in the Salutation is Prayer This hath a Three-fold Description of our Saviours Divine Person 1. A Distinction of Times in the Person of Christ 2. A Distinction of Things 3. An Union of Times and Things in Him A distinction of Times in Christ This you may reade in the 4. verse From Him Which Is Which Was and Which is to Come The whole Frame of Things is built with a Three-fold Partition like the Temple which makes a Three-fold Kingdome 1. That of Nature 2. That of the Mediatour 3. That of the Father These Three Kingdomes have their Full Revolutions and Severall Periods in that One Majestick Person of our Saviour 1. The Kingdome of Nature lyes in the Glory of Christs Person as Past The first Creation was a kind of Incarnation for in that the Image of God was made Flesh Jesus Christ was the Seed of the world God calls him The Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 He is the Seed in the Woman which Sends Her forth and Growes up out of Her The Woman and the World are to Jesus Christ as the Corne to the Blade Eare and Huske You reade Rev. 1.15 The Feet of Christ were like unto Fine Brasse as if they were Burning in a Fornace The Formes of Nature are the Feet of the Lord Jesus These are in the Divine Brightnesse of his Immortall Person as in a Flame Consumed in the Heat of a Greater Glory yet stil Conspicuous and Transparent through the Light of it Therefore in this Kingdome our Lord raignes with this Title He That Was. 2. The Kingdome of the Mediatour This is the Vnion or Marriage of the Two other Kingdoms of Nature and the Father Time and Eternity This is as a Flourishing Picture which consists of Light and Shadow making of Both One Beauty God is the Light the Creature the Shadow which here are interwoven and shine mutually The Creature By God God In the Creature so Both make but One Appearance One Kingdome This is the Middle-state of things Thorow this God first Descends into Nature Thorow this All Things Ascend and return again out of Nature unto God Therefore this is cal'd Regnum Mediatorium This is properly the Kingdome of Christ as he is the Mediator In this our Lord Jesus is according to his Proper State and Person known by This name He That Is. 3. The Kingdome of the Father Here the God-head reignes in the Fulnesse of an Unmixt the Freedome of an Unlimited Glory The Kingdome of Christ is ever in Motion till at last it roul it selfe into this sea where it Perfectly loseth and yet more Perfectly then ever keeps its own Distinct State This is the First Description A Distinction of Things in the Person of Christ And from the seven Spirits which are before His Throne ver. 4. If these Spirits were Angels they would in this place justifie and reward the Papists in their prayers to those Flaming Ministers God is a Spirit but He is One These then are some Middle-thing not by Negation that cannot be but by Participation Seven is the Perfect number of the Creature comprehending its Labour and its Rest its Six Dayes and its Sabbath Seven times Seven is the Great Jubile the Joy of All Things in which they are Free and Return to their First State God then As He varies himselfe into all the Distinct Formes of the Creature as he carries them on thorow their Severall Changes till he carry them up to His own Vnchangeable Rest So He is a Seven-fold Spirit And this is the Spirituall Person of our Lord Jesus Pan's Pipe composed of seven reeds Seven being known by learned men for the Marriage-number Revel. 5.6 A Lamb stands with seven hornes and seven eyes which are The Seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth This is that Great Spirit our Lord Jesus who in the form of a Seven-fold Spirit like a River with seven heads le ts forth the God-head and the Creation one into another The Union of all Times and Things in One Person This is the first part of the fifth verse This Vnion is set forth by a Three-fold Expression 1. The Appearance of all things in Christ 2. The Presence of Christ in all 3. The Power of Christ over all 1. The Appearance of all things in Christ Iesus Christ the faithfull witnesse Our Lord Jesus in glory is become the Image and the Light The Image in which Each Thing is seen The Light by which that Image appears So He is both the Testimony and the Witnesse He is the Faithfull witnesse For He is the Truth of all things Every thing is seen in Him according to its most Right most Proper and Solidest Appearance 2. The Presence of Christ in all The first-born from the dead v. 5. c. 1. Our Lord Jesus was in Nature so He became capable of dying He sinks himselfe out of Nature into The Darknesse which is a Shadow flying round about this Creation so He dyes Thorow this Darknesse he shoots forth himselfe into the Light of God which encompasseth all So He is risen from the dead By His Presence in Nature all things put forth themselves there For all subsist in him Colos. 1.17 By His Death all things die His Death being the Vniversal one including and bringing forth all Particular deaths For the world is crucified by the Crosse of Christ By His Resurrection all things are raised into the Life of God as the Soul raiseth all the parts of the Body making to it selfe so many severall Resurrections in them Thus is Christ the First-born from the Dead This is He Present in All Things Passing thorow All States 3. Power over all The Prince of the Kings of the earth c. 1. v. 5. All Principalities and Powers visible or invisible are streames in which Jesus Christ flowes forth from God pouring forth himselfe at last into God againe So have we gone thorow the Prayer in the Salutation as it containes a Three-fold Description of our Saviours High and Heavenly Person 2. Praise This second part of the Salutation which raiseth it selfe by a quick sweetnesse of change unto Praise is comprehended in the latter part of the fifth verse and the sixth The Praises sing forth the Person of Christ in a Two-fold Description First Love Secondly Lustre 1. Love This Love of our Sweet Saviour hath a double Preciousnesse in it 1. The Affection To him that hath loved v. 5. 2. The Effect This is Three-fold 1. Our Justification And hath wash't us in his blood 2. Sanctification Hath made us Priests to God his Father 3. Glorification Hath made us Kings 2. Lustre To him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Glory is the Reflexion of Beauty from every Appearance Dominion is the Power or Fulnesse that comprehends and sends forth each Appearance This is the Lustre of our Saviours Divine Person 'T is set with the Roots and Rags of all Being It hath in it selfe the Power that puts forth
Sense of the utmost good or ill of this Kingdome first your Parent now your Foster-child If you have any Sense of your own Safeties your Soules your immortalitie any thing Send up a strong and secret groane which God may heare and say within you O! that the Lord Jesus that All-quickning Spirit would descend into our Spirits and become a Spring of Divine sorrowes there Then should our Teares be as His Blood O! that the Lord Jesus the Highest Image of Love and Beauty the most profaned and persecuted would set Himselfe before our eyes Then should we know Why and How to weep then should we weep indeed If our Dear Saviour would make his Arms our Crosse that we might from thence offer our Broken Hearts in Sacrifice to the Father then would our God smell a sweet Savour of Rest in us and at length give us Rest in Himselfe This is the second Consideration in the Preparative 2. The Vse This is A Humiliation from a Three-fold Ground 1. Insensiblenesse in our Spirits of our Saviour's Approach 2. Unsuitablenesse in our Counsailes to the Course of His Comming 3. Enmity in our Affections to the Intent of His Comming 1st Ground Insensiblenesse Is not the Comming of Christ that by which God designes to make Himselfe Admired among His Saints as Saint Paul testifies 2 Thes. 1.10 When He shall come to be Glorified in His Saints and Admired c. Is not this that at which All the Angels of God bow themselves and worship Heb. 1.6 When He bringeth His First-begotten Againe into the world He saith Let All the Angels of God worship Him Is not this the Grand Wheel which moves All the Centrall Motion which carries about Persons Kingdomes the whole Creation Heb. 1.7 When Christ comes the second Time God saith of the Angels He hath made His Angels Spirits His Ministers a Flame of Fire All Angelicall or Elementary Instruments of Motion are but His Ministers propagating His Motions thorow the world Can This be thus and we Ignorant or Insensible of This Comming of Christ without the Highest sinne against God the Kingdome our own safeties Let us then endeavour to apply this use to our selves more properly and powerfully by a Three-fold Enquiry concerning this first Ground of Humiliation Have we seen Iesus Christ as he Comes among the Angels 1 Tim. 3.16 Saint Paul tels us now This is the Greatest Mystery of Godlinesse God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Behold Jesus Christ as God puts forth Himselfe in the Forme of Flesh of the Creature and over-spreads that Form or Flesh with the Glory and Spirit of the God-head Thus He shines forth already upon the One Half of Things the Invisible Part He already is risen upon the Angels as Starres at once gathering them up into His Divine Light and riding forth upon their Beames So each Starre now carryes forth a Sun along with it Each Angel the Son of man and God Saint Paul tels us Colos. 2.10 that Christ is the Head of All Principality and Power Our Lord Jesus cloth'd with the Glory of His Father hath united Himselfe to the Acting Principles and Ruling Powers of this Creation Now He Flames forth thorow these invisible Fires into all Courts Campes or Counsailes into every Frame of things Now He flyes abroad upon the Backs of these Cherubims and the Wings of these Winds into the Breast of each Man into the Bosome of each Creature We reade Colos. 2.15 Having spoyled Principalities and Powers He made a Shew of them Openly Triumphing over Them See the Lord Jesus binding Evill Spirits the Powers of This world in straiter Chaines of Darknesse leading them Captives at the Taile of His Chariot making them His Slaves to Serve Him for Executioners as the Mutes doe the Great Turke to raine downe Snares Tempests Fire and Brimstone on His Enemies Have you seene the Lord thus mounted on His Horses of Fire Like the Sun like a Champion comming forth to run His Race from one end of Things to the Other Are you come to this Mount Sion where the Mediatour appears with God in the midst of His innumerable Angels If you be Strangers to such Sights then Mourn For you are yet at Mount Sinai in the midst of Clouds and Stormes You are still in a Wildernesse full of Fiery Serpents where every Step you take may be to a Death As you Mourn Pray Sweet Iesus Shine Sweet Iesus Come thou as the Day-spring from on High upon us Change the Appearance Open to us this New Frame of Angels Glories covering the World like Clouds and thy Glories raised on These Have you Seen the Lord Iesus Comming in the Spirits of Men on Earth This is the 2. Step of our Saviour's Descent from the Bosome of the Father We are taught Luke 17.20 21. that The Kingdome of God commeth not with Observation For the Kingdome of God is within You. The Glory of the Father in which Christ Comes is the Kingdome of God This is not obvious to Sence or Reason grounded upon Sence For it comes not their way from without It bubbles up from an inward Spring like Life From within it Enlarges it Selfe as Circles from the Center the Out-most being Last This is the Method by which our Saviour comes Spiritually into the world First the Godhead opens it Selfe upon the Humane Nature of Christ making that the First-fruits of the whole Creation Colos. 1.18 Secondly the Lord Jesus with this over-spreading Glory comes downe upon the Angels making them the First-fruits of Spirits The Third Step which He takes is through the Angels into the Souls of Mortall Men In these He plants Himselfe as a Throne Circled in with the various Beauties of Angels like the diverse-Coloured Raine-bow Revel. 4.3 Thus these become the First-fruits of Men Rom. 8.23 The Fourth Remove is upon the Bodies of the Saints that they may be the First-fruits of Bodies The Last is the Passing of the Lord Jesus from the Bodies of the Saints into the whole Frame of Visible Things as a Flame still taking hold of Neighbouring Fuell Still Catching and Infolding it selfe thorow All Things By these Degrees the Lord Descends in Glorious State and as He Descends Transfigures all Things into the Same Glory The Comming of Christ is Compared to the Day 1 Thes. 5.5 Ye are Children of the Day And so 2 Pet. 1.1 Till the Day dawne The Lord Jesus as He riseth like a Sun upon the World first diffuseth Himselfe through the Skie of the Angelicall Nature Then falls as a Glory upon the Tops of the Mountaines the Higher Parts of the Earth the Soules of Men From thence He slides downe into Plaines and Lower Valleies The Bodily Part of Things Unhappy He That Sees not the Comming of Christ into His own Soul What is it which He Sees not He Sees not the Sweetnesse in His Saviour's Eyes A Forgiving A Melting A Molding A Ravishing Sweetnesse A Sweetnesse that freely Forgives
us ready now to discover Himself when we are weeping for His Absence and complaining that some-body hath carryed Him away as Mary complain'd to Himself in the likenesse of a Gardener The Sun in a Mist or Fog steals on upon the World unperceiv'd at last he breaks forth and we wonder to see him so farre advanc'd towards High-noon So doth our Spirituall Sun still keep his pace behind the Clouds still mounting higher and higher When He shall discover we shal be amaz'd to see that he hath made so great a March in so short a Time We shall wonder how he hath stoln Himself and so much of Heaven unawares into the mid'st of us Then shal a man say How is a Goodly plant of Glory grown up to Heaven out of the Earth in one short Night of Trouble Jesus Christ is not Slack in His Comming 2 Pet. 3.9 Christ saith I go to prepare a place for you As a Rich Pillar or Stately work is often vail'd till it be quite finish't and then presented at once in its full beauty So the Lord stayes from Appearing that he may make ready a Glory Prepar'd for us when his worke is Perfect then will he disclose it and we with Admiration shal acknowledge that the Lord hath not bin slack in His Comming but hath made a great Approach to Men in a Little space of Time When God brought back our Captivity as Rivers in the South then were we as Men that Dream'd saith the Psalmist When our God shal take off the vail from that Glory which He is fashioning in the mid'st of us then shall we be as in a Dream It wil be hard to believe that such a Changed so new an Appearance of Things in so short a time can be Real and not Imaginary or Phantastick Ezek. 1.4 Out of the North came a Whirl-wind out of the Whirl-wind a Cloud and Fire out of the Cloud and Fire the Colour of Amber out of that Four living Creatures and Four Wheels the Chariot in which the Son of Man was seated on a Throne v. 26. Who can tell what Glory shall from Heaven visite the Earth when those Clouds which now are upon us shall open themselves In this Whirl-wind Clouds Fire Jesus Christ with a Traine of Gloryes hath bin all along descending and at last He shal alight amidst us Then shall the Whirl-wind Clouds and Fire be in a Moment dismist for ever at His Appearance 2. Comfort The way of Christ is among the Angels He comes with His Hâ—ly Angels Open then your eyes and see each good Man Counsail Interest with its Angel each Angel with His Jesus a Million of Angels in every One surrounding his Person Iob 38.22 We read of Treasures of Snow and Hail As Angels are the Chariots of Christ so they are His Chambers and Treasuries In the Sweetest season God can on a sodain bring forth from the Bosome of an Angel roaring Tempests which lay there ready prepar'd When Storms are most violent God sends forth an Angel at whose Appearance a Pleasant serenity shall immediately smile upon the face of Things when we are sad and see nothing abroad but Dark Clouds comming after the Raine and Showers of Blood Yet then our Angels in the midst of us those Invisible Chambers may be heap't full of rich Blessings which they can pour forth upon us more suddenly then we can think it Angels are the wombs of the God-Head in this Creation Iob 38.21 When all outward things seem barren of Hope those wombs may be Teeming and Big with joyes for us These are the Chariots of Israel and Horses thereof In the Head of these is Jesus Christ the Captaine of the Lords Host. Each of These is an Host nay a Legion of Armies nay a Fountain For in Scripture they are called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Principles or Springs of the world Let no face of Things dismay us Is one Army broken the Angel of the Lord Jesus is a Fountain of forces which can pour forth a continued store of fresh Armies if you need them Do we lose our friends Men of best Wisdome Courage and Integrity taken off the Stage or off their Excellencies The Angel that hath the Charge of this can unexpectedly disclose a new stock of worth and Race of Men Are our Enemies Politick or Potent yet we may sleep secure For the Holy Angels full of Eyes and Wings are planted round about them as a Guard upon them One Angel lies at the bottome of their Hearts as a Mine ready to spring it self upon their Counsailes when they are now ripe Another Angel wraps himselfe about the Foundation of their force as a Fire ready at His appointed Time to devoure it and them Angels are the unities of Things in the Creature Though the water of a River be continually passing away yet the River is still the same because 't is fed from One Spring There is One Angel of our Armies One of our Counsailes One for Strength One for Wisdowe One for Prosperity in which Jesus Christ comes forth among us Our Counsailes may be scatter'd our Armies broken yet we shall have the same Strength the same Army For both are fed from the same Unity their proper Angel Revel. 1.1 Christ tels Saint Iohn The Golden Candlesticks are the Churches c. 2. v. 5. He threatens the Angell of the Church to remove the Candlestick The Candlestick of Gold is the Church in the Spirit which is ever Entire ever Pure As this Candlestick is drawn into Heaven so a Company of Men on Earth lose the Beauty Unity and name of a Church When this Candlestick is againe let down into the Flesh and set upon the Earth The Church is the same againe in Integrity and Glory Thus the Vnity Strength Interests of Good Men are comprized in their Angel This is the Candlestick in which they alwaies shine When their Light seems lost in the greatest stormes 't is but the Candlestick Removed Jesus Christ can return that into its place in a Moment and so restore your Day Jesus Christ sends forth His Angels to gather His Saints from the four Winds at the resurrection When the Body of a Saint crumbles and scatters into Dust Every Dust lies gather'd up into the Bosome of some Holy Angel There all the Single Dusts are comprehended in one Form of a Glorious Body In This Form the Angel brings them forth at the Call of Christ This is the Resurrection of the Body This is as true of each Piece of Life and Death in our Persons or Affaires while yet we are on Earth When our Happinesse Hopes and Hearts are ground into the smallest Dust They then lie Compact and compleat in their Angelicall Chamber on a sudden as at the Blast of an Angels Trumpet or Glance of an Angels Eye can Jesus Christ give our Dead Hopes a Glorious Resurrection out of their Dust Let us then in the midst of our Sorrows sing The Lord Raignes Let the Earth be glad The Lord Comes Clouds are upon us but Angels ride upon those Clouds and the Lord Iesus upon those Angels Open your Eyes see the King as He comes in Glorious State If Elisha saw Eliah as he ascended he was to have the spirit of his Master doubled upon him If we see our Saviour as He descends in a Divine Glory we shall be cloth'd with His Spirit and His Mantle Inward Beauties Outward Prosperities falling fresh from the Person of Christ on us as He comes down upon us Let us then spread our own Garments our Earthly Powers Policies or Prosperities in His way under His feet And as He passeth along let us cry aloud in our songs Hosanna Hosanna Save now Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord Hosanna Now Save us FINIS Epist. 1. Part. Salut 1. Descrip. 2. Descrip. 3. Descrip. 2. Part. Pref. 1. Head 2. Distinct 2. Distinct 2. Head 3. Head 4. Head 1. Consid. 2. Consid. 1. Enquiry 3. Enquiry 2. Ground 3. Ground 2. Vse 2 Chron. 6.18 2. Caut. Use 3.
THE CLOUDS IN WHICH CHRIST Comes OPENED In a SERMON before the Honourable House of COMMONS assembled in Parliament upon the Solemne Day of their Monthly Fast Octob. 27. 1647. By PETER STERRY Sometimes Fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge AND Now Preacher of the Gospel in LONDON Published by Order of that House LONDON Printed for R. Dawlman and are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne and Bible at Dowgate neere Canning street 1648. Die Mercurii 27 Octob. 1647. ORdered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament That M. Lisle do from this House give thankes to M. Sterry for the great paines he took in his Sermon Preached this day at Margarets Westminster before the House of Commons and that he desire him to Print his Sermon wherein he is to have the like priviledge in printing of it as others in the like kinde usually have had H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appoint Robert Dawlman to Print this Sermon and no man else PETER STERRY TO THE HONORABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT Noble Senatours NOt like Araunah in the Holy Story as a King in Spirituall Things but like the Widow in the Gospell Poore in the Riches of Christ and too much a Widow by the absence of her Heavenly Spouse my Soule hath offered from her Penury to your Treasury Yet as a Steward have I endeavoured to be Faithfull bringing forth the Best of my Spirit for Service and Food to your Spirits as the Priests of old gave the Fat of the Sacrifices to the Flame on the Altar As the Royall Preacher sought out Choice Words so have I sought for the most Pleasant most Profitable most Powerfull Discoveries of God in my Scanty Store in the midst of that Thick Ignorance which covers my Poore Heart Now I have laid them at your Feet where they lye as Scattered and Dry Bones except the Spirit of our Lord Iesus breath upon them bring them together infuse a Warmth Power and Beauty into them to make them Living Company for you Not able to bring Stately and Costly Beasts to the Sanctuary I have made it my Desire and Designe to present for an Offering before God and You a Payre of Turtle Doves Simplicity and Sweetnesse or an Innocent Integrity with an Humble Meekenesse I hope both are if not without blemish because they have alighted on my Heart yet of the right-breed of that Dove which descended from Heaven and alighted on the Head of our Lord Iesus And now what is my Expectation For my owne Soule for my Brethren in the Flesh all the Children of Seth for the rest of my Fellow Creatures which groane continually in my Eares Is not my desire and Sighing before thee O my God Even This The Descent of the Dove upon them the Manifestation of the Spirit in them the True Iubile the Divine Liberty of the whole Creation All within me testifies of this Spirit to me All without me proclaimes this Spirit before Me as the Spring of my Ioyes the End of my Faith the Glorification of my Person and not of mine onely but of all those who are rooted in this Principle of Life what ever the Soile of Education Profession or Custome be in which they are Planted whatever the Barke of Opinion or Affection be in which for the present they are Inclosed The most Known Men for Wisedome in all Languages Learnings Religions Ages Regions have worship't have waited for This Eternall Spirit The Vnderstanding of the World riding forth in a Chariot of Light upon the Face of all Formes of Things The Good Converting All Things into it selfe The Vnity or some-thing above an Vnity To {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Supreame Band of Vnity and Multiplicity This Spirit brought forth from it selfe the Creation and still sits upon it hatching it till it breake the Shell of This Darke Flesh and spring forth into its owne Life and Image The Lord Iesus is this Spirit who is before Abraham was by whom the Worlds were Made who is a Spirit Comprehending Cherishing Enclosing Comming forth into all the Fleshly Births of Time This Iesus came Himselfe in the Last of Times into Flesh was by His Crosse drawn up out of it into Spirit and now by the same way is drawing up all Things after Him into the same Spirit That your selves and these Kingdomes may Feele Obey Enjoy the Drawings of this Iesus the Descents of his Spirit is the Affectionate Prayer of him who is Your Honours lowest Servant in Christ PETER STERRY Reader thou art intreated before thou Reade to mend with thy Pen these Greater faults escaped in Printing Pag. 3. lin. 15. read the blade eare and huske to the Corne p. 7. l. 22. r. Rayes p. 18. l. 7. r. slides l. 21. r. Ayre p. 21. l. 30. r. Sea of this Creation to seeth p. 23. l. 3. r. were for the most part by flames p. 29. l. 26. r. Day p. 39. l. 18. r. in the Course p. 54. l. 4. r. Things When A SERMON Preached at a late Fast before the Honourable House of COMMONS REVEL. 1.7 Behold he commeth with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him THE CONTEXT I Shall make my way through the Context to my Text so shall we fall more Clearly and Kindly into it Saint Iohn in this Book makes from His Time a Discovery of Those Things which Are and Are to Be till the World should Be no more So the Greek addes to the second verse this Clause Both Those things that Are and Those things which are Ordained to Be after Them The Manner and Matter of this Discovery are Both exprest in the Title and First words of this Book The Revelation of Iesus Christ Divines tell us There are Two Glasses in which All Things are seen that are seen by a Prophetick Light or a Light of Glory The Person of our Lord Iesus and The Trinity The Scene of this whole Discourse or Discovery called The Revelation from one end of the Book to the other lyes in the Person of our Blessed Saviour This Divine Discourse is cast into the forme of an Epistle convey'd by the Tongue of an Angel the Hand of an Evangelist to the Seven Churches in Asia This Epistle hath Foure Parts 1. A Salutation 2 A two-fold Preface 3. A Narration 4. A Conclusion The Salutation begins with the fourth verse and ends where my Text begins It consists of Prayers and Praises Both Parts Prayer and Praise have for their Design a Description of that Person which is the Ground and Argument of all that Prophetick story which the Epistle represents From and In Heaven This Person is our Iesus not according to that Fleshly Shape in which He walkt among men below but according to that Spirituall Forme that Divine Figure in which He sits with God and shines forth on Angels above 1. Prayer The First Part
of the whole World And so He answers their Question teaching them that as all Creatures are the Print of his Feet so their whole Conduct is the Motion of His Feet Their Commotions His Commings on upon them As the Whale moveth himselfe under the Waters the Billows rise and rowl the Deep boyles like a Pot. Before our Saviour's time Lucifer was the Leviathan that made the Sea to seeth about him like a Pot of Ointment Now our Lord Jesus sports Himselfe in these Waters He makes his way under them and as he moves The Deepes of Mens Spirits Counsailes Common-wealths boyle the whole Frame of Things reel and rowl themselves into violent Concussions like Waves of the Sea This is the third sort of Clouds Rowling Ones 4. Cloudes of Angels My Text saith Christ comes with Cloudes Saint Paul saith 2 Thes. 1.7 The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels Our Lord Jesus tels us Mat. 26.64 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting at the Right Hand of Power and comming in the Clouds of Heaven He speakes of the same thing Mark 8.50 In this Phrase When He commeth in the Glory of his Father with the Holy Angels These Parallel places make those expressions seem Parallel Angels Cloudes The Prophet discourseth of all sorts of Meteors Psa. 104.3 4. The upper Waters Clouds Winds Spirits or Blasts Flames of Fire This is interpreted expresly of Angels Heb. 1.7 And of Angels He saith He hath made His Angels Spirits His Ministers a Flame of Fire These are the Waters in which the Chambers of God are the Clouds which are His Chariot the Winged Windes on which He rides the Flames in which He Comes Saint Paul joynes these Two Angels and Flames at the Comming of Christ 2 Thes. 1.7 8. The Lord shall be revealed from Heaven with His Mighty Angels And with Flaming Fire The Flame of Fire is Heat working it selfe into Light This is the Immediate Image and Instrument of Angels in this visible World thorow this they appeare and work All the Appearances of God under the Law were by Angels All the Appearances of Angels were by Flames or Light The Angel went up from Manoah in a Flame Iud. 30.20 He appeared to Moses in a Flame Exod. 3.2 The Angels came downe upon the sacrifices in a Flame The Lord Jesus shall come in a Flame of Angels The Glory of God in Christ as he comes the second time breaks forth upon the Angels In these He Flames out upon the Bodily Part of Things as Fire dissolving them in their own shapes and resolving and raising them into Angelicall Formes These are the Heavenly Flames of Glory in which Saints are Blessed the Fire of Hell in which Evill men are tormented Angelicall Forms In this sense Jesus Christ tels us Luke 17.22 that Lazarus being dead was carryed by Angels into Abraham's Bosome That Glory of God which is cal'd Abraham's Bosome a Type of the Fathers Bosome was revealed in the Angels in them it over-shadowed Lazarus withdrawing Him out of this Present State and gathering Him up unto these Spirits which are the Fathers of the Earthly Man Accordingly we read Mark 13.27 He shall send forth His Angels and gather His Elect from the Four Windes This shall be the Resurrectin of the Body when this visible Image and life which was as wind breath'd forth by God from the Bosome of those Angelicall Flames shall by their opening themselves upon it be again taken in to God in these Spiritual Chambers In the same sence Angels are called the Chariots of God Psa. 68.17 The Chariots of the Lord are Twenty Thousand even Thousands of Angels The second Comming of Christ is not on Foot as a Servant The Image of the First Adam in a visible shape 'T is as of a Prince in his chariot The Image of God in the Angelical Being Cant. 3.8 Solomons Chariot had Pillars of silver Covering of Purple Bottome Gold in the mid'st Love for the Daughters of Hierusalem Divine Glory the Foundation Divine Love the Center in that Foundation Pillars of Silver Angelicall Beauties and strengths the Covering of Purple the Glorious Humanity of Christ in Royall State Comprehending all This is the Chariot which the Lord Jesus hath prepared for His Spouse This is the Forme in which He rides forth at his second Comming thorow the Whole Creation taking up to Him the Daughters of Hierusalem both in Soul and Body at their severall Seasons As Angels are the Chariots of Fire in which the Lord rides forth the second Time So are they the Horses of Fire on which He rides Revel. 6. As the Seales are opened A Man comes forth on Horse-back The Man is the Image of God the Lord Jesus who comes forth in every various forme as in a severall Dresse for several Designes The Horse is the Particular Forme of Invisible Glory the Angel on which He is Mounted I will make an end of this Discourse with that Place Mark 8.1 Where Christ speaking of his Comming joynes these Two the Glory of the Father and the Holy Angels As the Man on the Horse He shall come in the Glory of His Father and the Holy Angels In our Saviour's Person as He comes in the Spirit the Glory of the God-head shal be as a Sea the Angelicall Glories as Ships on this Sea All Formes of Things in this visible State shall be taken off the Earth of their own Grosse and Dul Principles into these Mysterious Ships in which they shall be carried on still further and further into the Ocean of the God-head I have now describ'd those Clouds in which Christ comes which was the second Head 3. Head The clearnesse of Christs Appearance Every Eye shall see Him There is a Two-fold Eyes 1st The Inward 2. The Outward Eye 1st The Inward Eye shall see Christ Saint Paul speaks of this Ephes. 1.18 The Eye of your understanding being Enlightened The Eye of the understanding is the Inward Eye This also is Two-fold 1st A Naturall 2. A Divine Eye The Naturall Eye is that of Reason which is alwayes open in all Men so farre as they are Men The Divine Eye is for many yeares many ages quite shut up in the Soul ever since the Creation untill the Regeneration This Eye is a Divine Principle or Faculty of seeing Things the Supreame Power of Knowing as God Knows and is Known Saint Iohn speaks of this Eye 1 Iohn 3.2 When He appeares we shall be like Him For we shall see Him as He is The Proper Light and Object of This Eye is Jesus Christ in the Spirit as He is the Brightnesse and Image of the God-head As a Sun-beame beating with a strong Light upon the Naturall Eye So shall the Lord Jesus awaken this Eye in Man by setting Himselfe in it And now how cleer how sweet how satisfactory must this sight be 'T is a Fit Union of an Object Suitable to a Proportion'd Power or Faculty that gives
the blackest and most Trecherous Hearts A Sweetnesse that kindly Melts the hardest and most untam'd Hearts A Sweetnesse that gently Molds into a Spouse-like frame the roughest Hearts A Sweetnesse that ravisheth the most despairing Hearts into an Extasie of Supreame immortall joyes Vnhappy he that sees not the comming of Christ into the soules of men What is it which He sees not He sees not the Tabernacle of God among men the Distance lessening betweene Heaven and Earth the Glory of the Godhead growing to a Fuller Tide and winning upon the World as the Sea eating in upon the Land He cannot discerne the Times and their Changes How or Why they are the Fatality of Persons and Kingdomes their Periods For these Flourish and Fall as they Fall in with Fall off from or Fall foule upon the Comming of Christ He is the Corner-stone 1 Pet. 2.6 Mat. 21.24 Whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken on whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder Is it Day-break yet in our soules Doe we see how it growes Lighter and Lighter in the Souls of Men If we doe not perceive those Streakes and Flakes of Light which multiply upon the spirits of men pointing out the neere Approach of our long-lookt-for Sunne Let us clothe our selves with shame and confesse We are Physitians of no value We have not seen that Beame which is in our owne Eye not suffering us to discerne Day-light But as we are Blind so let us be Beggers too And as that Blind Begger in the Gospel let us sit by the way in which Christ comes and as we heare the noyse of his passing by let us cry aloud Thou Son of David King of Spirits have mercy on us Lord Iesus that we also may receive our sight that our Fleece may not be dry while it raines on the rest of the earth that our Soules may not be in the Dark while Glory flowes in upon other Spirits Doe you see your Saviour as He comes in the Visible Part of Things Mat. 24.8 The Lord Jesus discoursing of His Comming having before spoken of Warres Famines Pestilences Earth-quakes tels us in this Verse All these are the Beginning of Sorrowes 'T is in Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Beginning of Pangs The Commotions and Strife in This visible Frame are the Pangs and Throes by which It labours to bring forth Christ in the Spirit Psal. 97.4 5. You may reade the Manner and Discovery of this Approaching Glory His Lightnings enlightned the World The Earth Saw and Trembled The Hils melted like Wax at the Presence of the Lord at the Presence of the Lord of the Whole Earth Nations Kingdomes Nature the Elements feele the Approach of Jesus Christ and receive the Impression of His Presence increasing upon them How unnaturall then are we if we be insensible of it how Worthy to be cast forth from the Nature of Things into the Outermost Darknesse Seas of Common-wealths and Counsailes rowle and roare Mountaines of Worldly Greatnesse melt away Rocks of Humane Strength after the firmest Combinations and Consolidations cleave asunder Doe we not yet perceive the Lord Jesus The Earth Hearts quake Pestilences are kindled A Smoke of Obscurity Vncertainty and Confusion flyes over the Face of Things A Fire Burnes Doe we not yet feele our Saviour His Enlightnings Enlighten the whole Earth Extraordinary Passages of Providence little lesse than Miracles to confirme the Presence of Christ in the midst of us High and Heavenly Truths publishing themselves even as the Brightnesse of His Comming These frequent Flashings forth of His Glory are the Enlightnings with which He Enlightens the Earth Doe we not yet See Jesus Christ Heb. 1.2 The Holy Ghost begins to speak of the 2d Comming of Christ v. 6. He goes on discoursing of the Same Thing to the 12. Verse There He saith to Him As a Vesture thou shalt folde them up meaning Heaven and Earth and They shall be Changed Suppose a Man by Miracle Borne and Grown up in One Midnight Day now begins to come on This Man to whom All Things were almost alike before now perceives Barren Shores Hanging Cliffes Devouring Seas on one Hand on another Pleasant Fields Faire Buildings a Peacefull Country As the Light increaseth the Face of these Things still Changeth Presenting Fresh Horrours and fuller Beauties Would not this Man Amazedly Wonder whence these Formes of Things should grow round about Him with such Sodainnesse and Change till He look't upward and Saw the Light of Heaven as It goes on in it's Course visiting the Earth and thus Changing it as a Garment Who is not Amazed to See the Changes that are made in the Garment of This Earth One Day we see it as a Field Flourishing with faire Hopes another Day that Field vanish't and in its Place as a City on Fire or a Sea of Blood He that now discerns not the Light of Heaven the Brightnesse of the Godhead which is Christ Comming upon us and thus Changing us what manner of Night is He in Sure a Night as Black as the Shadow of Death The Night is a Season for Heavinesse You that See not the Lord Jesus how He comes up upon the Earth and Invades it with His Troops as the Prophet speaks Habak. 3. Sit downe in Heavinesse Sensible of that Night which Surrounds You. But as you Sit Watch as the Watch-men for the Morning This second Comming of Christ is as the dayes of Noah The Lord Jesus in the Spirit shall be both Ark and Flood An Ark to those which are taken into Christ 〈◊〉 them high above all miseries towards Heaven 〈…〉 carrying away insensible Persons and Scorners 〈…〉 Woe This is the First Ground of Humiliation Insensiblenesse Unsuitablenesse in our Counsailes to the Course of Christ's Comming The Comming of Christ calls for Two Things 1st A Respect to Christ in all our Counsailes 2. A Resignation to Christ for the Conduct of Those Counsailes 1. A Respect to Christ in Counsaile Ezekiel saw The Glory of God Ezek. 1. This Glory was the Spirituall Frame of our Saviours Divine Comming upon His Chariot composed of Living Creatures and Wheels Angels Spiritualized Bodies Angelized In this vision He saw the State of Jerusalem and accordingly forewarn'd the Jewes As the shadow went back upon the Dyal of Ahaz so Hezekiah's life was set back from Death The Person of our Lord Jesus is the Diall of Time as the Godhead is in the Course of it's Glory advances or withdraws upon this Diall So it points out the Rise or Ruine of Persons and Things We read Revel. 1. That God gave to Christ the Revelation of Things by a Light of Glory in His own Person to this end that He might shew to His Servants what will quickly Be Our Lord Jesus is that Word of God which is to be the Man of our Counsailes On Him we are to look in Him to see what should be by seeing God in His
God comes forth before us in all our Objects There is a Two-fold Enmity in our affections towards this Two-fold Intent of Christ in His Comming 1. An Adhesion to the Flesh 2. An Aversenesse from the Spirit 1st The First Enmity is an Adhesion to the Life of Flesh Our soules cleave to the Flesh-pots Our Spirits are drawn down into a land of Bondage and detain'd there by the Rank scent of Garlike and Onions We are very unwilling to travell thorow a wildernesse though it be unto a Land flowing with Milk and Honey We are like Lot we know not how to leave this Sodome of the Flesh till we be drawn forth by the Hand of Angels Then we are still like Lot's wife when we are come forth from the City of this World casting a longing look back upon it in the midst of its Flames But if we be like her in her fault let us be so too in the Consequence of it She was chang'd into a Pillar of salt So may we as in answer to the Type if we bring forth a Spirit of Remorse and Fire like salt to consume the Fleshly Corrupting Part that the Divine Part may be preserv'd untainted to Eternity 2. The second Enmity is an Aversenesse from the Spirit Jesus Christ promised His Disciples the Effusion of the Spirit at the Disappearance of His Flesh He spake to them of Divine Powers Lights Gloryes Joyes of the Highest Company and Contents which should come when His Spirit came Yet the Disciples were sad and as dead men still when their Saviour spake of His Death The Spirit appear'd to them a Miserable Comforter and Comfort when they were no more to have a grosse sight of their Jesus in Flesh He was as None to them when He was to be Onely in the Spirit When Peter felt Himselfe born up alone by the working waves he feares faints and begins to sink though he have the Call of Christ to carry him on and Christ Himselfe in his Eye to infuse Spirits into him This is an Example for us When we cal'd by God begin to feel the Foundations of the Earth and the Seeming-firme Land of Sense withdrawing from us when we are now Lanching forth into the Sea of the God-head we no sooner feel our selves left upon the waters of the Spirit to be sustain'd by them but Immediately we sink our selves by our feares and unbeliefe Let us then now weep that we have refused the All-quickning Spirit which is our Jesus as if there were no Life in this Spirit or no Light in this Life as if God were a wildernesse and the Building of God had no Foundation or Fairenesse in it Let us now returne weeping and say We have feared to commit our loves hopes and joyes to Thee O meek O Mighty Iesus But all our Springs are in Thee those that feed our outward senses our inward Faculties with Streames of Life Truth Strength and Pleasures Thou art our onely Husband the Image of all Loves and Lovelinesse to us the Best Image of our selves Come thou downe upon us appeare in thine Invisible gloryes and make our soules ere they are aware like the Chariots of Aminadab Thus I have concluded the First Use for Humiliation For Caution Take heed of making any Opposition against the Comming of the Lord Iesus I shall begin this use with an humble profession that my desire is to have every thing which I speake understood as proceeding from him who would faine speak and live in a Continuall sense of the Doubtfull Dimnesse of that Light of Reason which twinkles in his breast as also of the want of oyl to feed the Flame of the Spirit to any Height or Constancy I do therefore onely present what passeth from me submitting all ever to any Brighter Light in whatsoever Candle-stick it shine My care shall be especially in the subject of this use while I am in this Twi-light to avoid Particular Conclusions and Peremptory Determinations I shall in these Termes set before you these Two Cautions 1. Take heed how you Iudge or Confine the Comming of Christ 2. Take heed how you furiously oppose any thing that pretends to the Advancement of Christ in His Comming 1. Caution Take heed how you Iudge or Confine the Comming of Christ and that for Two Reasons 1. He comes as a Spirit 2. He comes in the Darke 1. Reason Christ comes as a Spirit Who can foreknow or set the wayes of a Spirit who can comprehend a Spirit in any outward Forme Is it not free to All and from All When Christ was risen he sometimes put on those shapes in which he had formerly liv'd or died as to Thomas Sometimes he cloth'd Himselfe with strange shapes sometimes uncloth'd Himselfe of All For now He was raised into the Spirit in which as in a Divine Ward-robe he comprehended All shapes to put Himselfe forth in them or to put them under His Feet at pleasure Saint Paul thus reasons Colos. 2.20 If ye be dead in Christ why as living in the Flesh are ye subject to Ordinances which perish in the using But this Reasoning is much more strong If Christ be Risen from the dead why do we subject Him to Ordinances as if He were still living in the Flesh or rather as if He were not come in the Flesh who is the Lord of All Fleshly Rites Formes are sweet Helpes but too severe Lords over our Faith They may be Ornaments to our Face and Neck serving the Beauty of Christ's Appearances to us and His union with us But then they must be of Gold or Precious stone taken out of the Mine or Treasury of the Spirit So worne they may become the Heires at age the Spirit-born Princes But if they be of Iron or Brasse laid upon our Feet and Hands that is Grosse in Fleshly Darknesse binding up the Activity and Motion of our Spirits towards God then are they sad Marks of the Bond-womans Children The Body is esteem'd a Prison or Grave to the Soul because it tyes the Soul up into One Particular Appearance suffering it not to enlarge it selfe to any other but as they are reflected in This Glasse When the Eternall Spirit is fast'ned and proportion'd to any One Form of Things is it not now imprison'd or buried It was a seasonable and High Contemplation that of Solomon at the Consecration of the Temple The Heavens Heavens of Heavens cannot hold thee How much lesse this House which I have made When we Consecrate or converse with any Ordinance or Peculiar way of worship let us then remember that our Object is the Person of Jesus Christ that Wisdome of God whose way is more untrac'd than the Eagle whose extent is wider than the Earth The Heavens of Heavens cannot take in All of Him to Containe or Confine Him much lesse any One Ordinance in this world or Fleshly Fashion 'T is in vain to attempt to shut up Christ in any Thing Though you kill Him that you
our Saviour prayes for Colos. 2.9 In whom the Fulnesse of the God-head dwels Bodily The whole Man-hood of Christ Body as well as Soule was so farre enlarged so farre Spiritualized as to take in and hold forth the God-head Fully It was heightned to Both the Fulnesse and Forme of God But we must take heed that we doe not mis-understand this and while we strive to have a Distinct View of our Saviour in Glory confound Him and our Selves To this purpose we must use the help of a Two-fold Distinction The Person of our Saviour is exalted to this Glory not by the Annihilation or Swallowing up of the Humanity into the Divinity but by the Union and Communion of Both Natures in One Person Neither doth this Glory come upon our Head and Husband by a Confusion of God and Man the Creator and the Creature but by a Free Complyance of God with Man a Full Conformity of Man to God the Creature to the Creator The Glorification of the Humanity by the Divinity is no Confusion but a Communion no Annihilation but a Transfiguration Such was the Person of our Saviour at His Ascension Such is He when againe He Descends upon us at His Second Comming So Himselfe witnesseth Mark 8.38 When He Commeth in the Glory of His Father The Angel so fore-told the God-like manner of our Saviour Comming the Second Time Act. 1.11 This same Iesus which ye see taken up from you into Heaven shall so come as ye have seene Him goe into Heaven Behold how your Master ascends and as he ascends he puts off his Earthly Appearance growes Invisible and vanishes into the Glory of God So in the same Divine manner in the same Glory Invisible to Mortall Eyes He shall come againe to you Such as He is now at His Entrance into Heaven such shall He be at his Re-entrance into the World Christ at his First Comming was a God in the forme of an Earthly Man of a Worme the Lowest of Men at his Second Comming He is a Man a Worme the lowest of Men in the Forme of God And now the Last is First This is the Spirituality of our Saviour's Comming in the First Respect in His Person 2. Appearance Our Lord comes the Second Time into the World not so much by Change of Place as of Appearance Ephes. 1.10 Saint Paul speaks of he Father and of Christ That in the Dispensation of the Fulnesse of Time he might gather together in One All Things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth even in Him The Dispensation of the Fulnesse of Time is the Discovery of Eternity which gathers up into One undivided State All Times Past Present To Come and is therefore called the Fulnesse of Time which is the Shadow to this Body This Dispensation began at Christ's Ascension and was then perfected in His Person Now was our Lord fully Glorified Now He saw All Things in the Beatificall Vision in the God-head after a manner as unchangeable as God Nothing passed away nothing was to Come From the Heighth of Heaven above to the Depth of the Earth and the Creature below He possesseth All Things in One Glory even in Himselfe To Him then there is now no more Roome for Ascent or Descent for Change of Time or Place What then is His Second Comming 'T is His Shining forth upon the rest of the Creatures that as He comprehends Himselfe and All Things in God So They may comprehend All Things and Themselves in Him Our Saviour speaks this plainly Mat. 24.27 For as the Lightning commeth out of the East and shineth unto the West even so shall also the Comming of the Son of Man be Saint Paul cals it an Appearance Colos. 3.4 Your Life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our Life shall appeare then shall we appeare with Him in Glory The Person of Christ is taken into the Glory of God This is invisible not to it selfe nor any thing like it selfe but to Eyes of Flesh Thus Our Saviour is Hid as God is by the Greatnesse of the Glory In His Second Comming He is as the Brightnesse of the God-head breaking forth upon the World discovering it self as a New Root of Immortality below the Natural Root of each Creature and clothing upon each Appearance with a New Appearance of Glory Thus the Comming of Christ is an Enlargement of Himselfe from the same Center yet not to Himself but others So Saint Paul calls this Comming A Revelation from Heaven 2 Thes. 1.7 And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven In this sense Saint Peter speakes Act. 3.20 21. And He shall send Iesus Christ c. whom the Heavens must receive till the restitution of All Things When our Lord Ascended He was raised above all Heavens into God from thence immediately He goes on shining forth and dispensing the Glory of God through the Heavens the Invisible part of this Creation Angells and Spirits of Men Within this Limit He containes his Beames till the Last Day Then He shall Enlarge His Circuite to take in the Visible and Bodily Part of Things when They also shall be Restored and Returne into that Glory and Divinity out of which They fell There is One Thing more to be observed before we passe from this Head The Second Comming of Christ is Graduall As the Sun when it is gone from us to the utmost Point of Heaven South-ward immediately Returnes So our Saviour began His Comming again into the World at His Ascension so soone as He had reaeh't the furthest Point of Distance from the Creature in the Heigths of the Creatour We reade Heb. 1.6 And again when He bringeth His First-begotten Son into the World He saith Let all the Angells of God Worship Him Thus it is read in the English Translation But as a late Learned Critick hath observed it runs Thus in the Greek When He that is the Father bringeth His First-begotten Sonne againe into the World c. This place thus read manifestly joynes together the Ascention of our Lord and His Comming the Second time into the World For when was it that Proclamation was made among the Angels to Worship Jesus Christ Was it not then when He Ascended and sate downe at the Right Hand of God So it is cleerly seene Philip 2. 9t 10. Wherefore God also hath Highly exalted Him and given Him a Name above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow So soone as our King is entred into the Divine Glory and hath there received the Ointment of the God-head immediately He comes forth and begins to shew Himselfe in a Progresse of Glory thorow the Creatures to receive their Fealty and Homage Revel. 6.2 The Coronation of Christ and his Comming forth in a Spirituall Beauty are conjoyn'd by Saint Iohn who there begins his Prophetick Story and makes this the opening of the First Seale
Satisfaction and Certainty Here the Divine Eye is the Faculty the Supreame Image is the Object the Vnion is the Spirit of Unity Each Image each Eye each Sight is not so much as a Dream Shadow Glance to This where the Eye of Heaven and the Beauty of Heaven possesse each other in One Spirit 2. The Outward Eye shall see Christ Now the Inward Powers of the Soul are unrighteously detain'd as by an Imprisonment or Buriall in the Exterior Senses But when Christ comes the Outward Man with His Faculties and Senses shall be taken in by the Intellectuall and Spirituall Man as the Tabernacle was into the Temple So Both shall see the same Glory by the same Light Saint Paul tels us 1 Thes. 4.16 The Lord Himself shall descend with a Shout with the voyce of an Arch-Angel with the Trump of God The Lord Jesus shall fill the Angels with the Discoveries of the God-head as Trumpets with a Loud Blast or Triumphant Flourish Thorow them this Double noise the Shout of Divine Appearances the Voice of Angelicall Gloryes shall come rushing like a Mighty Wind upon the Dead Saints and awaken their Bodyes into the same Harmony as they had done before their souls So Both shall be a Treasure of Divinity in an Angels vessell To this agrees that of Jesus Christ Mark 12.25 They shall be as the Angels in Heaven Speaking of the Resurrection which is the Comming of Christ to the Body Then shall our Bodyes be in our Soules as a Lesse Angel in a Greater Christ as He comes transfigures Both into Angelicall shapes so pours forth Himselfe into Both and Both enjoy the Clearnesse of His Appearance 4. Head The Sweetnesse that flowes from Christs Appearance And all the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn over Him Sweet Teares upon a Sweet Subject Christ when he shines out pierceth the Hearts of Men with the Golden-headed Arrow of Love and Loving Griefe by a Four-fold Discovery 1st Of the Eternall Relation between Christ and the Soul Christ comes and All the Saints with Thee Hos. 4.5 When Thou appearest then thou Discoverest All His Saints in Thine Hand in thine Heart Deut. 33.3 Thou shewest thy selfe O King of Saints as the Everlasting Father the Father which hath sent forth All Generations from the mid'st of his own Tender Bowels This is the First Discovery 2. Of the Eternall Affection in Christ to the Soul Divines say that the wounds shall appeare in the Glorified Body of Christ when He Appeares 'T is true that he opens His Bosome and shewes those Wounds of Love which he had there from Eternity and those Wounds too which He received on the Crosse as they are Glorifyed in His Eternall Love 3. Of the Emptynesse and Eternall losse of those Things for which we undervalued our Saviour 4. Of the excesse and Eternity of Glory which we shall see comming forth upon us in the Person of Christ As at the Discovery of Ioseph He and his Brethren fell upon the Neck of each other and wept So will this Discovery in the Appearances of Christ bring a sweet Confusion upon the Spirits of Men Then shall a Man fall at the feet of His Saviour and weeping say O my Iesus Thou art my Father Brother Husband Selfe While there were other Things I loved other Things more than Thee Now they are Everlastingly gone and have left me alone Yet now thou ownest me See as thou breakest forth thou drownest my sins and me in a Flood of Glory in thy Selfe O my Iesus Thou breakest my Heart I have now pass'd thorow the Doctrinall Part of the Point distinguish'd into Foure Heads The Application 1. For Humiliation I shall first present you with a Preparative to the Vse and then put into your Hands the Use it selfe 1. The Preparative Worthy Patriots I shall humbly undertake to be a Remembrancer to your Piety and Prudence in a Two-fold Consideration for a Preparative The First Consideration is this 'T is now many years since our Fasts and our Fights have been mutually interwoven Yet what Profit have we of the One what Peace from the Other what end of either Still we fast still we fight if not in Camps yet more dangerously in Counsailes Our ship is fil'd with waves more still pressing in ready to sink it So that we may cry O God! carest thou not that we perish in the mid'st of all our Prayres Praises Fasts and Holy Feasts Now you are met againe to fast and pray Now put on your Tenderest Bowels of pity and affection So look upon this poore Kingdome which hath wrapt up in it your Countreymen your Kinred all your Dearest and sweetest Relations Nay that which to you sure should be more than all These the Glory of your God See it trembling and hovering between A Heaven of Reformation all good Angels and Men striving to raise it up thither and A Hell of Ruine the weight of all Devils and bad Men hanging upon it to sinke it downe thither Let this sight melt you Let it move you to call up all your strength this once to cry mightily to God Who Knows what this One Day may do to Crosse the feares to Crown the hopes and toyle of many yeares if it please the Eternall Spirit to blow right and strong upon your Spirits this One Day Six dayes the Army of Israel compassed Iericho yet still It stood On the seventh Day they compassed it seven Times at the seventh Time the Priests blew with the Trumpets and the people gave a Mighty shout and the walls of Iericho fell downe flat to the Ground This is the First Consideration The second Consideration is this No teares prevaile with God but such as are wept over Jesus Christ All the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn over Him If Jesus Christ be not the Flame in our Breast that melts our Hearts if He be not the Object that draws forth our Teares though we weep Blood our Blood will be but as Water spilt upon the Ground If we grieve and not in Christ our Griefe is Hypocrisie or at best but Formality If we grieve and not for Christ our Griefe is Idolatry What makes the Discourses of men mutually understood and moving 'T is the union of Men in One Vniversall Spirit of Reason What makes Colours Sounds understood and moving in the Eye or Eare 'T is the union of Sense and Sensible Things in One Common Spirit or Principle of Sense If you will touch the Heart of God with your Prayers and Sorrowes it must be by a union between Him and you in One Vniversall Common Person the Lord Jesus God-Man Iacob obtained not the Blessing by Prayers and Tears alone But as He prayed and wept He held fast in His Armes the Angel of the Covenant Then shall the Day break upon us and we become as Princes with God when we pray and with our Jesus in our Armes when we weepe upon the Bosome of our Jesus If then you have any
own Formes what shall be by seeing God in All Formes of the Creature This is Reason say the Heathen A Connexion of Things Past with those which are Present a Derivation of Things to come out of Both for Discovery and Direction This is a Dark Shadow of Christ He is the Reason of a Christian who unites and represents by a Perfect Light all Three States of Things calling Himselfe by this Three-fold Name He that is He that was He that is to Come 2. A Resignation to Christ for Conduct This is the second Thing which Christ calls for in His second Comming I am Alpha and Omega saith the Lord He that is He that was He that is to Come the Almighty the All-comprehending Revel 1.8 The Spirituall Comming of Christ is the great Tide of Things this way the fulnesse of the God-head pours forth it selfe from Sea to Sea from the Beginning to the End of Things Both in Himselfe Happy is He who puts Himselfe into the Current of this stream swiftly smoothly safely shall He be carryed along upon it to His End There is Mention of a Wheel Prov. 20.26 The King shall bring the Wheel upon the Wicked Saint Iames speakes of the Wheel of the Creation Iames 3.6 For so 't is in Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Our Lord Jesus comes on as the Great Wheel of Things reposing in it selfe and rowling on with it selfe those who are taken up unto it But bringing it selfe over those which fall out of it and breaking them in pieces There are two Things which expresse an unsuitablenesse in our Counsailes to the Comming of Christ 1st The Directing our Paths by a Humane Prudence 2. The Designing an Earthly Power for the Pursuit 1st Unsuitablenesse The Directing our Paths by a Humane Prudence The Israelites in the wildernesse made a Golden Calfe for their Guide after the Example of the Aegyptians who worship'd an Ox for their Chiefe God For this Moses say they we know not what is become of Him What was the successe They were forc'd to embitter their Drink with the Powder of this Calfe Have any of you been thus tempted to make the Calf of Humane-Policy your Counsellour because this is the God of Nations or to think We know not what This Iesus or His Comming in The Spirit meane Shall we trust our selves and the Kingdome to a name an ayrie Fancy If you have been thus tempted I hope your own Piety and Prudence will prompt you to grind this Calf to Powder by a Penitent Contrition and make it bitter to your Spirits by a Kindly Remorse I humbly commend to you one story at large recorded 1 Sam. 13. Samuel promised Saul to come at a Day He delay'd Saul feared the Philistines comming upon Him with a Mighty Body the Dividing of the People from Him He growes weary of Samuel's stay and forceth Himselfe to sacrifice If you have so fal'n so forc'd your selves for such reasons to sacrifice to establish a worship without the Divine Appearances because they have been delay'd O repent and feare lest Samuel's message to Saul be to you also Now is the Kingdome divided from you this way by which you thought to confirme it to you Let us at last be Converted and become as Little children learning what that Meanes To Obey is better than Sacrifice and to Hearken than the fat of Rams To Hearken for the Breathings and whispers of the Lord Jesus to Obey the Breakings in of the God-head upon us is more than All Burnt-offerings or our Best Performances 2. Unsuitablenesse The Designing an Earthly Power for Pursuite of our Counsailes When Israel look'd round about upon the Interests Inclinations Imployments Sufficiencies of Neighbour-nations When Israel reflected upon her own Constitution Strength Numbers Had Israel Peace When Iehoshaphat joyn'd his ships with those of the King of Israel were not His ships broken in pieces Thou shalt destroy all them that go a whoring from Thee 'T is good for me to draw neer to the Lord saith the Holy Man Psal. 73.50 The Earthly Image is the Strumpet Humane Prudence the Eyes of this Harlot which are as snares Humane Power the Hands which are Nets and Bands He that is allured and caught by these is upon the Brink of a Deep Pit if not already sinking in it Gen. 9.17 Mention is made of a Serpent that biteth the Heels of the Horse so that His Rider falls backward The Policy of Man is a Serpent Power is the Horse on which He rides Take heed of making these your Trust or Triumph If you do your own Policy will bite the Heels of your Power and disorder that Your owne Power disordered will cast you to the Ground and then oppresse you with its own weight I passe now from the second Ground of Enmity to the Third 3. Ground Enmity in our Affections to the Intents of our Saviour's Comming The Intents of our Saviour's Comming are Two 1st To Consume the Flesh 2. To Call us into the Spirit 1st Intent of Christs Comming To Consume the Flesh Revel. 6. When our Jesus rides foremost upon a White-Horse he is followed by a Red Black Pale Horse bringing on Warre Famine Death These are His Troops with which He comes up upon the Nations and invades the Earth In the Progresse of this Mighty King as He goes on Conquering An Earth-quake shakes All Things the Sun becomes Black the Moon as Blood Stars fall like untimely figs Heaven passeth away as a Scroll rolled together v. 12.13.14 Thus all Fleshly strengths faint Gloryes fade at the presence of the Lord The most Spirituall Appearances of God thorow Flesh are darkned and dis-appeare The brightest of Fleshly Formes The fairest letter of the Highest Mysteries become seeds of Warre and sink in blood Men like Stars most Eminent for Height Lustre Influence fall thick to the Ground like untimely figs preventing their Maturity by their Ruine The most Flourishing Common-wealths the Fairest Churches like Heavens roll themselves into Confusion Thus Christ comes in Flaming Fire to all Flesh 2. Intent of Christs Comming is to Call us into the Spirit 2 Thes. 2.1 Paul speakes of The Comming of Christ and our Gathering together unto Him As the Horses of Fire and Chariots of Fire came down from Heaven to take Elijah up into them So the Lord Jesus descends in the Glory of the Spirit that He may raise us above the world riding with Him on the Circuits of the same Glory If I go away saith Christ I will come againe and take you to be there where I am Every Fleshly thing is a vaile between us and Divinity All our Conversation in the Flesh is an Alienation from God a Descent towards the Depths of Darknesse below The Lord Jesus comes forth in the Spirit consuming the vaile of Flesh like Fire Then we enjoy the same Appearances performe the same actions in a Divine Life While the Spirit is our Element God comes forth in us in all our Acts