Part 10
Moreover, the promises are proposed indefinitely. So was the first promise, Gen 3:15. "I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." So are other promises of the covenant, Isa. 55:3. "Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." Heb. 8:10, 11, 12. "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every man
his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Ezek. 36:25, 26, 27. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Where is there any limitation or distinction of persons there?
Object. The conditional promises are indeed to all, but not the absolute ones. Ans. There is a connection of duty and privilege in some promises; but I know no promises properly conditional, but to Christ, who has fulfilled the conditions of them already; Rom. 4:4, 5. "Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." The promises of the covenant, call them as ye will, are to all indefinitely; for non est distinguendum ubi lex non distinguit. Therefore the apostle lays it for a ground of faith to the murderers of the Lord of glory, Acts 2:38, 39. "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Chost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
Inst. If these promises be to all, then they must be fulfilled to all. Ans. That is false; according to the apostle's reasoning, Heb. 4:1. "Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." It follows indeed that
that must be fulfilled to all who accept them by believing; and so they shall, John 3:26. But not to them who will not accept them, believe, nor apply them to themselves. No promise binds the promiser, if it is not accepted by the party. It is no imputation on God's faithfulness, that they are not fulfilled to unbelievers of them.
SECONDLY, The next thing is the sinner's entering into the covenant in a saving manner, so as to secure his gathering to Christ at the last day. This the text expresseth by "cutting off his covenant on a sacrifice," that is, by cutting off the sacrifice to enter into the covenant. And this being the sacrifice of Christ himself, can be no other but the laying the hand on the head of the sacrifice which then was to be cut off by divine justice. And this in gospel language is just believing on Jesus Christ sacrificed for us. So it is by believing on Christ crucified, that we are personally and savingly entered into the covenant.
It is agreeable to the nature of the covenant, that this should be the way of entering into it. For whereas the covenant is not made with us immediately, as parties, contractors for ourselves, in which case we would enter into it by promising to do something on our part as the condition thereof; but mediately through Jesus, who mediated therein as a representative, undertook the fulfilling the condition thereof, and had the promises thereof made to him; it is evident there can be no way of our personal entering into it in a saving manner, but by uniting with him, which the scripture determines to be by faith alone, Eph. 3:17. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith." Accordingly it is determined, John 10:9. "I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved."
Now this believing on Christ crucified or sacrificed for us, whereby we are entered into the covenant, formally lies in three things.
1. Believing the absolute sufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of sinners, and, your salvation in particular, and the complete security of the covenant for that effect to all within the bond of it, Jer. 3:22, 23. "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings; behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains; truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel." The soul seeing the infinite ill that is in sin, as an offence and abomination to an infinite God, must see also the infinite dignity of the sacrifice of Christ, arising from the infinite dignity of his person, ere it can believe this; and must also see the immoveable faithfulness of God, as the ground of believing the complete security of the covenant.
2. Believing that this covenant, in the condition thereof fulfilled by Christ's sacrifice of himself, and the promises thereof made thereupon and bearing salvation, is offered really and truly to you in particular, by Jesus Christ, with the good will of his Father; so that it is lawful for you to come forward into it, and use it as your own. This is the report of the gospel, Isa. 55:3, cited above, 1 John 5:11, "This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." And it is demonstrated by the Spirit inwardly to the elect, whereby they see the door of the covenant open to them, Isa. 53:1; and whoso believeth it not, can never enter into the covenant, but make God a liar by their unbelief of it.
3. Trusting on the sacrifice of Christ for your salvation from sin and wrath, upon the ground of God's faithfulness in the covenant, Acts 15:11, "We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved." The soul renounceth all confidence in itself, or in any other, and relies wholly on the sacrifice of Christ, the fulfilled condition of the covenant, for the promises of the covenant being
fulfilled to itself, because God has so engaged in his proclaimed covenant, and he cannot but be faithful in his covenant.
Thus the soul is formally entered into the covenant, receiving Christ in his priestly office, and so uniting with him.
And this necessarily brings along with it the covenanter's,
1. Receiving Christ as his Prophet, renouncing his own wisdom and the wisdom of the world, giving up himself to be guided by his word and Spirit, Matth. 16:24; Acts 13:22. Uniting with him, he must needs be our head for direction and guidance.
2. Receiving him as his King and Lord, renouncing the dominion of sin, the devil, and the world, and wholly giving up himself to be ruled by him as his head for government, Psal. 2 ult.; Isa. 26:13.
And thus the soul entering into the covenant, taking Christ in all his offices, takes God in Christ for his God, and gives up himself to be one of his people for ever, consenting to the offer made, Heb. 8:10, "I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Whoso thus enters into the covenant now, shall be joyfully gathered to him at the last day, as those that have entered into his covenant on a sacrifice.
THIRDLY, The last thing on this head is the profession and declaration of that entering into Christ's covenant, by some fit sign. This is a solemn declared entering into the covenant, in which one may be either sincere or hypocritical, Deut. 29:10, 12, "Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God;—that thou shouldst enter into evenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day." And so it will not of itself, if it be separate from the former, secure our gathering to him at the last
day. Meanwhile it is a duty required of us now for God's honour, and requisite for our comfort, Deut. 26:17. It is done three ways.
1. By words spoken, Psal. 16:2, either in prayer to God, wherein a person solemnly and in express words declares unto God in secret his acceptance of and entering into the covenant; or before men, where the thing being proposed by one, others signify their acquiescing by some fit gesture, or bowing of the head, Exod. 4:30, 31.
2. By writing under their hand, declaring their accepting of the covenant, Isa. 44:5, "One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and sirname himself by the name of Israel." This has been an useful practice of many in their life, and comfortable to their relations when they were gone, when they found their written acceptance of God's covenant of grace.
3. By instituted significant actions. Such is the partaking of the Lord's table. The very taking of the bread and wine at the Lord's table, and eating and drinking the same, being a solemn declaration before the world, angels, and men, that we enter into Christ's covenant. So in case it be separate from believing, though it cannot savingly enter us, we will be treated as covenant-breakers.
USE. To conclude, I beseech you by your gathering together to Christ at the last day, that you now gather to him in his covenant. For this cause I recommend to your consideration,
1. That this is a special gathering time, wherein the great trumpet of the gospel is sounding, and double sounding, a gathering; a time wherein the Lord is sending out the angels of the churches, ministers, to gather you. Let not the trumpet of the gospel sound in
vain for you, nor the angels of the churches attempt in vain to gather you. They bring Christ's voice and the offer of the covenant to you.
2. As sure as the trumpet of the gospel is sounding now in your ears, and the angels of the churches are at work to gather you to Christ now, whose attempts you may render vain; so sure will the last trumpet sound in the same ears, and the angels of heaven gather them joyfully to Christ who now come unto him, to meet him in the air, while they will leave the rest on the earth.
3. What will you think to see at that day, others taken as within the bond of the covenant, and yourselves left as without it? With what pale faces, and trembling hearts, will ye look up to the Judge coming in the clouds of heaven, and to your neighbours, Christ's covenant people, carried by angels, and flying above you, away to meet the Lord in the air, with a shining glory on them?
Lastly, How will ye brook your last sight of them, when they having in the first place received their welcome to their kingdom from the Judge on the throne, ye shall get your sentence to depart from him into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; and so must turn your backs, and make away to your place, they being then the spectators of your begun misery, and your beloved world being set on fire?
Think on these things in time, and whatever ye are, or have been, know that you are allowed free access into the covenant; and therefore enter into it sincerely. Go alone by yourselves, think on your lost state by nature, examine yourselves as to your liking of the covenant, and if you find your heart pleased with it, go to your knees, and solemnly declare before God, you accepting and entering into it, taking Christ in all his offices, and God in Christ for your God and portion for ever. And so be persuaded, that on this your gathering to
Christ in the bond of his covenant now, depends your being gathered to him in glory at the last day.
THE SAINT'S LIFETIME IN THIS WORLD
A NIGHT-TIME; THEIR EXPECTATION
OF THE DAY'S BREAKING IN THE OTHER WORLD, AND THE SHADOWS
FLEEING AWAY; AND THEIR GREAT CONCERN FOR CHRIST'S PRESENCE
TILL THAT HAPPY SEASON COME
The substance of several Sermons preached at Ettrick, in the year
SONG 2:17
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away; turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
IN these words you have the breathing of a gracious soul, with respect to the time that may pass in this world, before one comes to enter into the other world; it is to have his countenance and the communications of his grace by the way, until they come there, where there will be nothing to intercept it. And it would be a good sign of meeting with a kindly reception from Christ into that world at last, that we were now saying from the heart, "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away; turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether." Where observe,
1. The connection of these words with the preceding verse, whereby they appear to be the breathing of a soul really married to Christ, having a sense of the marriage bond, and not ashamed of it, but
resolutely owning it. "My Beloved is mine, and I am his.—Until the day break, and the shadows flee away; turn, my Beloved," &c. The spouse of Christ looks on herself as one that is married to a husband whom she dearly loves, but is not yet ready to take her home; she desires therefore, that until the time come of his taking her home, he will not be a stranger to her, but give her the comfort of his presence with her, that the present situation will allow; thereby intimating, that she is not to look for the comfort of her life from any other, but him, whether he be absent from her or present with her.
2. The words themselves: in which consider,
1st, The happy term that Christ's spouse lives in expectation of, which is expressed by two things, the latter consequential on the former, the "breaking of the day," and the "fleeing away of the shadows." By the day here is meant the day of eternity, that will break in the other world, in the light of glory arising to those that are married to Christ here. That is the or that day by way of eminency, 2 Tim. 1:18. This implies two things.
(1.) That she looked on her lifetime in this world as a night-time; else why should she have expected the day breaking? and that in that night-time there were many shadows, darkening things to her, and allowing her but obscure views of them; else why should she expect their fleeing away? as one travelling by night, in a mountainous or woody country, if the night were never so clear, it is no wise comparable to broad daylight; and besides there are many dark and gloomy steps caused by the shadows that the hills and woods cast; which though they amount not to a total darkness, yet the light by their means is but a very faint one. Such is the believer's travelling through this to the other world.
(2.) That she believed and expected, that that night would not last, and that the shadows would vanish at length. She looks for the breaking, Heb. blowing of the day, because however dead a calm there may be through the night, ordinarily at break of day a gale of wind rises; and that break or blowing of the day will quickly chase away all the shadows, that they shall not be to be seen more. That blowing will be of the Spirit of Christ, in a full communication of influences to the believer, at the day's breaking to him in the other world; whereby all the shadows now intercepting the light from him, will in a moment evanish.
2dly, The great thing her soul desires, and she breathes after, till that happy term come.—It is communion with Christ her Lord and Husband, in such sort and measure as the state of this life by divine regulation will allow. She is not for turning back to, and solacing herself with her former lovers, till her Husband take her home; no, being married to him, her eyes are shut now on all others, and they are towards him alone. "Turn, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether." It consists of two parts.
(1.) A desire of his countenance towards her, "Turn, my Beloved," &c. Heb. "Come round about it." It intimates, [1.] His turning his back on her, shewing some sign of dipleasure with her; the frequent lot of God's children in this world. [2.] That even in that case her heart was upon him as her beloved, and her eyes going after him, that she would have him turn his face. [3.] That she would fain have his countenance again when lost: q. d. Turn about to me, that I may behold thee with joy.
(2.) A desire of nearness to him, and the embraces of his love: "Be thou like a roe, or a young heart," &c. Come to me speedily. She lays not the stress of the speedy meeting on her motion to him; but as of
free grace, on his motion to her; by his grace coming over mountains betwixt them, and that speedily; even as a roe comes to its mate, or a young hart to its dam, upon the mountains of Bether, 2 Sam. 2:29. The word signifies a half part.
From the text thus explained, may be deduced the three following points of doctrine, viz.
DOCT. I. A soul once truly married to Christ, will from thenceforth look on the lifetime in this world, as a night-time, a shadowy one, as indeed it is.
DOCT. II. To those that are truly married to Christ, the day will break in the other world, and the shadows flee away; and they should live in the constant expectation of it.
DOCT. III. It will be the great concern of those married to Christ during their night-journey in this world, that he may turn and come to them, till the day-breaking and the shadows fleeing away, they get to him in the other world.
I shall speak to each of these in order.
DOCT I. A soul once truly married to Christ, will from thenceforth look on the lifetime in this world, as a night-time, a shadowy one, as indeed it is.
In touching a little on this doctrine, I shall,
I. Shew in what respect the saint's lifetime in this world is a nighttime.
II. How the soul once married to Christ comes to look on its lifetime in this world as a night-time.
III. On what grounds such a soul justly looks on it as a night-time, a shadowy one.
IV. Improve the point.
I. In what respect the saint's lifetime in this world is a night-time. To clear this, consider,
1. The life of a child of God in this world, from the moment of the marriage with Christ, is a day-time, in comparison with the time he lived in his natural state, 1 Thess. 5:5. Therefore says the apostle, Eph. 5:8. "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord." While they are in their natural state, they are in midnight darkness, it is black and dark night with them. But being united to Christ, the night of their natural state is at an end, and the day of grace is come with them. And this is such a day, as will never be succeeded by another night.
2. But in comparison with his state in the other world, it is but a night-time. When he enters there, a day of glory shall break to him, that will so far surpass all he has seen, that he shall be made to think, he never saw day before, Rom. 13:12. The natural man is in black and dark night, and the saints in this world are in a cloudy moon-light night; only the saints in the other world are in broad day-light, Col. 1:12.
II. We shall consider how the soul once married to Christ comes to look on its lifetime in this world as a night-time. There are four things concur to it.
1. They then have some new and precious light, however faint, that they had not before. They can say with the blind man cured by Christ, John 9:25. "One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I
see." They see that in sin, Christ, and in the other world, that they did not before perceive. Strangers to Christ are like blind men, to whom the night and the day are alike; but being once married to Christ they are like him who said, "I see men as trees walking," Mark 8:24. They see, but find they do not see clearly, and so conclude, that it is night with them.
2. Being once married to Christ indeed, the sun of the world sets upon them. The world's love to them is turned to hatred, it conceives an antipathy against them, John 15:19. And looks as when the darkness of the night follows the lightsome day, and sits down on the beautiful cities, the green hills, the pleasant meadows and gardens, all these lose their lustre and beauty, and become black and gloomy; so when once a soul is married to Christ, the world loseth its former beauty to the man; it is quite another thing in his eyes than it was before; the vain world is turned out of its gaudy day-dress, into its night-dress, where its former beautiful appearance is gone, Gal. 6:14. —"The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
3. Yet the son of righteousness is still hid to their eye sight, however he lets out some rays of light to them, and they discern him by faith, 1 Pet. 1:8. In some northern parts belonging to this kingdom, the body of the sun, about this time of the year, does indeed go out of their sight about the middle of the night; yet still certain rays appear all along; so it is with the believer. Therefore he must look on it it as night; though it is but a short one. That Jesus to whom they are joined in spiritual marriage, is gone to heaven, and there he abides hid from their eyes, though manifest to their faith, Cant. 4:6. As Jacob married to Leah, got not a broad view of her till the morning; so the believing soul married to Christ, will not get a broad view of its Husband, till the day of eternity break.
4. Lastly, The beauty of the light let into them natively causes a longing for the perfection of it, Phil. 3:13, 14. As one with a dim light discerning a beautiful object, presently calls for a clear light whereby to discern it fully; so the soul that has seen as much of Christ's excellency; as to engage the heart to him, longs for a full sight of his glory; and while the light will not serve that purpose, it natively concludes, that it is night still.
III. I shall next shew on what grounds they justly look on it as a night-time, a shadowy one.
1. They justly look on it as a night-time. For,
(1.) It is a time of much darkness with them, 1 Cor. 13:12. darkness of ignorance, and of uncomfortableness. However vain men may pride themselves in the knowledge they have reached, puffed up therewith as empty bladders; serious Christians will still be bewailing their ignorance and weakness in the divine mysteries, Psal. 73:22. Prov. 30:2, 3. And however lightsome a life the native vanity of mind may make some; it is not possible, but the imperfections, infirmities, and struggles attending the Christian life here, must make much uncomfortableness in it, Psal. 97:11. How then can they but count it night?
(2.) It is a time, wherein the wild beasts are got out of their dens ranging about, Psal. 104:20, 21. In the darkness of this life, what howling and yelling of the infernal crew, the devils and wicked men acted by them, do reach the Christian's ears and make his heart to shiver? So that to travel through the world is often as unpleasant, as through an howling wilderness in the night. And not only so, but they are often in hazard of being devoured by them, and swallowed up, 1 Pet. 5:8. No wonder they long for day-brake, when these wild beasts will go into their dens and be silenced, Psal. 104:22.
(3.) It is a time inclining to sleep and inactivity, 1 Thess. 5:7. All the unregenerate world is fast asleep about them, and will not awake; and they themselves have a constant struggle to hold up their head. If it were day with them, they could bestir themselves, and apply to their proper business; but it is night, and with difficulty they watch one hour.
2. They justly look on it as a shadowy night.
(1.) Because there are many things intercepting the light from them; by such means shadows are made in the night, as when a house or a hill intercepts the light of the moon or stars by night. Thus it is with God's people in the world; there are many things to mar the light of their Lord's countenance shining on them, Isa. 49:2; Psal. 30:7. And by means of these interposing hindrances, they cannot have now that light of knowledge and comfort, that they would desire.
(2.) It is a time wherein they had some precious light, yet but faint, and mixed with much darkness. Where there is no light at all, there cannot be shadows, all is but one shadow; and so it is with natural men, "there is no light in them," Isa. 8:20. But souls married to Christ have the light of grace, which however is but a dim and mixed one in comparison of the light of glory, 1 Cor. 13:12.
(3.) It is a time, wherein the very means of their light and knowledge give but small and dark representations of the knowledge of the other world, and the riches of his kingdom. So does the shadow of a house in the night represent it but very darkly and imperfectly; so the shadow of a man by a looking-glass is but an imperfect representation of the man, not comparable to seeing face to face. Thus we have a shadow of Christ in the gospel, in the word, in the sacraments; but it is but a shadowy darkly representing him and the happiness of his kingdom, 2 Cor. 3:18. So that the half is not seen.
But as one taken with a beautiful picture, natively longs to see the original; so does a sight of Christ by these shadows, cause one to long for the day breaking and the shadows fleeing away, that they may see him face to face.
We shall now make some improvement of this point, in the following uses.
USE I. Of information. Is the time of this life indeed a night, a shadowy one, to those married to Christ, and do they look on it so? Then,
1. They to whom this life in this world makes such a pleasant day, that they desire no better, are in bad ease. If it is so with you habitually, ye are not truly married to Christ, Cant. 8:5. Ye are yet in your natural blindness, that night and day are alike to you; and the day of grace is not yet risen on you. And if it be so with you only occasionally, you may be sure that while it is so, your souls are out of frame, and the grace of God in you is under a cloud.
2. Then the time of this life is a dangerous time, even to those that are espoused to Christ, and they have no need to watch, "every man having his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night," Cant. 3:8. They are in danger of sins, snares, and temptations; for it is a time wherein the roaring lion is ranging about, who will be bound down in his den, if once the day were broken. This made the apostle jealous over the Corinthians "with godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband," says he, "that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor. 11:2, 3. They are in danger of various troubles, which are incident to them in this
night-season. But it is but to watch a while, if the day were broke, the danger is over.
3. The Christian's life in this world is a lonely and wearisome life; for the travellers to Zion have a night of it, a shadowy one. If one travel by day, he will readily get company, for then every body is astir; and this makes the way to destruction a throng way, the carnal world going at ease in it, because the sun of this world is up on them, and their night is coming in the other world. But if one travels by night, he will readily have a lonely journey of it; and therefore there are but few in the way to life. So it is told us, Matth. 7:14. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Micah therefore laments the loneliness of it with him, Micah 7:1. "Wo is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summerfruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat," and the Psalmist, Psal. 102:6, 7. "I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house-top." For it is night with them; but in the other world the day will break to them. This makes it wearisome travelling. It is so ordered, as the march through the wilderness for their trial.
There is a fourfold allowable weariness in the Christian life, which our Lord will not be displeased with in his people, that it make them often to propose that question, Isa. 21:11. "Watchman, what of the night?"
(1.) Wearying of an ill world, a world lying in wickedness, Psal. 120:5. "Wo is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar." Surely God himself is weary of them, of their obstinate impenitency, carnality, profanity, and formality, Isa. 65:2–5; and 1:14. It is but kindly that his people weary of their society, who thus
weary their God; and that they long for the day when they will be by themselves.
(2.) Wearying of an ill heart, the body of sin and death, Rom. 7:24. "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!" God has left it in them for their exercise and trial, as he did the Canaanites in the land; but surely they are to make no league with it, but to war against it; and it is acceptable to him to weary and long for the day that they will be rid of it. And there is never a weary look they give for it, but he kindly noticeth it.
(3.) Wearying to be at home in Immanuel's land, where there is no more night, but an eternal day, 2 Cor. 5:4. "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life." Rom. 8:23. "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Indeed the Lord makes their travelling in this world difficult to his people, for that very end, that they may long to be home.
(4.) Wearying for our Lord's gracious visits to their souls, while they are abroad, Psal. 130:6. "My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning." How passionately does the spouse cry for them in the text? It is a sign it is very ill with the Christian, when his Lord is away, and he cares not; when his communion with God is stopt, and yet he is at ease, Cant. 5:3. See Psal. 30:7.
4. That a Christian's life in this world has many ups and downs in it, is not at all strange; nay, nor that the alteration comes very suddenly; for he is travelling in a night, a shadowy night. There is nothing more stable than a Christian's state, but nothing more alterable than his
frame, Ps. 89:36, 37. He may be going on cheerfully in the moonshine, singing his song in the night; anon he enters some black and shadowy valley in his way, or a cloud overcasts, and strikes a damp on him; he gets through the valley, the cloud passes off, and he recovers; and so one after another, till the day break, and the shadows flee away.
USE II. Hereby ye may try, whether ye are truly married to Christ, or not? If it is so, ye will look on your life in this world henceforth as a night-time. And,
1. Your former value for this world will be sunk, and your love to it turned into a holy contempt and neglect of it, in comparison with Christ your husband, and his kingdom in the other world, Matth. 13:46. The blackness of the night will be sitten down on it, in its most gaudy dress, of profits, pleasures, and honours in it, 1 John 2:15. You will look on it as a shadow, hiding much of the Bridegroom's glory from you; and so will keep up a struggle against it, as that which getting in betwixt the Sun of righteousness and you, will cause an eclipse of the light of his countenance.
2. Your esteem of Christ will be raised above all, 1 Pet. 2:7. Your love to him will be a superlative love, above all persons and things, Luke 14:26. She that without consideration runs into a marriage with a man, is ready to discover something in him afterwards, that makes her despise him, and, when it is out of time, to prefer some other of her suitors; so they that are rash and indeliberate in their pretended closing with Christ, that were never blessed with a saving discovery of him to their souls by the Spirit, will be ready to rue the match, and to return to the flesh pots of Egypt. But the soul once truly married to Christ, will find him a covering of its eyes; they will charge their eyes henceforth to be closed on all his rivals, as never to see another so
fair, Psal. 73:25. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee."
Lastly, Ye will count it day only in the other world, however bright the sunshine in this world may be; "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away," &c. Therefore your main concern will be to reach eternal light there, Phil. 3:14. to be prepared and made meet for it, Rev. 19:7. And you will aim at the purity of it, 1 John 3:3. So you will be going through this world, as in a night journey, with the eye fixed on the other world before, desiring and expecting the break of day that will be there.
USE III. Of caution. This gives a watchword to all that profess their soul's marriage with Christ. It is night-time; therefore,
1. Beware ye fall not asleep, 1 Thess. 5:7. Take heed of carnal security, which is the bed of the devil's making for us; a dangerous bed, how soft soever; and the softer the more dangerous. Satan got David into it, and there he polluted himself with adultery and murder; and Peter also, where he defiled himself with denying his Lord and Master. But it is but few that get the cast of grace to raise and cleanse them in such a case, that these two eminent saints got. People are ready to fall asleep after a full meal, Cant. 5:1, 5, and wise virgins may be overtaken with sleep, as well as foolish virgins, Mat. 25:5.
2. Beware ye fall not a-dreaming. The whole life of some is one continued dream or delusion, which they awake not out of till they are past hope and help, Is. 44:20. He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside, and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?" Chap. 29:8. God's children also are in hazard of dreaming too in this their night-time, when they fall asleep. David fell a-dreaming of golden mountains in this world, Ps. 30:6. Peter of perfect safety, when Satan was laying a snare for him
and seeking to winnow him. O Sirs, open your eyes, stand on your watch, know ye are here among the lions' dens, and the mountains of the leopards. Do not dream of world's ease, but lay your account with trials; nor of safety from snares, but lay you account with temptations.
3. Beware of mistakes and misapprehensions of things, to which people are liable in the night. Live by faith, and trust not your own understanding, Prov. 3:5. Judge not of things in your way by sense, but by the rule of God's word. Our eyes in the night are apt to deceive us. A step will appear much more difficult by reason of the darkness, then really it is; so there will be stones of difficulty appearing in the way, of a duty not to be rolled away, which, yet when ye come up to, will be found rolled away to your hand. A bush will appear a house to the traveller, and disappoint him turning to it for shelter; so does this and the other created comfort to us in this night-journey. In the night we are ready to take our friends for our foes, as did the disicples on the sea; so we are apt to do with our crosses and trials.
4. Beware of stumbling, John 11:10. and walk circumspectly, Eph. 5:15. Keep up a holy jealousy over yourselves, Prov. 28:14. "Happy is the man that feareth alway." Where the darkness of the night trysts with snares and stumbling blocks in one's way, it is hard for one to keep his feet; so it is in your way to heaven. Peter found a snare in the mount, as well as in the high-priest's hall; and Lot in the cave with his own children, as well as in Sodom. Take then that caution, 1 Cor. 10:12. "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall."
Lastly, Beware of wearying in a way of languishing, fretfulness, and impatience; the which is incident to people in the night not asleep. Whatever be your troubles in the world, yea your struggles with the body of sin and temptations do not weary so as to fall a languishing,
unfitting yourselves for bearing and doing; so as to fret and be impatient, and say, it will never be day. For though it is night, the morning cometh.
USE ult. Evidence yourselves truly married to Christ, by your looking on the time of this life, as a night-time, a shadowy one. And this,
1. By stretching your view habitually beyond it, "looking not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen," 2 Cor. 4 ult. A soul married to Christ will not terminate its desires and expectations within the narrow limits of time; nor would they, if it were in their offer, sit down contented with this life perpetuated, more than they would be content of an eternal night here that would never have a day, Job 7:16. "I loathe it, I would not live alway." But live ye in expectation of this night's passing, and of the morning's coming in the other world.
2. By watchfulness and circumspect walking, as not insensible of your hazard. Travellers by night look well to their feet, however carelessly men walk that travel by day, Prov. 4:26. Many professing to be espoused to Christ, discover their hypocrisy by the looseness and carelessness of their after-walk.
3. By continual eying and use-making of the pillar of fire that gives light in the night in this wilderness. Christ is that pillar of fire, that enlightens the believer's darkness in this world; as he is a husband, he is the soul's guide. Keep the eye of faith on him, while the night lasts, that all your motions, removes, and rests may be directed by him, Col. 2:6. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." John 8:12. "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Lastly, By learning and using the song in the night. Our Lord has allowed the travellers to Zion, such a song, as may refresh and cheer them in their night-journey through the wilderness, Isa. 30:29. "Ye shall have a song as in the night, when a holy solemnity is kept, and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the mighty One of Israel." They learn it out of their bible, Psal. 119:54. "Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage." They sing it by faith, believing the promises, and crediting and applying the blessed report concerning the other world, the day's breaking and the shadows fleeing away. And this cheers them in the melancholy night they have. Slight it not, Job 35:10. "But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?" Isa. 64:5." Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways." Neh. 8:10. "The joy of the Lord is your strength."
DOCT. II. To those that are truly married to Christ, the day will break in the other world, and the shadows flee away; and they should live in the comfortable expectation of it.
In handling this point, I shall,
I. Consider the day's breaking, and the shadows fleeing away thereupon.
II. Believers living in the comfortable expectation of the day's breaking to them in the other world, and the shadows fleeing away thereupon.
III. Lastly, Apply the doctrine.
I. I shall consider the day's breaking, and the shadows fleeing away thereupon. And on this head I shall speak of,
1. The day's breaking in the other world to those that are married to Christ.
2. The shadows upon this breaking of the day, fleeing away.
3. Confirm the point, that the day will break, and the shadows flee away, as to those that are married to Christ.
FIRST, I am to speak of the day's breaking in the other world to those that are married to Christ. And here I shall show,
1. What a day will break to them there.
2. How this day will break to them there.
FIRST, I shall shew what a day will break in the other world to those who are married to Christ.
1. A clear and bright day, Isa. 60:1, 2. "Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." Whatever gloomy, dark and melancholy times the spouse of Christ has here, she will have a bright day of it in the other world. There will be no clouds in it; the dark and cloudy day will then be at an end. The glory of God lightens the upper hemisphere there, whither they go; and in him there is no darkness at all.
2. A fair day and calm. There are no storms nor tempests, no blustering winds nor rains in Immanuel's land, Rev. 21:4. "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." It will be one continued tempest in the lower part of the other world; there the great rain of his strength will be falling continually on his adversaries; but there will be an absolute
calm there, as Ex. 9:24–26. where we are told, "There was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt, since it became a nation.—Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail." O what a pity is it, that the faith thereof should not make us bear better the clouds returning after the rain now!
3. A glad and joyful day, Psal. 126:5. "They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy." Their wo days will then be at an end, Rev. 21:4. The light and gladness now under the clod, will be fairly sprung up to them then. It will be the day of the heir of glory's home-coming from his travels in the foreign land, unto his own country, his Father's house, and his Father's embraces. It will be the spouse of Christ's marriageday, when the marriage with the spiritual bridegroom shall be joyfully solemnized.
Lastly, An eternal day. Some places of our world have a long day, but they have a night too, and that a long one. But there will be an everlasting day in Immanuel's land, Rev. 21:25. There is a night too in the other world, as well as a day; but they are in different regions, and never change. It will be a day in the upper hemisphere, an eternal day; and night in the lower, an eternal night.
SECONDLY, Let us next see how this day will break there to those who are married to Christ.
1. As coming near their night-journey's end, they enter the passage betwixt the two worlds, the darkness and shadowiness of the night will come to a pitch. For as the darkest hour ordinarily goes before day-break, so is it here, the hour of death is so in a signal manner, "the valley of the shadow of death," Psal. 23:4. When they go down to that valley, there is a gloominess there which they have not had the like of before; they may have much ado to keep their heart from
failing, because of the black and dismal aspect. But their Lord and Husband will not leave them, but guide them through it, ib. and 48 ult.
2. As soon as they are got over to the other side, immediately the day breaks, and it is fair day-light to them. Then the welcome day ariseth, never to go down; their hearts are cheered, their eyes enlightened, and there is no fear of stumbling any more.
(1.) A heavenly gale ariseth, such as never before blew on them; they get a full measure of the Spirit of Christ, which in a moment brings them to a state of perfection, Heb. 12:23. This is that blowing of the day in the text. The Spirit blows upon them here, and conveys grace from Christ to them, excites and strengthens it, Cant. 4:16. But then he blows on them so as to perfect it.
(2.) The light of glory appears, and spreads over all to them, Is. 60:1. The shinning ones receive them, to carry them home to Abraham's bosom. While they pass into the upper regions, the day then is broken, and goes on to the perfect day there, growing more and more lightsome, and filling them with new and unseen delights.
(3.) Getting in to the highest heavens, the Sun of righteousness is up on them; and there they are in inconceivable light and splendour, which we can have no notion of, but what is childish, Col. 1:12. There shines the glory of God, and of the Lamb; and such is the splendour, that there is no need of the sun nor of the moon.
SECONDLY, I proceed to consider the shadows, upon this breaking of the day, fleeing away. And here I shall shew,
1. What is that fleeing away of the shadows.
2. What are the shadows that will flee away, when that day breaks.
FIRST, I shall shew what is that fleeing away of the shadows. We may take it up in three things.
1. The utter removal of every thing interposing betwixt God and them, and intercepting the light of his countenance, Rev. 21:3. Now there are many things of that nature; but when the day breaks, there shall be none of them. The day of grace breaking, removed all interposing hindrances in respect of their state of peace and friendship; but the day of glory breaking, will remove all interposing hinderances in respect of their full enjoyment.
2. The removal of all dark, gloomy, and melancholy things out of their condition, Mat. 25:23. They shall then put off their blacks, and be clothed in white raiment; no sigh will be heard more, nor the least vestige remain of a sorrowful spirit. There shall be nothing from without them, nor within them, to cause the least down-look. After all the frights they have been in, they shall be perfectly composed, and enjoy an inconceivable serenity.
3. The removal of all imperfection of light, and whatsoever gives but a faint and shadowy representation of Christ and the glories of the other world, 1 Cor. 13:12. Rev. 22:4. By nature we are blind, and cannot see them, though they are to be seen in the looking-glass of the gospel. The day of grace breaking to a man, he beholds them in the glass; but in the day of glory the glass is removed, and he sees face to face. There fleeing away imports,
(1.) The suddenness of their removal. Though the moment before the shadows were at their longest, blackest, and darkest pitch, the next moment they shall be gone. As if the sun should in a moment break from under a cloud, and enlighten all that was dark before.
(2.) The completeness of their removal; they shall evanish, without leaving any mark behind them, where they had been. So does a shadow flee away turning to nothing. The light of glory extinguishes them quite.
SECONDLY, We are to enquire, what are the shadows that will flee away when that day breaks. They may be comprehended under the following particulars.
1. The shadow of this world will then flee away, 1 Cor. 7:31. The night comes on by the interposing of the earth betwixt us and the sun; and this cursed earth getting in betwixt Christ the sun of righteousness and us, makes a black and dark shadow, it hides the the face of the lovely Jesus from natural men wholly, as the sun is hidden in the night; from the saints it hides his face in great measure, as a cloud interposing betwixt us and the sun, so making them sometimes go mourning without the sun.
But the day of eternity breaking, the believer will see it fled away. At death they will go from it, they will be quite above it, it will be under their feet. It will not be able to cast any more shadow to them, than a hill in a sunny day when one is on the top of it, whatever it may do to those below in the valley. And at the resurrection, the world itself will flee away, being suddenly destroyed, Rev. 20:11. It was often taken for a substantial good, but then it will flee away as a shadow, 1 John 2:17. "The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof."
2. The shadow of sin, Heb. 12:23. The sun shone fair and bright on mankind in the state of innocency, and made this a pleasant world, the very suburbs of heaven, where every thing smiled on man and his condition was altogether lightsome; but no sooner had sin entered, but the darkness of the night was spread over all in one shadow. The day of grace dawning in conversion, a new light arises, sin being
removed in its guilt of eternal wrath, and its dominion; but alas! it still remains in its indwelling power, occasioning a continual struggle, ofttimes prevailing; hence are many long and black shadows in the believer's way, extending as far as it reaches, so that, by reason of guilt and defilement contracted, they often find themselves as in the shadow of death, Isa. 59:2. They keep right a while, and then they walk in the light of the Lord's countenance; they are overtaken again with sin, and then they are under a cloud again, and walk in darkness.
But the day breaking, sin will flee away. There will be no more unbelief, ill heart, or corruption of nature; though it is fixed now with bonds of iron and brass, these will in a moment give way like tow touched with fire; and sin will pass away, leaving no mark behind it, more than a shadow. The believer's wounds will all be healed, and all his now running sores, so as there shall not appear the least scar where they were.
3. The shadow of temptations, Rom. 16:20. "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." This was the first shadow that was in the world. The command, promise, and threatening were shining clear to our first parents; but in came the subtile serpent with his temptations, which cast a shadow over them that darkened them all to Eve, so that they appeared to her in other colours, Gen. 3:6. She carried the temptation to Adam, and he also was overshadowed ere he was aware, and he sinned, and then the shadow spread over all the world. Now the light of the word shines, and represents sin as ugly and destructive; temptation arises, and with its shadow mars the light, and sin appears lovely and beneficial. Thus the believer is often by this means left in the dark, robbed and spoiled; and takes poison to himself with his own hands, being blinded with the shadow of temptation.
But when the day breaks, that shadow will flee away. The tempter who got into the earthly paradise, will have no access into the heavenly. All the mist he raised before the eyes of believers here, will be suddenly dispelled, and never gather again more; but there they will have an eternal sunshine, where every thing will appear in its native colours; and they shall not be capable of being deceived any more. There will be no more need of watching, fighting, &c., the hazard being over.
3. The shadow of outward troubles will flee away, of troubles on your bodies, relations, names, affairs, &c., Job 3:17. Sometimes the sun of prosperity shines on the believer, and there is silence as it were half an hour; anon trouble ariseth, spreads and continues, till it cast such a shadow, as hides prosperity quite out of his sight, and causes him to forget it, Lam. 3:17; yea, as hides the face of God from him, that he cannot behold his countenance with joy, his weak eyes being unable so to master the shadow as to behold it. Things appear frightful in it, that believers are apt to think he has forgot them, Isa. 49:14. that he treats them as his enemies, Job 13:24. and can hardly think that they have any more room with him, Job 9:16, 17.
But when the day breaks and the shadows flee away, they will have a profound peace, an eternal calm, in Immanuel's land. Though the storm blow never so long and hard on them, in this their night; when once the day is broken and Christ has them home, he will never let an air blow on them more. They may then look back on the tossed and troublous life they have had, but they will remember them all as waters that fail.
5. The shadow of inward spiritual troubles, through desertions, and hidings of the Lord's face. These are sometimes so black and gloomy, that they are apt to cry out, that their hope is perished from the Lord.
Such a damp may seize them, as that they begin to think that all they have had, has been but delusions; and they may be at razing foundations. They may have much ado to keep up hope, saying as Psal. 77:7, 8, 9. "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?" Their spirits may be wounded, the arrows of God sticking in them. Then it is dark night.
But if the day were broken, and the shadows fled away, they will be comforted fully with the greatest tenderness, when brought into Abraham's bosom, Isa. 66:13. "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem." And readily they that have had the sharpest conflicts, will have the greatest comfort; sure, bitter entertainment here, will make sweet sauce to the entertainment there.
6. The shadow of ordinances will flee away, Rev. 21:23. "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." The word and sacraments give but faint representations of the Bridegroom's glory, they show him but as it were in his night dress; they are but the looking-glass wherein they see his shadow, 2 Cor. 3 ult. Though they show more glory in him than in the whole creation, yet the half is not discovered thereby.
But when the day breaks, and the shadows flee away, they will get an immediate sight of him, as he is, 1 John 3:2, see him face to face, 1 Cor. 13:12. The ordinances that served them in their night-travelling through the wilderness, will be honourably laid aside when the day is broken to them in the promised land, as was the tabernacle when the temple was reared up. There will be no need of the lower table, when
they are set down with the King at the higher. So preaching, prayers, sacraments, &c. shall flee away.
7. Lastly, The shadow of all manner of imperfections, 1 Cor. 13:12. There are many imperfections attending the believer here, natural and moral. He must eat, drink, sleep, &c. for his body; his soul is compassed about with many spiritual infirmities, there is a weakness in all his faculties. These cast a broad shadow, and hide much of the King's glory to him.
But when the day breaks and the shadows flee away, the body shall no more be a clog to him; all the faculties of his soul shall be brought to their perfection. The mind shall arrive at a perfection of knowledge, the will of conformity to the will of God, and the affections of regularity and order. Their enjoyment of God shall be full; they shall be put off no more with sips and tastes, but drink of the rivers of his pleasures for evermore. Faith shall be turned to sight, and desire and hope into full and unhampered possession.
THIRDLY, I shall now confirm this point, That the day will break and the shadows flee away, as to those who are married to Christ. Consider for this purpose the following things,
1. It was so with their Head and Husband, and the procedure with them must be conformable to that with him, Heb. 12:2. "Jesus, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." 2 Tim. 2:11, 12. "It is a faithful saying, For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer we shall also reign with him." Our Lord Christ had a dark shadowy night of it in this world; the sun of this world's prosperity hid itself from him all along, and the farther on in the night it was with him, it grew still the darker, till it came to the utmost pitch in the valley of the shadow of death. And
then the day brake to him, and all shadows fled away; and now he is for ever in the light.
2. The nature of God's work of grace in them; it cannot be left unperfected; Psal. 138 ult. "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me." Time was when they were in a state of blindness, no light being in them, Isa. 8:20. God has brought them out of that state, and there is a light arisen to them, a light of grace, the nature of which is to go on to perfection, Prov. 4:18. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Grace and corruption are like the house of David and Saul; struggle they may for a while, but the latter must be extinct, and the former enjoy all.
3. The bounty and goodness of God to his people. God is essentially good, and he is good to them in Christ his Son. It is inconsistent with the goodness of his nature to keep them always in the darkness of the night, and horror of shadows. Surely, looking to his good and gracious nature, we may conclude that the day will break and the shadows flee away, especially considering, that there is a longing for it in them created by his own Spirit.
4. Lastly, The nature of the covenant, which is everlasting, and cannot be broken. It secures by promise the perfecting of the happiness of his people; it was made for that end; the promises are not accomplished here perfectly; nay it is an earnest only of their accomplishment that is given. Therefore there must be a time, when the day shall break, and the shadows flee away.
II. I proceed to consider believers living in the comfortable expectation of the day's breaking to them in the other world and the shadows fleeing away. It implies these following things,
1. Their looking on themselves as travellers only through this world, who are not to stay in it, Heb. 11:13. As soon as the soul is married to Christ, it begins to be a pilgrim on earth, in its own account, reckoning heaven the home, and earth the house of its pilgrimage. Men in their natural state are like the Egyptians in their darkness, who moved not from their place; but being touched with converting grace, they are like the Israelites travelling through the wilderness to Canaan.
2. Their laying their account with the continuance of the night and gloomy shades, while they are here. Our Lord has told them, that it must be so, John 16 ult. "In the world ye shall have tribulation;" and though sometimes they fall a dreaming of light and ease, Psal. 30:6. yet their habitual course is not so, being persuaded that "they must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God," Acts 14:22. They are resolved to trust their portion, and rest till they come to the other side, and, in the mean time, to bear their trials till they are safely arrived there.
3. A contentedness to leave this world, and go to the other, Luke 2:29. "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word." Every body sincerely joining themselves to the Lord Christ as their Head and Husband, are thus contented, Cant. 8:5. They may indeed have a natural horror of death, but they are reconciled to the pleasant land on the other side of it; as one is unto health, while yet they have a horror of the bitter potion, whereby it must be compassed. Sometimes again they are unclear as to their interest, and this may make them unwilling to remove; but this is consistent with that contentedness, since it makes not an absolute unwillingness, but only in such circumstances; as one may be willing to go to a place, yet not willing to take the journey blindfolded.
4. A faith of the day, the clear and bright day that is in the other world, Heb. 9:13. "Those all died in faith." The report of it is no more to them as idle tales, but they are persuaded of it, and look on it as the land of light and comfort; as far preferable to this world as the day is to night. If they were not persuaded of the other's being a better world than this, they could not be content to part with this for it.
5. A desire to be there in the other world, where the day breaks and the shadows flee away, Phil. 1:23. "I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better." As it is natural for the walking traveller to desire the breaking of the day, and to be there where it is daylight; so it is natural for the walking Christian, to desire to be there where it is eternal day in the other world. And this desire is at the root of the believer's desire of a total deliverance from sin, and of a full uninterrupted communion with God; these they desire, and these they know are not to be reached, but in the other world.
6. A hope and expectation of the day's breaking to them there, and the shadows fleeing away, Rom. 8:23, 24. "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope." There is a lively hope of the glory to be revealed, so that they hope, however dark it is for the time, it will not be always so; the morning will come. Hope has its struggles as well as faith; but the hope of believers is never totally overthrown, more than their faith.
Lastly, A comforting themselves in this world with the prospect of the other world, 2 Cor. 4:17, 18. "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
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." If the night be gloomy here, they should comfort themselves with the prospect of the day's breaking there, and the shadows fleeing away, and sing in the house of their pilgrimage, in hope of the joy abiding them at the end of their journey.
I shall now make some practical improvement of this doctrine.
USE I. Of information. This informs us,
1. That whatever be the trials of believers in this world, there is a happy state abiding them in the other world, wherein they will be beyond them all, Heb. 4:9. "Their remaineth a rest to the people of God." The wicked may have a fair and calm day here, but there will be an everlasting night for them there. But it is better to have our night here, and an eternal day there, than to have our day here, and eternal night there.
2. The report of unbelief to the people of God in their dark hours, whereby it is said to them, It will never be better, is false, and not to be credited, Lam. 3:17, 18. It is the work of faith to contradict these evil surmisings tending to cut off hope; and to believe the promise, when one does not see. Satan ruined the world at first by working a misbelief of the threatening; now he carries it on by a misbelief of the promise.
3. This is the time wherein we are called to walk by faith, 2 Cor. 5:7. In the other world we will walk by sight, for there the day will be broken, and there will be no shadows to interpose; but till we come there, we must be content to live by faith, trusting our good things to
come after we have patiently received our evil things, and made our way through the gloomy shades here.
4. That there will be a vast difference betwixt the state of believers here and in the other world. What a difference is there between a dark shadowy night, and a fair bright day? such will there be between the state of grace and glory. Their knowledge will be exceedingly extensive, beyond what it is now; and their comfort and joy exceedingly great, beyond what any time they now are.
Lastly, It is the Christian's own fault, if he wants comfort in the hardest pieces of his lot, John 14:18. They were never ill dined, we say, that know of a good supper. Whatever be the entertainment of a child of God here, there is a blessed entertainment awaiting him there, and as the workman works cheerfully in prospect of his wages, and the traveller goes cheerfully knowing he is going home? so the Christian should comfort himself in this world, with the prospect of the other world.
USE II. Of exhortation. Let such as are married to Christ, having received him in his covenant, and given themselves to him, learn to comfort themselves with the prospect of the other world, where the day will break, and the shadows flee away. To move unto this, consider these things,