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
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
and loyal to Jesus Christ what adultery is this Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Matth. 6.24 that woman that is not contented with one husband must needs be an harlot 3. The preferring of the world before Christ himself This is the height of covetousness and the height of this adultery what to make the members of Christ the members of an harlot Why worldlings those admiring thoughts are Christs those pains are Christs that love is Christs that time that care that earnestness is Christs they are all Christs and will you give that which is Christs unto the world and prefer the world before Christ with his own What live as professed prostitutes that prefer every one before their husbands how will this expose you to the scorn of men and Angels at the last day thy will come pointing and say This is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches Psal 52.7 this is the Gadaren that loved his swine more than Christ Jesus Love not the world said John 1 John 2.15 Christ is never precious in mans apprehension so long as the world seems glorious to him As we begin to relish sweetness in Christ so the world begins to be bitter to us Cui Christus incipit dulcâ—ssâ—â—e necess esto marescere mundum Bern. the more sweetness we taste in the one the more bitterness we taste in the other 3. We must look off the world in respect of its sinful honours what is this honour but a certain inordinate desire to be well thought of or well spoken of to be praised or glorified of men as if a man should run up and down streets after a feather flying in the aire and tossed hither and thither with the gusts and blasts of infinite mens mouths it is a question whether ever he get it but if he do it is but a feather such is this pride of life honour vain-glory it is hard to obtaine it but if obtained it is but the breath of a few mens mouths that alter upon every light occasion but that which is worst of all it hinders our sight of Jesus Christ not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 Heb 11.24 26. wordly honour keeps many back from Christ and therefore Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter esteeming the reproaches of Christ greater riches than all the Treasures of Egypt If the blind Man in the way to Jerico had depended on the breath or liking or approbation of the multitude he had never received the benefit of his sight Luke 18.39 for they saith the text which went before rebuked him that he should hold his peace they disswaded him from running crying so vehemently after Christ experience tells us how these things pull and draw us off from Jesus Christ the lusts of the eyes the lusts of the flesh and pride of life Question 2 But why must we look off every thing that diverts our looking unto Jesus 1. Because we cannot look fixedly on Christ and such things together and at once the eye cannot look upwards downwards at once in a direct line we cannot seriously mind heaven earth in one thought no man can serve two masters saith Christ especially such as jar Mat. 6.24 and who have contrary imployments as Christ and Mammon have 2. Because whiles we look on these things we cannot see the beauty that is in Christ suppose a squint look on Christ whilst we have a direct look on other things alas Christ will be of no esteem that while this was the voice of sinners concerning Christ he hath no form Isa 53.2 nor comeliness and when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Indeed beauty is the attractive of the soul the soul must see a beauty in that which it lets out it self to in desiring but our wishing looks on other things makes Christ but mean and contemptible in our eyes 3. Because all other things in comparison of Christ are not worthy a look they are but as vile things as under-things as poor low and mean and base things in comparison of Christ I count all things but loss saith Paul for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Phil 3.8 I count them but dung that I may win Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some translate it chaffe others dogs-meat others excrements dung all agree it is such a thing as men usually cast away from them with some indignation 4. Because it is according to the very law of marriage therefore shall a man forsake father Gen. 2.24 and mother and cleave to his wife the Lord Christ marries himself to the souls of his Saints Hos 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies and for this cause the soul must forsake all and cleave unto Christ as married wives use to do we must leave all for our husband the Lord Jesus Harken O daughter and consider and encline thine ear forget also thy own people Pâ—al 45.10 and thy fathers House 5. Because Christ is a jealous Christ now jealousie is a passion in the soul that will not endure any sharing in the object beloved the woman that hath a jealous husband must leave all her old companions if she cast any amorous looks or glances after them the husband will be jealous and Jealousie is cruel as the Grave Christians Cant. 8.6 Exod. 20.5 our God is a jealous God our Christ is a jealous Christ He cannot endure that we should look on any other things so as to lust after them 6. Because all other things can never satisfie the eye Eccles 1.8 all things are full of labour saith Solomon man cannot utter it the eye is not satisfied with seeing it is but wearied with looking on divers objects yet still desires new ones but once admit it to behold that glorious sight of Christ and then it rests fully satisfied Hence it is that the Daughters of Zion are called to come forth Go forth O ye daughters of Zion Cant. 3.11 and behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart Go forth O ye daughters of Zion lay aside all private and earthly affections and look upon this glory of Christ As the daughters of Jerusalem sitting or remaining in their chambers closets houses could not behold the glory of King Solomon passing by therefore they were willed to come forth of their doors even so if we will behold the great King Jesus Christ in his most excellent glory a sight able to satisfie the Eye to ravish the Heart we must come out of our Doors we must come
the Face of Christ he is not the fairest of ten thousands in their eyes and hence it is that they do not take pleasure long after delight or joy themselves in Christ indeed these affections are the Evidences of our high esteem they that rejoyce not in Christ nor have any longings after Christ they put a very unworthy price upon Christ 7. They have not that sense either of their own wants or of the worlds vanity who are not in the practice of this Duty In this glass we see that man is blind and no Sun but Christ can Enlighten him that man is naked and no garment but Christ's can cloath him that man is poor and no treasure but Christ can make satisfaction for him that man is empty and none but Chrst can fill him that man is distressed perplexed tormented and none but Christ can quiet him Why all this and much more than this appears in this glass of Jesus the soul that looks here cannot but comprehend an end of all other perfection yea the further it looks on the creature the deeper and deeper vanities it discerns But alas there is no observation no sense no feeling either of mans wants or of the worlds vanity or of any sutable good in Christ to them that are not in this Divine and Spiritual contemplation Thus far of their wants that neglect this Duty of looking unto Jesus SECT VI. Motives from our riches in case we are lively in this Duty 2. FOr our riches in case we are lively in this Duty Oh the blessed incomes to such souls we may reckon up here those very particulars which the others wanted 1. That Christ gives Light unto them as the receiving of the Sun gives light to the body so the receiving of the Sun of Righteousness gives light a spiritual heavenly and comfortable light to their souls 2. That Christ gives grace and holiness unto them of his fulness we receive grace for grace As the print upon the wax answers to the seal or as the characters upon the Son answers to the Father so there are certain stamps of the grace of Christ upon the Saints that what good they do it springs not from external motives only as in hypocrites but from Christ working in them an inward principle of new nature and upon this account doth John John 1.17 tell us the Law was given by Moses but grace truth came by Jesus Christ 3. That Christ gives contentation or satisfaction unto them as the pearl satisfied the Merchant in the Parable with treasure so Christ satisfieth the soul with wisdome in the understanding with the sense of his love in the heart with sure and blessed peace in the conscience they that rightly look unto Jesus may say as Jacob did Luke 2.32 I have enough 4. That Christ gives glory unto them he is the glory of Israel he is both the Author and the matter of their glory he is the glory of their justification as the garment is the glory of him that wears it he is the glory of their redemption as the ransomer is the glory of the captive he is the glory of their sanctification as Jordan cleansing him from his leprosie was the glory of Naaman he is their all in all in whom they glory and to whom they give all honour and glory and power and praise 5. That Christ gives peace unto them God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself he is the Author 2 Cor. 5.29 Ephes 2.14 Acts. 10.36 and the world is the object of this reconciliation Christ is our peace and peace is preached by Jesus Christ they that hear Christ in the Word or that look unto Christ by the eye of faith they have this peace for Christ only in Ordinances is the revealer and procurer and the worker of peace in all the children of peace 6. That Christ procures acceptation with God for them he stands betwixt God and such believers and as they mind him so he is ever mindful of them pleading their cause answering all the accusations of Satan and praying to his Father in their behalf 7. That Christ gives life unto them he that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.11 he that hath Christ in his heart as a root of life living in him or as a King setting up his throne within him or as a Bridegroom betroathing himself in loving kindness to him he hath life the life of grace and the earnest of the life of glory 8. That Christ gives wisdome unto them Christ hath in him all the treasures of wisdome and therefore he that looks most to Christ is the wisest man in the world he that hath the Sun hath more light than he that hath all other lights in the world and wants the Sun 9. That Christ gives a taste of his goodness unto them they cannot look unto him but he makes them joyful with the feeling of himself and Spirit and hence it is that many times they brake out into Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs Ephes 5.19 and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord. O there is a goodness of illumination regeneration sanctification consolation contentation pacification and spiritual freedome flowing from Christ to the souls of his Saints which to carnal men is a sealed Well whose waters their palates never tasted 10. That Christ gives a sincere and inward love of himself unto their hearts No sooner is their eye of faith Looking unto Jesus but presently their hearts is all on fire such a sutableness is betwixt Christ and their souls as is betwixt the hearts of lovers their love to Christ is like the love of Jonathan to David a wonderful love and passing the love of women 2 Sam. 1.26 they love him as the bridegroom to whom their souls are married as the choycest pearl by whom they are inriched as the Sun of consolation by whose beams their souls are comforted as the fountain by whom their hearts are refreshed and their desires every way satisfied 11. That Christ gives the sense of his own love to them they cannot look on Christ but they see him loving and embracing their humble souls they see him binding up their broken hearts they behold him gathering to himself and bearing in the bosom of his love and comforting with the promises of his Word their wounded spirits they behold him like Jacob serving in the heat and in the cold for Rachel serving in manifold afflictions from his cradle to his cross to make a Spouse unto himself 12. That Christ gives the experience of his power to them they that look on Christ do feel the power of Christ inwardly in their souls dissolving the works of Satan casting down his Kingdom and mighty holds within them healing all their spiritual maladies sustaining them in all afflictions filling their souls with all Spiritual and Heavenly might making them strong in knowledg and strong in faith and strong in love and strong in motion and
that you may better understand the manner of this generation of the Son of God together with the mutual kindness lovingness joy and delight betwixt the Father and the Son even from Everlasting SECT II. Of our Election in Christ before all Worlds NOw let us look on Christ in his Relation to us before all Worlds God being thus alone himself from everlasting and besides himself there being nothing at all the first thing he did besides what ye have heard or the first thing he possibly and conceivably could do it was this a determination with himself to manifest his Glory Or a purpose in himself to communicate his glory out of his aloneness everlasting unto somewhat else I say unto somewhat else for what is communication but an efflux an emanation an issuing from or a motion betwixt two Terms I have now brought you to the acts or actions of God in reference to his Creatures follow me a little and I shall anon bring you to Christ in relation to your selves These acts or actions of God were and are 1. The Decree 2. The Execution of the Decree of God I must open these Terms 1. The Decree is an action of God out of the Councel and purpose of his own Will determining all things and all the Circumstances and order of all things from all Eternity in himself certainly and unchangably and yet freely Who worketh all things saith the Apostle after the Counsel of his own will Ephes 1.11 and this work or action of God is internal and for ever abiding within his own Essence it self 2. The execution of the Decree is an act of God whereby God doth effectually work in time all things as they were fore-known and Decreed And this action of God is external and by a temporal act passing from God to the Creatures Now for the Decree that is of diverse kinds As first There is a Decree common and general which looks to all the creatures and it is either the Decree of creation or the Decree of Providence and preservation 2. There is a Decree special which belongs to reasonable creatures Angels and Men it is called the Decree of Predestination and it consistss of the Decree of Election and Reprobation Concerning the common and general Decrees we have but little laid down in Scriptures and it is little or nothing at all to our purpose And concerning the special Decree of Angels there is not much in Scriptures and that is as little also to our purpose we have only to deal with Men and with Gods Decree in relation to Mans Salvation before all Worlds And this we call Predestination or the Decree of Election which is either of Christ or of the Members of Christ Christ Himself was first Predestinated This appears by that Saying of God Behold My Servant whom I uphold Isa 41.2 Mine Elect in whom My Soul delighteth I have put My Spirit upon him he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles These very words the Evangelist interprets of Christ Himself Matth. 12.18 Mat. 12.18 And Christ being Predestinate the Members of Christ were Predestinated in Him So the Apostle According as He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World Ephes 1.4 We are chosen in Christ as in a common Person He was the first Person Elected in order and we in Him Suppose a New Kingdom to be set up a New King is chosen all his Successors are chosen in him Why God hath Erected a Kingdom of Glory He hath chosen Jesus Christ for the King of this Kingdom and in Him He hath chosen us whom He hath made Kings and Priests unto the most High God But observe we this of the Apostle He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World 1. He hath chosen i.e. God the Father hath chosen not that the Son and Spirit chose not also for if Three of us had but one Will common to us all One could not will any thing which the Will of the other Two should not also will But because the Son sustains the Person of one Elected and the Spirit is the Witness sealing this Grace unto our Hearts therefore the Father only is expressed as the Father alone is often named in Prayer not that the other Persons are not to be prayed unto but because the Son is considered as the Mediatour and the Spirit as the Instructor teaching us to Pray as we ought therefore the Father only is expressed 2. He hath chosen us in Him This Him denotes Christ God-man and this in Him notes the same Christ God-man as the Head and first Elect in whom and after whom in order of Nature all His Body are Elected Mark here the Order but not the Cause of our Election Though Christ be the Cause of our Salvation yet Christ is not the Cause of our Election It is only the Fore-knowledge of God and His free Love that is the Cause thereof 3. He hath chosen us in Him before the Foundation of the World i.e. From all Eternity but because within Eternity God doth fore-see the Things which are done in time therefore this Phrase say some may be extended not only to respect the Actual Creation but the Decree it self of the World 's Being q. d. He hath chosen us in order of Nature before His Decree did lay the Foundation of the World My meaning is not to enter into Controversies this all grant that the antient Love which the Lord hath born to us in Christ is not of Yesterday but before all Worlds Paul mentions Grace given us before all Worlds 1 Tim. 1.9 But that which is the most observable in the Text as to our purpose is that we are chosen in Him We read of Three Phrases in Scripture speaking of Christ Sometimes we are said to have Blessings in Him and sometimes for Him sometimes through Him Sometimes in Him as here He hath chosen us in Him sometimes for Him as elsewhere To you it is given for Christ His sake not only to Believe but to Suffer sometimes through Him as in that of Paul Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.29 1 Cor. 15.57 Now Blessings come through Christ in respect that Christ is a Mediatour not only of Impetration but Execution not only obtaining and receiving from Grace all Good for us but in executing and applying Efficaciously the same unto us And Blessings come for Christ in respect that Christ doth by His Obedience obtain every good Thing which in time is communicated to us And we have Blessings in Christ because that in Christ as a Common Store-house every thing is first placed which is to be imparted afterwards to any of us And thus we are chosen in Christ as in a common Person This Grace of Election began first at Christ our Head and so descends downwards on us His Members Christ is the First Begotten amongst all His Brethren having
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
glorious but to shew that he will by that make thee glorious also Christ is the great Epitome of all the designs of God so that in him thou mayest see what thou art designed unto and how high and rich thou shalt be in the other world Beloved now are we the Sons of God 1 John 3.2 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him he is now like us but then saith the Apostle we shall be like unto him Phil. 3.21 he will change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious body Oh consider what a frame of eternal comfort may we raise up from this ground of Christ incarnate God in the flesh 5. God in the flesh is the first opening of his eternal plot to do us good the Seed of the woman was the first word of comfort that ever was heard in the world after man was fallen the Plot was of old but the execution was not till after the Creation and then was a dim discovery of it even in the beginning of time though no clear manifestation till the fulness of time Well take it as we please whether in the beginning of time or in the fulness of time whether in the promise or in performance this discovering of Christ incarnate is the first opening of all Gods heart and Glory unto the Sons of men and from this we may raise a world of comfort for if God in the execution of his Decrees begins so gloriously how will he end if God be so full of love as to come down in flesh now in this world Oh what matter of hope is laid up before us of what God will be to us in that world to come if the Glory of God be let out to our souls so fully at first what Glorious openings of all the Glory of God will be let out to our souls at last Christians what do you think will God do with us or bring us unto when we shall be with him in heaven you see now he is manifested in flesh and he hath laid out a world of Glory in that but the Apostle tells us of another manifestation for we shall see him as he is he shall at last be manifest in himself 1 John 3.2 now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now we know in part but then we shall know even as also we are known To what an height of knowledg or manifestation this doth arise I am now to seek and so I must be whilst I am on this side Heaven but this I believe the manifestation of God and Christ is more in Heaven than is or ever hath been or ever shall be upon earth thine eyes shall see the King in his Beauty Isa 33.17 or in his Glory saith Esay there is a great deal of difference betwixt seeing the King in his ordinary and seeing him in his Robes and upon his Throne with his Crown on his head and his Scepter in his hand and his Nobles about him in all his Glory the first openings of Christ are glorious but O what will it be to see him in his greatest Glory that ever he will manifest himself in we usually say that workmen do their meanest work at first and if the Glorious incarnation of Christ be but the beginning of Gods works in reference to our souls salvation what are those last works O my soul weigh all these passages and make an application of them to thy self and then tell me if yet thou hast not matter enough to raise up thy heart and to fill it with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Mat. 2.10 when the wise men saw but the Star of Christ they rejoyced with an exceeding great joy how much more when they saw Christ himself Your Father Abraham said Christ to the Jews rejoyced to see my day John 8 5â— and he saw it and was glad he saw it indeed but afar of with the eyes of Faith they afore Christ had the promise but we see the performance how then should we rejoyce how glad shouldst thou be O my Soul at the sight and effect of Christs Incarnation if John the Baptist could leap for joy in his Mothers belly when Christ was but yet in the womb how should thy heart leap for joy who canst say with the Prophet Luke 2.28 unto me a Child is born and unto me a Son is given if Simeon waiting for the consolation of Israel took him up in his arms for joy and blessed God how shouldst thou with joy embrace him with both arms who knowest his coming in the flesh and who hast heard him come in the Gospel in the richest and most alluring expressions of his Love If the Angels of God yea if multitudes of Angels could sing for joy at his Birth Luke 2.14 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will towards men how much more shouldest thou whom it concerns more than the Angels join with them in consort and sing for joy this joyful song of good will towards men Awake awake O my Soul awake awake uttter a Song tell over these passages that God is come down into the world that God is come down in flesh that God is come down in flesh in order to thy reconciliation that God is come down in the likeness of man that he may bring thee up into the likeness of God and that all these are but the first openings of the Grace and goodness and Glory of God in Christ unto thy Soul and Oh what work will these make in thy Soul if the Spirit come in who is the comforter SECT VIII Of Calling on Jesus in that Respect 8. LEt us call on Jesus or on God the Father in and through Jesus Now this calling on Jesus contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions of Jesus at his first coming or incarnation may be ours and is not here encouragement for our Prayers If we observe it this very point of Christs Incarnation opens a door of rich entrance into the presence of God we may call it a blessed Portal into Heaven b. 10. 20. not of Iron or Brass but of our own flesh this is that new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Vail that is to say his flesh with what boldness and freeness may we now enter into the Holiest and draw near unto the Throne of Grace why Christ is incarnate God is come down in the flesh though his Deity may confound us if we should immediately and solely apply our selves unto it yet his humanity comforts our faint and feeble souls God in his humility animates our souls to come unto him and to seek of him whatsoever is needful for us Go then to Christ away away O my soul to Jesus or to God the Father in and through Jesus and O desire that the
affections will often break out at the window when the door is closed Thus Stephen look'd up to Heaven he sent a Post a greedy pitiful and hungry look up to Jesus Christ out at the window Acts 7.55 at the nearest passage to tell him that a poor friend was coming to him why thus let us look up to Jesus by calling on him now this calling on him contains Prayer and Praise 1. We must pray that all these transactions of Jesus during his Life or during his Ministry upon earth may be ours we hope it is so and we believe it to be so but for all that we must pray that it may be so There is no contradiction betwixt Hope and Faith and Prayer but rather a concatenation Lord I believe yet help my unbelief or Mark 9.24 be it to me according to my Faith how weak soever it will bear that sense 2. We must praise God for all those passages in Christ's life Thus did the multitude they praised God with a loud voice Luke 19.37 38 for all the mighty works that they had seen saying blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord peace in heaven and glory in the highest What my Soul hath Christ done all this for thee was he made under the Law to redeem thy soul and adopt thee for his Son to the inheritance of Heaven came he down from heaven and travelled he so many miles on earth to woo and win thy heart spent he so many Sermons and so many Miracles to work thee into Faith O how shouldest thou bless and prize and magnifie his Name how shouldest thou break out into that blessed Hymn To him that loved us Rev. 1.5 6. 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 as he acted for us in his Life Looking to Jesus intends this especially we must look as one looks to his Pattern as Mariners at Sea that they may run a right course keep an eye on that Ship that bears the Light so in the Race that is set before us we must have our eye on Jesus our blessed Pattern This must be our constant Query Is this the course that Jesus steered Or that I may enlarge In this Particular I shall examine these three Queries 1. Wherein we must conform 2. Why we must conform 3. How we must conform to this Life of Jesus For the first wherein we must conform I answer 1. Negatively we must not cannot conform to Christ in those works proper to his Godhead as in working Miracles I deny not but that the works of Miracles were by way of priviledge and temporary dispensation granted to the Apostles and some others but this was but for Ministry and Service not for their Sanctity or Salvation nor must we conform to Christ in those works of mediation as in redeeming souls in satisfying Divine Justice for our sin No man can redeem his Brother Psal 49.7 nor give to God a ransom for him There is but one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Nor must we conform to Christ in those works of his Government and influence into his Church as in dispensing of his Spirit in quickning of his Word in subduing of his enemies in collecting of his Members all these are personal honours which belong unto Christ as he is Head of the Church and to these works if we should endeavour to conform we should Crack our Sinews dissolve our silver cords and never the nearer Nor need we to conform to Christ in some other Particulars in his voluntary poverty he became poor for our sakes 2 Cor. 8.9 In his Ceremonial performances as in going up to Jerusalem at the Feasts in his perpetual grave deportment we never read that Jesus laughed and but once or twice that he rejoyced in spirit Alas the declensions of our Natures cannot come up to this Pattern nor do I look at these passages as any acts of moral obedience at all 2. Affirmatively or positively we must conform to Christ's life 1. In respect of his Judgment Will Affections Compassions Look we at his Spirit observe what mind was in Jesus Christ and therein do we endeavour to conform Let the same mind be in you saith the Apostle which was in Christ Phil. 2.5 Phil. 2.5 And we have the mind of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.16 1 Cor. 2.16 2. In respect of his Virtues Graces habitual Holiness Mat. 11.29 Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly in heart Christ was of a meek and gentle Spirit 2 Cor. 10.2 I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ saith Paul And Christ was of an humble and lowly Spirit Being in the form of God Phil. 2.6 7. he thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant I might instance in all other Graces for he had them all in fulness John 1.16 And of his fulness have all we received Grace for Grace 3. In respect of his words talk spiritual and heavenly Language The very Officers of the Priests could say of Christ Never man spake like this man John 7.46 and sometimes they all wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Luke 4.22 He never sinned in word neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled 1 Pet. 2.22 23 reviled not again The Apostle speaking thus of Christ he tells us that herein Christ left us an example that we should follow his steps Ver. 21. 4. In respect of his Carriage Conversation Close-walking with God The Apostle sets forth Christ as an high Priest who was holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 2.9 and separate from sinners and in like manner saith Peter Ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light that ye should shew forth the virtue i.e. that in your lives and conversations you should express those graces and virtues which were so eminent and exemplary in Jesus Christ that you should not only have them but that you should hold them forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies properly to preach so clearly should we express the virtues of Christ as if our lives were so many Sermons of the life of Christ In respect of all his acts practises duties of moral obedience we find in the life of Christ many particular carriages and acts of obedience to his heavenly Father whereof some were moral and some ceremonial now all these are not for our imitation but only such moral acts as concerning which we have both his pattern and precept Come let us
was there ever love like unto this lovâ— had he not been God as well as man he could never have had in his heart such a love as this O it was a divine love it was the love of a Jesus a love far surpassing either the love of men or women or of Angels 3. They put upon him a Purple Robe or a Scarlet Robe John calls it Purple John 19.2 Mat. 27.28 and Matthew Scarlet howsoever some difference may be yet because of their likeness they are put sometimes one for another They put upon him a Scarlet robe it is in the Original a Scarlet Cloaâ—â— it was a loose short garment at first used only by Kings or Emperors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the colour of it was suitable to Christ's condition for he was now purple all over as well within it as without it his body and his garment were both of a deep dyed sanguine colour Some out of Zachary Zach. 3.3 where it is said that Joshua was cloathed with filthy garments conclude the old ragged thred-bare filthiness of his robe so that every thing shall have its office and several share in his abuse the colour and the manner of the garment flouts his Kingdom the bareness his outward estimation with the people the raggedness his late scattered retinue the fulledness his stained spotted life as they pretended saying He was a Friend of Publicans and Sinners but out of this darkness the Lord can bring light he hath his mysteries wrapt up in the malice of his enemies for both on his garment and on his thigh was written a mystery and in this sence Rev. 19.16 what other is his garment but the embleme of his humanity and what is his scarlet garment but the embleme of his wounded body that as he spake of the woman She anointed him aforehand unto his burial John 12.7 so Pilate in the mystery cloaths him aforehand unto his bloody death 4. They platted a Crown of Thorns and put it upon his head Mat. 27.29 a goodly Crown for the King of Kings we read of many sorts of Crowns as of the Triumphal Laurel Naval Mural c. but never till this did we read of a Crown of Thorns a Crown it was to delude him and a Crown of Thorns to torment him in this we may read both his pain and shame 1. For his pain it boared his head saith Osorius with seventy and two wounds Bernard speaks of many more mille puncturis c. Ber. Serm. de pass Dom. I know not what ground they have to number them but certainly many wounds they made and the rather may we say so because that after they had put it upon his head Mat. 27.30 they took a Reed and smote him on the head i.e. they smote him on the head to fasten the Crown of Thorns upon him surer and to imprint it deeper till as some think it pierced his very Skull 2. Nor was it only pain but shame when Jotham put out his parable to the men of Sechem Judg. 9.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. The Trees said he went out on a time to anoint a King over them and they said unto the Olive-Tree reign thou over us but the Olive-Tree said unto them should I leave my fatness wherewith by me they honoured God and Man and go to be promoted over the Trees And the Trees said unto the Fig-Tree come thou and reign over us but the Fig-Tree said unto them should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit and go to be promoted over the Trees Then said the Trees unto the Vine come thou and reign over us and the Vine said unto them should I leave my Wine which cheareth God and Man and go to be promoted over the Trees Then said all the Trees unto the Bramble come thou and reign over us and the Bramble said unto the Trees if in truth ye anoint me King over you then come and put your trust in my shadow and if not let fire come out of the Bramble and devour the Cedars of Lebanon As Jotham put out this parable in scorn of Abimilech so the Souldiers in scorn put on Christ's head this Bramble Crown q. d. Come thou sayest thou art King of Jews and therefore we will make thee a Crown of Bramble King of Trees by which means they protest against Christ as a feigned fabulous King as if he were no fitter to be King of Jews than the Bramble was to be King of all the Trees in the forrest Vse How many lessons might we draw from hence they put upon his head a Crown of Shame of Death of Torture who came to give us a Crown of Victory of life of glory 2. Our sins caused the Earth to bring forth Thorns and Briers and our Saviour must wear them both to take away our sins and in the issue to take away sins curse Thorns or Bryers or whatsoever 3. From the crown of the head to the sole of the foot we were full of sin and Christ accordingly must shed his Blood from head to foot their Whips did not reach his head their nails could not pierce it without an end of torture Isa 1.5 but now they draw blood from it with Thorns the whole head is sick saith the Prophet of us and the whole head of Christ is bruised with Thorns to cure our sickness 4. Christ is not crowned with Thorns without a Prophesie or a Type here he is a true Lilly among Thorns Cant. 2.2 Gen. 33.13 here he is as Isaac's Ram tyed fast by the head in Thorns he was ever intended to be a sacrifice and a ransome for our sins and to that purpose he was caught in a thicket he was crowned with Thorns 5. O what a shame is it for any of us to crown our heads with Rose-buds as the wanton worldings could say afoâ—e they are withered to spend our time in vanity Folly Sin when Christ our Lord had such a grove of Thorns Mat. 10.24 25. growing on his sacred head The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord if our Lord and Master was crowned with Thorns surely the Members of Christ should not be soft delicate and effeminate wholly sensual or giâ—â—n up to pleasures Baruch 6.7 6. As every bird sitteth upon the Thornes in the Orchard so let us draw near and make our nests in these blessed Bushes let us abandon all the colours of other Captains as the World Flesh and Devil and let us keep close to the royal Standard of our King under these Throns we may find shelter against all our enemies from these Thorns we may undoubtedly gather Grapes even a vintage of spiritual joy and gladness Now the hour sounds again and calls us to go forth and to behold King Jesus with the Crown wherewith he was Crowned in
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
that treadeth in the wine-fat q. d. here 's nothing but skars and wounds and blood if thou art so mighty to save How comes thy apparrel to be so red and sprinkled or stained with blood to which Christ answers I have troden the wine-press alone and I will tread them in mine anger I was troad and pressed till the very blood streamed out of my hands and feet and side so pressed that they pressed the very soul out of my body See here Behold my hands and my feet and my side that it is I my self I have tread the wine-press alone But as I was troad so I will tread up he gets and he treads on them that troad on him his enemies of Edom and Bozrah are now like so many clusters under his feet and he tramples upon them as upon Grapes in a fat till he makes the blood spring out of them and all to sprinkle his garments as if he had come out of the wine press indeed See here a double sight his own blood and his enemies blood here 's the blood of the Lamb that was slain and the blood of the Dragon that was troaden upon here 's a show both of his passion and his resurrection of his suffering and triumphing another text of this nature And one shall say unto him What are these wounds in thy hands then he shall answer Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zach. 13.6 I know in the stead of Christ some have imployed these words to the false Prophets as if they had passed through the Churches discipline and so had received their wounds But others refer them to Jesus Christ of whom without controversy the next verse speaks and of whom the first verse of this chapter speaks and to whom after a long Parenthesis the Prophet seems to return And one shall say unto him who was the fountain opened what are these wounds in thy hands or as the Septuagint in the midst of thy hands a wonder it is to see those prints and skars in the hands of Christ and therefore is the question What are these wounds to which Christ answers Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends i.e. in the house of my beloved the children of Israel my brethren according to the flesh the people of the Jews why these are the wounds they gave me and which now I shew as the signs of my victory and as the marks of my resurrection Thus far of the first head the apparition of Christ 2. For the fruits of this apparition they contain Thomas's confession and Christ's commendation of him in some respects 1. Thomas's confession And Thomas answered and said unto him my Lord my God a few words but of great weight 1. He acknowledgeth Christ a Lord Mat. 28.18 into whose hands are put the very keys of heaven all power is given unto me in heaveâ— in earth 2. He acknowlegeth Christ God whom he saw with his eyes and felt with his hands he looks on not as a meer man but as God and as the second person in the God-head 3. He acknowledgeth Christ to be his Lord and his God this apropriating of Christ is the right character of a faith by which he brings home all the benefits of Christ unto his own soul I shall a while insist on all these 1. He acknowledgeth Christ a Lord How is he a Lord I answer 1. By essence as God is Lord so Christ is Lord the Father is Lord the Son is Lord and the Holy Ghost is Lord and yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 2. By creation Christ is before all things saith the Apostle and by him all things consist Col. 1.17 This very thing is an argument of his Lordship To us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.9 by whom are all things and we by him 3. By redemption unction office and Mediatorship unto which he was designed by his Father Act. 2.36 and therefore the Apostle saith that God hath made him Lord and Christ he is a Lord by his office and by the accomplishment of his office in dying rising and reviving he became Lord both of quick and dead For to this end Christ both dyed and rose Rom. 14 9. and revived that he might be Lord both of dead and living And thus he is a Lord in two respects 1. A Lord in Authority to command whom and what he will he only is Lord over our persons over our faith over our consciences to him only we must say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Lord save us or we perish 2. A Lord be is in power he hath power to forgive and power to cleanse he hath power to justifie and power to sanctifie he hath power to quicken and power to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him he hath power to hold fast his sheep and power to cast out the accuser of the brethren he hath power to put down all his enemies and power to subdue all things unto himself in every of these respects Christ is a Lord. True say blasphemers he is Lord by office but he is not Lord by essence as God is Lord No peruse some texts in the Old Testament where the title of Lord is essentially spoken of and we shall find the very same texts and titles applyed to Christ in the New Testament As for instance in Isa 6.5 Woe is me saith Esay for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hoasts now this John refers to Christ these things saith Esaias when he saw his Glory Isa 6.5 and speak of him In Psal 68.17 18. the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy place thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men now this the Apostle applyes to Christ when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men In Psal 110.1 Psal 110.1 the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand Joh. 12.41 until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Now this Jesus Christ applies to himself Psal 68.17 saying that David in spirit called him Lord saying the Lord said unto my Lord. In Isa 40.3 the voice of him that cryeth in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord now this the Evangelist applies to Christ Eph. 4.8 This is he that was spoken of by the Prophet Esay saying the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord. No wonder if Thomas call Christ Lord why both the Old and New-Testament agree in this that Christ is Lord Lord by creation and Lord by redemption Lord by office and Lord by essence Mat. 2.44 45. Isa 4.5 Mat. 3.3 2. He acknowledgeth Christ to be God as well as Lord my Lord and my God But how is he God I answer not only by participation similitude or in some
fully finished the mercy which thereupon depended was now made certain and as the Apostle speaks sure unto all the seed Methinks a thought of this object in respect of it self and in respect of us should put our souls into a longing frame Rom. 4.16 is it not a desirable thing to see the King in his beauty were not the Daughters of Zion glad to go forth Cant. 3.11 and to behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousalls If Christ incarnate and in humane frailty was the desire of Nations how much more is Christ exalted and in his glory if it was Augustines great wish to have seen Christ in the flesh how should we but wish to see Christ as risen again from the dead he is altogether lovely or he is altogether desireable desireable in the womb Cant. 5.16 desireable in the cratch desireable on the Cross even when despised and numbred with thieves desireable in his resurrection yea all desirable yea above all desirable as risen exalted glorified in this consideration we cannot fathom the thousand thousand part of the worth and incomparable excellency of Jesus Christ Or if Christ's resurrection in it self will not stir up our lazy desires as it not desirable as in reference unto us what that he should rise again for our justification that by vertue of his resurrection thy soul should appear righteous before the judgment seat of God O what a ravishing word is that what a triumphing challeng Rom. 8.33 34. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again O the stings that many have saying what shall I do when I dye and go down to the dust may not the Lord have something against me at the day of reckoning why no poor soul if thou art in Christ it is he that dyed yea rather that is risen again for thy justification by his resurrection he hath cleared all reckonings so that now who shall condemn not sin Christ hath took it away not the law Christ hath fulfilled it for us not Satan for if the Judge acquit us what can the Jaylor do O my soul that thy portion may be with theirs who hath right and title to this blessed resurrection of Jesus Christ But thou sayest again what is it to me if I be justified in Christ and yet my heart remain unholy and unsubdued to Christ it is true thou findest a wofull sinful nature within thee cross and contrary to holiness and leading thee dayly into captivity yet remember it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again and by vertue of his resurrection he hath given thee a new nature another nature which makes thee wrestle against sin and shall in time prevail over all sin But thou sayst again what if I be justified and sanctified if after death I shall not be raised to life why fear not O my soul for if Christ be risen thou shalt rise and rise to eternal life John 14.19 I am the resurrection and the life not only the resurrection but life is in him originally as water is in the fountain and from him it is derived to us because I live ye shall live also But thou sayst again O that I were assured of this many doubts and jealousies are upon me from day to day Sometimes indeed I have a comfortable hope of my justification Psal 88.14 sanctification salvation and sometimes again I am forced to cry Lord why caâ—test thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me O consider of the ends of Christ's resurrection was it not to give thee the sure mercies of David was it not to apply the merits of Christ's active and passive obedience and to bring them home to thy soul 1 Cor. 15.17 was it not to confirm and to ratifie thy faith else were it in vain O the Person of Christ and O the priviledges of Christ as being raised from the dead O my soul that thou wert on the wing in thy desires after Christ O that thy motions were as swift as the Eagles that hasted to eat O that feelingly thou knewest him and the power of his resurrection that thou wert resolved to give no sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids until thou couldst say Christs resurrection is mine why Lord that I should long after vanities trifles toyes pleasures profits earthly contentments that I should long like some women with Child for a deal of baggage coles or ashes very lothsome food and yet that I should feel no pantings breathings hungerings thirstings after Christs resurrection to feed upon it and to be satisfied with it come here 's a blessed object here 's delights O stir up thy appetite suck and be satisfied drink ye drink abundantly O my beloved SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that respect LEt us hope in Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection Only remember I mean not a fluctuating wavering unsetled unestablished hope no no let us hope firmly surely fixedly let us come up to that plerophory or full assurance of hope that we may conclude comfortably and confidently Christs resurrection is ours and yet that our conclusion may not be rash but upon right grounds we may examine the firmness solidness substantialness of our hope in Christs resurrection by these following signs 1. If Christs resurrection be mine then is Christs death mine the fruits or effects of Christs death and resurrection cannot be severed if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 we shall be in the likeness of his resurrection Mortification and vivification are twins of one and the same spirit depart from evil and do good Cease to do evil learn to do well Many may think they have their part in the first resurrection Psal 34.14 Isa 1.16 17. but can they prove their death unto sin as there cannot be a resurrection before a man dye so there cannot be a resurrection to a new life but there must be a separation of the soul from the body of sin what shall a man cleave to sin be wedded to sin yea shall a man like it love it live in it and yet say or imagine that Christs resurrection is his O be not deceived God is not mocked come scearch try examine hast thou any share in Christs passion knowest thou the fellowship of his sufferings art thou made conformable to his death that as he dyed for sin so thou dyest to sin if herein thou art at a stand peruse those Characters laid down in his sufferings and death the truth and growth of our mortification or of our death unto sin is discovered before 2. If Christs resurrection be mine then is Christ's Spirit mine yea then am I quickened by the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 11. If
gone to Heaven surely this was the meaning God would rather that the main points of faith should be learned by hearing than by seeing however Christ's own Disciples were taught the same by sight that they might better teach others which should not see yet the ordinary means to come by faith is hearing Rom. 10.14 17 18. how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God And as for the Jews saith the Apostle have they not heard yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the end of the world 3. He ascended principally by the mighty power of his God-head thus never any ascended up into heaven but Jesus Christ for though Enoch and Elijah were assumed into heaven yet not by their own power nor by themselves it was God's power by which they ascended 2 Kings 2.11 and it was by the help and Ministry of Angels there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire and Elijah went up by a Whirl-wine into Heaven Acts 1 9. 4. He ascended in a cloud While they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight Hereby he shews that he is Lord of all the creatures he had already trampled upon the earth walked upon the sea vanquished hell or the grave and now the clouds received him and the heavens are opened to make way for this King of Glory to enter in Mat. 24.30 Mat. 26.4 When Christ shall come again it is said that he shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven Which verifies that saying of the Angel Acts 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven He went up in clouds and he shall come again in clouds 5. He ascended in the found of a trumpet not on earth sounding Hosanna but in Heaven Psal 47.5 crying Hallelujah So the Psalmist God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet Certainly great joy was in heaven at Christ's ascending thither the very Angels struck up their Harps and welcomed him thither with Hymns and Praises 6. He ascended in triumph as a Roman Victor ascended to the Capitol or as David ascended after his conquest up to Zion Now we read of two triumphal Acts in Christs Ascension whereof the first was his leading of his captives and the second was the dispersing of his gifts the Apostle and the Psalmist joyn both together Psal 68.18 Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men 1. He led them captive who had captivated us Death was led captive without a sting Hell was led captive as one that had lost her victory the Law was led captive being rent and fastened to his Cross as it were Ensign wise the Serpents head being bruised was led before him in triumph as was Golias's head by David returning from the victory and this was the first Act of his triumph 2. He gave gifts unto men this was as the running of Conduits with wine or as the casting abroad of new Coyn or as the shutting up of Christs triumph in his ascension up to heaven what these gifts were we shall speak in the Mission of the holy Ghost only thus much for the present SECT II. Of the place whither he ascended 3. WHither he ascended the Gospel tells us into heaven only Paul saith that he ascended far above all heavens But the meaning is Ephes 4 10. he went above all these visible Heavens into those heavenly Mansions where the Angels and the Spirits of the just have their aboad Or if the highest heavens be included I see no absurdity in it the highest Heaven we usually call The Kingdom of Heaven which is either Heaven material or heaven sâ—iritual and first for the material Heaven in some sense he may be said to ascend above that both in respect of his Body because the Body of Christ is more glorious than any material Heaven And in respect of his soul because the Soul of Christ is more blessed than all things else whatsoever And 2 For the spiritual Heaven i.e. all Angelical or Heavenly perfections he is said to ascend above them all both in respect of his humiliation because he hath vilified himself below all things and therefore he is worthily exalted above all things and in respect of his perfection because the humane nature of Christ is more excellent than any creature it being joyned to the Godhead by an hypostatical union Some there are that understand this place of Christs ascending far above all Heavens not so much by a lâ—cal motion as by a Spiritual mutation and exaltation of his person as earth heightned unto a flame changeth not its place only but form and figure so the person of our Saviour was raised to a greatness and glory vastly differing from and surmounting any image of things visible or invisible in this Creation so it is fitly expressed Heb. 7.26 He was made higher than the Heavens he was heightened to a splendor enlarged to a capacity and compass above the brightest and beyond the widest Heavens he transcended all in the spirituallity of his Ascension but I shall not much insist on that SECT III. Of the Reasons why he Ascended 4. WHy he ascended the Reasons are 1. On Christ's part that through his Passion he might pass to glory Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his glory I shall not insist on that controversie whether Christ merited for himself this is without controversie that by his Passion I will not say he properly merited but he obtained glory because he humbled himself so low God exalted him above the Grave in his Resurrection above the Earth in his Ascension and above the Heavens in placing him at his right hand And he ascended that all those Prophesies which were foretold of Christ might be accomplished Thou hast ascended on high And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Psal 68.18 Zach. 14.4 which is before Jerusalem on the East The types of this were Enoch's translation Elijahs's ascension Sampson's transportation of the gates of Gezza into an high mountain the high Priests going into the Holy of Holies Seeing that we have a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God Why all these prophesies types figures must needs be accomplished and therefore on his part it was necessary that Christ must ascend and go into Heaven 2. The Reasons on our part are 1. That in our stead he might triumph over sin death and hell In his Resurrection he conquered but in his
Christ was not David's Lord meerly as man but as God And 2. He sits at God's right hand as man too hereby his Humanity was exalted and a Power is give to Christ as man He hath given hiw power to execute judgment John 5.27 in as much as he is the Son of man In the administration of his Kingdom the man-hood of Christ doth concur as an Instrument working with his God-head Hence this Session at God's right hand is truly and properly attributed to Christ as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not only to the one nature of Christ whether Divine or Humane Or it is attributed to Christ as Mediator in which respect he is called an high Priest Heb. 8.1 We have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens And in which respect he is called a Prince Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour Now Christ is not a Priest and a Prince meerly according to one Nature whether Divine or Humane I deny not but Christ had a natural Kingdom with his Father as God before the foundation of the world but this Kingdom as God-man Christ had not before his Asension into heaven So then Christ sitteth at the right hand of God by a mediatory action which he executeth according to both natures the word working what pertaineth to the word and the flesh what appertaineth to the flesh Christ is Mediator as God and man and glory hath redounded unto him as God and man and living in this glory he ruleth and governeth his Church as God and man he ascended indeed into heaven in his humanity only but he sitteth at the right hand of God as Mediator in respect of both natures The Lutherans attribute this Session at God's right hand only to the humane nature of Christ they say this Session is nothing else but the elevating of his humane nature to the full and free use of some of the divine properties as of omnipotency omniscience omnipresence the ground of this error is that they suppose upon the union of the two Natures in Christ a real communication of the divine properties to follow so that the humane nature is made truly omnipotent omniscient omnipresent not by any confusion of properties nor yet by any bare communion and concourse of it to the same effect each nature working that which belongeth to it with commuion of the other for this we grant but by a real donation by which the divine properties so become the properties of the humane nature that the humane nature may work with them no less than the Divine nature it self for the perfecting of it self Against this opinion we have these Reasons 1. The union cannot cause the humane nature to partake more in the properties of the Divine than it causeth the Divine to partake in the properties of the humane 2. If a true and real communication did follow of the Divine Attributes it must needs be of all the Attributes as of eternity and infiniteness seeing these are the Divine Essence which can no way be divided 3. Infinite perfections cannot perfect finate natures no more than reasonable perfections can make perfect unreasonable creatures 4. To what end should created gifts serve which Christ hath received above measure if now more noble properties should enter and be conferred on Jesus Christ other reasons are given in but I willingly decline all controversal points SECT VI. Of the Reasons why Christ doth sit on God's right hand 4. WHy doth Christ sit at the right hand of God his Father in glory I answer 1. On Christ's part that He might receive power and dominion over all the creatures Math. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth he speaks of it as done because it was immediatly to be performed Christ at his Session received a power imperial over every Creature that he hath Power over the Angels is plain both by the reverence they do him and by their obedience towards him at the name of Jesus every knee must bow good Angels and evil Angels must yield signs of subjection to Jesus Christ if the Saints shall judge the Angels how much more shall Christ Oh what Power hath Christ himself this way and as for the excellencies on earth they all receive their power from Christ and are at his dispose it is Jesus Christ that is Crowned with Glory and Honour and all things are put under his feet Heb. 27.8 And hence it is that when the Apostle speaks of Christs session at the right hand of God he tells us he is far above all Principalities and Powers on earth Eph. 1.21 and Mights and Dominions in Heaven yea that Angels and Authorities 1 Pet. 3.22 and Powers are made subject unto him 2. On our part many reasons may be given As 1. That he might be the Head of his Church I mean not head in a large sense for one who is in any kind before another for so Christ is the head of Angels and God is the head of Christ and to this we have spoken before But in a strict sense for one that is in a near and communicative sort conjoyned with another as the Head is conjoyned with the Body and Members and so is Christ the head of his Church Look as the King hath a more intimate and amiable Superiority over the Queen then over any other of his Subjects so is it here in Christ our King he is more amiably tempered and more nearly affected to his Spouse and Queen the Church of God then to any other whomsoever And to this purpose he sits at Gods right hand that having now fulness of Grace and Glory in himself he might be ready to communicate the same to his Church who are as the members of his body that he might give them Grace here and Glory hereafter when he shall deliver up his Kingdom to his Father and be all in all 2. That he might be the object of divine adoration then especially it was said and accomplished Let all the Angels of God Worship him Heb. 1.6 and let all men Honour the Son as they Honour the Father After Christ's Session John 5 23. Stephen looken up into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and then he Worshipped and called upon God saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit It is true Acts 7.59 that the ground of this divine adoration is the Union of the two natures of Christ and therefore the Magi worshipped him at his Birth and as soon as ever he came into the World the Angels of God Worshipped him but because by his Session at God's right hand the Divine Nature was manifested Heb. 1.6 and the Humane Nature was exalted to that dignity and glory which it never had before therefore now especially and from this time was the honour and
dignity of Worship communicated to him as God and man And hence Divines usually make this one ingredient of Christ's sitting at the right hand of God viz. That Christ God and Man is the object of Divine adoration O it is a great thing and admirable and full of wonder that the man Christ should sit above at God 's right hand and be adored of Angels and Archangels Chry. Hom. 5 in Heb. Before this was the grace of Union conferred on Jesus and so he was adored before he suffered but after he had humbled himself and was made obedient unto death even to the death of the Cross then yea and therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a Name Phil. 2.8 9 10 11. which is above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father He was Lord before in that he is the Son of God but now he is Lord again by vertue of his humiliation and Session at God's right hand Trouble not your selves with their objection who say That if adoration be due to Christ as God and man that then the humane nature is to be adored the Person adored is man but the humanity it self is not the proper object of that Worship There is a difference betwixt the concrete and the abstract though the man Christ be God yet his manhood is not God and by consequence not to be worshipped with that worship which is properly and essentially Divine Certainly if adoration agree to the humanity of Christ then may his humanity help and save us but the humanity of Christ cannot help and Save us because omnis actio est suppositi whereas the humane nature of Christ is not suppositum a subsistance or personal being at all 3. That he might intercede for his Saints Heb. 8.1 2. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the Summe we have such an high Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens and a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not men he is set on the right hand of God as an high Priest or Minister to intercede for us For as Christ is not entred into the holy Place made with hands which are the Figures of the true Heb. 9.24 but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us This appearing is an expression borrowed from the custome of human Courts for as in them when the Plaintiff or Defendant is called their Attorney appeareth in their names so when we are summoned by the justice of God to answer the complaints which it preferreth against us we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous John 2.1 Exod. 28.9 10 11 12. and he standeth up and appeareth for us or it may be this appearing hath a respect to the manner of high Priests in the time of the Law for as they used to go into the most holy place with the names of the Children of Israel written in precious stones for a remembrance of them that they might remember them to God in their Prayers so Jesus Christ being gone up to Heaven he there presents to his Father the Names of all his chosen and he remembers them to his Father in his Intercessions Certainly Christ is not gone to Heaven and advanced to the right hand of God only to live in eternal joy himself but also to procure happiness for his Saints it is to excellent purpose and to the great good of his Church that he sits at the right hand of his Father for thereby he governs and protects his people and he continually executes the Office of his Priesthood presenting himself and the sacrifice of himself and the infinite merit of that sacrifice before the eyes of his Father in their behalf 4. That true Believers may assuredly hope by vertue of Christs Session to sit themselves in the Kingdom of Glory Heb. 1.5 It is true that Christ and only Christ hath his seat at the right hand of God to which of the Saints or of the Angels did he ever say sit thou at my right hand It is a prerogative above all Creatures and yet there is something near it given to the Saints Rev. 3.21 for him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also am set down with my Father in his Throne There is a proportion though with an inequality we must sit on Christ's Throne as he sits on his Fathers Throne Christ only sits at the right hand of God but the Saints are to sit at the right hand of Christ Psal 45.9 and so the Psalmist speaks upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir It is enough to greaten the Spirits of Saints how should they tread on earth and contemn the World when they consider that one day they shall judg the World 1 Cor. 6.2 do you not know that the Saints shall judg the World nay 2 Tim. 2.12 when they consider that one day they shall reign with Christ if ye suffer with him ye shall reign with him Christ sitting in Heaven is a very Figure of us Christ's person is the great model and first draught of all that shall be done to his Body the Saints therefore he is said to be the Captain of our Salvation that leads us on he is said to be our fore-runner into Glory he breaks the clouds first he appears first before God he sits down first and is glorified first and then we follow Christ wears the Crown in Heaven as our King and he is united and marryed to God as our proxy And yet there is another ground of hope not only shall we sit with Christ in Glory but even now do we sit with him in Glory Christ is not only gone to heaven to prepare a place for us but he sits in Heaven in our room and God looks on him as the great picture of all that body whereof he is Head and he delights himself in seeing them all Glorified as in his Son To this purpose the Saints are said to sit down with Christ at very present Ephes 2.6 he hath made us to sit together with him in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ in our nature is now exalted this is that admirable thing which carried up Chrysostom into an extasie that the same nature of which God said dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return should now sit in Heaven at God's right hand but not only the human nature but Christ in person sits there as a common person in our stead he is in his Throne and we sit with him in supercelestial places O what structures and pillars of hope are raised up here 5. That he might defend
God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us anew to an inheritance immortal This seal of sanctification leaves upon the soul the likeness of Jesus Christ even grace for grace 3. There is a work of assisting exciting quickening grace or of Gods gracious concourse with that habitual grace which he hath wrought in his people now this is various according to the good pleasure of his will the Spirit is more migâ—â—ly present to some than to others yea more to the same man at some times and in some conditions sometimes the same Christian is as a burning and shining light sometimes as a smoaking flax John 3.8 The spirit blows how it listeth sometimes he fills the soul with fuller gales sometimes again she is becalmed a man hath more of the Spirit at one time than another now when the Spirit comes in thus by exciting quickning stirring and inabling us to act so that we can say Jer. 20.9 as sometime the Prophet said It was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and could not stay why then the spirit seals and gives assurance to our souls that we are his 4. There is a work of shining upon or inlightning those graces which the Spirit plants in us and helps us to exercise this seals to the purpose and of this it is that the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things that are freely given us of God The things given to us may be freely received by us and yet the receit of them not known to us therefore the spirit for our further consolation doth as it were put his hand and seal to our receits he shines upon our graces or he enlightens our graces whereby we may know we believe and know that we live Indeed this is rare with Gods own People sometimes notwithstanding this seal we may be in such a state as Paul and his company were in the ship Acts 27.20 When they saw neither Sun nor Star for many days together so it may be that for a time we may see neither Sun nor Star neither light in God's countenance nor light in our souls no grace issuing from God no grace carrying the soul to God yet in this dark condition if we do as Paul and his company did i.e. if we cast anchor even in the dark night of temptation and pray still for day God will appear and all shall clear up we shall at last see light without and see light within surely the day-star will arise in our hearts 5. There is a work of joy and comfort and this is a super-added seal of the Spirit the works of the spirit you may see are of a double kind either in us by imprinting sanctifying grace or upon us by shining on our souls and by sweet feeling of joy habitual grace or sanctifying grace is more constant and alwayes like it self but this work of comfort and joy is of the nature of such priviledges as God vouchsafeth at one time and not at another and hence it is that a Christian may have grace and a Christian may know himself to be in the state of grace and yet in regard of comfort God may be gone Thus it was with Job he knew his redeemer lived and he resolved to trust in him though he killed him he knew he was no hypocrite he knew his graces were true notwithstanding all the objections and imputations of his friends they could not dispute him out of his sincerity My righteousness I hold fast Job 27.6 and will not let it go yet for the present he saw no light from heaven but he was in a sore and afflicted condition till it pleased the Lord to reveal himself in special favour unto him Now this work of joy usually comes not till after faith and many experiences of Gods love and much waiting upon God These are the several works of the spirits sealing But why is it that we can neither actually believe nor can know that we believe nor can enjoy peace and joy in believing without a fresh and new act of the Spirit I answer because the whole carriage of a soul to heaven is above nature where the Spirit makes a stand we stand and can go no farther without the help of the Spirit we can neither make promises nor conclude for our selves it is the spirit that sanctifies and witnesses and seals our souls unto the day of redemption Many other Reasons may be rendred but I shall speak of them in the end of the spirits mission Thus far we have propounded the object viz. the Ascension of Christ the session of Christ at God's right hand and Christs mission of the holy Ghost our next work is to direct you how to look unto Jesus in these respects CHAP. II. SECT I. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his Ascention Session and Mission of the Spirit 1. LET us know Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his Ascension into Heaven in his Session at God's right hand and in his mission of the Holy Ghost these are points of great use if these transactions had not been where had we been these are points of highest speculation if these transactions had not been where had Christ been after his humiliation herein lay the exaltation of his glorious Person he was exalted above the Earth above the Clouds above the Stars above the Heavens above the Heavens of Heavens O the glorious Majesty of our King Jesus as sitting down at God's right hand our salvation is the greatest mystery that ever was it being made up of the various workings of the glory of God for us men and for our salvation Christ was incarnate and came down from Heaven and for us men and for our salvation Christ was exalted and went up into Heaven Here is an object of admiration indeed the very Angels at the sight of it stood admiring and adoring it took up their heart astonished their understanding surely it was the blessedst sight that ever the Angels did or could behold come then and O my soul do thou take a view of that which they admire the design is not so principally concerning Angels as thy self they are in it only as afar off and in general but it concerns thee in special and particular and therefore study close this Argument and know it for thy self Study first the Ascension of Christ how and whether and why he ascended 2. Study the Session of Christ at God's right hand O the mines the riches of that spiritual heavenly knowledg 3. Study the mission of the Holy Ghost not a circumstance in it but deserves thy Study worlds of wealth ten thousand times better than Gold or Silver or Precious Stones may be found in the diggings of these mines have not many
his holy Spirit and thou mayest go singing to thy grave a lively saith in such particulars would set a soul in heaven even whilest yet on earth SECT VI. Of loving Jesus in that respect 6. LEt us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in these particulars much hath been said already of Christ's Conception Birth Life Death Resurrection such Arguments of love as are enough to swallow up souls in love to Christ again O the treasures of love and wisdom that have been opened in former passages but as if all those were not enough for God see here new Gold mines new found out Jewels never known to be in the world before opened and unfolded in Jesus Christ Here are the incomes of the beams of light most inaccessible here are the veins of the unsearchable Glories of Jesus Christ as if we saw every moment a new heaven a new treasure of love the Bosom of Christ is yet more opened the new breathings and spirations of love are yet more manifested See! Christ for us and for our salvation is gone up to Heaven is set down at God's right hand and hath sent down the holy Ghost into our hearts in the pouring out of these Springs of Heavens love how should our souls but open the mouth-wide and take in the streams of Christ's Nectar Honey and Milk I mean his sweet and precious and dear love-breathings We have heard of Christ's invitations Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden but suppose Christ had never outed his love in such a love-expressing Come to me Mat. 11.28 yet Christ himself in these glorious particulars is such a drawing object the very beauty of Christ the very smell of the Garments of Christ very capacious and wide Heaven of Christ's exaltation are intrinsecally and of themselves such drawing ravishing winning objects that upon the apprehension of them we cannot chuse but love Christ as Gold that is dumb and cannot speak yet the beauty and gain of it cryeth aloud Come hither poor creature and be thou made rich so if Christ should never open his lips if he should never gently move Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled Cant. 5.2 for my head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night yet the Glory the Power the Soveraignty of Christ the exaltation of his Person and the magnificence of his Gifts should even change our souls into a Globe or mass of Divine Love and Glory As it were by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 Two things I shall instance in which may be as the Load-stones of our love to Christ the first is his glory and the second his bounty 1. For his Glory no sooner was he ascended and set down at God's right hand but John the Divine had a sight of him and oh what a glorious sight Rev. 1.13 14 15 16. He was cloathed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle his head and his hairs were white like wooll as white as snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters and he had in his right hand seven stars and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword and his countenance was at the Sun that shineth in his strength when John saw him thus he swoons at his feet but Christ for all his Glory holds his head in his swoon saying fear not I am the first and the last I am he that liveth and was dead ver 17 18. and behold I am alive for evermore Amen and hath the Keys of hell and of death A glorious Christ is good for swooning dying sinners would sinners but draw near and come and see this King in the chariot of love and come and see his beauty the uncreated white and red in his sweet countenance he would certainly draw their souls unto him Nay say that all the damned in hell were brought up with their burning fiery chains to the utmost door of Heaven could we strike up a window and let them look in and behold the Throne and the Lamb and the Troops of glorified spirits cloathed in white with Crowns of gold on their heads and Palms in their hands singing the eternal praises of their glorious King oh how would they be sweetned in their pain and convinced of their foolish choice and ravished with the fulness of those joyes and pleasures that are in Christ's face for evermore surely much more may this glory of Christ warm thy heart O my soul what an happiness were it to see the King on his Throne to see the Lamb the fair Tree of Life the branches which cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow in For the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him What an happiness were it to see love it self and to be warmed with the heat of immediate love that comes out of the precious heart and bowels of this princely and royal Standard-bearer as yet thou canst not must not see these sights there 's no seeing the King thus in his beauty till thou comest to glory for then and then only must thou see him face to face and yet the Idea and Image of this glory is seen and may be seen of every true believing soul enough may be seen by an eye of faith to kindle in thine heart a flame of love to the Lord Jesus Christ Oh who can think of the glory that is in this dainty delightful One and not be swallowed up in love Who can think of Christ's sitting at God's right hand and sparkling in this glory round about and casting out beams of glory through East and West and North and South through Heaven and Earth and Hell and not love him with the whole heart soul and might I remember one dying and hearing some discourse of Jesus Christ Oh said she speak more of this let me hear more of this be not weary of telling his praise I long to see him how should I but long to hear of him Surely I cannot say too much of Jesus Christ in this blessed subject no man can possibly hyperbolize had I the tongues of Men and Angels I could never fully set forth Christ it involves an eternal contradiction that the creature can see to the bottom of the Creator Suppose all the sands on the Sea-shore all the Flowers Herbs Leaves twigs of Trees in Woods and Forrests all the Stars of Heaven were all rational creatures and had they that wisdom and tongues of Angels to speak of the loveliness beauty glory and excellency of Christ as gone to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of his Father they would in all their expressions stay millions of miles on this side Jesus Christ O the loveliness beauty and glory of his Countenance can I speak or you
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
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
us close to Christ and to the Banner of Christ who would not march under this Banner and adhere to him that but reads over these summons of souls at the last dreadful day SECT IV. Of Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day 4. FOR Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day no sooner are the Saints lifted up and set before the Judge but these things follow 1. They look and gaze and dart their beams and reflect their glories on each other Oh the communications Oh the darting of beams betwixt Christ and his Saints look as when two admirable persons two lovers meet together their eyes sparkle they look on as if they would look through one another So Christ and his Saints at first meeting they look on as if they would look through one another And such is the effect of these looks that they give a lustre to each other by their Looks Did not Moses face shine when he had been with God and shall not the faces of the elect glitter and shine when Christ also looks on them nor stays it there but as they shine by Christ so shall their shine reflect on Christ and give a glory to Christ and this I take it to be the meaning of the Apostle That when Christ shall come 2 Thes 1.10 he shall be glorified in his Saints not onely in himself but in his Saints also whose glory as it comes from him so it redounds also to him For of him and through him Rom. 11.36 and to him are all things 2. They admire at the infinite glory and beauty and dignity and excellency that is in Christ The glory they reflect on him is nothing to the glory that is in him Oh when these Stars the Saints shall but look upon Christ the Son of righteousness they exceedingly admire So the Apostle When he shall come 2 Thes 1.10 he shall be glorified in his Saints and he shall be admired in all them that believe All that believe shall break out into admiration of Jesus Christ they shall at the first sight observe such an excellency in Jesus Christ as that they shall be infinitely taken with it here we speak of Christ and in speaking we admire but how will they admire when they shall not onely speak or hear but see and behold him who is the Express image of God Heb. 1.3 and the brightness of his Fathers glory O the lustres that he casts forth each way is not his very body more sparkling than the Diamond before the Sun yea more than the Sun it self now shining at noon-day how should the Saints but wonder at this sight Oh there is more beauty and glory in Jesus Christ than ever their thoughts or imaginations could possibly reach there is more weight of sweetness joy and delight in Jesus Christ than either the seeing Eye or hearing Ear 1 Cor. 2.9 or the vast understanding Heart which can multiply and add still to any former thoughts can possibly conceive every soul will cry out then I believed to see much glory in Jesus Christ when ever I saw him I had some twilight or Moon-light glances of Christ on Earth but O blind I O narrow I that could never have faith opinion thought or imagination to fathom the thousand-thousand part of the worth and incomparable excellency that I now see in him Why this causeth admiration when we see more than ever we could expect the Saints shall then cry out and say I see more ten thousand times more than ever I expected I see all the beauty of God put forth in Christ I see the substantial reflection of the Fathers light and glory in Jesus Christ I see thousands of excellencies in Jesus Christ that never were revealed to me before This is the very nature of admiration it is eveâ— wondering or admiring at some new and strange thing the glory of Christ will then exceed all former apprehension O they admire to see the King in such a beauty they admire to see the Judge in such a glittering and glorious Robe of Majesty they admire and they cannot but admire 3. They adore and magnifie the grace and glory of Jesus Christ as it is said of the twenty four Elders that they fell down before him that sate on the Throne and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory Rev. 5.10 and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created So all the Saints now advanced to come up to Christ and to stand before the Throne they fall down before Christ and they worship him that lives for ever shouting and singing about Jesus Christ and setting out his glory Rev. 7.9 10 11 12. grace and goodness After this I beheld saith John and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindred and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb and cryed with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb and all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the four Beasts and fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen Saints and Angels will both give glory to Jesus Christ that day every elect man will then acknowledge here is Christ that shed his blood for me here is the Saviour that laid down his life for me here is the Sacrifice that gave himself a propitiation for me here is the Person that mediated and interceded and made peace for me here is the Redeemer that delivered and redeemed me from the wrath to come Rev. 19 7. and then they begin those Hallelujahs that never shall have end Hallelujah and again Hallelujah and Amen Hallelujah for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made herself ready 4. Christ welcomes them into his glorious presence if the Father could receive his Prodigal but repenting with hugs and kisses how will Christ now receive his Saints whâ—n they come as a Bride to the solemnization of the marriage his very heart springs as I may say at the sight of his Bride no sooner he sees her and salutes her but he welcomes her with such words as these O my love my dove my fair one come now and enjoy thy Husband Hos 2.19 20. many a thought I have had of thee before I made the world I spent my infinite eternal thoughts on thy salvation when the world began I gave thee a promise that I would betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment in loving-kindness in mercy and in faithfulness It was I that for thy sake was incarnate and lived and died and rose again and ascended and since my
ascension that have been interceding for thee and making ready the Bride-chamber where thou and I must live for ever and ever and now I come higher into the clouds to meet thee more than half the way and my meaning is to take thee by the hand and to bring thee to my Father now do I take thee for my own O my Sister my Spouse thou art as dear to me as my own dear heart come see into my bosom see here Love written in the golden letters of free-grace come near for I must have thee with me and I will never more be so strange to thee as to this day sometimes thy sins have made a wall of partition between me and thee sometimes I withdrew and was gone and I hid my self beyond the curtains and for a time thou hast layen hid in the closset of the grave but now wee 'l never part more anon I will bring thee to my Father and I will say to him Father behold here my Spouse that I have married unto my self in the mean time welcome to thy Jesus I have purchased thee with my blood I have paid dear for thee and now I 'll wear thee as a Crown and ornament for ever 5. Christ sets them on his right hand Psal 45.9 Vpon thy right hand doth stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir This is the sign of Christ's love and respect to his Saints when he himself ascended up into Heaven then said the Father to him Son sit thou down at my right hand and no sooner the Saints are ascended up to Christ but he speaks the same to them Sit thou down at my right hand Christ entertains them as God the Father entertained him he at the right hand of God and they at the right hand of Christ And herein is set forth the great exaltation of the Saints as Christ being set at God's right hand God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name so now are the Saints highly exalted by Jesus Christ now are they filled with unmatchable perfections now is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulness of perfection and fulness of honour and glory conferred upon them Vpon his right hand is set the Queen in gold of Opnir i e. in the best richest finest Gold the Lord now puts upon his Saints heavens glory he adorns them with all his ornaments fit for the marriage day and indeed here is the beginning of the solemnity of the marriage of the Lamb not but that the contract was before but the solemnity was reserved for this day and all the glory of this day is for nothing else but to set out the solemnity of the marriage As the Bridegroom on the day of nuptials comes forth in his glory and as the Bride on the marriage-day comes forth in her best array and as the servants and parents and friends and all appear on the marriage-day in as much glory as they can so Christ on this day comes forth in his glory with all his Angels in their glory and the Saints the Lambs wife The Kings Daughter is all glorious without and within Psal 45.13 Though Stars may lose their shining when the Sun ariseth yet the glory of the Saints shall be no less because of the Sun of righteousness but rather more This is the day that Christ shall honour his Saints before all the world come will he say and sit you down at my right hand as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goats so will I separate you from wicked reprobates why you are they for whom the eternal councels of my Father did work you are they in whom I am now to be gloryfied for ever and therefore now will I exalt and advance and honour you sit here or stand here on my right hand O come come hither to the right hand of your Saviour 6. Hereupon Christ fully and actually joys in them and they in him he joys in them because now he sees of the travail of his soul he sees the issue of all his doings and sufferings hereon earth he sees now the great work he hath brought about to wit the glory of his Saints and he cannot but rejoyce therein As a man that makes a work that is very curious and glorious he takes abundance of delight to look upon it when God made the world he lok't upon what he made and he saw it was good and he delighted in it So Christ looks on his Saints and when he sees what he hath done in raising so poor a worm to so high an excellency he takes infinite delight therein now he sees that he hath attained his end in that great design and deepest councels that he had before the world he was then resolved to save a number of sinners and to bring them at last to himself that they might behold him in his glory and manifest the riches of his grace and to that purpose hath he still been carrying on the great work of souls salvation as we have heard and now that he sees it accomplished and fulfilled in them he must needs delight Ephes 3.17 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem fear thou not and to Zion let not thy hands be faint for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save thee he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing And as he joys in them so they cannot but rejoyce in him as he delights in their glory so they cannot but delight in his glory are they not at Christ's right hand and is not that the place of pleasure the Paradise of God Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore The very setting them on Christ's right hand is the beginning of Heavens joy Jude 24. The presence of Christ makes joy exceeding joy saith Jude oh but what joy what fulness of joy what exceeding joy will it be to be set at Christ's right hand now begins that joy that never never shall have end O the complacency which the blessed feel in their seeing knowing loving and being beloved of Jesus Christ O my Christ let me have tribulation here let me here spend my days in sorrow and my breath in sighings punish me here cut me in pieces here burn me here so that I may there be placed at thy right hand for then joy will come and sorrow will vanish sorrow is but for a night this night of life but joy will come in the morning of the resurrection and it never shall be night again SECT V. Of Christ's sentencing his Saints 5. FOR Christ sentencing of his Saints no sooner are they set on his right hand but he prepares for sentence in the opening of which we must consider 1. The preparative 2. The sentence it self 1. The preparative before sentence will be some exploration or trial of the parties to be sentenced
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
Sermons when the Word came home didst not thou deny us the seals which might have been for confirmation of our souls salvation didst thou not estrange thy self from us in respect of any inward intimate and familiar society which thou affordest to others doth not the event plainly shew that all thy tears prayers words and works as in reference to us were hypocrisie flattery deceit dissimulation Oh cursed be the day that ever we lived under such a Ministry or that ever we heard of Jesus Christ Nay then saith the Minister it is time for us to part such were your invectives on earth and now they are and will be your language in Hell but have I not answer'd these cavils many a time have I not told you that the Word would harden some and soften others the fault being in your selves have I not cleared it that the seals are not to be set upon blanks and that confirmation could not be without a work of conversion to lead it and were we not commanded in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw our selves from every brother that walketh disorderly did not the wise man tell us he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith 2 Thes 3.16 and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt can a man go upon hot coales and his feet be not burnt Prov. 26.27 28. as for other cavils the Lord be judge betwixt you and us nay the Lord hath been Judge betwixt you and us lo here we stand on the right hand of Christ so here we sit on our Throne to judge you and that world of wicked men and Angels let Christ be glorious Psal 109.17.18 and let his sentence stand and let that word of Judgment never be reversed he that loveth cursing let it come upon him and he that cloatheth himself with cursing as with a garment let it come into his bowels like water and like oyl into his bones no more but adieu souls adieu Reprobates adieu for ever you must descend but we must ascend Go you to Hell whiles we mount upwards to Heaven and Glory At this last word down they go the evil Angels falling like lightning and evil men haled and pulled down with them from the presence of God and Christ and Angels and all the blessed ones even from their fathers mothers wives husbands children ministers servants lovers friends acquaintance who shall then justly and deservedly abandon them with all detestation and derision and forgetting all nearness and dearest obligations of nature neighbourhood alliance any thing will rejoyce in the execution of divine justice Oh the shrikes and horrid crys that now they make filling the air as they go Oh the wailings and wringing of hands Oh the desperate roarings Oh the hideous yellings filling heaven and earth and hell But I shall follow them no further no sooner do they fall into the bottomless pit but presently it shuts her mouth upon them and there I must leave them SECT VII Of Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and of the end of this World 7. FOR Christ and his Saints going up into heaven and so for the end of this world no sooner are the Reprobates gone to their place but the Saints ascend now Christ ariseth from his judgment-seat and with all the glorious company of heaven he marches towards the heaven of heavens Oh what a comely march is this what songs of triumph are here sung and warbled Christ leads the way the Cherubims attend the Seraphims wait on Angels Arch-angels Principalities Powers Patriarches Prophets Priests Evangelists Martyrs Professors and Confessors of God's Law and Gospel following attend the Judge and King of Glory singing with melody as never ear hath heard shining with Majesty as never eye hath seen rejoycing without measure as never heart conceived O blessed train of Souldiers O goodly Troop of Captains each one doth bear a palm of Victory in his hand each one doth wear a Crown of Glory upon his head the Church Militant is now Triumphant with a final overthrow have they conquered Devils Death and Hell and now must they enjoy God Life and Heaven sometimes I have with much wonder and admiration beheld some Regiments passing our streets but had I seen those Roman Armies when they returned Victors and made their solemn Triumphs in the streets of Rome oh then how should I have then admired never was the like sight to this of Christ and his Army in this World O the comely march they make through the sky and through the Orbs and through all the Heavens till they come to the Heaven of Heavens were ever so many glistering Suns together in one day was ever so many glories together on this side the Kingdom of glory Cant. 6.10 not to speak of Christ or his Angels O who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners are not in the head of these Regiments Adam and Abel and Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets and all the Apostles And if thou art a Saint that readest this art not thou one Son appointed by God amongst the rest to follow Christ here 's enough to fill thy heart with joy before-hand as sure as yond Sun now shines in the Firmament shalt thou that believest pass by that Sun in its very orb and by reason of thy glory it shall lose it shine oh then what spreading of beauty and brightness will be in the heavens as all the Saints go along what lumps of darkness shall those glittering Stars appear to be when all the Saints of God shall enter into their several orbs and spheres and thus as they march along higher and higher till they come to the highest at last heaven opens unto them and the Saints enter their Masters joy what is there done at their first entrance I shall discover another time only for a while let us look behind us and see what becomes of this neather World No sooner Christ and his company in the Empyreal heaven but presently this whole world is set on fire To this prophane Authors seem to assent As 1. Philosophers especially the Stoicks were of this mind Humor primordium exitus ignis said Seneca Moisture was the beginning and fire shall be the end of this World And speaking of the Sun Moon and Stars mark says he whatsoever now shines in comely and decent order shall at last burn together in one fire 2. The Poets grant this Lucan speaking of those whom Cesar left unburned at the Battel of Pharsalia Hos Caesar populos si nunc non urserit ignis uret cum terris If fire shall not now burn these when Heaven and Earth and all shall burn then must they burn Ovid in like manner Esse quoque in fatis quo mare
the creation of the World and what is Six thousand years to Eternity certainly the truth of Origen's opinion touching the existency of other worlds before this Orig. l. de Prin cipiis 3. c. 5. and the future succession of other Worlds after this will then be known If no worlds before this yet if God in Christ hath done such great things in only Six thousand years what he may do in the next Six thousand years and so in the next Six thousand years who now can tell we see not these things but the Saints in seeing the face of Christ shall see all things 4. They shall see Christ in all his glory ways counsels decrees executions transactions as working for their happiness Now this 〈◊〉 more then the former there 's a great deal of difference in seeing an object as excellent in it self and in seeing an object as conducing to my happiness As one that is a stranger and another is an heir rides over such a demesgne the stranger rides over it and takes delight to see the situation rivers trees and fruits but the heir looks upon it after another manner this saith he is the land for which my Father laid out so much and all to enrich me and all to bestow it on me as my Inheritance So the Saints admitted into the glorious sight of Christ they take not only a view of Christ of the Essential glory of Christ of the transactions of Christ things excellent in themselves but they see all these as to make them happy they say of Christ and of all his actings these are mine and for my happiness A stranger may look upon a King and see beauty and Majesty and glory and honour in him but the Queen looks upon the King and his beauty as her own so the Saints look upon the King of Heaven they see Christ and all in Christ as their own to make them happy for ever and ever 5. They shall see Christ as he is but what do we not see him now as he is oh no 1 John 3.2 we now see him not as he is indeed and truth but only as he is in hear-say and report we now see him only as he is shadowed out to us in the Gospel of peace and what is the Gospel but the pourtraiture of the King which he sent to another Land to be seen by his Bride so Kings and Queens on earth wooe one another whilst the Bride is on earth she never seeth him as he is in his best Sabbath-Royal Robe of immediate glory she seeth him rather by the second hand i.e. by messengers words mediation he rather sends his pourtraiture then comes himself but in heaven the Saints see him as he is they see Christ himself in his own very person they see the red and white in his own face they see all the inside of Christ and thousands of excellencies shall then be revealed that we see not now the mysteries of that glorious Ark shall then be opened his Incarnation his two Natures in one person his Suffering as Man and his sitting in the seat of God as God all these shall be seen 6. They shall see Christ without interruption and without intermission to all Eternity If once the eye be set on the face of Jesus Christ it will never be taken off again Some conceive this to be the reason why the Saints in heaven can never fall away because they shall have a continual view of Christ as God Surely to have but one glimpse of Christ in this respect though it were gone presently it were a great happiness beyond all that the World affords it was sometimes the desire of a Philosopher to see the nature of the Sun though he were to be burnt by it so if Christ should but grant us this happiness you shall come to see me but the sight of me will destroy you this were a desirable thing but to have such an excellent glorious sight as shall never end that Christ should not only pass by but stand still so as the soul shall never lose his sight O how glorious is this if a man do but look upon a delightful Object he is loath to have his eye drawn from it surely the eye of Saints shall be eternally opened to see the divine nature of Christ turn them which way they will they shall never turn aside the busied eyes of their understanding from off the Deity of Christ he fills heaven he is that fair Tree of life the branches whereof in all that huge and capacious borders of heaven have not room to grow in for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him O the wonders of heaven There is Abraham Moses Elias the Prophets the Apostles and the glorified Martyrs but the Saints have neither leisure nor hearts to feed themselves with beholding of creatures no no all the eyes of heaven which are a fair and numerous company are upon only only upon the Lord Jesus Christ the Father hath no leisure to look over his shoulder to his Son the Husband hath no leasure to look over his shoulder to his Wife Christ takes all eyes off from such created things surely 't is enough for the Saints and Angels in heaven to study Christ for all Eternity it shall be their only labour to read Christ to smel Christ to hear see and taste Christ to love joy and enjoy Jesus Christ for ever and ever Thus far of the second point how the Saints shall behold the glory of Christ 3. Wherein is the comprehensiveness of this expression that the beholding of Christ is our all in all I answer 1. It comprehends the immediate seeing and looking upon all that Majesty and Glory which Jesus Christ hath 2 Cor. 5.7 In this sense Paul took it when he complained we walk by faith not by sight q. d. on earth we have faith and in heaven we have sight it is some comfort that now I see Jesus Christ by faith but comparatively to that sight which the Saints have in heaven it is as no comfort at all alas I am not I cannot be satisfied so long as I am absent from the Lord I look upon my self as one from home And as a Prince in a strange Land sits down sadly because he hath not the sight of his Father so I am forced to complain O I cannot see my Lord I would fain behold him I am a stranger on earth a Pilgrim in this world I am not where I would be I am absent from him whom I most desire O I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ I walk with him here on earth by faith but to walk with him in the streets of heaven by sight is far better O I long I pant I breath I desire I think every day a year and every year an age till I be in heaven at home in my Father's arms that I may behold and see him and that immediately I say immediately in his glory This
is one way of beholding Christ it is an immediate sight 2. It comprehends the fruition and enjoyment of Christ in his glory Surely the Saints shall not be meer idle spectators of the glory of Christ but they shall enjoy him and be taken into fellowship with him it was said of Moses that he did see the Land of Canaan but he was not admitted into it it is otherwise with the Saints they shall see heaven and they shall enter into heaven come thou faithful servant and enter into thy Master's joy not only behold it but enter into it they must behold Christ and take possession of Christ and enjoy them as their own And thus the word to see or behold is often used in Scripture except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God i.e. he cannot enjoy it John 3.3 John 17.24 and Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory i.e. that they may enjoy my glory for Christ is not only glorious in himself but he is the spring of glory unto others now in this respect more especially is Christ our all in all he is all in himself and if we enjoy him he is all in all unto us To see a little into the state and condition of the Saints in glory in this enjoyment of Christ 1. They possess Christ as their own they go to Christ and they lay hold on him saying thou art mine It was indeed the language of the spouse whilst yet on earth I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine there 's a right and a propriety made over to her in her betrothing unto Christ but after the solemnity of the marriage is over the possession is then more full when once the spouse comes to behold Christ in his Kindgom she may then go boldly to her beloved and say all I see is my own I had thee in hope but now hope is vanished and actual enjoyment comes in place lo now I have thee in my eye and in my heart and in my hands and in my arms and as nothing shall separate us now for all our enemies are trod underfoot so never will I part with thee so far as to be out of my eye I will still behold thee and in beholding I will still possess thee for thou art mine own 2. They have the use of what they possess and this is an infinite good to the Saints they shall not only possess Christ but they shall have what use they will of Christ and of all in Christ they shall as they please make use of his humanity and of his Deity of his glorious Essence and of his glorious attributes O wonder that a Saint should come to Christ and say O my Lord thou art mine and my pleasure is to make use of thy wisdome power and mercy and that Christ should reply and say welcome sweet soul use me and all my glory as thou pleasest why thus it is even as a friend will say to his friend make use of all I have as your own so will Christ come to his Saints and bid them make use of all his riches glory excellency even as they will even to the utmost that they are capable of 3. They have the sweet and comfort of all they use and this makes up a compleat enjoyment In things below we may have the possession of them and the use thereof but if we have not the sweet and comfort of that we use we cannot be said truly or fully to enjoy those things what is the possession and use of meat and drink if we taste not the sweet of them Hence God is said to give us all things richly to enjoy no creature can give us richly to enjoy another one may give us such and such things wherein there may be comfort but he cannot give us comfort in such things it is only God that can give us that it is so with the Saints in glory God gives them all things yea Christ gives himself to them as all in all to enjoy him richly fully sweetly to the very uttermost This another way of beholding Christ it is a fruition or enjoyment of Christ wherein and whereby he is our all in all 4. It comprehends all the effects and consequents of such a beholding of his glory which are infinite delight and complacency in the will and all praise and thanksgiving in the mouthes of his Saints For the first It is disputed whether Eternal happiness be more in the acts of the understanding or if the Will and some conclude that it is principally in the will because that is an active appetite arid predominant in a man indeed the whole of a man oh the joy delight and complacency that will arise in the will upon the seeing and beholding of Jesus Christ they shall delight infinitely in the Essential glory of Christ and in the declared glory of Christ they shall delight in all that glory that is reflected upon Christ by all his creatures in heaven they shall delight in his presence and in his love Christ is all delights and how then should they but delight in Christ for the second as they delight in their wills so will their mouthes be filled with praises we read of Saints and Angels continually praising God in heaven there shall be none of our duties of mourning fasting praising humbling the acts of patience and justifying faith shall cease in heaven but the duty of praising and glorifying God will contiuue to all Eternity Methinks I see the Saints following the Lamb methinks I hear the familiar converses betwixt Christ and them as Christ opens himself to them so they to him first he begins Oh my dearest Saints you are they for whom before all time I decreed this heaven and now you see the execution of my decrees whiles the world stood I was still carrying on the work of your salvation either in doing or suffering or in successive works applying my doings and sufferings my active and passive obedience to your persons and now the World is at an end you see the end of my work and the end of your faith which is the Eternal Salvation of your souls Oh how I have my wish and you have your happiness here you and I will live together that I may for ever behold you and that you may for ever behold me and my glory which no sooner said but methinks I hear all those innumerable Saints in heaven to answer worthy is the Lamb that was slain Rev. 5.12 to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing and therefore unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Rev. 1.6 Amen Yea methinks I hear every creature in heaven say blessing honour glory and power be unto him
excellencies meet together rest in Christ and Christ is all good things to all his Saints in Heaven he is Beauty to their Eyes Musick to their Ears Honey to their mouths Perfume to their Nostrils Health to their Bodyes Joy to their Souls Light to their Understandings Content to their Wills he is Time without sliding Society without loathing Desire without fainting Alpha and Omega the beginning and ending wanting both needing neither yet the Author of them both he is All in all from one not all Even all the Strength Wit Pleasure Vertues Colours Beauties Harmony and goodness that are in Men Beasts Fishes Fouls Trees Herbs and all Creatures are nothing but sparkles of those things which are in Christ Christ himself will then supply their use so that the best Creatures which now serve the Saints shall not have the honour to serve them then Rev. 21.23 There will be no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in that City for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And hence the beholding of Christ is the All in all to his glorified Saints this was Christ's Prayer Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to what end John 17.24 that they may behold my glory Christ's heavenly presence is conspicuous he is not present as some things that are not seen and yet are present but his presence is or certainly shall be conspicuous to all his Saints when he was in the world his glory was covered under a mean outside he was like a bright light in a dark-Lanthern and there were very few that knew him then but in Heaven he shall be as a Cabinet opened or as the Sun in his full glory We shall know him as we are known and behold him face to face 1 John 3.2 and we shall see him as he is Nor only will he be conspicuous but his presence shall be vital a stone may be with us and seen clearly but there 's little in the sight of that in the beholding of Christ there will be an acting of kindness upon the Saints there will be visions with life and dear refreshing O the influences that the sight of Christ will have on his Saints in Heaven nor onely will he be conspicuous and vital but his presence shall be fixed he shall abide with the Saints that they may for ever behold him Oh if there was such running after Christ in this world some getting on hills and others on trees that they might behold him when he passed by what will the sight of Christ in Heaven be when he shall be alwayes in the eye of his Saints and never out of sight when they shall be alwayes viewing of him and be alwayes satisfied with that view nor only will he be conspicuous vital fixed but his very presence shall transform They shall see his face and they shall reign for ever and ever O the influence of this sight Revel 22.4 5. it is of such a transforming Nature that to see the King will make Kings this vision of glory amounts unto a fruition of glory if ever thou art a spectator of Christ thou art sure to be a partaker of Christ in all his glory I shall be satisfied Psal 17.15 1 John 3.2 when I awake with thy likeness It doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him why so for we shall see him as he is And no wonder for if the imperfect beholding of his glory in the glass of his Gospel change the soul into the same image from glory to glory how much more shall the full view of his glory in Heaven transform both the souls and bodies of his Saints into a fulness of glory 1 Cor. 13.12 Here then is the top of Heaven here is the All in all here is the satisfaction of souls to the very uttermost if Christs glory in his transfiguration was so satisfactory to Peter as that he desired his sight of it might never have end or interruption O it is good to be here let us here build Tabernacles and yet Peter was onely a spectator of this glory for he had himself no share in it O then what infinite satisfaction mayst thou expect in the beholding of Christ's Glory in Heaven which will be accompanyed with an everlasting enjoyment the lusture of his glory will be diffused unto all so that some shall enjoy the glory of the Sun others of the Moon and others of the Stars O my soul if thou art but a Star there yet if thou art filled with that light that comes from the Sun of righteousness it is enough O remember oh consider oh never forget this Looking unto Jesus as it is thy duty on Earth so it is thy priviledge and highest happiness in Heaven for ever and ever SECT III. Of desiring after Jesus in that respect 3. LET us desire after Jesus carrying on this work of man's Salvation at his second coming It is true many shrink at the thoughts of death and judgment and 't is an high pitch to desire the dissolution of our selves and of this world the best Christians are compounded of flesh and spirit and if the spirit long to be in Heaven yet the Flesh is loath to leave this Earth Speak out of my soul thou prayest daily Come Lord Jesus let thy Kingdome come but is not the Flesh afraid lest God should hear thy Prayers Oh that we could loath our loathness in that respect oh that we could long for this second coming of Christ to Judgment And Christians this is attainable or otherwise I should not perswade you to it Phil. 1 2â— I am in a strait said Paul between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better And this is the voice of the desolate Bride Come for the spirit of Christ within her saith come The Spirit and the Bride say come Yea the whole Creation saith come Rev. 12.17 Rom. 8 21 23. Waiting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and not onely they but our selves also which have the first-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body Oh that we could groan oh that we could come up to this high pitch even to sigh out not our breath but our spirits even to groan out not some vapours but our hearts I know it is suitable to flesh and blood to tremble at the thoughts of judgment When Paul reasoned of righteousness temperance and of Judgment to come Felix trembled Acts 24.25 Weak Christians as well as Heathens may have many terrible fancies and notions of that day Oh to think of a time When there shall be a great earthquake Rev. 6.12 13 14 15 16 17 when the Sun shall become
shall thy God rejoyce over thee look how the joy of a Bridgroom is over his Bride upon the wedding-day surely then if ever all is love and joy so is Christ's joy over his Saints at the last day then begins that joy that never never shall have end there shall be no moment of time wherein Christ will not rejoyce over his Saints for ever after 9. It is the day of Christs perfection Christ as Mediator is not fully perfect till all his members be in glory united to him As an head that wants an arm or hand or leg we say is lame so it is a kind of mistical lameness that Christ our head hath not with him all his members the Saints are little pieces of mystical Christ and it shall not be well till Christ gather in his arms and thighs and pull them nearer to himself in glory and is not this desirable to see the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of the Church in his perfection to see the Son of righteousness with every beam united to him O desirable day Hos 2.18 10. It is Christ's Wedding-day or the Marriage day of the Lamb. The Saints are betrothed to Christ when first they believe in Christ that is Christ's word I will betroth thee unto me Cant. 4.10 and thou art my sister my spouse not my Wife thou art not yet married onely contracted here but at that day the marriage of the Lamb will be compleat and then will the voyce be heard Rev. 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready O the joy that Christ and Saints and Angels and all that belong to Heaven will make at this marriage Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. One of the seven Angels that came to John in visions Rev. 21 9. talked with him saying Come hither and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs Wife If the espoused Virgin be willing to be married how is it that we cry not Come Lord Jesus come quickly 1 Cor. 5.24 11. It is Christ's day of presenting his Saints unto his Father he delivers up the Kingdom to God even the Father Then shall he take his Bride by the hand and bring her to his house and present her in all state and solemnity to the Father Is not this a desirable day surely Christ rejoyceth and his very heart even springs again to present his Church unto his Father Father here behold my Bride that I have marryed unto my self It is true a Child may sometimes marry such a one as he may be ashamed to think of bringing to his Fathers house but how mean and sinful soever we are of our selves when once we are marryed unto Christ he will not think it any dishonour no not before his Father that he hath such a bride Father will he say lo here all my Saints of all that thou hast given me I have lost none but the children of perdition these are mine dearly bought thou knowest the price O welcome them to glory 12. It is the day of Christ's glory What glorious descriptions have we in scripture of Christs coming to Judgment The Son of man shall come from heaven with power and great glory and the work no sooner done Math. 24.30 but he shall return again into Heaven with power and great glory Not to mention the essential glory of Christ O the glory of Christ as Mediator all the glory that Ahashuerus could put upon his favourites was nothing to this spiritual and heavenly glory which the Father will put upon the Son it is a glory above all the glories that ever were or ever shall be it is an eternal glory not but that Christ shall at last give up his Kingdom to his Father he shall no more discharge the acts of an Advocate or intercessor for us in heaven onely the glory of this shall alwayes continue it shall to all eternity be recorded that he was the Mediator and that he is the Saviour that hath brought us to life and immortality and upon this ground the tongues of all the Saints shall be imployed to all eternity to celebrate this glory This will be their everlasting Song Vnto him that loved us Rev. 1.5 6. 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 Now is not this a desirable thing do we believe there is such a thing as Christ's mediatory glory and Christ's essential glory as Christ's humane glory and Christ's divine glory and have we no desires to behold this glory surely Christ himself desired it of God he would have his Saints with him where he is that they might behold his glory and shall not we desire it whom it most concerns O the sweet temper of the spouse when she cryed out Cant. 8.14 Make haste my beloved and be thou like a Roe or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Come now and run over these particulars surely every one is motive enough to desire this day it is a day of refreshing a day of restoring a day of manifestation of the sons of God a day of adoption and of the redemption of our bodyes a day of Christs coming of Christ's revealing of Christ's appearing of Christ's joy of Christ's perfection of Christ's Wedding of Christ's presenting of his Saints of Christ's glory what are we not yet in a longing frame the wife of youth that wants her husband for some years and expects that he should return from over Sea-lands she is often on the shore her very heart loves the wind that should bring him home every Ship in view that is but a drawing near the shore is her new joy and new reviving hopes she asks of every passenger O saw you my husband what is he a doing when will he come is he not yet Shipped and ready for a return souls truly related to the Lord Jesus Christ should methinks long no less O what desire should the Spirit and the Bride have to hear when Christ shall say to his Angels Make you ready for the journey let us go down and divide the skies and bow the Heavens I 'le gather my prisoners of hope unto me I cannot want my Rachel and her weeping Children any longer behold I come quickly to judge the Nations Methinks every spouse of Christ should love the quarter of the sky that being rent asunder should yield unto her husband methinks she should love that part of the heavens where Christ puts through his glorious hand and comes riding on the Rain-bow and Clouds to receive her to himself I conclude this with the conclusion of the Bible He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so Rev. 22.20 come Lord Jesus SECT IV. Of hoping in Jesus in that
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-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
shall be quenched But I have in some measure already discovered all those acts of his grace and love till his second coming and therefore I begin there 1. Christ will come is not this love as his departure was a rich testimony of his love John 14.18 It is expedient for you that I go away so is his returning I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Oh how can we think of Christ's returning and not meditate on the greatness of his love might he not send his Angels but he must come himself is it not state and majesty enough to have the Angels come for us but that he himself must come with his Angels to meet us more than half the way what King on Earth would adopt a beggar and after his adoption would himself go in person to fetch him from the dunghil to his Throne we are filthy lazars from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet we are full of sores and yet the King of Heaven puts on his best attire and comes in person with all his retinue of glory to fetch us from our graves to his own Court of Heaven Oh the loves of Christ in this one act he will come again he is but gon for a while but he will come again in his own person 2. Christ will welcome all his Saints into his presence and is not this love after he is come down from Heaven he stays for them a while in the Clouds and commanding his Angels to bring them thither anon they come and oh how his heart springs within him at their coming what throbs and pangs of love are in his heart at the first view of them as they draw near and fall down at his feet and worship him so he draws near and falls upon their necks and welcomes them Methinks I hear him say Come blessed souls you are my purchase for whom I Covenanted with my Father from eternity O you are dearly welcome to your Lord in that now I have you in my arms I feel the fruit of my death the acceptation of my Sacrifice the return of my prayers for this I was born and dyed for this I rose again and ascended into Heaven for this I have interceded a Priest in Heaven these many years and now I have the end and design of all my actings and sufferings for you how is my joy fulled look as at the meeting of two lovers there is great joy especially if the distance hath been great and the desires of enjoying one another vehement so is the meeting of Christ with his Saints the joy is so great that it runs over and wets the fair brows and beauteous locks of Cherubims and Seraphims and all the Angels have a part of this banquet at this day 3. Christ will sentence his Saints for eternal life here is love indeed every word of the sentence is full of love it contains the reward of his Saints a reward beyond their work and beyond their wages and beyond the promise and beyond their thoughts and beyond their understanding it is a participation of the joyes of God and of the inheritance of the Judge himself Come enter into your Masters joy inherit the Kingdom Oh but if all the Saints have only one Kingdom where is my room fear not O my soul thou shalt have room enough though but one Kingdom yet all the Inhabitants there are Kings whole Heaven is such a Kingdom as is intirely and fully injoyed by one glorified Saint all and every one hath the whole Kingdom at his own will every one is filled with God as if there were no fellows there to share â—ith him Oh that I may come under this blessed sentence never was more love expressed in words than Christ expresseth in this sentence Come ye blessed c. 4. Christ will take up all his Saints with him into glory where he will present them to his Father and then be their all in all to all eternity This is the heigâ—t of Christ's love this is the immediate love that comes out from the precious heart and bowels of Jesus Christ this is that Zenith of love when sensibly and feelingly it burns at hottest it is true that Christ's love breaks out in all those precedaneous acts we have already spoken Oh but what loves will he cast out from himself in glory the more excellent the Soyl is and the nearer the Sun is the more of Summer and the more of day the more delicious must be the Apples the Pomgranates the Roses the Lillies that grow there surely Christ in glory is a blessed soyl Roses and Lillies and Apples of love that are eternally Summer-green and sweet grow out of him the honey of Heaven is more than honey the honey of love that is pure and unmixt and glorious in Christ must needs be incomparable I cannot say but that Christ's love like himself is the same yesterday and to day and for ever there is no intension 1 John 4.8 or remission of his love as in it self for God is love he is essentially love and therefore admits of no degrees yet in respect of the sense or manifestation of this love of Christ there must needs be a difference thus if he loved his spouse on earth how much more will he love her when his Bride in Heaven If he loves us while sinners and enemies to his holiness how much more will he love us when we are sons and perfected Saints in glory he that could spread his arms and open his heart on the Cross will he not then open arms and heart and all to them that reign with him in his Kingdom if in this life such is loves puissance that we usually say of Christ Though the head be in heaven yet he hath left his heart on earth with sinners what shall we say of Christ in glory where love like the Sun ever stands in the Zenith Deut. 33.27 where the eternal God is the souls everlastiâ—g refuge and underneath are his everlasting arms 5. And if Christ love thus how should we love again for such a love Lord what a sum of love are we indebted to thee is it possible that ever we should pay the debt can we love as high as deep as broad as long as love it self or as Christ himself no no all we can do is but to love a little and Oh that in the consideration of his love we could love a little in sincerity Oh that we were but able feelingly to say Why Lord I love thee I feel I love thee even as I feel I love my friend or as I feel I love my self Such arguments of love have been laid before us as that now I know no more we have seen whole Christ cap-a-pe we have heard of the loves of Christ from eternity to eternity we have had a view of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ wherein his love is represented to us as hot as death or as
be one person and in that person he was born and lived and died and rose again and ascended into Heaven there now he hath been sitting sending down the Holy Ghost and interceding for his Saints for above one thousand six hundred years And in this last work he will continue till the end of the World and then he will come again to judge the World and to receive his Saints to himself that where he is they may be with him to see and enjoy him to all eternity This is the epitome of all I have said onely in every particular I have set down Christ's actings towards us and our actings towards Christ in various formes and out-goings of his love he hath acted towards us and in various formes and out-goings of our souls we have been taught fitly and suitably to act towards him Now in all these actings How doth the free grace of God in Christ appear Ye are saved by grace Ephes 2.5 saith the Apostle Eph. 2.5 the decree the means the end of our salvation is grace and onely grace The decree is grace and therefore it is called the election of grace Rom. 1.5 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 3.24 Rom. 6.23 Eph. 1.7 Eph. 2.7 the means are of grace and therefore we are called according to his grace and we are justified freely by his grace And the end is of grace for eternal life is the gift of God both beginning and progress and execution is all of grace This is the riches of his grace the exceeding the hyperbolical riches of his grace the conclusion of all is this God's free grace which was first designed will at last be manifested and eternally praised by Saints and Angels the same free grace which from the beginning of the age of God from everlasting drove on the saving plot and sweet design of our salvation will at last be glorified to purpose when Heavens inhabitants will be ever digging into this golden-mine ever rolling this soul-delighting and precious stone ever beholding viewing enquiring and searching into the excellency of this same Christ and this free grace Now all is done shall I speak a word for Christ or rather for our selves in relation to Christ and so an end if I had but one word more to speak in the World it should be this Oh let all our spirits be taken up with Christ let us not busie our selves too much with toyes or trifles with ordinary and low things but look unto Jesus Surely Christ is enough to fill all our thoughts desires hopes loves joys or whatever is within us or without us Christ alone comprehends all the circumference of all our happiness Christ is the pearl hid in the large field of God's Word Christ is the scope of all the Scriptures all things and persons in the old World were Tipes of him all the Prophets foretold him all God's love runs through him all the gifts and graces of the Spirit flow from him the whole eye of God is upon him and all his designs both in Heaven and Earth meet in him Eph. 1.10 the great design of God is this That he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him All things are summed up in one Jesus Christ if we look on the creation the whole world was made by Christ if we look on providences all things subsist in Christ they have their being and their well-being in him Where may we find God but in Christ where may we see God but in this essential and eternal glass 2 Cor. 4.6 Heb. 1.3 Christ is the face of God the brightness of his glory the express image of his Fathers person the Father is as it were all Sun and all Pearl and Jesus Christ is the substantial rayes the eternal and essential irradiation of this Sun of glory Christ outs God as the seal doth the stamp Christ reveals God as the face of a man doth reveal the man so Christ to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father q. d. I am as like the Father John 14.9 as God is like himself there is a perfect indivisible unity between the Father and me I and the Father are one one very God he the begetter and I the begotten Christ is the substantial Rose that grew out of the Father from eternity Christ is the essential wisdom of God Christ is the substantial Word of God the intellectual birth of the Lord 's infinite understanding Oh the worth of Christ compare we other things with Christ and they will bear no weight at all cast into the ballance with him Angels they are wise but he is wisdom cast into the ballance with him men they are lyars lighter than vanity but Christ is the Amen the faithful witness cast into the scales Kings and all Kings and all their glory why he is King of Kings cast into the scale millions of tallents-weight of glory cast in two Worlds and add to the weight millions of Heavens of Heavens and the ballance cannot down the scales are unequal Christ out-weighs all Shall I yet come nearer home what is Heaven but to be with Christ what is life eternal but to believe in God and in his Son Jesus Christ where may we find peace with God and reconciliation with God but onely in Christ God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 where may we find compassion mercy and gentleness to sinners but onely in Christ it is Christ that takes off infinite wrath and satisfies justice and so God is a most lovely compassionate desirable God in Jesus all the goodness of God comes out of God through this golden pipe the Lord Jesus Christ It is true those essential attributes of love grace mercy goodness are onely in God and they abide in God yet the Mediatory manifestation of love grace mercy and goodness is onely in Christ Christ alone is the Treasury Store-house Magazene of the free goodness and mercy of the God-head In him we are Elected Adopted Redeemed Justified Sanctified Saved he is the ladder and every step of it betwixt Heaven and Earth he is the way the truth and the life he is honour riches beauty health peace and salvation he is a suitable and rich portion to every man's soul that which some of the Jews observe of the Mannah that it was in taste according to every man's pallate it is really true of Christ that he is to the Soul whatsoever the soul would have him to be All the spiritual blessings wherewith we are enriched are in and by Christ God hears our prayers by Christ God forgives our iniquities through Christ all we have and all we expect to have hangs onely on Christ he is the golden hinge upon which all our salvation turns Oh how should all hearts be taken with this Christ Christians turn your eyes upon the Lord Look and look again unto Jesus Why stand ye gazing on the toyes of this World when such a Christ is offered to you in the Gospel can the World dye for you can the World reconcile you to the Father can the World advance you to the Kingdom of Heaven As Christ is all in all so let him be the full and compleat subject of our desire and hope and faith and love and joy let him be in your thoughts the first in the morning and the last at night Shall I speak one word more to thee that believest Oh apply in particular all the transactions of Jesus Christ to thy very self remember how he came out of his Fathers bosom for thee wept for thee bled for thee poured out his life for thee is now risen for thee gone to Heaven for thee sits at God's right hand and rules all the World for thee makes intercession for thee and at the end of the World will come again for thee and receive thee to himself to live with him for ever and ever Surely if thus thou believest and livest thy life is comfortable and thy death will be sweet if there be any Heaven upon Earth thou wilt find it in the practise and exercise of this Gospel-duty in Looking unto Jesus A Poem of Mr. George Herbert in his Temple JESV JESV is in my heart his sacred Name Is deeply carved there but th' other week A great affliction broke the little frame Ev'n all to pieces which I went to seek And first I found the corner where was J After where ES and next where V was graved When I had got these parcels instantly I sate me down to spell them and perceived That to my broken heart he was I ease you and to my whole is JESV FINIS