heaven then the Death and Merits of Christ would be much extenuated Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever He was the same yesterday that is before he was borne hee was of use then as well as after time Againe if the Soules of wicked men be in Hell before Christs time then the Soules of godly men must bee in heaven before Christs time that must clearly follow by the Rules of contrary now that wicked men went to Hell is cleare Jude 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall Fire They went to hell before Christs time therefore cleare it must follow that the Elect must goe to Heaven before Christs time Fourthly there is the very same reason why Believers should goe to heaven before Christs Ascension as there is why they should go to heaven after Christs Ascension because Believers under the old Testament they had the same Gospell preached to them as now wee have and they had the same Spirit the same Faith the same Christ and under the same Covenant and therefore why must they not goe to the same place I shall clearly prove this unto you First they had the same Spirit and the same Faith that wee had and this is laid downe by the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.13 Wee having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken wee also believe and therefore speak and they with us had the same justifying Faith Then for circumcision it was a signe of righteousnesse by Faith And then againe they had the same Gospell that wee have Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the same Gospell Preached as well as unto them but the word Preached did not profit them not being mixt with Faith in them that heard it The same Gospell onely theirs was darke for the ceremoniall Law was Gospell meerely Types and Shadowes to come Shadowes of Salvation by Christs Bloud to them was the Gospell Preached as well as unto us Nay they had the same Christ as wee have 1 Cor. 10.4 And did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that Sipirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ And in the Wildernesse it is said Let us not tempt Christ as they also tempted him they sinned against Christ in the Wildernesse and they enjoyed Christ in the Wildernesse so that they had the same Christ as wee have Againe they are under the same Covenant that wee are Jeremiah 31. It is the same Covenant with ours in Hebrewes 8. So that is there not the same reason why Believers under the old Testament should goe to the same place as Believers under the new for they had the same spirit the same Faith the same Gospell the same Christ and under the same Covenant therefore they must needs go to the same place though heaven be prepared by Christs Ascension yet heaven was opened before yet not so manifested before as since Christ Dyed Rose and went up to Heaven Vse I now come to the Application the use is to draw out a few practicall inferences from this Doctrine which are foure If it be so that Jesus Christ by his going into heaven hath prepared a place for the Elect there then learne by way of recompense by way of compensation and gratification to Jesus Christ O prepare thou a heart for Christ who hath prepared a heaven for thee Shall Christ go to heaven to prepare a place for thee yet thou afford Christ no corner in thy heart thou lettest thy lust sit on the Throne of thy heart yet not give Christ any roome there We reade in Revel 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 selfe ready O be thou as the Bride make thy selfe ready for the Marriage day the betrothing day was when Christ went up to heaven thy Marriage day is thy dying day O against the Marriage day of the Lambe doe thou who art his Bride make thy selfe ready doe thou prepare a heart for Christ who hath prepared heaven for thee Origen hath a good passage on Luke 22.12 And hee shall shew you a large upper roome furnished there make ready though hee doth much abuse the scope of the Scripture There were three properties of the Roome wherein Christ are the Passover a large upper and a furnished Roome hee makes this Allegory of it I doe not give it to you as the sence of it but take his glosse that if thou wilt come to sup with Christ thou must make thy heart as the upper Roome a heart raised in Divine contemplation and not onely an upper Rome but a large Roome a large Heart a furnished Roome a Heart adorned with grace O doe thou prepare a large Roome an upper Roome and a furnished Roome for Christ Secondly if Christ be gone into heaven to prepare a place for the Elect then wee are rather gayners then losers by the want of Christs bodily presence wee should be lesse happy to have Christ upon the Earth then now Christ is in heaven for wee are greater gayners by Christ now being in Heaven then if hee were in person with us upon the Earth Divines illustrate this say they the body of the Sun it is fixt in the Firmament and giveth light over all the World now should the body of the Sun be taken from the Firmament and be upon the Earth amongst us it would not be of that availe to us as now it is the Sun of Righteousnesse now hee is in the heavens hee is of greater availe to us then if hee were upon the Earth for if hee were on the Earth all the World could not see him at once so that wee are greater gayners by Christs bodily absence and by Christs going up to Heaven then if hee were in person here amongst us truly as Christ saith in John 14.28 Yee have heard how I said unto you I goe away and come againe unto you If yee loved me yee youl l rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. Truly it was matter of joy and not of griefe that Christ left this World and went to Heaven because hee went there to prepare a place for us I would faine know whether Jacob would have beene troubled for his Son Joseph if Jacob had known this that his Sonne was gone into Aegypt to prepare a place for him and all his Brethren against the Famine surely it would never have troubled him Truly your Joseph your Jesus hee is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for you there therefore let it not trouble you seeing you are more happy by Christs presence in Heaven then if you had his Bodily presence upon the Earth Thirdly if Christ be gone Bodily into
reigne on the Earth this you have in 2 Thess 2.9 Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him So that the coming of our Lord and our gathering together to be judged by Christ they are both coupled together because when the Lords coming is then is our gathering time Mat. 25.31.32 When the Sonne of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit upon the Throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and hee shall seperate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his Sheepe from the Goats And in 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdome The Scripture telleth you that when Christ appeares to judge the World hee shall have this Concomitant of his coming hee shall gather all together to judge both the Good and the Bad. Those that pretend that Christ shall come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth they cannot prove that then all shall bee gathered together they onely pleade for the Martyrs and none else therefore it cannot be referred to his coming to reigne a thousand years Thirdly when Christ comes then the end of the World is a period is put to this World 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father c. So when Christ comes then comes the end Now those who hold for Christs personall reigne they hold that the end of the World shall not be till a thousand yeares after because Christ must Reigne a thousand yeares Fourthly the Resurrection both of the just and unjust is a concomitant of Christs coming 1 Cor. 15.23 But every man in his owne Order Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming So that at Christs coming the generall Resurrection of the just and unjust is to be Lastly there is to be the Salvation of the Soules of all the Elect that is a fifth concomitant of Christs coming Heb. 9.28 So Christ was once offered to beare the sinnes of many and unto them that looke for him shall hee appeare the second time without sinne unto Salvation This cannot bee referred to Christs Person coming upon the Earth because hee doth not come then to save the soules of all the Elect that is the first reason why Christ cannot come to Reigne upon the Earth that when the Scripture speakes of Christ coming out of Heaven the Scripture doth annex five Concomitants with it that it cannot be true of Christs coming upon the Earth but to come to judge the World A second reason is this that Christ cannot come to reigne upon the Earth because if it should be so it would be worse for Christ and it would be worse for us then now it is it would be worse for Christ for to leave Heaven and come to the Earth for Christ to leave Saints and Angells and Heaven for to live among the wicked and the good for they themselves confesse that wicked men shall live upon the Earth then Then besides they fancy Earthly delights that the fruit of the Vineyard shall not fade as now it doth why they would lessen Christs Glory because hee sits this day at his Fathers right Hand for to fancy this that Christ must come to reigne upon the earth it would be a great losse to all the Elect for wee have the benefit of Christs everlasting Intercession And were Christ upon the Earth wee should lose that benefit Heb. 8.4 For if hee were on the Earth hee should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law Therefore I doe wonder what they will doe that pretend great glory to Christ to reigne on the Earth so that if hee were upon the Earth wee should lose the benefit of his Priest-hood Therefore it would be a great wrong to us to have Christ here on the Earth because the benefit of his Priestly Office would not be so availeable to us as it is in Heaven Thus I have laid down Scripture and given you reasons why Christ cannot come before his last coming Now there are eight Incongruities and Absurdities that would follow in case you should grant that CHRIST should come to Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth First by those mens Principles this inconvenience will follow that people may exactly know the punctuall time of Christs last coming to judge the World for those who hold Christs personall Reigne they do as well hold the time as the thing they doe as well maintaine when this Reigne shall begin Therefore some have maintained that Christ should come to Reigne on the Earth in the yeare 1650. One saith if it shall not be in the yeare 1650 it shall be in the yeare 1694. They that goe furthest give at that time if so be they hold the thing and maintaine the time when it shall begin then of necessity wee must know exactly when the day shall be that Christ shall come to judge the World for they grant it shal be imediately after the thousand yeares Now Beloved that Opinion that carries this absurdity to know the day of Christs coming to judge the World which Christ saith none in the World can tell of that houre and day knoweth no man Mark 13.32 But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells which are in Heaven neither the Sonne but the Father Therefore it cannot possibly be that Christ must come on the Earth therefore those that live at least to see Christ come from Heaven they cannot tell to a Day when CHRIST shall come to judge the World A second Incongruity which will follow is this if this should be granted that Christ shall Reigne on the Earth a thousand years before his great and last coming to judge the World then it will follow that Christ shall almost be as long a time on the Earth as in Heaven Christ dyed in the 33 yeare of his Age and hath beene 1619 yeares in Heaven and hee must be a thousand yeares upon the Earth that is very improbable This incongruity will follow that it will be a great disadvantage to Christ for Christ to come in person a thousand yeares on the Earth hee must leave his Father and leave his Heaven and come and onely possesse Earth Now Christ hath more happinesse in the imediate enjoyment of his Father in Heaven then hee can have here upon the Earth Then it will be a losse to us that wee should lose the benefit of his Priestly Office but Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse being in Heaven is more waileable to Believers then if he were upon the Earth Fourthly observe this that if Christ should come on the Earth for a thousand yeares then Christ would leave the Church after that thousand yeares for a while in
Ans They answered this that in the yeare 1300 the Turkish Emperour began to bear sway Gog and Magog called the Turke the Turke prevailed and hath gotten the greatest part of the World within his power and hee was the Gog and Magog that did encampe the Saints and did spread almost over all the Earth and truly comparing Scripture and story together this seemes to be the neerest and the truest sense of this place and this Interpreters doe generally concurre in Two Objections by those who pleade for a Thousand years First is this wee reade of in the Century of the Church that the Church of God was pestered by Ballance the Arrian Emperour after these 300 yeares and of Julian the Apostate that did greatly persecute the Christians and how can this be true when wee reade of so much persecution after the Divell was bound up Answer That when it is said the Divell is bound up it is not meant simply that there should be no Temptation to sinne for that there should be Ballance the Emperour did establish Arrianisme and troubled the Church of God One answereth saith hee it was nothing like the persecuting of the Roman Emperours it was nothing so long nor so tedious as the Persecution under the Roman Emperours for for every day in the yeare 5000 Christians were put to death In Dioclesians Reigne there were 17000 Christians killed in one Moneth there was some sprinkling Persecution in the time of Ballance and Iulian the Apostate it was nothing to that of the Roman Emperours Bernard and others giveth that answer which both concurre in Againe though Ballance the Emperour and Antichrist did trouble the Church at that time yet is a Prophecy of what Exemption should be from the tyrannicall reigne of the Roman Emperours It is true Antichrist did trouble the Church when the Roman Emperour did not and the Church was free from the Roman Emperours Obj. Another Objection is this I but the Scripture saith that this is the first Resurrection that the Saints living and reigning with Christ a thousand yeares this is the first Resurrection how can it be said that after the time that the Roman Emperour was curb'd by Constantine how can you say that that was a Resurrection and that they reigned with Christ at that Time For Answer first That that was the first Resurrection it is said so in Scripture phrase the word rising doth not carry a reference of the body from the Grave but from a state of affliction and of sinne they are expressed in Scripture by a Resurrection Rom. 10.10 11. Let their Eyes be darkened that they may not see and bow downe their back alway I say then have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid but rather through their fall Salvation is come unto the Gntiles for to provoke them to jealousy Isaiah 22.19 And I will drive thee from thy Station and from thy state shall he pull thee down The men that are as it were low men in captivity in Babylon they shall rise it doth not referre to the Resurrection from the dead at the last day so a rising from sinne Coloss 2.12 Buried with him in Baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Wee are risen with Christ not bodily but out of our sinnes Coloss 3.1 If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God So that here a Resurrection this is the first Resurrection the meaning is this that those that did escape the rage and cruelty of the Ten Persecutions and did come to live in Constantines days and did all the while of the former Persecutions keepe themselves from the Idolatry of the Heathens and Corruptions of Antichrist they are said to have a first Resurrection blessed are they that were raised up by Christ from their Sinnes and from their Errours Superstition and Idolatry both of Antichrist and the Heathens that is they were blessed I but then it is said they live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares Beloved that phrase living and reigning with Christ though some Interpreters refer it to Heaven yet with Brightman and others I concurre with these and so Bernard saith it doth denote thus much that those in Successive Ages who enjoyed Liberty in the Christian Religion under Constantine the Great who lived to a thousand yeares that were delivered from former afflictions and kept by Christs Power from the Idolatry of the Times and from Antichrist they were said to live with Christ a thousand yeares for they lived to him and depended on him and were not plunged into the wickednesse of the Times And thus with consulting of many Authors I finde this to be the truest recount in a few words in taking of this Text from giving any foundation to Christs personall reigne for a thousand yeares upon the Earth The second Scripture that they doe urge for Christs personall reigne upon the Earth for a thousand yeares and that is the 2 Peter 3.7 10 11 12 13. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement and Perdition of ungodly men But the day of the Lord will come as a Theife in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the Earth also and the Workes that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens beeing on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate Neverthelesse wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Here is mention of a coming of Christ we looke for and hasten to his coming at Christs coming wee looke for a new Earth Now say they to what purpose were there to be a new Earth if Christ were not to come downe on this Earth and the Saints with him for a thousand yeares as the Scripture doth seeme to give warrant for a thousand yeares reigne this Scripture seemes to give warrant that it shall be on the Earth they say that the righteous shall only have benefit of Christs personall reigne upon the Earth To take off this First marke the scope and the context how this Scripture is brought in and it will something cleare the Text it is brought in by some Epicurian Principles that some scoffers had taken in these times ver 3.4 Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their owne lusts And saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation Wee see no
change in Providence therefore where is the promise of Christs coming They scoffed at Christ that Christ was a contemptible man in this World and that God should judge the World by Christ this is the Answer in the 7 vers But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement and Perdition of ungodly Men. Peter speakes directly that the time of Christs coming and they scoffed at it was not the time of the thousand yeares but of the Time of the day of Judgement Therefore this coming here that Peter speakes of it cannot be meant of a thousand yeares before the day of Judgement Secondly the day of Perdition of ungodly men they say themselves that Christ doth suffer the wicked of the World to live in the World though not to rule as they have Thirdly observe that it is said here that before this new Earth is that the World it shall be burnt with Fire the Heavens shall passe away with a noyse c. So that now before a thousand yeares there is no such thing as before the day of Judgement the World cannot be as in the fore going Verse The burning of the World it is reserved against that day against the day of Judgement Therefore the coming cannot be referred to Christs Personall coming on the Earth to reigne a thousand yeares Fourthly it is said here that Christ shall come as a Thiefe But the day of the Lord will come as a Thiefe in the Night in the which tht Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse c. That Epithet it is referred to his coming to judge the World to his last coming and not to any other coming 1 Thess 5.2 For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a Thiefe in the Night But if Christ should come to reigne upon the Earth then hee cometh visible Mat. 43.44 But know this that if the good Man of the house had knowne in what watch the Thiefe would come he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up Therefore be yee also ready for in such an houre as you thinke not the Sonne of Man cometh Revel 16.15 Behold I come as a Thiefe Blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest hee walke naked and they see his shame Fifthly and this Divines stand much upon Wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse That the dwellings of righteousnesse here it doth not referre that such a thing shall be on the new Earth but the dwelling of righteousnesse referres to righteousnesse here it doth not referre that such a thing shall be on the new Earth but the dwelling of righteousnesse referres to righteous men not to Heaven or Earth the Greeke word cleares it plainely it is a word in the Plurall Number Therefore it is not referred to the Earth which is in the Singular Number Therefore Divines say from the Originall 2 Peter 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We in whom dwells righteousnesse looke for a new Heaven and a new Earth So that the dwelling of righteousnesse it is not referred as if there should be men on Earth but that righteousnesse should dwell in men wee reade of none being on the Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse ousnesse Thus much for that other Scripture Wee looke for new Heavens and a new Earth A Third Scripture and that they deeme to have some strength in too In Daniel 2.44 And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other People but it shall breake in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever And this Text Aroher in his book referrs to the personall reigne of Christ Now Beloved to give you the scope of this Text take these Answers First it is true that a Kingdome is given by God to Jesus Christ and that Kingdom was given by God to Christ while hee was here upon the Earth in the forme of a servant and this Luke tells you Chap. 1. vers 32 33. Hee shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And hee shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end So that Iesus Christ had a Kingdome and hee is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Heaven Secondly it is said here that this Kingdome it was begun in the dayes of those Kings Now in whose dayes doth this Kingdome speake of It speakes of those that divided Alexanders Kingdome who overcame the Medes and Persians it was divided betweene Ptolomy Ring of Egypt and Silucas King of Assyria and the loynes of those Kings should succeede in Government In their time Jesus Christ did set up a Kingdome for hee was borne King of the Jewes Thirdly it is apparent that this cannot be referred to Christs Kingdome in this World for a thousand yeares First it cannot be said that it should be a Kingdome for ever and ever for a Kingdome for a thousand yeares cannot be said to be a Kingdome for ever and ever but it is said in Daniel it shall be for ever and ever A Fourth Scripture is in Eph. 5.5 For this yee know that no Whoremonger nor Vncleane person nor Covetous Man who is an Idolater hath any Inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God And this Text Gerrard quotes and doth well resolve it they say there is not onely a Kingdome of God that is Heaven but the Scripture doth make mention of a Kingdome of Christ and a Kingdome of God Therefore they build on this of Christs Reigne and of having of a Kingdome here upon Earth First I answer it is true Christ hath a Kingdome but hee saith expresly that his Kingdome is not of this World John 18.36 Jesus answered my Kingdome is not of this World c. Secondly though it be said that there is here a Kingdome of Christ yet it is not expressed to be upon the Earth for a 1000 yeares Thirdly this Kingdome of Christ Interpreters referre it to the same with the Kingdome of God and to be meant meerly exegettically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two expressions agree alike in one many phrases in Scripture which doe onely imply that Jesus Christ now in Heaven hee is King and Priest his Kingly Office now in Heaven ruling all the Church of God by his Word and Power Therefore those Phrases carry onely thus much that Christ is King now in Heaven the Administration of all affaires in the World at his dispose but when hee shall come to judge the World then hee shall deliver up all to his Father A fifth Text they have is in Mat. 26.29 But I say unto you I will not drinke henceforth of this
not in Heaven hee was speaking on Earth to them in his Person in his Humane Nature so likewise in John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given Mee bee with Mee where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given Mee for thou lovedst Mee before the Foundation of the World Gerrard doth raise this Question that when Christ speakes of his being in Heaven CHRIST doth speake of it in the Present Tense as if hee were there already Now why doth Christ say that hee is in Heaven when yet he was in his body on the Earth First Christ saith I am it denotes the certainty of Christs going to heaven that he should bee there as sure as if hee were there Babylon is fallen why the Popedome is not fallen yet it shall bee as sure as if it were fallen It is to note Secondly the suddennesse of it Christ was shortly to bee in Heaven there was but one day betweene Christ and his being in Heaven things suddenly to be done they are said to be done things that are neere a doing are said to be done Thirdly which is the reason that Gerrard gives Christ doth expresse in the present Tense where I am though hee were on Earth it was for this reason saith Gerrard to shew that Christ was truly God as well as Man and in regard of his Divine Nature hee was truly in Heaven as in regard of his Humane Nature hee was on Earth Thus much for the manner of expression that where I am there you may be also the latter part is that they might be with Christ where he is One thing to observe that in Scripture Language there is a great difference betweene Christs being with us and ours said to be with Christ Christ is said to be with us it doth not denote a personall presence but a presence by his Spirit Mat. 28. last verse Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I shall command you and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World It was not in person for hee left them but I am with you in my blessing in my Spirit but when the Scripture saith of our being with Christ it notes a personall presence a being with Christ in preson Therefore Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Christ was with Paul because Christ converted him but Paul was not with Christ but desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ our being with the Lord it notes a personall presence an enjoying of the presence of the Lord. Obser The Observation is this That Christ at his second coming receives the Elect unto himselfe in body and soule that they might bee for ever present where Jesus Christ is in Heaven that where I am there yee may bee also This Doctrine it is out of the common place Here in setting out to you this great happinesse that this should be the consequent of Christs great and last coming to receive the Elect unto himselfe that where Christ is there yee may be also I shall then shew you the great blessednesse in this condition in these eight or nine particulars First our being where Christ is in heaven I may first set out the happinesse of it in this particular First that you will bee more happy in being present with Jesus Christ in Heaven then if you had beene present with Adam in a state of Innocency wee should have thought our selves happy then to bee as Adam was to have had the Immediate presence of God wee should have thought this a very happy and glorious Estate Indeed so it was but now to be present with CHRIST in Heaven thou art more happy ten thousand times then if thou hadst beene made when Adam was made to have lived with him in Innocency First Adam when he was made by God in Innocency he was instated only into an earthly Paradice but now thou being with Christ art stated into an everlasting kingdom Againe Adam was placed in Innocency yet so as to bee liable to lose that blessed and glorious condition hee was in and did lose it though hee were a perfect Creature yet hee lay under a capacity to lose all his excellency but when God brings thee to bee present with Jesus Christ thou art instated into a kingdom that cannot be shaken into a happy condition that cannot be lost Againe thirdly when hee was made by God in Innocency hee enjoyed onely the society of Beasts on the Earth and Birds of the Ayre I but when God brings thee where Christ is hee doth instate thee into a condition where God the Father God the Son and all the Saints and Angels are thy companions Secondly here is another part of thy happinesse being where Christ is that thou shalt enjoy the society of Christ in his Humane Nature where Christ is thou shalt be that is the meaning of that expression John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given Mee be with Mee where I am that they may behold my Glory Beloved this is the Beatificall vision this referres to seeing the glory of Christs Person in his Humane Nature not the glory of his Godhead but the glory of his Man-hood which was in himselfe that they may behold my glorified body the glory of my Humane Nature that was so contemned and so despised when I was on the Earth I beseech thee let all the Elect that long for mee and for to bee with mee I beseech thee that they may bee with mee where I am to behold my glory It was a solemn wish of Austine a little before his Death hee wisht that hee might see three things and then if hee might die hee did not care I wish saith hee First that I might see Rome in its beauty and see Paul in the Pulpit and to see Christ in the flesh every Believer shall see the Lord Jesus in the flesh Job tells you of his confidence long before Christ was borne I know my Redeemer liveth and with these Eyes I shall see my Redeemer here is thy happinesse that being where Jesus Christ is thou hast a society with Christ in his Humane Nature 1 John 3.2 Beloved now wee are the Sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall bee but wee know not when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is Wee doe not know what Christ is wee doe not know what a glorified body is wee shall know him then wee shall see him as hee is glorified in Heaven A Third thing that makes much for the blessednesse of the Elect that thy being present with Jesus Christ God gives thee more Honour then ever thou couldst be capable of in former time God gives thee glory by vertue of thy being with Jesus Christ a notable Text John 12.26 verse If any Man serve mee let him follow mee and where I am there shall also my servant be If any Man serve mee
single act but when continually throughout thy course thou hast a wilfull and a gainsaying heart against all the motions of Gods Spirit within thee Must not this be a great evill in thee when thou dost quench grieve resist and vex the Spirit all these circumstances must needes aggravate and greaten thy sin Eightly Sin is aggravated when thou dost frequently fall into the same sin Ninethly Sin is aggravated when it is done in a way of complacency that it is not onely acted by thee but loved by thee the acting of a sin is not so much as a loving of sin Tenthly sin is aggravated when it is done by eminent and publick persons whose example draw other men to sin and this did aggravate Jereboams sin 2 King 17.21 For he rent Israel from the house of David and they made Jeroboam the Son of Nebat King and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin Thou that hast sinned a sin and art a publike person thy sins are other mens sins thine is a greater sin then another mans sin is for every act that thou hast done will be an imboldning and encouragement of other to doe the like Eleventhly It aggravates sin when God doth punish other men for thy sin this makes the sins of Rulers to be great sins because for their sins God may punish the people as for Davids sin in numbring the people there did thousands of Israel dye of the plague when thou sinnest in thy family God may punish all the house for that sin this you shall find an aggravation of Abrahams sin Gen. 20.9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him What hast thou done unto us and what have I offended thee that thou hast brought on mâ—e and on my Kingdome a great sin thou hast done deeds unto mee that ought not to be done Twelfthly Sin is an aggravated sin when it is done by a man that lives under much means of grace where the Gospel is preached where sin is reproved there to live in a way of wickednesse greatens thy sin that made a woe to be pronounced by Christ against Chorazin and against Bethsaida because they had the Gospell it should be worse with them then with Sodom and Gomorrah In the thirteenth place Sin is aggravated when they are against many vows purposes and prayers and many holy resolutions thou addest perjury to thine iniquity and that aggravates thy sin The Use Such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace that he forgives sinnes cloathed with many aggravated circumstances O then what remains there are two things to be done by you First if of any you find that you are under these thirteen aggravations that you can call your sins the iniquity of sin O then you should admire and magnifie the multitude of Gods mercy that great sins cannot out-vie Gods mercy but Gods mercy out-vie thy great sins Magnifie pardoning grace the more Paul saith 1 Tim. 1.13 Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy c. O doe thou say so I have been thus vile and thus wicked I have thus cloathed my sin yet through the aboundance of grace and love I have obtained mercy O let this inhance the value of Christs bloud Secondly Labour to greaten thine own graces hast thou beene notorious in sin why shouldst not thou be great in humiliation great in repentance And thus I have by the good hand of God in these twelve Sermons handled two Doctrines to you the one touching Davids penitentiall act confessing sin and the other of Gods gracious act The Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin So much for this Text. FINIS THE SAINTS Advantage BY CHRISTS Ascension JOHN 14 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there yee may be also THis Chapter out of which my Text is taken is counted famous by most Interpreters because in it begins the Legacy that Christ gives and the last Will and Testament that Christ made when he was to leave the World and this Will and Testament of Christs begins in the 14th Chap. and continues to the 18 Chapter of this Book The scope and drift of this Chapter it is to comfort his Disciples both against their feares of persecution in the World as also against their sorrowes upon this Consideration that Christ was shortly to leave this World and Christ doth here mention many comfortable considerations before them that they were to be left without a guide that Christ was shortly to leave this World and go to his Father â—t much troubled them It went ill with them when Christ was with them and they thought it would have been worse with them when hee was gone and he doth encourage them by these Arguments First hee saith I am but going to my Fathers House and the 28 vers of this Chapter he saith yee have heard how I said unto you I goe away and come againe unto you If yee loved mee yee would rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. Againe secondly he would not have them troubled because of his departure because saith he I do not intend to go to my Fâ—â—her alone but intend for to have all you with me though you shall not go with me now Though you shall not die with mee now though you shall not go to Heaven with me now yet you shall be with mee mother day In my Fathers house are many Mansions I do not intend to go to heaven done for there is roome for you as well is for mee and roome for every Believer in the World Heaven first is a Mansion a place which notes a duration of Saints in Heaven Heaven is not a moveable place but a Mansion an abiding place Againe there are many Mansions in Heaven there is roome enough for Christ for his eleven Apostles and roome enough for all the Believers in the World it notes the lastingnesse of Heaven Hebrewes 11. and 12 vers Therefore sprang there even that one and him as good as dead so many as the Starres of the Skye in multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea-shore innumerable And besides the innumerable company of Angells there is a great Multitude in Heaven which no man can number so that here Heaven is a Mansion and there are many Mansions Thirdly but they may say these may be Superbolicall expressions that there is more spoken then is but saith Christ in the second vers In my Fathers house are many Mansions If it were not so I would have told you To doubt that Jesus Christ doth speake more then there is if there had been no such thing as having a Mansion in Heaven with Christ saith Christ if there were not such I would have told you I do not love to tell you of a fooles Paradice as the Devill doth but I tell you in Heaven
my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God Christ did promise that hee would ascend Iohn 16.5 7. But now I go my way to him that sent mee and none of you asked me whither goest thou Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Iohn 16.16 A little while and yee shall not see mee and againe a little while and yee shall see mee because I goe to the Father I could quote you many Scriptures that Christ promised hee would goe away Fourthly the Doctrine of Christs going up to Heaven is confirmed by the Testimony of the Apostles who were Eye-witnesses of Christs Ascension Gerrard notes saith he Jesus Christ did rise invisible none saw him Rise the Scripture telleth you that the Souldiers that watched were asleepe yet Christ gathereth all his eleven Apostles that they might be Eye witnesses of his Ascension that they saw him ascend to Heaven Acts 1.9 10. And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as hee went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell and so the Apostle Peter in the 1 Peter 3.22 Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right Hand of God Angells and Authority and Powers being subject unto him So Paul tells you in Ephesians 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all Heavens that hee might fill all things So in Hebrewes 9. the Author of that Booke tells you that Jesus Christ is not gone into the holy place but is gone into the Heaven it selfe In vers 24. For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversy great is the mystery of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into glory And in Mark 16.19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them hee was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God I take the more paines to prove this because of what Ancient Heresies there have been to overthrow this great comfortable Doctrine of Christs going bodily into Heaven having our flâ—sh in Heaven this very day Fifthly it may be proved by the Concurrent Testimonies of the Angells who were witnesses of this truth Acts 1.10 ve And while they looked stedfastly toward Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell These two men were Angells the Angels did give in their concurrent Testimonies that Jesus Christ did goe into Heaven and the same Jesus Christ that did go shall come againe Beloved I know not any one poynt in all the Bible that is so proved and strengthned as Christs personall and Bodily going up to Heaven and thus much for the strengthning of you in the proofe of the poynt I lay that for the Foundation because if the proof of it be not well grounded then the fruit of it will not be well regarded Secondly what is the reason that Christ must have his Body goe up to Heaven and not his Soul as other mens First Christ in his bodily presence must go to Heaven lest his Disciples should be taken too much with his bodily presence and never looke after the Communication of his Spirit Therefore they aske Christ Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome to Israel they expected that Christ would take away the Roman Emperour which was a heathen and expected that hee would bee King himselfe Acts 1.6 When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel It is for this reason say Interpreters because the Disciples should not dote on Jesus Christ as to looke on him as a temporall King and looke on him for a temporall Kingdome so that was one reason why hee would not leave his body with them but that they might looke after the Kingdom where he is therefore Paul hath a passage in 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know wee no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more As if hee should say it may be those that lived in Christs time that knew him according to the flesh as a lovely person but saith Paul wee know him in a spirituall way to looke after Heaven by Christ to looke after Salvation by Christ Secondly Christ must be taken up into Heaven in his body to make a compensation and a recompence to himselfe for his sufferings in his Body to make a compensation to him for his bodily sufferings hee must go to Heaven Phil. 2.8.9 And being found in fashion as a Man hee humbled himselfe and because obedient unto Death even the Death of the Crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name Therefore God did exalt Christ and raise him from the dead and bring him to Heaven because hee obeyed the death of the Crosse and took on him the forme of a servant Psal 110. last Vers He shall drinke of the brooke in thy way therefore shall hee lift up the Head Because thou dyedst and sufferedst therefore thou shalt lift up thy head therefore thou shalt ascend up to Heaven Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angells for the suffering of Death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should taste death for every man For suffering of Death hee was crowned with Glory and Honour to translate him bodily into heaven that is a second Argument Thirdly Christ was taken up bodily to heaven it was to manifest to the World that Christ was God as well as man to manifest the God head of Jesus Christ therefore taken up bodily to heaven Eph. 4.9 10. Now that hee ascended what is it but that hee also descended first into the lower parts of the Earth Hee that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things There the Apostle proves that Christs going up to heaven it was an argument that Christ came downe from heaven So in John 6.62 What and if yee shall see the Sonne of man ascend up where hee was before That shews that Christ was in heaven before therefore must bee God Coequall and Coeternall with God the Father and thus you have the second poynt dispatched to you shewing the reasons why Jesus Christ must go bodily into heaven The third point is I but what benefit and comfort
is that to us that Jesus Christ is now bodily in heaven what comfort was this to the Disciples that Jesus Christ should leave them that hee must goe from them unto his Fathers house There are seven particulars that it is great ground of comfort to all the people of God that Jesus Christ is gone bodily to heaven The first ground of comfort is this Christs going to heaven bodily it assures you of Christs full Triumph and compleat conquest over all your spirituall Enemies This the Apostle lays down as a ground of comfort upon Christs Ascention Eph. 4.8 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men That is the Devill and Sinne that carried you captive and Christ by his going up to heaven hath led them captive that is hath led your spirituall enemies that carried you captive led them captive Christ alluded to the custome among the Romans when the Roman Conquerour was to come to the Cardinall of Rome to rejoyce in his victory over his enemies the Conquerour did use to tie his Captives to the Chariot-wheeles So Christ did carry his Captives by his wheeles as it were hee led captivity captive Colos 2.15 And having spoyled Principalities and Powers hee made a shew of them openly Triumphing over them in it So that Beloved here is one great comfort that Christ by going up to heaven doth manifest and declare to all the World that hee hath overcome the Grave Death Devill and Sinne for neither could they hold Christ in the chaines thereof Secondly Christs going bodily to heaven It is a pledge to you that Christ will one day bring your bodies to heaven I goe to heaven that I may receive you to my selfe that you may be bodily in heaven where Christ is In John 14.19 Yet a little while and the World seeth mee no more but yee see mee because I live yee shall live also As if hee should say well I must leave you and I must go to heaven before you but because I live in heaven and live there bodily you shall also live with mee in heaven with your bodies Tertullian doth make this use of it to comfort the Christians in his days saith hee Jesus Christ did carry our flesh into heaven with him and hee is of our flesh and of our bone Now saith Tertullian Jesus Christ hath carried flesh into heaven this is a good pledge unto us that our flesh shall be in heaven where Christs is also Therefore O flesh and bloud doe thou rejoyce thou hast possest heaven in Christ already And Christ would be imperfect in heaven should not the bodies of Believers come there also because he lives in heaven you shall live there also Thirdly Christs going bodily to heaven it is a ground of comfort to you in this because Christ is gone bodily into heaven to performe and accomplish his Sacerdotall Office that is as a high Priest hee is now in heaven to performe the Office of a high Priest to make intercession to God his Father in your behalfe that your sinnes might be pardoned that your Soules might bee saved that your bodies might be raised and received into heaven with him in Glory Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Christ is entred into the very heavens that hee might appeare before God for us so in Heb. 7.26 For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmelesse undefiled seperate from sinners and made higher then the heavens It became us to have a high Priest in Heaven Therefore observe though it was a great benefit to the Disciples to have Christs Bodily presence yet Jesus Christ could never have fulfilled the office of the Priest-hood to make intercession for all the Elect if Christ had not gone bodily into heaven Will you observe one Text in Heb. 8.4 For if hee were on Earth hee should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer-gifts according to the Law Christ must goe to heaven and there hee is a Priest Now if hee were upon the Earth hee could not be a Priest for us therefore wee have great advantage by CHRISTS going into heaven O beloved then looke on this as a great comfort that our Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven in his Body Flesh and Bloud appearing before God making Intercession for all his people This was typed out under the Law Exod. 28.9 10 11 12. verses And thou shalt take two Onix Stones and grave on them the Names of the Children of Israel Six of their Names on one stone and the other six Names of the rest on the other stone according to their Birth With the worke of an ingraver in stone like the ingravings of a signet shalt thou ingrave the two stones with the names of the Children of Israel thou shalt make them to be set in Ouches of gold And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the Ephod for stones of memoriall unto the Children of Israel And Aaron shall beare their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memoriall This is a Type of Jesus Christ our high Priest who is gone not into the holy of holiest but in it selfe the holy of holiest and there he hath not onely the names of all the Elect of God throughout the world on his Breast but he hath them in his heart and there he makes intercession for them to his Father This is a Third ground of Comfort that you have of Christs going bodily into Heaven which assures you that Christ is now in Heaven A Fourth ground of comfort you have by Christs going into Heaven is this that Jesus Christ is gone into heaven to convey to you a fuller communication of the gifts and graces of his spirit then was bestowed on his people whilst hee was upon the Earth Ephes 4. ver 8. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men It is an illusion to the Roman custome that when the Conquerour rode in Triumph towards the Capitoll he did not onely leade the Prisoners by the Charet wheeles but likewise scattered mony to the Spectators that saw him ride along in triumph so the Lord Jesus Christ having by his Ascension spoyled death and the Devill this Jesus Christ doth cast his gifts unto men dispenseth his graces in a greater measure into the hearts of his people not that we are to run into the Socinian errour because of this text they gather that before Christs Ascension into heaven there was no saving gifts of the spirit and they ground it on that text Joh. 7. ver 38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the spirit which they that believe
on him should receive for the holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified The holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus Christ was not yet glorified but this Text is not to be taken simply then it will follow that Abraham Isaac and Jacob had not the spirit and they could not be in Heaven but the meaning is that the gifts of the Holy Ghost in that Aboundant measure was not given because Christ was yet ascended Christ did reserve the full giving of the Holy Ghost to the time of his Ascention and untill hee was glorified Therefore the Apostles soone after his Ascention they received the Holy Ghost in a greater measure then was given to the people of old and beloved not onely gifts by Christ to bring you to Heaven but also Ministeriall gifts to qualifie men fit for the Ministery you are to looke on this as the fruit of Christs Ascention Ephesians 4.10 11 12. vers Hee that descended is the same also that Ascended up farre above all heavens that hee might fill all things And hee gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ So that you are to looke upon not onely your own Christian gifts whereby God brings you to Heaven but all Ministeriall gifts are the fruits of Christs giving to Heaven Fifthly Christ is gone to Heaven It is to comfort us in this that Christ being bodily in Heaven it might make thee holdy bold and fiducially confident when ever thou comest to God in Prayer thou dost come to God in Prayer but thou may be comest to him as thou hast Jesus Christ at his Right hand in Heaven presenting thy Prayers to God for thee there is this very comfort given in by the Apostle Heb. 4.14 16. Seeing then that wee have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Iesus the Sonne of God let us hold fast our profession Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Jesus Christ being in Heaven it should worke a holy bodnesse in us to keepe out feare and distrust when thou prayest because we have an High Priest that is past into the highest Heavens Jesus the Sonne of God Who would not come boldly to the Court when hee knows that the Kings Eldest Sonne is his friend and is assured of his love that hee will intercede for him to his Father Jesus Christ is the King of Heaven the eldest Sonne and hee is bound by Office to represent all our supplications and make Intercessions for us Sixthly that Christ being gone bodily into Heaven it may bee of comfort that though Jesus Christ be gone bodily into Heaven yet hee hath the same relation towards a Believer which hee had to them whilst hee was upon the Earth When hee was on the Earth did Christ say go tell my Brethren that I am to ascend and after hee was taken up into Heaven yet hee calls them his Brethren Heb. 2.11 For both hee that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause hee is not ashamed to call them Brethren Though Christ was crowned with glory and gone up to Heaven yet hee was not ashamed to call Believers Brethren Now in Heaven Christ is thy God there and Christ is thy Father there Christ is thy Prince there and Christ is thy friend there and this may administer much comfort to thee that Jesus Christ retaines the same relation now he is in heaven that he had with thee in the world Therefore Iob could speak in a vision saith Job I know that my Redeemer liveth I know my Kinsman liveth for so theword signifieth I know my kinsman liveth Christ did only call his Disciples Brothers when hee was in the flesh and so hee calleth them Brothers now is in heaven Suppose thou art a poor woman that dost marry a man that is mean poor in the world why suppose this man should come to the dignity of a King it would be a great comfort to thee that thou that wast but a beggar art now become a Kings Wife so though thou art mean in the world yet Jesus Christ doth preferre thee to be his Brother Seventhly and lastly it may serve for comfort in this regard that Christ is gone to Heaven for this very purpose to prepare Heaven for thee I go to prepare a place for you Heb. 6 20. Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Christ is our forerunner gone to Heaven before us and gone to Heaven for us Christ did not onely dye for us but Christ did go to heaven for us all was for us Heb. 10.19.20 Having therefore Brethren boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus By a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh That is having hopes to come to enter into Heaven by the blood of Christ through Christs flesh as dying on the Crosse And thus much be spoken for the Doctrinall part of this poynt the poynt was this That Christs Ascention or going up bodily to Heaven is a ground of great comfort to Gods people whilst they live here upon the Earth I shall now draw out some instructions from some circumstances in Christs going to Heaven There are five circumstances from which you may gather some instruction First from the time when Christ did leave this World and ascend up to goe to Heaven if you reade the Evangelists they will tell you it was about the 33 yeare of his Age hee left this World and goeth up to Heaven Learne thus much from thence that if Christ would leave the World in the flower of his Age a young man then this should be fastened on the Meditation of you young men that you should not have your hearts too much glued to the World to hancker after a long life Suppose God should take thee away now in the flower of thy age now God took Christ away so Secondly you may learne somewhat from the place whence Christ did ascend it is very observable It was Mount Olivet Acts 1.12 Then returned they unto Ierusalem from the Mount called Olivet which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath days Journey Luke saith it was from Bethany Luke 24.50.51 And hee led them out as farre as to Bethany and hee lifted up his hands and blessed them And it came to passe while hee blessed them hee was parted from them and carried up into heaven It was all one but there is much of Gods minde in this of all places in the World Christ did make choyce of Bethany by Mount Olivet to go up to Heaven Beloved the reason was because that was the place that Christ was taken in
when Judas came with the Scribes and Pharisees to apprehend him from that place hee was taken to be crucified and seeing it was from that place hee would make choyce of that place that from thence hee would take his rise to go up to Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bethany in Hebrew signifies a house of affliction so that Christ made that which was the house of his affliction Christ made that Bethany to be the place of the translation of him into glory I would give you thence to note that God doth oftentimes make our sufferings to be Inlets to our glory So it was with Christ from Bethany hee was taken a Prisoner and from that place hee would ascend up into Heaven so if you suffer with him you shall also be glorified with him you may be carried to Heaven sometime in ways of sharpe afflictions therefore doe not be danted at persecution for the Lord makes Bethanies the houses of our afflictions to have a trap-doore in them to let us into our Fathers Mansion Thirdly from the circumstance in Christ ascention just as Christ did ascend he◠was speaking to his Disciples things that did appertaine to the Kingdome of God and as hee was blessing of them hee was taken up before their eyes Acts 1.9 And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight Whilest hee was blessing of his Disciples and whilest hee was speaking to them things appertaining to the Kingdome of God hee was taken away I would give you this note from thence that when you come towards the time of your departure out of this World make Christ your example Christ as hee was going away hee spake of things appertaining to the Kingdome of God so let your hearts be full fraught with Divine contemplation do you leave good counsell behinde you when you come to die that so some body may say these are the last words of a dying Friend I might extend this Example of Christ before his departure out of the World unto masters of Families that when you come towards your end leave good councell behind you Let not your speech be filled about worldly affaires but let that be setled before but leave good councell with your children Jacob when hee was to die hee called all his children about him and gave good councell unto them and blessed them Likewise of David 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Sonne know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seeke him hee will be found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for ever And thus wee see in the instances of Isaac and many other Servants of God Moses to Joshua when hee was to die I but take Christs Example so farre that when you are to leave the World that you may have your minds possessed with nothing else but with things appertaining to the Kingdom of God as Christ was Fourthly there is instruction to be gathered from the manner of Christs leaving the World the manner was in the Acts 1.9 And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight They saw him by degrees ascend into Heaven this must not passe our Meditation that a cloud should take Jesus Christ out of our sight it is for a reliefe to your Meditations that when you see the clouds that these cloud◠that I see hover in the Heaven they are Christs Chariot that did once carry him to Heaven and they are the chariots that shall carry Jesus Christ to judge the World O labour to have your Meditations on Divine things hee went up in a cloud therefore the clouds are called Gods Chariots Fifthly the circumstance in Christs ascention is this that hee would call all his Friends about him it is expresly said all the eleven Apostles were with him Acts 1. And an Interpreter doth think that there was an hundred and twenty with Jesus Christ when he ascended up into Heaven he gathered it from Acts 1.15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples and said The number of Names together were about an hundred and twenty Now learned men doe thinke that there was an hundered and twenty that did see Jesus Christ ascend up into Heaven it is cleare that there were the eleven Apostles there and if this be so that Christ gathered about him his Friends when hee was to leave the World I gather thence that when you are drawing towards your end and departing out of the World Labour to have your Friends about you that you might give them the advice of a dying Friend and it is a great blessing for to die amongst your Friends Christ before that hee would goe up to Heaven and leave the World hee would have his Friends about him and then hee was taken up from them I now come to draw out more practicall application of this poynt If it be so that Christs going up bodily into Heaven be a ground of such great comfort unto the people of God upon Earth the use that I shall draw it shall be to deduce foure Doctrinall and foure practicall inferences from this poynt First this poynt it confute the opinion of the Selucians and Herliani that hold that Christs Body is not in Heaven but that it is in the beautifull and splendent body of the Sun and they say that is the reason the Sun doth cast such a glorious light o're that the Moon doth and truly this old Heresie is againe revived amongst us and I have seene it in a booke called Divine Light when indeed it is nothing but darkenesse but Christ is above the Sun Christ is above all the visible Heavens Christ sits in the third Heaven as Paul calls it therefore if Christs Body be gone into Heaven they are in an errour Secondly this poynt will confute those who hold that Christs Body hath beene on Earth since his ascention into Heaven Some in Germany held that they were the very Christ and thus in King Henry the Eights days there was one held that hee was the Christ and his side was pearc't and there was Nayles seene in his hand c. I but if men say loe here is Christ and there is Christ believe them not for Christ was never on the Earth since his Ascention Thirdly that Christs Body is now in Heaven it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Popish Religion touching Transubstantiation or the reall presence that Jesus Christ is bodily present at the Sacrament say the Papists we really eate Christs flesh and drink Christs bloud that Christ is as really at the Sacrament as hee was on the Crosse If there were no other argument to overthrow this Opinion but this that the body
of Christ is now in Heaven it were enough then that Opinion of Transubstantiation is hereby confuted Christs Body cannot be in Heaven and on the Earth both at one time Fourthly the ascension of Christ it overthrows the Opinion of the Carpocraciani that hold that onely his soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others And this cannot be for the Disciples said that they saw Christ ascend and this must be his Body for they could not see his soul for the soule is a spirit Now you see the reason why I spent so much time in the morning in giving you many Texts of Scripture to prove this poynt because there are so many Hereticks that doe oppugne this Doctrine of CHRISTS Ascension I now come to give you three or foure practicall deductions First is Christs body now in Heaven then I infer O thou that canst lay a grounded clayme for an interest in Jesus Christ O be not thou afrayd to die doe not thou be afrayd to die that canst lay a claime in Jesus Christ because thy Christ is in Heaven and when thou diest death is but a Trap-doore to let thee in to endlesse joy where Christ is why should wee bee as children to looke on death as a Bugbeare but looke upon death as being a passage into thy Fathers house as being a Trap-doore to let thee in where Jesus Christ is Gen. 45.25.27 And they went up out of Aegypt and came into the Land of Canaan unto Jacob their Father And they told him all the words of Joseph which hee had said unto them and when hee saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him the spirit of Iacob their Father revived Did Jacob rejoyce to see a Wagon or a Chariot that would carry him into Aegypt to see his Sonne Joseph and wilt not thou rejoyce to thinke that death is a chariot to carry thee to Jesus Christ to carry thee to Heaven O therefore let not thy heart be troubled to die because death is but a chariot to carry thee to Heaven Is Christ gone into heaven Then secondly labour thou whilst thou livest on the Earth to ascend to Christ in Divine and holy Ejaculations and Meditations Is Christ in Heaven then why should not thy heart be where thy head is why shouldst thou be grovelling on the Earth seeing thy Christ is now in Heaven It is a speech of Christ Canticles 3.6 Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse like Pillars of smoke perfumed with Myrrhe and Franckincense with all powders of the Merchant Thou shouldst ascend up to Christ though thou beest in trouble in the Wildernesse of this World O ascend up to Christ in holy Meditations the use the Apostle makes of it Colos 3.1 If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God The argument is where Christ sits at the right Hand of God set your affections there and so in the Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Christ is in Heaven therefore our conversation must be where our head is It is a notable Text Mat. 24.28 For wheresoever the Carkeise is there will the Eagles be gathered together That Christ being in Heaven it should make you ascend in your hearts heavenward It is true there are some that wrest these words and give this sence of them that they make the carkeise to be the Jewes and the Eagles to be the Romans because the Romans diduse the Eagle in their Banner and Ensigne of War therefore they say where the Jews were the Romans should come though this was a truth yet not the scope of the Text it is generally overthrowne by most Interpreters But where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort Gerrard doth chiefly referre it to the day of judgement where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort that is where Jesus Christ is in Heaven as the Eagles doe follow after the carkeise to feed upon that so the people of God as Eagles are gathered about a carkeise the people of God shall be gathered about Jesus Christ and this I doe confesse is the chiefe scope of the place and doe believe it is the chief intendment of the holy Ghost but Gerrard hee makes another use of it too and referres it to the power and efficacy of the Gospell in this Life Christ is now in Heaven saith Gerrard that the Gospell shall be as powerfull on men in the World that it shall make men as eager to come after Christ into Heaven as the Eagle is after the prey so your Soules shall be as eager after the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven as the Eagle is after her prey Thirdly I infer hence that before you presume to apply the benefits and the comforts of Christs Ascention into Heaven labour to feele in your own hearts the efficacy of Christs Death and Ascention every man applies the Benefit of Christs Death and Resurrection and Christs Ascention before they finde the efficacy of his Death and the efficacy of his Resurrection It is the Apostles word saith hee I labour to finde the power of his Resurrection so do you labour to finde the power of his Death and the power of his Ascention before you finde the comfort of it It is to make thee less Earthly minded more passionately eager and importunely earnest after the Lord Jesus Christ dost thou feele the power of his Ascention to make thee more heavenly minded and lesse earthly minded O labour to feele the efficacy and power of it else I might say to you as Jacob said to his Mother in Genesis 27.12 My Father peradventure will feele mee and I shall seeme to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon mee and not a blessing Nay without a peradventure God will feele and try whether you are men or no that have right to a blessing that shall have any reall advantage by the benefit of Christs Death of Christs Resurrection and Ascention God will try whether you doe not seeke to deceive your owne Soules and deceive God himselfe if so you will rather have a curse then a blessing if you seeke to apply the comfort of Christs Ascention before you feele the efficacy of it on your owne hearts For those that hold Christs Ascention with us yet they doe vary about some properties about the manner of Christs going away which I give it to you in these properties First Christ went to Heaven visibly in Acts 1. It was no transcient glance of the Eye but they stedfastly beheld Jesus Christ they saw him when hee went away Againe Secondly Christ went to Heaven bodily therefore those do erre that hold that onely his Soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others doe Thirdly hee went to Heaven locally hee ascended locally there are some men that hold that every place is Heaven where God is
that is a truth but Heaven is a distinct place from the Earth and Hell Christ had a mutation of place from the Earth to the third heaven therefore saith he the Earth shall hold me no more Fourthly hee did ascend into Heaven powerfully Indeed other men went to Heaven bodily not by their own strength but it was by a borrowed strength Elias had a fiery charriot to carry him to heaven but Christ had none for he went to heaven by his own strength Lastly Christ went to Heaven though not singly yet hee went to heaven bodily There are three bodies in Heaven there is the body of Enoch the body of Elias and the body of Christ all in heaven else are onely Spirits Saints and Angels Enoch went to heaven bodily as a Type of Christs Ascension before the Law and Elias under the Law Christ under the Gospel Divines say that this shewes there was Salvation by Christ before the Law and there was Salvation by Christ under the Law and Salvation by Christ in the time of the Gospell but there is a difference betweene their going to heaven First Enoch and Elias went to heaven but they did not die and rise from the dead and then ascend into heaven but first Christ dyed and then Christ was raised out of the Grave and then within forty dayes hee did ascend into heaven there was one difference Againe they did not ascend to heaven by their owne strength but by the power of God they did ascend into heaven but wee have got no good by their Ascension no benefit or merit accrues unto us by their being in heaven but there is great benefit redounding to us by Christs being in heaven for saith Christ I goe to Heaven to prepare a place for you Againe Enoch went to heaven but hee could not give the Spirit so Elias went to heaven but hee could not give the Spirit I but our Lord Jesus Christ he is gone bodily into heaven hee hath Ascended up on high and hath given gifts unto men Againe they went to heaven saith Polanus onely as Citizens of heaven but Christ went to heaven as the Lord of heaven who is there in his body and in his person and these are the short and transcient hints that I have given you on the first part of the Text. I now come to the second thing in the Text to the benefit that Believers have by Christs going bodily into heaven I go and prepare a place for you Doct. 1 The Observation is this That the fruit and benefit that all the Elect of God have by Christs going into Heaven is to prepare a place for them there I goe and prepare a place for you Now in the handling of this Doctrine there are three particulars First I shall shew you in what sense Christs going bodily into heaven prepares heaven for Believers Secondly I shall shew you how can this Scripture say that by Christs Ascension Heaven is prepared for us when other Scriptures say that Heaven was prepared for us from the beginning of the World Thirdly whither did the Patriarks and righteous holy men of God goe that lived before Christs Ascention into Heaven whither went they when they died therefore the Church of Rome gather from this Text that before Christ went to heaven there were none went into heaven but all went into a place called Limbus Patrum First in what sense may it be said that Christ by his going into heaven prepares a place for Believers there I answer in these three regards that Christ by going into heaven prepares a place there First by way of Representation Christ is not gone to heaven as every man as a single and private person but Christ is gone into heaven as a common and a publique person Christ is gone up to heaven with flesh and blood and with our natures hee is gone to heaven and hee is gone there as a Representer of all the Elect Jesus Christ is gone to heaven representing the persons of all the Elect of God upon the Earth Hence it is that you have a passage Eph. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus We are not in heavenly places wee are in earthly places but wee doe sit in heaven because Christ is now in heaven hee being gone to heaven as a common and a publique person a Representer of all the elect Heb. 6.20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Hee did not goe there for himselfe but for us Christ did dye as a publique person representing all the Elect of God and Christ did go to heaven as a publique person and hath taken possession of heaven in our stead Christ keepes our inheritance there saith Grossius Christ is said to prepare a place for us in heaven just as a company of Travellers when they are going a journey they send one man before to be their harbinger to take up lodging in the Inne and make provision for them against they come to the Inne our Lord Jesus Christ is gone to heaven before to prepare a place for the Elect there Secondly Christ prepares a place for the Elect by way of intercession Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us That as the Priest under the Law when hee went to the holy places hee had the Names of all the Tribes on his breast so the Lord Jesus Christ our great high Priest having the Names of all the Elect not only on his breast but in his heart praying to his Father that wee might come there and by vertue of his Intercession that in another way that heaven is prepared Thirdly Christ is said to prepare heaven for us by way of Operation in us hee prepares heaven for us by preparing us for heaven and this is the sence that Austin gives of these words Jesus Christ prepares a Mansion for us in heaven when hee prepares us the Inhabitants for Heaven here is the great evidence for Heaven are your hearts prepared then you may be assured that Heaven is prepared for you Col. 1.12 13 14 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light Who hath delivered us from the power of darkenesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne In whom wee have Redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinnes An unconverted man is not a meet man for Heaven now when Christ makes you meete for Heaven hee then prepares a place for thee 1 Peter 1.3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus from the Dead To an Inheritance
rejoyce in promises being made to them though the accomplishment thereof was not fulfilled till many yeares after and why should not the Disciples be so then and why should not wee be so now I will give you two or three instances John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad Abraham that had a promise of Christ the promise was made to Abraham above a thousand years before hee saw him and he was glad Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seene them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them They did embrace the promise though they were farre off in their accomplishment An excellent Text you have in Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a Child is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders c. Behold this is matter of joy for to us a Child is borne and unto us a Son is given why they might have said Lord what is that to us wee heare of garments rowled in blood and of the confused noyse of Warriers and dost thou tell us of that which shall not be till many yeares after and yet the Prophet doth thinke no fitter a promise to give them then the promise that a Virgin should conceive a Sonne I mention it for this that though promises were made long since yet beare up your hearts for that it will be sure and certaine though it be long and so much for the first particular The next particular is I but how doth it appeare that Christs coming to judge the World is a Doctrine so full of comfort to Believers First it appeares by the Believers longing and looking for Christs coming to judge the World it is the people of Gods property to long for the appearance of Christ when it makes the heart of a Felix to tremble but it is a Doctrine of great comfort to a Believer it is called the day of Redemption and called by Peter the day of Refreshing and this made the Church say Come Lord Iesus come quickly this shews that to the people of God there is no Doctrine so comfortable as the Doctrine of Christs coming to judge the World Titus 2.13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Peter 3.12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate That men should so long after Christs coming nay love Christs coming 2 Timothy 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give mee at that day and not to mee onely but unto them also that love his appearing A crowne is laid up for mee and not for mee onely but for all them that love his appearing This shewes that surely it must be a Doctrine of great comfort to the Elect of God because they so long looke for and love the coming of Iesus Christ Secondly it is a Doctrine of great comfort because Iesus Christ hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect for that time though Christ brings Soules to Heaven before his coming yet hee doth not compleatly glorifie any of his servants till his coming againe to judge the World 1 Iohn 3.2 Beloved now are wee the Sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be but wee know not when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is and in Colos 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory God hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect against the time of his coming 1 Peter 5.4 And when the chiefe Shephard shall appeare yee shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away Frequent Texts of Scripture there are to prove that the reserve that Christ hath of the full glorifying of the Elect it is at the time of his coming to judge the World The third particular is but wherein is the Doctrine of Christs coming againe so comfortable to Believers there are these foure Particulars more especially wherein the Doctrine of Christs coming againe to judge the World is a Doctrine full of comfort to Believers First in case of any scandalous aspersions or any unjust imputation which is laid upon thee it may serve for great comfort to thee in this case The Apostle gives it you 1 Cor. 4.3 4. But with mee it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement yea I judge not mine own selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but hee that judgeth mee is the Lord. Censure mee what you will and judge of mee what you please for hee that judgeth mee shall be the Lord therefore it is a small matter that I am judged of Why suppose thou art judged thou art scandalized and thou art aspersed in the World why appeale to Jesus Christ in Heaven for hee that judgeth thee is the Lord and this wee finde Christ did 1 Pet. 2.23 Who when hee was reviled reviled not againe when hee suffered hee threatned not but comitted himselfe to him that judgeth righteously When thou art reviled and aspersed and censured why do not revile againe do not censure againe but do as Christ did commit thy cause to Christ that judgeth all things righteously Christ will come to over-judge all things that have beene judged amisse Jude 1.5 To execute Indgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly commited and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Men have hard speeches against many who are upright in the Land why it is a comfort that Christs coming againe one end is to convince men of all their hard speeches and scandalous aspersions Secondly Christs coming againe it is a Doctrine of comfort in this cause in case of all Presecution thou undergoest from men for Christ for the Gospell 1 Thess 1.6.7 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels As if hee should have said you are troubled and persecuted about the Gospell for Christs sake why be not troubled for Christ is coming from Heaven 1 Peter 4.13 But rejoyce in asmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy When Christ comes to be revealed and judge the World why rejoyce in your sufferings you shall be glad also with exceeding joy that is a second case wherein this Doctrine may be of comfort Thirdly this Doctrine may serve for comfort in case of any inward accusation
a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towaeds men The thoughts of Christs coming to judge the Quick and the Dead should make you have thoughts of that to have a good conscience void of offence towards God and Man 2 Pet 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse And thus much for the first caution that you are to look on the coming of Christ as a Doctrine serviceable as well for duty as comfort The second caution is this take heed of peremptory conclusions about this darke and obscure thing touching the Doctrine of Christs coming to judge the World There are many loose and lavish frolick wits that have bold and adventurous attempts touching the corning of the Lord in determining that which the Scripture determineth not it is not my intent to trouble you with niceâ—ies but onely check the frollick and bold attempts who goe about to determine of that which the Scripture doth no way reveale to which take heede of these things First take heede of determining the place from whence Christ shall come The Papists they are bold this way they hold you in hand that Christ shall come from the East Therefore our Churches all of them were built East and West and upon that ground that Christ would come from the East the Scripture saith that Christ shall comes as lightning from the East but that doth not shew the place from whence hee comes but as Christ shall come as Lightning it notes the visibility of Christs coming and the celerity of Christs coming Lightning it is visible and so shall Christs coming be all shall see him as yee shall see Lightning Now bold attempts it hath beene the Foundation to many Superstitious Opinions and that is the reason of bowing and cringing towards the East All rose meerely from that ground of Christs coming from the East the Scripture onely saith that hee shall come down from Heaven and the Lord shall come from Heaven but from what part of the Heaven the Scripture speaketh not Againe passe not bold attempts in determining the place where Christ shall come to judge the World many men where the Scripture is silent doe run into many strong conceits to determine that which the Scripture doth not many Books doe determine the place where Christ shall come to judge the World and that is in the Valley of Jehoshaphat and there is one Tâ—xt which seemes to carry it that way which is in Joel 3.12 Let the Heathen be a wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about Here they do conjâ—cture that Christ shall come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat and there he shall judge all the World and I shall to shew the vanity and weaknesse of these take these five Demonstrations First hee that judgeth here it is not spoken of God the Sonne but of God the Father therefore cannot have a reference to the last Judgement for Christ judgeth them Secondly the judgement here onely referres to the judging of the Heathen round about Now the generall judgement is for the judging of the righteous and the unrighteous Thirdly that it is impossible that the Valley of Jehoshaphas should containe all the men that ever were that are and that shall be in the World to be judged therefore it is not probable that this hath refetence to the last judgement Fourthly the time that this judgement here is spoken of it is limited by the Prophet himselfe for compare this verse with the second verse I will also gather all Nations and will bring them downe into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will pleade with them there for my People and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and parted my Land The time is spoken of when God shall turne againe the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem then God should judge the Babylonians and those Heathen Nations that assisted them for to undoe the people of God therefore it refers to some time after the captivity and not to the generall and last coming of the Sonne of God and thus much for taking off that Text from being a patronage of that fond conceit of Christs coming to judge the World in the Valley of Jehoshaphat and the Scripture is farre from giving you the place where Christ shall come to judgement either in the Valley of Jehoshaphat or Mount Olivet but onely in the ayre 1 Thess 4.17 Then wee which are alive and remaine shall bee caught up together with them in the clouds to meete the Lord in the Aire and so shall wee ever be with the Lord. The Scripture doth make no mention of Christs coming upon the Earth at all So much for the second caution take heede of bold attempts and conjectures about the place of Christs judgement Thirdly take heed of bold attempts about the time of Christs judgement there have beene them which have shewne abundance of weakenesse in this Gerrard doth confute the folly of such men that doe guesse at the time when Christ shall come to judge the World Austin doth make mention of some in his time that held that Christ should come to judge the World a thousand years after his Death but wee have seene their folly and shame for there is more time expired then that Another saith that some held in his time that Christ should come to judge the World 365. yeares after his Death that is a folly likewise for there is more time past then that Luther saith that there were Anabaptists which held that in the yeare 1530 Christ should come to judge the World but wee have seene their folly likewise for there is more time past then that Naples though a learned Nobleman in Scotland hee was too frolick in this way for hee doth boldly say that Christ shall come to judge the World â—n the yeare 1683. but beloved Christs coming to judge the World cannot be determined for Christ would not gratifie his owne Apostles to tell them the time when his coming should be Mat. 24. Hee would not tell them when the end of the world should be it shewes then that it is great pride of heart to passe peremptory attempts upon the period of time Christ did not thinke it meete for to tell his Apostles of the time of his coming 1 Thess 5.1 But of the times and seasons Brethren yee have no neede that I write unto you nay Angells in Heaven And Christ himselfe as hee was meere Man could not tell the time Mark 13.32 But of that Day and that Houre knoweth no man no not the Angells which are in Heaven neither the Sonne but the Father Mat. 24.36 But of that Day and Houre knoweth no Man no not the Angells of Heaven but my Father onely I onely
a worse condition then hee found it if Christ must come on the Earth hee must leave his Church in a worse condition then hee found it and I draw it from that Text which they pretend to be the strength of their Argument Revel 20.5.7.8 But the rest of the Dead lived not againe untill the thousand yeares were finished This is the first Resurrection And when the thousand yeares are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison And shall goe out to deceive the Nations which are in the foure quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to Battell the number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea So that after the thousand yeares the Devill shall be let loose againe and there shall be an innumerable company of enemies and they shall destroy multitudes of the godly Therefore Christ would leave his Church in a worse condition then hee found them if this were true that Christ should reigne a thousand years upon the Earth Fifthly if Christ should come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth then this incongruity will follow that there must be three personall comings of Jesus Christ for his first coming was in the Incarnation Second coming to these thousand yeares And his third coming must be to judge the World that is the last coming but the Scripture makes but two comings of Christ First his coming from Heaven when hee was borne his second coming when hee comes to judge the World againe Sixtly if Christ comes personally out of Heaven this incongruity will follow that either the Saints and Angells must come or not come with Christ if they must come with Christ then it is a losse to them for them to come to leave the imediate presence of God and come upon the Earth where wicked men shall be amongst them or if they must not come with Jesus Christ yet it is a lose to them to remaine there they shall lose for a thousand yeares the Body of Christ if Christ be on the Earth hee cannot be in Heaven the same time Therefore it would be a losse to the Saints and Angells for them to be a thousand yeares in Heaven without the company of Jesus Christ not to have the person of Jesus Christ with them A seventh Incongruity will follow that if Christ shall come to reigne upon the Earth then Christs Kingdom must be a worldly terrene Kingdome then it will be against the Word of God he must be a visible King to the Jewes and a visible King to all the World besides this would follow then that Christs Kingdome must not be a spirituall Kingdome but a Terrene a Worldly pompous Kingdome Iohn 18.36 Jesus answered My Kingdome is not of this World if my Kingdome were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes but now is my Kingdome not from hence Luke 17.20 And when hee was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdome of God should come hee answered them and said The Kingdome of God cometh not with Observation Would not all the World observe this for Christ to come bodily from Heaven and in the Majesty of a Monarch Now Christs Kingdome doth not come with Observation When the Disciples looked after an Earthly Kingdome No saith Christ my Kingdome is for to Rule and Reigne in your hearts you shall never see mee for to be an outward pompous King in the World for Christs Kingdome it is a spirituall Kingdome Eightly that if Jesus Christ shall come to take a Kingdome on the Earth for a thousand yeares then this Incongruity will follow As if Jesus Christ had not a Kingdome and were not a King all this while hee is in Heaven they apply that that place in Daniel and all those Phrases in the new Testament that the Kingdome of the World is become the Kingdome of the Lord they deny that Christ is a King in Heaven When hee was in the Cratch and borne in the Stable hee was a King at that very houre Psalme 2. The Apostle referres it to Christs Birth and Christs Resurrection Christ when hee arose from the Dead hee was a King then and the Gospell under Christs time is called a Kingdome It is remarkeable in John 18.37 Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Jesus answered Thou sayest that I am a King Christ was a King though hee would not be an Earthly King to destroy Earthly Governments Therefore when the people in a tumult would have made him a King yet hee would not Zech. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee hee is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the fole of an Asse Hee was a King when hee was on that slow contemptible creature so that now to say Christ shall come to reigne as King it is to intimate to the World as if Christ were not a King at this day and whereas hee is King of Kings and Lord of Lords in heaven therefore cannot come a thousand yeares to reigne on the Earth Now I will deale fairely to shew you what strength and give you the strongest Scriptures that have most shew of reason for the maintaining of this Opinion and shall labour to take them off and cleare it to you There are multitudes of quotations that varieties of mens thoughs fasten upon to prove this poynt yet those they most stand to I shall fasten upon their chiefe Pillar is in Revel 20.2 4 5 6. And hee laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Divell and Satan and bound him a thousand yeares And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the Soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares But the rest of the dead lived not againe untill the thousand yeares were finished This is the first Resurrection Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand yeares Now from this Text which is the chiefest in the Scripture they seeme to build these two things upon First That Jesus Christ shall live upon the Earth and the Saints reigne with him for a thousand yeares Secondly Those that were Martyrs by Antichrist shall rise from the dead and come upon the Earth these thousand yeares to continue with Iesus Christ This they build much upon That Christ shall come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth But I shall shew you that this cannot be the sense of it and I shall give you Six Answers First that though the Scripture
fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome And this Alsted quotes from thence they gather it cannot be meant of Heaven why because there is no eating and drinking there here is promise by Jesus Christ and come to them no more till hee would drinke with them Wine in his Fathers Kingdome and it cannot be unlesse Christ doth come in person amongst his people Therefore Christ must have a Kingdome to eate and drinke with his people in this World This they stand much upon Take these cleare Answers to these Quotations First if all this cannot be meant of a Kingdome in this World for a thousand yeares my reason is this because the Kingdome which is Christs personall reigne it should be called Christs Kingdome and not his Fathers Kingdome it should have been called my Kingdome and not my Fathers Kingdome that is one answer that Divines give Secondly observe this that this may referre to that time betweene Christs Resurrection and Ascention for after Christ did rise from the dead you know hee did continue forty dayes on the Earth and the Scripture telleth you in Luke 24.42 And they gave him a piece of broyled Fish and of an Hony-combe And hee tooke it and did eate before them So he may as well drinke as eate but that to mee is somewhat uncertaine Thirdly which is the true scope of this place I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome hee was taking the Lords Supper and was drinking the Cup of Wine saith hee I am going away and will drinke no more till wee meete in Heaven not that there should be Eating and Drinking in Heaven but when you and I meete wee shall have sweet fellowship and communion together as Eating and Drinking together As Feasting is a badge of Communion and a badge of Love so there should be endeared love and endeared Communion with Christ in Heaven you shall drink it new not new Wine nor eate new Bread but after a new manner of Love and Communion they should expresse Love each to other and have everlasting Communion one with another They say likewise that there shall be no sinne in the World and that the Earth shall be restored to its primitive fruitfulnesse as it were before the fall but I shall not meddle with these And thus according to my poore measure I have laboured to lay downe the grounds from Scripture why Christ cannot come to reigne personally upon the Earth a thousand yeares and have vindicated those Scriptures that seeme to patronize that Opinion Vse Is it so that the Scripture doth not determine of any coming of Christ out of Heaven till his last and great coming to judge the World O then labour to make it your worke to have Jesus Christ as King to reigne in your hearts by mortification to rule in thy Heart by his Spirit to Mortifie thy head-strong lusts that are in thee Secondly Seeing there is no Christ coming as King in this World why then labour to have Christ to reigne in his Church by a well-ordered Discipline that the Government of Christ may be established in the places where you dwell Thirdly seeing there is no Christ coming as King in this World then doe not trouble your selves about Niceties and Obscurities about his coming upon the Earth but labour to be fitted and prepared for his last and great coming Fourthly if Christ should come to reigne upon the Earth which the Scripture no ways speakes of then certainly the Saints of these times they doe make but a bad preparative for Christs reigne men that doe impale Saint-ship and monopolize Saint-ship unto themselves and say they are the people of God The Church of Christ and the Saints of Christ they make but a bad preparation for Christs coming to live in sensuality as they doe and comit such wickednesses as they doe upon the Earth This is but a bad preparation and but poore encouragement to Jesus Christ to come and reigne amongst such Saints as these are which indeed are a scandall to Saints a scandall to Religion and would be a scandall to that thousand yeares of Christ if hee should come to reigne but Christ will have better Saints then these are to reigne with him In treating of the Doctrine of Christs coming againe the other Quere is this how or after what manner shall this coming of Christ be but I will come againe Now in the resolving of this question I shall confine my answer to these six Particulars First hee shall come certainly Secondly hee shall come personally Thirdly he shall come visibly Fourthly hee shall come gloriously Fifthly hee shall come terribly And sixtly hee shall come unexpectedly These wayes the Scripture doth furnish you with severall hints touching his coming First the Lord Jesus shall come certainly Christs coming is not to be numbred among Poeticall Fictions or with the delusion of Mahomet but the certainty of Christs coming againe it is built on these three foundations First it is built on the immutability of Gods decree Acts 17.31 Because he hath appoynted a day in the which hee will judge the World in righteousnesse by that Man whom hee hath ordained whereof hee hath given assurance unto all men in that hee hath raised him from the dead The immutability of Gods decree doth prove the certainty of Christs coming God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World Secondly the certainty doth stand upon the infallibility of Christs promises Mat. 26.64 Jesus saith unto him Thou hast said neverthelesse I say unto you Hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of Heaven there is Christs promise to which three of the Evangelists doe concurre Thirdly the certainty of his coming it is grounded upon the impartiality of his Justice here every man hath not right and in Solomons Phrase a just man perisheth in his uprightnesse and a wicked man prolongeth his days in wickednesse therefore to shew Gods impartiality there must be a coming of the Sonne of Man to judge the World righteously I means this because the Doctrine of Christs coming is impugned by Atheists therefore you reade what Peter tells you 2 Peter 3.3 4. knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts And saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the begining of the Creation And wee reade of the men of Athens they questioned this and would not believe this of Christs coming to judge the World Acts 17.32 And when they heard of the Resurrection of the dead some mocked and others said wee will heare thee againe of this matter Why of old time in the times of Jesus Christ or soone after men did mock at this Doctrine that the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Now beloved Christs coming to have this property or this manner in his coming the reason must be to distinguish his second coming from his first coming now to take off the contempt and reproach that was on JESUS CHRIST in his first coming therefore hee shall come in glory in the second coming First wee reade in Scripture that Christs first coming it was in the forme of a servant Phil. 2.7 But made himselfe of no reputation and tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men Now in the second coming hee comes with that glory and Majesty of a King In the first coming hee had no reasonable creature to attend him at the second coming hee shall have all the Saints and Angels in Heaven to attend him At his first coming hee was swadled with swadling Bands but at this second coming hee shall be as it were cloathed with the Clouds of Heaven Againe his first coming it was in dishonour and contempt every Traveller had more honour then Jesus Christ for the Inne was for every Traveller but there was no roome for Christ there hee was borne in an outside house but his second coming shall be in great glory Againe in his first coming hee came representing all the iniquities of the Elect Christ was the greatest Beggar in the world as Luther saith because hee was poore and the greatest sinner in the World not by way of Inherence but by way of imputation Therefore Luther calleth him Peccator maximus the greatest sinner Christ in coming into the World had all the sinnes of the Elect of God that were imputed to him so hee came as a Sinner as an Evill person though hee was not so yet hee was looked upon as so But the second time hee shall come without sinne hee shall not have our sinnes by imputation cast on him because when hee comes againe hee shall make a totall Abolition of sinne Therefore there needs no imputation of our sinnes upon Jesus Christ Thus you have a fourth way of his coming hee shall come Gloriously A fifth way of Christs coming againe is this hee shall come terribly In Isaiah 13.9 Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruell both with wrath and fierce Anger to lay the Land desolate and hee shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it Revel 6.17 For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand The coming of Jesus Christ it is a terrible coming that is a fifth way of his coming Sixthly and lastly Christ shall come unexpectedly though it is true there shall be imediate warnings of his coming as the powers of Heaven shall be shakened the Sun Moone and Starrs shall be darkened but that shall be but a little before his coming but beloved the coming of Christ shall be when men are not aware of it as in the days of Noah men were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage when the flood came and destroyed them so shall the Sonne of man come Christs coming shall then be to burne all with fire when men shall bee eating and drinking possessing and adding muck to muck when men are secure and never thinke of Christs coming to burne all with fire then the powers of Heaven shall be shakened and the World be on fire Hence it is that you reade in Scripture in five or six places it is said that Christs coming it shall be as a Thiefe in the Night a Thiefe will come in the dead time of the Night the Lords coming it is often compared that it is said hee will come as a Thiefe in the Night as Christ said to his Disciples in Luke 21.34 The coming of Christ it is an unexpected coming thus you have six Particulars of Christs coming Vse Now a word of Application Having shewed you how this Doctrine of Christs coming it is a Doctrine of comfort I shall onely finish this Poynt to shew you how this Doctrine of Christs coming it is a Doctrine of terrour and of dread and to whom Now beloved as every Doctrine doth carry hony with it so saith a learned man it is observeable that the word is not compared to Milke and Honey but the word is compared to Salt to have an efficacy to make it smart Beloved you have heard the Hony of this Doctrine what great comfort it will afford to godly men but remember the word is Salt and it is of a smart efficacy to terrifie and fret the conscience Now the Doctrine of Christs coming it is a terrible Doctrine in these foure things To all wicked men Christs coming again it is a terrible Doctrine because first all the secrettest sinnes that ever a wicked man hath comitted in this World they shall be made manifest to all I confesse it is a contest among learned men whether the sinnes of good men as well as bad shall not be knowne and there are strong arguments that all shall be made knowne but the Scripture is full in this that at the day of Judgement that the sinnes that a wicked man hath done in this World they shall be published to all the Saints and Angells in Heaven and all the men that were on Earth It may be thou goest for an honest man amongst thy Neighbours yet thou lovest thy Neighbours Wife and goest in unto her it may be thou art a Monster among men if thou hast beene so and if thou hast deceived in thy Trade why for all thy secresie here yet then all the World shall know thy deceite it is built upon that Text Luke 8.17 For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest neither any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come abroad Here a thousand things are hid that men do not know here thou carriest it fairely and squarely in the World that men cannot say black is thine Eye but then they may say shame to thy Face this is dread Secondly Christs coming it shall be dreadfull in regard of thy Separation from all the Elect of God In Mat. 32.33 And before him shall be gathered all Nations and hee shall seperate them one from another as a Shephard divideth his Sheepe from the Goats And hee shall set the Sheepe on his right Hand but the Goates on the left Here thou art mingled it may be thou livest in the same house with a godly man and liest in the same Bed with a godly man but remember a parting time is coming that as the Shepherd parteth the Sheepe from the Goates so doth Christ part the wicked from the godly Thirdly Christs coming againe it is dreadfull to wicked men in regard it shall be the time of the Promulgation of thy Sentence Why beloved a Thiefe in Newgate is a miserable creature a Thiefe at Bar is in a sad condition but a Thiefe when the Sentence of death is past upon him then hee is in a hopelesse condition O thou wicked man at thy
without mercy that hath shewed no mercy to him that shewes no mercy hee shall have judgement without mercy Christs coming to judgement shall bee a time of thy having of judgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy In Mat. 25.41 42 43. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meate I was Thirsty and yee gave mee no Drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke mee not in naked and yee cloathed mee not sick and in Prison and yee visited mee not Austin hath a good glosse upon this Text saith hee If that man shall goe to Hell that will not give another man Bread when hee is a hungry O then to what a Hell shall that man goe to which taketh away Bread from the hungry man And if that man shall goe to Hell that will not cloath the naked O then to what a Hell shall that man goe to that taketh cloaths off the necessitous mans back And if that man shall goe to Hell that will not visit men that are in Prison O then to what a hell shall that man goe to that casts godly men into Prison Now beloved I beseech you take heede that you be not men wanting bowels of mercy towards your distressed brethren you are to expect judgement without mercy that shew no mercy Eightly to those that live and die in the sinne of uncleannesse and lusts of the flesh Christs coming it will be a dreadfull day to them Therefore you reade that God will judge Adulterers hee will judge a Drunkard hee will judge a Swearer hee will judge a Sabbath breaker yet particularly Whoremongers and Adulterers hee will judge Heb. 13.4 But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge King Henry the 8. was a lascivious Prince and old Latimer sent him a Token A Napkin and a Bible and about the Bible was written Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge it was to terrifie him There is a strange Text 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgement to be punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse Here is a chiefely for them God will punish every unjust man but God reserves them to the day of Judgement chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse c. Doe I speake to men that may have this chiefly put on them O take heede that thou dost not fall under the righteous judgement of God O that thou beest not entangled in that sin that will make the Lord judge thee chiefly Ninthly and lastly Christs coming againe it is dreadfull to all men who live and strengthen themselves by popular tumults and insurrections In oposing and destroying of a lawfull Magistracy that have destroyed Judges Rulers Governments it will be a woefull time to them 2 Peter 9.10 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust to the day of Judgement to be punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse and despise Government Presumptuous are they selfe-willed they are not afraid to speake evill of Dignities Men that under pretence of power and the like shall trample downe Rule Government Authority and Dignity but the Lord hath another day to judge them that will not be judged here hee will judge them with a chiefly And thus I have done I desire every man to make Application of it Now living and dying unrepentingly under these evills it exposeth thee to the righteous judgement of God to destroy thee Another day I am now to make entrance into the fourth Fundamentall Doctrine in these words And receive you unto my selfe These words containe in them that great Fundamentall point touching the Resurrection of mans body that not onely the Soule shall goe to Heaven but also the bodies of godly men shall goe to Heaven Christ shall come out of Heaven for this end to receive the bodies as well as the Soules unto himselfe I will come againe and receive you unto my self There is some difference betweene a few Interpreters touching the sence of these words one carrieth it this way that here the promise of Christs coming hee made it a little before hee was to die saith Christ Bee not troubled for I will come againe Some referre that promise of coming againe not to the last coming but they referre it to that forty dayes that hee was upon the Earth after his Resurrection to the Ascension they referre that this promise was accomplished and then I will receive you unto my selfe they make that to be nothing but this that Christ after his Resurrection did come to his Disciples and did eate a broyled Fish with them and stayed forty dayes with them Why what comfort would this be to the Disciples to thinke of Christs going away and coming againe and stay but forty dayes and then bee seene no more And this would have made them the more sorrowâ—ull that they should never have seene him more Here are two or three reasons from the Text why that cannot be the sence of the place because here was a promise before that hee was going to his Fathers House Now that living upon the Earth forty dayes after his Resurrection cannot be his Fathers House but hee being in his Fathers House this cannot therefore be meant of Christs being coming againe at that time to them Againe that it is said where hee was to goe hee was to goe to prepare a place for them now if his meaning had beene that hee would come againe at forty dayes it should have beene an Earthly place that hee had prepared for them But the current of Interpreters seeing the weakenesse of that gives many consequent reasons why it must necessarily be referred to Christs last coming receiving of them everlasting when the body shall be raised that here Christs coming againe it referres to no other coming but to his great and last coming to judge the World and at that coming hee hath promised the Elect that hee will receive them unto himselfe As if hee should have said Though I leave your bodies behind mee in the World for a season though they may be mangled and massacred by cruell Persecutors and though you may be without my bodily presence for a while yet I doe not goe to Heaven to stay there for ever but I promise you I will come againe and then I will take you into Heaven with mee They would faine have had Christ to have received them into Heaven and faine would they have gone with him The Disciples when they heard Christ speake of going to his Fathers House why they were all on fire to goe with Christ into Heaven O no saith Christ I will come againe to judge the World and then I will receive your very
bodies into Heaven with mee that as my body is in Heaven so your bodies shall be there also with me Obser The Observation is this That it is one great end of Christs coming againe for to receive the bodies of all the Elect unto himselfe into Heaven with him I come againe and receive you unto my selfe I shall not follow the common place in handling the Resurrection of the body I shall onely handle this poynt practically to you in shewing you what the happinesse of the Elect of God is in their bodies as well as their Soules Now because this Text is made use of to pervert many Scriptures I shall handle this practicall Question before I can come to handle the Doctrine Quest The Question is this that seeing Jesus Christ doth onely promise that hee will receive the Elect unto himselfe at his coming againe Then this Question will be started Then what becomes of all the godly imediately after death before Christs coming againe to judgement Therefore those that hold for the sleeping of the Soule they on this Text doe ground that there is no receiving neither one or other the one to Life the other to Death the wicked are not tormented then nor the godly glorified till then Therefore it is needfull that seeing Christ doth here speake of receiving them unto himselfe not till his coming then what becomes of the Soules of dead Men before the coming of Christ Ans Before I give you the Answer take this distinction There is a twofold receiving First there is a partiall and incompleat receiving and this is done imediatly after death that when the Soule doth depart from the body the Soule is received by Jesus Christ in Heaven and that is the reason of those Speeches in Acts 7. There is a receiving them before Christs coming and this is called a partiall and incompleat reception it is onely a receiving of the spirit and not of the body Secondly there is a totall and compleat reception both of the body and the soule into glory and it is this that the Text here speakes of though it is true there is not a totall reception of a Believer till Christs coming to judgement yet there is a partiall reception I do not speake to those that say the soule is mortall and that it shall never live but to those that say the soule shall sleepe and the soule doth perish with the body untill the Resurrection Now against these that pleade for the sleeping of the soule till Christs coming againe take these foure wayes how to strengthen you in this First there are pregnant instances in Scripture that after the godly die their Soules are received into Heaven before CHRIST comes Secondly there are generall expressions in the Scripture as well as particular instances to prove this Thirdly there are expresse passages in the Scripture to confirme this Fourthly there are absurd inconsequences that will arise in case it should be denyed First there are Pregnant Instances or examples in the Scripture to prove that after death the soul is received into heaven Take three instances First that knowne Text Luke 23.43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise That day Christ dyed that day Christ went to Heaven therefore that day the soule of that converted thiefe must go to Heaven Now beloved there are two Evasions that those who pleade for the soules cessation for the soules sleeping that they make to avoid this Text and take off this Instance First is by altering the comma or stop in the Text and reade it thus I say unto thee this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise that to day they doe not referre it that the Thiefe should be in Paradise Peter Martyr doth give two Answers to this Evasion First saith hee it is not safe to alter a comma or stop in Scripture for so you may pervert the Scripture and make it speak what it never meant if men at their pleasure disagreeing from all Copies alter comma's in the translation Another Answer that it appeares this cannot bee the sense of it to referre to day to the time that Christ spake and not to the time that the thiefe should be in heaven for saith Gerrard marke the thiefes prayer In ver 42. And be said unto Jesus Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy Kingdome Marke there is the thiefes when that when Christ should come to Heaven Christ should remember him Christs Hodie must answer to his Quando or else hee did not answer to his Prayer Christs to day must answer the thiefes when that when Christ came to Heaven there to remember the thiefe And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise Thirdly this day it was needlesse for Christ to say to day to tell him the time when hee spake hee knew Christ spake to him then but to speake of the time when the thiefe should be in Heaven I say to thee this day thou shalt be with Mee in Heaven The second Evasion is this It is true Christ promised thou shalt be with mee in Paradice but Christ doth not say thou shalt be with mee in Heaven but with mee in Paradice There are three answers to give you to this Evasion First that those that will not by Paradice understand Heaven by this Text they then fall in with the Papists either for Purgatory or a Limbus Patrum Secondly take this answer that in other Scriptures when Paradice is mentioned it is to be understood Heaven and so the Apostle doth expound it 2 Cor. 12.2.4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third Heaven How that hee was caught up into Paradice and heard unspeakeable words which it is not lawfull for a man to utter So that the Apostle by Paradice doth expound it to be Heaven Revel 2.7 Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcometh will I give to eate of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God That is hee shall enjoy Jesus Christ Christ in Heaven is the Tree of Life in the Paradice of God Thirdly it cannot be any Earthly Paradice the Paradice Adam was in before his fall for the Earthly Paradice was destroyed by the Flood therefore of necessity when Christ tells the thiefe To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradice it must referre to the thiefes going to Heaven at that day with Jesus Christ A second instance it is in Luke 16.22 And it came to passe that the Beggar dyed and was carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosom The rich man also dyed and was buried This is another instance that the soules of the Elect after death they go to Heaven There are two Evasions made upon
depart and to be with Christ which is far better So that the Apostle doth only make these two conclusions a departing out of the World out of this Life and a desire to be with Jesus Christ hee mentions no place for a good soule to goe to hee mentions no Purgatory nor Limbus Patrum And so likewise a fourth Text you have in 2 Cor. 6.8.9 Therefore wee are alwayes confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. Wee are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent wee may be accepted of him Marke That the Apostle doth onely make these two conclusions to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord so that the soule is present with the Lord whilst absent from the body Then againe that Prayer of Stephen proves it likewise in Acts 7.59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit It had beene uncomfortable for him to have thought that hee should have beene stoned for Jesus Christ and it must have beene above 1600 yeares before Christ should have received his soule but hee prayed Lord Iesus Christ receive my Soule which hee would not have done if hee had not believed that his soule would have beene received by Jesus Christ imediately after death And thus I leave those Scriptures to confirme you in this that the soule doth not sleepe in the body but at the parture from the body it doth imediately goe to Heaven Fourthly I prove it to you by shewing those grosse absurdities and inconveniencies that will arise in case it should be denyed that God doth not receive the soule of any Elect man till hee doth come to judge the World First it will follow that the godly will be in a worse condition after they are dead then they were in when they were alive for when they were alive to live is Christ Christ dwelt in their hearts by Faith Now if the soule doth sleepe with the body and perish with the body then Christ doth not live in them Christ doth not dwell there by Faith so that this would be uncomfortable that a believer after death should be in a worse condition then during this Life for here he lives in Christ by Faith Secondly then it will follow that God the Father would be more cruell to his people then hee would have other men be to their servants which have done their worke Marke that Text Levit. 19.13 Thou shalt not defraud thy Neighbour neither rob him the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night untill the morning That the Master was not to keepe the hire of the Labourer long from him that the Master should not keep the servants wages long from him Now will the great God keepe you who are his servants that have served him here in this World and have done him faithfull service and will hee keepe any reward from you till his last coming No but when you have ended your Life and done your worke you receive your wages when your work is done you have your reward Thirdly observe this if this should be true that the Soules of the Elect men doe not goe to Heaven after death then it will follow that the soules of wicked men doe not goe to Hell after death and how repugnant this is to the Scripture you well know when the Scripture saith in the Epistle of Jude That the men of Sodome and Gomorrha suffered the vengeance of eternall fire And of Judas Acts 25. That hee may take part of this Ministery and Apostle-ship from which Judas by transgression fell that hee might goe to his owne place I could give you multitude of Instances where the wicked are in Hell 1 Pet. 3.19 20. By which also hee went and preached unto the Spirits in prison Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water That is Jesus Christ by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah did preach to the old World who were disobedient to that Preacher of righteousnesse who is now in Heaven To say that a godly man doth not goe to Heaven imediately after death it will follow that a wicked man doth not go to Hell imediately after death Fourthly it would follow that there should be onely Angels in Heaven and no Saints whereas the Scripture saith expresly that Christ shall come from Heaven with his Saints And wee reade in Scripture that there are the Spirits of just men made perfect as well as the innumerable company of Angells Fifthly this would follow that it would be a great discomfort to a godly man on his death-bed if hee should be so many hundred yeares before Christ would bring him to Heaven what comfort shall a godly man have to die when hee shall say it shall be so many hundred yeares before my body and my soule shall be thought of by Jesus Christ it would be a very uncomfortable Doctrine for a man to thinke that I shall die like a beast that my soule after death shall not be taken up into Heaven And thus I have proved that imediatly after the godly die their Soules are received into Heaven I have proved it by pregnant Instances in the Scripture by generall expressions in the Scripture and by those expresse passages in Scripture and have given you those absurdities that will arise in case it should be denyed A word now from what hath beene spoken If it be so that Christ doth receive thee O thou Believer receive thee to himselfe before his totall and compleate reception I would then give you this use for to comfort you Vse First O feare not a dying time let not death be dreadfull and terrible to thee Beloved were this true indeed that when thou diest thy soule should perish with thy body then a Life is not worth the having but when thou shalt thinke on thy death-bed here now is a Disease a consuming of thy nature and sending of thee to thy grave and now there is but a little time betweene thee and Heaven that when I am a dying I am in the very Suburbs of Heaven a little breath betweene mee and Heaven O how should this comfort a dying man when that hee hath good evidences for Heaven O this should greatly comfort thee against thou comest to die to thinke that thy death-bed is the very Suburbs of Heaven I have read what John said that wrote the Revelations when hee was ready to die I do believe saith hee that in this very day my soule shall be represented before the Lord Jesus Christ. O think now thou art leaving thy friends but it will not be a day before Christ and I shall meete in Heaven As in the Booke of Martyrs wee reade
trouble thee then that thy body shall be a crucified Body because at Christs second coming it shall be a glorious body Againe it may be comfort to thee by reason of thy naturall infirmities Suppose thy body be a sickly body suppose thy body be full of Aches Agues Consumptions Diseases and the like suppose thy body be maimed Blinde and Lame yet remember thy body that is vile deformed and sickly it shall have fresh Robes of glory upon it and be made like to the glorious Body of Jesus Christ Wee reade in the booke of Martyrs of two Martyrs that were to be burnt at Stratford Bow neere London one Hugh Laborocke and John Price the one blinde and the other lame this Price being full of feare when the fire was about him saith Hugh unto him Bee not troubled though thou blinde and I lame yet remember death will heale thee of thy Blindnesse and mee of my Lamenesse Suppose thou art blinde lame and maymed why Christs receiving of thy body will cure all and truly there were no comfort to a man under a bodily distemper when a man is under some great trouble when a man should thinke that this body of mine should rot in the Grave and never be raised from the dead which were very uncomfortable But thy deformed body it shall be a beautifull body that which is a sickly body it shall be made a healthfull body and freed from all Diseases A second Inference is this will Jesus Christ at his coming raise thy body and receive thy whole man unto himselfe Then learne to have elongation of soule after the second coming of Jesus Christ Therefore doe not desire to continue here upon Earth but to be dissolved and to be with Jesus Christ Will any man be grieved for changing of an old suite for a new Death doth this thou hast here an old rotten ragge of flesh about thee why Christ will put a new sute on thee Therefore the Apostle calls it the desire of the body is to be cloathed upon wee doe not desire to be in Heaven without bodies but wee desire to bee cloathed upon with those glorious endowments wherewith the elect shall be clad in glory Therefore be not unwilling to die doe not be unwilling to leave an old rotten Carcasse a sickly body a Diseased body Put a Bird into a Cage though the Cage be made of Silver or Gold yet the Bird had rather flie abroad then bee tide up in the Cage O thou whilest in the body art in a Cage thou hadst better have thy body in a glorified capacity then now it is Thirdly be not afraid to die nor unwilling to die because thy body shall be changed by Death if thy body should not die it would never be a glorified body keepe your Corne in your House and you will never have a Crop I but cast your Corne into the ground and let it die there saith the Apostle that that thou sowest is never quickened till it die why let your body be kept alive here in the World and it will never be raised to glory O doe not then bee unwilling to die because Death not come to an Elect man as a laying of Corne in the Grave till the Resurrection day As Corne doth rot in the ground to spring againe against the Harvest So doth thy Body rotte in the Grave as Graine against the Harvest Fourthly if this be true that JESUS CHRIST will raise thy body unto glory O then doe not imbase and abuse these bodies of yours for they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost these bodies of yours shall one day bee raised and received by Jesus Christ It is an Argument that the Apostle raiseth 1 Corinthians 6.14 15. vers And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his owne Power know yee not that your bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of Harlots God forbid This is the Apostles Argument The A. postle would reason against Adultery and Uncleannesse in the body what argument doth hee use Know yee this Christ will raise up our bodies and shall wee take these Memberr of our bodies and make them the Members of a Whore So that Beloved let the Doctrine of your Resurrection and of your bodies being raised and received to Jesus Christ let it provoke you that you doe not abuse your bodies Hee that keepes company with a Harlot sinneth against his owne body 1 Cor. 6.18 Flee Fornication every sinne that a Man doth is without the body but hee that comitteth Fornication sinneth against his owne body For a Man to lie and sweare it is against his Soule but for a Man to be uncleane it is to sinne against his Body O doe not die with an uncleane body with an Adulterous body and doe not abuse thy body doe not abuse those Eyes of thine to be Windowes of lust that shall one day behold Jesus Christ doe not abuse that body that must have a sweete communion with Christ in Heaven I am now come to handle the last point in the Text the last Clause that where I am there you may be also These words they note unto you the Event or Consequent what shall follow upon Christs coming againe and receiving our bodies unto himselfe at the last day The Event shall be this An exerlasting enjoyment of Christ that is the result and consequent of Christs coming to be ever with him that where I am there you may be also I shall open the Words for there is some difficulty in one Expression where I am you see it is a word in the present Tense where I am and though it bee a word of the present Tense it doth not denote thus much that they should bee at Jerusalem with Christ for christ was then at Jerusalem but as Grosius saith that here the word of the present Tense is to bee understood of the future Tense that is where I shall be shortly after I leave this World where I shall be there you shall be and so hee doth bring that Text to prove it John 7.34 Yee shall seeke mee and shall not finde mee and where I am thither yee cannot come It cannot be taken in the present Tense for hee was then at Jerusalem to shew that where I am is to be understood in the future Tense where I shall be I goe but I come againe that where I shall bee when I come to my Fathers House in Heaven that where I shall bee I may have all your companies to be personally present with me in Heaven that is the scope of the word Obser Observe that when ever Christ speakes of being in Heaven though hee was on the Earth yet hee speakes in the present Tense as if hee were in Heaven already John 3.13 And no Man hath ascended up to Heaven but hee that came downe from Heaven even the Sonne of Man which is in Heaven Christ was