2. One that hath seen, and is an infallible witness, hath testified to us of the truth of these things we hope for : John i. 18, ' No man hath seen God at anytime; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' Christ perfectly saw and knew all that he hath told us of God and the world to come : John iii. 11, ' Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we
VeR. 25.] SEKMONS UPON ROMANS TUI. 219
know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness ;' so that our faith and hope goeth on sure grounds ; so ver. 32, ' What he hath seen and heard he testifieth, and no man receiveth his testi- mony.' A good man, whose testimony is valuable, that hath been in a strange country, and testifieth what he hath seen there of it, would not we believe him ? Christ, that came from the other world, and told us of the blessedness of it, deserveth the credit of a good man ; he used a faithful plainness : John xiv. 2, ' If it were not so, I would have told you.' But more of a teacher sent from God, who confirmed his mes- sage by mii-acles, and laid down a doctrine holy and good ; and shall not we receive his testimony concerning these things he had perfect knowledge of, assured us of the truth of them ? shall we not receive his testimony ?
3. Those that saw him and conversed with him were not only authorised by him to show us the way to eternal life, but saw so much of it themselves as the mortal state is capable of, yet enough to prove the reality of the thing : 1 John i. 1-3, ' That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear wit- ness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and manifested unto us) ; that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you ; ' Acts iv. 20, ' For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard ; ' they had it not by hearsay, but some kind of sight. There being fidelity in the witnesses, there should be faith in those that hear and read. The apostles had sensible confir- mation of what they did declare. If they say that they heard, saw, and handled that which they never did, then they were deceivers ; if they only imagined they did see and hear those things, then they were deceived; if what they saw and heard will not amount to a proof of eternal life, then their testimony is not sufficient. But their downright simple honesty and great holiness showeth that they had no mind to deceive, and the nature of the things they relate showeth that they could not be deceived ; for they were eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses, and always conversing with Christ : the proof is sufficient. If such miracles, such resurrection, ascension, such a voice from the excellent glory, will not prove another world, what will ?
4. There is care taken that we also may have a sight of these things so far as is necessary to a lively and quickening hope ; for the Spirit is given to refine our reason and elevate our minds, and raise them above sensible things, that we may believe these supernatural truths, and hope to enjoy this blessedness in the way of Christianity : Gal. V. 5, ' For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteous- ness by faith.' Interpret it not only of the righteousness of faith, but the hope built thereupon ; it doth assure us of bliss and glory for all that are obedient to the faith, and believe those endless joys which are prepared for christians, John i. 17, 18.
5. If we see not these things by faith, it is because we are blinded by lusts and brutish affections, which misbecome the human nature : 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, ' If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, ■whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded.' It is because worldly
220 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XXXIII.
advantages have seduced and perverted their affections, which enchaiu their minds, tliat these sublime truths make no impression upon them, nor have any influence upon their hearts ; so 2 Peter i. 9, ' He that laclceth these things is blind, and cannot see afar off.' They have not that purity of heart which should enable them to believe this doctrine, or see things that should contradict or check their lusts ; and being wedded to present things, have no prospect of things to come.
Use 1. For confutation of those that will not believe or hope for any- thing which they see not. They think christians a company of credulous fools ; that nothing is sure that is invisible ; that the promises of the gospel are but like a dream of mountains of gold, or pearls dropt from the sky ; and all the comforts thence deduced are but fanatical illusions ; that nothing so ridiculous as to depend upon unseen hopes that lie in another world ; they malce the life of faith a matter of sport and jesting: Ps. xxii. 7, 8, 'All they that see me laugh me to scorn ; they shoot out the lip and shake the head, saying, He trusted in God that he would deliver him ; let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him ; ' 1 Tim. iv. 10, ' We therefore labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God.' Christians thought their reward sure, and endured all things ; atheists and infidels therefore scoff at them, persecute them. To these I shall propose two tilings.