Mansions now unseen, there are Eternal Joys, an Immoveable King­dom, an Incorruptible Crown, the E­ternal God to be enjoyed, and for all this you have a promise, and you know this promise is made to you, by the per­formance of the Conditions annexed to [Page 50]the promise, you trust in time to come unto it, or rather when you go out of time into Eternity, you shall be Blessed in the immediate, Full, Eternal Enjoy­ment of all the Happiness that God hath prepared in Heaven, to give you well­come, joyful entertainment in that unseen Eternal World; that you so eye that world while you live in this, that when by Death you are going out of this World, into that, you might have this well ground­ed Confidence to say, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteous­ness, which the Lord, therighteous Fudge shall give me at that day—2 Time. 4.7, 8.

If you get such a sight as this, as now hath been set forth before you, upon such Eternal Objects as before were pro­pounded to you, you will be able from your own experience to answer the third question contained in the general case; but yet I will proceed unto that branch.

Q. 3. What influence will such an Eyeing of Eternity have upon us in all we do?

[Page 51] In all we do? Will its influence be so Universal: Will the efficacy of such a sight be so extensive to reach forth its virtue in all we do? yes, in all we do. Whether we Eat or Drink, or go to Sleep, whether we trade, or Work, or Buy, or Sell. Whether we Pray, or Hear, or search our Hearts, or Medi­tate, or Receive, or Study, or Preach or Sin, or Suffer, or Die, it will have a mighty influence upon us in any thing wherein we are active, or passive, culpa­ble, or praise-worthy; in any conditi­on, be it Poverty, or riches, Health, or Sickness; in any Relation, be it of Husband and Wife; of Parents and Children, of Masters and Servants: In any Office and Imployment, Sacred or Civil; out of such an heap (because I am limited) I will take an handful, and because I have not room to speak of all, I will not cast them into method, ac­cording to their nature, connexion, and dependance one upon another, but take them as they come in some few parti­culars only.

1. Such an Eyeing of Eternity in all we do would make us careful to avoid [Page 52]sin in any thing we do, or however we might fail in all we do, yet that we suf­fer it not to Reign, or have Dominion over us. Look at Eternity with a be­lieving Eye, and you will look at sin with an angry Eye: you will cast a deadly look at Sin, when you have a­lively look at Eternity of Joy or Mise­ry.

1. Sin would deprive me of Eternal Life, therefore I will be its Death; it would keep me from Eternal Rest: therefore I will never rest, till I have conquered and subdued it; nothing in the World would bring upon my Eternal Soul, the Eternal loss of the Eternal God, his Glo­rious Son, and Holy Spirit, of the Com­pany of his Holy Angels and Saints, of Eternal Treasures, of a Blessed Kingdom, and Incorruptible Crown; but cursed Sin: Poverty, Sickness, Men, Death, Devils cannot; nothing but Sin: therefore I will be its bane, that shall not Reign in me, that would not suffer me to live in Ever [...] lasting Happiness.

2. Sin would plunge me into unseen Eter­nal Torments, into Endless Flames, and [Page 53]Everlasting Burnings: If you could speak with a Soul departed but a Month ago, and ask him, what do you now think of the delights of Sin, of sporting on the Sabbath day, of your pleasant Cups, and Delightful Games; of plea­sing of the Flesh, and gratifying of its Lusts? What a sad reply would he return, and what a doleful answer would he make you? Sin! Oh that was it that was my ruine; that was it, which hath brought me (miserable wretch) to Everlasting Torment; that was it, which shut me out of Heaven, that sunk me down to Hell. O ye foolish Sons of Men, that are yet in time, be not mad, as I was mad; and do not do as I did: let not the seen pleasures and profits of the world, which I have found, were but for a time, deceive you, and bewitch you: the De­vil shewed me the seen delights of Sin, but concealed from me the Extremity and Eternity of the pain that it hath bro't me to; the pleasure is past, and the pain continues, and I am lost for ever! and all this Sin hath brought me to. Let your Eyeing of Eternity whilst you are standing in time, be instead of one [Page 54]speaking to you in time, that hath been in Eternity, for the Eternal God doth tell you, as much as any Damned Soul can tell you, and would you believe one from Hell, and not the Son of God that came from Heaven? Oh look and view Eternity in the Glass of the Scripture, and firmly believe it and it will make slaughtering work among your Sins, and destroy that which would damn you.

2. Such Eyeing of Eternity would be a mighty help to quiet your hearts under the dis­pensations of Providence here to men on Earth. When you look at the seen Afflictions, Distresses, Disgraces, Stripes, Imprison­ments, Persecutions, and Poverty of the People and Children of God, and the Riches, Ease, Honours, Pleasures, and the seen flourishing prosperity of the worst of Men, that by the Swearing, Drinking, Whoring, hating of Godliness, being partners of wickedness, Proclaim themselves the Children of the Devil, and you are offended, and your mind dis­quieted, except in this you have a bet­ter heart thad Job, cap. 21.6, to 16. or David, a Man after Gods own hear [...]; [Page 55] Psal. 73.2, to 16. or Jeremiah, cap. 12.1, 2. to Habakkuk, cap. 1.13, 14.

Now amongst the many helps to allay this Temptation, the eying of the last, yea, Everlasting things is not the least. Look upon these two sorts of Men, (which comprehend all in the World) as go­ing to Eternity, and lodged there, and then you will rather pity them because of their future Misery, then envy them for their present Prosperity. What if they have their Hearts Desire for a moment, and must be tormented for e­ver. What if they have Pleasures, and carnal Delights for a season, they must be under the heavy wrath of God for ever. You might stand and see all their mirth at an end, but their sorrow never will have end; all their joy is but for a moment, as the crackling of Thorns un­der a pot, but their misery will be end­less misery. Let them laugh a while, they shall weep for ever: let them re­joyce for a season, their mirth shall be turned into heaviness; their Temporal rejoycing into everlasting howling; and the Eternity of joy will be more than a recompence to the afflicted Saints, what [Page 54]soever their Sufferings for Christ, and Conscience be in this World.

A supposed case might be an help in this Temptation. Suppose then that you were poor, and full of pain for so [...]ong time, or rather for so short, that you should fall asleep, and after you a­wake, should be poor no more, nor af­flicted any more, but have a life of ma­ny delights afterwards. Suppose again, another man were compassed about with all manner of accommodations: costly Dishes to please his Palate beautiful Objects to delight his Eyes, all manner of Musick grateful to his Ears; many Servants to attend him; all standing bare before hi, and bowing the Knee in Honour to him; and all this, and much more, he were to enjoy as long as he could abstain from sleeping; but assoon as he doth fall asleep, he should be taken off his Bed, and cast into a Furnice of boyling Lead or scalding Pitch. I de mand which of these two mens Condi­tion would you choose; I know it would be the condition of the former, and not the latter; this, and infinitely beyond this is the case in hand; you are afflict­ed [Page 57]till you fall asleep, and then you shall be afflicted no more, but live a life of Joy for ever! the wicked prosper till they fall asleep, and they cannot long keep open their eyes, but Death will come and close them, then the justice of God will arrest them, and then Devils will seize upon them, and they shall be cast into a Lake of burning Brimstone, where they shall have no rest, night, nor day; but the smoke of their Torment shall ascend for ever and ever. Exercise your thoughts in this manner, and have an eye unto Eternity, and you will more easily and successfully overcome such Temptations to murmuring and discon­tent, from the different dispensations [...] the Providence of God here, in time [...] good and bad.

3. Such eyeing of Eternity would have great influence for the well improvement of our time. Time is to be valued in order to Eternity, because we go out of time into Eternity, (and that which should make every man in time most concerned) out of time into Eternity of Misery or Glory. Oh! what a precious thing is time! it is beyond the worth of Gold [Page 58]or Silver, because we might do more in time in reference to Eternity, than we can do by all our Gold and Silver: Jewels are but Toyes in comparison of precious Time. Many are saving of their Mo­ney, but are prodigal of Time; and have more of time than they know what to do with, when others find so much to do, that they know not what to do for time to do it in. Oh Fools, and blind, what were an Hundred years to make preparation for Eternity? Ob sluggish careless Sots! Do you ask, how shall we pass away the time? Might ye not with more reason ask, how shall we prevent hasty time from passing away with such minged motion? Or if that cannot be [...]vented, how shall we improve our me that is so fast a posting from us? Blind World! Do any Men in thee en­quire, How shall we spend our time? It is easily answered, in Praying, Re­penting, begging for Grace, the pardon of Sin, the favour of God, and peace with Him, and fitness for Eternal Life Had the Damned in hell the time that once they had, and you now have, do you think they would ask what they [Page 59]should do to pass away the time? Their cry rather is, Oh hasty time, whether art thou fled? Why didst thou move so fast while we sate still? Or why in time did we so swiftly run in ways of Sin, as if we could not have sinned enough be­fore time was past and gone? When we had a God to serve, and Souls to save, and an Everlasting State to make pre­paration for, we like Fools did say, flow shall we spend our time? But now our time is spent, and past, and gone; and now the question is, which never can be answered, How shall we spend Eternity? Which never can be spent, no not in en­during Ten Thousand Thousand Millions of Years in pain and punishment for when they are past, it is as fresh, and as far from ending, as it was the first mo­ment it began; then Eye Eternity, and you cannot but improve your time.

4. Such Eyeing of Eternity would mak [...] us careful how we die, because death is our passing out of time into Eternity. Death is dreadful to the ungodly, be­cause it opens the door into Everlasting Misery gainful to all endued with sa­ving [Page 60]Grace, because it lets them into Everlasting Happiness. Did you that are yet Christless, Impenitent, and Un­believing, see whether you are going, and where you must within a little time rake up your Everlasting Lodgings; what fear and trembling would seize upon all your joynts, and when by sick­ness you perceive Death to be approach­ing, you would cry out, Oh Death, for­bear, forbear, stay thine hand, and do not strike, for if thou cut me down in this Condition, I drop into Eternal Mise­ry [...] There is nothing but this single thread of my frail Life between me and endless wo, and if this be cut or snapt asunder I sink into irrecoverable Misery, without all hope of ever coming forth: Could you but see a Soul the next hour after its separation from the Body, what a taking is it in, what wo, what despair is it filled with, would you then live without Christ, go to bed without Christ, and rise and trade, and still remain with­out an Interest in Christ? What mean ye Sirs, to make no provision for Death that is so near, so very near, when you are as near to going into an Everlasting [Page 61]World, as you are to going out of this Transitory World? And your Souls be dragged sooner by Devils into Hell, than your Bodies can be carryed by Men unto your Graves. Awake, arise, repent, and turn unto the Lord, for if you sleep on in sin, till you sleep by Death, you will be awaked by the flames of Hell; and then though you be under the power of Eternal Death, you will sleep no more, and rest no more for ever.

And Death is as gainful and desirable to a Gracious Man, as it is terrible to the Ungodly, for it lets him into unseen Eternal Glory, to the sight of Christ unseen to us on Earth. How willing would you be to go a Thousand Miles to see Christ, and converse with him, if he were on Earth, it is better to see this precious Christ in Eternal Glo­ry; it is worth the while to dy, to hav [...] a view of your Lord Redeemer in the highest Heavens. Oh the wonderful transporting Joys the Soul is filled with, when it first cometh into the unseen, but happy World! when it hath the first Glorious view of its dearest Lord. Do you think it would de­sire [Page 62]to return to live in flesh upon Earth again? Do you know what you do, when you are so loth to dy? Do you understand your selves when you are so backward to be taken out of time? It is to be loth, to go into Everlasting Happiness, to go and take possession of unseen Eternal Glory.

5. Such an Eyeing of Eternity would make [...] more patient, constant, joyful in all our [...]ufferings for Christs sake. When we pore upon our seen troubles, and do not look [...]t rest after trouble, when we see and [...]eel what is inflicted upon us, but do [...]ot look what is laid up in Heaven for us; when we see the rage of Men, and do not look at the love of God, our Hearts and flesh do fail; but if we set unseen Eternal things over against thing [...] seen and Temporal, it will be strength unto us. Against the power of Men which is Temporal, set the power of God, which is Eternal; and then you will see their power to be weakness: Against the Policy of Men which is Temporal, set the Wisdom of God, which is Eternal; and then you will see all [Page 63]their Policy to be Foolishness. Against the Hatred of Men, which in its effects to you is Temporal, set the Love of God, which is both in its self, and in its effects to you Eternal; and you will see their hatred to be no better than raging, un­reasonable madness. Keep you Eye upon the unseen Torments in the other World, and you will rather endure Suf­ferings in this than Venture upon Sin, and expose your selves to them: Keep your Eye upon the unseen Eternal Crown of Glory, and it will carry you through Fire and Flames, Prisons and Reproaches for the sake of Christ. Heb. 11.26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect unto the Recompence of the Reward, 27. By Faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

6 This Eyeing of Eternity will be a power­full preservative against the Temptations of Men or Devils; a Sovereign Antidote a­gainst [...]he Payson of Temptation. I see the Invisible God looks at me, shall I then [...]ield to the suggestions of the Devil, [Page 64]or the sollicita [...]ions of Men to sin? I see there is an Everlasting state of Joy or Torment that I must be shortly in, as sure as I am in this place, and Satans design is to bring me to that state of Tor­ment; and if I follow him I shall be ex­cluded from yonder glorious place; from God, and Christ, and Saints above: therefore by the Grace of God I will not yield to this Temptation; but strive I will, and Watch and Pray I will against the assaults of this deceitful Adversary: for why should I be so foolish to lose Eternal Glory for momentary Pleasures? and run my Immortal Soul into Eternal pain for short delights? I do plainly see what will be the End, if I do yield Damnation without end, banishment from God without end: I do clearly see that Stealing and Murder is not a more ready road to a place of Execution up­on Earth, then yielding to a tempting Devil is to Everlasting Misery.

7. Such Eyeing of Eternity would wean our hearts from the things of time. A sight and view of Heavens Glory would dar­ken the Glory of the World, as looking [Page 65]at the shining Sun over your Head, doth obscure in your Eyes the things under your Feet; after a believing view of the invisible God, and the Glory of the place above, this World would appear as a very Dunghil in your Eyes: Phil. 3.7, 8. as where we love, there we look; so the more we look, the more we shall love; and the more we love the Eternal things that are above, the less we shall love the Temporal things that are below.

8. Such Eyeing of Eternity would make us more like to God and Jesus Christ. It will be a transforming and assimilating look. 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all with open face, be­holding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore when we shall see Christ who is now out of sight, we shall be perfectly like unto him. 1 Joh. 3.2. But we know when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.

9. Such an Eyeing of Eternity would fill [...] Souls with Holy admirations of Good­ [...]ess, Grace, and Love of God to us: When [Page 66] Paul had a sight of such unseen things, he was in an holy Extacy and Divine Rapture. 2 Cor. 12 2, 3, [...] when we consider the Eternal Happiness of Hea­ven, we shall stand as Men amazed that God should prenare such things for such men, and bear such Love, and shew such Mercy to such as we that are so vile and full of Sin, and say, Lord what am I tha [...] might for ever have howled in the lowest Hell, that I should hope to praise theein the highest Heavens! Lord what am I that might have been in Everlasting Darkness, that there should be prepared for me Everlasting light and Joy! Why me, Lord, why hast thou designed me, and wrought upon my Heart, and made me in any measure meet to be partake [...] of such Eternal Glory? Oh! the depth of the Riches, both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past find­ing out Rom. 11 33 How precious are thy thoughts to me, h [...] great is the sum of them [...] Psal 139.17. Oh how great is they goodness which then b [...]st laid up for them that fear thee [...] which th [...] h [...]st wrought for them that trust in thee. Psal. 31.19.

[Page 67] 10. Such an Eyeing of Eternity would have this influence sure upon us, to set our selves under a painful, skilful, serious, Ministry: It doth much concern you, for you are going to an endless Life, and Preaching is the appointed means to fit you for an endless happy Life; then do you choose the mostlively, searching, power­ful Preaching, it is for the Life of your Souls; for the Everlasting life of your Everlasting Souls. If you were sick, and in danger of Death, when your Life lies upon it, you would have the advice of an able Physician, that is serious & afraid that he no way become guilty of your Death? Would you like that Physician that seems to be unconcerned, that cares not whether you live or dy, if he might but have his fee? Or that should merrily jest with you when you are sick at Heart, and near to Death, if you be not cured? Would you take pleasure in his witty sayings, and be jested into your Grave? Or if you go unto a Lawyer about your whole Estate, though it were in Leases that will expire, would you choose one, that you think did not care, whether you win or lose your cause? Would you be [Page 68]pleased with some witty sayings, imper­tinent to the pleading of your cause? Would you not say, Sir, I am indanger of all that I am worth, my Estate lies at stake, deal plainly with me, and be serious in your undertaking for me, and tell me in words that I can understand the plain Law by which my case must be tryed. And will you be more careful a­bout the Temporal Life of a Body that must dy? And about a Temporal Estate which you must leave when you dy? & not about your Soul that must ever live, & never dy? No! not so much as to set your selves under faithful Preachers, that shall in Words that you can understand plainly tell you the laws of Christ by which you must be tryed for your Life, and according to them be Eternally damned or saved?

11. Such an Eyeing of Eternity would make you serious and lively in all your spiritual du­ties in all your approaches unto God: If you have no Grace, the serious thoughts of the unseen Eternal World, would stin you up to beg and cry and call for it; if you have to desire more, and to exer­cise what you have; to confess your sin with such contrite broken penitent [Page 69]hearts, as though you saw the [...]ire bur­ning, which by your sins you have de­served to be cast into: To beg for Christ, and Sanctifying Grace, and pardoning Mercy with that lively Importunity, as if you saw the Lake of boiling Brimstone, into which you must be cast, if you be not sanctified and pardoned; to hear the Word of God that sets this Eternal World before you, with that diligent attention, as Men hea [...]kning for their Lives; to com­memorate the Death of Christ with such life while you are at the Lords Supper, while you do as it were see the Tor­ments you are delivered from and the Eternal Happiness by Faith in a Cruci­fied Christ you have a Title to, it will cause a fire and flame of Love in your Hearts to that Lord that dyed for you, ardent desires after him, complacential delight in him, thankfulness, hope of Hea­ven, hatred to sin, resolution to live to, or die for him that died for you: If your Hearts are dead and dull, and out of frame, go and look into the unseen Eternal World; take a believing view of Everlasting Joyes and Torments on the other side of time, and you shall feel [Page 70]warmth and heat, and lively actings to be produced in you.

Particularly this Eyeing of Eternity would make Ministers sensible of the weightiness of their work; that it calls for all possible diligence and care, our utmost serious study and endeavours, our fervent Cryes and Prayers to God for a­bility for the better management of our Work, and for success therein; for as much as our Imployment is more Im­mediately about Eternal matters: to save (under Christ) Eternal Souls from Eter­nal Torments, and to bring them to E­ternal Joys: When we are to Preach to people that must live for ever in Hea­ven, or Hell, with God, or Devils; and our very Preaching is the means appoint­ed by God, to fit men for an Everlasting state; when we stand and view some Hundreds of Persons before us, and think, all these are going to Eternity; now we see them, and they see us, but after a little while they shall see us no more in our Pulpits, nor we them in their Pews; nor in any other place in this World, but we and they must go down unto the Grave, and into an Everlasting [Page 71]World: When we think it may be some of those are hearing their last Sermon, making their last publick Prayers, keep­ing their last Sabbath, and before we come to Preach again, might be gone into another World; if we had but a firm belief of Eternity our selves, and a real lively sence of the mortality of their Bodies and our own, and the Immortali­ty of the Souls of both, of the Eternity of the Joy or Torment we must all be quickly in, how pathitically should we plead with them, plentifully weep over them, fervently pray for them, that our words, or rather the word of the Eternal God might have Effectual Operation on their Hearts? This Eyeing of Eternity should,

1. Influence us to be painful & diligent in our Studies to prepare a Message of such weight as we come about, when we are to Preach to men about Everlasting matters, to set before them the Eternal Torments of Hell, and the Eternal Jayes of Heaven: Especially when we consider how hard a thing it is to perswade Men to leave their sins, which do endanger their Immortal Souls; when if we do not prevail w [...]h [Page 72]them to harken to our message, and obey it speedily, and sincerely, they are lost Eternally; when it is so hard to pre­vail with men to accept of Christ the only and Eternal Saviour on the Condi­tions of the Gospel. You might easily see that Idleness either in Young Stu­dents that are designs for this Work, or in Ministers actually engaged in it, is an intolerable sin; and worse in them than in any Men under Heaven; Idleness in a Shop-keeper is a sin, but much more in a Minister; in a Trade, much more in a Preacher; bear with me if I tell you an Idle Cobler that is to mend mens Shoes is not to be approved, but an Idle Preacher that is to mend mens Hearts, and save their Souls shall be condemned by God and Men: for he lives in dai­ly disobedience of that charge of God, 1 Tim. 4.13.—Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 15. Meditate up­on those things, give they self wholly to them 16. continue in them.

2. It would provoke us to be faithful i [...] delivering the whole Counsel of God, and no [...] to daub with untempered morter; not t [...] flatter them in their sin, or to be afrai [...] [Page 73]to tell them of their evils, lest we should displease them, or offend them: Is it time to sooth men up in their Ignorance, in their neglect of duty, when we see them at the very door of Eternity; on the very borders of an Everlasting World, and this the fruit, that they shall die in their sins, and their Blood be required at our hands? Ezek. 33.1, to 10. but so to Preach and discharge the Ministerial Function, that when dying, might be a­ble to say, as Act. 20.25. And now behold, I know that ye all among whom I have gone Preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26. Wherefore I take you to re­cord this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27. For I have not shunned to declare to you all the Counsel of God.

3. To be plain in our Speech, that every capacity of the weakest in the Congrega­tion that hath an Eternal Soul that must be damned, or saved for ever, might understand in things necessary to Salva­tion, what we mean, and aim, and drive at; it hath made me tremble to hear some soar aloft, that knowing Men might know their parts, while the mea­ner sort are kept from the Knowledge [Page 74]of Christ; and put their matter in such a dress of Words, in such a stile so com­posed, that the most stand looking the Preacher in the Face, and hear a sound, but know not what he saith: and while he doth pretend to feed them, indeed doth starve them; and to teach them, keeping them in Ignorance. Would a Man of any Bowels of Compassion go from a Prince to a Condemned man, and [...]ell him in such Language that he should not understand, the Conditions upon which the Prince would Pardon him, and the poor man lose his Life, because the proud and haughty Messenger must shew his Knack in delivering his Message in Fine English, which the Condemned man could not understand; but this is Course dealing with a Man in such Circum­stances that call for pitty & Compassion: Paul had more Parts and Learning, but more self denial than any of these when he said, 1 Cor. 2.1. And I Brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, or of Wisdom, declaring to you the Testimony of God. 4, And my speech, & my preaching was not with enticing Words of mans Wisdom, but in demonstration of the [Page 75]Spirit and of Power. 2. Cor. 3.12. Seeing then we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. 13. And not as Moses, which put a Vail over his Face, that the Children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished. Some put a Vail upon their Words, that People of mean Education, that yet have Souls that must be damned, or saved, cannot look into thoss truths that shall never be abolished: but what is this but a cursed preferring their own parts and praise before the Salva­tion of Eternal Souls: and the preach­ing themselves, and not Christ: which will not be their praise but shame at the Eternal Judgment, when some shall plead they stand there Condemned, be­cause the Learned Preacher would not stoop to speak to them of Eternal mat­ters in Language that they might have understood.

4. This Eyeing of Eternity would stir us up to Improve our Interest in God and Man, for a continual succession of men in the Mini­sterial Function: In God, by Prayer, that the Lord of the Harvest would send forth Labourers into his Harvest: In Men whether such as have Children of preg­nant [Page 76]Parts, Studious and Bookish, serious in Religion, and inclined to this imploy­ment, that they would give them to God, and give them Education in order to it, which would be the Honour of Parents, to have such to proceed from their loins that shall be Embassadors, to call the blind ungodly World to mind Eternity, to escape Everlasting Damnation, and obtain Eternal Life; or whether they be such as have no Children so qualifi­ed, or disposed, yet have Riches to be helpful to such as have such Children, but not an Estate to bring them up; for there is a necessity of a standing con­tinued Ministry: Men in all Ages are hastning to Eternity; those that were our Ancestors in former Ages are already there, and have taken up their Lodgings where they must for ever dwell; and we are following after them; and what a Mercy is it, that we have the Gospel Preached unto us, wherein we have di­rections how to escape Everlasting Tor­ments, and obtain Eternal Joyes in the other Eternal World to which we are a going; and those that shall live after us, when they have been upon the Stage of [Page 77]this World a while, shall follow us and our Fathers into Eternity, & give place to those that follow after them; thus this World doth often change its Inhabi­tants: What is the Life of Man, but a coming into time, and a going out in­to Eternity: Oh how needful is it then, that while they make their short stay on Earth, they should have Preaching Mi­nisters to warn them of Eternal Misery, and teach them the way to Eternal Glo­ry: Those that are now engaged in the Work will shortly be all silenced by Death and Dust: and how desirable is it that your Children and Posterity should see and hear others Preaching in their room! and the Honourableness of the Office might allure Young Men to encline un­to it: Is it not an Honour to be an Em­bassador of the Great Eternal God, to propound Articles of Everlasting peace between Him and Everlasting Souls? What is buying and selling, Temporal, Transitory things in comparison of a calling, wherein it is mens Work and bu­siness to save Souls from Eternal Misery, and to bring them to the Eternal Enjoy­ment of the Glorious God. Thus in [Page 78]some few particulars we have shewed the Influence that the Eyeing of Eterni­ty will have upon us i [...] what we do. Do you so Eye Eternity, and the rest here for want of room omitted, you shall be experience find out, which will be better than knowing of them in the notion only, because they are told you.

The Conclusion of this Discourse shall be some particular Uses, omitting many that it would afford.

Use I. Is there an Eternal State: Such unseen Eternal Joyes and Torments? Who then can sufficiently lament the blind­ness, madness and folly of this distracted World, and the unreasonableness of those that have Rational and Eternal Souls, to see them busily imployed in the matters of time, which are only for time, in pre­sent Honours, Pleasures & Profits, while they do neglect Everlasting things? E­verlasting Life and Death is before them, Everlasting Joy or Torment is hard at hand, and yet poor sinners take no care how to avoid the one, or obtain the o­ther. Is it not matter of Lamentation to see so many Thousands bereaved of the [Page 79]sober serious use of their Understand­ings? That while they use their reason to get the Riches of this World, they will not act as rational men to get the joyes of Heaven? And to avoid Temporal Calamities, yet not to escape Eternal Misery? Or if they be fallen into pre­sent Afflictions, they contrive how they may get out of them: If they be sick, reason tells them they must use the means, if they would be well: If they be in pain, Nature puts them on to seek after a Remedy; and yet these same Men neg­lect all duty, and cast away all care con­cerning Everlasting matters: they are for seen pleasures and profits which are passing from the in the enjoyment of them, but the unseen Eternal Glory in Heaven they pray not for, they think not of: Are they unjustly charged? Let Conscience speak, what Thoughts they lye down withal upon their pillow; if they wake or sleep, fly from them in the silent night, what a noise doth the cares of the World make in their Souls? With what Thoughts do they rise in the Morning? Of God, or of the World? Of the things of Time, or of Eternity? [Page 80]Their Thoughts are in their Shops be­fore they have been in Heaven; and many desires after visible Temporal gain; before they have had one desire after the Invisible, Eternal God, and Treasures that are above. What do they do all they day long? What is it that hath their endeavours all their labour and travel? Their most painful Industry, and un­wearied diligence? Alas! their Con­science will tell themselves, and their practice tell others, when there is Tra­ding but no Praying, Buying, and Selling, but no Religious Duties performed: the Shop-Book is often opened, but the Sa­cred Book of God is not looked into all the week long.

O Lord! Forgive the hardness of my Heart, that I can see such insufferable folly among reasonable Creatures, and can lament this folly no more: Good Lord forgive the want of Compassion in me, that can stand and see this distracti­on in the World, as if the most of Men had lost their Wits, and were quite be­sides themselves, and yet my Bowels yearn no more towards Immortal Souls that are going to unseen miseries in [Page 81]the Eternal World; to see distracted men busie in doing things that tend to no ac­count, is not such an amazing sight, as to see men that have reason for the World, to use it not for God, and Christ and their own Eternal good: To see them love and embrace a present Dunghill World, and cast away all serious affec­ting and effectual thoughts of the Life to come: to see them rage against the God of Heaven, and cry out against Ho­liness, as foolish preciseness, and serious Godliness, as Madness and Melancholly.

Alas! These Men are Brutes in the shape of Men; for like the very Beasts they live by sense, and are led away by a sensative appetite: The Brute takes pleasure in his present Provender, and feels the smart of the present Spur, or Goad, & so do sensual Sinners find sweet­ness in their present pleasures, and pro­fits, and do complain of present pain and sickness; but of pains to come, & joyes to come that are Eternal, they have no care, nor serious Thoughts. Better such had been Toads and Serpents, than ra­tional Creatures; for as they mind no future things in the other World, so they [Page 82]are not Subjects capable of Eternal Punish­ment, or Everlastings Happiness; they are not so provident as the Ant, that in Summer layes up for Winter, and while the warm Sun doth shine, provides for a cold and stormy day: but Men that have Immortal Souls are only for this present World, but do not provide for a stormy day that is a coming, nor for an Eternal state to which they are hasting.

Let us call the whole Creation of God to lament and bewail the folly of Man that was made the best of all Gods visi­ble works; but now by such wickedness is bad beyond them all, being made by God for an Everlasting state, and yet minds nothing less than that for which he was principally made.

O Sun! Why is it not they Burden to give light to men to do those works and walk in those wayes that bring them to Eternal Darkness? O Earth? Why dost thou not groan to bear such burdensome Fools that dig into thy Bowels for Gold and Silver, while they do neglect Ever­lasting Treasures in the Eternal World? O ye Sheep and Oxen! Fish and Fowl? Why do ye not cry out against them that [Page 83]take away your present Life to maintain them in being, but only mind present things, but forget the Eternal God that gave them dominion over you, to live upon you while they had time to mind Eternal things, but do not? O ye An­gels of God, and Blessed Saints in Hea­ven, were ye capable of Grief and Sor­row, would not ye bitterly lament the sin and folly of poor mortals upon Earth [...] Could ye look down from that Blesse [...] place where ye do dwell, and behold the Joy and Glory which is to us unseen, and see how it is basely slighted by the Sons of Men, if ye were not above sor­row and mourning, would not ye take this up for a bitter lamentation? O ye Saints on Larth! whose Eyes are open to see what the blind deluded World doth not see, do ye bitterly take on, let your Heads be Fountains of Water, and your Eyes send fourth Rivers of Tears for the great neglect of Eternal Joyes & Happiness of Heaven. Can you see men going out of time into Eternity in their Sin, and in their Blood, in their Guilt, and Unconverted state, and your Heart not moved? Your Bowels not [Page 84]yearn? Have you spent all your Tears in bewailing your own sin, that your Eyes are drie when ye behold such monstrous madness, & unparallel folly of so many, with whom daily ye converse? Ye San­ctified Parents, have ye no pitty for your ungodly Children? nor Sanctified Children for ungodly Parents? O my Father, my Father, by whom I had my Being, is going to Eternal Darkness! Alas for my Mother, my dear Mother, that carried me in her Womb, that dand­led me upon her knees, that suckled me at her Breast, that did delight to break her sleep to quiet me when I was froward, to look to me when I was sick, that bound my head when it was pained, that wiped mine eyes when I did weep, & my face when I did sweat; because of my Disease, this my Mother is forgetful of her own Immortal Soul; was more troubled for me when she thought I was near my Grave, than for her self, though near to Hell: When I was Young, she took care for me, for things Temporal, but for her self neither Young nor Old, for things Eternal. Ere long she will be dead, and I am afraid, damned too: Ere long she [Page 85]must go out of time, and for any thing I can perceive, being Ignorant, and fear­less of God, and unmindful of Eternity, her Soul will go into Eternity of Tor­ments. O how loath am I to have such Thoughts of one so near, so dear unto me? Oh it is the cutting of my Heart, it is bitterness to my Soul. I had rather die than she be damned; and yet it is my fears, she is hasting to Eternity of Wo; for to my observing Eye she is ta­ken wholly up with the cares, and pride, and vanity of this Life, and apparently regardless [...] that Eternal World.

Why do not also ye that are Parents, that have a belief of an Everlasting State, take on, and bewail the doleful state of your ungodly Clildren, that in their sinful courses are posting to Eternal pains. What my Son! the Son of my Loins! the Son of my Womb! did I bear him with so much sorrow, and shall he be a cast­away? Did I travail with him with so much pain, and brought and nursed him up with so much labour, and must he be for ever fuel for the Flames of Hell? Have I brought forth a Child to be a prey to Devils, and a Companion with [Page 86]them to all Eternity? O my Son, my Son, what shall I do for thee, my Son, my Son. Thus whatever Relation, Neighbour, Friend, or Acquaintance you have, or o­thers that you see go on in sin, let it be your Grief, Trouble, Lamentation, when there is an Eternity of Joyes, and they will lose it, an Eternity of Torments, and they be cast into it.

Use II. Do something every day in pre­paring for an Eternal State. If any thing of weight lieth upon your hands, this is it. If I could prevail with you in any thing; Oh that it might be in this! if in any thing that I am to Preach, I had need to have gone unto my knees, to beg that my Message might be regarded, this is it: If in any thing I should be serious in Preaching, & you in Hearing, still this is it? The longer your abode shall be, the grater preparation you should make; When we exhort you to prepare for other Duties, it is but in or­der unto this, that you might be prepared for the Eternal World: When we ex­hort you to Repent, Believe, be Holy, or prepare for Death, in all, we have [Page]an Eye unto Eternity: But if my words be slighted and rejected by you, will you do so by the Word of the Eternal God himself, that hath given you this in charge? If I shew you express commands from God, that will shortly take you in­to Heaven, or judge you down to Hell; that will quickly call you out of time into Eternity, will you promise you will do it then? then read, and do what you shall read. Matth. 6.18, 19, 20, 33. Luk. 13.24. John 6.27. 1 Tim. 6.12. 2 Pet. 1.10, 11. To these Scriptures I will add these following Arguments to perswade you.

1. God hath s [...]t you in this World for this very work to make ready for Eternity. Con­sider I beseech you, and demand an an­swer of your selves, Why hath God brought you out of Nothing, and given you a Being more Noble than all his visible Works, in making your Souls Im­mortal, induing you with Reason and Understanding? Do you think it was that you should look after Riches, and not Grace? Things temporal, not Eter­nal? To buy and sell, and eat, and drink, and sleep? Do you in your Conscience [Page 88]think that God hath appointed you no higher things to mind, no more lasting things to get? Reason will convince you, and Conscience will prove it to your face, and the immortality of your own Souls considered, doth undeniably argue that God hath made you for more noble Ends, higher Imployments, and greater Concerns. Why then do you not mind the end of your Creation, and do the work that God hath set you in time to do, and look after that Eternal State that God hath made you for? I have read of a devout Pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem, and in his way passed through many Cities, where he saw many Stately Buil­dings, rare Monuments, and delightful things, but he was wont to say, but this is not Jerusalem; this is not the end of my coming hither: I am sure that you are Pilgrims, but whether devout or no, let Conscience speak: and you should be travelling to the Heavenly Jerusalem, and if not, you are to Eternal Torments, why then do you stand gazing at the Temporal things you see in your Journey, and your Hearts and Eyes so taken with them? Sirs, this is not the Heavenly Je­rusalem, [Page 89]this is not the end of your coming hither, be sure the minding, loving, looking after things of time in the neglect of God, and Christ, and Heaven, is not preparing for Eternity, except it be for an Eternity of Wo, and Misery, and what need you be at so much pains and labour to get thither?

2. God doth give you your time in this World to prepare for Eternity. You have time to repent, to get an Interest in Christ, to Mortifie sin, to pray for Grace to make your peace with God, to get the pardon of your sins, and all this that you might be fitted for Eternity. Why then do not you do in time that which God hath given you time for; Can you immagine that God doth lengthen out so long a day of his Patience, only that you might la­bour for Temporal Riches? Or that you would live a life of Carnal Pleasure, or gratifie the flesh? Can it enter into your heads that God supporteth you in Being, and keeps you yet out of the Grave and Hell, that you might scrape together things Temporal, and neglect the things that are Eternal. Doth he make his Sun to rise upon you every Morning, to give [Page 90]you light to drudge for things that are but for a moment, & let alone the things that are for ever? And if God hath given you time in order to Eternity, why do you spend your time in getting things that are but for a Time, and not for E­ternity? Oh the Years that you have had! the Months, the Weeks that God hath given you to be improved for E­ternity, and you spend it, some in things absolutely sinful in serving of the Devil, and your Lusts; some in things in them­selves lawful, but unlawfully, but none in the things absolutely necessary that you may be happy in Eternity: Some in taking your Carnal Pleasures, some in Trading, some in every Thing but the One Thing needful, that none is left for an Everlasting state; but when you shall be in Eternity, you will repent, though then too late, that in this World, you so spent your time.

3. A [...] you go out of Time, so you must in the same state go into Eternity. If you die in your sin, you must in your sin go down to Hell. This is a Life of Trial here, in Time you are Probationers [...] Eterni­ty, and as you are found at the end of [Page 91]Time, so your state shall be determined to Eternity of Happiness, or Misery without end.

4. You stand upon the Brink of Time, you are near the Borders of Eternity, so near, that you that are in Time to day, might be in Eternity to morrow, or sooner; for you never yet saw that hour, that you could say, you are sure of the next: when you have drawn one Breath you are not sure to draw another. Time is short, 1 Cor. 7.29. set forth sometimes by Years, if Seventy, how much is al­ready past? Psal. 90.10. Sometimes by Months, Job 14.5. by dayes, Psal. 90.12. by one day, Job 14.6. by a span, and nothing, Psal. 39.5. by a vapour; Jam. 4.14, 15. But what if you were to live a Thousand Years in pleasure upon Earth, and after that pass into Eternity of pain and torment; would you not when there, cry out of yourown folly that you should purchase a thousand Years of pleasure at so dear a rate, as to endure for them Everlasting Burnings? One would think you should not get it out of your heads that you are almost in Eternity. One would think you should [Page 92]think on this when you lye down, and when you do rise up, or dream of this in your sleep, that you are as near to Heaven or Hell, to an Eternity of Joy, or Misery, as to your Grave.

5. When Time is past and gone, and you are entred into Eternity, it will be too late to prepare for it. Preparation for Eternity must be done in Time, not in Eternity. Now, or Never, if once Death stop your Mouth, and close your Eyes, dying in your sin, you must bid farewel to God and Christ for ever. When time is gone, y [...] hope and all is gone. When Time is gone it will never come again: Yester­day you shall never see more; and the time that is going while I speak and you hear; when gone will never come, that which is to come, will he present, but not that which is past. If you lose your Health, you might recover it again; if your Estate, you might get it again; but if you loose your time, it is gone for ever.

6. If you go out of Time unfitted for Eter­nity, better you had never been in Time. Bet­ter for you, if you had been always no­thing: Or if a Being, to have been a [Page 93]Dog, a Toad or Serpent; for these do live in Time, but after Time they do not live in Eternal Misery, as they are not capable of Eternal Happiness; and when you lie in extremity, and E­ternity of pains in Hell, this will be your judgment, that it had been better never to have been, then to have been for ever miserable.

7. Multitudes have and more shall come short of Eternal Happiness, and go down to Everlasting Misery, and yet doth it not concern us to be preparing for Eternity? What means this sottishness of Mind, that when Multitudes are going daily out of Time into Eternity, from seen Pleasures to unseen Pains, that we are thus secure and careless, as if we should live so long in Time, as never to live in Eternity? Or that our Beings should end with Time? Have not we deserve [...] Eternal punishment as well as they that in Eternity are now enduring of it? And do you know you have deserved it, and take no care to prevent it, not so much as ask of God by serious Prayers & Tears, that you might not be cast into Ever­lasting burnings? Do you think you can [Page 94]make as light of the Wrath of God, when you shall feel it in Eternity, as you do when you hear of it in Time? Can you be merry in the flames of Hell? Can you jest, and sport, and play, when you shall be filled with the Indignation of a pro­voked God, or when the Arrows of the Almighty shall strike so fast, as never to be plucked from you? Why then do you in Time Cry out and Roar, and bitterly complain under the smarting pain that the Gout, or Stone, or Cholick puts you to? why do you say if this were to con­tinue for one Year, without intermission or mitigation, you had rather dye than live? Do not many walk in the broad way that leads to Eternal Damnation? Matth. 7.13, 14 Are not the Holy, Hum­ble, Penitent ones saved with much dif­ficulty? 1 Pet. 4.18. Are not many Professors gone to Hell? Matth. 8.12. and Preachers too? Matth. 7.22, 23. & yet is it not time for you in good ear­nest to mind your Eternal state, lest there being an Everlasting Kingdom, you should never enter into it, & Everlasting Torments, and you should feel them to [...]ll Eternity?

[Page 95] 8. God doth give you all the hopes and means you have, that you should make ready for Eternity. Have not you had Sermons and Sabbaths? Have not God's Ministers Preached to you, and warned you from God, of the wrath to come, and charged you in the name of God, to repent, be­lieve, and turn, and told you, you must turn from sin, or burn in Hell? And will you go from hearing on Earth, to howling in Hell? From the Light of the Gospel to utter Darkness? With the sound of the Voice of Mercy in you? Ears? After a Thousand calls to mind your Souls, to accept of Christ, and re­medying Grace? Do you mean to have the hottest place in that Infernal Lake? The heaviest load of Wrath in that Eter­nal Furnace? Read, and tremble when you read. Matth. 11, 20, to 25.

9. This will be approved Wisdom ere long by all the Sons of Men. Those that now do mock at Praying, and make a mock of Sinning, and deride serious Godliness, shall quickly be of another mind; shall confess and know that they were the Wisest Men, That in Time prepared for Eternity, and they were the Fools that [Page 96]spent their Time in Sin and Vanity. Some do say as much when they lye a Dying, and wish, Oh that I had been convinced of this before my Time had been so near an end! before my Glass had been so nigh out! Oh my Folly! Oh my Vanity! that had Eternity to make preparation for, and yet of all the time I had, I never spent one hour in hearty Prayer unto God to save me from Everlasting Torments. Wo is me! my strength is almost gone, my time is al­most gone, and I in danger of Eternal Torments, that never shall be past and gone! or if they be blind or hardned on their Deth-Beds, yet a moment after Death they shall be convinced indeed, that it was worse than madness to neg­lect Eternity. When stept into the o­ther world, shall be amazed and con­founded, saying, where am I now? What a place is this? What a state is this? I heard of such a place before, but it is worse than any Mans Tongue in time could tell. What is Time gone! this is not Time. Here is no Sun to measure it by its motion; here is no succession of Night and Day. Here is no turning of [Page 97]an Hour-glass, no striking or telling of Clocks; No Morning, Noon, and Even­ing: This is not Time. I see nothing like the things I saw in Time. But a little while ago, I was among my Friends on Earth: Did I say alittle while ago? Alas, I am but lately come, and this lit­tle while seems to me a Thousand Years. No while in this place is little, and it will never be less, because it doth not go. Oh happy they that are in Eternity, but in another place than I am in! They were wise indeed that have prevented their coming hither, and are got into a place that is as light as this is dark: As joyful, as this is sorrowful: As full of ease, as this is of pain: And yet this must last as long as that, and that makes this as bitter and dreadful, as that is pleasant and delightful. Wise were they that did foresee while they were in time, but I like a blind Fool did not see before I felt what I must endure for ever. I did not see but Death did draw the Cur­tain, open the Door, and let me in to an Everlasting State; but wo is me! it is of Misery and Damnation. You are for being of the mind of the most, and do­ing [Page 98]that which the Generality do ap­prove; take in but these. Words, First, or Last, & then do so: Even that which all first or last shall confess to be truest Wisdom, and the neglect of it, folly and madness. God, Angels, Good Men do all approve of this as sober Wisdom; and the Devils cannot deny it, and all Damned Souls in Hell, and all the Wickd upon Earth as fast as they go down to them, and feel what now they do not believe and fear, shall not deny it to be Wisdom in them that escape that, and got to a better place in the Eternal World.

10. In Eternity there will be no mixture. In the other World there is all pure Love. or all pure Wrath! all Sweet, or all Bit­ter, without all Pain, or without all Ease; without all Misery, or without all Happiness. not partly at Ease, & partly in Pain, partly Happy, & partly Misera­ble, but all the one, or the other. This Life is amiddle place betwixt Heaven and Hell, and here we partake of some good, and some evil: No Judgment on this side Hell upon the worst of men, but there is some Mercy mixed with it, for [Page 99]it is Mercy they are yet on this side Hell; and no Condition on this side Heaven, but there is some evil mixed with it, for till we get to Heaven, we shall have sin in us. In Heaven all are Good, in Hell all are Bad; on Earth some Good, but more bad. In Hell Misery, without mixture of Mercy, or of Hope; they have no Mercy, and that is bad; and they can hope for none, & that is worse; while they be in Time, they are pitied; God doth pity them, and Christ doth pity them, and Good men do pity them, their Friends & Relations do pity them, pray for them, and weep over them: but when Time is past, all pity will be past, and they in Misery without pity to all Eternity. Rev. 14.10. The same shall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation: and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels, & in the presence of the Lamb. 11. And the smoke of their torment ascend­ [...]th up for ever & ever, & they have no rest, day nor night.— No! then for the Lords [...]ake, for your Souls Sake, as upon my knees I beseech you, if you have any [Page 100]dread of God, any fear of Hell, any de­sire of Heaven, any care whither you must go, take no rest night nor day in time, till you have secured your Ever­lasting happy state, that you might have Everlasting rest, night and Day in Eter­nity; or that you might pas into that Eternity where it is always day and no night; and not into that, where it shall be always night and never day. Sins! what say ye? What are ye resolved up­ [...]n? to sin still, or to repent that ye have already sinned, and by the Grace of God to sin no more? To work in Time, for things of Time, or in Time to prepare for Eternity? Will ye obey my Message, or will ye not? Speak in Time, or I will not say, hold your Pease for ever, but repent in Time, or ye shall cry & roar for ever: The Time of this Sermon is out and the Time of your Life will be quickly out, and I am afraid I shall leave some of you as un­fit for Eternity as I found you: And my heart doth tremble, least Death should find you, as I shall leave you, and the Justice of God, and the Devils of Hell should find you as Death shall leave you, [Page 101]and then Vengeance shall never leave you, and the Burning Flames, Tormen­ting Devils, and the Gnawing Worm shall never leave you. Will ye then work it upon your Hearts that ye come into Time, unfit to go into Eternity: That in Time ye have made your selves more unfit: That the only remedy is the Lord Jesus Christ, that in the fulness of Time did Dye, that sinners might not be Damned for ever; that this Crucify­ed Christ will not save you from Eter­nal Misery, nor take you to Eternal Glo­ry, except ye do perform the Conditions of the Gospel, without which, his Death puts no man into an actual state of Hap­piness; ye must repent and be Converted, ye must take him for your Saviour, and your Lord; ye must be Holy sincerely, hate Sin universally, love Christ super­latively, or else the Saviour will not save you; Mercy it self will not save you from Everlasting Misery: Ye must perse­vere in all this to the end of your time, and then ye shall be happy in Eternity, to Eternity. Otherwise ye shall not give audience, Sirs, otherwise ye shall not be Happy. Happy! no ye shall be Misera­ble. [Page 102]If the loss of God and Christ, and Heaven will make you Miserable for e­ver, ye shall be Miserable for ever; if the pains of Hell, the Company of Devils, the stingings of Conscience, the terrors of Darkness, total, final, despair of having any end of your Damned condition will make you Miserable ye shall be Misera­ble. If all that God can lay upon you, if all that Devils can Torment you with, if all that Conscience can for ever accuse you for; if all that is in Hell can make you Miserable, except you re­pent in Time, and belive on Christ in Time, and be sanctified in Time, ye shall be Miserable for ever. O my God! be thou my Witness of this Doctrine. All ye that fear God, that here me this day, bear me witness that I have published this in the Ears of all that hear me. Thou Conscience that art in that man, that is yet going on in Sin, & posting with speed to E­ternal Misery, bear me witness now & at the day of Judgment, that I told him what must be done upon him, in him, & by him, if he would escape Eternal Torments. If he will not hearken nor obey while he is in Time: Conscience, I bespeak thy [...] [Page 103]Witness against him, and that thou bring thy Accusation against him, and upbraid him to the Confusion of his face, among all the Devils in Hell, and all that shall be damned with him, that he was told he could not keep his sins, and be kept out of that place when he dyed; he could not reject Christ, and finally refuse him, and be saved for ever. Sinner! carest thou not? Wilt thou still go on? Good God! must we end thus? Must I come down without hopes of his Re­penting; and he die with foolish hopes of being saved, and after Death be cast into that Eternity, where the worm dy­eth not, and the Fire is not quenched? But in those Endless Flames shall cry out and roar, Oh cursed Caitiff! what did I mean all the while I was in Time, to neg­lect preparation for Eternity? Oh Misera­ble Wretch! this is a doleful, dreadful state, and still the more, because it is Eternal. Wo is me! that I cannot dye, nor cease to be! Oh that God would cut me off! Oh that Devils could tear into a Thou­sand, Thousand pieces; or that I could use such violence to my self, that I might be no longer what I am nor where I [Page 104]am! But alas, I wish in vain, and [...] these desires are in vain, for though [...] Union of my Soul and Body in my M [...] ­thers Womb was liable to a dissolution [...] yet since this Body did arise out of th [...] Bosom of the Earth, and is reunited t [...] its Soul, admits of no separation for ever and which still is worse, this Soul and Body now separated from God and Christ and all that be above in that Belssed E­ternity, must Never, Never be admitted near unto them. Oh cursed be the day that ever I was [...]orn! Cursed be tha [...] folly and madness that brought me t [...] this cursed place! For here I lie under extremity of pain, which if it were for an Year or two, or many Millions, and then end, would be in this respect ex­ceeding heavy, because it were to last so long, but that then shall be no longer, would make it in the mean while to be the lighter; But when Eternity is added to Extremity, nothing can be added to make me extremely, because to this ex­tremity I am Eternally Miserable. Oh! Eternity! Eternity! in my condition what is more dreadful than Eternity? This Fire burns to all Eternity; the heavy [Page 105]stroaks of revenging Justice will be laid on me to all Eternity; I am banished from God and Happiness to all Eternity. Oh Eternity! Eternity! nothing cuts m [...] to the heart, like the corroding thoughts of this Eternity. I am an object of the Wrath of God, of the contempt of Angels, of the derision of Saints, of the mockings of Devils, and cursed Fiends to all Eter­nity: I burn, but cannot be consumed; I toss and rowl, and cannot rest to all E­ternity. Oh Eternity! Eternity! thou art enough to break my heart, and make it die, but that it cannot break nor dye to all Eternity. And if this shall be the doleful Language, the direful Lamenta­tions of Souls that went Christless out of Time into Eternity, do ye while ye are in Time, Eye Eternity in all you do, and get a Title of Eternal Happiness, or else when ye are in Eternity, ye shall remem­ber that in Time ye were fore-warned, which warning because ye did not take, shall be a vexation to your Hearts to all Eternity.