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
heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Levit. Levit. 16.21 16. vers 21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live Goat and confesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sinnes c. And it is likewise used in Job 13. Job 13.23 vers 23. How many are mine iniquities and sinnes make me to know my transgression and my sinne In these four places the words are used in Scripture and in my Text but not else as I remember throughout the word of God and because these three words are here used Interpreters take much pains to finde out some material direction between them here is Transgression Sinne and Iniquity I have consulted with many and the truest account I can give you is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transgression signifies in the Hebrew Rebellion say interpreters it notes sinne with all extensions and aggravations sin encreased to a great height Scondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin signifies in the Hebrew evils that are of the lesser degree that are not so hainous and so notes only by sin evils of infirmity and common incursion Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquity signifies sin of nature that pravity of nature wherein a man was born But Grammarians in the Latine do distinguish these words otherwise Iniquity they make to be that which is done against another man Sinne that which is done against a mans self and Transgression that which is done immediately against God But beloved the Scripture in many places makes them all one Therefore we need not make further curious enquiry after the distinction of these words And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne The iniquity of my sinne There is some disagreement about the sense of these words what it is for God to forgive the iniquity of sin By the iniquity of sin some do understand the punishment that sin deserves the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Iniquity signifies Punishment the same word here is spoken of Cain My punishment is greater then I can bear there is the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore in some translations it is read thus Thou forgavest the punishment of my sinne Secondly others here do understand by the iniquity of sin with whom I do concurre sin with all its aggravations with all its hainous circumstances sin with all its malignity Thou dost forgive the iniquity of all my sins most Interpreters go this way and so make the phrase to be very emphaticall Thou hast forgiven me my sin that is all hainous circumstances that might greaten my sin thou hast forgiven them all I shall only 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 on the practise of a necessary and Christian duty to wit secret confession of sin to God in them five parts paets are observable First the duty it self Confession Secondly a deliberate purpose to set on the practise of this duty I said Thirdly the subiect matter of this duty Transgression and Transgression with a propriety my Transgression not of other mens sins but my sins I said I will confesse my transgressions I remember Ainsworth he saith it should be translated thus more agreeable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will confesse adversum me against my self my transgression to the Lord. Many men that 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 of their wickednesse I said I will confesse my transgressions against my self Fourthly The object of this duty I will confesse 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 causall but with an et a copulative and thou forgavest not I 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 causall particles are used but this is beyond my Text thus much for the explaining of the words At this time I shall only raise a Doctrine from the first part of this Text. I said I will confesse my transgression unto the Lord. Doct. 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 I speak of is a private confession of our evils to God between God and our own souls and no otherwise and beloved though it be but a familiar subject yet as God shall inable me I shall labour to make it usefull 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 sinne unto God in private The Reasons are six Reas 1 First They are to confesse sin unto God because holy confession gives a great deal of ease 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. Psal 32.3 When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Meaning when I kept close my sinne 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 burdens and ease his conscience and quiet his spirit Origen doth call confession of sin to God the souls spirituall vomit Now you know vomiting doth give
of sin to cloath his sins with all the aggravations that can be and this is a good Rule if you well follow it You have the like instance in the book of Daniel chap. 9. vers 5. Dan. 9.5 We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgements Vers 6. vers 6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name to our Kings our Princes and our Fathers and to all the people of the Land There are seven circumstances that Daniel useth in confessing of his sin to aggravate his sin how doth Daniel cloath his confession First We have sinned there is one Secondly We have committed iniquity Thirdly We have done wickedly Fourthly We have rebelled against thee Fifthly We have departed from thy precepts Sixthly We have not hearkened unto thy servants Seventhly Nor we nor our Princes nor all the people of the land there are seven aggravations which Daniel reckoneth up to his confession that is a third Rule about confession Rule 4 A fourth Rule in confession of sin is this In your confessions look not discouragingly on God as an angry Judge but hopefully as on a displeased Father to confesse sin to God as an angry Judge is to make you but condemned Malefactors in your confessions therefore make confession to God only as a displeased father converted men do confesse sin to God as a father whilest you have an eye of sorrow upon sin you are to have an eye of hope upon pardon thus Gods people did in their confessions To confesse sin to God as a Judge is to howle like dogs because you shall be beaten but to confesse sin to God as an angry Father is child-like with a fiduciall confidence of pardon Dan. 9.9 Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him And thus Shechaniah confesseth sin unto God Ezra 10.2 Ezra 10.2 And Shecharâ—ah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Ellam answered and said unto Ezra We have trespassed against our God c. And thus the Prodigall in Luk. 18.18 Luke 18.18 I will arise and goe to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Though he was a prodigall yet he would go to God as to a father In confession you are to goe to God hopefully as to a displeased father confessions when they come to God as a Judge create fear horror 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 Rule 5 A fift Rule in confession of sin unto God is this Content not your selves with slight and superficiall confessions of sin unto God but leave not confession till you find sorrow for sin Psal 38.18 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 not ashamed to look up Leave not confessing of sin untill shame hath filled your face sorrow hath filled your heart it is a great fault in many people if they confesse their sin in crying God mercy in a generall 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 Rule 6 A sixt Rule in confessing of sin is this If thou findest thy heart straitned in confessing present guilt and present sins upon thee then labour to review and recollect ancient guilt and ancient sins This is a very usefull 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 wayes 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 Psal 51.3 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 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 recollect old sins this may lead him to despair but in case of barrennesse if any man wants matter in respect of present sins and finds his heart hard and very insensible in secret prayer unto God in that case he is bound to let conscience recoyle upon himselfe and recollect sins of past years goe 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 freedome in confession of sin in secret before God then in publique before men To provoke you to practise this Rule consider two things 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 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 publique only and never in private thou art but a barren professor Again confider this that though we read of wicked men that have made great confessions 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 to Moses and unto Aaron Exod. 9.27 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. 15.24.30 1 Sam. 15.24 And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandement of the Lord c. Vers 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
sight and sense of sin as it is dishonourable to God rather then as it is a shame and a reproach unto themselves In Psal 51. saith David Against thee thee only have I sinned it was against Vriah that he had sinned but against thee thee only have I sinned for thou wast dishonoured by my sin When the Apostle speaks of repentance he cals it repentance towards God Act. 20.21 Testifying both to the Jewes and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus 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 confesse sin as it is a dishonour to God but as it contracts a guilt and a shame on themselvea Lastly Holy confession of sin in godly men leaves a holy awe and a dread upon the heart making them afraid to commit the sinne after they have confest it making them afraid to come into the occasion of that sin which they have confest thus you read Act. 19.18 And many that beleeved came and confessed and shewed their deeds Vers 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 bewayle 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 he hath confest but yet he retains a fear and awe upon his heart that it shall not prevail over him in his practise Wicked men confesse sin they have committed yet they are bold and adventurous to commit the same sin again which they have confest And thus the Harlot did Prov. 7.14 I have peace-offerings with me this day I have payed my vowes Paying the vow is a confession that I am in debt to God for my sin and I owe God homage and service yet she made the confession of sin to be a means to provoke her to be more bold and adventurous in her wickednesse To confesse drunkennesse and afterwards to be drunk to confesse profanenesse and afterwards to profane this is the bold adventurousnesse of wicked men thus Pharaoh in Exod. 9. confest his sin and afterwards when the plagues were over runs into the same sin he did confesse and this is the badge and portraiture of a wicked man And thus I have done with this fourth particular I now come to the use Vse First by way of reproof there are three sorts of persons in whose brests the arrow and dart of reproof must justly stick If so be justified persons are bound to make confession of sin unto God then it reproves Sort 1 First The Antinomists who account it a legall and a servile work for beleevers to be bemoaning themselves unto God and confessing sin unto God And therefore in their prayers when you may be cast to hear them in publique all their expressions in prayer are either extolling the majesty of God the excellency of Christ the glory of Heaven the riches of Grace but not a word of laying low the creature in prayer but raptures in prayer and the extolling of divine Majesty these are all the dialects of expressions which they use in prayer Now to overthrow this First Confession of sin to God hath been practised by all the godly under the Old Testament and therefore why should it not be used under the New Dan. 9. He made a prayer to God and it consisted of 16. verses and 14. of them verses were spent in confessing of sin And thus the godly in Nehemiah's dayes made a prayer to God and the whole prayer consisted of 32. verses and 31. of them verses were spent in confession of sin Nehem. 1.6 Let thine ear now be attentive and thine eyes open that thou mayst hear the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee now day and night for the children of Israel thy servants and confesse the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against thee both I and my fathers house have sinned Thus David 2 Sam. 24.10 And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly That is one thing to confute this practise Secondly Not only Beleevers under the Old Testament but also Converts under the New Testament did make conscience of confessing of sin unto God Joh. 3.6 And were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins Act. 19.18 And many that beleeved came and confessed and shewed their deeds Luk. 15.17 And when he cameto himself he said How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger Vers 18. I will arise and goe to my father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee It is an embleme of a Convert if so be it be a parable In the instance of the Publican that Christ declares was justified rather then the Pharisee Luk. 18.13 And the Publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven but smote upon his brest saying God be mercifull to me a sinner vers 14. I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather then the other c. Now beloved when you have instances in the Old Testament and many examples in the New why then should we blot out so usefull a part of Gods worship as this of confession to God in secret Thirdly God doth command confession of sin unto him Jer. 3.12 Goe and proclaime these words towards the North and say Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am mereifull saith the Lord and I will not keep anger forever Onely acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God c. Fourthly God both in the Old Testament and in the New hath annexed many gracious promises to a sincere confession of sin unto him in the Old Testament Lev. 26.40 If they shall confesse their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers with their trespasse which they trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me Vers 41. And that I also have walked contrary unto them and have brought them into the land of their enemies if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled c they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob c. If they confesse their iniquity I will
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 prodigal did that he was ashamed to be called the son of his father 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 sinned yet more and hardned his heart he and his servants Defect 9 The ninth Defect in confession of sin to God is this to content your selves with slight ordinary and generall confession of sins to come into Gods presence and a say you are sinners this is a 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 conscience some noyse they make in a prayer but they know nothing distinctly but like Nebuchadnezzar in a dream he knew he dreamt but he forgot what his dream was many men do confesse sin but they know not what they do confesse You are to be humbled for these Defects that may be found in you in your confessing sin to God Def. 10 A tenth Defect in confession of sin to God is this that they are bold and adventurous to commit the sin again which they have confest they confesse passion and afterward are bold and adventurous to run into a rage and fury When a man shall confesse on his knees he hath done thus and thus and hath been thus and thus yet afterwards all the impressions of these confessions are defaced and he is bold to adventure on the commission of the sin again This is also a Defect that may be found amongst good men in their confession of sin unto God Me thinks I hear you aske me But seeing these Defects are found amongst us then in confession of sin unto God what should we do to be helpt against these Defects For answer that ye may not be guilty of these Defects in confession of sin Rule 1 First Get a clear insight into Gods Law that it may discover sin to you by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Jam. 1.23 For if any be a hearer of the Word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse Vers 24. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was The looking-glasse will shew you the blemishes in the face which the eye cannot else discerne beloved get a knowledge of the spiritualnesse of Gods Law of the extent of Gods Law that the Law doth reach the inward man that Gods Law reacheth to those very first motions of the soul those very inclinations to sin that are in thine heart be acquainted with the Law and by that thou wilt come to the knowledge of sin Physicians have used this remedy to their Patients In a Convulsion Fit they would wish them at that time to look their face in a glasse that when the Patient doth see what an ugly countenance he hath and what an ugly posture he is in at that time he might strive the more against it So do you look your face in a looking-glasse to see those deformities that are within you this will make you confesse and this will bring you on your knees Secondly If you would confesse sin aright observe diligently your own waies and hearts Prov. 4.25 Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee Vers 26. Ponder the path of thy feet and let all thy wayes be stablished Look right before you and ponder the waies of your feet and that is the way to have you established and keep you from falling keep a distinct knowledg over your hearts and wayes Thirdly Keep fresh in your remembrance some particular sin or other when you come to prayer it will help you in confession it is barrennesse as I told you that you do not see what matter you have to confesse that makes you so scanted in your confession would you but present some particular sin when you come to God you would be in better plight to confesse sin to God this the Psalmist doth 51. vers 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me He means the sin of Adultery When David came to prayer he would put before his eyes the sin of adultery now set thy sin before thee Art thou a drunkard set thy drunkennesse before thee art thou an adulterer set thy uncleannesse before thee art thou an extortioner then set thy oppression before thee set sin before thine eyes when thou commest to prayer and that is the way to feed thy spirits with confessions to God in a prayer Fourthly Call to remembrance some old transgression of many years past before thy conversion and muster up these sins together that so thou mightest have matter of complaint and confession before God Suppose present guilt doth not come up before thee then recollect and review old transgressions sins of an old date this David did when he found his heart dull and sluggish he would call to mind the sins of his youth Psalm 19. When you see that your hearts grow barren of spirituall matter through heedlesnesse goe then and ransack your old wayes what did you 20 years agoe let conscience gawle you for that that so you may have matter enough to confesse unto God This rule doth not appertain to Christians under trouble of conscience but only to those Christians that are sluggish and barren of any spirituall complaints and confessions in Gods presence A word of Use further for direction If it be so that Justified persons are bound to make secret confessions unto God then First Christians keep a heedfulnesse over your hearts that you may not let sin go unconfest make conscience and be heedfull that sin committed by you may not be unconfest a sin unconfest as to the apprehension may be unpardoned a sin unconfest cannot be mourned for cannot be actually repented of Observe that a lesse sin unrepented of may damn a man when a greater sin that is confest to God may be pardoned if you compare Saul and David together 1 Sam. 15.9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fatlings and of the lambs and all that was good and would not utterly destroy them but every thing that was vile and refuse that they destroyed utterly Saul did there commit a farre lesse sin then Davids was to wit adultery
is of David 2 Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe also that is born unto thee shall surely dye I will punish thee in thy child I will pardon thy sin yet I will punish thy sin so likewise in 2 Sam. 7.14 15. I will be his father and he shall be my son If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men But my mercy shall not depart away from him c. A promise to Solomon I will be his father and hee 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 only true of Solomon but it is spoken of all the Church If they commit iniquity I will chastise them with rods O beloved here a Solomon may be chastned with rods if he commits iniquity nay not only one man but all the Church Amos 3.2 You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your inquities 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. 8.10 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 to himself 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 committed 1 Cor. 10. Let not us fall as they fell and many of them among the 23 thousand were good men the Apostle approves of Gods Judgement to be righteous in that Act. Only one Objection against this Doth not the Scripture say in Isai 53. That the chastisements of our peace are laid on Christ now if all those chastisements that were due to us for sin were laid on Christ doth not this derogate from Christs sufferings that he must suffer for sin and that we 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 this there is a great deal of difference between our suffering for sin and Christs we do not suffer for sin as Christ did because our punishments for sin are not by way of satisfaction to Divine Justice but only by way of castigation from Divine Justice when God doth punish a pardoned man with some outward Judgement for sinne 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 appeaseth Gods wrath he satisfies Gods Justice for the sins that we have done should we lose our bloud for a sinne should we give the fruit of our body for the sins of our soul 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 Now to ratifie satisfie your thoughts the more in this that though God doth pardon a sin yet he will punish for a sin take some Reasons for it First this Because wicked men that are punished for sin would accuse God of partiality and in justice 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 he 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 it 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 poenall punishment should be inflicted on good men in this life then surely he might do it much more himself The third case of Conscience is this Whether doth pardon of sin go before faith and repentance or else follow after I do 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 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 â—o be 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 have repented of he gives you pardon for all them He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy and he that doth not so shall not finde mercy I answer affirmatively That God doth pardon sin after a man repents beleeves not before and to give you a proof for this First I shal 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 sins may be blotted out No blotting out of sin without repentance repent that your sins 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 which 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 words he opens their eyes c.
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 conscience from the apprehension of thine own guiltinesse it may be thou judgest thy selfe that thou art a damned undone Creature why remember that there is a Judgement to passe on thee besides thy own mistake and misapprehension Christ coming to Judgement should be a comfort to thee against thine owne Inward accusation because hee that is thy Jesus is thy Judge hee is thy Advocate to pleade thy cause when hee is thy Judge to judge thy cause Suppose thy conseience doth accuse thee and thou judgest thy selfe to Hell yet comfort thy selfe with this that thy Jesus will afterwards come to judge thee Fourthly Christs coming againe to judge the World it is a Doctrine of comfort in case of Oppression in Courts of Judicature What though Might overcometh Right any usurping hand which useth ways of Oppression and violence towards you it matters not For Christs coming to judgement shall be of great comfort to you Jerome 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 and for every Worke. That is I saw into Courts of Judicature and I saw wickednesse was there and I looked into the place of righteousnes 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 againe why this Argument it will evince that Christ shall come to judge the World there must be a judging over againe there shall be a generall Judgement because there is so much perverting of judgement below and thus you have wherein or in what causes the doctrine of Christs coming it may serve for comfort I am now come to the Application of that poynt The use is of caution and cautions from this Doctrine of Christs coming againe there are Three First though the Doctrine of Christs coming againe be 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 privileges when you make any Gospell point to be an inlet of comfort when you doe not make that very comfort to be a spurre to duties and the Scripture putteth you upon this 1 Cor. 1.7 So that yee 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 and by our gathering together unto him Hee presseth them to duty on this Doctrine by the coming of Iesus Christ. Now to speak distinctly to this caution there are duties that the Doctrine of Christs coming is subservient and serviceable unto First the Doctrine of Christs coming should teach you the duty of patience under all your sufferings in the World Iames 5.8 Bee yee also patient stablish your Hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Secondly it should serve to be 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 Christ when hee comes hee will call you to an account for your hearing thou that art an unfaithfull hearer an unprofitable hearer thou darest not say as the Spirit saith Lord come Lord come but hee 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 gayned two other Talents besides them His Lord said unto him well done good and faithfull servant thou hast beene faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. This is Christs Language as Divines interpret that hee will come to judge the World hee will call thee well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast improved thy gifts well thou hast improved thy Talents well Thirdly this Doctrine it should provoke you to be conscionable in your outward callings in your very callings in the World to be conscionable in them whether Religious or whether civill I wish saith Austine that I might have my desire that when Christ shall come that hee might find mee either Preaching or finde me Praying Labour then to be about your worke when Christ comes for Christ to come and finde thee in a stews when Christ comes and findes thee working of wickednesse O how unmeete art thee for CHRISTS coming Fourthly this Doctrine it should be a Spurre to you to a moderate use of lawfull comforts Phil. 4.15 Let your moderation be known unto all men The Lord is at hand Luke 21.34 And take heed to your selves Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeitting and drunkennesse and cares of this Life and so that day come upon you unawares It was Christs counsell to his Apostles 1 Pet. 4.7 But the end of all things is at hand bee yee therefore sober and watch unto Prayer So that the Doctrine of Christs coming it seemes for to provoke you to be patient in suffering to profitablenesse under the use of Ordinances to faithfulnesse in your callings and to a moderation in the use of lawfull comforts Fifthly it should provoke you to Repentance Acts 17.30.31 And the times of this Ignorance God wincked at but now commandeth all Men every where to repent Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will Judge the World in righteousnesse by that Man whom hee hath ordained The Doctrine of Gods appoynting the day for the Man Christ to judge the World it should be a Spurre to the grace of Repâ—ntance that now every Man every where should repent Christs coming should be a Spurre to Repentance Sixtly Christs coming it should be a Spur to provoke you to keepe a good conscience towards God and Man in thy living here in this World Acts 24.15.16 And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be
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
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
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