savorie doctrine and holy example they season others changing and altering them for the better And on the other hand being bad themselves they infect others So as what the Lord speaks of the Prophets and people of Israel in another sense Hos. 4. 9. We may use it in this Like Preist Like people Surely it was not without cause that the Lord sending his destroying Angell to Ierusalem he orders him to begin at the Sanctuarie Ezek. 9. 6. From thence came the rise of all those Abominations that were done in the midest of that Citie of which he speakes verse 4. they began at the Preists who if they had not been first corrupted themselves the people had not been what then they were Thus are the Ministers of God like Stars for those Influences which they have upon the people To which I might add did I not feare the straining of this string as an enlargment or further improvement of this Resemblance Stars having such an Influence upon the earth they have also a power of Binding and Loosing Such are the properties of those two a foresayd Constellations Pleiades and Orion The one bindeth the earth with the hard frost the other looseth it by the warme ayre and showres And such a power hath Jesus Christ given to these Stars the Ministers of his Gospel a Binding and a Loosing power This power he gave to Peter Mat. 16. 19. I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven But not to Peter alone but to the â—est of the Apostles and Disciples as well as to him So you shall finde it Ioh. 20. 23. Where explaining what he meant by binding and loosing with their solemn Mission he giveth them this Commission Whosoever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retayne they are retayned This power did Jesus Christ give unto them and their successors putting the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven into their handes the Keye of Doctrine and the Keye of Discipline whereby they open and shut binde and loose binde the Obstinate loose the Penitent both which they doe in a Ministeriall and declarative way Even as it may be conceived of those two foresayd Constellations Orion and Pleiades the one bindeth the earth the other looseth it But how Not meerely by their owne influence as being the sole or yet principall Cause of that Change for that is to be attributed to the Sun which by his Recess and returne maketh that alteration but they by their rising notifie those changes Even so is it with these Stars the Ministers of Christ what herein they doe they doe it not by their owne power or vertue as Peter said of his healing the Cripple Act. 3. 12. but by Anthoritie from Jesus Christ in his name declaring what his will and pleasure is Here is a sixth Resemblance To which I might yet add some other which are reached unto me by other handes But I would not seeme to straine the Allegorie by drawing that from it which it will not naturally and voluntarily yield And I shall have occasion to touch upon some and diverse other in the Application Which let it be directed both to Ministers and People 1. For the former were the Audience sutable I might from hence take a just occasion to speake largly to the men of my owne Tribe minding them of their Duty and exciting them to the discharge of it But however give me leave here to present to you what more immediately and properly concerneth them Hirein I shall preach to my self and you must give us leave sometimes so to doe Whereof you may have the benefit afterwards Besides you hearing what the duties of Ministers are may be the better able to doe what you are 〈◊〉 onely allowed but in some cases required to doe viz. to say to Archippus as Paul biddeth them Col. 4. 17. take â—â—â—de unto the Ministery which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it I meane in a Christian and becoming way to excite and admonish those whome God hath or shall set over you in case they shall be found remiss or negligent in their Ministerial duty and service Upon this account I shall give an account to you of what more properly concerneth my selfe and others of my Brethren To whome the sum of what I have to say is onely thus much that seeing they are set by God as Stars in the firmament of his Church they would performe the like offices to those committed to their charge as the Stars doe to this Inferiour world But before I come to prosecute this Exhortation let me first premise one or two Premonitions Let them first see that they be Stars such as are so placed by God in the firmament of his Church Therein do true Stars differ from Comets The one is fixed by God the other ascends of it self Let not the Ministers of the Gospell doe so Let not them ascend into Mose's Chayre as that new starre is sayd to have done into Cassâ—â— pâ—â—â—s in the yeare 1572 of themselves thrusting themselves whether upon the Ministeriall function or yet particular Charge without a regular and warrantable mission So did those false Prophets in Ieremies time of whome the Lord complayns Ier. 23. 21. I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken unto them yet they prophesied Thus did they all on their owne heades having neither Mission nor Message from God Let it not be so with Gospell Ministers They who take that office upon them let them looke to their calling Noe man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was saith the Apostle of the Priesthood Heb. 5. 4. speaking not de facto but de jure not what men doe but what they ought to doe Uzziah though a King must not take upon him the office of a Preist 2 Chron. 26. 16. No more ought any to usurpe upon a Gospell ministerie taking upon them to dispence Ordinances in a ministerial way without a warrantable calling from God Let them see that they be Stars not Comets that they be set by God in the firmament of his Church 2. And being thus set let them now seeke after Illumination that they themselves may be inlightened So are the stars being set in the firmament they are inlightned without which they would be of no use And this let these mysticall stars seeke after even a supernaturall illumination God hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle that we should give the light c. Ministers that they may inlighten others they must first be enlightned themselves And this let them seeke after And where shall they have it Why where have the stars their light but from the Sun And where should Gospel Ministers have their light but from Iesus Christ. He
in the Church yet is there but one Sun but one Lord. One Lord one faith sayth the Apostle Ephes. 4. 5. True it is there have been others which have been so called and owned This the Apostle elswhere taketh notice of 1. Cor. 8. 5. There be Gods many and Lords many saith he viz. so called as he there explaines himselfe Such were the Gods of Baal to which the Apostle may be conceived there to allude all which were called by their masters name Bagnatim which signifieth Lords As Baal-Zebub Zebub Baal-Peor Baal-Berith Baal-Berozim and divers others These were the Heathens Lords which they worshipped and served as their Patrons and Protectors But these were all as the name of the first of them Baal-Zebub imparts Flye-Lords Mock-Lords not unlike some of those Lords which were wonte to be set up at this season of the yeare a strange honour to such a Master Lords of misrule as they were vulgarly but truly called Lords in name nothing less in truth In truth in the Church there is but one Lord In the Church I say In the common-wealth indeed there are many Lords and those not only Titular but Reall Thus we read of the Lords of the Philistines and of the King and his Lords Dan. 5. 10. Such are all Rulers and Governours who have Authoritie and dominion over the estates liberties lives of others But in the Church but one Lord which is Iesus Christ. So the Apostle there goeth on in that Text forenamed 1 Cor. 8. 6. Vnto us there is but one God One Lord Iesus Christ. Whatever there be to others to us Christians there is but one Lord One Mediatour There is one God and one Mediatour betwixt God and men the man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. One Saviour Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 12. But one Sun One true Sun I mean sometimes indeed there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call them half Suns appearing in the heavens which are nothing but reflections of the Sun shining upon some thick clouds And so there are false mediatours such as those which Romish superstition hath set up as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partners with Iesus Christ as sharing with him in the office of his Mediatourship But one true Sun and one true Mediatour both of Redemption and Intercession even the Lord Iesus who upon this account is fitly resembled by the Sun Sol quia solus 2. As the Sun is but one so it far exceedeth and excelleth all the other stars Exceedeth them in Quantity excelleth them in Quality In Quantity in the magnitude of the Body which is vast and great even beyond belief being as by the masters of the Astronomical science it is voted no less then one hundred and sixty times bigger then the whole Globe of the Earth and Sea and far exceeding any other of the Stars And so in Quality in the greatness of the light which is greater not onely then the light of any one star but of the Moon and all the stars being put together And such is the transcendency of Iesus Christ above all other creatures whether men or Angels All which he excelleth in dignity and power in majestie and glory To him is given that nomen super omne nomen that name above every name Phil. 2. 9. supereminent power transcendent glory and that above all creatures Yea even above those Angelical spirits which in themselves are glorious creatures yet compared with Jesus Christ they are but as stars to the Sun So the Apostle setteth forth his transcendency and preeminence Ephes. 20. 21. where speaking of the exaltation of Christ he sheweth how God the Father having raised him from the dead set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also that which is to come In the whole firmament of heaven no star to be compared with the Sun Among men and Angels in earth or heaven none to be compared with this Son of man the Lord Iesus 3. Again the Sun it is as it were Oculus mundi the Eye of the world seeing and beholding what is done upon earth As it were viewing all places and passages His going forth saith the Psalmist speaking of the Sun is from the end of the heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof Psal. 19. 6. And therein is it a fit Embleme of Iesus Christ who whilest he keepeth his residence in heaven yet hath a universal inspection and oversight of all things here upon earth being absolutely omniscient taking notice of all persons in all places and of all their several transactions and actions I know thy works saith this Son of man to the Churches in the Chapters following And not onely their actions but their thoughts their counsels When he was upon earth he was able to look through the Breasts of men He needed not that any should testifie of man saith St Iohn for he knew what was in man John 2. last And elsewhere we read of his seeing and knowing the thoughts of men Matth. 9. 4. 12. 25. And this he still doth Like as the Sun looketh through the window and so as it were discovereth what is within doors which those that stand without take no notice of Even so doth the Lord Iesus he being as God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of hearts he looks into the most secret corners of them looking through whatever lattices whatever specious pretences their words or actions are glazed with taking notice of their most secret counsels and intentions seeing their thoughts yea before they arise in their hearts Thou understandest my thoughts a far of Psal 139. 2. This was the mystery of those fiery eyes of the Son of man in the verse before the Text. His eyes were as a flame of fire intimating the perspicacity and omniscience of the Lord Jesus 4. Yet again the Sun is an Emblem of Purity Being pure in it self and not capable of contracting any impurity from elsewhere Though the beams of it pass through the impurest channels yet they receive no taint but still retain their native purity And such was this Son of man the Lord Iesus in the dayes of his flesh He then passed through the womb of the Virgin which was not so pure as those that Idolatrize her would make it she being no more free from that Original contagion then others of the sons and daughters of Adam yet he received no tincture from it Whilest he partaked of her nature taking flesh from her yet he was free from the taint of that corruption which cleaved to her nature Thence called by the Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That holy thing that shall be born of thee Luke 1. 35. Such he was
to the estate of his soul. But the commandment coming the Law being brought home to his conscience now he died he felt this word as a sword wounding him to the heart giving a deadly wound to that his fals perswasion and making him to see himself a dead man in a state of sinne and death And such operation the Word hath upon all those whom God intendeth to manifest his grace upon They are in this sense first killed And then again the Body of sin is killed in them So as whilest they are dead as to themselves so they are also dead unto sinne as both Paul and Peter say of all regenerate persons Rom. 6. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 24. the Body of sinne having received a deadly wound in them which is also done by the Word which Iesus Christ maketh use of as his Sword to slay this old man with as his instrument in the mortifying of sinfull corruption And so again in quickning them in making them alive unto God and unto righteousnesse This is the able work of Jesus Christ who is the principall efficient in it The Sonne quickneth whom he will saith he of himself John 5. 21 But how doth he doe it why by his Voyce his Word So he explaineth himself verse 25. Verily I say unto you the houre is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that hear it shall live Thus did Christ quicken Lazarus body by his Voyce by his Word He cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth Iohn 11. 43 And thus shall he quicken the dead bodies of all men at the last day The houre is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth Iohn 5 28 His voice not the voyce of Christ himself immediately but of his Angel sounding the Trumpet at his command so the Apostle explains it 1 Thes 4 16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of an Arch-angel and the Trumpe of God The Archangel having received the watch word from Christ so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grotius observes upon it is there rendred by Tertullian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in jussu he soundeth the Trumpet whereby they dead shall be raised from their graves And by alike means it is that dead souls are raised from the grave of sin by the voyce of Christ the trumpet of his word at his command sounded by the Angels of the Churches the Ministers of the Gospel Thus hath the word different and contrary operations as upon different so in and upon the same persons And upon this account it may fitly be represented as here it is by a two edged sword Thus you have seen the three first particulars moralized and opened unto you There is yet one behind which is no lesse considerable then any of the former And that is the sheathe from whence this sword is drawn which is here said to be the mouth of this Son of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged sword And so doth the word out of the mouth of Iesus Christ And that both Law and Gospel which are as I told you â—like the two edges of this sword Both these we shall find going out of the same mouth the mouth of Iesus Christ. So did the Law at Mount Sina He it was who there spake if not immediately by himself yet by his Angel This is he saith Stephen speaking of Moses who was with the Angel which spake to him in Mount Sina Act. 7 38. What Angel Why as it commonly looked upon the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Christ. This is he who then spake on earth as the Apostle hath it Heb. 12. 25. Whose voyce then shoke the earth as it followeth viz. at the giving of the Law Thus the Law came out of the mouth of Christ. And so doth the Gospel He it was that spake and by his Prophets under the Old Testament As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began saith Zacharias in his song Luk. 1. 70. It was not so much they as the Spirit of Christ in them which signified to them and by them what they foresaw and foretold as Saint Peter hath it 1 Pet. l. 11. And he it was that spake to and in and by his Apostles under the New Testament Paul blameth his Corinthians some of them for questioning seeking a proof of Christ speaking in him 2 Cor. 13. 3. And so he still speaketh in and by his Ministers who speaking in his name and delivering his mind are as it were his mouth Thou shalt be as my mouth saith the Lord to the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 15. 19. And thereupon it was that what the Prophets promised or threatned from God they tell the people the mouth of the Lord had spoken it Isai. 1. 26. 40. 5. c. viz. by them And as the Ministers of Christ are his mouth so the word spoken by them is his word the word of Christ. Let the word of Christ dwell in you saith the Apostle to his Collossians Col. 3. 16. And thus is this two edged sword said to go forth of the mouth of Iesus Christ. That which now remains is Application Which let it still be directed as the former first to Ministers then to People For the former Ministers Let them here see what sword it is that they are to make use of First But one sword It is looked upon as an impertinent Reply which some of the Apostles returned to their Lord and Master when notwithstanding what wars and weapons he had spoke to them of they tell him Ecce duo gladii Lord behold here are two swords Luk. 22. 38. And so much their masters reply imports who said unto them It is enough Thereby giving them to take notice that it was not bodily arms which he meant for so considering the enemies which they should have to encounter with many thousand swords had been too few But it was a wider Inference which that Bishop of Rome made from hence who laid this as a ground of that change which he made a double sword the Secular and Spiritual both to be welded by his hand This Son of man whose vicar that man of sin stiles himself shewing himself to Saint Iohn as the great Protector of the Churches appears but with one single sword Though a two edged sword yet but one sword Giving the Angels of the Churches his Ministers to take notice that they are to lay claime to no more But one sword And Secondly Let that be Gladius oris the sword of the mouth not of the hand not the secular sword leave that to the Magistrate into whose hand God hath put it But Spiritual Such are the weapons of their warfare as the Apostle will tell them 2 Cor. 10. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Like him in Glory When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. Thus is Iesus Christ fitly resembled by the Sun in regard of his illuminating property being fons luminis the fountaine of all light inlightning all that are inlightned in what kind so ever 2 And inlightning hee also enliveneth quickneth This doth the Sun in a naturall way it quickneth vegetables hearbs and plantes and trees and some other creatures which seeme dead in the winter yet by the returne of the Sun they are quickned in the spring And the like doth Iesus Christ in a supernaturall way Hee quickneth men Thence called their life in that place last mentioned When Christ who is our life shall appeare Col. 3. 4. Quickning them and that both in their soules and Bodies Their soules The Son quickneth whome he will Ioh. 5. 21. This doth he here to the soules of men Finding them dead in trespasses and sins Chap. 2. 1. hee quickneth them Which he doth by sending his spirit into their hearts as the Sun quickneth the hearbs and plants by sending his warme beames into the bosome of the earth And as the soules so the Bodies of men Having quickned the soules of his elect here he shall quicken their Bodies hereafter This is the Fathers will who hath sent me saith our Saviour that of all that he hath given me I should loose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day Ioh 6. 39. And this shall he doe by the same spirit So the Apostle tels his Romanes C. 8. 11. If the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes by his spirit that dwelleth in you That spirit of Christ which here quickneth the souls of his elect in the first resurrection shall by the like power also quicken their bodies in the second Upon which double account he is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Quickning spirit 1. Cor. 15. 45. The last Adam was made a quickning spirit The last Adam Iesus Christ who is the head and roote of all his elect as the first Adam was of all mankind he is ordained by God to be the fountaine and Author both of a spirituall and Eternall life unto them quickning them by the Communication of his spirit unto them quickning their Souls here and Bodyes hereafter Thus is he as the Sun vivifiying quickning 3. Quickning he also cheareth and comforteth This doth the Sun which is as it were the Ioy and comfort of the world without which there is nothing but melancholie darkness and sadness Such is Iesus Christ the joy and comfort of his Church The Consolation of Israel as he is stiled Luk. 2. 25. refreshing chearing comforting the hearts of his people Even as the Sun by the warm beams of it cheereth and refresheth the herbes and plants making them lift up the head which drooped before Even thus doth this Sun of righteousnes arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. Comforting the hearts of his people chearing up their drooping and dejected spirits comforting them I even I am he that comforteth you saith the Lord Christ to his people Isai. 51. 1. This is the proper office of Iesus Christ as the same Prophet sets it forth Isai. 91. 1. 2. The spirit of the Lord is upon me and hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to comfort all that mourn To appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for asshes and the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of gladness for the spirit of heavines Even as the Sun arising upon the earth putteth a new garment upon it instead of that sable mantle of darkness wherewith it was covered it put on it a robe of â—ight and so alters the habit of it making all things chearfull and comfortable So doth Iesus Christ coming to a dejected soule he causeth light to shine forth into it even the light of spirituall joy and comfort so changing and altering the state of it Which also he doth by his spirit Even as the sun whilst the body of it is in heaven yet by sending downe its beames it cheareth and comforteth those creatures which are here below Thus doth the Lord Iesus though he be in person in heaven yet by sending his spirit he comforteth the hearts of his people That is the Promise which he maketh unto his Apostles when he was to take his leave of them as to his bodily presence yet he would not leave them comfortles Ioh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you viz. by his spirit Even as the Sun though at a vast distance from the earth yet daily cometh to it viâ—iteth it by sending down his beams upon it Thus â—he Lord Iesus though keeping his residence in heaven yet he cometh to his people upon earth by sending his Spirit to them which is their Comforter When the Comforter is come whom I wil send unto you even the spirit of truth c. Ioh. 15. 26. 4. Againe Thus chearing the hearts of his people he also maketh them to fructifie So doth the Sun to the earth to trees and plants by â—hining upon them it maketh them beare fruit which otherwise standing in the shade would be barren What ever fruites the earth bringeth forth it may thanke the Sun for it And thus the Lord Iesus by sending his spirit into the hearts of his people he maketh them fruitful who otherwise without him would be barren as he himself setteth it forth fully Ioh. 15. 4 c. By this meanes they who of themselves are not sufficient so much as to thinke a good thought as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3. 9. come to abound in good workes and to be filled with the fruites of righteousness which are by Iesus Christ to the Praise and Glory of God as the same Apostle prayeth for his Philippians Phil. 1. 11. Which fruits are the fruites of the spirit so called Gal. 5. 22. 5. To which I might yet add As he causeth them to fructifie so also he purifieth them Thiâ— doth the Sun rising upon the earth it clarifieth purifieth the ayre freeing it from those annoyances which in the night season had fallen upon it And this doth the Lord Iesus rising upon the heart of his people by his spirit he purifieth them Thence compared to a refiners fire Mat. 3. 2 3. But I shall not give way to further inlargments Thus you see how Iesus Christ is as the Sun to his Church performing the like office to his people that the Sun doth to the world I might yet goe on and shew you how he is
and will be as the Sun to all others even to his Enemies and that whether open or secret For his secret Enemies Hypocrites he shall discover them Even as the Sun rising upon the earth it maketh a discoverie of what lay hid before Thus shall the Lord Iesus when he shall arise upon the earth as he shall doe at his second coming hee shall then make a discoverie of all men of their Persons Actions Counsels though now never so secret So the Apostle layeth it down 1. Cor. 4 5. Iudg nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsells of the hearts And both secret and open Enemies he shall then confound who shall not be able to looke him in the face at the last day when he shall appeare in his glory no more then a bleare eye can indure to looke upon the Sun shining in his strength But then shall they flye from his presence Even as the Psalmist saith of those beasts of prey Psal. 104. 20 21 22. Thou makest darkness and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forrest doe creepe forth The young lyons roare after their prey c. But the Sun arising they gather themselves together and laye them downe in their dens Thus shall it be with the Enemies of Christ and his Church During the night of the Churches afflictions they forage and make prey of the poore Lambs of Christ exercising all kind of savage crueltie upon the Saints of God But when this Sun shall arise upon the Earth as one day it shall the Lord Iesus appeare in his glory then they will flye from his presence running to their dens So we have it described and set forth Rev. 6 15 16. Where our Apostle speaking of the manner of Christs coming his coming to judgement at the last day as it is commonly looked upon at this day saith he The Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the cheif Captaines those who had before been the most robustious and daring enemies of the Church they shall then hide themselues in the dens and in the rocks of the mountaines saying to the rocks and to the mountaines fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe So terrible shall the face of Iesus Christ be â—o his Enemies when they shal see him As see him they shall Every eye shall see him saith the seventh verse of this Chapter And see his face and that as Saint Iohn here doth shining as the Sun And how terrible will this face be then to all those who have formerly done that metaphorically which some of the Iewes did literally Math. 26 67. Spit upon it But I hold back Thus have I done with the first of these particulars I shall be more brief in explicating the two other so put altogether in a joynt Application The face of this Son of man was as the Sun and as the Sun shining So doth not the Sun alwayes Though it be above the Horizon yet it doth not alwayes shine forth being sometimes veiled with a cloud or eclipsed by the interposure of the Moon And such was the estate of this Son of man Iesus Christ here upon earth He was then a Sun To you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise saith the Prophet speaking of the coming of Christ in the flesh Mal. 4. 2. But he was then under a cloud the glory of his Divinity being hid under the veil of his Humanity under a mean outside Insomuch that they who then looked upon him saw nothing extraordinary in him He hath no form nor comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him So the Prophet sets forth the state and condition of this Son of man upon the earth Isaiah 53. 2. which was so mean and despicable as that there was nothing sightly much less glorious to be seen in him Such it was in his life much more in his death Then was this Sun under a sad and almost total Eclipse Then was this Son of man no other but a ruful spectacle of deformity and misery His face his countenance was then marred So the same Prophet in the Chapter foregoing expresseth the sadness of his condition Many were astonished at him saith he speaking of Christ his visage was so marred more then any man and his form more then the sons of men Isaiah 52 14. So was it with him in his Passion wherein the person of Christ was subjected to the greatest indignity that could be cast upon it His face was then far from shining But now behold this Sun is broke forth Christ being risen from the dead and ascended into heaven now his face shineth So it did in his Transfiguration upon the Mount Matth. 17. 2. His face did shine as the Sun A preludium of that Glory which he was to enter into after his Passion was over Of which he tels those Disciples travelling to Emmaus Luke 24. 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And what he therefore telleth them was to be done here he sheweth unto his servant Iohn that it was done making him an eye-witness of it shewing him his face which was as the Sun shining Such was the change of his condition In his state of Humiliation mean and despicable none more in his state of Exaltation glorious none so much His Humanity his flesh being cloathed with a singular and admirable clarity and brightness so burnished that it shines like the Sun And herein shall the members be made conformable to the head Whatever the state and condition of Gods Saints here be though never so mean and inglorious yet hereafter shall they be glorious creatures shining yea shining as the Sun So our Saviour himself expresseth it Matth. 13. 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Being exceeding glorious And that even in their Bodies which shall have a singular clarity and lustre put upon them being made glorious bodies It is sowen in dishonour it is raised in glory saith the Apostle of the Bodies of Gods Saints 1 Cor. 15. 43. who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3. last Quest. But what then shall their glory equal the glory of Christ Answ. Not so Head and members shall both be glorious Christ and his Saints shall both be made partakers of the same glory the same for kind but in a different degree So much we may learn from the third Particular which informs us that the face of the Sun of man shined as the Sun yea As the Sun shineth in his strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vigore suo as the Sun at noon day or in
life and of Gods grace is but a day This your day A Day is of no long continuance specially a winters day A few houres the Sun is above the Horizon but then it setteth and leaveth a sable darknesse upon the face of the earth Such is the life of man a day and that to make the best of it a winters day stormy and short Brethren the time is short saith the Apostle speaking of the time of mans life upon earth 1 Cor 7. 29. How short who knoweth oftimes doth the Sunn go down upon man before it be well up Oh therefore now up and be doing The day is a time for Action the night for rest Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour untill the evening Psal. 104 23. And so is the day of this life This is the time for the working out of our salvation And therefore now set upon this work I must work the works of him that sent me whil'st it is day saith our Saviour in that Iohn 9. 4. the night cometh when no man can work The night of death There is no worke nor device nor knowledge nor wisedome in the grave whither thou goest saith the Preacher Eccles. 9. 10. And therefore as he there maketh the use of it whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might Thus do we the work of the particular calling much more of the generall the working out of our salvation the making of our Calling and Election sure This do we and that in this our day To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts whil'st the day of life and the day of grace lasteth Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation saith the Apostle to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. 2. And therefore as he there presseth it upon them ver 1. Let not us receive the grace of God in vain This do they who injoy the outward meanes of salvation but are not bettered by them like the earth which receiveth the seed which is cast into it by the hand of the Husbandman and drinketh in the former and latter rain and yet remains barren Let not us so receive the grace of God tendred and held forth unto us in the preaching of the Gospel But let it into our hearts that taking root there it may bring forth Gospel-fruits in our lives And this do we now Now whil'st it is called to day Remembering that the time of grace and of our life is but a day 2. And secondly remember that this is our day In this thy day This was Ierusalems day the Iews day wherein grace and mercie was offered unto them The next was the Gentiles day or the next was Gods day wherein he would visit them after another manner in judgment not in mercy And therefore saith our Saviour here Oh if at least in this thy day And hear we him speaking the like to every of us this day Oh that you in this your day The time of this life is our day A day that hath no morrow And the time of grace is our day Shall we let slip this day then expect we God's day even that diem ultionem the day of vengeance Such days our Saviour foretelleth were coming upon the Iewes Luke 21. 22. These be the dayes of vengeance speaking of the time of Ierusalems destruction wherein the Lord would severely revenge all those indignities offered to his Son And such dayes of vengeance God hath for all obstinate sinners It may be in this life If not yet at that last day which wil be a day of blacknesse and darknesse a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Now knowing the terrour of that day Oh! that all of us would be perswaded now in this our day to look out to take notice of what belongs to our peace and comfort at that day This is our day a time allotted us by God for this purpose to husband for the good of our souls And 3ly this is but one day As for the Labouring-man he hath many dayes allowed him to do his work in And so if he have lost one he may yet recover it get it up again at another time But as for us we have but one day If that day be past there is no recovery Soles occidere redire possunt The Sunn setteth and riseth again upon the earth But if the Sunn of our life and the Sun of God's graee be once set upon us never look that it should rise upon us again O! therefore in the fear of God be wee all of us awakened and stirred up that we may not sleep nor trifle away this our day either in doing of nothing or that which is worse Remember that upon this our day depends our Eternitie And therefore now whil'st it is called to day all of us look out to what belongs to our eternall peace Behold at this day the Lord Iesus is riding in triumph in the midst of his Ordinances as here he did to Ierusalem in the midst of his Apostles and Disciples O that there were such a heart in every of us that wee might now Lift up set open those everlasting doors the doors of our souls that this King of Glorie might enter in that the Lord Iesus might come and take a full possession of all our hartes so as to rule thereby his Word Spirit Then quà m faelices beati how blessed and happie shall wee be Such use make wee of this Generall day this day of Grace Wherein there are also particular days particular times and seasons in which Christ cometh unto men as here he did to Ierusalem offering himselfe to them after a more speciall manner This is that which he tells the Laodicean Angel Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock So he doth at the doors of mens Consciences where he knocketh both by Outward means by his Word by mercies Chastisements every of which is a knock at this door and by inward motions of his Spirit Now is it so that Jesus Christ thus knocketh at any of our hearts at this or at any other time let us forthwith open unto him That is the meaning of every such knock It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saith the Spouse saying open unto me Cant. 5. 2. And this doe we receiving him into our hearts by Faith that he may dwel theare as a Saviour a Lord. And this do wee forthwith Not knowing but this may be the last knock as this was the last time that ever our Saviour knocked at Ierusalem's gates which if it be and shall be sleighted then what remaines but a just retaliation even that which we meet with Luke 13 25. That the doore being shut wee should stand without and knock receiving no other Answer but that which is there returned I know yee not whence ye are Or that which wee finde in the close of the Text that ihe
his servant Moses they hardened their hearts not regarding what was sayd to them But what was the issue Hereby they exceedingly provoked God against them This was a day of Provocation as the Apostle there calleth it Harden not your hearts as in the Provocation c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such was that day of Temptation in the wilderness the time where in the Israelites tempted their God by not hearkning to his voice it was a day of Exacerbation and Exasperation So it was not onely to Moses betwixt whome and the people there was a sharpe contention as we find it Exod. 17. 2. But also unto God who by that their not harkning to his voice was exceedingly greived as it there followeth Heb. 3. 10 yea so provoked and exasperated that he sware in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest v. 11. Now take you heede that it be not so with you that you doe not thus provoke God by hardning your hearts not receiving his word not imbracing his Gospel Which if you shall doe know that this will be a greater Provocation then that of theirs was So much you may learne from the Apostle Heb. 12. 25. Where upon this ground he exhorteth his Hebrewes to give eare to the Gospel See saith he that ye refuse not him that speaketh viz. Christ speaketh to you his word For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth the Israelites who hearkened not unto Moses much more shall not we escape if we turn from him that speaketh from heaven viz from Iesus Christ who came from heaven and now speakes in and by his Gospel Ministeries And upon the same ground let me perswade you Take you heede how any of you turne away from Iesus Christ thus speaking unto you turn away your eares turn away your hearts so as not to receive not to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospel held forth unto you This if you shall do how know you but that God may justly retaliate and requite this contempt of yours by turning away his face from you for ever hiding from your eyes the things which belong unto your peace Which that he may not do Know you these things And that Now in this your day Now whilest it is called to day as the Apostle there hath it Heb. 3. 13. imbracing the present time Not putting off this work till the Morrow It is the Wisemans Councel Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth And St. Iames speaking to men who lay out their businesse what they will do such a day and such a year not considering what crosse providence may happen Go too now saith he Ye that say to day and to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain whereas ye know not what shall be to morrow Such is the uncertainty of mans life that no man can assure unto himself the succeeding day And therefore now whilest it is called to day now harden not your hearts Novv that God is pleased to knock at the doores of your hearts to call upon you in and by the Ministerie of his word do not send him away as Foelix did Paul with a complement that you will hear him again another time What know you whether ever he will vouchsafe to speak unto you again so much as to your eares Probably here are some present before the Lord at this time who shall never hear him speak unto them again after this manner not speaking to their eares in the Ministery of his word But if he do hovv knovv you whether ever he vvill knock at the dores of your hearts by his spirit again And therefore novv hear and hearken and set open those everlasting dores the dores of your hearts that the King of glorie the Lord Jesus may enter in and take a full possession of them henceforth to rule and reign in you and that for ever Obj. But what need such haste May not old age be soon enough Do we not read of some who came into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour the last hour of the day and yet received their pennie as well as those that came in at the sixth or third or first houre Matthew 20. 6. A. True there were so But who were they Such as had not been called before That is their excuse when they were questioned by the Lord of the vineyard why they stood all the day idle They say unto him because no man hath hired us v. 7. And so it may be with those who either have wanted the means of salvation or else have had no such workings upon their hearts at to awaken them and convince them Possibly God may have mercie upon them as he had upon that penitent thief upon the Crosse calling them home at the last houre of the day in their old age But let not others promise to themselves the like indulgence Those who were brought into the vineyard at the eleventh hour were none of those that had been called at the first third or sixt houre but such as had not been hired before What ever may happen to others who have not enjoyed the means of grace or have not been acquainted with the Motions of the Spirit of God It is not for you who have injoyed the former and have been acquainted with the latter and yet withstand both to promise the like unto your selves No you that have rejected the call of God again and again in your Childhood Youth Manhood you have no ground to hope that God should come unto you and bring you home to himself in your old age but you may rather fear that if he do not cut you off before he should then hide from your eyes those things which formerly you have refused to know Obj. But is there not still hope so long as there is life And is not the day of life and the day of grace of an equal latitude and extent Doth not the Apostle say Now is the Accepted time now is the day of salvation meaning the time of this life 2 Cor. 6. 2. doth not the one last as long as the other A. Yes in some sense they may be said so to do And these two may be looked on as of an equal extent 1. Because the one is the utmost limit of the other The day of grace is bounded by the day of life not extending beyond it When the one is ended the other is ended also 2. As to others they are so to judg of it Not being of Gods counsel not acquainted with his secret decrees they are to hope well of others so long as they live Not shutting the door of mercie against any while they are here So long as private Christians both may and ought to pray for them so the Ministers of Christ are to hold forth the tenders of grace and mercie to them