this Text. First they say that this Text it is a parable and not an Historicall Narration To this I answer though some men doe say it is a Parable yet many say it is a History Jerome and many following him doth give many Arguments to prove that it was a History and not a Parable And Tertullian is confident that this is an exact History of what was really done And Peter Martyr doth quote Tertullian saith hee that Tertullian is so confident that this is a History that hee undertakes for to tell this to tell you whom were the men saith hee the Rich man was Herod and the Beggar was Iohn the Baptist But suppose it be a Parable and not a History yet Parables doe carry the resemblance of truth Parables take their Foundations from truth that there are some men in Hell and some men in Heaven that in Hell there is torment and in Heaven there is joy that as the beggar went to Heaven after death so shall all the godly and as the rich man went to Hell so shall all the wicked The other Evasion is this it is said that this Beggar is said to be carried into Abrahams bosome I answer First it is more then probable that Abrahams bosome is Heaven Now Abraham being in Heaven why all his children are in Heaven as children in a Fathers bosome he being the Father of the faithfull that is the answer that Gerrard gives Againe it is said that they are carried by Angells into Abrahams bosome Therefore Abrahams bosome must be in Heaven now certainly the good Angells carry a good soule into Heaven and the wicked Angels carry a damned soule into hell and thus you have two Instances that imediatly after death the soules of the Elect goe to Heaven A third Instance is in Mat. 22.31 32. But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Argue from that Instance that therefore Abraham Isaac and Jacob were living at that time though not in their bodies but they were at that time living if you marke the reason the reason of that Text was not to prove a Resurrection of the body onely which the Saduces deny but also to prove the imortality of the Soule The Saduces deny Spirits and Angells too Acts 23.8 For the Saduces say that there is no Resurrection neither Angell nor Spirit but the Pharisees confesse both Christ doth prove that there shall be a Resurrection of the body and hee likewise proves that the soule doth not die when the body dyeth Indeed there is a quotation that I have read of a learned man that doth make use of this Instance Gen. 25.8 Then Abraham gave up the Ghost and died in a good old age an old man and full of yeares and was gathered to his people Abraham was not gathered to his Fathers nor to be gathered in the grave where his fore-fathers were how can this be true that the Scripture saith Abraham was gathered unto his Fathers yet hee was not gathered to his Fathers in God therefore say Divines it must be in his Soule that Abraham went to Heaven as his godly fore-fathers went that is the meaning of that phrase to be bound up in the bundle of Life to goe to Heaven as their fore-fathers did And thus much for particular Instances The second way to prove that the soules of the Elect men goe to Heaven imediately after death It is by generall Expressions in Scripture Two generall passages one is In Heb. 12.23 To the generall Assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect thence I argue that the Apostle makes mention and proves that there were the Spirits of just men made perfect Now if their soules did perish with their bodies then the Apostle should say that their spirits are annihilated with the body but it is the spirits of just men made perfect the Scripture takes notice in generall expressions that just men have their soules made perfect And then in Eccle. 12.7 Then shall the dust returne to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall returne to God who gave it Marke here are two things spoken of First here is the end of godly men the body shall goe to the dust and the soule to God the time when it shall be is when that man goeth to his long home when the keepers of the House shall tremble that is the Hands and Armes and the strong men shall bow themselves that is the Feete and Thighs and the Grinders shall cease that is the Teeth and they that looke out at the windowes shall be darkened that is the Eyes when nature decayes and the body perisheth by Diseases and dyes then shall the body goe to the dust and the spirit to God that gave it Thirdly I shall prove it to you from expresse passages in the Scripture that doe confirme this that the soules of the Elect after death before Christs coming are received into heaven for this I shall give foure or five expresse Scriptures The first is in Iohn 6.40 And this is the will of him that sent mee that every one which seeth the Sonne and believeth on him may have Everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Here are two distinct promises premised First a promise of everlasting Life Secondly a promise of raising up at the last day First a promise of everlasting Life is made distinct from the other Divines say that before the raising up at the last day there is an everlasting Life that his soule shall live before the last day and his body shall be raised up at the last day Another Text is in Luke 16.9 And I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that when yee faile they may receive you into everlasting habitations Kemnitius makes great use of this Text to prove what I am now arguing to you that imediately after death the soule of an Elect man is received into Heaven Marke make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that is your wealth called so either because it is unrighteously gotten or unrighteously kept use your wealth well that when you die you may be received into everlasting habitations It is questionable whether it be referred to Angells or to the poore which shall pray for us that wee may be received into Heaven but saith Kemnitius use your wealth well that you may be received into everlasting habitations upon your failing upon your dying the Lord receives the Elect into everlasting habitations This Kemnitius doth build on that the soule doth goe to Heaven imediately after Death A third Scripture is in Phil. 3.23 For I am in a straite betwixt two having a desire to
depart and to be with Christ which is far better So that the Apostle doth only make these two conclusions a departing out of the World out of this Life and a desire to be with Jesus Christ hee mentions no place for a good soule to goe to hee mentions no Purgatory nor Limbus Patrum And so likewise a fourth Text you have in 2 Cor. 6.8.9 Therefore wee are alwayes confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. Wee are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent wee may be accepted of him Marke That the Apostle doth onely make these two conclusions to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord so that the soule is present with the Lord whilst absent from the body Then againe that Prayer of Stephen proves it likewise in Acts 7.59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit It had beene uncomfortable for him to have thought that hee should have beene stoned for Jesus Christ and it must have beene above 1600 yeares before Christ should have received his soule but hee prayed Lord Iesus Christ receive my Soule which hee would not have done if hee had not believed that his soule would have beene received by Jesus Christ imediately after death And thus I leave those Scriptures to confirme you in this that the soule doth not sleepe in the body but at the parture from the body it doth imediately goe to Heaven Fourthly I prove it to you by shewing those grosse absurdities and inconveniencies that will arise in case it should be denyed that God doth not receive the soule of any Elect man till hee doth come to judge the World First it will follow that the godly will be in a worse condition after they are dead then they were in when they were alive for when they were alive to live is Christ Christ dwelt in their hearts by Faith Now if the soule doth sleepe with the body and perish with the body then Christ doth not live in them Christ doth not dwell there by Faith so that this would be uncomfortable that a believer after death should be in a worse condition then during this Life for here he lives in Christ by Faith Secondly then it will follow that God the Father would be more cruell to his people then hee would have other men be to their servants which have done their worke Marke that Text Levit. 19.13 Thou shalt not defraud thy Neighbour neither rob him the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night untill the morning That the Master was not to keepe the hire of the Labourer long from him that the Master should not keep the servants wages long from him Now will the great God keepe you who are his servants that have served him here in this World and have done him faithfull service and will hee keepe any reward from you till his last coming No but when you have ended your Life and done your worke you receive your wages when your work is done you have your reward Thirdly observe this if this should be true that the Soules of the Elect men doe not goe to Heaven after death then it will follow that the soules of wicked men doe not goe to Hell after death and how repugnant this is to the Scripture you well know when the Scripture saith in the Epistle of Jude That the men of Sodome and Gomorrha suffered the vengeance of eternall fire And of Judas Acts 25. That hee may take part of this Ministery and Apostle-ship from which Judas by transgression fell that hee might goe to his owne place I could give you multitude of Instances where the wicked are in Hell 1 Pet. 3.19 20. By which also hee went and preached unto the Spirits in prison Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water That is Jesus Christ by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah did preach to the old World who were disobedient to that Preacher of righteousnesse who is now in Heaven To say that a godly man doth not goe to Heaven imediately after death it will follow that a wicked man doth not go to Hell imediately after death Fourthly it would follow that there should be onely Angels in Heaven and no Saints whereas the Scripture saith expresly that Christ shall come from Heaven with his Saints And wee reade in Scripture that there are the Spirits of just men made perfect as well as the innumerable company of Angells Fifthly this would follow that it would be a great discomfort to a godly man on his death-bed if hee should be so many hundred yeares before Christ would bring him to Heaven what comfort shall a godly man have to die when hee shall say it shall be so many hundred yeares before my body and my soule shall be thought of by Jesus Christ it would be a very uncomfortable Doctrine for a man to thinke that I shall die like a beast that my soule after death shall not be taken up into Heaven And thus I have proved that imediatly after the godly die their Soules are received into Heaven I have proved it by pregnant Instances in the Scripture by generall expressions in the Scripture and by those expresse passages in Scripture and have given you those absurdities that will arise in case it should be denyed A word now from what hath beene spoken If it be so that Christ doth receive thee O thou Believer receive thee to himselfe before his totall and compleate reception I would then give you this use for to comfort you Vse First O feare not a dying time let not death be dreadfull and terrible to thee Beloved were this true indeed that when thou diest thy soule should perish with thy body then a Life is not worth the having but when thou shalt thinke on thy death-bed here now is a Disease a consuming of thy nature and sending of thee to thy grave and now there is but a little time betweene thee and Heaven that when I am a dying I am in the very Suburbs of Heaven a little breath betweene mee and Heaven O how should this comfort a dying man when that hee hath good evidences for Heaven O this should greatly comfort thee against thou comest to die to thinke that thy death-bed is the very Suburbs of Heaven I have read what John said that wrote the Revelations when hee was ready to die I do believe saith hee that in this very day my soule shall be represented before the Lord Jesus Christ. O think now thou art leaving thy friends but it will not be a day before Christ and I shall meete in Heaven As in the Booke of Martyrs wee reade
that in Queene Maries time of two friends that were put to death together One of them was fearfull to think that the flames should scorch his flesh O saith the other be of good comfort for halfe an houre hence thou shalt be in Heaven O thinke though thou art weake and sick even unto death yet thinke that thou shalt shortly be with Jesus Christ doubt not of the truth of this for I could even pawne my soule of the truth of it that the Soules of the Elect are taken up into Heaven imediately after death O then let not death trouble you Doct. 4 The fourth Doctrine here mentioned is the benefit of Christs coming and that is to raise your bodies from the dead and receive them to himselfe This is the particular that I am now to insist upon and receive you to my selfe Obs The Observation is this that the maine end of Christs coming againe is for to raise the bodies of the Elect and to receive them to himselfe not onely to save the Soule imediatly after death but to raise the body also There are two Queres in the Doctrinall part of this poynt touching the end of Christs coming which is to raise the bodies of the Elect and to receive them to himselfe Two things in this First why Jesus Christ must raise the bodies of the Elect and receive them to himselfe as well as the soules Secondly when Christ doth receive the body to himselfe then what endowments doth the body receive as now it hath not First why must Christ receive the body to himselfe as well as the soule There are foure Reasons First because of the Resurrection of his own body Christs own body is raised from the dead and received up into Heaven and therefore the bodies of the Elect must be there also where Christ is there must his members be Christ the head is raised from the dead and received up into glory The Apostle doth ground this reason 1 Cor. 15.12 Now if Christ be preached that hee rose from the dead c. As if hee should have said Christ being risen from the dead doth argue that our bodies must rise from the Grave though they be dead there In 1 Cor. 6.14 And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power 1 Thess 4.14 For if wee believe that Iesus dyed and rose againe even so them also which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him So that because Jesus Christs body is raised from the dead and received up into Heaven therefore our bodies must be raised up and received into glory with him Secondly the bodies of the Elect must be raised why because of the Inhabitation of the Spirit the Spirit doth sanctifie the bodies of the Elect as well as the soules the very God of peace sanctifie you throughont and I pray God that your Soule Spirit and Body be kept blamelesse unto the coming of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 6.18 19 20. Flee Fornication every sinne that a man doth is without the body but hee that comitteth Fornication sinneth against his owne body What know yee not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which yee have of God and yee are not your owne For yee are bought with a price Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your Spirit which are Gods Now the Spirit of God having a gracious worke in the body as well as the soule Therefore the body must be raised up from the dead as well as the soule and this the Scripture makes an Argument of in Rom. 8.11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you So that spirit that raised up Christ from the dead if that Spirit dwelleth in you the graces of the spirit why that Spirit shall quicken your mortall bodies Therefore the bodies of the Elect shall be raised from the dead and received into glory with the soule Thirdly because the body hath a condition and co-operation with the soule in all gracious working because if that the body shall be partner with the soule being received unto Jesus Christ because the Body doth co-operate with the Soule Rom. 8.13 For if yee live after the flesh yee shall die but if yee through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live Now being that the godly doe mortifie the deeds of the body and do expose their bodies to tortures and torments for Jesus Christ now because the bodies of the Elect doe co-operate with the soule in good therefore the body shall be co-partner with the soule in good also Fourthly it proceeds from that neere Union which is in a Believer and Jesus Christ Christ is the head and Believers are the members now the members must be raised and received up to Jesus Christ to make his body a perfect body Thus much for the Reasons why that Jesus Christ at his second coming he shall raise and receive the bodies of the Elect to himselfe as well as the soules The second quere is this I but what benefit is it to the body what endowments shall the body receive by this when Christ comes First in generall I shall say this to you that the body shall receive more glorious endowments then ever it could be capable of to receive and enjoy here in this world it may be thy Body is endowed with a comely feature yet when Christ comes to receive thy Body it shall be endowed better then now it is Chrisostome saith Take Wooll and let this Wooll be dyed into a Scarlet or purple colour dyed in graine yet the Wooll is the same Wooll as it was before when it was white but yet there is a more goodly lustre put upon it Thy body shall be the same body but thy body shall have more illustrious endowments then now it hath And thus much onely in the generall Now to come to particulars I shall resolve this Question in these six Particulars There are six glorious endowments that the body shall receive from Jesus Christ at his second coming when hee receives the body to himselfe First from being a naturall body as it is now it shall be made by Christ a spirituall body that is the first endowment thou shalt cast off thy old Apparell of corruptible flâ—sh and blood and shalt be cloathed with robes of glory it is no contradiction to say a spirituall body because the Apostle useth the expression 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body The meaning is the body as it lives here is a naturall body reeding naturall refreshments I but saith the Apostle it shall be raised a spirituall body it shall have no more neede of naturall refreshments which the naturall body requireth
most overcome thee and prevail over thee in thy Christian course against those thou shouldst bend most of thy complaints and confessions this wisdome Gods people of old did expresse they singled out the present corruptions that they were guilty of Judg. 10.10 And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord saying We have sinned against thee both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim We have sinned there is a generall complaint but we have also served Baalim they singled out their idolatry more especially 1 Sam. 12.19 1 Sam. 12.19 And all the people said unto Samuel Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we dye not for we have added unto all our sins this evill to aske us a King They were not contented with their old government but they would alter and change it that sin being their particular sin they were guilty of they would single out that sin 1 Chron. 21.17 Thus in 1 Chron. 21.17 And David said unto God Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred even I it is that have sinned and done evill in deed but as for these sheep what have they done c. He singles out a particular sin that he then lay under the guilt of I may say to you as the King of Assyria said to the 32 Captains Fight neither against small nor great but against the King of Israel so bend your confession not against small or great only but against thy kingly lusts against thy captain lusts that do most tend to thy constitution single out them and combat against them and bend most of thy confessions and complaints against them do as men in a garrison though they watch all the Battlements and guard every passage yet to that place where the breach is made widest and where the storm is most hot they will bend most of their strength doe thou thus watch every sin and watch every failing of thy life but bend most of thy confession to God against those lusts that do most enslave and subject thee Rule 2 A second Rule to guide thee in the matter of confession of sin to God is this Make conscience to confesse your small and secret evils as well as your open and your grosser sins Our secret sins saith the Prophet are in the light of thy countenance Psal 90.8 Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Psal 19.12 Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults David did not only confesse his murder of Vriah his adultery with Bathsheba but he confest smaller sins Davids heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment it was only the appearance of revenge he had his knife near his throat that which had the appearance of a sin Davids heart smote him for Conscientious men do not only bewail and confesse open and grosser evils but the secret and the smallest corruptions of the heart they bewaile to God they confesse their secret pride their secret worldlinesse and secret murmurings against God they confesse their secret and smaller evils Indeed wicked men fall short of this wicked men confesse their grosse and their open sins but do not take notice of their lesser and secret evils there are two instances for this one is in Cain Cain confest his murder his sin was greater then it could be forgiven speaking of the murder of his brother Abel Gen. 4.13 Gen. 4.13 And Cain said unto the Lord My punishment is greater then I can bear He did not confesse his enmity that made him murder his brother he confest his grosse sin but did not confesse more slie and secret evils Thus you read likewise of Judas Judas confest his betraying of Christ a grosse sin but he never confest his covetousnesse a secret sin that made him betray Jesus Christ saith he I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud he that did bewail and confesse his murder in betraying Christ did not confesse and bewail his covetousnesse and hypocrisie that were more lurking and secret evils That is a second Rule make conscience to confesse small and secret evils as well as open and grosser sins Rule 3 Third Rule touching confession of sin unto God is this When you confesse and acknowledge secretly your sins unto God labour to greaten your sins with all the hainous circumstances and heart-humbling aggravations you can imagine Thus the servants of God used to do when they confest sin unto God they would confesse sin with all the hainous circumstances 1 King 8.47 Saying We have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickednesse Saith Lorinus Mark what a heap of words a heart-humbled soul will lay together in confessing of sin We have sinned there is one word we have done wickedly there is a second and we have done perversly there is a third A notable instance you have of Paul in Act. 26.10 11. Act 26.10.11 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them And I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Here Paul comes to aggravate his sin there are eight aggravations that here Paul doth lay down of his sin whereby he would greaten sin unto himself that he might be the more humble First of all they were not ordinary men that he cast into prison but they were Saints and to wrong them is a Sacriledge the Saints have I cast into prison Secondly To cast a man into prison for debt is no injustice if the man be able to pay but many I have cast into prison why for professing the Name of Jesus of Nazareth meerly for professing Christ Thirdly If it had been but one or two Saints it were not much but they were a great number many of the Saints did I cast into prison Fourthly He aggravates his sin further to cast them into prison and give them in prison liberty is not much but he shut them in up in prison and kept them close prisoners Fifthly If he had rested there it had not been much but he gave his voyce against them to put them to death Nay Sixthly He goeth higher for he did wrong to their souls too for he compelled them to blaspheme God Seventhly To aggravate it further he was mad against them and I was exceâ—dingly mad against them he was mad with rage mad with passion and with fury against the Saints of God Eighthly I did persecute them to strange Cities them I did not kill I made them leave their wives and children and made them run and shift for their lives into strange corners This is the nature of a true penitent not to confesse sin slightly and carelessy but in confession
Christianity Sixthly If you consider the extent of Pauls malice saith he When they were put to death I gave my voice against them Pauls vote was against the Christians to put them to death Seaventhly Pauls rage did goe against their souls as well as their bodies for saith he I did compell them to blaspheme Christ he laboured to damn their soules as well as destroy their bodies Eighthly saith he I was exceeding mad against them he was even mad with rage and exceeding mad with rage Ninethly He drove them from house to house I drove them into strange Cities And then tenthly which was worst of all he did through their sides strike at the honour of Jesus Christ for why did Paul doe this to the Saints saith hee I thought with my self to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth there was the person he aimed at yet Paul a man forgiven for all this for he saith when he aggravates his sin in 1 Tim. 11 12 13. According to the glorious Gospell of the blessed God which was committed to my trust And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that hee counted mee faithfull putting mee into the Ministery Who was before a Blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantlyin unbeleif Thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of my text laying down to you an induction of instances I am the larger in this because I know perplexed consciences in trouble of minde are apt but to greaten their owne sins but can you aggravate it worse then David Paul or Peter could doe yet behold those sins and those aggravated sins were forgiven by Jesus Christ I have four words to say in this Sermon by way of Application there may be in such an assembly as this is whom God might suffer either before conversion or after conversion to bee unclean with David to deny Christ with Peter it may be to swear to a lye to swear to a falsehood nay it may be ingage to a lye to a falshood O take heed of false Oaths it may be to persecute the Saints of Christ with Paul Four consolations First O know it for thy comfort O thou disconsolate heart let thy sin bee never so great yet the mercies of God are greater Sabian a learned Interpreter gives to my hand which is his instance Lord my fault is great but thy mercies are greater Beloved I may say to you though thy sin be great yet the mercy of God is greater then thy sin and thou canst not have so many circumstances to greaten thy sin as can be produced in God to greaten his own mercy you shall read what he saith of himselfe in Isai 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto mee for I have redeemed thee Suppose thy sin be not onely a little cloud but suppose it be a great cloud a thick cloud saith God I do not onely blot sins out like a little cloud but I will blot out transgressions that are like a thick cloud great sins as well as small doth the mercies of God cover The Sea can as well cover great rocks as little peble stones high mountains as well as mole-hils Gods mercy is an Ocean that can cover great enormities as well as lesser infirmities The glorious body of the Sun in the heavens can scatter the greatest mist as well as the thinnest vapour great sins as well as small are pardoned by mercy It is worthy your notice what Moses speaks of the Mercy-seat It covered the whole Arke wherein the Law was kept To note saith a Divine though thou art a man or a woman guilty of all the Laws breach not onely of one command but of all the commands yet the Mercy-Seat Seat covered all the commands to teach you this that the mercy of God can pardon the greatest violation of the Law therefore that wherein the Law was kept was all covered by the Mercy Seat 2. Take this for thy comfort O thou perplexed Conscience it may be when thou art in a corner move but God and thine own soul together thou dost aggravate thy sin and thinkest no mans sin so grievous as thine then take this for thy comfort let thy sin be never so great yet the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ are far greater the bloud of Christ saith the Apostle cleanseth us from all sin the red Sea did with as much ease drown Pharaoh and all his hoast as it could doe a single man the red Sea of Christs bloud can drown a whole host and a huge multitude of sins as well as a small lust Though thou hast need to shed more tears for sin in a way of contrition yet Christ need not shed more bloud for sin in a way of redemption for he hath saved them to the utmost that come unto God by him the Apostle triumphing in the 5. of the Romans hee means there that there is not so much evil in sin to damne us as there is good in the gift in Christ for to save because thy sin is the guilt of a creature and Christs satisfaction is the satisfaction of a God thy sin the sinne of a finite creature and his sufferings the sufferings of an infinite Mediator Third Consolation is this to you that are perplexed in Conscience that you have committed hainous and aggravated sinfulnesse yet that Jesus Christ by conversion doth wipe away the infamy the ignominy of thy most horrid and scandalous sins before conversion Suppose thou hast bin a notorious infamous creature yet Christ takes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy sin by Conversion It is observable of Mary Magdalen shee was a notorious whore every one that saw her knew shee was a common harlot there was a woman that was a sinner the meaning was she was an infamous notorious harlot What is done when Christ converted this woman Verily I say unto you that where ever the Gospell is preached it shall be spoken what this woman hath done throughout the whole world Christ did wipe away the infamy of harlotry he would have renowned the love of that woman to Christ he would have it spoken of where ever the Gospel was preacht Luk. 7.47 Wherefore I say unto thee her sinnes which are many are forgiven for she loved much Christ did delight to wipe away the ignominy of her harlotry in her after life It is worthy observation that four women are reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ what women were they they were women that were infamous the best of them did fall into much scandall and gave much offence there you find mention of Thamar Rachab Ruth and Bathsheba no more in the Genealogy but these what were al these women they were converted women Begin with Thamar she committed uncleannesse with her Father in law an infamous woman as you have the story in Gen. 38.18 And hee said What pledge
is of David 2 Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe also that is born unto thee shall surely dye I will punish thee in thy child I will pardon thy sin yet I will punish thy sin so likewise in 2 Sam. 7.14 15. I will be his father and he shall be my son If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men But my mercy shall not depart away from him c. A promise to Solomon I will be his father and hee shall be my son but if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with rods And the Psalmist when he quotes this expression referres it to all the godly Psal 89.31 32. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes It was not only true of Solomon but it is spoken of all the Church If they commit iniquity I will chastise them with rods O beloved here a Solomon may be chastned with rods if he commits iniquity nay not only one man but all the Church Amos 3.2 You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your inquities If God be severe it is with his own people to make them smart for sin he may spare wicked men and not punish them here because he hath his hell for them hereafter but this shall be all the hell of a godly man and all their punishment I but this is Old Testament and thus the Antinomians take off and evade this Scripture but doth God so in the New Testament Yes in the New Testament Rom. 8.10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin He speaks of the beleeving Romans that death on their bodies was because of sin And then the Apostle speaks to the godly Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.29 30. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many sleep Many godly men were sick and weak for their prophaning the Lords Supper and this is under the New Testament that the Apostle saith as approving the righteous judgement of God let not us commit fornication as some of them committed 1 Cor. 10. Let not us fall as they fell and many of them among the 23 thousand were good men the Apostle approves of Gods Judgement to be righteous in that Act. Only one Objection against this Doth not the Scripture say in Isai 53. That the chastisements of our peace are laid on Christ now if all those chastisements that were due to us for sin were laid on Christ doth not this derogate from Christs sufferings that he must suffer for sin and that we must suffer too doth not this intimate that Christs sufferings were not satisfactory The Answer is easie That when we say we suffer for sin and are punished for sin understand this there is a great deal of difference between our suffering for sin and Christs we do not suffer for sin as Christ did because our punishments for sin are not by way of satisfaction to Divine Justice but only by way of castigation from Divine Justice when God doth punish a pardoned man with some outward Judgement for sinne it is no satisfaction no compensation when the text saith that our chastisements are laid upon Christ the meaning is Christ suffers for sin by way of satisfaction he appeaseth Gods wrath he satisfies Gods Justice for the sins that we have done should we lose our bloud for a sinne should we give the fruit of our body for the sins of our soul yet this cannot make a compensation for sin therefore it may well consist that God punished Christ for our sins by way of satisfaction to his Justice and may punish us by way of castigation Now to ratifie satisfie your thoughts the more in this that though God doth pardon a sin yet he will punish for a sin take some Reasons for it First this Because wicked men that are punished for sin would accuse God of partiality and in justice should he punish them and not his own people for the same sin wicked men would account God partiall but the wicked shall say I see Gods own people are punished in this life more severely then I am the Lord doth it to vindicate the impartiality of his Justice that he will not spare sin where ever he finds it A second Reason is Because God doth command Magistrates to execute punishments in this life for sin even upon good men therefore if he commands a Magistrate to punish a good man for his sin surely he doth approve of it Suppose a good man should commit adultery he was to dye for it suppose he should commit murder he was to dye for it if God did command that poenall punishment should be inflicted on good men in this life then surely he might do it much more himself The third case of Conscience is this Whether doth pardon of sin go before faith and repentance or else follow after I do not speak now of the priority of nature but of the priority of time This is a usefull question There are many Books in Print made by severall Antinomians that plead for this that a man is pardoned from all eternity that before a man beleeves and repents he is pardoned which is a falshood for to a beleever the Apostle doth confine pardon Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth â—o be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God For sins that are past those sins you have committed have repented of he gives you pardon for all them He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy and he that doth not so shall not finde mercy I answer affirmatively That God doth pardon sin after a man repents beleeves not before and to give you a proof for this First I shal give you the grounds from the Scripture then absurdities that would follow if this were not so First from the Scripture Observe that the Scripture doth limit and confine pardon to a repenting state Act. 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out No blotting out of sin without repentance repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me So that till thou beest turned from darknesse to light untill thou beest turned from Satan to God thou hast not received forgivenesse of sins mark the antecedent words he opens their eyes c.
my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God Christ did promise that hee would ascend Iohn 16.5 7. But now I go my way to him that sent mee and none of you asked me whither goest thou Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Iohn 16.16 A little while and yee shall not see mee and againe a little while and yee shall see mee because I goe to the Father I could quote you many Scriptures that Christ promised hee would goe away Fourthly the Doctrine of Christs going up to Heaven is confirmed by the Testimony of the Apostles who were Eye-witnesses of Christs Ascension Gerrard notes saith he Jesus Christ did rise invisible none saw him Rise the Scripture telleth you that the Souldiers that watched were asleepe yet Christ gathereth all his eleven Apostles that they might be Eye witnesses of his Ascension that they saw him ascend to Heaven Acts 1.9 10. And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as hee went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell and so the Apostle Peter in the 1 Peter 3.22 Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right Hand of God Angells and Authority and Powers being subject unto him So Paul tells you in Ephesians 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all Heavens that hee might fill all things So in Hebrewes 9. the Author of that Booke tells you that Jesus Christ is not gone into the holy place but is gone into the Heaven it selfe In vers 24. For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversy great is the mystery of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into glory And in Mark 16.19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them hee was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God I take the more paines to prove this because of what Ancient Heresies there have been to overthrow this great comfortable Doctrine of Christs going bodily into Heaven having our flâ—sh in Heaven this very day Fifthly it may be proved by the Concurrent Testimonies of the Angells who were witnesses of this truth Acts 1.10 ve And while they looked stedfastly toward Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell These two men were Angells the Angels did give in their concurrent Testimonies that Jesus Christ did goe into Heaven and the same Jesus Christ that did go shall come againe Beloved I know not any one poynt in all the Bible that is so proved and strengthned as Christs personall and Bodily going up to Heaven and thus much for the strengthning of you in the proofe of the poynt I lay that for the Foundation because if the proof of it be not well grounded then the fruit of it will not be well regarded Secondly what is the reason that Christ must have his Body goe up to Heaven and not his Soul as other mens First Christ in his bodily presence must go to Heaven lest his Disciples should be taken too much with his bodily presence and never looke after the Communication of his Spirit Therefore they aske Christ Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome to Israel they expected that Christ would take away the Roman Emperour which was a heathen and expected that hee would bee King himselfe Acts 1.6 When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel It is for this reason say Interpreters because the Disciples should not dote on Jesus Christ as to looke on him as a temporall King and looke on him for a temporall Kingdome so that was one reason why hee would not leave his body with them but that they might looke after the Kingdom where he is therefore Paul hath a passage in 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know wee no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more As if hee should say it may be those that lived in Christs time that knew him according to the flesh as a lovely person but saith Paul wee know him in a spirituall way to looke after Heaven by Christ to looke after Salvation by Christ Secondly Christ must be taken up into Heaven in his body to make a compensation and a recompence to himselfe for his sufferings in his Body to make a compensation to him for his bodily sufferings hee must go to Heaven Phil. 2.8.9 And being found in fashion as a Man hee humbled himselfe and because obedient unto Death even the Death of the Crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name Therefore God did exalt Christ and raise him from the dead and bring him to Heaven because hee obeyed the death of the Crosse and took on him the forme of a servant Psal 110. last Vers He shall drinke of the brooke in thy way therefore shall hee lift up the Head Because thou dyedst and sufferedst therefore thou shalt lift up thy head therefore thou shalt ascend up to Heaven Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angells for the suffering of Death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should taste death for every man For suffering of Death hee was crowned with Glory and Honour to translate him bodily into heaven that is a second Argument Thirdly Christ was taken up bodily to heaven it was to manifest to the World that Christ was God as well as man to manifest the God head of Jesus Christ therefore taken up bodily to heaven Eph. 4.9 10. Now that hee ascended what is it but that hee also descended first into the lower parts of the Earth Hee that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things There the Apostle proves that Christs going up to heaven it was an argument that Christ came downe from heaven So in John 6.62 What and if yee shall see the Sonne of man ascend up where hee was before That shews that Christ was in heaven before therefore must bee God Coequall and Coeternall with God the Father and thus you have the second poynt dispatched to you shewing the reasons why Jesus Christ must go bodily into heaven The third point is I but what benefit and comfort
of Christ is now in Heaven it were enough then that Opinion of Transubstantiation is hereby confuted Christs Body cannot be in Heaven and on the Earth both at one time Fourthly the ascension of Christ it overthrows the Opinion of the Carpocraciani that hold that onely his soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others And this cannot be for the Disciples said that they saw Christ ascend and this must be his Body for they could not see his soul for the soule is a spirit Now you see the reason why I spent so much time in the morning in giving you many Texts of Scripture to prove this poynt because there are so many Hereticks that doe oppugne this Doctrine of CHRISTS Ascension I now come to give you three or foure practicall deductions First is Christs body now in Heaven then I infer O thou that canst lay a grounded clayme for an interest in Jesus Christ O be not thou afrayd to die doe not thou be afrayd to die that canst lay a claime in Jesus Christ because thy Christ is in Heaven and when thou diest death is but a Trap-doore to let thee in to endlesse joy where Christ is why should wee bee as children to looke on death as a Bugbeare but looke upon death as being a passage into thy Fathers house as being a Trap-doore to let thee in where Jesus Christ is Gen. 45.25.27 And they went up out of Aegypt and came into the Land of Canaan unto Jacob their Father And they told him all the words of Joseph which hee had said unto them and when hee saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him the spirit of Iacob their Father revived Did Jacob rejoyce to see a Wagon or a Chariot that would carry him into Aegypt to see his Sonne Joseph and wilt not thou rejoyce to thinke that death is a chariot to carry thee to Jesus Christ to carry thee to Heaven O therefore let not thy heart be troubled to die because death is but a chariot to carry thee to Heaven Is Christ gone into heaven Then secondly labour thou whilst thou livest on the Earth to ascend to Christ in Divine and holy Ejaculations and Meditations Is Christ in Heaven then why should not thy heart be where thy head is why shouldst thou be grovelling on the Earth seeing thy Christ is now in Heaven It is a speech of Christ Canticles 3.6 Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse like Pillars of smoke perfumed with Myrrhe and Franckincense with all powders of the Merchant Thou shouldst ascend up to Christ though thou beest in trouble in the Wildernesse of this World O ascend up to Christ in holy Meditations the use the Apostle makes of it Colos 3.1 If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God The argument is where Christ sits at the right Hand of God set your affections there and so in the Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Christ is in Heaven therefore our conversation must be where our head is It is a notable Text Mat. 24.28 For wheresoever the Carkeise is there will the Eagles be gathered together That Christ being in Heaven it should make you ascend in your hearts heavenward It is true there are some that wrest these words and give this sence of them that they make the carkeise to be the Jewes and the Eagles to be the Romans because the Romans diduse the Eagle in their Banner and Ensigne of War therefore they say where the Jews were the Romans should come though this was a truth yet not the scope of the Text it is generally overthrowne by most Interpreters But where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort Gerrard doth chiefly referre it to the day of judgement where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort that is where Jesus Christ is in Heaven as the Eagles doe follow after the carkeise to feed upon that so the people of God as Eagles are gathered about a carkeise the people of God shall be gathered about Jesus Christ and this I doe confesse is the chiefe scope of the place and doe believe it is the chief intendment of the holy Ghost but Gerrard hee makes another use of it too and referres it to the power and efficacy of the Gospell in this Life Christ is now in Heaven saith Gerrard that the Gospell shall be as powerfull on men in the World that it shall make men as eager to come after Christ into Heaven as the Eagle is after the prey so your Soules shall be as eager after the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven as the Eagle is after her prey Thirdly I infer hence that before you presume to apply the benefits and the comforts of Christs Ascention into Heaven labour to feele in your own hearts the efficacy of Christs Death and Ascention every man applies the Benefit of Christs Death and Resurrection and Christs Ascention before they finde the efficacy of his Death and the efficacy of his Resurrection It is the Apostles word saith hee I labour to finde the power of his Resurrection so do you labour to finde the power of his Death and the power of his Ascention before you finde the comfort of it It is to make thee less Earthly minded more passionately eager and importunely earnest after the Lord Jesus Christ dost thou feele the power of his Ascention to make thee more heavenly minded and lesse earthly minded O labour to feele the efficacy and power of it else I might say to you as Jacob said to his Mother in Genesis 27.12 My Father peradventure will feele mee and I shall seeme to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon mee and not a blessing Nay without a peradventure God will feele and try whether you are men or no that have right to a blessing that shall have any reall advantage by the benefit of Christs Death of Christs Resurrection and Ascention God will try whether you doe not seeke to deceive your owne Soules and deceive God himselfe if so you will rather have a curse then a blessing if you seeke to apply the comfort of Christs Ascention before you feele the efficacy of it on your owne hearts For those that hold Christs Ascention with us yet they doe vary about some properties about the manner of Christs going away which I give it to you in these properties First Christ went to Heaven visibly in Acts 1. It was no transcient glance of the Eye but they stedfastly beheld Jesus Christ they saw him when hee went away Againe Secondly Christ went to Heaven bodily therefore those do erre that hold that onely his Soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others doe Thirdly hee went to Heaven locally hee ascended locally there are some men that hold that every place is Heaven where God is
heaven then the Death and Merits of Christ would be much extenuated Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever He was the same yesterday that is before he was borne hee was of use then as well as after time Againe if the Soules of wicked men be in Hell before Christs time then the Soules of godly men must bee in heaven before Christs time that must clearly follow by the Rules of contrary now that wicked men went to Hell is cleare Jude 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall Fire They went to hell before Christs time therefore cleare it must follow that the Elect must goe to Heaven before Christs time Fourthly there is the very same reason why Believers should goe to heaven before Christs Ascension as there is why they should go to heaven after Christs Ascension because Believers under the old Testament they had the same Gospell preached to them as now wee have and they had the same Spirit the same Faith the same Christ and under the same Covenant and therefore why must they not goe to the same place I shall clearly prove this unto you First they had the same Spirit and the same Faith that wee had and this is laid downe by the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.13 Wee having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken wee also believe and therefore speak and they with us had the same justifying Faith Then for circumcision it was a signe of righteousnesse by Faith And then againe they had the same Gospell that wee have Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the same Gospell Preached as well as unto them but the word Preached did not profit them not being mixt with Faith in them that heard it The same Gospell onely theirs was darke for the ceremoniall Law was Gospell meerely Types and Shadowes to come Shadowes of Salvation by Christs Bloud to them was the Gospell Preached as well as unto us Nay they had the same Christ as wee have 1 Cor. 10.4 And did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that Sipirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ And in the Wildernesse it is said Let us not tempt Christ as they also tempted him they sinned against Christ in the Wildernesse and they enjoyed Christ in the Wildernesse so that they had the same Christ as wee have Againe they are under the same Covenant that wee are Jeremiah 31. It is the same Covenant with ours in Hebrewes 8. So that is there not the same reason why Believers under the old Testament should goe to the same place as Believers under the new for they had the same spirit the same Faith the same Gospell the same Christ and under the same Covenant therefore they must needs go to the same place though heaven be prepared by Christs Ascension yet heaven was opened before yet not so manifested before as since Christ Dyed Rose and went up to Heaven Vse I now come to the Application the use is to draw out a few practicall inferences from this Doctrine which are foure If it be so that Jesus Christ by his going into heaven hath prepared a place for the Elect there then learne by way of recompense by way of compensation and gratification to Jesus Christ O prepare thou a heart for Christ who hath prepared a heaven for thee Shall Christ go to heaven to prepare a place for thee yet thou afford Christ no corner in thy heart thou lettest thy lust sit on the Throne of thy heart yet not give Christ any roome there We reade in Revel 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her selfe ready O be thou as the Bride make thy selfe ready for the Marriage day the betrothing day was when Christ went up to heaven thy Marriage day is thy dying day O against the Marriage day of the Lambe doe thou who art his Bride make thy selfe ready doe thou prepare a heart for Christ who hath prepared heaven for thee Origen hath a good passage on Luke 22.12 And hee shall shew you a large upper roome furnished there make ready though hee doth much abuse the scope of the Scripture There were three properties of the Roome wherein Christ are the Passover a large upper and a furnished Roome hee makes this Allegory of it I doe not give it to you as the sence of it but take his glosse that if thou wilt come to sup with Christ thou must make thy heart as the upper Roome a heart raised in Divine contemplation and not onely an upper Rome but a large Roome a large Heart a furnished Roome a Heart adorned with grace O doe thou prepare a large Roome an upper Roome and a furnished Roome for Christ Secondly if Christ be gone into heaven to prepare a place for the Elect then wee are rather gayners then losers by the want of Christs bodily presence wee should be lesse happy to have Christ upon the Earth then now Christ is in heaven for wee are greater gayners by Christ now being in Heaven then if hee were in person with us upon the Earth Divines illustrate this say they the body of the Sun it is fixt in the Firmament and giveth light over all the World now should the body of the Sun be taken from the Firmament and be upon the Earth amongst us it would not be of that availe to us as now it is the Sun of Righteousnesse now hee is in the heavens hee is of greater availe to us then if hee were upon the Earth for if hee were on the Earth all the World could not see him at once so that wee are greater gayners by Christs bodily absence and by Christs going up to Heaven then if hee were in person here amongst us truly as Christ saith in John 14.28 Yee have heard how I said unto you I goe away and come againe unto you If yee loved me yee youl l rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. Truly it was matter of joy and not of griefe that Christ left this World and went to Heaven because hee went there to prepare a place for us I would faine know whether Jacob would have beene troubled for his Son Joseph if Jacob had known this that his Sonne was gone into Aegypt to prepare a place for him and all his Brethren against the Famine surely it would never have troubled him Truly your Joseph your Jesus hee is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for you there therefore let it not trouble you seeing you are more happy by Christs presence in Heaven then if you had his Bodily presence upon the Earth Thirdly if Christ be gone Bodily into
bodies into Heaven with mee that as my body is in Heaven so your bodies shall be there also with me Obser The Observation is this That it is one great end of Christs coming againe for to receive the bodies of all the Elect unto himselfe into Heaven with him I come againe and receive you unto my selfe I shall not follow the common place in handling the Resurrection of the body I shall onely handle this poynt practically to you in shewing you what the happinesse of the Elect of God is in their bodies as well as their Soules Now because this Text is made use of to pervert many Scriptures I shall handle this practicall Question before I can come to handle the Doctrine Quest The Question is this that seeing Jesus Christ doth onely promise that hee will receive the Elect unto himselfe at his coming againe Then this Question will be started Then what becomes of all the godly imediately after death before Christs coming againe to judgement Therefore those that hold for the sleeping of the Soule they on this Text doe ground that there is no receiving neither one or other the one to Life the other to Death the wicked are not tormented then nor the godly glorified till then Therefore it is needfull that seeing Christ doth here speake of receiving them unto himselfe not till his coming then what becomes of the Soules of dead Men before the coming of Christ Ans Before I give you the Answer take this distinction There is a twofold receiving First there is a partiall and incompleat receiving and this is done imediatly after death that when the Soule doth depart from the body the Soule is received by Jesus Christ in Heaven and that is the reason of those Speeches in Acts 7. There is a receiving them before Christs coming and this is called a partiall and incompleat reception it is onely a receiving of the spirit and not of the body Secondly there is a totall and compleat reception both of the body and the soule into glory and it is this that the Text here speakes of though it is true there is not a totall reception of a Believer till Christs coming to judgement yet there is a partiall reception I do not speake to those that say the soule is mortall and that it shall never live but to those that say the soule shall sleepe and the soule doth perish with the body untill the Resurrection Now against these that pleade for the sleeping of the soule till Christs coming againe take these foure wayes how to strengthen you in this First there are pregnant instances in Scripture that after the godly die their Soules are received into Heaven before CHRIST comes Secondly there are generall expressions in the Scripture as well as particular instances to prove this Thirdly there are expresse passages in the Scripture to confirme this Fourthly there are absurd inconsequences that will arise in case it should be denyed First there are Pregnant Instances or examples in the Scripture to prove that after death the soul is received into heaven Take three instances First that knowne Text Luke 23.43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise That day Christ dyed that day Christ went to Heaven therefore that day the soule of that converted thiefe must go to Heaven Now beloved there are two Evasions that those who pleade for the soules cessation for the soules sleeping that they make to avoid this Text and take off this Instance First is by altering the comma or stop in the Text and reade it thus I say unto thee this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise that to day they doe not referre it that the Thiefe should be in Paradise Peter Martyr doth give two Answers to this Evasion First saith hee it is not safe to alter a comma or stop in Scripture for so you may pervert the Scripture and make it speak what it never meant if men at their pleasure disagreeing from all Copies alter comma's in the translation Another Answer that it appeares this cannot bee the sense of it to referre to day to the time that Christ spake and not to the time that the thiefe should be in heaven for saith Gerrard marke the thiefes prayer In ver 42. And be said unto Jesus Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy Kingdome Marke there is the thiefes when that when Christ should come to Heaven Christ should remember him Christs Hodie must answer to his Quando or else hee did not answer to his Prayer Christs to day must answer the thiefes when that when Christ came to Heaven there to remember the thiefe And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise Thirdly this day it was needlesse for Christ to say to day to tell him the time when hee spake hee knew Christ spake to him then but to speake of the time when the thiefe should be in Heaven I say to thee this day thou shalt be with Mee in Heaven The second Evasion is this It is true Christ promised thou shalt be with mee in Paradice but Christ doth not say thou shalt be with mee in Heaven but with mee in Paradice There are three answers to give you to this Evasion First that those that will not by Paradice understand Heaven by this Text they then fall in with the Papists either for Purgatory or a Limbus Patrum Secondly take this answer that in other Scriptures when Paradice is mentioned it is to be understood Heaven and so the Apostle doth expound it 2 Cor. 12.2.4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third Heaven How that hee was caught up into Paradice and heard unspeakeable words which it is not lawfull for a man to utter So that the Apostle by Paradice doth expound it to be Heaven Revel 2.7 Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcometh will I give to eate of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God That is hee shall enjoy Jesus Christ Christ in Heaven is the Tree of Life in the Paradice of God Thirdly it cannot be any Earthly Paradice the Paradice Adam was in before his fall for the Earthly Paradice was destroyed by the Flood therefore of necessity when Christ tells the thiefe To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradice it must referre to the thiefes going to Heaven at that day with Jesus Christ A second instance it is in Luke 16.22 And it came to passe that the Beggar dyed and was carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosom The rich man also dyed and was buried This is another instance that the soules of the Elect after death they go to Heaven There are two Evasions made upon
trouble thee then that thy body shall be a crucified Body because at Christs second coming it shall be a glorious body Againe it may be comfort to thee by reason of thy naturall infirmities Suppose thy body be a sickly body suppose thy body be full of Aches Agues Consumptions Diseases and the like suppose thy body be maimed Blinde and Lame yet remember thy body that is vile deformed and sickly it shall have fresh Robes of glory upon it and be made like to the glorious Body of Jesus Christ Wee reade in the booke of Martyrs of two Martyrs that were to be burnt at Stratford Bow neere London one Hugh Laborocke and John Price the one blinde and the other lame this Price being full of feare when the fire was about him saith Hugh unto him Bee not troubled though thou blinde and I lame yet remember death will heale thee of thy Blindnesse and mee of my Lamenesse Suppose thou art blinde lame and maymed why Christs receiving of thy body will cure all and truly there were no comfort to a man under a bodily distemper when a man is under some great trouble when a man should thinke that this body of mine should rot in the Grave and never be raised from the dead which were very uncomfortable But thy deformed body it shall be a beautifull body that which is a sickly body it shall be made a healthfull body and freed from all Diseases A second Inference is this will Jesus Christ at his coming raise thy body and receive thy whole man unto himselfe Then learne to have elongation of soule after the second coming of Jesus Christ Therefore doe not desire to continue here upon Earth but to be dissolved and to be with Jesus Christ Will any man be grieved for changing of an old suite for a new Death doth this thou hast here an old rotten ragge of flesh about thee why Christ will put a new sute on thee Therefore the Apostle calls it the desire of the body is to be cloathed upon wee doe not desire to be in Heaven without bodies but wee desire to bee cloathed upon with those glorious endowments wherewith the elect shall be clad in glory Therefore be not unwilling to die doe not be unwilling to leave an old rotten Carcasse a sickly body a Diseased body Put a Bird into a Cage though the Cage be made of Silver or Gold yet the Bird had rather flie abroad then bee tide up in the Cage O thou whilest in the body art in a Cage thou hadst better have thy body in a glorified capacity then now it is Thirdly be not afraid to die nor unwilling to die because thy body shall be changed by Death if thy body should not die it would never be a glorified body keepe your Corne in your House and you will never have a Crop I but cast your Corne into the ground and let it die there saith the Apostle that that thou sowest is never quickened till it die why let your body be kept alive here in the World and it will never be raised to glory O doe not then bee unwilling to die because Death not come to an Elect man as a laying of Corne in the Grave till the Resurrection day As Corne doth rot in the ground to spring againe against the Harvest So doth thy Body rotte in the Grave as Graine against the Harvest Fourthly if this be true that JESUS CHRIST will raise thy body unto glory O then doe not imbase and abuse these bodies of yours for they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost these bodies of yours shall one day bee raised and received by Jesus Christ It is an Argument that the Apostle raiseth 1 Corinthians 6.14 15. vers And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his owne Power know yee not that your bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of Harlots God forbid This is the Apostles Argument The A. postle would reason against Adultery and Uncleannesse in the body what argument doth hee use Know yee this Christ will raise up our bodies and shall wee take these Memberr of our bodies and make them the Members of a Whore So that Beloved let the Doctrine of your Resurrection and of your bodies being raised and received to Jesus Christ let it provoke you that you doe not abuse your bodies Hee that keepes company with a Harlot sinneth against his owne body 1 Cor. 6.18 Flee Fornication every sinne that a Man doth is without the body but hee that comitteth Fornication sinneth against his owne body For a Man to lie and sweare it is against his Soule but for a Man to be uncleane it is to sinne against his Body O doe not die with an uncleane body with an Adulterous body and doe not abuse thy body doe not abuse those Eyes of thine to be Windowes of lust that shall one day behold Jesus Christ doe not abuse that body that must have a sweete communion with Christ in Heaven I am now come to handle the last point in the Text the last Clause that where I am there you may be also These words they note unto you the Event or Consequent what shall follow upon Christs coming againe and receiving our bodies unto himselfe at the last day The Event shall be this An exerlasting enjoyment of Christ that is the result and consequent of Christs coming to be ever with him that where I am there you may be also I shall open the Words for there is some difficulty in one Expression where I am you see it is a word in the present Tense where I am and though it bee a word of the present Tense it doth not denote thus much that they should bee at Jerusalem with Christ for christ was then at Jerusalem but as Grosius saith that here the word of the present Tense is to bee understood of the future Tense that is where I shall be shortly after I leave this World where I shall be there you shall be and so hee doth bring that Text to prove it John 7.34 Yee shall seeke mee and shall not finde mee and where I am thither yee cannot come It cannot be taken in the present Tense for hee was then at Jerusalem to shew that where I am is to be understood in the future Tense where I shall be I goe but I come againe that where I shall bee when I come to my Fathers House in Heaven that where I shall bee I may have all your companies to be personally present with me in Heaven that is the scope of the word Obser Observe that when ever Christ speakes of being in Heaven though hee was on the Earth yet hee speakes in the present Tense as if hee were in Heaven already John 3.13 And no Man hath ascended up to Heaven but hee that came downe from Heaven even the Sonne of Man which is in Heaven Christ was
Christ shall come Personally p. 115 Christ shall come Visibly p. 116 Christ shall come Gloriously p. 117 Christ shall come Teribly p. 119 Christ shall come Vnexpectedly p. 120 Christ coming againe proved by the Mutability of Gods Decree p. 112 proved by the Infallibility of his Promises p. 112 proved by the Impartiality of his Justice p. 112 Christ's end in his first coming what p. 144 Christ's coming what produce to the wick p. 123 Christians in some particulers have cause to feare Christs coming Ibidem Christ's coming dreadfull to Opressors p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming dreadfull to Riotous persons p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming dreadfull to Non. Lovers of Christ p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming the end for what p. 133 Christ by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah did Preach to the old world p. 147 Christ must raise the bodies of the elect why p. 150 Christs Resurrection an Argument of ours Ibi. The Church of Corinth in an error touching the Resurrection p. 159 D. The Doctrin of Christs Ascension p. 4 The Doctrin of The Resurrection Ibid. The Doctrin of Everlasting Life Ibid. The Doctrin of Christs Ascension practically applied p 27 Doctrinall Inferences 4 drawn from Christs Ascension p. 27. 29 The Doctrine of Christs coming againe a comfort to believers p. 50. 52. 55. 57. 121. Duties 6 to be learned upon the consideration of Christs coming againe p. 61 Determinations concerning the place from Whence and Where Christ shall come to Judge the World dangerous p. 68 Bold determinations the foundation of superstitions p. 65 The Devill bound the time when it began p. 96 E. Epicurian Principles brought in that Doctrine of Christs personall reigne p. 102 Endowments 6 the bodies of the Elect shall receive at Christs second coming p. 154 F. Fruits of Christs Ascension p. 4 G. The Gospell under Christs time called a Kingdome p. 90 A godly Man when dying is in the Suburbs of Heaven p. 148 H. Himenius opinion touching the Resurre p. 159 I. Instructions drawn from the crcumstances of Christs Ascension p. 226 Incongruities 8 that would follow upon the personall reigne of Christ p. 85 Inconveniences that would follow should it be granted that God does not receive the soules of the Elect as some hold into Heaven till Christs coming to Judgement p. 145 K. The Kingdome given to Christ in whose dayes it began p. 105 The Kingdom of Christ not of this world p 106 The Kingdome of Christ refer'd to that with the Kingdome of God p. 107 L. Living and reigning with Christ does not imply the place where Christ is p. 92 Labaroch a Martyr his story p. 165 M. Maran-atha a compound word p. 127 Murder committed in Adams sin p. 131 Morall men may live and die in an unpardoned estate p. 136 Magistrates comanded to punish sin p 66 N. Non Lovers of Christ accursed p. 102 O. Opinions of the Seleucians confuted p. 27 Observations drawn from the Doctrine of Christs coming againe p. 52 Objections raised from the doctrine of Christs coming againe cleared p. 53 Opinions of the Milleners concerning the restitutions of all things p. 73 Obiections 2 by those that plead for a 1000 years answered p. 97 Opinions of Divines concerning the dwelling of Righteousnesse here p. 104 Origens mistake concerning the coming of Christ p. 114 The Opinion of those who hold the sleeping of the Soule p. 134 P. Practicall inferences 4 drawne from the doctrine of Christs Ascension p. 33. 29 Practicall inferences 4 drawne from the doctrine of Christ's preparing Heaven for the Saints p. 46 The place where and where not Christ shall come to Judge the World p. 66 The promise of Christs coming handled p. 7â— The promise of Christs coming againe what meant thereby p. 71 Paradice what p. 72 Perkins opinion concerning the Resurre p. 163 Price a Martyr his story p. 165 Pauls argument against uncleannesse p. 167 Q. Queries concerning Heaven being prepared by Christ for the Saints p. 39 40 R. Restitution of all things the time when p 73 74 Restitution of all things what it intends p. 74 Resurrection of the Just and unjust what p. 83 The Resurrection of the body proved p. 140 S. The soules of Saints went to Heaven before the Ascension of Christ p. 41. 135 Scriptures whereon are grounded those opinions of Christs personall reigne upon earth cleared p. 91. 101. 105 106 107. The Saints living and reigning what Christ the First Resurrection p. 98 The Scriptures doe not determine any coming of Christ out of Heaven till he come to Judge the World p. 109 The sins of the wicked to whom published p. 122 The soules of the Elect go to Heaven imediately after death confirmed by Scripture p. 141 142. 150. The Spirit sanctifies the bodies of the Elect as well as the soules p. 151 The Saints happinesse in being with Christ fully handled p. 70 T. The Turkish Emperour when began to beare sway p. 97 W. The wicked seperated from the Elect at Christs coming p. 122 The wicked goe to Hell p. 147 An Alphabeticall TABLE to the Second Part. Saints are bound to confesse their Sins A. ANtinomists their opinion of confession of sin p. 37 Auricular confession a great mistake p. 41 Auricular confession invented by whom p. 42 43 Aggrevations 6 in Adams sin p. 131 Austins aggravation of sin p. 147 Authors opinions concerning Infants p. 172 Antinomians opinions concerning the praying for pardon of sin p. 181 B. Believers both in New testament and old made conscience of confession of sin p. 38 C. Confession the nature of it p. 8 Confession is to the soul as the whetstone to the knife p. 11 Confession of sin is no slavish worke p. 17 Confession of sin in what cases needfull to confesse them to Men. p. 44 Confesion of sin what kind hath necessary connexion with forgivenesse of sin p. 72 Confession of sinne with its connexion how agreeable with the freeness of Gods grace p. 76 Negatively and Positively Considered p. 78 Concomitants 6 that attend a pardoned person p. 83 Characters 4 of a pardoned Man p. 87 Consolations 4 for a disconsolate soule p. 122. 151 Considerations 5 concerning lesser sins p. 128 Considerations concerning great sins p. 139 Christ dyed for Man not for the Devill p. 147 Cases of Conscience resolved p. 156 D. The Duty of confession p. 6 Defects 10 that the godly as well as the wicked lie liable to confession of sin p. 51 Doubts resolved p. 90. 95. 98 Davids 4 projects to hide sin p. 98 Differences 5 between pardoned an unpardoned sinner p. 104 Davids sin the nature of it p. 112 Directions sorgr eatsinners p. 142 E. Every confession of Sin will not serve turne p. 18 F. Forgivenesse of sin wherein it consists p. 21 Forgiveness Confession of sine a necessery connecti p. 66 Forgiveness of sins what it is p. 66 G. Gramarians bow they distinguish the words Sin Iniquity Transgression p. 5 God comands confession of sin p. 39 Gods Act touching the forgiveness of sin p. 46 God in some sence receives injury by Mans sin p. 82 God pardons Sins after repentance not before p. 167 H. Holy confession the properties of it p. 30 Helps against the defects of confession of Sin p. 57 I. Iniquity the signification of the word p. 5. Iustified persons bound to confesse their Sins to God p. 8 P. The pardoned Mans happinesse p. 2 Paul's 8 aggravations of Sin p. 27 Peters Sin the nature of it p. 118 Paul's Sin the nature of it p. 120 R. Rules for confession of Sin p. 19 Relapses into grose sins dangerous Symptoms of a Man to be in a lost condition p. 180 S. Sin in us to hide our Sins p. 1 Sin what it signifies p. 5 Saul made the same confession of Sin that David did p. 18 Saul confest his Sin to Samuel not to God p. 20 Sins in how many respects said to be forgiven p. 70 Sin how many ways considered p 71 Selah what it Signifies p. 111 Sin in divers respects aggravated p. 186 T. Transgression what it is p. 5 Times 3 most seasonable to confesse Sin to God p. 13 W. The way to procure the pardon of Sin p. 2 The wicked confesse Sin how p. 31. 36 Women 4 infamos recorded in the Genealogy of Christ p. 25. THE END