to the ensuing Acts. The third Act is The appearing of the signe of the Sonne of man after which signe immediately will follow Christs owne comming in Person unto judgement For the better clearing of this wee are to consider three things 1. Why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 2. What this signe is 3. What the Effects of it be First why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for excellencies sake because that Christ himselfe immediately upon the signe appeares for there be two sorts of signes either remooved signes such as precede and goe a long while before Christs comming which I mentioned heretofore or immediate signes such as are neer or in a manner joyned to his comming as some of the Prophets foretold long before Christs coÌ„ming but Iohn was the immediate forerunner he pointed at Christ and therefore when they saw Iohn they were rowsed up to the beholding of Christ so when we see this signe then we must presently looke for Christ for therefore it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man because of the excellencie that it goeth immediately before his comming Secondly What this signe is there bee divers opinions of this some thinke one thing and some another some take it to bee Christ himselfe but it cannot bee taken so because alwaies the signe is not the thing signified There is an opposition betweene these two so that the signe can never be the thing signified and therefore it is some other thing that is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man Some others take it to bee the burning up of this World because it is said that A firie streame issued out when the ancient of dayes sate upon his Throne But it cannot bee this because that this signe appeares in Heaven onely and this universall fire is not onely in Heaven but also in Earth Others take it to be the sound of the last Trumpet but it cannot bee this because there is a distinction betweene them for Christ tels us of the signe of the appearing of the Sonne of Man verse 300 and of the sound of the Trumpet verse 31. The Papists they say that it is the signe of the Crosse and Bellarmine saith that all the fathers doe so expound it But there is a Iesuite one of their own fellowes that contradicts him who affirmes it is not certainly found out what is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man for the fathers doe diversly expound it therefore we may â—ee that Bellarmine is too bold to say that all the fathers expound it so because there is no man that reads the fathers but may see it otherwise for Origen takes it for the miraculous power and vertues of Christ Saint Ierome takes it to be Christ himselfe Chrysostome expounds it of the wounds that bee in the hands and feete and side of Christ therefore whereas Bellarmine saies the fathers doe expound it to bee the Crosse any man that will consult them may see there is no one of the fathers who expound it so besides there bee two reasons why I dare not assent to take the signe of the Sonne of man to be the Crosse First it is true that there is the signe of Christ but the Crosse is no where taken for the signe of Christ in the Scriptures therefore there is no ground for this opinion Some of the Papists thinke that it is the wooden Crosse but that was broken into divers shivers therefore if it had pleased God to make that the signe of the Sonne of Man hee would have preserved that and have kept it as he did the bones of Christ that one of them was not broken Againe it is not the wodden Crosse for that is a thing that is turned to corruption unlesse we will beleeve there is a resurrection of the Crosse as there is a resurrection of the body The Church of Rome indeede doth keepe a feast in honor to the Crosse and say that it shall be joyned with his comming but thence to inferre it shall be so is no good consequence Some of them againe doe thinke it shall not be the wooden Crosse but a crosse that shall be in the Ayre the truth whereof I finde no where in the Scripture And now to tell you my heart told me alwaies that Christ did expound it in this chapter and that the Disciples did understand what the signe was or else they would have asked him of it as they did Matth. 13. when hee told them of the tares Master say they Tell us the meaning of the tares Then I perused the Chapter and I did light on verse 27. where it is said As the lightning commeth from the East and shineth into the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of Man be That is with infinite brightnesse and splendor shall he come at that day In which place Christ tels his Disciples that there bee many shall say Loe here is Christ and there is Christ but beleeve them not for I will give you a signe of my comming and that is when you shall see infinite brightnesse and splendor that shall come from the body of Christ the brightnesse whereof shall darken all other lights When they shall see this it shall awaken the World and stirre up every man to looke for Christ Now that there shall be such brightnesse and splendor come from the body of Christ it is cleare by the Scriptures Revel 21. 23. And the citie hath no neede of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it So the brightnesse of Christs body shall bee infinite more than all the lights of this World and Matth. 7. when Christ was transfigured on the Mount His face did shine as the Sunne and his clothes were as white as the light Moses when he came from the Mountain and had talked with God his face did shine and there was great glory put upon him but yet there was great difference between the glory that was on Christ and his For first this glory was but onely on Moses face but this was all Christs body over Secondly when Moses put a veile over his face they could not see his glory but Christ did shine through his garments Thirdly the glory that was on Moses was fearefull that the people fled away but the glory that was on Christ was amiable for Peter sayes It is good being here let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Fourthly Moses could not communicate his glory to any but Christ he communicates his glory to others for Matth. 13. it is said That the Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Firmament So wee see that the glory of Christ is greater and yet this glory that was on Christ in
sure it is therefore that he will restore any part that his friend should lose for his names sake as Heb. 11. 35. it is said of the holy men that they would not bee delivered from those paines and torments which the wicked had devised against them that they might receive a better resurrection and in the story of the Macchabees we read a strange and worthy narration recorded also by Iosephus that when one of the seven Children of the mother came to suffer and was to have his tongue and other parts to be cut off he saith These have I received from the Heavens but now for the Law of God I despise them and trust that I shall receive them againe so because wee know that if wee lose any part for the Name of Christ he will restore it to us at the day of judgement Therefore wee should not bee affraid to lose it but contented and willing to part with all for Christ Now if any man should object that wee shall not then have all our parts restored againe because Christ saith Matth. 18. that a man were better to goe halt and lame into the Kingdome of God than having two hands and two feete to be cast into everlasting fire To this I answere That Christ doth not speake positively but by supposition for he doth not say ye shall goe halt and lame into life but hee saith it were better for a man to goe in any meane and base condition to God as blinde lame naked and poore than to goe into everlasting fire with all the glory that this world can afford Secondly I answer It is to be understood of the estate of the soule and not of the body for if a man were to lose his hands or feete yea all the parts of his body for this end onely to have his soule goe to Heaven it were better than that he should have all the parts of his body and go with the wrecke of his soule and conscience into everlasting fire Secondly the glory of the body consists in this that it shall be beautifull and lovely howsoever now our bodies may bee rotten deformed and ill-favoured especially when we be dead at which time the bodies of the best and beautifullest are ill-favoured to looke on We see good Abraham when Sara was dead desired to have a place to bury her out of his sight so lothsome and ill-favoured we be when we be dead but at the resurrection then our bodies shall bee made beautifull and lovely no man or woman is now so beautifull as we shall be then and that for two Reasons First Looke what estate Adam was in in the time of innocencie in the same estate shall the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection but the body of man was so beautifull and glorious so full of brightnesse and spendor which issued from it as all the Beasts of the field stood gazing and looking on him in the same estate shall all the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection Secondly all deformities blackenesse ill-favourednesse and crookednesse are punishments and penalties for sinne but when our sinnes and our corruptions shall cease then the penaltie and punishment shall cease Oh how should this quicken up our care to repent of our sinnes to get faith in Christ to walke holily here that wee may have our portion with the Saints Wee see here when men and womens bodies bee crooked and deformed they weare iron bodies and will indure any thing to make them straight againe besides if they be not well-favored they will send into Spaine and Italy to buy complexion which when they have it doth not help nature but they be the worse for it because it eats out their favour But if men will feare God repent their sinnes get faith in Christ and walke holily here our Lord Iesus Christ will repaire all and make our bodies beautifull and lovely when Salomon had built the Temple the Chaldeans came and destroyed it afterwards when it was built againe it came not to the former glory that it had but it shall not be so with the bodies of the Saints for they shall bee restored to a more beautifull and glorious estate than ever they had before Thirdly the glory of the bodies of the Saints shall consist in this that they shall be filled with brightnesse and splender now their bodies are darke and obscure but then they shall be like so many bright starres and shining Lampes when all the bodies of the wicked shall gather blackenesse and darknesse and shall looke like filthy scroules all the bodies of the Saints shall be like so many bright Stars as Daniel 12. 3. it is said And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for ever and ever this Christ doth further inlarge Matth. 13. 43. The Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father the Sunne did never looke more glorious upon this world than the bodies of the Saints shall shine with glory at that day therefore what a comfortable estate shall our bodies be in at that time We see when Moses had talked with God forty daies by the reflexion of Gods glory upon him his face did shine so that the children of Israel were not able to behold it how much more will the glory of Saints be when they shall abide with God not forty daies but for ever and ever if there shall be such glory and brightnesse in the bodies of the Saints how superexcellent shall the glory of the Soule bee then The use is that a Christian should solace himselfe in the meditation of this and not thinke his time lost in the Service of God but abstract his heart from the love of this world and worldly things to thinke on the future glory that God hath prepared for the Saints and cheare up thy heart with it as Gen. 13. the Lord makes an excellent promise to Abraham concerning the land of Canaan bidding him Arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth thereof so the Lord makes goodly promises to a Christian concerning Heaven Therefore though hee hath not put us in possession of it hitherto yet we should arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth of it that is meditate and thinke on the glory and goodly delights of it and solace our soules therewith Secondly seeing the Lord will honour our bodies then with such a deale of glory we must be carefull to spend our time well to live in all holinesse and righteousnesse while wee live here for how can wee looke that God should honour us when wee are not carefull to keepe our bodies holy and labor to honor them our selves It is a rule in Art that they that would finish their colors in brightnesse must lay grounds sutable so if thou
be all in all Fifthly we shall be freed from all society with the wicked as Psalm 9. 17. David saith The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God so Matth. 13. 41. saith Christ The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend it and theâ— which doe iniquity here the wicked do trouble annoy and vex Gods people with their sinnes and uncleannesses as it is said of Lot That his righteous soule was vexed with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites but at the day of judgement there shall not be left one wicked man to grieve or offend them of which time I may say as Moses did of the Egyptians Exod. 15. 13. to the Children of Israel Feare ye not but stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you this day for the Egyptians whom ye have seene this day yee shall never see any more so the Lord will say to us stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which hee will shew you this day for these your enemies who pursue you you shall never see againe so that all the wicked shall bee turned into hell and there shall not be one left to grieve or offend Gods people Sixthly wee shall bee freed from all paines sicknesses and diseases as it is Revel 21. 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there bee any more paine Now we are subject to the head-ach back-ach tooth-ach gout stone and to a number of diseases but in the Life to come wee shall bee freed from all We see how men can bee contented to endure any paines to be freed from these diseases and other charges much more should wee be contented to have the Law of God to search our consciences and to trie us so that we may be freed then from all paines and sicknesses these be the things we shall be freed from Here therefore thinke what a life it is that God hath called a Christian to and it must bee our care to make all things light unto us in comparison of those things wee shall enjoy hereafter and be contented to let goe all our pleasures and profits to lay hold on eternall life whereunto wee are called Let us part with all things which may hinder us as our lusts sinnes corruptions with all our pleasures and profits to lay hold on eternall life As Chrysostome saith if a man should be called to the honour of the kings court how lightly would hee passe by all things that may hinder him from thence the pleasant Meadowes Towers Castles and all the faire houses to hasten to the kings Court So thou that art a Christian saith he art called to a farre greater honor to the Court of Heaven therefore how lightly should such an one passe by all things that may hinder him from this honour where wee shall live with God for ever and ever So much for the things we shall be freed from we proceed Secondly The things we shall enjoy may be drawne into five heads First We shall have immediate societie with God himselfe as it is 1 Iohn 3. 2. Dearly beloved now are we Sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be and we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for wee shall see him as he is so Psal 36. 9. saith David In thy light shall we see light c. So Revel 22. 4. it is said And they shall see his face and his Name shall bee in their foreheads Divines say that the essentiall happinesse of the Saints consists in the beholding of God as in nature the more excellent and of the more higher nature any object is the more affected a man is with it and the more delight hee takes in the beholding of it as a pleasant Meadow and goodly Fountaine a heape of gold and silver c. But what is the bounty of the Creatures to that which is in God And therefore if a man delights in any of the Creatures much more hee shall delight in the beholding of God so the comfort that wee shall have by the beholding of God is like the light of the Sun that dimmes the light of the candle for our comfort in God shall bee so great that all the comfort of the Creatures is nothing to it as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 28. That God shall be all in all In this life I dare boldly speake it God is not all in all to the best of his servants Indeed he is somewhat and a good somewhat to them in this life to a comfortable portion as Ieremie saith Lament 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him and Psal 63. 5. David saith For thy loving kindnesse is better than life So then God is somewhat to his servants but not all in all to them here but in the life to come he shall be all in all to them Manna to their taste Musicke to their eares Light to their eyes Ioy to their hearts and Rest to their loynes because the perfection of all creatures are in God for if there be any creature that giveth contentment to any man it is a thousand times more in God In this life God giveth out his goodnesse by parts and peece-meale as it were in his Creatures but then wee shall have immediate society with God himselfe Now hee doth reveale himselfe to us in his Word and Sacraments but in the life to come he shall be all in all Revel 21. 22. it is said that Iohn saw no Temple in Heaven for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe are the Temple and the citie hath no neede of the light of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it Moses wee know put a veile on his face because the Children of Israel could not behold the glory of it so the Lord puts a veile before him in his Word and Sacraments but in the life to come he will plucke away the veile and reveale Himselfe as Hee is Therefore let us labour to cleare our eyes and to cleanse them from all sinne that so wee may looke on him to our comfort Wee see Esay 6. 5. when the Prophet saw the Lord in a vision how hee cryeth out and saith I am undone I am undone for I have seene the Lord of Hosts I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwell amongst a People of polluted lippes Now if Esay cried out thus when hee saw but a glimpse of him how shall all the sinners of this world cry out when they shall looke upon him and behold him in terrour and wrath Secondly We shall enjoy the eternall presence of Christ which next
kingdome Secondly All our good workes shall bee remembred and rewarded at the day of judgement and Christ will make rehearsall of them there is never a good deed we have done but it shall be remembred and rewarded so that our labour shall not bee in vaine as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. ult so Revel 20. 12. it is said And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of Life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes So the Lord hath all the good deeds of his servants written in a booke which shall bee remembred reported and rewarded therefore what a comfort is this to a poor Christian that in the hearing of all the world all his good deeds shall be reported how many painefull Iourneyes they have taken to heare the Word how many houres they have spent in prayer how many teares they have wept for sinne that they have entertained the Saints that they have fed the hungry cloathed the naked visited the sicke what a great inticement this is to doe good to thinke what honor it is that all their good deeds shall be remembred and rewarded Matth. 26. 15. Christ saith of the woman when she had powred the ointment on him that this which shee had done should bee spoken of her wheresoever this Gospell shall bee preached for a memoriall of her But what is the speech of men to the speech of Christ the praise of men to the praise of Christ when hee shall stand out and make a report of all our good deeds wee have done therefore what a comfort will this be I but have not the people of God sinne I answer they have their sinnes and their great sinnes too even the best men that be but here is the comfort when the day of judgment commeth they shall not bee remembred but pardoned and carried on the shoulders and necke of Christ and our good deeds onely shall be remembred As Esay 33. ult it is said The people that dwell therein shall have their iniquity forgiven So Ieremie 31. 33 34. saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with them and I will write my lawes in their hearts and I will bee their God and they shall be my People and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know mee from the greatest to the least saith the Lord and I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sinnes no more Here is the comfort of Christians that all their sinnes shall be forgotten onely their vertues shall be remembred Exodus 34. Moses put a veile on his face that the children of Israel should not see the glory of it but Christ hath hanged a veile over our sinnes that they should not be seene even his holinesse and sanctifie that the world should not see nor behold them for they are all pardoned remitted and covered with the Robe of his righteousnesse Thirdly the judgement which shall passe upon us shall bee according to the workes of mercie and not only workes of mercie but all other good workes shall have a reward as Malach. 3. 16. it is said Then spake they that feared God every one to his neighbour and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared God and thought upon his Name So there was a booke written of all the good deeds of them that did feare God and so Matth. 5. 11 12. saith our Saviour Blessed are ye when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my Names sake falsly Rejoyce and bee glad for great is your reward in Heaven as also Matth. 10. 32. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I also confesse before my Father which is in Heaven So then wee see all our good workes shall be rewarded But why doth Christ mention onely workes of mercie I answere there be two reasons of it First because the Lord doth not accept of any worke we doe of hearing of the Word of praying nor of any other good dutie we doe if wee doe not shew mercie and compassion to our brethren As 1 Cor. 13. 3. And though I feede the poore with all my goods and though I give my body that it bee burnt and have not love it profiteth me nothing and Esay 1. 14. saith God My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed Feasts they are a burthen to me I am wearie of bearing them and the reason was because they did not shew compassion to their brethren as may be gathered out of the 15. verse In like manner the Prophet bringeth in the people expostulating with God and he answering them Esay 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted and thou seeft not wherefore have we punished our selves and thou regardest is not c Is not this the fasting that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heavie burthens is let the oppressed goe free and that ye breake every yoke verse 6 7. Is it not to breake thy bread to the hungrie and that thou bring the poore that wander unto thy house and when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh and therefore wee may assure our selves the Lord will accept of none of our workes without we be mercifull to our brethren Secondly because as it is Hos 6. 6. The Lord desires mercy and not sacrifice when both may stand together then God will have both But if they cannot he will have mercy shewed hee had rather lose his owne part than a poore man should lose his So the command is Heb. 13. 16. But to doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Such is the tendernesse of God that hee is contented to abate of his owne service rather than man should want of his comfort As Matth. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thine offering before the Altar and goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Hence we see though it be a great dutie that we owe to God yet for mans good hee will bee contented to stay for his owne service Philosophers say that the fire which is farthest remooved is the hottest and most vehement so it is in love that love which is furthest remooved from God is the hottest and the most vehement love of all other It is an easie matter to love God in himselfe O but for a man to love God in his poore distressed members to love him in his poore Saints and People this is the hottest
therefore let every man so attend to the things of this life as that he may labor for everlasting life which is the blessing of all blessings I but is everlasting life so great a blessing seeing the wicked shall bee raised to everlasting life I answer that the wicked shall bee raised up to everlasting life which life shall bee a continuall death to them for looke in what extremitie any man is in when hee is a dying grieving and groaning as though his Spirit were departing in the like extremitie shall all the wicked bee in dying and never dye breathing out their last breath and yet never breathing it out If a man for an offence should be adjudged to lye in such a hot furnace as was prepared for the three Children by Nebuchadnezzar but two yeeres hee would thinke he were better die a thousand deaths than to lye in such extremitie But what is temporarie fire to Hell fire It is nothing comparable to it what is the wrath of man to the wrath of God nothing there is no death to the death of the wicked and no torment like the torment of Hell for their death is continuall If a man were put to his choyce no doubt hee would die a thousand deaths temporary before hee would dye that death For though the deaths of mens devising bee terrible yet they are nothing compared to the death and punishments that God can devise for the wicked And yet wee see how men labor to avoid to flie temporarie death they will runne ride take physicke endure any paines to shunne it which is but a flea biting as it were if compared which eternall death and never feare never labor to shun this latter which is the most wofull of all other We see how afraid men bee of the plague so as they will labour by all meanes to avoide it which yet brings but temporarie death how much more afraid should wee bee of sinne because that is the cause of eternall death Here wee see the madnesse of the world which labours to avoid temporarie death and yet will not strive to avoid sinne which brings eternall But let us pray to God to avoid sinne that so wee may avoid eternall death for the wicked shall rise no to live eternally but to dye eternally nay their life shall bee worse than death if any thing can be worse but it is otherwise with the people of God they shall rise to everlasting life for hee bestowes that of none but his people and Church Now here wee are to consider two things 1. What it is that God doth promise 2. The Continuance of it First hee promiseth to his People Life now Life is two-fold 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall First the Naturall life is upheld by the use of meate drinke and physicke wherein both the good and bad have their part for this is proper to both but that is not the life that our christian faith here speakes of For to speake exactly it is but the way to life whereof Christ speakes Matth. 5. 25. Agree with thy adversarie quickly whilest thou art in the way with him c. where Christ shewes that this life is but the way to everlasting life Therefore it must bee every mans wisedome to passe this life so here as that hee may make it the way to everlasting life Now our spirituall life is upheld by having Communion with God for as the soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule because as the body cannot have life but by Communion with the soule so the soule cannot live unlesse it have Communion with God Which life is spoken of Psal 16. 11. Thou wilt shew mee the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And Iohn 5. 40. Christ sayes But yee will not come unto mee that ye may have life And this is the life which Christ promiseth here for it is nothing to live the life of nature to eate drinke and sleepe which doth but nourish the body and never looke to the life of grace but the speciall care of a Christian must bee for that a number of men thinke if they can live the life of nature they care not for living the spirituall life for faith or repentance or to live holily here the speciall thing I say which we should looke to is to live hereafter We finde Gen. 17. 18. Abraham saith unto God Oh that Ismael might live in thy sight so this should bee the request wee should make to God Oh that I may live the life of the Spirit indeed I live a naturall life but I desire to live the life of grace so David Psal 119. 175. saith Let my soule live and it shall praise thee my body liveth and I goe up and down with it but let my soule live and then I shall praise thee which is the blessing of all blessings to have Communion with God to draw neere to him and bee acquainted with him by prayer repentance and amendment of life Now there are two degrees of spirituall life 1. The Life of Grace 2. The Life of Glorie First in that the soule hath Communion with God by faith which Communion is many times darkened and eclipsed by sinne when yet in the interim it hath many a glimpse of it as the Sunne being under a cloude is kept from our sight that we cannot see it untill it breakes out so it is our sinnes which hinders this sweet Communion that is betweene God and the soule As it is with the light and the eye as long as the eye is well it dare boldly looke on the light but if it catch a blow or an hurt it must have somewhat to hang before it because the light offends it So it is between God and the soule as long as it stands in good termes with God so long it dare with boldnesse come unto God but if once it catch a blow have a hurt and a wound it is afraid to come before God This is the life of Grace Now the Life of Glorie is to live in the blessed presence of God in the Kingdome of Heaven where the sweet face of God shall shine on us and where wee shall have the Company of the Angells and Holy Spirits But this is the order First wee must live the life of grace and then the life of Glorie and therefore every man must acquaint himselfe with God by Prayer and in repenting for his sinnes that so we may looke to have Communion with him in the life to come but if we doe not acquaint our selves to prayer and in the use of holy meanes then we are as strangers to him and must not looke to have Communion with him in the life of Glorie But to inlarge my selfe further in the point of Eternall Life let us consider of it a little more
of God on the crosse is shewed two wayes 1. By the Cause 2. By the Effects The first Cause was the darkening of the Sunne upon him the Effect was the bitter complaint that he makes that God had forsaken him as if he should say It doth not grieve me that my Disciples or my kindred notwithstanding the kindnesse and love that I have shewed them or that my mother hath forsaken me but this is that which grieved me that my good Father hath forsaken me for the sinnes of my people O let us thinke of this that it is the heaviest distresse that can befall us to have God departed from us therefore howsoever our friends forsake us and the world leave us yet take heed that God doth not depart from us It was Davids comfort that although his father and mother should forsake him yet God would not forsake him so this must uphold us that although our friends and kindred forsake us yet God will not for if God should what comfort can we have But what was the cause of it the apprehension of the fearefull darknesse of the Sunne three houres together almost all the time of his passion from twelve a clocke till three Now in this darknesse of the Sun we may observe three things 1. The Manner of it 2. The Cause of it 3. The End of it First the manner of the darknesse it was at twelve a clock at the brightnesse of the day at noone time secondly it was of long continuance almost all the time of his passion thirdly it was not onely about the Crosse and in Ierusalem but all the Land over There is some difference amongst Divines about the extension of the darknesse some hold it was all the Land of Iudah ouer some all the world over Tertullian saith that this heavie hap that the Sunne was darkened all the world over at the time of the Passion of Christ was put into a booke at Rome and also amongst the Grecians it was so reported of so likewise S. Cyprian saith that this darknesse was not in the Land of Iudah but all over the world And this was the manner of the darknesse Now this darknesse must put us in minde of the fearful darknesse that shall cover the faces of the wicked if they doe not repent for as Christs face was covered in the brightest time of the day so shall their faces be covered when things should be at the best with them even when they be at the height of their glory Amos 8. 9. In that day saith the Lord God I will even cause the Sun to go downe at noone-day and will darken the earth in the cleere day so that in the middest of their joy and in the middest of their glory the Lord will bring darknesse upon them and so dash all their glory and joy Prov. 13. 9. it is said God will put out the candle of the wicked And for example we see Haman when he was at the top of the Kings favour and in his chiefest glory then the Sunne was darkned upon him he was taken and hanged on the gallowes which he had set up for Mordecai so likewise Dan. 5. when Balthasar was drinking tipling and carousing in the vessels of the house of God and presently the hand-writing appeared on the wall and writ his destruction that night hee that was so merry was killed So Luke 12. 20. the rich man in the Gospell hee would goe build his barnes greater when presently there came a voice unto him Thou foole this might shall they take away thy soule even so all the wicked men of the world that are not carefull to give glory unto God when they be in the top of their mirth and of their pleasure all their mirth shall be turned into sorrow their glory into shame their peace into trouble So we see Herod Act. 12. when he was in shining apparell and had made an Oration to the people who cried out The voice of God and not of man because he was not careful to give glory unto God the Angell strooke him with a lothsome disease he was eaten of wormes and so died Thus the Lord will darken our comfort if we doe not repent for if God brought darknesse on his Sonne then hee will much more bring it on the wicked for ever If a poore man have an house and the Sunne doe shine in comfortably to refresh him and his children that be about him if the same man take a veile and hang betweene the Sunne and the house he doth deprive himselfe and his children of the comfort of the Sunne so God if he doth shine comfortably upon us and wee take the veile of our sinnes and hang up what doe wee but deprive our selves of those comforts and joyes which wee might have had and so bring darknesse upon our selves Now this darknesse that shall come upon the wicked although they may escape it in this life yet they shall be sure of it at the day of Iudgement So it is said Matth. 25. Take the unprofitable servant binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse And therefore howsoever the wicked may goe on in joy for a season and be partakers of the light of the Sunne of the Moone and many other comforts yet the time shall come that neither the light of the Sunne or Moone nor any Star or candle shall be any comfort to them as we may see in Exodus what a fearefull darknesse there was over the Land of Aegypt three dayes together that they could not goe one to another but how much more fearefull darknesse shall that be that shall not last onely three dayes together but for ever and ever therefore let us pray to God and repent of our sinnes get faith in Christ that we may be delivered from this fearefull darknesse that shall come upon the wicked and ungodly Secondly The cause of this darknesse It was not by any naturall cause but by the hand of God which I will prove by two Reasons First because there is no eclipse of the Sunne but it comes by the body of the Moone for the body of the Moone comming betweene the light of the Sunne and us makes the eclipse as the hand of a man being held betweene the light of a candle and his owne eyes doth hide away the light of the candle from his eyes so the body of the Moone comming betweene the Sunne and us makes the Sunne to be eclipsed Now the Moone comes not neere the Sunne but when shee changes but this was when the Moone was at the full and in a perfect diameter to the Sunne for we know that the Iewes Passeover was kept in the full of the Moone therefore it was no naturall cause Secondly it was no eclipse of the Sunne for the Moone could take away but part of the light because the Sunne is bigger by many degrees than the Moone so then there was no naturall
gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God and you your selves shut out of doores That is ye shall see holy and good people goe to Heaven when you shall goe to Hell they shall goe to possesse eternall glory and you to possesse eternall shame so the terrour shall be the greater that wee shall bee excluded and shut out when others shall be admitted into his presence I but is it such a punishment to bee cast out of Gods presence Indeed to a godly and a good man it is for his delight joy and comfort is to be with Christ As we see Psal 80. ult Shew us thy face and we shall be saved O but a wicked man he doth not desire the presence of God I answere there is a two-fold presence of Christ there is a presence of God in grace and a presence of God in glory now wicked men although they doe not desire to be present with God in grace as a number of men doe not desire to be in the house of God or to be neere him in his ordinances preaching prayer and administration of the Sacraments like the Gargesiâ—es when they lost their swine they would have Christ depart from them and in Iob we reade that the wicked say to God Away from us therfore the wicked care not for this presence of God I but though they care not for the presence of God in grace yet there is never a wicked man but would have the presence of God in glory they wish and long for this as Gen. 4. Cain cared not for the presence of God in grace for it is said He went out from the presence of God but he desired the presence of God in goodnesse he would have God to protect him hee would have a marke set on him so likewise Balaam he cared not for the presence of God in grace but he desired the presence of God in glory he desired that he might die the death of the righteous to have that glory and comfort that they have but he cared not to lead their life So Augustine saith Every man is glad of life but every man is not glad of the meanes that leads to life therefore because they doe not desire the presence of God in grace they shall want the presence of God in glory which they so much desire and long for Secondly they shall not onely be shut out of heaven but they shall be excluded and shut out of this earth also for Chrest shall come to judge this world here on earth as Iob 19. 25. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the last on the earth Christ will call all the godly unto him but will drive all the wicked â—nto hell they shall not onely be debarred and shut out of heaven but shall also be expelled and driven out of this earth so that they shall not so much as gather up the crummes that Gods people leave behinde them howsoever that the perfection of the glory of the Saints shall be in heaven yet here in this world they have their inchoation and beginning of glory but the wicked shall not be left here to gather up the crummes that are left behinde them when they goe to heaven O it were well with them if they might live here and tarry on this earth but they shall nor enjoy the least commoditie that Gods people leave behinde them We reade Gen. 3. 23. that Adam was cast out of Paradise to till the earth from whence he was taken this was a grievous and great punishment yet if the wicked of this world were but cast into the field to till the earth from whence they were taken or if they might be put into a cave a dungeon a prison or any strait place it were well with them but they shall not remaine in any part of the earth but shall be driven all into hell this is a torment of all torments not onely to be expelled out of the glorious presence of Christ but also to be driven out of this earth into hell The use is seeing all the wicked of the world shall be banished out of the presence of Christ this must teach us to love the presence of Christ in grace for it is a sure thing if wee love not the presence of Christ in grace we shall never enjoy his presence in glory if we love Gods ordinances love to be at the preaching of the Word love the Sacraments love prayer and the societie of Gods people this is a comfortable testimony that we shall live in the kingdome of glory we have heard out of Hester 2. that Abashuerosh had two houses there was the house of sweet perfume and the Kings house and this was the order of them that first the Virgins were perfumed and trimmed in the house of sweet odors and then were brought home to the Kings house so the Lord hath two houses the house of grace and the house of glory whereof this is the order in the first wee must be perfumed with all the sweet graces of the Spirit so when wee have lived here a time in the Kingdome of grace we may be taken into the second house of the kingdome of glory Secondly seeing the wicked shall be cast out of Gods presence at the day of Iudgement we must be carefull to cast away our sinnes or else our sinnes will cast us out of Gods presence It is a good saying of one O man destroy thy sinnes or thy sinnes will destroy thee If a man had a servant that would rob him at night of all hee had if hee knew it hee would be sure to cast him out of doores before night came such a servant Sinne is that it will rob us of all when night commeth when the day of death and when the judgement is come it will cause us to be cast out of heaven out of the presence of Christ and out of this earth and will not leave us a bit of bread nor a draught of drinke to comfort us therefore let us before the day of death and judgement come cast sinne out of the doores for it will not only take away Christ and heaven from us but all our earthly comfort also The second punishment or paine is Malediction or Gods Curse So they shall not only be cast from the presence of Christ but they shal goe away with the curse of God upon them even the sweet mouth of Christ that shall blesse all the godly it shall curse all the vile and wicked people of the world swearers lyars drunkards and bad livers c. therefore consider what an heavie thing it is to goe away with Christs curse upon them 2 King 2. 24 we reade that Elisha cursed the children that mocked him and there came two Beares out of the Forrest and devoured them O but it is a more heavie
the true glasse of the Word of God there sinne will appeare in his true proportion and right quantitie But why is the neglect of doing good to his poore members so great a sinne I answere because in neglecting of them wee condemne Christ for they be the members of Christ and so Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 8. 12. Now when ye sinne against the bretheren and wound their consciences yee sinne against Christ the contempt of Christ is lapped up in the contempt of his servants It is a good thing therefore for a man to bee mercifull and pittifull especially to the poore Saints and people of God and to relieve them in their wants and necessities so farre forth as a man is able and occasion shall be offered Saint Iames tels us that there shall be judgement mercilesse to him that shewes no mercy and Matth. 3. It is said Blessed art the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie therefore it is a good thing for a man to shew mercie to the Saints and People of God and thus much of the reason Now we come to the last point and that is what shall become of Christ and what be shall doe when he bee hath finished up the last judgement This Saint Paul shewes us 1 Cor. 15. from the 24. verse to the 28. the sâ—mme whereof is this He shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all In which two things offer themselves to be observed 1. What he shall doe He shall render up his Kingdome to God 2. The End of it that God may be all in all First what â—e shall doe he shall render up the Kingdome to God Now this may be conceived two wayes First he shall render up the Kingdome that is all the Children of God the Elect and chosen hee shall bring them to God and deliver them to him that hee may blesse them and receive them into Heaven that he may be made partaker of all the glory that is prepared for them and he shall present them to God in the merits of his death and say Father these bee they that I have prayed for in the Mount swet in the Garden dyed for on the crosse and shed my most pretious blood for Therefore Father râ—â—eive them and blesse them hitherto have I kept them in thy Name thus hee shall render up the kingdome unto God when hee shall bring all the godly and holy people to the contemplation and beholding of the great glory prepared for them We heard out of Gen. 27. 3. how Ioseph tooke certaine of his brethren and did present them to Pharaoh so the true Ioseph Iesus Christ shall carry all the Elect and chosen people of God present them before him and desire him to receive them into glory and to bestow the best of Heaven upon them so Christ shall render up the Kingdome Wee read in Philemon when Onesimus had runne away from his master Saint Paul meets with him and sends him backe againe to his Master with a letter in his hand to the end his Master might receive him but Christ will doe much more for us hee will not onely send us with a letter in our hands to God but hee will take us by the hand and present us to God in the merits of his death that God may receive and blesse us Secondly he shall render up the kingdome that is his governement and office Now we cannot come to God without a Mediator all that we doe now is by meanes of a spokes-man but when Christ shall bring us home to God when we shall bee brought to Heaven then wee shall have recourse unto God without a spokes-man then we shall not need a Mediator and thus Christ shall render up the kingdome that is hee shall give up his office and his government into the hands of God A learned man thus expresseth it there is a number of Rebels that bee up in Armes against the king who makes his sonne Generall and sends him out to subdue the Rebels to shew mercy to those that would submit themselves to him and to execute and put to death them that would not which when the kings sonne hath done he returnes home againe to his father and tels him that he had done what hee was sent for and then renders up his Generalship to live with his father as he did before so God hath sent his Sonne here into the World to reconcile unto himselfe all his Elect people and to subdue his enemies when Christ hath performed this then he delivers up his office and lives with the Father as before Adam in the time of his innocency and Communion with God was without a Mediator so when wee are all brought home to God againe into Heaven then wee shall have communion with God without a Mediator Now because this is a hard point and that which some Divines stumble at therefore I will make it as plaine as I can A man that hath sore eyes he will have silke to hang before them or he must have a glasse to see by but when his eyes bee well hee will take away the glasse and lay aside his silkes so as long as wee were in our sinnes wee could not deale with God but wee must have our silkes it must bee by a Mediator but when our sinnes shall be healed then wee may lay aside our silkes and we shall see the face of God without a Mediator But here a question may be made some may may say How shall Christ render up the Kingdome seeing it is said Luk. 1. 33. that of his kingdome there shall be no end so Daniel 2. it is said His Kingdome shall not passe to another To this I answere His Kingdome shall continue still but not in the same forme the forme shall be altered for now he raignes as Man then as God now the glory of the Godhead is shadowed by the Manhood and then the glory of the Manhood shall be darkened by the Godhead not that the Manhood of Christ shall noâ— remaine or that the glory of it shall bee lesse than now but it shall be obscured as it were by a greater light I will make it plaine by a similitude light a candle in a darke night and it shines and giveth light but bring it into the bright Sunne-shine and the brightnesse and splendor of the Sunne darkens the light of the candle though it have the same light that it had before so though there bee the same glory in the Manhood of Christ that was before yet the glory and splendor of the Godhead shall so farre goe beyond the Manhood of Christs former manifestation as it shall darken that glory and thus much for the first point Secondly The End why he shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all Here God is not all in all for there are many excellencies in the World Angels
attend it For in the best there is such reluctation between the Spirit and the flesh as they cannot doe the good they would so Matth. 26. 40 41. The Disciples when they should have watched and prayed Christ found them a-sleepe and Rom. 7. 22. Paul saith I delight in the Law of God concerning the inward man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sinne which is in my members so Ezek. 3. 14. saith the Prophet So I went but it was in the bitternesse and indignation of my Spirit hence wee see that in the best there hath beene reluctation between the flesh and the Spirit that the flesh laboureth to resist the Spirit but here is comfort to a Christian that one day it shall attend the Spirit and bee led by it in all holy duties Wee see when Rebekah had conceived Genes 25. 22. shee felt such strugling and striving in her that she was amazed and saith in that agonie Seeing it is so why am I thus as if shee should say seeing there is such a striving and strugling in mee I were as good bee barren but there was an Oracle of God that did answer her that two Nations were within her of whom the elder should serve the yonger so many times a Christian findes such striving and strugling in him that it makes him amazed the Oracle of God tells us that then there are two within us the flesh and the Spirit and that the flesh shall serve the Spirit if one come to a great heap of Gunpowder and bring but a little sparke of fire and put to it it will dissolve and bring it to nothing so although there bee a great heape of sinne and corruption in us yet if a man get but a little sparke of the Spirit of God in him it will dissolve and bring it to nothing therefore we must comfort our selves with the hope of this howsoever now our bodies are not subject to the Spirit that yet one day they shall bee ruled and guided by the Spirit The sixth thing wherin the glorie of the bodie consists is that it shall bee a powerfull bodie as S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is sowen in weaknesse and it riseth in power Now the power of a glorified bodie is in three things First Because it shall have power to performe its owne actions without defatigation or wearisomnesse now wee cannot doe any action but in time wee shall bee wearie of it wearie with going sitting standing or doing of any thing We know Christ as hee was man was wearie Iohn 4. for it is said that hee being wearie sate him down on the well so Exod. 19. Moses hands were so wearie with holding up insomuch that Aaron and Hur did stay them up so the best Christians sometimes are wearie with doing the best things Wearie with kneeling at prayer with standing to heare and conferre and such like but at the last day wee shall have such power in our bodies that wee shall never bee wearie of standing before God or kneeling in Prayer for ever and ever there shall bee such power and such strength in the body therefore as oft as wee bee wearie in prayer or with doing any good thing in the labours of our callings wee must comfort our selves with this that one day wee shall have power and strength to doe any good dutie and service that God requires at our hands without defatigation or wearisomnesse Secondly In that the body shall move it selfe any way with ease and shall bee able to walke in the ayer and on the water as now we can walke on the ground Though our bodies bee weighty and ponderous yet then they shall have such power and strength as they shall bee able to move upward and downeward forward and backward with as much ease as a man lifts up his hand there shall bee such strength and agilitie in our bodies now they are subject to one motion onely to goe forward but then they shall bee able to move any way Thirdly In that they shall bee able to passe through any thing as a mans finger passes through soft cloth and therefore Iohn 21. 15. of Christ it is said Hee came into the place where the Disciples were met the doores being shut The Schoolemen say that the Creature gave way to the Creator but there was such power in the body of Christ that if it had beene shut up in a chest of steele Iron or marble it could have passeth through in like manner it shall bee with a glorified body it shall bee able to passe through any obstacle whatsoever therefore seeing it is so that the Lord will bestow on the bodies of Christians such goodly indowments let us thinke of these glorious things and comfort our selves with the hope of these and let us bee contented to walke a few dayes in holinesse and feare before God and then wee shall have our part in them Plinie reports of the little Bees that in a great winde or tempest they catch up little stones in their clawes to ballance themselves against the winde that they be not carried away by it so should Christians doe in winde and tempest that is in the time of temptation and trouble they should catch up stones in their clawes that is they should ballance themselves with the Promises of God and with the hope of blessednesse that so they bee not carried away with the winde of temptation and trouble Now wee come to speake in what estate the wicked shall rise this wee will shew in two things First In an estate of shame and disgrace the bodies of the Saints they shall bee beautifull and lovely to looke on but the bodies of the wicked shall rise deformed ilfavoured and loathsome to looke on as Esai 66. it is said And they shall goe forth and looke upon the carkasses of the men that have transgressed against mee for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire bee quenched and they shall bee an abhorring unto all flesh The bodies of the wicked shall bee as ugly and loathsome carkases to looke on and their faces shall gather darkenesse and blackenesse As in this life when a man is sicke a little and hath paines upon him it changes his favour and makes him looke pale O but what will it bee when bodies and soules shall bee tormented for ever and therefore all the glorie of the wicked is in this world Secondly the Godly shall bee free from all necessities of nature they shall not hunger thirst bee naked nor subject to diseases and paines but the wicked shall bee in hunger and thirst in all extremeties that may bee subject to head-ach tooth-ach back-ach belly-ach all the paines that may bee shall come upon them They shall not be free in any one part of them but bee in so great extremitie
thought that it had not beene Christ but some other And therefore whiles the matter was fresh and the Souldiers about the Grave Christ rose Secondly That the faith of the Disciples might not faint nor stagger for we see Luke 24. 21. that two of them say We trusted that it had beene hee that should have delivered Israel and besides all this to day is the third day so their faith began to stagger and therefore Christ rose that hee might strengthen their faith this is the great goodnesse and kindnesse of God to his servants In the Scripture it is said Hee remembred that we bee but dust Now as Christ had a care of the faith of his Disciples so hee hath a care of the faith of us Christians for hee might have deferred his rising till wee shall rise and then we might have doubted whether we should rise againe or no therefore lest wee should doubt of our resurrection Christ would tarrie no longer and so by this meanes to strengthen our faith that as he arose at his time so we shall arise at our time Thirdly That he might apply it and therefore the Angels give a charge to the woman that she should goe and tell his Disciples he was risen Fourthly Because it was the time that God had appointed Hee stirred not the first day nor the second hee lay dead without motion there was not a word of his rising but when the third day came then Christ rose with majestie and power to give us comfortable hope that wee shall rise one day out of trouble for although there bee little hope of comfort to day or the next day yet when the time commeth that God hath appointed we shall have ease and wee shall have comfort And therefore as Christ was contented to tarry his time so wee must bee contented to tarry the time God hath appointed for our ease comfort and deliverance Thirdly The manner how he rose wherein be three speciall things to bee observed First That though he died in weaknesse yet he rose in power which was seen in this that hee rose notwithstanding all the oppositions the Iewes made for they rowled a stone upon the mouth of the grave and they sealed it and set a watch to keepe him downe and yet he rose in spight of them all which must teach us that Religion shall rise and the Gospell shall rise notwithstanding all the opposition that is made to the contrarie though they rowle a great stone upon it and labour to keepe it downe all the powers in Hell shall not prevaile against it but the Gospell shall rise and Religion shall be advanced in all times so we see in Exod. 1. that notwithstanding Pharaoh made lawes for the vexing and troubling of the Iewes yet they did increase and multiply and this may bee our comfort that as Christ did rise notwithstanding all the oppositions to the contrary so Religion and the Gospell shall rise notwithstanding all oppositions that can be made against it It shall breake through the stones an armed power nor all the Divels in Hell are not able to keepe it downe so our saviour saith Math. 16. Thou art Peter and upon this rocke will I build my Church anâ— the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it much lesse then shall worldly power be able to overcome it So Esay 54. 7. saith he All the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and every tongue that shall rise up against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne As also the Prophet Zechary 12. 3. saith And in that day will I make Ierusalem an heavy stone for all people All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in peeces though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it which Chrysostome saith was a Metaphor taken from the custome of the Iewes whose manner was to have a great stone lie at every gate to trie their strength by lifting at it which if a man was not able to lift the more hee did strive and struggle the more hee crushed himselfe with it so the Lord will make the Church and holy Religion to be such a stone that the more they strive and struggle with the more it shall crush them which is a great comfort to the people of God that religion the Gospell and holy profession shall rise in spight of all that make opposition against it Exod. 3. 2. Moses saw the bush burne and yet not waste because God was in it so all the troubles and afflictions of the Church doe not waste it because God is in the middest of the Church for as Christ rose so the Gospell shall rise notwithstanding all the oppositions against it Secondly the power of Christs rising is seene in this that then there was an Earth quake the earth did shake and quake which shewes that death had not taken away any of the power of Christ or abated or diminished it it was as great when he rose as it was before his death we see that all the great Emperours that have died were not able to stirre a cloud or to move the earth but Christ did he made the earth to quake and tremble Death could not keepe him under so Matth. 28. Christ saith All power is given me in heaven and earth and Revel 1. 18. it is said I am alive but was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and I have the keyes of hell and death Wee therefore seeing there is such power in Christ should labour to be under his defence and then we shall be safe from danger as Christ saith Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voice they follow me and I give them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any one plucke them out of my hands Therefore as a man in the time of danger runnes unto a rocke or sure place of defence so in the time of danger let us runne to Christ and we shall be safe from danger by making him our defence Againe the grave had detained Christ but three dayes and yet wee see how the earth did quake and tremble therefore O thou that hast not kept downe Christ three dayes together but many dayes how oughtest thou to quake many dayes Christ hath beene rising in thy heart by the motions of his Spirit and yet thou hast suppressed and kept him under learne thou therefore of the dumbe earth that quaked and trembled for keeping Christ under but three dayes learne I say to quake and tremble for thy great hardnesse of heart that hast kept him under not dayes onely but many yeeres together as the three Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn Matth. 17. when they saw the great glory that was put upon Christ in his transfiguration on the mount and heard a voice saying This is my welbeloved Sonne heare him they fell on their faces and were afraid because they had not formerly attended Christ nor regarded him as
they should so when thou shalt see Christ rise in great power and shalt see great glory put upon him if thou hast not kept him under three dayes together only but many dayes how wilt thou quake and tremble seeing thou hast not better attended nor regarded him Thirdly An Angell came and ministred unto him which did roule away the stone terrifie the souldiers comfort the women here we may see the wicked they roule a stone upon Christ to keepe him downe but the Angels take it away they minister unto Christ which may be a comfort to Christians that as the Angels ministred unto Christ so they shall doe service to them they shall take away the stone dig away the earth and moulds to pull them out of their graves that they may come joyfully forth and be made partakers of everlasting life as Matth. 25. Christ saith that he will send forth his Angels to gather together his Elect from the foure corners of the earth to digge them out of the earth to pull them out of their graves that they may stand comfortably before God at the last day And there is a further comfort we shall have by the Angels for they shall not onely helpe us out of the graves but they shall also helpe us out of trouble as we see when Peter was in prison Acts. 12. it is said And the Angell of God brought him out and set him in safetie so also Daniel being cast into the Lions den the Lord sent his Angell to stoppe their mouthes in like manner when Sodome was destroyed the Lord sent an Angell to bring Lot forth and his wife who tooke Lot by the one hand and his wife by the other and brought them out of the citie so the Angels doe not onely helpe us out of our graves but doe also helpe us out of troubles The second speciall thing in the manner of Christs resurrection was That when he rose he left all the sinnes of mortalitie and death he stripped himselfe of all the grave-clothes and left them behinde him and Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 20. 7. that when the women came to the Sepulchre all the grave-clothes were foulded up and laid in a place whereof there bee two Reasons First that it might be an evidence to the Iewes to convince them for they had given mony to the souldiers to say his Disciples came by night and stole him away Now it is like that if they had stollen away his bodie much more they would have taken away the fine linnen sheets hee was wrapped in and again if they had stollen away the body of Christ they would not have laid up the linnen handsomely they durst not have tarried to doe it for in a feare men doe not things handsomely but ill favouredly therefore this is an evidence to convince the Iewes that the body of Christ was not stollen away Secondly to teach us that when we rise to the life of grace that we should leave all the sins of mortality and death behinde us all the grave-clothes that is all our vile sinnes and old corruptions that we have long lived in There be many that creepe out of the grave as it were get out of ignorance but because they be not wise to shake off the sins and corruptions they have lived in have drawne them to themselves and have not left behinde them the signes and markes of mortalitie and death therefore are not yet conformable to the rising of Christ It is the Apostle Pauls exhortation Put off the old man and put on the new ye that would rise with Christ leave your old sinnes and your corruptions there be many that rise to the profession of the Gospell who still keepe on the grave-clothes they will sweare lye make no conscience of their wayes and deale deceitfully such are not stripped of their grave-clothes but Christ when he rose he left all the grave-clothes behinde him so if we will be conformable to him we must leave all as he did behinde us Thirdly The Company Christ rose with hee rose not alone but a great many did attend him as wee may reade Matth. 27. 52. though Christ died alone yet he did not rise alone but he rose with a multitude to accompany him to teach us that his resurrection appertaines to us one day all wee shall rise by the same power that these did at his first resurrection therefore all the people of God must labour to establish their hearts in this that one day they shall rise out of their graves by the power of Christ for Christ did not rise alone but with a great company As in a shipwracke one swims out and labours to draw all his fellowes out with him so Christ rising out of the grave did draw all his members out with him We see in nature if the head be above water so long the body cannot be drowned so seeing our body is risen and our head is above wee shall not sinke or lye still but shall be raised up againe It is an undeniable truth that others have risen out of their graves but there was great difference in their rising and Christs The dead man when hee touched Elias bones Lazarus when hee had beene three or foure dayes in the grave the widdow of Naim's sonne when hee was in the coffin and Eutichus when he fell out of a window when these rose never a cloud did stir about them and they rose alone by Christs power as also to die againe but Christ did rise with a number and multitude with him by his owne power and that never to die againe which doth shew there is a great difference in their rising he rose with a great many to shew his rising pertaines to a great many for hee rose not as a private but as a publike person for the good of many and to shew there is a communicative power in his rising from the dead SERMON XXXI MATTH 27. 52 53. And the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints that slept arose And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the Holy Citie and appeared unto many IN the manner of Christs rising we may observe that although Christ died alone hee did not rise alone but had a multitude to rise with him which was to shew that Christ did not rise as a private man or person but representing the persons of all the Church for as Christ rose so we shall rise hee rose not alone but with a number of Saints communicating life and glory to them therefore howsoever the Saints die as others yet they shall rise againe All the people of God must be perswaded of this that there is a power in Christ to draw and to pull them out of the grave for as even now I shewed in a shipwracke if one swims out to the land hee doth his best to draw all his fellowes to the shore so Christ escaping out of the dens of