Students beat out their brains on lesser subjects what endeavours have there been to dive into the secrets of Nature what volumes have been written of Physicks Metaphysicks Mathematicks and is not this subject Christ is not every of these subjects Christ's Ascension Christ's Mission of the holy spirit of more worth and value and benefit than all those come study that piece of the Bible wherein these are written there is not a line or expression of Christ in the Scripture but 't is matter enough for a whole Age to comment on thou needest not to leave old principles for new discoveries for in these very particulars thou mightest find successive sweetness unto all eternity SET II. Of considering Jesus in that respect 2. LEt us consider Jesus carrying on this work of our salvation for us in these particulars We must not only study to know these things but we must meditate on them till they come down from our heads to our hearts Meditation is the poize that sets all the wheels within a going it were to small purpose to bid us desire hope believe love joy c. if first we did not meditate in meditation it is that the understanding works that the will is inclined to follow that devotion is refreshed that saith is encreased hope established love kindled and therefore begin here O my soul it is a due consideration that gives both life and light and motion to thy actings in all proceedings And to take them in order 1. Consider of Christ's Ascension into Heaven Methinks souls should put themselves into the condition of the Disciples Acts 1.10 When they looked stedfastly towards heaven as Christ went up What shall he ascend and shall not we in our contemplations follow after him gaze O my soul on this wonderfull object thou needest not fear any check from God or Angel so that thy contemplation be spiritual and divine No sooner had Christ finished his work of redemption here on earth but on the Mount called Olivet he assembles with his Disciples where having given them commands he begins to mount and being a little lifted up into the Ayr presently a Cloud receives him into her lap Herein is a clear demonstration of his Godhead Clouds are usually in Scriptures put for the House or Temple or Receptacle of God himself How often is it said that The glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud Exod. 16.10 19 9.-24.16.-34.5 Isa 19.1 psal 104.3 And that He came to Moses in a thick cloud and that he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud and that the Lord descended in the cloud Is not the Cloud God's own Chariot Behold the Lord rideth on a swift cloud and O Lord my God thou art very great saith David great indeed and he proves it thus Who maketh the clouds his Chariot Jesus Christ in his ascension to heaven enters by the way into a cloud this was his chariot led by thousands and ten thousands of his Angels psal 68.17 18 The Chariots of God are Twenty thousand even thousands of Angels the Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men Some are of opinion that not only thousands of Angels led this chariot but that many of the Saints which slept and rose with Christ at his resurrection now ascended with him and compassed about this glorious cloud English Annotations on Eph. 4.8 whence they give this for the meaning of the text that when he went up through the ayr and ascended up on high he led captivity captive that is he led a certain number of captives namely the Saints that were long held in captivity of death whose bodies arose at Christ's resurrection and now they accompanied Christ at his triumphant march into heaven However he was attended be not too curious O my soul in this the bright cloud that covered his body discovered his Divinity and therefore here is thy duty to look stedfastly towards heaven and to worship him in his ascension up into heaven O admire and adore But stay not thy contemplation in the cloud he ascends yet higher through the Ayr and through the Clouds and through that sphere or element of fire and through those Orbs of the Moon Mercury Mars of the Sun Jupiter Venus Saturn and through that azure Heaven of fixed Stars and through that first moveable and through those condence and solid waters of the Christaline Heaven nor stood he still till he came to those doors and gates of the Empyreal Heaven called The heaven of heavens in all this triumphant glorious march some tell us of an heavenly harmony made by those Choristers of Heaven Cypr. in Serm. Ascens Psal 4.5 the blessed Angels Some going before and some going after they chant his praises and sing Hallelujahs and that is the meaning of the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet In this meditation pass not over thy duty which immediately follows Sing praises unto God Ver. 6. Psal 68. â— sing praises sing praises unto our King sing praises Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by the Name â—ah and rejoyce before him Thou hast great cause O my soul to praise him and to rejoyce before him especially if thou considerest that Christ ascended not for himself but also for thee it is God in our nature that is gone up to heaven whatever God acted on the person of Christ that he did as in thy behalf and he means to act the very same on thee Christ as a publick person ascended up to heaven thy interest is in this very ascension of Jesus Christ and therefore dost thou consider thy Head as soaring up O let every Member praise his Name let thy Tongue called thy glory glory in this and trumpet out his praises that in respect of thy duty it may be verified Christ is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet And yet stay not by the way but consider further Christ being now arrived at Heavens doors those heavenly spirits that accompanied him began to say Psal 24.7 Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift up your selves yea everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in to whom some of the Angels that were within not ignorant of his person but admiring his majesty and Glory said again Who is the King of Glory and then they answered The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Ver. 8. Rev. 21.12 and thereupon those Twelve gates of the Holy City of new Jerusalem opened of their own accord and Jesus Christ with all his ministring Spirits entred in O my soul how should this heighten thy joy and enlarge thy comforts in that Christ is now received up into glory every sight of Christ is glorious and in every sight thou shouldst wait
in his Kingly but now he must be fully honoured in his Kingly office Rev. 11.15 now especially The Kingdoms of this world must become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and so he shall reign for ever and ever Certainly there is a difference betwixt Christ's reign before and his present reign at the day of judgment Christ hath a double Throne wherein he sits and reigns Rev. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me in my throne as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne That Kingly rule that Christ hath from his ascension is upon his Fathers Throne but the Kingdom that Christ shall have at the day of judgment and ever after it is the joynt reign of him with the Father he shall have a Throne himself and the Saints shall sit with him in his own Throne And now saith the Father John 5.22 Sit thou at my right hand q. d. sit on thy own Throne by me go on to judge the Nations I will not judge them but only in thee and by thee Lo I have committed all judgment unto the Son and do thou judge them until thou hast rewarded thy friends and made thine enemies thy footstool Mark He hath committed all judgment unto the Son the Father gives the Son a Commission wherein is written as it were these words My Son now is the time or season which I had put in my own power and my pleasure is 2 Pet. 3.10 13. that all the world shall be set on fire these heavens under thee shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up and I will have new heavens and a new earth wherein shall dwell righteousness go too then put on thy robes appear in thy glory empty thiâ— heaven of all those glorious spirits that are therein and let them wait on thee to thy judgment seat go pass thy doom upon all flesh and send reprobates to hell and bring up hither all thy Saints that they may live with thee and here behold thy glory for ever and ever Lo here is thy commission be gone and return no more hither until it be accomplished Christians I cannot but wonder at this joy and exultation in Heaven Vse and that we have so little or none of this on earth we say with cold lips and frozen hearts Thy Kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven but if our prayers were real and fervent if we could but imitate those heavenly Citizens what longings would be in our hearts after Christ's coming how should we rejoyce at the very thoughts hereof Christ comforting his Disciples in respect hereof he speaks these words Luke 21.28 When these things begin to come to pass then look up said he and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh The fulness of our redemption is a ground of consolation all the spirits above are sensible of this God and Christ and the Angels and Saints rejoyce Rev. 12.19 Ver. 20. and again rejoyce The Spirit and the Bride say come and Christ himself saith Surely I come quickly O let us say Amen to it Even so come Lord Jesus SECT II. Of Christ coming to judgment 2. FOr Christ's coming to judgment no sooner Christ prepared and all in readiness but down he descends from his Imperial throne to the Judgment-seat In this passage I shall observe these particulars 1. He descends with his Train He comes with his Royal Attendants out of Heaven This is the glory of a Prince that hath so many Nobles waiting on him and this is the glory of Jesus Christ that when he comes to judge the world he shall have his Saints and Angels the glory of the creation to be his Attendants in that work Behold the Lord comes with mighty Angels 2 Thes 1.7 Jude 14. Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all Certainly a numberless number shall wait upon him Daniel tells us of a thousand thousand that this day Minister unto Christ A thousand thousands ministred unto him Dan. 7.10 and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him or if Heaven have more I believe Heaven will empty it self of all the Saints and all the Angels not one Spirit whether Saint or Angel shall stay behind when Christ descends Matth. 25.31 The Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him Oh what a glorious day will this be if one Sun make the morning Sky so glorious what a bright shining and glorious morning will that be when so many thousands of Suns shall shine over all our heads the glorious Body of our Christ surpassing them all in splendor and glory here 's a new Heaven of Sun and Stars such as this nether-world never saw Lo yond the Sun of righteousness with all his Morning-stars singing and shouting for joy Heaven now empties it self of all its created Citizens and cleaves asunder to make way for Christ and all his Train Matth. 24.29 2. In his descent through the Heavens he shakes the Heavens And the powers of the heaven shall be shaken The whole frame of Heaven most strong and immutable in its being and motion or the mighty bodies thereof most mighty in their substance lastingness motion and operation shall be shaken I know by the powers of heaven some mean the Angels who at this wonderful descent of Christ shall admire and move but I rather think the Heavens themselves are meant hereby whose very nature shall be moved Job 26.11 and shaken at that day At his nod the pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished As yet they are Subject to vanity and therefore 't is no wonder if at the coming of Christ they tremble and are moved In this moving or shaking the Evangelists adds that the glorious lights of Heaven shall be altered Matth. 24.29 The Sun shall be darkened and the Moon shall not give her light Adventum Christi tantam lucem allaturam ut ea solis lunae splendor obscuretur Aretius in loc Certissimum autem diem judicii magna majestate sore ut rede sol luna dicantur obscurandi Aretius in loc Psal 50.3 and the Stars shall fall Many interpretations are given of this I am not for Allegories but rather conceive these things are real the very coming of Christ shall bring with him such a light that the splendor of the Sun and Moon shall be obscured this is most certain saith Aretius that both Sun and Moon shall really be darkened at that day it is the glory of his Majesty that will dazle those Candles 3. As he passes through the Elementary world a fire doth usher him Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very
glory of his grace mercy and grace meet both in love only they differ thus mercy is love as it helps the miserable and grace is love as it gives good things freely without desert here then is the great designe which God from everlasting carried on that the glorious essence of his free love free-grace should be especially manifested to his Saints that so thy might admire it esteem it honour it and sound forth the praises of it All the other designes of God were but subservient unto this Some reckon up three great designes of the Almighty communicating himself as 1. The glory of his Saints 2. The glory of Christ 3. The glory of himself and especially the glory of his grace 1. That his Saints should be glorious and to that purpose he made heaven and earth and he makes them Lord of all 1 Cor. 3.21 vers 23. 2 Thes 1.10 all things are yours 2. That Christ should be glorious and to that purpose he makes the Saints and gives them to Christ all things are yours and you are Christs And certainly saith the Apostle at the last day Christ shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 3. That God himself should be glorified he made all things for himself Bring my sons from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth even every one that is called by my name for I have created him for my glory Prov. 16.4 Isa 43.6.7 Now this is the high designe of God to which all the rest are subservient mark the steps all things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods i. For God and for his glory the two former designes are to which but not for which God worketh he that buildeth an house that he may lay a sure foundation and that he may raise the frame he gives it the due filling which belongs to it but these are not his proper ends his main designe but that he may have an house for his habitation So God works many things to our glory and that in us Christ may be glorious but the proper end that high designe which he hath in all it is his own glory And yet O my soul consider a little further the plot of our salvation of the Saints glory and of Christs glory as it aimes at the glory of God so especially at the glory of his grace As if we see that one doth this or that in wisdom it is the glory of his wisdome if he do it in strength or power it is the glory of his power if he do it out of grace it is the glory of his grace so God designed the salvation of our soules out of his meer grace favour love he must needs intend to have his grace notified in us and to have it being known accordingly admired and praised and honored by us not but that God must be glorified in his wisdome power justice holiness and his other attributes ay but especially in this it is the grace of God in which he most delighteth even as vertuous Kings affect above all their other vertues to be had in honour for their clemency and bounty So it is with our God the King of Kings Lord of Lords all he doth is to this end that his grace may be manifested to his greater glory And to this end is the glory of Christ and the glory of Christians referred Why Lord that this should be thy plot to save my soul that my soul should praise the glory of thy grace that thy grace should before all worlds think on me for good O how should I but think on thee and thy free-grace How should I but admire it adore it praise it exalted it above Sun and Moon and Starres how should I but cry out with the Apostle Oh the depth of the riches of thy grace for of him Rom. 11.36 and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 2. Consider the counsels of God about thy salvation Ephes 1.11 he worketh all things after the counsell of his own will and with him is counsel and with him is understanding This counsel as we have discovered was primarily about that reconciliation of the riches of his grace and the glory of justice Consider this O my soul thy sin put all the attributes of God to a kind of conflict hereupon was that great and mighty counsel how God should make way for his love and goodness and yet satisfie his truth and justice at last the wisdome of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient the Lord Jesus Christ Rom 3.25 is not this the meaning of the Apostle whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins Pouder and weigh these words God sets not forth Christ to be a propitiation to declare only his mercy in the forgiveness of sinnes how is there any thing but mercy in the forgiveness of sins yes there is something else there is righteousness also and therefore he hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation that he might declare his righteousness v rs 26. nay see it repeated to declare I say his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus not that he might be merciful but that he might be just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus This Text Luther had a great deal ado to understand and he prayed much before he could get the right meaning of it This is the great mystery of the Gospel no wonder if a poor man could not reach it This is that which set the infinite wisdome of God on work from all eternity how to find a way to save sinners and to be infinitely righteous notwithstanding Nay yet O my soul consider a little further not only is the mercy of God in this way glorified but the glory of his justice is as much yea more then if the sinner were eternally damned It is made good thus 1. When God appointed a surety his Son and charged our debts upon him to satisfie his justice in that God would not spare his Son the least farthing token I mean not the least degree of punishment hereby the Lord shewes a stronger love to justice then if he had damned ten thousand thousand creatures Suppose a Malefactor comes before a Judge the Judg will not spare the Malefactor but commands satisfaction to the Law this shewes that the Judge loves justice but if the Judges own Son be a delinquent and it appears before all the Country that the Judge will not spare him the Judge now doth more honour justice in this than in condemning a thousand others So when the Lord shall cast many thousands to Hell there to be tormented for ever and ever and ever this shewes that God loves justice but when his own Son shall take our sins upon him
answer the words either relate to the grounds of Religion and so in Gospel-times Christians need not to be taught in these fundamental points for now all know the Lord from the least to the greatest or else these words are an Hebraisme which deny positively when they intend it only comparatively or secundum quid as when God and men are compared together man is vanity lighter than vanity and a very nothing here is a comparison of knowledge in Gospel-times with the knowledge of Israel in those dark times when God brought them out of the Land of Egypt then all was dark and they were fain to teach one another the very Principles the Rudiments of Religion there was very little effusion of Gods Spirit in those times but in Gospel-times saith the Prophet the Spirit of grace and knowledge shall be so abundant that rather God himself shall be the teacher than one man shall teach another There shall be such exuberancy and seas of knowledge under the new Covenant above the Covenant made with his people when he brought them out of Egypt that men shall not need to teach one another comparatively for all shall know the Lord who are taught of God from the least to the greatest An high-way shall be there Isa 35.8 and it shall be called the way of holiness the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein 7. How is God said to forgive iniquity and never more to remember Sin For the first God is said to forgive iniquity when guilt of sin is taken away and for the second God is said never more to remember Sin in that the Sinner after pardon is never more looked on as a Sinner Is not this the Covenant q. d. I will remove thy Sins and do them away as if they had never been I will blot them out of the Book of my Memory I will obliterate the Writing that none shall be able to read it But you will say If Sin remain still in the Regenerate How are they so forgiven as to be remembred no more Divines tell us of Two Things in every Sin there is macula reatus the Filth and the Guilt This Guilt some again distinguish into the Guilt of Sin which they call the Inward Dignity and Desert of Damnation and the Guilt of Punishment which is the Actual Ordination of a Sinner unto Damnation Now in different Respects we say That Sin remains still in Believers and Sin doth not remain in Believers First If we speak of the Filth of Sin or of the Desert of Damnation so it remains still but if we speak of the actual Obligation of a Sinner to Condemnation so it remains not after Pardon but the Sinner is as free as if he had never sinned But you will say Is not the Filth of Sin done away when Sin is remitted I answer The Filth of Sin is not done away by Remission but by Sanctification and Renovation and because in this Life we have not a perfect inherent Holiness Sanctification at best being but Imperfect and wrought in us by degrees therefore during this Life there is something of the Filth of Sin and especially of the Effects of Original Sin sticking and still cleaving to us But here is our Comfort and herein lies the sweet of the Promise that when God hath pardoned Sin He takes away the Guilt as to Condemnation He acquits the Sinner of that Obligation He now looks upon him not as a Sinner but as a Just Man and so in this Sense He will forgive and never more remember his Sin Ah Christians Take heed of their Doctrine who would have Justification an Abolition of Sin in its real Essence and Physical in-dwelling let us rather say with Scripture that all justified Saints must take down their Top-sail and go to Heaven halting and that they carry their Bolts and Fetters of in-dwelling sin through the Field of Free-Grace even to the Gates of Glory Christ daily Washing and we daily Defiling to the end that Grace may be Grace I have run through all the manifestations of the Covenant of Grace as we have them discovered in the Old-Testament And yet that we may see the better how these things concern us I shall only propound these Two Queries more and then we have done 1. Whether is the Covenant of Grace the same for Substance in all Ages of the World We answer Yea The Fathers before Christ had but one Covenant and we another but the same Covenant of Gracâ— belongs to us both This appears in that first they had the same Promise secondly they had it upon the same Grounds 1. They had the same Promise as I will be your God and you shall be My People Lev. 26.12 Deut. 33.20 And Happy art thou O Israel saved by the Lord. And The Lord is our King and He will save us They had not only the Hopes of an Earthly Inheritance in Canaan as some fondly imagine but of an Heavenly Inheritance in the Kingdom of God And to this purpose our Saviour speaks expresly Many shall come from the East and West Isa 33.22 Mat. 8.11 and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven 2. As they had the same Promise so they had it upon the same ground that we have John 8.56 Heb. 13.8 even by Faith in Christ Jesus Abraham saw My Day said Christ and Christ is the same Yesterday and to Day and for Ever He is the same not only in regard of Essence but also in regard of the Efficacy of His Office from the Beginning to the End of the World We believe said Peter that through the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 15.11 Heb. 4.2 we shall be saved even as they And Vnto us was the Gospel Preached saith Paul as unto them Some may think they had no Gospel but only the Law before Christ But What say you Have we not observed a Thred of the Gospel and of the Covenant of Grace to run through all the Old-Testament from First to Last And How plain is the Apostle For this cause also was the Gospel preached also to them that are Dead Dead long since for he speaks of them who lived in the Dayes of Noah Nay the Apostle to the Hebrews 1 Pet. 4.6 gives us a Catalogue of Old-Testament-Believers By Faith Heb. 11.4 Abel offered up unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain By Faith Enoch was Translated that he should not see Death By Faith Noah being warned by God prepared an Ark. By Faith 5.7.8.13 Abraham when he was called to go into a Place which he should after receive for an Inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them Besides these he reckons up the Faith of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and Rahab and Gideon and
Blessed Object here is matter for it to work upon if thou canst possibly rejoyce in any thing at all O rejoyce in the Lord and again I say rejoyce Is there not cause read and spell what 's the meaning of the Gospel of Christ what is Gospel but Good spell or good tidings and wherein lies the good ridings according to its emency is it not in the glorious incarnation of the Son of God Luke 2.10.11 behold I bring you a Gospel so it is in the Original or behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all People for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. The Birth of Christ to them that have but touched hearts is the comfort of comforts and the sweetest balm and confection that ever was Oh my Soul what ailes thee Why art thou cast down and disquieted within me Is it because thou art a sinner why unto thee is born a Saviour his Name is Saviour and therefore Saviour because he will save his people from their sins Come then and bring out thy Sins and weigh them to the utmost aggravation of them and take in every Circumstance both of Law and Gospel and set but this in the other Scale that unto thee is born a Saviour surely all thy iniquities will seem lighter than vanity yea they will be as nothing in comparison thereof My Soul doth Magnifie the Lord said Mary and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luke 1.46.47 Her soul and her spirit within her rejoyced at this Birth of Christ there is cause that every Soul and every Spirit should rejoyce that hath any interest in this Birth of Christ O my soul how shouldest thou but rejoyce if thou wilt consider these particulars 1. God himself is come down into the World because it was impossible for thee to come to him he is come to thee this consideration made the Prophet cry out Rejoyce greatly O thou Daughter of Zion Zâ—ch 9.9 shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is called a King and therefore he is able and he is thy King and therefore he is willing but in that thy King cometh unto thee here is the marvilous love and mercy of God in Christ Kings do not usually come to visit and wait upon their Subjects it is well if poor Subjects may come to them and be admitted into their Presence to wait on them O but see the great King of Heaven Earth the King of Kings and Lord of Lords stooping and bowing the heavens to come down to thee surely this is good tidings of great joy and therefore rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion A little joy is too scant and narrow for this news hearts should be enlarged the doors and gates should be set wide open for this King of Glory to come in as Balaam said of Israel God is with him and the shout of a King is amongst them Num. 23.21 so now may we say God is with us and the shout of a King is amongst us Rejoyce Zion Shout O Daughter of Jerusalem 2. God is come down in flesh he hath laid aside as it were his own Glory whilest he converseth with thee when God manifested himself as on Mount Sinai he came down in Thunder and Lightning and if now he had appeared in Thunder and Lightning if now he had been guarded with an innumerable Company of Angels all having their Swords of vengeance and justice drawn well might poor souls have trembled and have run into corners for who could ever be able to endure his coming in this way but lo poor Soul God is come down in flesh he hath made his appearance as a man as one of us and there is not in this regard the least distance betwixt him and us Surely this is fewel for joy to feed upon O why should God come down so sutably so lowly as in our nature if he would have thy poor soul to be afraid of him doth not this very design intend consolation to thy soul O gather up thy Spirit anoint thy heart with the Oyl of gladness see God himself is come down in flesh to live amongst us he professeth he will have no other life but amongst the Sons of men see what a sweet way of familiarity and entercourse is made betwixt God and us now he is come down in humane frailty 3. God hath took on him our Nature as a vast pipe to his Godhead that it may flow out in all manner of sweetness upon our hearts if God had come down in flesh only to have been seen of us Exod. 33.12 it had been a wonderful condescention and a great mercy if I have found favour in thy eyes said Moses shew me thy way that I may know thee but to come down in flesh and to come down in flesh not only to be seen but to dispatch the great business of our souls Salvation here 's comfort indeed with what joy should we draw water out of this well of salvation Surely the great reason of the shallowness of our Comforts shortness of our Hopes the faintness of our spirits the lowness of our Graces is from the not knowing or the not heeding of this particular Christ in flesh stands not for a Cypher but it is an Organ of life and grace unto us it is a fountain of comfort that can never run dry In this flesh there is laid in on purpose such a fulness of the Godhead that of his fulness we might receive in our measure grace for grace O my soul thou art daily busy in eying this and that but above all know that all the fulness God lies in Christ incarnate to be emptied upon thee this was the meaning of Christ taking on him flesh that through his flesh he might convey to thee whatsoever is in himself as God As for instance God in himself is Good and Gracious and Powerful and All-sufficient and Merciful and what not Now by his being in flesh he suites all this and conveyes all this to thee observe this for thy eternal comfort God in and through the flesh makes all his Attributes and Glory serviceable to thy soul 4. God in our Nature hath laid out the Model and Draught of what he will do unto all his Saints for ever humane nature was never so advanced before what to be glorified above the Angels to be united in a Personal union with the second person of the Godhead surely hence may be expected great matters here 's a fair step for the bringing of our Persons up to the enjoyment of God if God be come down in the likeness of man why then he will bring us up into the likeness of God look what was done to our nature in Christ the very same as far as we are capable shall be done to our persons in Heaven Think of it O my soul why hath God made flesh so
consider that my sins were the cause of all methinks I should need no more arguments for self-abhorring Christians would not your hearts rise aganst him that should kill your Father Mother Brother Wife Husband dearest Relations in all the World O then how should your hearts and souls rise against sin surely your sin it was that murthered Christ that killed him who is instead of all relations who is a thousand thousand times dearer to you than Father Mother Husband Child or whomsoever Job 42.6 one thought of this should methinks be enough to make you say as Job did I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Oh what 's that cross on the back of Christ My sins Oh what 's that Crown on the head of Christ My sins Oh what 's that nail in the right hand and that other in the left hand of Christ My sins Oh what 's that spear in the side of Christ My sins Oh what are those nails and wounds in the feet of Christ My sins With a spiritual eye I see no other engine tormenting Christ no other Pilate Herod Annas Caiaphas condemning Christ no other Souldiers Officers Jews or Gentiles doing execution on Christ but only sin Oh my sins my sins my sins John 3.14 15. 2. Comfort we our selves in the end and aim of this death of Christ As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life The end of Christ's crucifying is the material business and therefore let the end be observed as well as the meritorious cause without this consideration the contemplation of Christ's death or the meditation of the story of Christ's sufferings would be altogether unprofitable now what was the end surely this John 12.32 1 Pet. 2.24 Christ lifted up that he might draw all men unto him Christ hanged on a Tree that he might bear our sins on the Tree this was the plot which God by ancient design had aimed at in the crucifying of Christ and thus our faith must take it up indeed our comfort hangs on this the intent aim and design of Christ in his sufferings is that welcome news and the very Spirit of the Gospel O remember this Christ is crucified and why so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have life everlasting We are now at the height of Christ's sufferings and the Sun is now in his meridian or height of ascent Mat. 27.45 I shall no more count hour by hour for from the sixth hour till the nineth hour that is from twelve till three in the afternoon there was darkness over all the Land But of that and of the consequents after it in the next Section SECT VII Of the consequents after Christ's crucifying THe particulars following I shall quickly dispatch As thus 1. About twelve when the Sun is usually brightest it began now to darken This darkness was so great that it spread over all the Land of Jewry some think over all the World Luke 23.44 so we translate it in Luke And there was a darkness over all the Earth and many Gentiles besides Jews observed the same as a great miracle Dionisius the Areopagite as Suidas relates could say at first sight of it Suid. in vita Sa Dion Either the World is ending or the God of Nature is suffering This very darkness was the occasion of that Altar erected in Athens and dedicated unto the unknown God Of this prophesied Amos And it shall come to pass in that day that I will cause the Sun to go down at noon Acts 17 23. Amos 8.9 and I will darken the Earth in a clear day The cause of this darkness is diversly rendered by several Authors some think that the Sun by Divine power with-drew and held back its beams Others say Hier. in Mat. 17. Orig. tract 35. in Matth. Dionis Epist. 7. ad Policarpum that the obscurity was caused by sâ—me thick clouds which were miraculously produced in the air and spread themselves over all the earth Others say that this darkness was by a wonderful interpoposition of the Moon which at that time was at full but by a miracle interposed it self betwixt the Earth and Sun Whatsoever was the cause it continued for the space of three hours as dark as the darkest winters night 2. About three which the Jews call the nineth hour the Sun now beginning to receive his light Jesus cryed with a loud voice Eli Eli Lamasabachthani my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And then that the Scriptures might be fulfilled Matth. 27.46 John 19.28 30. Luke 23.46 he said I thirst And when he had received the vinegar he said it is finished And at last crying with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having said thus he gave up the ghost I cannot stay on these seven words of Christ which he uttered on the cross his words were ever gracious but never more gracious than at this time we cannot find in all the Books and Writings of men in all the Annals and Records of time either such sufferings or such sayings as were these last words and wounds sayings and sufferings of Jesus Christ John 19.30 And having said thus he gave up the ghost Or as John relates it He bowed his head and gave up the ghost He bowed not because he was dead but first he bowed and then dyed the meaning is he dyed willingly without constraint cheerfully without murmur what a wonder is this life it self gives up his life and death it self dyes by his death Jesus Christ who is the Author of life the God of life layes down his life for us and death it self lyes for ever nailed to that bloody cross in the stead of Jesus Christ And now we may suppose him at the gates of Paradise calling with his last words to have them opened that the King of glory might come in 3. About four in the afternoon he was pierced with a spear and there issued out of his side both blood and water And one of the Souldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water How truly may we say of the Souldiers John 19.34 that after all his sufferings they have added wounds they find him dead and yet they will scarce believe it until with a spear they have search'd for life at the well-head it self even at the heart of Christ And forthwith there came out blood and water this was the Fountain of both Sacraments the Fountain of all our happiness Zach. 13.1 The Fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness There are three that bear-witness on earth saith John the Spirit and the Water 1 John 5.8 and the Blood Out of the side of Christ being now dead there issues water and blood signifying
making Christ 's death of none effect O come and with joy draw water out of this well of Salvation Isa 12.3 5. Another cries thus Oh I know not what will become of me the very thoughts of hell seem to astonish my heart methinks I see a little peep-hole down into hell and the devil roaring there being reserved in chains under darkness untill the judgment of the great day and methinks I see the damned flaming and Judas and all the wicked in the world and they of Sodom and Gomorrah there lying and roaing and gnashing their teeth now I have sinned and why should not I be damned Oh why should not the wrath of God be executed on me yea even upon me I answer the death of Christ acquits thee of all Rom. 20.6 Blessed is he that hath a part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power Christ's death hath took away the pains of the second death yea pains and power too for it shall never oppress such as belong to Christ If Hell and Devils could speak a word of truth they would say Comfort your selves ye believing souls we have no power over you for the Lord Jesus hath conquered us and we have quite lost the cause Paul was very confident of this and therefore he throws down the Gauntlet and challengeth a dispute with all commers Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 8.33 34. it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed let sin and the law and justice and death and hell yea and all the Devils in Hell unite their forces this one argument of Christ's death it is Christ that dyed will be enough to confute and confound them all Come then and comfort your selves all believers in this death of Christ what do you believe and are you confident that you do believe why then do you sit drooping What manner of communications are these that you have as ye walk and are sad Luke 24.17 Away away dumpishness despair disquietness of spirit Christ is dead that you might live and be blessed in this respect every thing speaks comfort if you could but see it God and men heaven and earth Angels and devils the very justice of God it self is now your friend and bids you go away comforted for it is satisfied to the full Heaven it self waits on you and keeps the dores open that your souls may enter We have boldness saith the Apostle to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Heb. 10.20 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh Christ's death hath set open all the golden gates and dores of glory and therefore go away chearily and get you to heaven and when you come there be discouraged or discomforted if you can O my soul I see thou art pouring on sin on thy crimson sins and scarlet sins but I would have thee dwell on that crimson scarlet blood of Christ Oh it is the blood of sprinkling it speaks better things than the blood of Abel it cryes for mercy and pardon and refreshing and salvation thy sins cry Lord do me justice against such a soul but the blood of Christ hath another cry I am abased and humbled and I have answered all Methinks this should make thy heart leap for joy Oh the honey the sweet that we may suck out of this blood of Christ come lay to thy mouth and drink an hearty draught it is this spiritual wine that makes merry the heart of man and it is the voice of Christ to all his guests Eat O friends Cant. 5.1 drink yea drink abundantly O beloved SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus 1. We must pray that all these Transactions of Christ in his sufferings and death may be ours if we direct our prayers immediately to Jesus Christ let us tell him what anguish and pains he hath suffered for our sakes and let us complain against our selves Oh what shall we do who by our sins have so tormented our dearest Lord what contrition can be great enough what tears sufficiently expressive what hatred and detestation equal and commensurate to those sad and heavy sufferings of our Jesus And then let us pray that he would pity us and forgive us those sins wherewith we crucified him that he would bestow on us the vertue of his sufferings and death that his wounds might heal us his death might quicken us and his blood might cleanse us from all our spiritual filth of sin and lastly that he would assure us that his death is ours that he would perswade us That neither death nor life nor Angels Rom. 8.38 39. nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature should be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. We must praise the Lord for all these sufferings of Christ Hath he indeed suffered all these punishments for us Oh then what shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits upon us what shall we do for him who hath done and suffered all these things but especially if we believe our part in the death of Christ in all the vertues benefits victories purchases and priviledges of his precious death oh then what manifold cause of thankfulness and praise is here be enlarged O my soul sound forth the praises of thy Christ tell all the world of that warmest love of Christ which flowed with his blood out of all his wounds into thy spirit tune thy heart-strings aright and keep consort with all the Angels of Heaven and all his Saints on earth sing that Psalm of John the Divine Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen SECT IX Of conforming to Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in respect of his sufferings and death looking unto Jesus is effective of this objects have an attractive power that do assimulate or make like unto them I have read of a woman that by fixing the strength of her imagination upon a Blackamore on the wall she brought forth a black and swarthy child And no question but there is a kind of spiritual-imaginative of power in faith to be like to Christ by looking on Christ come then and let us look on Christ and conform to Christ in this respect In this particular I shall examine these Queries 1. Wherein we must conform 2. What is the cause of this conformity 3. What are the means of this conformity as on our parts For the first wherein we must conform I answer we must conform to Christ
World to come and yet fell away and it is said of such others that they trampled upon the Blood of Christ wherewith they were sanctified Thus we find in Scripture-phrase that in an Hypocrite or wicked Man there may be a kind of Faith and repentance a taste of Heaven and of Sanctificatian but where do we find in all the Bible that Christ or the Spirit of Christ is said to dwell in an Hypocrite or wicked Man this only is the great priviledge of a true believer Christ in him the Hope of Glory O the comfort of this in-dwelling of Christ Luke 19.6 If Zacheus hearing that Christ would abide in his House received him joyfully how much greater cause of joy have they who have already lodged him in their hearts John 15.11 These things have I spoken to you said Christ that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full And now O my soul spread thy self on this great good Christ's Ascension Christ's Session and Christs Mission of his Holy Spirit What is joy but an effusion of the appetite whereby the Soul spreads it self on what is good to possess it more perfectly the object is sweet and large and therefore the soul had need to spread it self that it may be more united to the Object and touch the good in more of its parts yea if it were possible in every part There is not any particular here before thee but 't is fewel for joy O what joy was in Heaven when Christ Ascended and when Christ sate down at God's right hand and when Christ sent down the Holy Spirit how stood the Angels wondring and admiring at these several passages how did they stoop and look with the bowing of the Head and bending of the Neck as the Word implies 1 Pet. 1.12 and is not thy interest in these transactions more than Angels O rejoyce and again rejoyce suppose thy self in Heaven and that thou hadst a vision of Christ ascended say is he not a pleasant Object In his face there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 Suppose thy self to have been in Heaven when he first entred into it and when he first sate down at God's right hand and sent down the Comforter to his Saints was not Heaven full of joy methinks the very thought of Christ's bright Face and Christ's white Throne and Christ's Harpers and Heavenly Troops surrounding the Throne and Christ's welcome to his Father both for himself and all his Saints and Christ's carrying thy name upon his Breast before his Father should fill thy soul as full of joy as possibly it can hold O the first-fruits of Emanuel's land that lyes beyond time and death O the joyes that were in Heaven at Christ's first entrance into Heaven O my soul why dost thou not check thy self and lay aside thy sad complaints and forget this Earth and Earthly troubles why dost thou not look up to Jesus Christ and rejoyce in him who hath done all this for thy Salvation either the Spirit of God is not thy Comforter or thou canst not but receive comfort in these passages SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus I mean 1. Let us pray that we may have our part in these transactions or let us pray for more and more assurance thereof unto our souls for though we do believe yet we may not be without our doubts and in case of doubts what better means than Prayer I believe Lord help my unbelief Lord strengthen my Faith till I come to that plerophory or full assurance of faith that I may know my interest in the Ascension of Christ and Session of Christ and in the Mission of Christ's holy Spirit and if once we are but assured then 2. Praise God for these great transactions of his Son are they not mercies like mountains lying one upon another and reaching up to the very Heavens did not love break out at first in a direct line and as it went along hath it not wound up it self in such a variety of unthought of discoveries as that it amazeth Men and Angels what that Jesus Christ should not only act for us here on earth but also ascend for us into Heaven and sit down there at God's right hand above the Heavens what that all this should be for us and our salvation and to that purpose that he should send down his Spirit into our hearts to fit us and prepare us for his glory Now bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Psal 103.1 2. I will extol thee my God O King and I will bless thy Name for ever and ever every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever One generation shall praise thy works to another Psal 145.1 2 4 7 10 11 12. and shall declare thy mighty acts I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works I will utter the memory of thy great goodness and will sing of thy righteousness Thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power and make known unto the sons of men thy mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of thy Kingdom Thy glory is above the earth and heaven Psal 148.13 14. thou also exaltest the horn of thy people the praise of all thy Saints and people near unto thy self O that my soul were but in David's temper thus to breath out the praises of Jesus and to bless his Name SECT IX Of conforming unto Jesus in that respect 9. LEt us conform to Jesus in the aforesaid respects A serious beholding of Jesus in his Ascension Session and Mission of his Spirit is enough to change us into the same Image from glory to glory It was the sweet saying of an experienced Saint View a glorified Christ see him as in that relation and condition and you will soon have the sparkles of the same glory on your hearts Christ is now exalted he is now in glory at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 2. O let all our actings be glorious let all our walkings joys breathings be as in glory If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth I shall not in this transaction lay out many particular conformities to Christ's actings but gather all into one contained in this Text which is heavenly conversation seek things above set your affections above Christ is gone up and Christ is set down at God's right hand and herein if you will conform let your hearts be in Heaven let your affections be in Heaven let your conversations be in Heaven it is the Apostles own practise wherein stood his conformity to Jesus Christ for our
and immovably desiring that for the perpetual vertâ—â— of his sacrifice all his members might both for their persons and duties be accepted of the Father 1. I call the intercession of Christ his own gracious will for we must not imagine that Christ in his intercession prostrates himself upon his knees before his Fathers Throne uttering some submissive form of words or prayers that is not beseeming the Majesty of him that sits at God's right hand when he was but yet on Earth the substance of his requests for his Saints run thus Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am and how much more now he is in Heaven John 17.24 is this the form of his intercessions Father I will this and I will that 2. The ground of foundation of Christ's intercession is the sacrifice or death of Christ and hence we make two parts of Christ's Priest-hood or oblation the one expiatory when Christ suffered upon the Cross the other presentatory when he doth appear in Heaven before God for us the one was finished on Earth when Christ suffered without the gate the other is performed in Heaven now Christ is within the City the one was a sacrifice indeed the other is not so much a sacrifice as the commemoration of a sacrifice the first was an act of humiliation and this latter is an act of glory the first was performed once for all this latter is done continually the first was for the obtaining of redemption and this latter is for the application of redemption so that the ground of this is that Christ fervently and immoveably desires his Father for the sake and vertue of his sacrifice 3. The subject-matter interceded for is that all the Saints and their service might find acceptance with God first Christ's intercession is for our persons and then Christ's intercession is for our works for as out persons are but in part regenerate and in part unregenerate or in part flesh and in part spirit so be our duties part good and part evil in part spiritual and in part sinful now by Christ's intercession is Christ's satisfaction applied to our persons and by consequence the defect of our duties is covered and removed and both we and our works are approved and accepted of God the Father And thus much for the nature of Christ's intercession what it is SECT II. According to what nature Christ doth intercede 2. ACcording to what nature doth Christ intercede I answer according to both natures 1. According to his humanity partly by appearing before his Father in Heaven Heb. 9.24 Joh. 16.26 27. and partly by desiring the salvation of the Elect Christ is entred into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us And I say not unto you that I will pray or desire the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you 2. According to his Deity partly by applying the merit of his death and partly by willing the salvation of his Saints and as the effect thereof by making requests in the hearts of the Saints with sighs unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect through sanctification of the Spirit and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ this sprinkling is the applying of the blood of Jesus and that is an act of intercession Joh. 17.24 Again Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am he desires as man but he wills as God and as the effect of this he gives the Spirit Rom. 8.26 The Spirit it self makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered But what are the intercessions of the Spirit to the intercessions of Christ I answer much every way the Spirits intercessions are as the effect and Christ's intercessions are as the cause the Spirits intercessions are as the Eccho and Christ's intercessions are as the first voice the spirit intercedes for men in and by themselves but Christ intercedes in his own person there is a dependence of the Spirits intercessions in us upon Christ's intercessions in himself First Christ by his intercession applies his satisfaction made and lays the salve to the very sore and then he sends down his holy spirit into our hearts to help our infirmities and to teach us what to pray and how to pray as we ought Now this he doth as God for who shall give a commission to the spirit of God but God himself it is as if Christ should say see holy Spirit how I take upon me the cause of my Saints I am perpetually representing my sacrifice to God my Father I am ever pleading for them and answering all the accusations that sin or Satan can lay against them and now go thy way to such and such and take up thy dwelling in their hearts and assist them by thy energy to plead their own case I am their Advocate or Intercessor by office and therefore be thou their Advocate or Intercessor by operation instruction inspiration and assistance SECT III. To whom Christ's intercession is directed 3. TO whom is Christ's intercession directed I answer immediately to God the Father If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father 1 John 2.1 Jesus Christ the righteous In the work of intercession are three persons a party offended a party offending and the Intercessor distinct from them both the party offended is God the Father the party offending is sinful man and the Intercessor distinct from them both is Jesus Christ the middle person as it were betwixt God the Father and us men the Father is God and not man and we that believe in Christ are men and not God and Christ himself is both man and God and therefore he intercedes and mediates betwixt God and man If any object that not only the Father is offended but also the Son and the Holy Ghost and therefore there must be a Mediator to them also the solution is easie Christ's intercession is immediately directed to the Father but because the Father Son and Holy Ghost have all one indivisible essence and by consequence one will it therefore follows that the Father being appeased by Christ's intercession the Son and the Holy Ghost are also appeased with him and in him I deny not but Christ's intercession is made to the whole Trinity but yet immediately and directly to the first person and in him to the rest But if so then in some sense say our adversaries Christ makes intercession to himself which cannot be because in every intercession there must of necessity be three parties this point hath sore puzled the Church of Rome that for the solving of it they knew no other way but to avouch Christ to be our intercessor only as man and not as God which is most untrue for as both natures did concur in the work of satisfaction so likewise they do both concur in the work of intercession and 't is an antient and approved rule that names of office which are
the heads of the Saints Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness 1 Tim. 4.8 which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not for me onely but unto them also that love his appearing 4. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you as Tophet was prepared of old so was this Kingdom prepared of old it was the first creature that ever God made In the beginning God created heaven Gen. 1.1 his first work was to make Heaven for himself and his Saints to dwell in he prepared it for them and then he prepared them for it but why for them were not the Angels the first creatures that possessed it nay were they not created in it or together with it yes but yet the Angels are not properly the heirs sons members spouse of God and Christ as the Saints are the Angels are but ministring spirits and the servants of the Bride-groom but the Saints are the Bride her self heirs and co-heirs with Christ 5. Prepared for you from the foundation of the world This was the great design of God and Christ from all eternity before the foundations of the world and at the first stone laid and ever since they have been carrying on this mighty work it is not a business of yesterday onely No no the eternal thoughts of God have been upon it Ephes 1.4 He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Oh what thoughts are in Saints when this sentence is propounded Oh what joy enters into them now they are to enter into their Masters joy methinks if it were possible that tears could be in a glorified estate the Saints should not see Christ reach out a Crown to set it on their heads but they should weep and hold away their heads but Christ will have it so This honour have all the Saints praise ye the Lord. SECT VI. Of Christ and the Saints judging the rest of the World 6. FOR Christ and his Saints judging the world no sooner shall the Saints be sentenced Justified Acquitted Anointed Crowned but presently they must be enthronized and sit with Jesus Christ to judge the world In the unfolding of this we may observe these particulars 1. As Christ is on a Throne so now must the Elect be set on Thrones Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne Thrones are for Kings and Judges and in that Christ hath now lifted up his Saints to this condition he will have them sit with him as so many Judges and as so many Kings or if it be more honour to have Thrones by themselves than to sit with Christ in his Throne John in his vision saw many Thrones And I saw Thrones and they sat upon them Rev. 20.4 and judgment was given unto them And Christ himself told his Apostles Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones Mat. 19.28 judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Hence some argue that amongst all the Saints the Apostles shall have their Thrones seated next to Christ howsoever the rest shall not be deprived of their Thrones for not onely twelve Thrones but twelve and twelve are set about the Throne of Christ And round about the Throne were four and twenty Thrones or seats and upon the Throne I saw four and twenty Elders sitting cloathed with white rayment Rev. 4.4 and they had on their heads crowns of Gold Onely four and twenty Thrones and four and twenty Elders are numbred but thereby is represented the whole Church of Christ It is plain enough that all the Saints shall appear plainly in the glory of Christ's Kingdom having Thrones with him in the Air during the time of his judgment 2. The goats on the left hand shall then be called to receive their doom No sooner the Saints enthronized but then shall Christ say Ye blessed Angels bring hither all those mine enemies who have said I shall not rule over them that I may bruise them with my Iron mace and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel O the fear and trembling that will now seize on reprobates do but see the case of prisoners when the Judge speaks that word Come Jaylors bring hither those prisoners to the bar But alas what comparison can we make to suite with the condition of these reprobates now shall their hearts fail them for fear now shall they seek death oh how gladly would they die again but shall not find it now shall they cry to rocks and mountains Fall on us Rev. 6.16 and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. As a prisoner in a desperate case had rather remain in his fordid stinking dungeon than coming into the open air for execution so the reprobates newly raised from the earth would fain return again into the earth glad to remain though not on the face of it with pleasure yet in the bowels of it with rottenness and solitude like malefactors pressing to death they cry out for more weight Hills cover us mountains fall upon us yet more weight more rocks more mountains hide us press us cover us dispatch us But all in vain the command is out Angels and Devils will force them to the bar for the Lord hath spoken it Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them Luke 19.27 bring them hither 3. They shall look on Christ and his Saints now sitting on their Thrones As prisoners that stand at the bar in the face of the Judge so must these reprobates look the Judge and all his Assessors in the very face 1. For the judge they shall look on him Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him We heard before that no sooner Christ in the clouds but they saw him then as the prisoners that see the Judge riding to his Judgment-seat Oh but now they shall see him in the Judgment-seat ready with sparkling eyes and thundring voice to speak their sentence Prisoners at the bar must not turn their backs on the Judge when he begins their sentence no more must reprobates In Majestate visuri sunt in humilitate videre noluerunt ut tanto distrinctius virtutem sentiant quanto contemptius infirmitatem deriserunt They must see him in Majesty whom they would not deigne to look upon in humility that by so much more they may feel his power by how much more they derided his weakness Oh the difference betwixt Christ's first coming in the flesh and in his second coming in the clouds then he came in poverty now in Majesty then in humility now in Glory then with poor-Shepherds now with mighty Angels then the contempt of Nations now the terror of the World then crowned with
respect 4. LET us hope in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his second coming Hope is of good things to come hope is an act of the will extending it self towards that which it loves as future onely the future good as it is the object of hope is difficult to obtain and therein it differs from desire for desire looks at future good without any apprehension of difficulty but hope respects the future good as it is gotten with difficulty Lazy hopes that will not be in use of means though difficult are not true hopes we see many desirable things set before us of which we may say Oh that we had our part and portion of them but shall we go on and search and find out the truth whether we have any part or portion in them or whether we have any hopes of any such thing oh this is worthy our pains come then let us yet make a further progress let us not only desire that it may be thus and so but let us say on some sure and certain grounds we hope it is thus and so we hope Christ will come again John 14.3 and receive us to himself that where he is there we may be also Heb. 9.12 Indeed there is the Christians stay and comfort such an hope is a sure Anchor that will hold the ship in a storm onely because our souls lie upon it we had need to look to it that our hopes be true the worst can say They hope to be saved as well as the best but I fear the hopes of many will be lamentably frustrated Our Saviour brings in many pleading with confidence at the last day for life who shall be rejected with miserable disappointment Many shall say to me at that day Lord Lord c. and I will confess unto them I never knew them depart from me Now to clear this point that our hopes are of the right stamp and not counterfeit hopes I shall lay down some signs whereby we may know that Christ's coming is for us and for our good and for the grace that is to be given us at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 4. 1. If we are born again then will his glorious coming be to glorifie us Blessed be the God and Father of Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope to an inheritance incorruptible Whoever hath the true hope of Heaven John 3.3 he is one that is begotten again so our Saviour Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Many things may be done as Herod heard John the Baptist and did many things but except a man be born again those many things are in God's account as nothing When Peter had told Christ that he and his fellow-disciples had forsaken all Math. 19.28 and followed him Then Jesus said verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory ye shall also sit upon twelve Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel q. d. Peter you have forsaken all and followed me but know that bare forsaking is not enough but you who have felt the Work of God regenerating your souls upon which ye have followed me ye shall sit upon twelve Thrones In those who are alive at the last day there will be a change and this change will be to them instead of death 1 Cor. 15.51 Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed Certainly in those who at the last day shall sit on Thrones with Christ there must be a change likewise in this life i.e. a new spirit and a new life must be put into them Oh what a change is this suppose a rational soul were put into a beast what a change would be in that Creature suppose an angelical nature were put upon us what a change would there be in us oh but what a change is this when a man is born again of water and of the spirit I must tell you that the highest degree of glory in Heaven is not so different from the lowest degree of grace here as the lowest degree of grace here is different from the highest excellency of nature here because the difference betwixt the highest degree of the glory of Heaven and the lowest degree of grace is only gradual but the difference that is betwixt the lowest degree of grace and the highest excellency of nature is a specifical difference Oh there 's a mighty work of God in preparing souls for glory by grace and this change must they have that must sit on Thrones Come then you that hope for glory try your selves by this is there a change in your hearts words and lives is there a mighty work of grace upon your spirits are you experienc'd in the great mystery of regeneration why here 's your evidence that your hopes are sound and that you shall sit upon Thrones to judge the world Heb. 9.28 2. If we long for his coming then will he come to satisfie our longings Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for they shall be satisfied how satisfied but in being saved Christ was offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to salvation unto them that look for him or long for him shall he appear the second time unto salvation it is very observable how this looking for Christ is in Scripture a frequent description of a true believer in Christ Who are true sincere and sound Christians but such as live in a perpetual desire and hope of Christs blessed coming 2 Pet. 3.12 they are ever looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God Here are two signs in one verse looking for and hasting unto true believers are not only in a posture looking for the coming of Jesus Christ but also as it were going forth to meet Jesus Christ with burning Lamps Luther could say Mat. 6.10 That he was no true Christian neither could he truly recite the Lord's prayer that with all his heart desired not this day of the coming of Christ. It is true that whether we will or no that day will come but in the Lord's prayer Christ hath taught us to pray that God would accelerate and hasten the day of his glorious coming thy Kingdom come i.e. the Kingdom of glory at the Judgment as well as the Kingdom of grace in the Church It is true that the day of the Lord is a terrible day the Heavens and Earth and Sea and Air shall be all on a bone-fire and burn to nothing nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth we that have laid hold upon God and laid hold on him by the right handle according to his promises we look for
In his mercy or free grace 1. His justice will be glorified especially in punishing the wicked here on Earth litle justice is done on most offenders though some publick crimes are sometimes punished yet the actions of closets and chambers the designs and thoughts of men the businesses of retirements and of the night escape the hand of justice and therefore God hath so ordained it that there shall be a day of doom wherein all that are let alone by men shall be questioned by God Shall not the judge of all the world do right Gen. 18.25 then all thoughts shall be examined and secret actions viewed on each side and the infinite number of those sins which escaped here shall be blazoned there all shall have justice and the justice of the judge shall be so exact that he will account with men by minutes and that justice may reign entirely God shall open his treasure I mean the wicked man's treasure and tell the sums and weigh the grains and scruples Deut. 32.34 Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures I will restore it in the day of vengeance saith the Lord. Oh how will God glorifie his justice at that day surely his justice shall shine and be eminently glorious in every passage 2. His mercy or free grace will be glorified in rewarding the Saints And this is the main the supreme end of his coming to judgment 2 Thes 1.10 He shall come saith the Apostle to be glorified in his Saints not but that the Angels shall glorifie the riches of his grace as well as Saints but because the Angels never sinned they have now kept their Robes of innocency their cloth of Gold above five thousand years without one spark of dirt or change of colour therefore the glory of his grace is more especially fastened on Saints that sometimes were sinners Oh what stories will be told at this day of graces acts I was a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 and a persecutor and an injurious person said Paul but I obtained mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I was be-mercied as if he had been dipt in a River in a Sea of mercy it may be he will make the same acknowledgment at the day of judgment I was a sinner but the grace of the Lord Jesus to me was abundant superabundant I obtained as much grace as would have saved a world Certainly free grace shall then be discovered in some purpose Rom. 5.20 then it shall be known That where sin abounded grace far more it over-abounded or more than over-bounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a word borrowed from Fountains and Rivers which have over-flowed with Waters ever since the Creation then all the Saints shall exalt and magnifie and with loud voyces praise the glory of his grace they shall look on their debts written in graces book and then shall they sing and say O the mystery of grace O the gold-mines and the depts of Christs free love why this was the great design of our salvation at the first when God was willing to communicate himself out of his aloneness everlasting he laid this plot that all he would do should be to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.6 and now at his second coming having done all he will do the Saints for whom he hath done all admire esteem honour and sound forth the praises of his grace Is not this their everlasting song which they begin at this day Glory to the Lamb and glory to his grace that sitteth on the Throne for ever more not but that they glorifie him in his wisdom power holiness and his other attributes ay but especially in this it is his Grace in which he most delighteth even as vertuous Kings affect above all their other Vertues to be had in honour for their Clemency and Bounty so Jesus Christ the King of Kings affects above all the glory of his grace And to this purpose Heaven it self is an house full of broken men who have borrowed millions from Christ but can never repay more than to read and sing the praises of Free-grace Glory to the Lamb and glory to the riches of his grace for evermore Thus for directions one word of Application or a few motives to work Faith in you in this respect 1. Christ in his word invites you to believe these are his Letters from Heaven Come all to the marriage-supper of the Lamb Ho every one that thirsts come in heaven-Heaven-gate is open to all that knock but fools foolish Virgins foolish souls which have no Faith nor will have any to render them fit for Heaven This meets with some that scruple what will Christ come again to receive me to himself shall I enter with him into glory alas no unclean thing shall enter into that holy City and shall such a sinner as I am be admitted Oh believe believe thy part in this coming of Christ to receive thee to himself and no sin that thou feelest a burthen shall keep thee out of Heaven There is Rahab the Harlot and Manasseh the Murtherer and Mary that had so many Devils a man that hath many Devils may come where there is not one Luke 14.22 Lame and Blind and Halt may enter into Heaven and yet still there is room there is a great variety of guests above and yet one Table large enough for all no crouding and yet thousands and thousands of thousands sitting together Ah poor soul why dost thou make ecceptions where God makes none why shouldst thou exclude thy self out of these golden gates when God doth not believe onely believe in the Lord Jesus and the promise is sure and without all controversie thou shalt be saved 2. Christ by his Ministry intreats you to believe come say they we beseech you believe in your judge it may be you startle at this what to believe in him who is a coming to be your judge but if your judge be Jesus if the same person who dyed for you shall come to judge you why should you fear indeed if your judge were your enemy you might fear but if he who is your Lord and who loves your souls shall judge you there is no such cause will a man fear to be judged by his dearest friends a brother by a brother a child by a father or a wife by her husband consider is not he your Judge who came down from Heaven and who being on earth was judged condemned and executed in your stead and yet are ye fearful O ye of little faith Oh what an unreasonable sin is unbelief nay say the scrupulous if I were assured of this if I knew that my judge were my friend I should not fear but is he not my enemy have not I provoked him to enmity against my soul do I not stand it out in arms against my judge am not I daily sinning against him who justly may condemn me for my sin give this
souls must Judge our souls if he that hath a great interest and increase of joy in our salvation must pass our sentence will not this work us into a rejoycing frame 3. Christ's sentence is the Christian's acquittance I may call it his general acquittance from the beginning of the World to the end thereof Hence some call this the day of the believers full justification they were before made just and esteemed just but now by a lively sentence they shall be pronounced just by Christ himself now is the compleat acquittance or the full absolution from all sin now will Christ pardon and speak out his pardon once for all now will he take his book wherein all our sins as so many debts or trespasses are written and he will cancel all Acts 3.19 Your sins shall be blotted out saith Peter when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And is not this enough to cause our joy when the spirit witnessing with our spirits doth but in part assure us of sins pardon is it not exceeding sweet Oh but how sweet will be that sentence which will fully resolve the question and leave no room of doubting any more for ever consider O my soul the day is a coming when the Judge of Heaven and Earth will acquit thee of all thy sins before all the World it is a part of his business at that day to glorifie his Justice and free grace in thy absolution O Christians how may we comfort one another with these words 4. Christ in the issue will lead us into glory As the Bridegroom after nuptials leads his Bride to his own home that there they may live together and dwell together so Christ our royal Bridegroom will lead us into the Palace of his glory And is not this joy of our Lord enough to cause our Joy Oh what embraces of love what shaking of hands what welcomes shall we have into this City there shall we see Christ in his garden there shall we be set as a seal on Christ's arme and as a seal upon his heart there shall we be filled with his love enlightned with his light encircled in his arms following his steps and praising his Name and admiring his glory there shall we joy indeed For in thy presence there is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore There is joy and full joy and fulness of joy there are pleasures and pleasures evermore and pleasures evermore at God's right hand O the musick of the sanctuary O the sinless and well-tuned Psalms O the Songs of the high Temple without either Temple or Ordinances as we have them here can we choose to joy at the thought of this joy above if God would so dispense that even now we might stand at the utmost door of Heaven and that God would strike up a window and give us a spiritual eye and an heavenly heart so that we could look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the troops of glorified ones cloathed in white would not this chear up our hearts and fill them with joy unspeakable and full of glory certainly this day will come when Christ will bring us not only to the dore but through the gates into the City and then we shall see all these sights and hear all the musick made in heaven how then should we but joy in the hope of the glory of God O methinks raised thoughts of our mansion in glory should make us swim through the deepest Sea of troubles and afflictions and never fear Come then O my drowzy soul and harken to these motives if yet thou seest not the Son it self appear methinks the twilight of a promise should revive thee it is but a little while And he that shall come will come and he will not tarry It may be thou art reviled and persecuted here on Earth and what then hath not Christ bid thee to rejoyce in afflictions is it not his word that in this very case thou shouldst rejoyce Matth. 5.12 1 Pet. 4.12 and be exceeding glad is it not his command Think it not strange concerning the fiery tryals but rather rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy We must rejoyce now that we may rejoyce then indeed our present joy is a taste of our future joy and God would have us to begin our Heaven here on Earth Come then come forth O my dull conjealed heart thou that spendest thy days in sorrow and thy breath in sighing that minglest thy bread with tears and drinkest the tears which thou weepest thou that prayest for joy and waitest for joy and longest for joy and complainest for want of joy O the times a coming when thou shalt have fulness of joy the times a coming when the Angels shall bring thee to Christ and when Christ shall take thee by the hand and lead thee into his purchased joy and present thee unspotted before his Father and give thee thy place about his Throne and dost thou not rejoyce in this art thou not exceedingly raised in such a Meditation as this surely if one drop of lively faith were but mixed with these motives thou mightest carry an Heaven within thee and go on ever singing to thy grave say then dost thou believe or dost thou not believe if thy faith be firm how should'st thou but rejoyce if thou rollest thy self on Christ and on that promise I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you how shouldst thou but rejoyce and be exceeding glad if thou lookest upon the holy Ghost as designed by the Father and the Son to bring joy and delight into thy soul how shouldst thou but be filled with the water of life with the oyl of gladness and with the new wine of the Kingdom of God O the blessed workings of faith on such a subject as this if once we are but justified by faith and that we can act our faith on Christ's glorious coming then it will follow Rom. 5.1 2 3. that we shall have peace with God and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God and not only so but we shall glory in tribulation also SECT VIII Of calling on Jesus in that respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus as carrying on our souls salvation at his second coming this contains prayer and praise 1. Let us pray for the coming of Christ this was the constant prayer of the Church Come Lord Jesu come quickly The spirit and the Bride say come Well knows the Bride that the day of Christ's coming is her wedding day Rev. 22.17 her coronation day the day of presenting her unto his Father and therefore no wonder if she pray for the hastening of it Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart thy Kingdom come