Gracelesse men what though Christ bee gone into Heaven yet thou shalt never follow after him What though Christ prepareth a place for all his Elect yet hee prepareth none for thee thy place is prepared by an angry God thou goest to Hell and not to a place prepared by Jesus Christ And thus I have done with the second Doctrine to wit that the fruit and benefit that all the Elect of God hath by Christs going into Heaven it is to prepare a place for them I goe to prepare a place for you The third main Doctrine is the Doctrine of Christs coming againe I goe and prepare a place for you but I will come again Christ may stay long but hee will not stay ever but Christ that said hee would goe away also said hee would come again To explicate the phrase I will come again what is meant by Christs coming again Beloved there are foure sorts of Interpretations of these words neither of which are true but the last First by coming again some understand Christs first coming so the Jewes understand it for some of them do study the Evangelists though they study to confute it they doe not beleeve that Christ is come they make it of his coming in the flesh John 4. it was the womans sence of the coming of Christ in the 25. verse The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come hee will tell us all things why he was come but shee thought that hee had not been come O saith Jesus Christ I am hee I am come already so that the Jewes and the Samaritans did ever take the phrase of Christs coming not to Judge the world but of the coming in the flesh Secondly it cannot be understood of the coming of Christ by his spirit so some Interpreters doe understand the words but I will come again by my Spirit and they make it agreeable to that phrase loe I goe away but I will bee with you to the end of the world but Calvin rejects it because the next words say I will come againe to receive you to my selfe Thirdly it cannot bee meant as the Millenaries understand it of Christs coming again to remaine a thousand yeares upon the Earth and for that I shall give you severall demonstrations from Scripture when I come to handle it Fourthly by Christs coming againe it is to bee understood as Calvin and most Interpreters take it of Christs coming to Judge the world as if hee should say I go to prepare Heaven for you and I promise you to come again that though your bodies die and rot in the Graves yet I will come again and raise you up another day and receive you unto my selfe It is to bee understood of his last coming And thus much for the explication of the phrase Obser 3 Christ doth here give them a promise of his coming to comfort their troubled hearts From thence observe that Christs coming again to judge the world is a Doctrine full of comfort to every Beleever whilest they are here upon the earth for the proofe of this see 1 Thess 4. 15. To the end For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that wee which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleepe For the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then wee which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayre and so shall wee ever bee with the Lord Wherefore comfort one another with these words In the handling of this there are four Queries to be answered The first is by way of Objection what comfort is this to us that Christ should bid them they should not bee troubled that hee might come againe when between the making of this promise and this time promised it hath run above 1600 hundred years already Answer First that Tract of time can neither interrupt the accomplishment of a promise nor the comfort of a promise it is comfortable that what is promised shall sooner or later come to passe Daniel 10. 1. In the third year of Cyrus King of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel whose Name was called Belteshazzar and the thing was true but the time appointed was long and hee understood the thing and had understanding of the vision It is a promise made by Christ to comfort you against all the troubles of the world hee will come againe and though the time bee long ere hee doth come yet the time appointed will bee true it is certaine though it be long Secondly that the godly in ages before us could rejoyce in promises being made to them though the accomplishâ—ment thereof was not fullfilled till many years after and why should not the Disciples doe so then and why should not wee doe soe 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 The promise was made to Ahraham above a thousand years before he saw him and yet he was glad Heb. 11. 13. These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them They did embrace the promises 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 bee upon his shoulders c. Behold this is matter of joy for to us a childe is borne and unto us a Sonne is given 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 bee till many yeares after and yet the Prophet doth thinke no fitter a promise to give them then the the promise that a Virgin should conceive a Sonne I mention it for this that though promises were made long since yet bear up your hearts for that it will be sure and certain 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 Doctrin so full of comfort to beleevers First it appears by the beleevers 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 it is a Doctrine of Great comfort to a Beleever it is called the day of Redemption and called by Peter the day of refreshing and this made the Church say Come Lord Jesus come quickly this shews that to the People of God there is no Doctrine so comfortable as the Doctrine of Christs
his garments lest he walke naked and they see his shame Fifthly and this Divines stand much upon it is said wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse That the dwelling of a righteousnesse here doth not imply that such a thing shall bee 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 referred to the Earth which is in the Singular Number Therefore Divines say from the Originall 2 Peter 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—e in whom â—wels righteousnesse look for a new Heaven and a new Earth So that the dwelling of righteousnesse it is not to be interpreted as referring to the Earth but that righteousnesse should dwell in men wee read of none being on the Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse 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 daies of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never bee destroyed and the Kingdome shall not bee left to other People but it shall breake in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Now beloved to give you the scope of the Text take these answers First It is true that a Kingdome is given by God to Jesus Christ and that Kingdome 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 bee great and shall bee called the Son 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 Jesus Christ had a Kingdom and he is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords in heaven Secondly it is said here that this Kingdome it was begun in the daies of those Kings Now whose daies doth this Text speake of It speakes of those that divided Alexanders Kingdome who overcame the Medes and Persians it was divided betweene Ptolomy Lagides King of Egypt Zeleuchus King of Assyria In that time Jesus Christ did set up a Kingdome for he was born King of the Jewes Thirdly it is apparent that this cannot bee referred to Christs Kingdom in this world for a thousand yeares Because it cannot bee said that it should bee a Kingdome for ever and ever for a Kingdome for a thousand yeares cannot bee said to bee a Kingdome for ever and ever but it is said in Daniel It shall bee for ever and ever A fourth Scripture is in Eph. 5. 5. For this yee know that no Whoremonger nor Uncleane 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 only a Kingdome of God that is Heaven but the Scripture doth make mention of a Kingdome of Christ as a Kingdome of God Therefore they build on this Christs reigne and of having 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 Kingdom is not of this world c. Secondly though it be said here that there is a Kingdome of Christ yet it is not expressed to be upon the Earth for a 1000 yeares Thirdly this Kingdome of Christ Interpreters refer it to the same with the Kingdome of God and to bee meant exegetically A fifth Text they have is in Mat. 26. 29. But I say unto you I will not drinke henceforth of this fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome Alsted quotes from thence they gather it cannot bee meant of Heaven why because there is no eating and drinking there here is a promise by Jesus Christ to come to them no more till he would drinke with them Wine in his Fathers Kingdome and it cannot bee unlesse Christ doth come in person amongst his people and have a Kingdome to eat and drinke with his people in this World This they stand much upon Take these clear answers to these Quotations First 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 should bee called Christs Kingdome and not his Fathers Kingdom 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 between Christs Resurrection and Ascension for after Christ did rise from the dead you know hee did continue forty daies upon the Earth and the Scripture telleth you in Luke 24. 42. And they gave him a piece of broyled Fish and of a hony-combe and hee tooke it and did eat before them So he may as well drinke and eate but that to me is somewhat uncertaine Thirdly which is the true scope of this place I will not drinke henceforth of this fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drinke it with you in my Fathers Kâ—ngdome he 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 meet in Heaven not that there should bee Eating and Drinking in Heaven but when you and I meete wee shall have sweet fellowship and communion together as is in Eating and drinking together As Feasting is a badge of communion and of Love so there shall be endeared love and endeared communion with Christ in Heaven you shall drinke it new not new Wine nor eat 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 bee no sinne in the world and that the Earth shall bee restored to its primitive fruitfulnesse as it were before the fall but I shall not middle with these And thus according unto my poore measure I have laboured to lay down 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 Use 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 reign 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 coming of Christ as King in this world then labour to have Christ
that might greaten my sin thou host forgiven them all J shal onely make a short entrance at this time into the first part of my Text I said I will confesse my transgression to the Lord These words contain in them a holy purpose in the Psalmist to set up the practise of a necessary and Christian duty to wit secret confession of sin to God In them five parts are observeable First the duty it selfe Confession Secondly a deliberate purpose to set on the practise of this duty I said Thirdly the subject matter of this duty Transgression and Transgression with a propriety my Transgression not of other mens sins but my sins I said I will confese my transgressions J remember Ainsworth he saith it should be translated thus more agreeable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will confesse adversum me against my selfe my transgression to the Lord. Many men confesse sin but they do confesse sin as against God that is they do confesse sin as if God were the author of sin that charge him to be the patron of their impiety and wickednesse I said I will confesse my transgression against myselfe Fourthly The object of this duty I will confess my transgression to the Lord and this beloved takes off Auricular confession used and stood on much in the Church of Rome Confession that God cals for and the Scripture cals for is in secret between God and your own souls when conscience shall suggest guilt to you in reference to your former misdoings when you can pour out your soul in complaint to God I said I will confesse my transgression unto the Lord. Fifthly and lastly The issue and event of this duty and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin observe the connexion here is a connective particle and thou forgavest he doth not come with an Ergo or a Quare not with a causal but with an et a copulative and thou forgavest not J confesse sin therefore I am forgiven but I confesse sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou hast forgiven me Forgivenesse of sin is not laid down as an effect flowing from a cause but as a consequent flowing from an antecedent Indeed the Papists plead much for merit because sometimes causal particles are used but this is beyond my Text thus much for the explaining of the words Doct. At this time J shall onely raise a Doctrine from the first part of this Text J said J will confesse my transgression unto the Lord. The point of Doctrine is this That justified persons who have their sins forgiven are yet bound to confesse sin to God And here the confession J am to speake of is a private confession of our evils to God between God and our own souls and though it be but a familiar subject yet as God shall enable me J shall labour to make it useful and profitable for your edification in a Christian course in a holy confession of sin before your God There are many Queres to be dispatcht in the handling of this point The first Quere is What are the reasons why persons justified and pardoned are yet bound to make confession of sin unto God in private The Reasons are these following Reas 1 First They are to confesse sin unto God because holy confession gives a great deale of case and holy quiet unto the mind of a sinner concealed and indulged guilt contracts horror and dread on the conscience As wind when it is disperst and diffused through the air doth little hurt but when it is concealed in the bowels of the earth it makes ruptures and earthquakes overthrows things up and down Sin when it is unconfest concealed and indulged makes heart-quakes in the conscience and contracts a great deal of horror and terror Psal 32. vers 3. When J kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Meaning David when he kept close his sin he roared by reason of horror when he did not pour out his soul in confession to God but when a man shall with an ingenuous clearnesse confesse his evils unto God this doth alleviate his minde and lighten his burden and ease his conscience and quiet his spirit Origen doth call confession of sin to God the souls spiritual vomit Now you know vomiting doth give ease to a burdened stomach when the stomach is pained and burdened and opprest A man is sick at the heart when meat doth not digest the vomiting of the load off of the stomach doth ease the stomach when the conscience is burdened when a mans spirit is troubled pouring out of complaints and confession to God doth ease the mind A sinner is like a vessel of new wine filled and stopt up close till it hath vent it is ready to burst so is a godly man filled with sin till he can vent by confession to God his heart is ready to burst Psal 119. vers 25. My soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according to thy word Vers 26. I have declared my waies and thou heardest me teach me thy Statutes As if he should have said My soul cleaves to the dust I am in a very low and sad condition but I have declared my waies I have confest my sins then God heard me then I had peace then I had quiet then I had comfort that is the first Reason secret confession to God it doth give a great deal of ease and holy quiet to the minde Reas 2 A second Reason why justified persons must confess sin is because God loves to hear the complaints and confessions of his own people lying on the face the best gesture and the mourning weed the best garment that God is well pleased with Jer. 31. vers 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe c. that is confessing his sin unto God Cant. 2. vers 14. O my Dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the staires let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely God delights to see and hear the complaints and the confessions of his servants unto him so David speaks I declared my waies and thou heardest me with pity and complacency God had rather see men come with ropes about their necks and with sackcloth about their loins by a humble confession as the servants of Benhadad did then to see ornaments about their necks by a self-justification Christ loves to hear and see the mourning condition of a justified person Reas 3 A third Reason why justified persons must confesse sin to God is because confession of sin doth help to quicken the heart to strong and earnest supplication to God Psal 32. vers 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Confession quickens supplication in Dan. 9. vers 20. And
and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Though he was a Prodigal yet he would goe to God as to a father In confession you are to go to God hopefully as to a displeased father confessions when they come to God as a Judge create fear horrour and amazement on the conscience but when confessions are mingled with hope and come to God as a Father they work a holy brokennesse of heart a holy tendernesse and remorse on the conscience We should confesse our sins to God as a Patient confesseth his disease and bodily distemper to his Physician in hope of Cure Rule 5 A fift Rule in confession of sin unto God is this Content not your selves with slight and superficial confessions of sin unto God but leave not confession till you find sorrow for sin Psal 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin Dan. 9. 8. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our fathers because we have sinned against thee we blush and are ashamed to look up Leave not confessing of sin until shame hath filled your face and sorrow hath filled your heart it is a great fault in many people if they confesse their sin in crying God mercy in a general way they think they have made God a compensation for all the injuries they have done him though they never have any godly sorrow for their sins but beloved you are not to content your selves with such confession We should in this part of prayer imitate that holy Martyr Bradford who never gave over praying till his heart was somewhat affected and warmed in the duty Rule 6 A sixt Rule in confession of sin is this If thou findest thy heart straitned in confessing present guilt and present sins upon thee then labour to review recollect ancient guilt and ancient sins This is a very useful thing in a mans Christian course It may be a man or woman professing Christianity may not know the sins he or she hath done this last week for want of heedfulnesse and observation of their waies in that case let them recollect what they have done many years agoe recollect old sins when new sins do not come to remembrance and be humbled for them thus David did in Psal 51. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me It was meant his old sin of adultery that was his sin that he would now call to remembrance so when he found his heart dead he saith Lord remember not the sins of my youth he would go so far back as his youth I prescribe this rule not that a godly man who is under trouble of minde should take this course to collect old sins this may lead him to despair but in case of barrennesse if any man wants matter in respect of present sinnes and findes his heart hard and very insensible in secret prayer unto God in that case he is bound to let conscience recoyle upon himself and recollect sins of past years go back as far as his youth and see what conscience will bring in to provoke him to make humble confession unto God in his secret retirements Rule 7 Lastly take this Rule take more freedom in confession of sin in secret before God then in publick before men To provoke you to practise this Rule consider two things 1. First it is not fit to confesse all the evils you have done before men and if there were no argument to prove secret prayer this were enough that it is not fit for a man to confesse all the sins of his life before men Zach. 12. 12. And the Land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart c. They are to go to God and confesse their sins apart Thou art a poor professor that dost confesse what thou confessest in publick onely and never in private thou art but a barren professor 2. Again consider this that though we read of wicked men that have made great confession of sin unto God yet we never read in the Scripture that wicked men ever made conscience to confesse sin to God in secret Pharaoh you know the story confest his sin unto Moses and unto Aaron but we never read that Pharaoh confest his sin unto God Exod. 9. 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time c. Saul confest his sin unto Samuel but we never read of his confessing sin unto god 1 Sam. 15. 24. And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord c. Verse 30. Then he said I have sinned c. Judas confest his sin but to whom was it to the High Priest and to the Pharisees but Judas never went into a corner and in secret to bewail bloodshed wicked men have made publick confessions of sin but in secret between God and their own souls they never made acknowledgment and confession of their evils unto God thus much for the third Quere The fourth Quere is this Wherein appears the difference of a gody mans making confession of sin unto God and between those confessions of sin in wicked men and there are these eight differences First Holy confession in godly men makes the soul to be more active and inquisitive after cure remedy and pardon for sin holy confession makes the soul industrious I confesse sin but how shall I subdue sin I acknowledge sin but how shall I get pardon for sin It makes it enquire how to get cure and remedy for the evils which before were confest Job 7. 20. I have sinned What shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men c. I have sinned there is his confession Lord what shall I do there is his industry Thus the Jewes they were convinced by Peter of their great sin insomuch as they cryed out What shall we do to be saved But false confession leaves men idle and carelesse confesse they do but they are not inquisitive how to get pardon for those sins they do confesse Secondly Holy confession of sin unto God in godly men is attended with remorse of conscience and with grief of heart Psal 38. 18. For I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for my sin there is confession and sorrow joyned together Hos 12. 4. Yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him Whilest confessions are in the mouth there will be either tears in the eye or sorrow in the heart if confession be true The wicked confesse sin but tey never grieve for the sins they have committed they are not ashamed neither can they blush in the Prophets language Thirdly A godly man in confession of sin hath more freedom of spirit
to confesse his particular sins in secret then he hath in publick I have powred out my soul before God saith the Psalmist confession of sin is a pouring out of the soul before God he that can pour forth complaints against sin in secret more then in publick is a grecious man The wicked are only for confession of sin before men and not before God 4. Fourthly Godly men confesse sin freely out of a willingnesse they have to be rid of sin wicked men confesse sin with confessions extorted and drawn from them as men on a rack whether they will or no. Godly men confesse sin freely they are freely willing to part with their lusts therefore they confesse them to God Job 32. 18. For I am full of matter the spirit within me constraineth me Verse 19. Behold my belly is as wine that hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles Verse 20. I will speak that I may be refreshed I will open my lips and answer Thus a godly man in confessing sin his belly is as ready to burst with new wine he must needs have vent else he is broken he must needs confesse sin his sin drives him to God But confession is extorted and wrested from wicked men It was the plagues of Egypt upon Pharaoh that wrung confession from him before these he would say Who is the Lord It was pangs and horrour of conscience in Judas that forced him to acknowledge he had sinned in betraying innocent blood Mariners cast over their goods not that they hate them but as they are forc't to do it to escape drowning when there is a storm and a tempest in their consciences then men are forc't to confesse sin it is by compulsion it is not voluntary Fifthly A godly man is conscious to confesse secret and small sins as well as grosse wickednesse David confest his pride and carnal confidence in numbring the people as well as his adultery with Bathsheba David confest the cutting off the lap of Sauls garment as well as spilling the blood of Vriah But hypocrites confesse their grosse sins but not their small sins Cain confest his murder but not his bad offering they confesse their grosse sins but not their smaller Pharaoh confest his oppression of the children of Israel but he did not confesse the hardness of his heart But godly men though they have not so many grosse and open evils yet small and secret evils pinch their consciences and trouble their spirit Those evils which will not break a wicked mans sleep will break their hearts what though they have not uncleannesse in the flesh what though they have escaped the pollutions of the world yet they know they have secret and inward defilements on the spirit and these they bewaile and these they acknowledge to God A sixth difference is this that godly men are distinct and clear to confesse their particular special evils that have most predominancy over them Beloved observe this Wicked men in their confessions are confused and only run in general that they are sinners Just like Ahimaaz when he would bring tydings to David touching the issue of the battel with Joab and Absalom saith he I saw a tumult and I heard a noyse but I know nothing Wicked men will tell you that their sins do make a noyse within them but they can tell you nothing distinctly and nothing particularly but only go at randome Wicked men in confessing sin are like Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2. He dreamt something but he could not tell what it was Wicked men dream of sins and think of them as confusedly as a man in a dream but when how and where and with what aggravating circumstances they know not they have not a distinct and clear view of their corruptions The people of God do in their confessions single out their special lusts and say thus did the people of Israel Judg. 10. 10. Thus Belarmine did shew his wickednesse in saying he was not wicked when he was on his death-bed and his Confessor came to him to have him confesse his sin to him saith Bellarmine I do not know any sin in my self to confess This was not the holinesse of the man but the heedlesnesse that he did not observe his waies Donatus the great ringleader of the Donatists saith O Lord I have nothing that thou shouldst pardon me Beloved this doth arise from stupidity that men see not sin it doth not arise from holiness but from heedlesness and carelesseness It is an observation that one hath on Iob saith Iob I have sinned and cause me know wine iniquity and my transgression and my sin Whilst Iob made this complaint that he had sinned God saith in all this Job sinned not that is not absolutely but meaning comparatively Beloved to be free in complaints and to be full in confession of sins doth not argue that you have more sin then other men have but it argues that you have more sight then other men have and the less sin you have in you Seventhly Godly men confesse sin out of a sight and sense of sin as it is dishonourable to God rather then as it is a shame and reproach unto themselves Confess thy sin rather for the foul nature of it that it doth dishonour God then for the evil consequence of it that it deserves damnation to the sinner In Psal 51. saith David Against thee thee only have I sinned it was not against Vriah that he had sinned but against thee thee onely have I sinned for thou wast dishonoured by my sinne When the Apostle speaks of repentance he calls it repentance towards God Acts 20. 21. Testifying both to the Jewes and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ To note That where sorrow and confession of sin is true it is more out of a sense of sin as it is against God then as it is against self But wicked men never confess sin as it is a dishonour to God but as it contracts a guilt and a shame on themselves Lastly Holy confession of sin in godly men leaves a holy awe and a dread upon the heart making them afraid to commit the sin after they have confest it making them afraid to come into the occasion of that sin which they have confest thus you read Acts 19. 18. And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds Verse 19. Many also of them which used curious Arts brought their books together and burned them before all men c. He speaks of their sorcery and witchcraft they would burn their books that there should not be an occasion of committing again that sin which they confest unto God Beloved this is holy confession when thou shalt come to God on thy knees in secret and there bewail a lust and thy confession leaves a holy awe and dread on thy soul to take heed on that sin thou hast confest A godly man may commit a sin which
have done evil in thy sight but cannot call to minde any particular sin they have done Was it never thus with you that ye did not know what to bewaile to God and what to lament of in his presence this is a Defect that godly men are often guilty of Defect 2 A second Defect in the confession of sin to God is this when men in prayer do confesse many sins to God yet do leave out their master and predominant sins many men are large in confession yet do leave out their master sins Moses though a good man yet was faulty in this regard God commanded him to go to Egypt to deliver his people but saith Moses I am not eloquent I am of a slow speech he did complain of a natural defect but he did not complain of a spiritual defect but God did answer all his pleas in Exod. 4. 19. And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian Go return into Egypt for all the men are dead that sought thy life Vers 20. And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon an asse and he returned to the land of Egypt So that God here put his finger upon the sore Moses complained of the peoples incredulity of his own natural infirmity but Moses did not complain of his slavish fear that if he should go to Egypt there were men that would kill him till God did assure Moses that those men that sought to kill him were dead Moses would not go here a good man would not confesse his slavish fear that he did fear death therefore he would not go on Gods command Beloved this is a Defect that doth many times cleave to godly men to leave out their predominant sins and to confesse only those sins which are sins of infirmity and herein men do but dissemble with God and like the lapwing crie lowdest when farthest from the nest Defect 3 A third Defect in confession of sin to God is this to have the heart to hanker after the committing of those sins you do confesse Austin doth ingenuously acknowledg this of himself saith he I did often beg strength of God against the sin of incontinency yet had often an unwillingnesse in my heart that God should hear my prayers lest I should leave my sins Indeed conviction of conscience doth force to a confession of sin yet the strength of thy depraved affection doth make thee hanker after the sin and cause a lothnesse to leave it Defect 4 A fourth Defect in confession of sin to God is this to confesse to God the sins of your life but not the sins of your nature many men will be large in confessing the sins of their life but seldom or never bewail the sins of nature that vicious inclination in the heart to sin very few but David in the Old Testament and Paul in the New who did sufficiently confesse original sin David in the Old Testament Psal 51. there he begins to bewail the root of those sins which he was guilty of So Paul in Rom. 7. bewails the body of sin many men bewail actual sin but not habitual sin but not original sin many men bewail bad actions but never confesse unto God their vicious inclination This Defect good men many times are guilty of Defect 5 A fifth defect is this to confesse grosse and open sins but not to confesse small and secret evils we are commanded to keep the Law as the apple of our eye Prov. 7. 2. Keep my commandements and live and my Law as the apple of thine eye Now you know a man that keeps his eye will not only keep his eye from great blowes but from small motes which may put out the eye as well as a great blow men should not only take heed of great blowes great transgressions but they should take heed of lesser motes small sins Now beloved good men many times commit those sins that are infamous that the natural light of conscience can control them for why those evils are complained of and confest but secret evils wandring thoughts in duties vanity of minde the deadnesse of the heart emptinesse of spiritual meditations inward distrust these evils are seldome bewailed and confest this is many times a Defect found in good men good men are not so apt to confesse omission of good as commission of evil Defect 6 A sixt Defect in confession of sin to God is this to confesse sin more because of its guilt then of its spot my meaning is more because sin hath a damning power then a defiling nature more because sin damns thy soul then defiles thy conscience A child would touch a coal though it be smutty and soily but he forbears to touch it meerly because it is a burning coal we forbeare sin because sin is a burning coale but we doe not forbear to touch it because it is a defiling coal that is a defect in many godly men to be found But we should confesse sin and bewaile it not because it wil damn us but because it doth dishonour God Defect 7 A seventh defect in confession of sins to God is this to confesse those sins to God which if men should charge us with we should deny and be angry This holy Greenham doth take notice of in mens confession of sin thou wilt confesse thy pride to God but if a man should say that thou art proud thou wouldst be angry with him thou wilt confesse thy waies to God but if men should tell thee of thy sins thou wouldst be angry with them this shews there is much defect in your confession Defect 8 The eighth defect in confession of sin unto God is this not to have the heart sensibly affected with those sins that are confessed to God many confesse as if they were telling stories rather what other men did then what themselves did there are few that confesse sin as the Prodigall did that he was ashamed to be called the son of his father We should confesse sin as Daniel did Dan. 9. and as David did Psa 51. But many confesse sin like Pharaoh Exod. 9. 27. And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Vers 34. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder were ceased he sâ—nned yet more and hardned his heart 〈…〉 Defect 9 The ninth defect in confesâ—ion of sin to God is this to content your selves with slight ordinary and generall confessions of sins to come into Gods presence and say you are sinners just as 〈◊〉 the eleventh king of France who when he had blasphemed would take his Crucifix and kisse and cry God forgive me and then sweare again this is the fault which Christians many times are guilty of many men rest contented with a confused and a generall confession of sin when they doe not come to any distinct view of their particular sins there is a tumult in the
not depart away from him c. A promise to Solomon I will be his father and he shall be my son but if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with rods And the Psalmist when he quotes this expression referres it to all the godly Psal 89. 31 32. If they break my Statutes and keep not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes It was not onely true of Solomon but it is spoken of all the Church If they commit iniquity I will chastise them with rods See here a Solomon may be chastned with rods if he commits iniquity nay not only one man but all the Church 3. 2. You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therfore I will punish you for all your iniquities If God be severe it is with his own people to make them smart for sin he may spare wicked men and not punish them here because he hath his hell for them hereafter but this shall be all the hell of a godly man and all their punishment I but this is Old Testament and thus the Antinomians take off and evade this Scripture but doth God so in the New Testament Yes in the New Testament Rom. 8. 20 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin He speaks of the beleeving Romans that death on their bodies was because of sin And then the Apostle speaks to the godly Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation or judgement to himselfe not discerning the Lords body For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many sleep Many godly men were sick and weak for their prophaning the Lords Supper and this is under the New Testament that the Apostle saith as approving the righteous judgement of God let not us commit fornication as some of them commited 1 Cor. 10. Let not us fall as they fell and many of them it is probable among the 23 thousand were good men The Apostle approves of Gods Judgement to bee righteous in that Act. Only one objection against this Doth not the Scripture say in Isa 53. That the chastisement of our peace was laid on Christ now if all those chastisments that were due to us for sin were laid on Christ doth not this derogate from Christs sufferings that hee must suffer too doth not this intimate that Christs sufferings were not satisfactory The Answer is easie That when we say we suffer for sin and are punished for sin understand it thus there is a great deal of difference between our suffering for sin and Christs suffering for sin we doe not suffer for sin as Christ did because our punishments for sin are not by way of satisfaction to Divine Justice but onely by way of castigation from Divine Justice when God doth punish a pardoned man with some outward Judgement for sin it is no satisfaction no compensation when the text saith that our chastisements are laid upon Christ the meaning is Christ suffers for sin by way of satisfaction he appealeth Gods wrath he satisfies Gods Justice for the sins that we have done should we lose our bloud for a sin should we give the fruit of our body for the sins of our soule yet this cannot make a compensation for sin therefore it may well consist that God punished Christ for our sins by way of satisfaction to his Justice and may punish us by way of castigation as a father his children Now to ratifie and satisfie your thoughts the more in this that though God doth pardon a sin yet hee will punish for a sin take some reasons for it First Because wicked men that are punished for sin would accuse God of partiality and injustice should he punish them and not his own people for the same sin wicked men would account God partiall but the wicked shall say I see Gods own people are punished in this life more severely then I am the Lord doth it to vindicate the impartiality of his Justice that he will not spare sin where ever finds it A second Reason is Because God doth command Magistrates to execute punishments in this life for sin even upon good men therefore if he commands a Magistrate to punish a good man for his sin surely he doth approve of their punishment Suppose a good man should commit adultery he was to dye for it suppose he should commit murder he was to dye for it if God did command that pâ—â—nall punishment should be inflicted on good men in this life then surely he might doe it much more himself Case 3 The third Case of Conscience is this Whether doth pardon of sin go before faith and repentance or else follow after I doe not speak now of the priority of nature but of the priority of time This is a usefull question There are many Books in Print made by severall Antinomians that plead for this and they say that repentance is not a condition to qualifie the subject to obtain forgivenesse but onely a signe to manifest that sin is forgiven and that a man is pardoned from all eternity that before a man beleeves and repents he is pardoned which is a falshood for to a beleever the Apostle doth confine pardon Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God For sins that are past those sins you have committed and have repented of he gives you pardon for all them He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall fiade mercy and he that doth not so shall not find mercy He that hideth his sin shall not prosper I answer to this query that God doth pardon sin after a man repents and beleeves not before and to give you a proofe for this First I shall give you the grounds from the Scripture then absurdities that would follow if this were not so First from the Scripture Observe that the Scripture doth limit and confine pardon to a repenting state Act. 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sin may be blotted out No blotting out of sin without repentance Repent that your sin may be blotted out Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me So that till thou beest turned from darknesse to light untill thou beest turned from Satan to God thou hast not received forgivenesse of sins mark the antecedent word hee opens their eyes c. therefore God expresly doth tye forgivenesse of sin to repentance and so in Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse There is first a confession this is
Christ did ascend hee was speaking to his Disciples things that did appertaine to the Kingdome of God and as he was blessing of them he was taken up before their eyes Acts 1. 9. And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight Whilest he was blessing of his Disciples and whilest he 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 he 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 dye 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 Master of families that when you come towards your end leave good counsel behind you Let not your speech be filled about worldly affairs but let them bee setled before but leave good counsell with your children Jacob when he was to die he called all his children about him gave good counsel unto them blessed them Likewise David 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father 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 he was to dye I but especially take Christs example that when you are to leave the world you may have your minds possessed with nothing else but with things appertaining to the Kingdome of God as Christ was Fourthly there is instruction to be gathered from the manner of Christs leaving the world the manner was in Act. 1. 9. And when he 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 to thinke that these clouds 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 judg the world O labour to have your Meditations on Divine things he went up in a cloud therfore the clouds are called Gods Chariots Fifthly note that circumstance in Christs ascension that he 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 and 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 hundred and twenty that did see Jesus Christ ascend up to heaven it is clear 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 dye amongst your friends Christ before that he would goe up to Heaven and leave the world hee would have his friends about him and then he was taken up from them I now come to draw out more practicall application of this point If it be so that Christs going up bodily into Heaven bee a ground of such great comfort unto the people of God upon Earth the use that I shall draw it shall be to deduce four doctrinall and four practicall inferences from this point First this point confuteth the opinion of the Selucians and Hermiani 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 again revived amongst us and I have seen it in a booke called Divine Light when indeed it is nothing but darknesse 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 bee gone into Heaven they are in an errour Secondly this point will confute those who hold that Christs Body hath been on Earth since his ascension 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 pierc'd and there was the print of Nayles seen in his hand c. I but if men say lo here is Christ and there is Christ believe them not for Christ was never on the Earth since his ascension 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 bodily eat Christs flesh and drinke Christs bloud that Christ is as bodily present 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 Transubstatiation is hereby confuted Christs body cannot be in Heaven and on the earth both at one time Fourthly the ascension of Christ it overthrowes the opinion of the Carpacratiami 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 bee his body for they could not see his soule 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 point because there are so many Hereticks that doe oppugne this Doctrine of CHRISTS Ascension I now come to give you three or four practical deductions First is Christs body now in heaven then I infer O thou that canst lay a well-grounded clayme for an interest in Jesus Christ O be not thou afraid to dye because thy Christ is in heaven and when thou diest death is but a Trap-doore to let thee into endlesse joy where Christ
First To all tempted and troubled by Satan this is the time of accomplishing that promise Rom. 16. he shall tread Satan under your feet shortly Secondly To all persecuted and opposed by men 2 Thess 1. 6 7. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels Thirdly to all mercifull ones Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirsty and yee gave mee drink I was a stranger and yee tooke mee in c. 2 Tim. 1. 16 18. The Lord give mercy unto the house Onesiphorus for hee oft refreshed mee and was not ashamed of my chain The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day Fourthly to all that can lay a grounded claime of interest in Jesus Christ His coming againe will bee comfortable then 1 Iohn 2. 28. And now little children abide in him that when hee shall appeare wee may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his coming Fifthly Christs coming againe will be comfortable to all that judge themselves 1 Cor. 11. 31. For if wee would judge our selves we should not be judged Sixthly to all them that watch and pray Luke 21 36. Watch yee therefore and pray alwaies that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Seventhly to all beleevers it will bee very comfortable 1 Pet. 1. 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more pretioâ—s then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and Honor and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ I now come to the Application of the point by way of caution there are four cautions that are to be noted First though the Doctrine of Christs coming againe bee full of comfort yet take this caution that you are to looke on the Doctrine of Christs coming to judgement as a Doctrine to teach you duty as well as to give you comfort it is a great abuse of your priviledges when you make any Gospell-point to bee an inlet of comfort and do not make that very comfort to bee a spurre to duties and the Scripture putteth you upon this 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that ye come behinde in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 2. 1. Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee bee not soon shaken in your minds Hee presseth them to duty on this Doctrine by the coming of Jesus Christ Now to speak distinctly to the caution there are duties that the Doctrine of Christs coming is serviceable unto First the Doctrine of Christs coming should teach you the duty of patience under all your sufferings in the world Iam. 5. 8. Be ye all patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Secondly it should serve to bee a spurre to the improving of your gifts under Ordinances not onely patient under afflictions but it should provoke you to improve your gifts under Ordinances 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that yee come behinde in no gifts waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ The waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ it should provoke you to a holy improvement of growth under Ordinances for Christ will call you to an account of your hearing Revel 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come Thou that art an unfaithfull hearer an unprofitable hearer thou darest not say as the spirit saith Lord come Lord come but he that groweth better by hearing hee will say Lord come Lord come a notable Text Mat. 25. 22. Hee also that had received two Talents came and said Lord thou deliveredst unto mee two Talents behold I have gained two other Talents besides them his Lord said unto him well done good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into joy of thy Lord. This is Christs Language as Divines interpret that when hee will come to judge the world he will call thee well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast improved thy gifts wel thou hast improved thy Talents well Thirdly this Doctrine it should provoke you to bee conscionable in your outwards calling whether Religious or whether civill I wish saith Austine that when Christ shall come he might find mee either Preaching or Praying Labour then to bee about your worke when Christ comes for Christ to come and find thee in the stews and to finde thee working of wickednesse O how unmeet art thou for Christs coming Fourthly this Doctrine it should bee a spurre to you to moderate the the use of lawfull comforts Phil. 4. 15. Let your moderation bee known unto all men The Lord is at hand Luk. 21. 34. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts bee over-charged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares It was Christs counsell to his Apostles 1 Peter 4. 7. But the end of all things is at hand bee yee therefore sober and watch unto Prayer Fifthly it should provoke you to repentance Acts 17. 30 31. And the times of this Ignorance God winked 〈◊〉 but now commandeth all Men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom hee hath or The Doctrine of Gods appointing the day for the Man Christ to judge the world it should bee a spurre to the grace of Repentance that now every man every where should repent Christs coming should be a spur to repentance Sixthly Christs coming should bee a spurre to provoke you to keepe a good conscience towards God and Man in thy living here in this world Acts 24. 15 16. And hath hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the Death both of the just and the unjust And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men The thoughts of Christs coming to judge the Quicke and the Dead should make you have thoughts to get a good conscience void of offence towards God and Man 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall bee dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse And thus much for the first caution that you are to looke on the coming of Christ as a Doctrine serviceable as well for duty as comfort The second caution is this take heed of
shall return to God who gave it Marke here are two things Here is the end of Godly men the body shall goe to the dust and the soule to God Then the time when it shal be is when that man goeth to his long home when the keepers of the house shall tremble that is the hands and armes and the strong men shall bow themselves that is the feet and the thighs and the grinders shall cease that is the teeth and they that looke out at the windowes shall bee darkened that is the eyes when nature decayes and the body perisheth by Diseases and dyes then shall the body go to the dust and the Spirit to God that gave it Thirdly I shall prove it to you from expresse passages in the Scripture that doe confirme this that the soules of the Elect after death before Christs coming are received into heaven for this I will give foure or five expresse Scriptures The first is in Iohn 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent mee that every one that seeth the Sonne and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Here are two distinct promises First a promise of everlasting life Secondly a promise of raising up at the last day First a promise of everlasting life is made distinct from the other Divines say that before the raising up at the last day there is an everlasting life that his soule shall live before the last day and his body shall be raised up at the last day Another Text is in Luke 16. 9. And I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that when yee faile they may receive you into everlasting habitations Chemnitius makes great use of this Text to prove what I am now arguing for that immediately after death the soule of an Elect man is received into Heaven Marke make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that is of your wealth called so either because it is unrighteously gotten or unrighteously kept use your wealth well that when you die you may bee received into everlasting habitations It is questionable whether it bee referred to Angels or to the poor which shall pray for us that wee bee received into Heaven but saith Chemnitius use your wealth well that you may bee received into everlasting habitations upon your failing upon dying the Lord receives the Elect into everlasting habitations This Chemnitius doth build on that the soule doth goe to Heaven immediately after Death A third Scripture is in Phil. 3. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to bee with Christ which is far better The Apostle doth Conjoyne these two conclusions a departing out of the world out of this life and a desire to be with Jesus Christ he mentions no middle place for a good soul to goe to he mentions no Purgatory nor Limbus Patrum And so likewise a fourth Text you have in 2 Cor. 6. 8 9. Therefore wee are alwaies confident knowing that whilst wee 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 bee present with the Lord wherefore wee labour that whether present or absent wee may be accepted of him Marke the Apostle desires to be absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord so that the soule is present with the Lord whilest 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 been uncomfortable for him to have thought that he should have been stoned for Jesus Christ and it must have been above 1600 yeares before Christ should have received his soule but hee prayed Lord Jesus Christ receive my soule which hee would not have done if hee had not beleeved that his soul would have been received by Jesus Christ immediately after death And thus I leave those Scriptures to confirme you in this that the soule doth not sleep in the body but at the departure from the body it doth immediately go to Heaven Fourthly I prove it to you by shewing those grosse absurdities and inconveniencies that will arise in case it should bee denyed that God doth not receive the soule of any Elect man till he doth come to judge the world First it will follow that the godly will bee 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 sleep 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 beleever after death should bee in a worse condition then during this life for here hee lives in Christ by Faith Secondly then it wil follow that God the Father would be more cruell to his people then he 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 keep 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 keep from you who are his servants that have served him here in this world and have done him faithfull service any reward till his last coming No but when you have ended your life and done your worke you receive your wages when your worke is done you have your reward Thirdly observe this if this should bee 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 Gomorâ—ha 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 a multitude of instances where it is shewn the wicked are in Hell 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. By which also he went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waiting in the daies of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water To say that a godly man doth not goe to Heaven immediately after death it will follow that a wicked man doth not goe to Hell immediately after death Fourthly it would follow that there should be onely Angels in Heaven and no saints
coming to judge the world Titus 1. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Peter 3. 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall bee dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Tim 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for mee a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to mee onely but unto them all 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 shews that surely it must bee a Doctrine of great comfort to the elect of God because they so long and look for and love the coming of Jesus Christ Secondly it is a Doctrine of great comfort because Jesus 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 appear what wee shall bee but Wee know that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for we 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 Shepherd shall appear yee shall receive a Crown of Glory that fades 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 again so comfortable to Beleevers 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 Beleevers First in case of any scandalous aspersion or any unjust imputation which is laid upon them it may serve for great comfort to thee in this case The Apostle gives it you 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 But with with mee it is a very small thing that I should bee judged of you or of mans judgements yea I judge not my owne selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but hee that judgeth mee is the Lord. Censure me 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 you Suppose thou art judged thou art scandalized and thou art aspersed in the world appeale to Jesus Christ in Heaven for hee that judgeth thee is the Lord and this wee finde Christ did 1 Peter 2. 23. who when hee was reviled reviled not againe when hee suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously When thou art reviled and aspersed and censured doe not revile again doe not censure again but doe as Christ did commit thy cause to Christ that judgeth all things righteously Christ will come to over-judge all things that have been judged amisse Jude 5. To execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed 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 it is a comfort then that of Christs coming again one end is to convince men of all their hard speeches and scandalous aspersions Secondly Christs coming again is a Doctrine of comfort in case of all persecution 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 bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels As if hee should have said you are troubled and persecuted about the Gospel for Christs sake why bee 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 bee revealed yee may bee glad also with exceeding joy when Christ comes to be revealed and to judge the world you shall be glad also with exceeding joy that is a second case wherein this Doctrine may bee of comfort Thirdly this Doctrine may serve for comfort in case of any inward accusation of conscience from the apprehension of thine own guiltinesse it may bee thou judgest thy self that thou art a damned undone Creature remember that there is a Judgement to passe on thee besides thy own mistake and misapprehension Christs coming to Judgement should bee a comfort to thee against thine own inward accusation because hee that is thy Jesus is thy Judge hee is thy Advocate to plead thy cause and thy Judge to judge thy cause Suppose thy conscience doth accuse thee and thou judgest thy selfe to Hell yet comfort thy self with this that thy Jesus will afterwards come to judge thee Fourthly Christs coming againe to judge the would it is a Doctrine of comfort in case of oppression in Courts of Judicature What though Might overcometh Right and the usurping hand useth waies of oppression and violence towards you it matters not For Christs coming to judgement shall bee of great comfort to you Ierome saith that Christ shall come to judge things that are not judged in the world and Christ shall come to judge things that are judged amisse in the world Christ shall judge all oppressions and violence which is done by an usurping hand here is matter of comfort that Christ cometh to judge them all over againe an excellent passage which Solomon hath Eccle. 3. 16 17. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity was there I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose for every work That is I saw into Courts of Judicature and I saw wickednesse was there and I looked into the place of righteousnesse and behold iniquity was there then I said in my heart surely God shall judge both the righteous and the wicked if there were no argument in all the Scripture to prove Christs coming again this argument it will evince that Christ shall come to judge the world there must bee a judging over againe there shal bee a generall Judgement because there is so much perverting of judgement here below and thus you have wherein or in what cases the Doctrine of Christs coming may serve for comfort Fourthly To whom will Christs coming bee a comfort