VERSES 16–18

praise and glorify God, and let all, small and great, in heaven and earth, join in praises. If we had any wise consideration what God is working now in heaven, how he exalts himself, what excellent attributes he sheweth in delivering his church, of power, and justice, and mercy in destroying his enemies; if we have divine spirits, let us sing forth praises to God, expecting by God's blessing more matter to praise God, to sing alleluiahs as the church did there.

VERSES 16–18

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

A little to touch the two former verses, for they are a part of that heavenly comfort whereby the holy apostle raiseth up his spirit in the midst of all discouragements, multiplying comfort upon comfort, as trouble upon trouble.

Verse 16, 'But we do not faint; though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.' 'We do not faint.' Indeed, if we look upon outward causes, there is great reason why we should faint. For if we look within, nature is weak, the suggestions of the flesh strong since the fall; and then we are usually beset with temptations of discouragements in our particular calling, thinking we could do anything better than that we are called unto. This is an

heavy temptation. And if it were to do such a thing, or such a thing, it might more easily be done. And then hard usage from the ungrateful world; when a man doth any good he receiveth ill for it.

These are great grounds of fainting, but the apostle saith he faints not for all this, 'though our outward man perish.' He grants that the outward man, body and condition, strength and health, may grow more and more downward; but the inward man, the soul, is under the guidance of the Spirit of God, that is, renewed day by day. The outward man consumes continually, death and life work together, we die as soon as we live. As he that hath a lease, every day it is shorter and shorter, and while we live we die, and the more we live the more we die. Death is at the last moment, the candle is going out continually till it be spent. Nay, more, let a man use his body never so holily, let him endure many crosses, the outward man will perish; it must be so.

But where is the comfort? 'The inward man is renewed day by day.'

The inward man is the sanctified soul. All the graces of God are renewed, they are upheld' under a consuming condition of the outward man. This is the blessed condition of a true Christian, that when he groweth downward he groweth another way. He doth not wholly perish as a base wretch doth, but as he decayeth in one part he reneweth in another. God by his Spirit reneweth him. For as in the body the Spirit is that which giveth a life to what we do, so the Spirit of God giveth a vigour to the inward man day by day.

But when is this, that the inward man is renewed day by day? In the time of affliction, for then we grow most; for in time of prosperity, then we grow backward. Usually in time of prosperity, when all things are according to our will and desire, we go backwards; but when the outward man decayeth, the inward man is renewed day by

day. We decay in prosperity, but we grow in adversity; as a body shoots out more after sickness than before. Why should we then be afraid of sickness and weakness of body, considering it is a time of growth of the inward man? Mark the gracious goodness of God.

When he takes away strength, because we are not for this life, he makes it up, working strength and vigour in the inward man. We owe

God a death. Since we must die, is it not better the decay be made up in the inward man? If we gain that which is gain to the soul, though with weakness and sickness to the outward man, it is well gained, because that is for eternity.

But this is a constant course with God. He is so good, he never takes away anything from his children, but he giveth it another away. Shall we then be discouraged when God takes strength, and he makes it up in the inward man? If anything be a ground of patience, this is.

Whatsoever God doth to his children, there is love hid in the doing of it. If he give comfort, it is to encourage. Doth he follow us with crosses? It is that we may grow in the inward man. If we had hearts to follow God in his dealing, we should lose nothing but that he takes away.

Verse 17, 'For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works a far more exceeding weight of glory.' Here is a ground of comfort to those that are in any crosses and afflictions. Whatsoever they suffer, it works glory, it works happiness; it is set out by glory. Now the Spirit of God sets out this estate of a Christian to come by way of comparison to anything that we suffer. Here are afflictions, here is glory; momentary afflictions, eternal glory; light afflictions, a weight of glory; and not only a weight, but a superlative, an exceeding weight of glory. So the Spirit of God meets with all discouragements here, for we can suffer nothing here, but we shall have better for it after. Grace is glory, but mixed with imperfection. What are those

things we suffer here in this world, to glory, and eternal glory, and excessive glory? What cause have we to be discouraged for anything we suffer here?

But he saith afterwards, 'causeth unto us an eternal weight of glory.'

That is more than to say glory follows afflictions; but there is a causal virtue in that we suffer, to work glory. We know the working by way of merit and desert, that is done by Christ; we have right to glory only by Christ. And it is sacrilege to attribute it to any creature, but when there is a working power fitting us. Now afflictions working by way of fitting us to that glory, whereto we have title by Christ, as soon as a man is a Christian, he hath title to heaven. But how doth God fit us for heaven? One way is by crosses and afflictions. He fits us for heaven, as the winter fitteth the ground for the spring, by killing the weeds, and mellowing the ground. So that whatsoever we suffer here, fits us for heaven, and that many ways.

(1.) By weaning our hearts from the love of these things, upon which we are desperately set. When we see what they are, we see they are vanity.

(2.) And then again, they exercise and try our graces, and they increase a desire of heaven; and we know the more hardly we are used here, the more we desire to be at home. And usually God reveals himself more sweetly and more comfortably in these hard times. We feel more of heaven in our worst times. Therefore they have fitting power.

Quest. How comes this to pass? Are crosses, losses, curses, and such things naturally?

Ans. God by his Spirit doth overpower and overrule these things, and there is a sanctified use of them, that helps them to work. 'All things

work together for the best to them that love God,' Rom. 8:28; that is, God's power so overruleth them, that it makes them advantageous to his children. And they by the grace of God's Spirit, draw a sanctified use out of everything. So that by the grace of God the worst things work an eternal weight of glory.

As God prepares heaven for us, so he prepares us for heaven: he prepares us by Christ, but by the cross and affliction. So you may see the truth of the point.

Use 1. But what shall I speak of popish merits? For in merits there must be a proportion to the things we suffer. We receive glory for ever, and suffer afflictions for a time; a weight of glory. This overthrows popish conceits.

Use 2. Beloved, are they not out of their wits, that add vexation to God's children? What is the worst they do? They work their good, they vex them; ay, but they work their happiness, as if a man would hurt a fish by casting him into the sea, or a bird into the air. And a Christian being vexed, it driveth him nearer to heaven. It is his best condition. Compare our secure estate with our afflicted condition, and see which is best. There is no man that is a Christian but will say, there is more in the cross than in prosperity; the one dulleth, but the other sharpeneth.

Use 3. Be not discouraged, whatsoever befalls us in this world. While Satan works our hurt, God is then working our good at the same time. When the outward man is wronged by the world, at the same time the inward man is set at liberty. So much for that.

But how cometh it to pass that these things we suffer, fit us for glory?

Verse 18. It is wrought by grace, enabling us to eye things that are not seen. And then we reason, 'because the things that are seen, are temporal, but the things that are not seen, are eternal,' 2 Cor. 4:18.

To omit divers things, I hasten to other things.

But you see the things we suffer do work unto us an eternal weight of glory, as physic doth upon the body. That that we suffer doth no good unless we use those parts and graces that God hath given us. And therefore he saith, whilst our minds are occupied, and 'looking on things that are not seen,' God having made man a reasonable creature. And so in way to salvation he sanctifieth those principles he hath given him to bring him to heaven, by way of discourse and reason. And as a Christian is saved, so is he saved by something in his understanding. As we see in this world, man worketh by principles in him, so in the way of Christianity. Some things are hindrances to heaven and happiness, as conceitedness and selfsufficiency. Therefore the apostle saith these things 'work an eternal weight of glory,' not whether we think of them or no; but these things do so because God giveth a sanctified understanding, to see the difference of heavenly things from earthly, when we do not look upon things that are seen.

So much shall serve to give you a reason how to see the inward man groweth more and more, and we faint not; because we look upon things that are not seen.

That which I will speak of at this time is this.

That the best things in this world are not seen; the meanest things are those that are seen. The best things are to come; the meanest things are present. The best things are such as are eternal; the meanest things are temporal. And when I have unfolded these, then I

will shew you a wise and gracious use the sanctified soul makes of looking upon things that are not seen, and how his sight worketh, what use we are to make of it.

Doct. The observation is, that a Christian is to look to the things not seen, for things seen are not the object of a Christian's eye. The best things are not seen; the meanest things are such as are seen. I will not stand to unfold the negative part much, because I have spoken of that before.

But to speak especially, What are the things that are not seen?

Beloved, if you labour to be good Christians, you shall better feel them than I can tell you what they are; you shall better know them by experience than by discourse here.

(1.) We cannot see God face to face. We have not immediate communion with God here. We have it in the word and sacraments; but in heaven we shall see all things that are good. Here we may see

God in everything; there we shall see everything in God. There we shall see health, and strength, and comfort in God.

(2.) The things not seen here is Christ in our flesh. The heavens are between us and him now. The sight of him is the happiness of a Christian, for the head and members to be together, husband and wife together. Ay, but here we are severed. Here is a spiritual communion; but that is not that that the soul looks for.

(3.) Neither have we full communion of saints; for here is a mixture of good and bad, and here the best have their imperfections. If here an holy joining together of two or three wise Christians be so sweet, what shall it be when we all meet together in heaven? Now we see not God, and Christ, and the blessed souls in heaven.

(4.) Here we see not our perfect liberty.

(5.) Here we see not that eternal Sabbath we shall have there.

(6.) Here we see not that perfection of grace.

(7.) Here we see not that comfort we shall have there. Here we have a taste and the beginning, but what is this to that there? Therefore let us think of what is not seen.

Obj. But why do we not see them here?

Reason 1. You may as well ask me, Why is not heaven upon earth?

God will have a difference between heaven and earth; he will have us to walk by faith and not by sight. Heaven is a place for sight: if we will have happiness in sight, it is in heaven. But here we have hope, and faith, and some feeling of comfort; and therefore, considering our condition is by faith, therefore God preserveth matter of sight for another world.

Reason 2. Again, the best things are not seen, because we have not proportionable parts. Our parts are not fitted for that glory. Peter,

James, and John, they were as it were drunken with this sight, so that Peter speaks he knows not what, Mat. 9:33. And Moses, when he came from God, he was fain to cover his face, 2 Cor. 3:13. If these glimpses were such as people could not endure them, how could we endure a full manifestation of glory, when Christ saith, 'No man can see God and live'? Exod. 33:20. Therefore let us be content to die to have this sight. Our understandings here are too shallow, our hearts too narrow, our imperfections too many: darkness cannot conceive of light. So no soul can see what is in heaven.

And so here we cannot tell what happiness there is, till we be there.

That is the reason why the best things are not seen. And these are the proper objects of a Christian. For things seen are exposed to the outward man; they are not fitting for the soul. The soul will soon spend all the good that are in things seen. Take all the beauty, and all the riches, and all the honour that can be, and the soul will be quickly weary of it. The soul will draw out all the good. We see those that are in great place, within a little while grow weary of them.

But there is an everlasting spring of comfort and contentment in things not seen. They are larger than the soul. The more we see of them, the more we may see; the communion with God, joys in heaven, and such things. Alas! the soul is a very capacious thing, yet the joys in heaven are larger than it; therefore things seen are not the object of the soul.

Quest. But doth the soul never look upon things that are seen?

Ans. Yes; but if the soul look upon them, it looks also beyond them.

If it look upon them, it looks upon them as in a glass, to see farther.

It looketh not upon them as clouds to stay our sight from the sun, or as placing contentment in them. For the soul taketh no rest here. The things seen 'are vanity and vexation of spirit,' Eccles. 1:14;

'unrighteous mammon,' Luke 16:11. We may and ought to look upon them as helps and comforts in our pilgrimage. If there be such comforts here, what is in heaven? Doth God convey such sweetness in outward things, that castaways have with us? What are those then that he hath reserved for his friends? And so by way of a gracious use we ought to look upon things seen; but to pitch upon them, and make them our bottom to stand upon, they are no fit objects for the soul. But is there no way to see things that are not seen?

Quest. But have we nothing of them here?

Ans. Yes; there is nothing seen but we have some little taste of it here. For full peace to come, we have peace of conscience here. For full joy to come, we have joy in the Holy Ghost here. For full communion of saints to come, we have some communion of saints here. If there be any heaven upon earth, it is in the meeting of two or three judicious, wise, gracious persons; and our employment here in hearing, praying, and conference with God is but a taste beforehand of that in heaven. So that God doth not reserve all for the time to come. But in regard of the full accomplishment he doth. But those that have not the first-fruits here shall never have heaven in the harvest. Those that have not the earnest here shall never have the bargain hereafter. But that which is the full satisfaction of the soul is for hereafter. Therefore, whatsoever sweet employment is here, it is not like to that the soul shall have hereafter. Therefore rest not in them, but rather let them set an edge upon us, to desire it more and more, till we have it fully in heaven.

Reason 3. Why these objects are things not seen. Things that are not seen are eternal, things that are seen are temporal. No man that hath an eternal soul, and knoweth it, will make that his object that is temporal. Therefore the soul must look upon things that are of equal excellency with it, and that is, things not seen. For things that are seen are temporal: riches are fading, honours are but blazing comets, pleasures are but worm-eaten vanities. So for the ill we suffer, it is but temporal; all determined in death. The grave makes an end of all things that are seen. This should be a comfort to us when we are under any sickness. It is a seen thing. This sickness I feel, and this I taste, it is but for a time. The thing I look at is that which is not seen, and which lasteth to eternity. So the good not seen is eternal in the cause of it. It is in Christ, who is for ever in the heavens; and God is

for ever in the heavens: and Christ reconcileth the Father. And then the place is eternal. Heaven is eternal. Now the influence from which all good comes being eternal, the soul being itself a spiritual, eternal substance, the influence of grace and comfort being eternal from God, and Christ, who is an head for ever and a husband for ever; and heaven being an inheritance immortal, undefiled, continuing for ever; and the soul being an everlasting substance, the joy and comforts of it are eternal. Whom God loveth, he loveth for ever; whom he makes happy, he makes happy for ever. 'He is life everlasting.' It is a kingdom 'that cannot be shaken,' Heb. 12:27. 'It is an inheritance that fadeth not,' 1 Peter 1:4. It is not only everlasting, but everlastingly fresh. It is not only immortal, but it keeps its beauty still, eternal joy, eternal peace, eternal communion one with another in the heavens, everlasting Sabbath, everlasting triumph over all enemies. There is no end of this joy, no cessation of this comfort.

I come now to the wise improvement that the soul makes of beholding the things that are not seen, because they be eternal, and neglecteth the sight of things that be present and temporal. You see the wise use the blessed apostle maketh of it. For he bringeth it as a reason why he faints not, but is renewed day by day in the inward man. You wonder why I faint not, and why day by day I grow fresher and fresher, and still fitter and fitter for heaven; and that all things I endure here fit me for heaven. All is because I have an eye to things that are not seen, not regarding things that be present. So that if we will find a difference of the things, we may easily understand, some things be fading, and some things eternal. If we will get comfort in this, that our portion is not only in fading things, we must have grace to consider of it, and not to look on the other overmuch.

To give trial, whether we look at the things that be seen or no.

(1.) If we look to things not seen, because they be eternal, this is a sight that ravisheth the soul, that lifteth the soul above itself. Things above be so exceeding above things below, that it makes the soul almost forget itself; it worketh an high esteem of heaven, of heavenly things. For as it is said of knowledge, it hath no enemy but the ignorant, so there is no enemy of grace but they that feel it not from conscience.* All that see it have a high admiration of it, which appeareth by the mean esteem of all things else. When the sun riseth, the stars hide themselves. And when these comforts rise in the soul, upon the apprehension of the glory in the glass of the word and promise, and a little feeling here, all earthly comforts are gone. When

Moses saw God that was invisible, what cares he to look for Pharaoh?

Heb. 11:27. And when Micaiah had seen God sitting on the throne, what cares he for Ahab? 1 Kings 22:14. We have seen the Lord, and what have we to do with base idols? Not anything in the world must be co-rival with God. What have I to do with pride, with riches, with honour? I have seen God, I have seen heaven. When the patriarchs had with the eye of faith seen the excellency of the world to come, what cared they for banishment or death? When Paul had seen

Christ, all things else were 'dung and dross,' Philip. 3:8. Therefore your great admirers, that admire worldly things, it is a sign they never saw better. They that doat upon worldly things, it is an argument of spiritual folly.

(2.) Again, the consideration of things spiritual, it is a purifying sight, a purging sight, that makes the soul fit for the object. A man cannot with the eye of faith apprehend things to come, nor by hope wait for them, but that hope will be effectual to purify the soul. They that have any faith, any hope of good to come, they will prepare their souls suitable to that condition, 1 John 3:3. And therefore where the apprehension of these things hath not a purging power in some

degree, it is but a conceit. We do not so see them as that we be convinced that they are so excellent as they be.

(3.) Again, this is a sight that doth marvellously affect. Love comes of sight. Sight is the most affecting sense. That which moveth the affection most is sight. Feeling is but dull. And therefore if we have the eagle's eye, a sharp sighted faith, to see things which are not to be seen with the eye of reason and flesh, then certainly this sight will quicken and affect a man greatly; move to joy and move to delight, move to the love of God and heavenly things. A man cannot see any excellency but his heart embraceth it; as the patriarchs, Heb. 11:2, seq., saw the promises afar off, and their hearts did join with them; they did embrace them, grasping as it were the things they saw in the arms of their affections. In what measure that I apprehend and see things, in that measure the heart lets in the things to embrace them and close with them. Therefore where no love is there is no sight.

And the reason why affections are so flat and dead is, because they do not exercise this sight of faith. Let us examine ourselves by these things, whether we have spiritual sight of the things we see. Do they affect us? Do they quicken us? And do they put into our hearts holiness? Do they raise our hearts to a holy admiration? If so, certainly we have seen them.

I will give you a familiar comparison. The nearer the object is to any man, the more glorious it seemeth; the farther off anything is, the less it seemeth. The stars are bigger than the world, and yet appear to us little.

Now, ask our souls how great things are in comparison of former times. Are heavenly things greater? And for earthly pomp and state, have they less esteemed them than in former times? It is a sign we are nearer heaven, and heaven nearer us. When we can look upon

earthly things in a distance, it is a sign we are removed from them, and drawn nearer to the best things. And then the best things seem to be great to us, when we conceive of them in their own magnitude.

Quest. But how shall we come to look on things not seen, and things eternal, according to their own worth?

Ans. (1.) First of all, labour every day more and more to be purged and purified, and then we shall have delight to look upon that which is proportionable. The holier a man is, the more delight he hath in holy and heavenly objects, and laboureth to grow in grace more and more. The more we see, the more gracious we are; the more gracious we are, the more desire we shall have to behold with the eye of faith these excellencies.

There is no apprehension without light. We cannot see light without light; we cannot see heavenly things without heavenly faculties. And therefore labour for something within gracious, which may have correspondency and harmony with what is in heaven, else contraries will not apprehend contraries. But heaven and a sanctified soul have some proportion and co-naturalness; and therefore never rest till we have something like that which is in heaven, though not in degree, yet in quality.

Ans. (2.) Again, labour to get the eye of the soul clear, that the dust of the world may not be in it. Satan's policy is to cast pleasure and profit into the eye of the soul; and then corruption raiseth a foggy mist in the soul, that we should have natural love to present things.

And present things raise a cloud in the soul, and that cloud doth interpose itself between heaven and us. Labour therefore for mortification more and more.

That the eye may be clear, consider seriously they be temporal things; shorter than the soul, meaner than the soul, not fit for it. We shall outlive them all. And when base affections rise in the soul to cast a mist thereupon, consider what a foolish thing it is for us to doat upon things meaner than ourselves. Why should such affections intercept this heavenly sight from us?

The dignity of the soul is an excellent substance. The whole world is not worth a soul. The soul is between heaven and earth, and all earthly things are meaner than itself. Shall the soul marry itself and join itself with things baser than itself? Doth it not then debase itself? And therefore keep the eye of the soul clear from impediments within and without; labour to have true judgment of things in their own nature.

Ans. (3.) And then let us dwell often in the consideration of things to come; have serious considerations of it, and every day redeem some time to think we cannot live here for ever. We have an immortal soul, that must be immortal in misery or immortal in happiness. If we be not good, heaven will not take us, and nothing but hell will receive us. And these things may quicken us. I have an immortal soul, I must not stay long, I must give account; and how shall I appear?

Get these and the like considerations every day. We live as we see; and considering life is guided by inward notions and apprehensions of soul, labour to have apprehensions of soul, that may guide the life as it should be. Labour to see what is reserved in the heavens; consider how we be assured for it; what ground we have; what assurance we have if we should die presently, for we have not the certainty of a minute. These be wakening considerations. And these will be a means that we should look on things not seen. And when we do take liberty to think upon these things, dwell upon them till the

heart be warmed. The sun doth not heat without some staying. Those beams that are broken, they do not gather themselves to heat by reflection. So let the soul stay a while in consideration of these things. Our soul is unstable naturally; and therefore labour by grace to settle the soul till the affections be warm, till the resolutions be pitched; for then we shall see to purpose when we resolve to take this course, else we see not to purpose. And therefore because we know not in morning what will befall us before night, never rest till we be set in heaven by faith. And consider the condition there, so far forth as shall be effectual to guide our lives suitable to what we see. This were a wise course indeed, to guide our courses suitable to eternity, and to fetch reasons for a holy and good life from eternity, and not from pleasing this body and that body. I will do this, because I shall get riches, because I shall satisfy my flesh, and raise myself. Are these reasons for a Christian to work by? Let a Christian work like a Christian, having his reason raised by faith higher than himself, to consider of things as they are in themselves, and as they shall be hereafter. This is temporal, my soul is eternal; and I will fetch my reasons of my course from eternity. What if I should have all the world and die, what will the satisfying of the carnal desires of others do me good? And therefore I will sway my actions by rule that shall hold to eternity. Is not a man wise that doth thus? and is any man wise that doth not thus? He is wise that guideth his life to the last end, how he shall be happy hereafter, how he shall avoid torments for ever. He that is wise to get preferment, to undermine others, to flatter and insinuate, to give contentment against conscience to the carnal humours of others; is he a wise man that is penny wise and pound foolish? He is wise in a particular, he is wise in a little.

But what is this particular wisdom, when in the general scope of his life he is foolish, not considering what is good for him as a Christian?

None is wise but a Christian. Every man else is a mad man, or a fool.

What are all other things but straw and baubles to eternity?

Therefore regard the things that be beyond the soul, and more excellent than the soul.

I beseech you, take this course. It will make us wise and diligent in our place and calling; for we should eye what is to eternity, notwithstanding all discouragements. Many have fainted and given over, because they be unthankful persons, and they grow cold in doing good. What is the reason? They look not to eternity. It is good sometimes to meet with ill usage from unthankful persons, for God will make amends, though we deserve well of ungrateful persons.

And sometimes again I will do them good, and let the glory alone to God. It is good to meet with ill usage in the world; for there is sufficient amends made in the world to come. Wilt thou have all thy wages here? And therefore do as St Paul did, get into heaven in our thoughts by faith, and meditation how it will be with us ere long; and that will set us in such a frame of conversation as shall fit us for Christ, and only that. It will keep us in a growing condition, in a fruitful condition, in a constant courageous condition.

And when we do not so we fall into discouragements. The cause of sin, is it not some present temporal thing we doat upon? So sin is nothing but placing that affection on that which is temporal, which should be on that which is eternal.

Now when doth a man sin, but when he lets go his object? As long as a man keeps his eye on heaven he is well enough; but when he looks to discouragements, to the arm of flesh, then he is discouraged. But when is he not discouraged? When he hath heaven in his eye, and God in his eye, and spiritual things in his eye. And now in this pitch he is neither sinful nor discouraged; and then he is as well as he can wish in this world. Therefore labour with Paul to have the eyes of

your souls exercised about these spiritual things. Look on things that be not seen, because they be eternal; and be not carried away with outward things, nor dazzled with them, because they be temporal.

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