single act but when continually throughout thy course thou hast a wilfull and a gainsaying heart against all the motions of Gods Spirit within thee Must not this be a great evill in thee when thou dost quench grieve resist and vex the Spirit all these circumstances must needes aggravate and greaten thy sin Eightly Sin is aggravated when thou dost frequently fall into the same sin Ninethly Sin is aggravated when it is done in a way of complacency that it is not onely acted by thee but loved by thee the acting of a sin is not so much as a loving of sin Tenthly sin is aggravated when it is done by eminent and publick persons whose example draw other men to sin and this did aggravate Jereboams sin 2 King 17.21 For he rent Israel from the house of David and they made Jeroboam the Son of Nebat King and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord and made them sin a great sin Thou that hast sinned a sin and art a publike person thy sins are other mens sins thine is a greater sin then another mans sin is for every act that thou hast done will be an imboldning and encouragement of other to doe the like Eleventhly It aggravates sin when God doth punish other men for thy sin this makes the sins of Rulers to be great sins because for their sins God may punish the people as for Davids sin in numbring the people there did thousands of Israel dye of the plague when thou sinnest in thy family God may punish all the house for that sin this you shall find an aggravation of Abrahams sin Gen. 20.9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him What hast thou done unto us and what have I offended thee that thou hast brought on mâ—e and on my Kingdome a great sin thou hast done deeds unto mee that ought not to be done Twelfthly Sin is an aggravated sin when it is done by a man that lives under much means of grace where the Gospel is preached where sin is reproved there to live in a way of wickednesse greatens thy sin that made a woe to be pronounced by Christ against Chorazin and against Bethsaida because they had the Gospell it should be worse with them then with Sodom and Gomorrah In the thirteenth place Sin is aggravated when they are against many vows purposes and prayers and many holy resolutions thou addest perjury to thine iniquity and that aggravates thy sin The Use Such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace that he forgives sinnes cloathed with many aggravated circumstances O then what remains there are two things to be done by you First if of any you find that you are under these thirteen aggravations that you can call your sins the iniquity of sin O then you should admire and magnifie the multitude of Gods mercy that great sins cannot out-vie Gods mercy but Gods mercy out-vie thy great sins Magnifie pardoning grace the more Paul saith 1 Tim. 1.13 Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy c. O doe thou say so I have been thus vile and thus wicked I have thus cloathed my sin yet through the aboundance of grace and love I have obtained mercy O let this inhance the value of Christs bloud Secondly Labour to greaten thine own graces hast thou beene notorious in sin why shouldst not thou be great in humiliation great in repentance And thus I have by the good hand of God in these twelve Sermons handled two Doctrines to you the one touching Davids penitentiall act confessing sin and the other of Gods gracious act The Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin So much for this Text. FINIS THE SAINTS Advantage BY CHRISTS Ascension JOHN 14 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there yee may be also THis Chapter out of which my Text is taken is counted famous by most Interpreters because in it begins the Legacy that Christ gives and the last Will and Testament that Christ made when he was to leave the World and this Will and Testament of Christs begins in the 14th Chap. and continues to the 18 Chapter of this Book The scope and drift of this Chapter it is to comfort his Disciples both against their feares of persecution in the World as also against their sorrowes upon this Consideration that Christ was shortly to leave this World and Christ doth here mention many comfortable considerations before them that they were to be left without a guide that Christ was shortly to leave this World and go to his Father â—t much troubled them It went ill with them when Christ was with them and they thought it would have been worse with them when hee was gone and he doth encourage them by these Arguments First hee saith I am but going to my Fathers House and the 28 vers of this Chapter he saith yee have heard how I said unto you I goe away and come againe unto you If yee loved mee yee would rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. Againe secondly he would not have them troubled because of his departure because saith he I do not intend to go to my Fâ—â—her alone but intend for to have all you with me though you shall not go with me now Though you shall not die with mee now though you shall not go to Heaven with me now yet you shall be with mee mother day In my Fathers house are many Mansions I do not intend to go to heaven done for there is roome for you as well is for mee and roome for every Believer in the World Heaven first is a Mansion a place which notes a duration of Saints in Heaven Heaven is not a moveable place but a Mansion an abiding place Againe there are many Mansions in Heaven there is roome enough for Christ for his eleven Apostles and roome enough for all the Believers in the World it notes the lastingnesse of Heaven Hebrewes 11. and 12 vers Therefore sprang there even that one and him as good as dead so many as the Starres of the Skye in multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea-shore innumerable And besides the innumerable company of Angells there is a great Multitude in Heaven which no man can number so that here Heaven is a Mansion and there are many Mansions Thirdly but they may say these may be Superbolicall expressions that there is more spoken then is but saith Christ in the second vers In my Fathers house are many Mansions If it were not so I would have told you To doubt that Jesus Christ doth speake more then there is if there had been no such thing as having a Mansion in Heaven with Christ saith Christ if there were not such I would have told you I do not love to tell you of a fooles Paradice as the Devill doth but I tell you in Heaven
most overcome thee and prevail over thee in thy Christian course against those thou shouldst bend most of thy complaints and confessions this wisdome Gods people of old did expresse they singled out the present corruptions that they were guilty of Judg. 10.10 And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord saying We have sinned against thee both because we have forsaken our God and also served Baalim We have sinned there is a generall complaint but we have also served Baalim they singled out their idolatry more especially 1 Sam. 12.19 1 Sam. 12.19 And all the people said unto Samuel Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we dye not for we have added unto all our sins this evill to aske us a King They were not contented with their old government but they would alter and change it that sin being their particular sin they were guilty of they would single out that sin 1 Chron. 21.17 Thus in 1 Chron. 21.17 And David said unto God Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbred even I it is that have sinned and done evill in deed but as for these sheep what have they done c. He singles out a particular sin that he then lay under the guilt of I may say to you as the King of Assyria said to the 32 Captains Fight neither against small nor great but against the King of Israel so bend your confession not against small or great only but against thy kingly lusts against thy captain lusts that do most tend to thy constitution single out them and combat against them and bend most of thy confessions and complaints against them do as men in a garrison though they watch all the Battlements and guard every passage yet to that place where the breach is made widest and where the storm is most hot they will bend most of their strength doe thou thus watch every sin and watch every failing of thy life but bend most of thy confession to God against those lusts that do most enslave and subject thee Rule 2 A second Rule to guide thee in the matter of confession of sin to God is this Make conscience to confesse your small and secret evils as well as your open and your grosser sins Our secret sins saith the Prophet are in the light of thy countenance Psal 90.8 Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Psal 19.12 Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults David did not only confesse his murder of Vriah his adultery with Bathsheba but he confest smaller sins Davids heart smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment it was only the appearance of revenge he had his knife near his throat that which had the appearance of a sin Davids heart smote him for Conscientious men do not only bewail and confesse open and grosser evils but the secret and the smallest corruptions of the heart they bewaile to God they confesse their secret pride their secret worldlinesse and secret murmurings against God they confesse their secret and smaller evils Indeed wicked men fall short of this wicked men confesse their grosse and their open sins but do not take notice of their lesser and secret evils there are two instances for this one is in Cain Cain confest his murder his sin was greater then it could be forgiven speaking of the murder of his brother Abel Gen. 4.13 Gen. 4.13 And Cain said unto the Lord My punishment is greater then I can bear He did not confesse his enmity that made him murder his brother he confest his grosse sin but did not confesse more slie and secret evils Thus you read likewise of Judas Judas confest his betraying of Christ a grosse sin but he never confest his covetousnesse a secret sin that made him betray Jesus Christ saith he I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud he that did bewail and confesse his murder in betraying Christ did not confesse and bewail his covetousnesse and hypocrisie that were more lurking and secret evils That is a second Rule make conscience to confesse small and secret evils as well as open and grosser sins Rule 3 Third Rule touching confession of sin unto God is this When you confesse and acknowledge secretly your sins unto God labour to greaten your sins with all the hainous circumstances and heart-humbling aggravations you can imagine Thus the servants of God used to do when they confest sin unto God they would confesse sin with all the hainous circumstances 1 King 8.47 Saying We have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickednesse Saith Lorinus Mark what a heap of words a heart-humbled soul will lay together in confessing of sin We have sinned there is one word we have done wickedly there is a second and we have done perversly there is a third A notable instance you have of Paul in Act. 26.10 11. Act 26.10.11 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them And I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Here Paul comes to aggravate his sin there are eight aggravations that here Paul doth lay down of his sin whereby he would greaten sin unto himself that he might be the more humble First of all they were not ordinary men that he cast into prison but they were Saints and to wrong them is a Sacriledge the Saints have I cast into prison Secondly To cast a man into prison for debt is no injustice if the man be able to pay but many I have cast into prison why for professing the Name of Jesus of Nazareth meerly for professing Christ Thirdly If it had been but one or two Saints it were not much but they were a great number many of the Saints did I cast into prison Fourthly He aggravates his sin further to cast them into prison and give them in prison liberty is not much but he shut them in up in prison and kept them close prisoners Fifthly If he had rested there it had not been much but he gave his voyce against them to put them to death Nay Sixthly He goeth higher for he did wrong to their souls too for he compelled them to blaspheme God Seventhly To aggravate it further he was mad against them and I was exceâ—dingly mad against them he was mad with rage mad with passion and with fury against the Saints of God Eighthly I did persecute them to strange Cities them I did not kill I made them leave their wives and children and made them run and shift for their lives into strange corners This is the nature of a true penitent not to confesse sin slightly and carelessy but in confession
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
bewail bloudshed wicked men have made publique confessions of sin but in secret between God and their own souls they never made acknowledgement and confession of their evils unto God thus much for the third Quere The fourth Quere is this Wherein appears the difference of a godly 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 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 shal we do to be saved But false confession leaves men idle and carelesse confesse they doe but they are not inquisitive how to get pardon for those sins they doe 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 Hos 12.4 Yea he had power over the Angell 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 they 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 freedome of spirit to confesse his particular sins in secret then he hath in publique I have poured out my soul before God saith the Psalmist confession of sin is a pouring out the soul before God he that can pour forth complaints against sin in secret more then in publique is a gracious 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 willingness 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 19 20. Job 32 18. For I am full of matter the spirit within me constraineth me Vers 19. Behold my belly is as wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles Vers 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 it were 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 bloud Mariners cast over their goods not that they hate them but as they are forc't to doe 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 bloud of Vriah But hypocrites confesse their grosse sins but not their small sins Cain confest his murder but not his envie 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 secret hardnesse 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 troubles 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 these they acknowledg to God A sixt difference is this that godly men are distinct and clear to confesse these particular speciall evils that have most predominancy over them Beloved observe this Wicked men in their confessions are confused and only run in generall that they are sinners Just like Ahimaaz when he would bring tidings to David touching the issue of the battell 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. 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 Thus Bellarmine 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 confesse This was not the holinesse of the man but heedlesnesse that he did not observe his wayes 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 holinesse but from heedlesnesse and carelesnesse It is an observation that one hath on Job saith Job I have sinned and cause me know mine iniquity and my transgression and my sin Whilest Job made this complaint that he had finned 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 lesse sinne you have in you Seventhly Godly men confesse sinne out of a
aggravate his sin it was that he did commit the sin after God had given him manifold mercies so Nathan telleth him 2 Sam. 12.8 Fourthly To consider this that David had a wife of his own nay many wives of his own that did greaten Davids sin and so Nathan told him for saith Nathan There was a poor man who had but one Lambe and a rich man that had many Lambs which killed the poor mans lamb his meaning was that David should commit Adultery with the wife of that man that had but one wife when he had many of his own Fifth Circumstance if you consider the time when David committed this sin it was when Davids Armies were lying in the fields this was done then which was enough to provoke God to make them turn their backs upon their enemies Sixt Circumstance It was a great injury to a faithfull Commander in his Army as to Vriah Seventhly Which is the chiefest circumstance of all that David should commit many sins to hide that one sin that was an aggravating Circumstance David did commit six sins to hide that one sin of Adultery 1. He sent for Vriah Bathshebas husband to leave the Army when they were storming a place this might have endangered the whole Army 2. The Text saith that David made Vriah drunk thinking thereby to make him goe in to his wife 3. He used a means for Vriah to Father his bastard that he had gotten in uncleannesse 4. When that plot would not take David did conspire and consult how to kill Vriah 5. David sent a letter by Vriah wherein Vriah was a messenger of his own death unknown to him 6. When Vriah was dead the text saith that David said The sword makes no difference for the sword destroyeth one man as well as another he laid Vriahs death on Gods providence onely when it was he himself did plot how he should be slain O where was Davids conscience all this while where was Davids conscience that should thus fall to commit those sins to hide one sin you account that a hainous aggravation of sin when servants have done an ill turn if they shall doe many ill turns to hide one this iniquity was found in David to hide one sin he fell to commit many Eighth Aggravation which greatens Davids sin was this that David should marry Vriahs wife first killed the husband then married the wife Ninethly and lastly To make his sin out of measure sinfull David continued under this sin with all these aggravations for nine moneths together without repentance or remorse of conscience I doe not name this to boulster any man in sin I onely mention this for a distressed conscience that though thy sin bee an aggravated and a great sin cloathed with many hideous and heynous circumstances yet God did forgive such a sin as that and therefore well may David say The Lord forgave the iniquity of my sin not onely sin Inst but the iniquity of sin A second instance is of Peter you all know the story but it may be you have not lookt narrowly into the circumstances that made Peters sin to be great In Peters sinne First Consider that Peter should deny Christ when he did make more confident professions that he would cleave to Christ then all the other eleven Disciples when Christ told them You shall be offended because of me this night saith Peter Though all men should forsake thee yet will not I yet none forsaked Christ but Judas and he in so shamefull a manner as they this was a great aggravation Secondly It is observable that Peter did deny himself to be Peter Joh. 18.25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself they said therefore unto him Art not thou also one of his Disciples He denyed and said I am not Thirdly He said he did not know Jesus Christ what a horrible fault was that that he said he did not know Jesus Christ Luk. 22.57 And he denyed him saying Woman I know him not Fourthly He did not only deny Christ to a single maid but the Text saith he denyed Christ to the Maid and before all the people there was an open denyall of Christ Matth. 26.69 Now Peter sate without in the Palace and a Damosel came unto him saying Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee vers 70. But he denyed before them all saying I know not what thou sayest Fifthly When another Damosell came and she said Verily thou art one of them and a follower of Jesus Christ he said a second time Woman I doe not know the man Luk. 22. Sixthly He did not onely deny but Matthew saith he denyed with an Oath Matth. 26.72 And again he denyed with an oath I doe not know the man to swear to a lye is abominable Seventhly It is observable It is said that a third time there came a man to Peter about an hour after and saith Of a truth thou art Peter and to the man saith he I do not know him Eighthly This is not all that Peter did not only speak a falsehood not only swear a lye but Peter did curse himself if so be he knew Jesus Christ the text saith he began to curse as well as to swear Mar. 14.71 But he began to curse and to swear saying I know not this man of whom ye speak he wisht some direful judgment to befal him if he knew Jesus Christ some Interp. think that he did not only curse himself but he curst Jesus Christ to make the people think that he did not care for Jesus Christ therefore did use some execration to curse Jesus Christ And O that pardoning grace should reach such a hainous sinner as this was A third instance was in Paul you shall see many circumstances to aggravate and greaten Pauls sin Act. 9.10 11. I verily thought with my self that I ought to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief Priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them And I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange cities There are no lesse then ten aggravating circumstances to greaten Pauls sin First It was one circumstance to greaten his sin if you consider the quality of the persons that he did injure they were not ordinary men but they were the Saints of Christ he put the Saints of Christ into prison Secondly If you consider the number that he wronged they were many of the Saints Thirdly If you consider the kinde of wrong he did them he put them into prison Fourthly If you consider his severity towards them he did shut them into prison Fifthly If you consider the place where this was it was where Paul should have learnt to know better things for there the Apostles were and taught the Doctrin of Christ and of
Christianity Sixthly If you consider the extent of Pauls malice saith he When they were put to death I gave my voice against them Pauls vote was against the Christians to put them to death Seaventhly Pauls rage did goe against their souls as well as their bodies for saith he I did compell them to blaspheme Christ he laboured to damn their soules as well as destroy their bodies Eighthly saith he I was exceeding mad against them he was even mad with rage and exceeding mad with rage Ninethly He drove them from house to house I drove them into strange Cities And then tenthly which was worst of all he did through their sides strike at the honour of Jesus Christ for why did Paul doe this to the Saints saith hee I thought with my self to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth there was the person he aimed at yet Paul a man forgiven for all this for he saith when he aggravates his sin in 1 Tim. 11 12 13. According to the glorious Gospell of the blessed God which was committed to my trust And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that hee counted mee faithfull putting mee into the Ministery Who was before a Blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantlyin unbeleif Thus I have done with the Doctrinall part of my text laying down to you an induction of instances I am the larger in this because I know perplexed consciences in trouble of minde are apt but to greaten their owne sins but can you aggravate it worse then David Paul or Peter could doe yet behold those sins and those aggravated sins were forgiven by Jesus Christ I have four words to say in this Sermon by way of Application there may be in such an assembly as this is whom God might suffer either before conversion or after conversion to bee unclean with David to deny Christ with Peter it may be to swear to a lye to swear to a falsehood nay it may be ingage to a lye to a falshood O take heed of false Oaths it may be to persecute the Saints of Christ with Paul Four consolations First O know it for thy comfort O thou disconsolate heart let thy sin bee never so great yet the mercies of God are greater Sabian a learned Interpreter gives to my hand which is his instance Lord my fault is great but thy mercies are greater Beloved I may say to you though thy sin be great yet the mercy of God is greater then thy sin and thou canst not have so many circumstances to greaten thy sin as can be produced in God to greaten his own mercy you shall read what he saith of himselfe in Isai 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto mee for I have redeemed thee Suppose thy sin be not onely a little cloud but suppose it be a great cloud a thick cloud saith God I do not onely blot sins out like a little cloud but I will blot out transgressions that are like a thick cloud great sins as well as small doth the mercies of God cover The Sea can as well cover great rocks as little peble stones high mountains as well as mole-hils Gods mercy is an Ocean that can cover great enormities as well as lesser infirmities The glorious body of the Sun in the heavens can scatter the greatest mist as well as the thinnest vapour great sins as well as small are pardoned by mercy It is worthy your notice what Moses speaks of the Mercy-seat It covered the whole Arke wherein the Law was kept To note saith a Divine though thou art a man or a woman guilty of all the Laws breach not onely of one command but of all the commands yet the Mercy-Seat Seat covered all the commands to teach you this that the mercy of God can pardon the greatest violation of the Law therefore that wherein the Law was kept was all covered by the Mercy Seat 2. Take this for thy comfort O thou perplexed Conscience it may be when thou art in a corner move but God and thine own soul together thou dost aggravate thy sin and thinkest no mans sin so grievous as thine then take this for thy comfort let thy sin be never so great yet the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ are far greater the bloud of Christ saith the Apostle cleanseth us from all sin the red Sea did with as much ease drown Pharaoh and all his hoast as it could doe a single man the red Sea of Christs bloud can drown a whole host and a huge multitude of sins as well as a small lust Though thou hast need to shed more tears for sin in a way of contrition yet Christ need not shed more bloud for sin in a way of redemption for he hath saved them to the utmost that come unto God by him the Apostle triumphing in the 5. of the Romans hee means there that there is not so much evil in sin to damne us as there is good in the gift in Christ for to save because thy sin is the guilt of a creature and Christs satisfaction is the satisfaction of a God thy sin the sinne of a finite creature and his sufferings the sufferings of an infinite Mediator Third Consolation is this to you that are perplexed in Conscience that you have committed hainous and aggravated sinfulnesse yet that Jesus Christ by conversion doth wipe away the infamy the ignominy of thy most horrid and scandalous sins before conversion Suppose thou hast bin a notorious infamous creature yet Christ takes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy sin by Conversion It is observable of Mary Magdalen shee was a notorious whore every one that saw her knew shee was a common harlot there was a woman that was a sinner the meaning was she was an infamous notorious harlot What is done when Christ converted this woman Verily I say unto you that where ever the Gospell is preached it shall be spoken what this woman hath done throughout the whole world Christ did wipe away the infamy of harlotry he would have renowned the love of that woman to Christ he would have it spoken of where ever the Gospel was preacht Luk. 7.47 Wherefore I say unto thee her sinnes which are many are forgiven for she loved much Christ did delight to wipe away the ignominy of her harlotry in her after life It is worthy observation that four women are reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ what women were they they were women that were infamous the best of them did fall into much scandall and gave much offence there you find mention of Thamar Rachab Ruth and Bathsheba no more in the Genealogy but these what were al these women they were converted women Begin with Thamar she committed uncleannesse with her Father in law an infamous woman as you have the story in Gen. 38.18 And hee said What pledge
happy and blessed did they plunge themselves into this sin Fiftly They were not contented with their condition Sixthly and lastly There was murder in this sin for Adam kill'd himself and all his posterity For by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so that in him all have sinned and so all dyed therefore Adams sin was so cloathed with hainous aggravations that made it very great Look on Davids sin in numbring the people it was a very small sin and indeed interpreters justifie the fact in it self it was no sin for a King to number his Army yet there were some circumstances with which this fact was cloathed that made Davids fact very notorious there were six hainous aggravations in that fact of Davids numbring the people First of all there was pride and vain-glory this Tostaius saith that the sin of pride and vain glory was Davids sin Secondly There was carnall dependence in his sin he would number his people that seeing how strong he was he might depend on the multitude that saith Zanchius was Davids sin too Thirdly There was covetousnesse in the sin too Zanchius saith this was Davids sin It is observable that when in Israel the souldiers were mustered and the subjects numbred there was a tax by pole that every one should pay to the King this was Davids sin that he would needlesly number the people for this same sake Fourthly There was curiosity for David did a needlesse act for what need David know every particular man in his kingdome in so vast a confine as Judah was I Chron 23. As if he should have said If there were civill wars among you or rebelling in thy kingdome then to know the number of thy subjects it were something but now what need we we are all true and loyall to thee yet vain curiosity made David do it Fifthly There was the sin of sacriledge this Zanchius notes for when the people were numbred there was to be given for the use of the Sanctuary half a shekel as you have the story Exod. 30.12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number then shall they give every man a ransome for his soul unto the Lord when thou numbrest them that there be no plague amongst them when thou numbrest them Vers 13. This they shall give every one that passeth among them that are numbred half a shekel after the shekel of the Sanctuary compare this with Exod. 38.25 And the silver of them that were numbred of the Congregation was an hundred talents and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels after the shekel of the Sanctuary c. David did defraud the Sanctuary of that money Sixthly In this sin there was an express breach of Gods Law this Deodat saith for his Law was the people should not be numbred that were under 20 years but onthose above 20 now David did number those that were under 20. years Exod. 30.14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbred from 20 years old and above shall give an offering unto the Lord. Numb 1.3 From 20 years old and upward all that are able to goe forth to warre in Israel Now David numbring those that were under those years did transgresse the command of God That is a third consideration to you that say you never run into scandalous sins yet consider that little sins may be so aggravated by circumstances as that they become grievous suppose thy sin be secret lust and secret passion and secret pride beloved thy sins may have such circumstances as to make them great suppose thy sins be against checks of conscience they are great sins because they are against Gods officer in man Conscience is Gods officer in thee and Gods Register and Vicegerent in man and for thee to controll thine own conscience against the accusations and against the convictions and checks of thy conscience though the sin be but a small trifle yet is it very great He that doubteth is damned if he eats The Apostle saith it is no sin to eat meat but if thou thinkest it is a sin to eat meat and dost it thou sinnest against conscience If thy conscience telleth thee that it is unlawfull to do this or that and yet thou wilt venture on it the Apostle saith He that doubteth is damned if he eats If thou doest any thing against the rebukes of conscience it is a great crime because conscience is Gods Officer in thee to eat meat is but a trifle the Question was whether they might eat meat offered to an idoll the Apostle saith they might do it I but suppose conscience in a man might say I am perswaded that if I should eat this meat that was offered to an idoll I should approve of Idolatry then saith the Apostle thou art damned if thou eat to shew that if in so small a thing as eating flesh then in other matters also if thy conscience telleth thee that thou sinnest if thou doest it and yet doest it thy little sin is become a great sin Secondly The smallest sin may be aggravated if there be a complacency in thy heart to a small sin Beloved a small sin that is indulged is a more aggravating sin then a greater sin thou doest fall into with resistance It is very observable in Lev. 13.12 And if a leprosie break out abroad in the skin and the leprosie cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even unto his foot wheresoever the Priest looketh Ainsworth admires and wonders what God intends by this Law the meaning is the Leprosie betokens sinne Now if the leprosie or the plague or the small pox if it comes out into a scab and comes into the flesh and strikes outward there is no disease within but then there is danger when sores strike inward and do not come out in the flesh this Law hath this use in it if the leprosie were only on the skin the man was not unclean though there was sin in his life yet sin was not in his heart I but saith God if the scab be in sight deeper then the skins then pronounce him unclean to shew if sin be in thy heart and in thy life too though it be but a small sin yet it is a sin that will damn thee If I regard iniquity in my heart Psal 66.18 the Lord will not hear me Therefore you that are morall men that say you thank God that you have not broke out into grosse sins consider though sin be small yet your small sins may have such circumstances as may make them very great sinning against your consciences or else sin seising upon the heart Fourthly to morall men that a great and grosse sinner may be pardoned when morall men who never brake out into such grosse wickednesse may live and dye in an unpardoned estate I will give you but two instances the one of the Pharisee and the other of the young man in the Gospell First
house Christ was at supper mark the method Divines make much use of this Mary fell into a grosse sin but Mary must not know her own pardon Mary was weeping for her sin and it was revealed unto another that she was pardoned to shew that when men fall into grosse sins God doth many times hide comforts from them other men shall have good hope of their pardon more then they have of themselves let this be astonishment and a check to you to take heed of falling into grosse evils for God may keep you long without manifestation of pardon Fourthly to astonish thee consider that thou dost run a very dangerous and desperate hazard to venture upon the commission of sin upon presumption of pardon Wilt thou sin that may be as painfull to thy conscience as the breaking of thy bones because Christ can set thee in joynt again wilt thou sin and cut gashes in thine own flesh because thou knowest the Bloud of Christ to be a soverain Balsam to cure thy wounds for by his stripes we are healed Directions to great sinners I now come to give you something by way of direction Hast thou been a man that God hath left to thine own hearts lust thou hast not only sin but the iniquity of sin sin aggravated then First take this rule Labour in the residue of thy dayes to be as eminent in grace as thou hast been formerly notorious in sin hath thy lusts been strong labour now that thy affections may be strong God-ward and heaven-ward has thy sin been cloathed with many hainous circumstances to make it great let thy graces be cloathed with many holy circumstances to make them great though this cannot make a compensation to the most High for nothing thou hast or doest can recompense God for the wrong sin doth him yet is this something by way of a holy revenge on thy self the more thou hast been notorious in evill thou shouldst labour now to be more eminent in good Secondly Hast thou fallen into any grosse and aggravated guilt follow this Rule Labour that the greater thy sin and thy unkindnesse hath been to God thou expresse now the greater love to Jesus Christ for pardoning mercy O labour thou that hast great sins pardoned that thou mayest have great love issued out to Jesus Christ Christ did not simply aske Peter Simon Peter lovest thou me but goeth higher Peter doest thou love me more then these there was this reason why Christ should aske him this Question because Peter had finned against Christ more then all the disciples had therefore Peter must love Christ more Do I speak to any that have been taller by the head in sin then any of their neighbours have been O! if thou hast sinned much love much the greater the sin the greater the pardon must be and therefore on thy part the greater must thy love be to Jesus Christ this is held out plain in that familiar parable that Christ useth Luk. 7.41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors the one ought five hundred pence and the other fifty Vers 42. And when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both Tell me therefore which of them will love him most Vers 43. Simon answered and said I suppose that he to whom he forgave most And he said unto him Thou hast rightly judged The meaning of this is the two debtors are two sorts of sinners he that owed a little sum he could not pay his debt though thou hast but few little sins yet thou canst not satisfie for it He that owed much was a great sinner as Mary Magdalen It may be God hath forgiven thee thy hundred of sins and thy five hundred of sins O make good this Parable that he that hath most forgiven him love most the greater thy sin hath been the greater thy love must be It is thus with Mary Magdalen Luk. 7.47 Wherefore I say unto thee Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much Her love doth hold equipage and proportion to her pardon much pardon on Christs part and much love on her part O beloved let me here inculcate this on your thoughts have any of you been great sinners have you been guilty of aggravated and hainous circumstances now finde that your love doth carry some proportion to your pardon Thirdly Hath God suffered thee to fall into the iniquity of sin observe this direction the greater thy sin hath been to God labour that thy humiliation may be greater that it may carry some proportion to the greatnesse of thy transgression It is observable of what you read of three men in Scripture of David Manasses and Peter these all sinned greatly and their sorrow and lamentation did carry proportion to their sin in some measure Manasses sinned greatly and the scripture saith of him that he humbled himself greatly before the Lord. Peter did deny Christ shamefully and Peter went out and wept bitterly You know David sinned notoriously and he mourned exceedingly rivers of tears ran from his eyes he watered his couch with tears all this teacheth you that the greater thy sinne hath been the greater thy humiliation should be An observable Law that you read of in Levit. 11.24 25. And for these yee shall be unclean whosoever toucheth the carkasse of them shall be unclean untill the Even And whosoever beareth ought of the carkasse of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean untill the Even Beloved touching an unclean thing a man was unclean all night but if a man carried an unclean thing any length of time then saith God he shall be unclean till Even and he shall wash his clothes This law shews that touching an unclean sin requires a humiliation but if thou hast toucht a sin born a sin and hugged a sin in thine armes then there is greater work required of thee he was to wash his clothes O thou must wash thy heart by humiliation thou must take more pains with thy heart that hast fallen into a gross evil then other men should doe Fourth Direction In case thou expectest to have a high esteeme of pardoning grace labour thou to find out all the aggravated and haynous circumstances in thy sin Beloved doe not fear that the seeing of the sinfulnesse of sin will doe you hurt first look on pardon and then look on the aggravation of thy sin this is the way to heighten Christs merits and greaten Gods mercy and extoll Gods pardoning grace It is notably mentioned of two men that were famous this way It is reported of Eusebius a holy and a tender conscientious man when he came to confesse sin he used these words Lord there is none have sinned as I have sinned the Devill sinned Judas sinned grievously but none sinned as I The Divell indeed sinned but Christ never dyed for the Devill as hee dyed for me therefore my sin is a greater sin then the Devils Judas sinned greatly but Judas never had the pardon I
had Achan sinned too but I sinned further then hee O labour to finde out what aggravations there are that thy evills are capable of that so thou mightest come to magnifie and grraten the grace of God in thy esteem A famous story of Austin Aug. in his confessionâ— when God converted him and smote his conscience for the vanity of his youth how doth he aggravate his sin when he was a boy for robing of an Orchard he doth aggravate that sin with many circumstances First I robed an Orchard meerly out of vanity not out of need to steal for need is more tolerable though not justifiable but when he had enough that was vanity then it was not for the goodnesse of the fruit but meerly for the lust of the eye then I did not rob the Orchard alone but I got others with me then it was an unseasonable time of night then he went to rob the Orchard after he had spent all the day in vain sport then what they could not eat they gave to the hogs then saith he I wronged and injured an honest neighbour that never did me wrong O see how he clothed that sin with many hainous crimes and circumstances canst not thou cloath thy ununcleannesse thy oppression thy extortion thy unjust dealing with hainous circumstances Let me direct you a little in this rule First To aggravate thy sin consider all sins against the manifestation of Gods love are great when God speaks peace to thee if thou shouldest then warre against God Psal 58. this greatens sin it was an aggravation of Solomons sin that he sinned against the Lord after God had revealed himself twice to him 1 King 11.9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared to him twice Secondly It aggravates sin when you commit a sin upon a slight temptation for a man to sin when he hath little or no provocation that greatens sin What made the sin of the devill so great it was this that the Angels had no Devils to tempt them for thee to follow the stews for thee to follow thy lust when the devill doth not tempt thee to doe it when the provocation is meerly from thine owne heart this greatens a mans sin and thus in the Prophet Micah That men should sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a paire of shoes O when thou shalt recollect and say How have I dishonoured God how have I runne the hazard of an immortall soul when the Devill hath laid no temptation to me this greatens sinne exceedingly A third thing to greaten sin by is when a man doth sin against the checks and rebukes of his own conscience Conscience saith doe not sin do not wickedly and the man saith I must I must I shall lose all else When Conscience shal arrest thee and accuse thee of sin and thou shalt stifle and put by all this aggravates thy sin Fourthly The frequency of the acts of sin to commit a sin once is not so much but to fall often into the same sin this greatens sin Fifthly Complacency of heart in sin when sin is not onely the sin of thy practise and of thy life but thou delightest in sin if sin be riveted and rooted in thy heart thou art unclean Canst thou goe to God and say Lord what grace is here and what mercy is here that thou hast pardoned great transgressions and those sins that I can aggravate by many hainous circumstances I have read my pardon and yet I have now blotted my pardon canst thou say I have sinned and upon a very triviall occasion and on a small temptation I am a drudge to the Devil on an easie temptation when the Devill can draw thee by a silken thread to a sin O it is a great aggravation when Conscience arrests thee for sin and thou wilt still be stifling the cries of Conscience Would you greaten sin you are in a ready way to greaten mercy and pardoning grace that is a fourth direction Fifthly If God doth out of the riches of his grace pardon aggravated sins take you heed that when you have obtained great and gracious pardons for great and grievous sins you do not extenuate your sins doe not say of your sins as Lot of Zoar Is not this a little one doe not say of wilful enormities as Jacob did Peradventure it was an oversight doe not mince the matter and doe not lessen sin but greaten sin The reason why thou shouldst not doe it consider first by extenuating sin and making it smal and little in your eye you will lessen the greatness of gods pardoning grace who will value the skill and physick of a kitchin woman that Physitian is valued that can cure a deadly and and dangerous disease when a mans spirits are gone and strength is consumed he is prized thou by lessening thy sin dost lessen pardoning grace 2. By the extenuating thy sin thou dost lessen the value of Christs bloud 3. Thou wilt lessen thine owne repentance and humiliation for what man will labour after great humiliation for small transgressions therefore there is a world of wrong done to thine own soul when God hath pardoned great transgressions if thou shouldst extenuate and lessen the greatnesse of thy evils Sixthly Content not your selves with slight and superficiall repentance for falling into great and grosse evils bee not like Lewis the eleventh King of France when he did an evill against his Conscience he pulled off his hat and took his Crucifixe and cryed God mercy for what he had done so many men if they can but cry God mercy in ordinary and generall tearms they think they have made a Compensation to Divine Justice And thus I have done with the second branch of the use in these six particulars Vse 3 The third and the last branch shall be by way of Consolation Consolations against great sins to troubled and perplexed Consciences that by reason of their falling into aggravated and hainous sins doe entertain doubtfull thoughts of their own pardon five Consolations I shall lay down to you from the Scripture First Consider for thy Comfort that Conversion and repentance for sin before God wipes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy former miscarriages suppose thou past been an ignominious notorious foul creature yet repentance puts a vail over thy ignominious lusts Secondly Take this for thy comfort that Jesus Christ doth manifest more love to those men who have fallen into grosse sin after repentance and humiliation then he did to any other sorts of men in the world It is observable of Peter Peter did sin more then all the Disciples unlesse Judas that was the cast-away after Peter did humble himself and repent of his denyall Christ did shew more love to Peter then to all the other Disciples First Christ appeared to Peter after his Resurrection before he appeared to any other so Paul tels you in 1 Cor. 15.5 And
that he was seen of Cephas and then of the twelve there was love in Christ Peter did deny him but three dayes before and Peter must first see him Again When Christ was risen from the dead he sent a messenger to Peter particularly by name Goe tell my Disciples in generall and tell Peter that I am risen Mark 16.7 But goe your wayes tell his Disciples and Peter Peter was crying weeping and bewayling that he should deny his Master and saith Christ Goe tell Peter that I am risen 3. Christ doth single out Peter after hee rose from the dead Christ hath more discourse with Peter then he hath with all his Disciples else Joh. 21. Thus you see that Jesus Christ manifests love to those sinners that sinned foully after they have repented and are sufficiently humbled for their sin Thus it is with Mary Magdalen after shee repented what expressions of love doth Christ shew to her First we read that he cast out of her seven Devils Luk. 8.2 And certain women which had been healed of evill spirits and infirmities Mary called Magdalen out of whom went seven Divels Then he appeared first to Mary she was the first that saw him when he was risen Mark 16.9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalen Again Christ wept to see Mary John 11.33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping and the Jews also weeping which came with her he groaned in the spirit and was troubled Again Christ commanded that where ever the Gospell came to be preacht the fame of Mary should be made known Matth. 26.13 Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospell shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her What a great honour was this to Mary Magdalen Thus it appears that God doth manifest to those persons that have sinned the grossest sins if afterward they shall have the more serious and through humiliation the clearest evidences and the strongest comforts Thus much for the two consolations Thirdly Take this for your comfort It is not the greatnesse of that sin thou committest but onely the hardnesse and impenitency of thine owne heart that can exempt thee from pardon Divines doe generally say that the reason of that saying in Scripture All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come It is not that there is not more merit in Christ to save then there is guilt in that sin but it is because that man cannot repent of the sin Therefore that sin cannot be forgiven because he cannot repent Suppose thy sin be blasphemy this doth not exempt from pardon It is not the greatnesse of thy sin but the Judiciall hardnesse and finall impenitency of thy heart that can exempt thee from pardon When Peter preached to the Jewes that had a hand in crucifying the Sonne of God yet saith he Repent and your sinnes shall he blotted out O what sin could bee greater then their embrewing their hands in the bloud of Christ yet doe but repent and your sins shall be blotted out It is not for want of great mercy on Gods part and great merits on Christs part that men are unpardoned but it is want of repentance on thine own part Fourthly That no grosse sin committed by a justified person can make void his former pardon A rule among the Schoolemen The work of God cannot be made void or frustrated by the work of man Election is a work of God Redemption the work of God Justification the worke of God which cannot be made void by the work of man therefore if God hath elected thee redeemed thee justified and pardoned thee the incursion of grosse evills cannot restrain thee of former pardon It is true sinne may make void thy former comforts thy former evidences grosse sins may lay wast thy Conscience but they cannot lay wast the grace and the mercies of God herein you may be greatly comforted and established Fifthly Take this for thy comfort though thou dost fall into grosse and aggravated guilt yet such is the goodnesse and mercy of God that he orders thy very falling into sin to turn to thy good I doe not mention this to any that they should be emboldened to fall into sin because it may turn to good O it is God that orders a mans fal for his good A threefold good that God doth to his people out of their very sins God doth not only do good to his people by their afflictions but he doth good to his people by their very sins First Sometimes God doth so order that the falling of a godly man into sin shall abate pride in his heart men of great parts are apt to be proud God many times will let strong lusts attend strong gifts the more to abate and keep under the exaltation of spirit therefore saith Paul I have the messengers of Satan to buffet me that I might not be exalted above measure God doth many times to keep under pride let a temptation loose on a man and so God doth him good that way Austin saith I am not afraid to say that it is profitable sometimes for good men to fall into sin Secondly It will prevent many other sins here is Gods great mercy the putting of a man to pain takes away pain Beloved God sometimes suffers a man to sin that that sin might keep out another sin one sin may be so ordered by God to keep out another sin Thirdly Falling into sinne sometimes doth renew the work of repentance the Lord sometimes lets them sleep that so hee might awaken them by a greater humiliation and to tast the more of the bitternesse and the fruite of sin here then is Gods goodnesse to a sinner that by letting him fall into a sin hee doth thee good and makes thee to renew repentance and greatens humiliation in thy heart Now for the finishing of this subject Cases of conscience there are 7. Cases of Conscience that in this Doctrine are needfull to be resolved First Whether God may forgive a man his sin and yet the man himself not know it here David had sin forgiven him and David did know it I acknowledge and thou forgavest but whether may a man have sin forgiven him and yet not know he is pardoned I answer in the affirmative that a man may have sin forgiven him and yet not know that his sin is pardoned though David did know his pardon in this Psalm yet he did not know his pardon in other Psalms Psal 51. Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation God broke Davids bones for his Adultery and David was driven to shed a River of tears before God did pour in one drop of joy Job 33.10 Behold hee findeth occasions against me he counteth me for his enemy Job thought that God was an enemy unto him and you
that is taken away Matth. 12.32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall bee forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not bee forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come They that understand forgiving onely in sense and feeling must understand this clause not forgiving onely in sense and feeling and so no reall guilt to lye upon the man Thirdly It is against the nature of forgivenesse to be onely forgiving sinne in a mans own conscience A sixt case is this Whether when a man is suing for pardon he ought to make any difference between great sins and small sin The Stoicks say all sins are alike and there is no difference It is true in regard of the object all sins are against God yet when you come to beg pardon for sin according as your sinnes are greatned you are accordingly to behave your selves in seeking for pardon God can pardon great sins as well as small in regard of God there is no difference nor in regard of the merits of Christ but yet in your behaviour in seeking for pardon of sinne you are to make a great difference between the greatnesse and the smallnesse of your evills For Beloved First Consider the Scripture makes a difference between sins therefore we must doe so the Scripture compares some sins to Camels and some to Gnats the Scripture compares some sins to beams and some to motes some sins as talents and others but as pence and in Amos there is mention made of mighty sins Amos 5. in John of greater sins Joh. 19.11 Jesus answered Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore hee that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin It is true every sin deserves hell yet there is more of the punishment of hell inflicted on some sinners then others the reason why I speake of this case is to let you know that as God hath suffered any of you to fall into aggravated and hainous evils so he requires more of you then of other men First consider that God requires of you more humiliation then he requires of other men In the Law you read that if a man toucht the unclean thing he was unclean till Evening but if a man bare an unclean thing he was to wash his clothes to shew that the touch of sin requires humiliation but the bearing of a sin in thy bosome thy continuing in sin requires more work then meerly the touch of sin Peter wept bitterly for his denyall he did more for that sin then for an ordinary sin So that you are to consider that though in regard of Christ there is no difference between a great sin and a small as the red Sea could drown Pharaoh and his host as well as a single man so Christs bloud can drown a huge host of sins but yet you must encrease your humiliation on the aggravation of your guilt thus much for the fixth case of Conscience The seaventh is this What are those great and hainous circumstances that doe greaten sin that so I may see whether I have aggravated my sin or not here are two circumstances which doe aggravate and greaten sin First Sinning against the frequent manifestation of Gods love to thy soul this greatly aggravates sin this did aggravate Solomons sin 1 King 11. Solomon was the Beloved of the Lord yet he provoked him to anger Secondly To sin against the rebukes and checks of thine own Conscience doth greaten sin Jam. 4.17 Therefore to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is sin It is sinne to another man that doth not know it but to him that knoweth it it is a greater sin this Christ refers to and speaks of Judas that would betray him and yet knew that hee was the Son of God What my Disciples to betray me his sin was the greater Conscience is Gods officer in man it is a greater fault to strike a Constable then an ordinary man out of office for thee to sin against the rebukes and checks of Conscience aggravates sin Thirdly To sin against Gods judgements upon other men is an aggravated evill for thee to sin when God hath given thee warning of sin from other mens bloud this did aggravate Belshazzars sin Dan. 5.22 23. And thou his son O Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this But hast lifted up thy selfe against the Lord of heaven c. Thou that knowest how a man is plagued for his uncleannesse thou that knowest how a man is plagued for riotous living yet thou wilt live riotous and thou wilt live adulterous O thou man thy sin is the greater thou sinnest against the monument of the eye as well as against the warning of the ear Fourthly Sin against Gods judgments upon our selves doth weigh ten sin this did aggravate Ahaz sin 2 Chron. 28.22 And in the time of his distresse he did trespasse yet more against the Lord. Fifthly To sin against mercies is an aggravation of sin 2 Sam. 12. I delivered thee out of Sauls hand I gave thee thy Masters house I gave thee the house of Israel and if all this had been too litttle for thee I would have moreover given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised c What thou sin David and hast been loadned with a heap of mercies this greatens thy sin Sixthly It greatens sin when the sin is immediately against God 1 Sam. 2.25 If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall entreat for him If a man sins against God O who shall plead for him Seaventhly To sin against the motions of Gods Spirit aggravates sin when the Spirit of God shall in thy Conscience perswade thee that thou wouldst not follow such wicked wayes as thou art walking in when the Spirit of God shall come and woo thee to be reconciled to alter thy course and to walk in better paths when not onely the voice of Conscience but the motions of Gods Spirit shall be stifled this aggravates sin Hence it is that Scripture in setting out the wronging and withstanding the Spirits motion whether to good or from evill doth ascend by gradations sometimes it is called quenching the Spirit Queuch not the Spirit a higher degree there is a grieving the Spirit when there are frequent acts to withstand Divine motions that is a grieving the Spirit Thirdly There is an higher aggravation then this that is resisting the Spirit Act. 7.51 Ye stiffe neeked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so doe yee This is caused by pertinaciousnesse in withstanding the Spirits motion Fourthly The Scripture speakes of vexing the Spirit Isa 63.10 But they rebellect and vexed his Holy Spirit therefore hee was turned to be their enemy and fought against them This is not onely by one
my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God Christ did promise that hee would ascend Iohn 16.5 7. But now I go my way to him that sent mee and none of you asked me whither goest thou Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Iohn 16.16 A little while and yee shall not see mee and againe a little while and yee shall see mee because I goe to the Father I could quote you many Scriptures that Christ promised hee would goe away Fourthly the Doctrine of Christs going up to Heaven is confirmed by the Testimony of the Apostles who were Eye-witnesses of Christs Ascension Gerrard notes saith he Jesus Christ did rise invisible none saw him Rise the Scripture telleth you that the Souldiers that watched were asleepe yet Christ gathereth all his eleven Apostles that they might be Eye witnesses of his Ascension that they saw him ascend to Heaven Acts 1.9 10. And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as hee went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell and so the Apostle Peter in the 1 Peter 3.22 Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right Hand of God Angells and Authority and Powers being subject unto him So Paul tells you in Ephesians 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all Heavens that hee might fill all things So in Hebrewes 9. the Author of that Booke tells you that Jesus Christ is not gone into the holy place but is gone into the Heaven it selfe In vers 24. For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversy great is the mystery of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into glory And in Mark 16.19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them hee was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God I take the more paines to prove this because of what Ancient Heresies there have been to overthrow this great comfortable Doctrine of Christs going bodily into Heaven having our flâ—sh in Heaven this very day Fifthly it may be proved by the Concurrent Testimonies of the Angells who were witnesses of this truth Acts 1.10 ve And while they looked stedfastly toward Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell These two men were Angells the Angels did give in their concurrent Testimonies that Jesus Christ did goe into Heaven and the same Jesus Christ that did go shall come againe Beloved I know not any one poynt in all the Bible that is so proved and strengthned as Christs personall and Bodily going up to Heaven and thus much for the strengthning of you in the proofe of the poynt I lay that for the Foundation because if the proof of it be not well grounded then the fruit of it will not be well regarded Secondly what is the reason that Christ must have his Body goe up to Heaven and not his Soul as other mens First Christ in his bodily presence must go to Heaven lest his Disciples should be taken too much with his bodily presence and never looke after the Communication of his Spirit Therefore they aske Christ Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome to Israel they expected that Christ would take away the Roman Emperour which was a heathen and expected that hee would bee King himselfe Acts 1.6 When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel It is for this reason say Interpreters because the Disciples should not dote on Jesus Christ as to looke on him as a temporall King and looke on him for a temporall Kingdome so that was one reason why hee would not leave his body with them but that they might looke after the Kingdom where he is therefore Paul hath a passage in 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know wee no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more As if hee should say it may be those that lived in Christs time that knew him according to the flesh as a lovely person but saith Paul wee know him in a spirituall way to looke after Heaven by Christ to looke after Salvation by Christ Secondly Christ must be taken up into Heaven in his body to make a compensation and a recompence to himselfe for his sufferings in his Body to make a compensation to him for his bodily sufferings hee must go to Heaven Phil. 2.8.9 And being found in fashion as a Man hee humbled himselfe and because obedient unto Death even the Death of the Crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name Therefore God did exalt Christ and raise him from the dead and bring him to Heaven because hee obeyed the death of the Crosse and took on him the forme of a servant Psal 110. last Vers He shall drinke of the brooke in thy way therefore shall hee lift up the Head Because thou dyedst and sufferedst therefore thou shalt lift up thy head therefore thou shalt ascend up to Heaven Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angells for the suffering of Death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should taste death for every man For suffering of Death hee was crowned with Glory and Honour to translate him bodily into heaven that is a second Argument Thirdly Christ was taken up bodily to heaven it was to manifest to the World that Christ was God as well as man to manifest the God head of Jesus Christ therefore taken up bodily to heaven Eph. 4.9 10. Now that hee ascended what is it but that hee also descended first into the lower parts of the Earth Hee that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things There the Apostle proves that Christs going up to heaven it was an argument that Christ came downe from heaven So in John 6.62 What and if yee shall see the Sonne of man ascend up where hee was before That shews that Christ was in heaven before therefore must bee God Coequall and Coeternall with God the Father and thus you have the second poynt dispatched to you shewing the reasons why Jesus Christ must go bodily into heaven The third point is I but what benefit and comfort
is that to us that Jesus Christ is now bodily in heaven what comfort was this to the Disciples that Jesus Christ should leave them that hee must goe from them unto his Fathers house There are seven particulars that it is great ground of comfort to all the people of God that Jesus Christ is gone bodily to heaven The first ground of comfort is this Christs going to heaven bodily it assures you of Christs full Triumph and compleat conquest over all your spirituall Enemies This the Apostle lays down as a ground of comfort upon Christs Ascention Eph. 4.8 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men That is the Devill and Sinne that carried you captive and Christ by his going up to heaven hath led them captive that is hath led your spirituall enemies that carried you captive led them captive Christ alluded to the custome among the Romans when the Roman Conquerour was to come to the Cardinall of Rome to rejoyce in his victory over his enemies the Conquerour did use to tie his Captives to the Chariot-wheeles So Christ did carry his Captives by his wheeles as it were hee led captivity captive Colos 2.15 And having spoyled Principalities and Powers hee made a shew of them openly Triumphing over them in it So that Beloved here is one great comfort that Christ by going up to heaven doth manifest and declare to all the World that hee hath overcome the Grave Death Devill and Sinne for neither could they hold Christ in the chaines thereof Secondly Christs going bodily to heaven It is a pledge to you that Christ will one day bring your bodies to heaven I goe to heaven that I may receive you to my selfe that you may be bodily in heaven where Christ is In John 14.19 Yet a little while and the World seeth mee no more but yee see mee because I live yee shall live also As if hee should say well I must leave you and I must go to heaven before you but because I live in heaven and live there bodily you shall also live with mee in heaven with your bodies Tertullian doth make this use of it to comfort the Christians in his days saith hee Jesus Christ did carry our flesh into heaven with him and hee is of our flesh and of our bone Now saith Tertullian Jesus Christ hath carried flesh into heaven this is a good pledge unto us that our flesh shall be in heaven where Christs is also Therefore O flesh and bloud doe thou rejoyce thou hast possest heaven in Christ already And Christ would be imperfect in heaven should not the bodies of Believers come there also because he lives in heaven you shall live there also Thirdly Christs going bodily to heaven it is a ground of comfort to you in this because Christ is gone bodily into heaven to performe and accomplish his Sacerdotall Office that is as a high Priest hee is now in heaven to performe the Office of a high Priest to make intercession to God his Father in your behalfe that your sinnes might be pardoned that your Soules might bee saved that your bodies might be raised and received into heaven with him in Glory Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Christ is entred into the very heavens that hee might appeare before God for us so in Heb. 7.26 For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmelesse undefiled seperate from sinners and made higher then the heavens It became us to have a high Priest in Heaven Therefore observe though it was a great benefit to the Disciples to have Christs Bodily presence yet Jesus Christ could never have fulfilled the office of the Priest-hood to make intercession for all the Elect if Christ had not gone bodily into heaven Will you observe one Text in Heb. 8.4 For if hee were on Earth hee should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer-gifts according to the Law Christ must goe to heaven and there hee is a Priest Now if hee were upon the Earth hee could not be a Priest for us therefore wee have great advantage by CHRISTS going into heaven O beloved then looke on this as a great comfort that our Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven in his Body Flesh and Bloud appearing before God making Intercession for all his people This was typed out under the Law Exod. 28.9 10 11 12. verses And thou shalt take two Onix Stones and grave on them the Names of the Children of Israel Six of their Names on one stone and the other six Names of the rest on the other stone according to their Birth With the worke of an ingraver in stone like the ingravings of a signet shalt thou ingrave the two stones with the names of the Children of Israel thou shalt make them to be set in Ouches of gold And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the Ephod for stones of memoriall unto the Children of Israel And Aaron shall beare their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memoriall This is a Type of Jesus Christ our high Priest who is gone not into the holy of holiest but in it selfe the holy of holiest and there he hath not onely the names of all the Elect of God throughout the world on his Breast but he hath them in his heart and there he makes intercession for them to his Father This is a Third ground of Comfort that you have of Christs going bodily into Heaven which assures you that Christ is now in Heaven A Fourth ground of comfort you have by Christs going into Heaven is this that Jesus Christ is gone into heaven to convey to you a fuller communication of the gifts and graces of his spirit then was bestowed on his people whilst hee was upon the Earth Ephes 4. ver 8. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men It is an illusion to the Roman custome that when the Conquerour rode in Triumph towards the Capitoll he did not onely leade the Prisoners by the Charet wheeles but likewise scattered mony to the Spectators that saw him ride along in triumph so the Lord Jesus Christ having by his Ascension spoyled death and the Devill this Jesus Christ doth cast his gifts unto men dispenseth his graces in a greater measure into the hearts of his people not that we are to run into the Socinian errour because of this text they gather that before Christs Ascension into heaven there was no saving gifts of the spirit and they ground it on that text Joh. 7. ver 38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the spirit which they that believe
that is a truth but Heaven is a distinct place from the Earth and Hell Christ had a mutation of place from the Earth to the third heaven therefore saith he the Earth shall hold me no more Fourthly hee did ascend into Heaven powerfully Indeed other men went to Heaven bodily not by their own strength but it was by a borrowed strength Elias had a fiery charriot to carry him to heaven but Christ had none for he went to heaven by his own strength Lastly Christ went to Heaven though not singly yet hee went to heaven bodily There are three bodies in Heaven there is the body of Enoch the body of Elias and the body of Christ all in heaven else are onely Spirits Saints and Angels Enoch went to heaven bodily as a Type of Christs Ascension before the Law and Elias under the Law Christ under the Gospel Divines say that this shewes there was Salvation by Christ before the Law and there was Salvation by Christ under the Law and Salvation by Christ in the time of the Gospell but there is a difference betweene their going to heaven First Enoch and Elias went to heaven but they did not die and rise from the dead and then ascend into heaven but first Christ dyed and then Christ was raised out of the Grave and then within forty dayes hee did ascend into heaven there was one difference Againe they did not ascend to heaven by their owne strength but by the power of God they did ascend into heaven but wee have got no good by their Ascension no benefit or merit accrues unto us by their being in heaven but there is great benefit redounding to us by Christs being in heaven for saith Christ I goe to Heaven to prepare a place for you Againe Enoch went to heaven but hee could not give the Spirit so Elias went to heaven but hee could not give the Spirit I but our Lord Jesus Christ he is gone bodily into heaven hee hath Ascended up on high and hath given gifts unto men Againe they went to heaven saith Polanus onely as Citizens of heaven but Christ went to heaven as the Lord of heaven who is there in his body and in his person and these are the short and transcient hints that I have given you on the first part of the Text. I now come to the second thing in the Text to the benefit that Believers have by Christs going bodily into heaven I go and prepare a place for you Doct. 1 The Observation is this That the fruit and benefit that all the Elect of God have by Christs going into Heaven is to prepare a place for them there I goe and prepare a place for you Now in the handling of this Doctrine there are three particulars First I shall shew you in what sense Christs going bodily into heaven prepares heaven for Believers Secondly I shall shew you how can this Scripture say that by Christs Ascension Heaven is prepared for us when other Scriptures say that Heaven was prepared for us from the beginning of the World Thirdly whither did the Patriarks and righteous holy men of God goe that lived before Christs Ascention into Heaven whither went they when they died therefore the Church of Rome gather from this Text that before Christ went to heaven there were none went into heaven but all went into a place called Limbus Patrum First in what sense may it be said that Christ by his going into heaven prepares a place for Believers there I answer in these three regards that Christ by going into heaven prepares a place there First by way of Representation Christ is not gone to heaven as every man as a single and private person but Christ is gone into heaven as a common and a publique person Christ is gone up to heaven with flesh and blood and with our natures hee is gone to heaven and hee is gone there as a Representer of all the Elect Jesus Christ is gone to heaven representing the persons of all the Elect of God upon the Earth Hence it is that you have a passage Eph. 2.6 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus We are not in heavenly places wee are in earthly places but wee doe sit in heaven because Christ is now in heaven hee being gone to heaven as a common and a publique person a Representer of all the elect Heb. 6.20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Hee did not goe there for himselfe but for us Christ did dye as a publique person representing all the Elect of God and Christ did go to heaven as a publique person and hath taken possession of heaven in our stead Christ keepes our inheritance there saith Grossius Christ is said to prepare a place for us in heaven just as a company of Travellers when they are going a journey they send one man before to be their harbinger to take up lodging in the Inne and make provision for them against they come to the Inne our Lord Jesus Christ is gone to heaven before to prepare a place for the Elect there Secondly Christ prepares a place for the Elect by way of intercession Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us That as the Priest under the Law when hee went to the holy places hee had the Names of all the Tribes on his breast so the Lord Jesus Christ our great high Priest having the Names of all the Elect not only on his breast but in his heart praying to his Father that wee might come there and by vertue of his Intercession that in another way that heaven is prepared Thirdly Christ is said to prepare heaven for us by way of Operation in us hee prepares heaven for us by preparing us for heaven and this is the sence that Austin gives of these words Jesus Christ prepares a Mansion for us in heaven when hee prepares us the Inhabitants for Heaven here is the great evidence for Heaven are your hearts prepared then you may be assured that Heaven is prepared for you Col. 1.12 13 14 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light Who hath delivered us from the power of darkenesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne In whom wee have Redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinnes An unconverted man is not a meet man for Heaven now when Christ makes you meete for Heaven hee then prepares a place for thee 1 Peter 1.3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus from the Dead To an Inheritance
rejoyce in promises being made to them though the accomplishment thereof was not fulfilled till many yeares after and why should not the Disciples be so then and why should not wee be so now I will give you two or three instances John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad Abraham that had a promise of Christ the promise was made to Abraham above a thousand years before hee saw him and he was glad Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seene them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them They did embrace the promise though they were farre off in their accomplishment An excellent Text you have in Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a Child is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders c. Behold this is matter of joy for to us a Child is borne and unto us a Son is given why they might have said Lord what is that to us wee heare of garments rowled in blood and of the confused noyse of Warriers and dost thou tell us of that which shall not be till many yeares after and yet the Prophet doth thinke no fitter a promise to give them then the promise that a Virgin should conceive a Sonne I mention it for this that though promises were made long since yet beare up your hearts for that it will be sure and certaine though it be long and so much for the first particular The next particular is I but how doth it appeare that Christs coming to judge the World is a Doctrine so full of comfort to Believers First it appeares by the Believers longing and looking for Christs coming to judge the World it is the people of Gods property to long for the appearance of Christ when it makes the heart of a Felix to tremble but it is a Doctrine of great comfort to a Believer it is called the day of Redemption and called by Peter the day of Refreshing and this made the Church say Come Lord Iesus come quickly this shews that to the people of God there is no Doctrine so comfortable as the Doctrine of Christs coming to judge the World Titus 2.13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Peter 3.12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate That men should so long after Christs coming nay love Christs coming 2 Timothy 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give mee at that day and not to mee onely but unto them also that love his appearing A crowne is laid up for mee and not for mee onely but for all them that love his appearing This shewes that surely it must be a Doctrine of great comfort to the Elect of God because they so long looke for and love the coming of Iesus Christ Secondly it is a Doctrine of great comfort because Iesus Christ hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect for that time though Christ brings Soules to Heaven before his coming yet hee doth not compleatly glorifie any of his servants till his coming againe to judge the World 1 Iohn 3.2 Beloved now are wee the Sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be but wee know not when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is and in Colos 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory God hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect against the time of his coming 1 Peter 5.4 And when the chiefe Shephard shall appeare yee shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away Frequent Texts of Scripture there are to prove that the reserve that Christ hath of the full glorifying of the Elect it is at the time of his coming to judge the World The third particular is but wherein is the Doctrine of Christs coming againe so comfortable to Believers there are these foure Particulars more especially wherein the Doctrine of Christs coming againe to judge the World is a Doctrine full of comfort to Believers First in case of any scandalous aspersions or any unjust imputation which is laid upon thee it may serve for great comfort to thee in this case The Apostle gives it you 1 Cor. 4.3 4. But with mee it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement yea I judge not mine own selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but hee that judgeth mee is the Lord. Censure mee what you will and judge of mee what you please for hee that judgeth mee shall be the Lord therefore it is a small matter that I am judged of Why suppose thou art judged thou art scandalized and thou art aspersed in the World why appeale to Jesus Christ in Heaven for hee that judgeth thee is the Lord and this wee finde Christ did 1 Pet. 2.23 Who when hee was reviled reviled not againe when hee suffered hee threatned not but comitted himselfe to him that judgeth righteously When thou art reviled and aspersed and censured why do not revile againe do not censure againe but do as Christ did commit thy cause to Christ that judgeth all things righteously Christ will come to over-judge all things that have beene judged amisse Jude 1.5 To execute Indgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly commited and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Men have hard speeches against many who are upright in the Land why it is a comfort that Christs coming againe one end is to convince men of all their hard speeches and scandalous aspersions Secondly Christs coming againe it is a Doctrine of comfort in this cause in case of all Presecution thou undergoest from men for Christ for the Gospell 1 Thess 1.6.7 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels As if hee should have said you are troubled and persecuted about the Gospell for Christs sake why be not troubled for Christ is coming from Heaven 1 Peter 4.13 But rejoyce in asmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy When Christ comes to be revealed and judge the World why rejoyce in your sufferings you shall be glad also with exceeding joy that is a second case wherein this Doctrine may be of comfort Thirdly this Doctrine may serve for comfort in case of any inward accusation
Ans They answered this that in the yeare 1300 the Turkish Emperour began to bear sway Gog and Magog called the Turke the Turke prevailed and hath gotten the greatest part of the World within his power and hee was the Gog and Magog that did encampe the Saints and did spread almost over all the Earth and truly comparing Scripture and story together this seemes to be the neerest and the truest sense of this place and this Interpreters doe generally concurre in Two Objections by those who pleade for a Thousand years First is this wee reade of in the Century of the Church that the Church of God was pestered by Ballance the Arrian Emperour after these 300 yeares and of Julian the Apostate that did greatly persecute the Christians and how can this be true when wee reade of so much persecution after the Divell was bound up Answer That when it is said the Divell is bound up it is not meant simply that there should be no Temptation to sinne for that there should be Ballance the Emperour did establish Arrianisme and troubled the Church of God One answereth saith hee it was nothing like the persecuting of the Roman Emperours it was nothing so long nor so tedious as the Persecution under the Roman Emperours for for every day in the yeare 5000 Christians were put to death In Dioclesians Reigne there were 17000 Christians killed in one Moneth there was some sprinkling Persecution in the time of Ballance and Iulian the Apostate it was nothing to that of the Roman Emperours Bernard and others giveth that answer which both concurre in Againe though Ballance the Emperour and Antichrist did trouble the Church at that time yet is a Prophecy of what Exemption should be from the tyrannicall reigne of the Roman Emperours It is true Antichrist did trouble the Church when the Roman Emperour did not and the Church was free from the Roman Emperours Obj. Another Objection is this I but the Scripture saith that this is the first Resurrection that the Saints living and reigning with Christ a thousand yeares this is the first Resurrection how can it be said that after the time that the Roman Emperour was curb'd by Constantine how can you say that that was a Resurrection and that they reigned with Christ at that Time For Answer first That that was the first Resurrection it is said so in Scripture phrase the word rising doth not carry a reference of the body from the Grave but from a state of affliction and of sinne they are expressed in Scripture by a Resurrection Rom. 10.10 11. Let their Eyes be darkened that they may not see and bow downe their back alway I say then have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid but rather through their fall Salvation is come unto the Gntiles for to provoke them to jealousy Isaiah 22.19 And I will drive thee from thy Station and from thy state shall he pull thee down The men that are as it were low men in captivity in Babylon they shall rise it doth not referre to the Resurrection from the dead at the last day so a rising from sinne Coloss 2.12 Buried with him in Baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Wee are risen with Christ not bodily but out of our sinnes Coloss 3.1 If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God So that here a Resurrection this is the first Resurrection the meaning is this that those that did escape the rage and cruelty of the Ten Persecutions and did come to live in Constantines days and did all the while of the former Persecutions keepe themselves from the Idolatry of the Heathens and Corruptions of Antichrist they are said to have a first Resurrection blessed are they that were raised up by Christ from their Sinnes and from their Errours Superstition and Idolatry both of Antichrist and the Heathens that is they were blessed I but then it is said they live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares Beloved that phrase living and reigning with Christ though some Interpreters refer it to Heaven yet with Brightman and others I concurre with these and so Bernard saith it doth denote thus much that those in Successive Ages who enjoyed Liberty in the Christian Religion under Constantine the Great who lived to a thousand yeares that were delivered from former afflictions and kept by Christs Power from the Idolatry of the Times and from Antichrist they were said to live with Christ a thousand yeares for they lived to him and depended on him and were not plunged into the wickednesse of the Times And thus with consulting of many Authors I finde this to be the truest recount in a few words in taking of this Text from giving any foundation to Christs personall reigne for a thousand yeares upon the Earth The second Scripture that they doe urge for Christs personall reigne upon the Earth for a thousand yeares and that is the 2 Peter 3.7 10 11 12 13. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement and Perdition of ungodly men But the day of the Lord will come as a Theife in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the Earth also and the Workes that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens beeing on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate Neverthelesse wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Here is mention of a coming of Christ we looke for and hasten to his coming at Christs coming wee looke for a new Earth Now say they to what purpose were there to be a new Earth if Christ were not to come downe on this Earth and the Saints with him for a thousand yeares as the Scripture doth seeme to give warrant for a thousand yeares reigne this Scripture seemes to give warrant that it shall be on the Earth they say that the righteous shall only have benefit of Christs personall reigne upon the Earth To take off this First marke the scope and the context how this Scripture is brought in and it will something cleare the Text it is brought in by some Epicurian Principles that some scoffers had taken in these times ver 3.4 Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their owne lusts And saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation Wee see no
change in Providence therefore where is the promise of Christs coming They scoffed at Christ that Christ was a contemptible man in this World and that God should judge the World by Christ this is the Answer in the 7 vers But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement and Perdition of ungodly Men. Peter speakes directly that the time of Christs coming and they scoffed at it was not the time of the thousand yeares but of the Time of the day of Judgement Therefore this coming here that Peter speakes of it cannot be meant of a thousand yeares before the day of Judgement Secondly the day of Perdition of ungodly men they say themselves that Christ doth suffer the wicked of the World to live in the World though not to rule as they have Thirdly observe that it is said here that before this new Earth is that the World it shall be burnt with Fire the Heavens shall passe away with a noyse c. So that now before a thousand yeares there is no such thing as before the day of Judgement the World cannot be as in the fore going Verse The burning of the World it is reserved against that day against the day of Judgement Therefore the coming cannot be referred to Christs Personall coming on the Earth to reigne a thousand yeares Fourthly it is said here that Christ shall come as a Thiefe But the day of the Lord will come as a Thiefe in the Night in the which tht Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse c. That Epithet it is referred to his coming to judge the World to his last coming and not to any other coming 1 Thess 5.2 For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a Thiefe in the Night But if Christ should come to reigne upon the Earth then hee cometh visible Mat. 43.44 But know this that if the good Man of the house had knowne in what watch the Thiefe would come he would have watched and would not have suffered his house to be broken up Therefore be yee also ready for in such an houre as you thinke not the Sonne of Man cometh Revel 16.15 Behold I come as a Thiefe Blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest hee walke naked and they see his shame Fifthly and this Divines stand much upon Wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse That the dwellings of righteousnesse here it doth not referre that such a thing shall be on the new Earth but the dwelling of righteousnesse referres to righteousnesse here it doth not referre that such a thing shall be on the new Earth but the dwelling of righteousnesse referres to righteous men not to Heaven or Earth the Greeke word cleares it plainely it is a word in the Plurall Number Therefore it is not referred to the Earth which is in the Singular Number Therefore Divines say from the Originall 2 Peter 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We in whom dwells righteousnesse looke for a new Heaven and a new Earth So that the dwelling of righteousnesse it is not referred as if there should be men on Earth but that righteousnesse should dwell in men wee reade of none being on the Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse ousnesse Thus much for that other Scripture Wee looke for new Heavens and a new Earth A Third Scripture and that they deeme to have some strength in too In Daniel 2.44 And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other People but it shall breake in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever And this Text Aroher in his book referrs to the personall reigne of Christ Now Beloved to give you the scope of this Text take these Answers First it is true that a Kingdome is given by God to Jesus Christ and that Kingdom was given by God to Christ while hee was here upon the Earth in the forme of a servant and this Luke tells you Chap. 1. vers 32 33. Hee shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And hee shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end So that Iesus Christ had a Kingdome and hee is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Heaven Secondly it is said here that this Kingdome it was begun in the dayes of those Kings Now in whose dayes doth this Kingdome speake of It speakes of those that divided Alexanders Kingdome who overcame the Medes and Persians it was divided betweene Ptolomy Ring of Egypt and Silucas King of Assyria and the loynes of those Kings should succeede in Government In their time Jesus Christ did set up a Kingdome for hee was borne King of the Jewes Thirdly it is apparent that this cannot be referred to Christs Kingdome in this World for a thousand yeares First it cannot be said that it should be a Kingdome for ever and ever for a Kingdome for a thousand yeares cannot be said to be a Kingdome for ever and ever but it is said in Daniel it shall be for ever and ever A Fourth Scripture is in Eph. 5.5 For this yee know that no Whoremonger nor Vncleane person nor Covetous Man who is an Idolater hath any Inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God And this Text Gerrard quotes and doth well resolve it they say there is not onely a Kingdome of God that is Heaven but the Scripture doth make mention of a Kingdome of Christ and a Kingdome of God Therefore they build on this of Christs Reigne and of having of a Kingdome here upon Earth First I answer it is true Christ hath a Kingdome but hee saith expresly that his Kingdome is not of this World John 18.36 Jesus answered my Kingdome is not of this World c. Secondly though it be said that there is here a Kingdome of Christ yet it is not expressed to be upon the Earth for a 1000 yeares Thirdly this Kingdome of Christ Interpreters referre it to the same with the Kingdome of God and to be meant meerly exegettically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two expressions agree alike in one many phrases in Scripture which doe onely imply that Jesus Christ now in Heaven hee is King and Priest his Kingly Office now in Heaven ruling all the Church of God by his Word and Power Therefore those Phrases carry onely thus much that Christ is King now in Heaven the Administration of all affaires in the World at his dispose but when hee shall come to judge the World then hee shall deliver up all to his Father A fifth Text they have is in Mat. 26.29 But I say unto you I will not drinke henceforth of this
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Now beloved Christs coming to have this property or this manner in his coming the reason must be to distinguish his second coming from his first coming now to take off the contempt and reproach that was on JESUS CHRIST in his first coming therefore hee shall come in glory in the second coming First wee reade in Scripture that Christs first coming it was in the forme of a servant Phil. 2.7 But made himselfe of no reputation and tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men Now in the second coming hee comes with that glory and Majesty of a King In the first coming hee had no reasonable creature to attend him at the second coming hee shall have all the Saints and Angels in Heaven to attend him At his first coming hee was swadled with swadling Bands but at this second coming hee shall be as it were cloathed with the Clouds of Heaven Againe his first coming it was in dishonour and contempt every Traveller had more honour then Jesus Christ for the Inne was for every Traveller but there was no roome for Christ there hee was borne in an outside house but his second coming shall be in great glory Againe in his first coming hee came representing all the iniquities of the Elect Christ was the greatest Beggar in the world as Luther saith because hee was poore and the greatest sinner in the World not by way of Inherence but by way of imputation Therefore Luther calleth him Peccator maximus the greatest sinner Christ in coming into the World had all the sinnes of the Elect of God that were imputed to him so hee came as a Sinner as an Evill person though hee was not so yet hee was looked upon as so But the second time hee shall come without sinne hee shall not have our sinnes by imputation cast on him because when hee comes againe hee shall make a totall Abolition of sinne Therefore there needs no imputation of our sinnes upon Jesus Christ Thus you have a fourth way of his coming hee shall come Gloriously A fifth way of Christs coming againe is this hee shall come terribly In Isaiah 13.9 Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruell both with wrath and fierce Anger to lay the Land desolate and hee shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it Revel 6.17 For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand The coming of Jesus Christ it is a terrible coming that is a fifth way of his coming Sixthly and lastly Christ shall come unexpectedly though it is true there shall be imediate warnings of his coming as the powers of Heaven shall be shakened the Sun Moone and Starrs shall be darkened but that shall be but a little before his coming but beloved the coming of Christ shall be when men are not aware of it as in the days of Noah men were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage when the flood came and destroyed them so shall the Sonne of man come Christs coming shall then be to burne all with fire when men shall bee eating and drinking possessing and adding muck to muck when men are secure and never thinke of Christs coming to burne all with fire then the powers of Heaven shall be shakened and the World be on fire Hence it is that you reade in Scripture in five or six places it is said that Christs coming it shall be as a Thiefe in the Night a Thiefe will come in the dead time of the Night the Lords coming it is often compared that it is said hee will come as a Thiefe in the Night as Christ said to his Disciples in Luke 21.34 The coming of Christ it is an unexpected coming thus you have six Particulars of Christs coming Vse Now a word of Application Having shewed you how this Doctrine of Christs coming it is a Doctrine of comfort I shall onely finish this Poynt to shew you how this Doctrine of Christs coming it is a Doctrine of terrour and of dread and to whom Now beloved as every Doctrine doth carry hony with it so saith a learned man it is observeable that the word is not compared to Milke and Honey but the word is compared to Salt to have an efficacy to make it smart Beloved you have heard the Hony of this Doctrine what great comfort it will afford to godly men but remember the word is Salt and it is of a smart efficacy to terrifie and fret the conscience Now the Doctrine of Christs coming it is a terrible Doctrine in these foure things To all wicked men Christs coming again it is a terrible Doctrine because first all the secrettest sinnes that ever a wicked man hath comitted in this World they shall be made manifest to all I confesse it is a contest among learned men whether the sinnes of good men as well as bad shall not be knowne and there are strong arguments that all shall be made knowne but the Scripture is full in this that at the day of Judgement that the sinnes that a wicked man hath done in this World they shall be published to all the Saints and Angells in Heaven and all the men that were on Earth It may be thou goest for an honest man amongst thy Neighbours yet thou lovest thy Neighbours Wife and goest in unto her it may be thou art a Monster among men if thou hast beene so and if thou hast deceived in thy Trade why for all thy secresie here yet then all the World shall know thy deceite it is built upon that Text Luke 8.17 For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest neither any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come abroad Here a thousand things are hid that men do not know here thou carriest it fairely and squarely in the World that men cannot say black is thine Eye but then they may say shame to thy Face this is dread Secondly Christs coming it shall be dreadfull in regard of thy Separation from all the Elect of God In Mat. 32.33 And before him shall be gathered all Nations and hee shall seperate them one from another as a Shephard divideth his Sheepe from the Goats And hee shall set the Sheepe on his right Hand but the Goates on the left Here thou art mingled it may be thou livest in the same house with a godly man and liest in the same Bed with a godly man but remember a parting time is coming that as the Shepherd parteth the Sheepe from the Goates so doth Christ part the wicked from the godly Thirdly Christs coming againe it is dreadfull to wicked men in regard it shall be the time of the Promulgation of thy Sentence Why beloved a Thiefe in Newgate is a miserable creature a Thiefe at Bar is in a sad condition but a Thiefe when the Sentence of death is past upon him then hee is in a hopelesse condition O thou wicked man at thy
when it is a spirituall body it stands in no more neede of meate no more neede of drinke and of sleepe and other naturall refreshments it shall be raised a spirituall body Mat. 22.30 For in the Resurrection they neither Marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angells of â—od in Heaven The Angels have no need of relations and stand in no need of helps when they shall be as the Angels of God Rev. 7.15 16. Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more nither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heate Therefore O believing soul behold thy happines of soule and body in glory they shall be no more standing in neede of naturall refreshments then spirits doe when the Scripture saith that your bodies should be received by Christ The Platonick Philosophers understand because the body shall be turned into a Spirit into a Ghost or into winde or aire but that is not the reason of it it shall be of the same substance as it is upon the Earth but it shall be refined Secondly the bodies of the Elect when Christ receiveth them to himselfe when being vile bodies they shall be made formed and beautifull it may be thou hast some deformity but Christ shall refine that body and new varnish and make it beautifull Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like his glorious body according to the working whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe The Body of Christ is a beautifull body neither spot nor wrinckle nor any such thing in it why thy body shall be like Christs glorious Body 1 Cor. 15.43 It is sowne in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sowne in weakenesse it is raised in power Here thy body it is a vile body Eliphaz calls the body a house of clay and Job calls it a house of Earth It is the Opinion of Gerrard and hee gives strong reasons for it that if there be any defects upon the body in this World that if any of the members of the Body be wanting it shall be restored to thee at the Resurrection and there are these reasons to be given for it First because our bodies are promised to be like Christs Body why now Christs Body hath no redundant and defective member defect it is but the product of sinne and the result of sinne therefore our bodies beeing said to be like Christs Body there shall be no defect in it Secondly some members are necessarily required to make up the Elect in Heaven suppose an Elect man should be borne blind or lose his Eyes by casualty now if this man should not have his Eyes hee could never see Christ in Heaven wee shall see with these very Eyes the Body of Christ though thy body be a monstrous Body yet Christ shall receive thy body to make it better The third reason is this because the bodies of the Elect shall be as Adams body was in innocency Adams body was created perfect by God when Christ raiseth thy body it shall neither want a member nor abound in a member thy vile body shall be beautifull what though others be fairer then thee and clearer skin'd then thee what though other mens earth be painted better then thine yet when Christ receives thy body it shall be a beautifull a glorious body therefore you have the phrase Mat. 13.43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Thirdly from being a mortall body it shall be by him an immortall body the body as it is here it is a mortall body dying and rotting in the Grave but it shall be made by Christ immortall 1 Cor. 15.52 53. In a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eye at the last trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and wee shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality Those mortall bodies that must die must be made immortall and those incorruptible bodies made incorruptible and never die this is the great happinesse of the Elect that their Bodies shall be made immortall Bodies Fourthly the bodies of the Elect they shall be from being lyable to sorrowes and sufferings in this World they shall be impassive bodies the body here is exposed to Diseases Aches Consumptions and what not the body it is an Hospitall of Diseases a Magazine of all Infirmities but the Lord shall make this body impassive liable to no sufferings God shall then wipe away all teares from our Eyes no sorrowes no crying nor no paine there is the great happinesse of the body it shall be made impassive not liable to hunger thirst paines diseases and the like Fifthly thy Body from being a heavy and lumpish body as now it is it shall be made an agile and swift Body the Eagle shall not flee so strongly as the bodies of the Elect shall flee from place to place and it is grounded from that Scripture 1 Thess 4.14 For if wee believe that Jesus Christ dyed and rose againe even so them also which sleepe in Jesus will God bring with him Which the body could not doe if the body did not lose its lumpishnesse and heavinesse which it hath here Zanchy doth illustrate it by this comparison saith hee the body is like the Chick in the Egge the Bird in the Egge strives not but when it is flusht then it can flie so when thou art raised thou canst goe from one part of the World to another in a moment so was Christs Body when it was glorified Christ was taken imediately up into Heaven which is as Astrologers say if wee may believe their guesses it is above 40 Millions of Miles Now the soule hath a lumpish Body that it cannot follow the soule therefore the Body shall be made conformable to the Soule the Body is now a tyred Jade to the Soule but then it shall not be so Sixtly from being a weake body it shall be made a strong Body 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sowne in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sowne in weakenesse it is raised in power The body of man it is a weake fleshly thing Luther is of this Opinion on this Text 1 Cor. 15. saith hee mans Body shall be so strong that hee shall be able to tosse a mountaine as a Child would tosse a tennis ball this is the great glory that God puts on the body that being a naturall Body it shall be made by Christ a spirituall Body of being vile Bodies they shall be made by Christ beautifull Bodies from being a mortall body it shall be made an immortall body from being lyable to sorrowes and sufferings in this world they shall be made impassive bodyes from being a heavy lumpish body it shall be made an
him will my Father honour That is where I shall bee in Heaven Beloved the time is now of giving honour to God and giving glory to God but thy being where Christ is God gives thee glory and gives thee Honours Fourthly thy happinesse in being present with Christ where hee is that thou shalt stand in no neede of Ordinances beloved here the highest growne Christian and the strongest Believer in the World doth stand in more neede of Ordinances then a lame man doth of Crutches to goe by I but when thou comest to have this accomplished that thou shalt bee where Christ is thou then standest in no neede of Ordinances then what needs the Candlestickes of Sermons what needs the Candlestick of Preaching and the Candlestick of Praying when thou art present with Christ there is no neede of conduit Pipes when thou art by the Fountaine-head thou needst no Ordinances the Conduit Pipes are the Ordinances there is no neede of Ordinances any longer then thou art absent from the Fountaine which is JESUS CHRIST the ceremoniall Law is all Gospell it is darke Gospell the Evangelists are explained Gospell the ceremoniall Law is darke Gospell Exodus 25. Meaning the Holy place There was to bee golden Candlesticks which Types out the Preaching of the Word In the holy place there was the Candlesticks and the Incense Dishes to wit Christs Intercession this was onely in the holy place but in the Holy of Holiest there was no Candlestick no Incense Dishes there to shew that whilst you are on this side Heaven in the Church of God you neede the Candlestick you neede Preaching and Praying I but in the holy of holiest there was none of this to shew that it was a type of Heaven and when Christ brings thee there then thou art above Ordinances and never till then this is a fourth particular A Fifth priviledge of thy being where Christ is is this that thou shalt have a full communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ in person Beloved here wee have a communion with Christ but it is a communion far different from that which we shall have in Heaven First it shall bee different in regard of the manner of its enjoyment in this World thou enjoyest Christ mediately by Ordinances thou dost but see him as in the Apostles phrase in a glasse darkely but in Heaven thou shalt enjoy Christ personally and have communion imediately with Christ in Heaven Secondly in regard of the measure of your enjoyment here you enjoy but a parcell of Christ you here enjoy Christs Spirit by drops you shall then enjoy the fulnesse of the Ocean Thirdly it differs in regard of its time and duration Here you doe injoy Christ it is true but it is by fits and starts you enjoy him now in an Ordinance but you have interrupted fellowship and communion with Christ but when thou art with him in Heaven there is no Interruption in thy communion with Christ Fourthly it is different in regard of its expectation I but now in Heaven thou enjoyest Christ by way of possession Fiftly in regard of place here there is a great distance of place betweene Christ and us here wee enjoy Christ hee in heaven and wee on Earth but then wee shall enjoy Christ in one place hee in Heaven and wee in Heaven here thou mayest thinke much of Christ I but if thou were nearer Christ thou shouldst see and know more of his glory Sixtly there shall bee a difference in regard of thy companions and those that are in fellowship with thee in Heaven they are Saints and Angells I but one Earth though thou dost enjoy Christ yet thou art inforst to discourse and commerce with wicked men A sixt particular is this thy being present with Jesus Christ there is this to attend thee there shall bee gladnesse and rejoycing among all the Angells in Heaven if the Angells in Heaven shall rejoyce at a sinners conversion they shall much rejoyce at a sinners inauguration and Inthronizing into Heaven they and wee shall make but one head but one fold to glorifie the great Shephard of our soules the Lord Jesus what great joy shall there be among Angells Archangells thrones c. Singing Hallelujah to God making you partners of their glory Seventhly our being with Christ shall put us into a state of exemption from sin from the causes of sin and from the punishments of sinne First from sinne here thy beautifull soule is bespotted with the spots of Leprosie I meane with foule and deformed lusts but when thou art with Jesus Christ thou art exempted from sin sin no more Secondly thou shalt be exempted from the causes of sinne the Divell shall deceive no more there but here thou liest exposed to all temptations Thirdly there shall be no more punishments for sinne why here thou art punished by thy body by Diseases and the like here punishments from trouble of soule but in Heaven freed from internall punishments and externall punishments this was prefigured under the Law 1 Kings 33. The Palme-tree is an Embleme of victory Therefore the victorious are said to weare Palme in their hands triumphing Revelations 7. to shew that you can never bee compleat Conquerours to weare signalls of triumph and signalls of conquest in your hands till you come to enter into the holy of holiest That you have conquered over sinne and over temptations to sinne and conquered over all punishments for sinne The Morall Philosophers say that Raine Haile Storme and Tempests are engendred in the midle Region but about the middle Region there is no Winde no Storme or Tempest but whilst thou art here below there are Stormes Winde and blustring Temptations but when God takes thee above this middle Region there is no storme nor tempest to disturbe thee but thou shalt be quiet there Eightly that being present with Jesus Christ that those who have suffered most and done most for Jesus Christ shall have most glory with Jesus Christ all shall have glory enough hee that hath least in Heaven shall have enough every vessell of glory shall bee full yet some shall containe more then others as thou hast had more grace in this World why thou shalt have more glory There are degrees of glory in Heaven and there are degrees of torments in Hell there are degrees and orders among the Angells in Heaven not onely Angells but Archangells not onely cherubins and ceraphins but distinct orders among Angells there surely is an order and degree among glorified Saints that those that have done most for Christ and suffered most for Christ they they shall have most glory from Jesus Christ I am loth for to runne out upon these Arguments I onely take it in as a comfortable head by the way you shall accordingly as you have done and suffered most you shall have most glory from him It is the saying of One that as God doth inequally communicate his Graces in an inequall manner in this Life so hee shall crowne them in an