their lives and conversations that they may he exemplary to others That is that which both Paul and Peter require from them in the places forecited 1 Tim. 4. 12. Tit. 2. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Quest. But wherein should they he so exemplary unto others Answ. In setting forth of this I will not go from the word I have in hand Onely send them to the Stars which I shall propound as patterns to them in those things wherein I would have them to be patterns to others 1. Let them be Examples to others in Purity Such are the Stars pure creatures Not a spot not a blemish to be seen in any of them I mean in the fixed stars True indeed in the Moon there are spots but not so in any of the fixed stars which are most properly the Ministers Embleme They are all pure And such all the Ministers of Christ should labour to be Pure The Priests under the Law must not have a blemish Levit. 22. Patterns of Purity This is one thing wherein Paul would have Timothy to be a Pattern in that place forenamed 1 Tim. 4. 12. Be thou an example of the believers But wherein why among other things in Puritie And again Chap. 5. 22. Keep thy self pure And herein should all the Ministers of Christ be exemplary to others In purity of Conversation keeping themselves unspotted of the world free from the evils of the times and places wherein they live that their lives be not spotted with any scandalous crimes Which if they be they will be like those spots in the Moon obvious to every eye and no small blemish to their holy function 2. As in Purity so in Zeal Stars as they shine so they sparkle Therein differing from the Moon as a Diamond doth from a Christal The one shines but it is but with a pale wan light The other both shines and sparkles And so should it be with the Ministers of Christ Whilest they shine in purity they should sparkle with zeal Such a light was Iohn the Baptist not onely shining but burning John 6. 35. shining with holiness and burning with zeal And such should all the Ministers of God be as pure so zealous That is the thing which the Spirit requires from one of these seven Angels the Minister or Ministers of the Laodicean Church Rev. 3. 19. Be zealous And so should all the Ministers of Christ be zealous for God for his truth for his worship and service zealous against Errours Heresies all kind of doctrinal or practical wickedness Such were Moses and Phineas whose zeal standeth upon record to their eternal honour And such was Paul of whom the story tels us Acts 13. 9. that when he saw Elimas the Sorcerer opposing him as he did not so much his Person as his Doctrine Being filled with the Holy Ghost saith the Text he set his eyes upon him His eyes even sparkled with a holy indignation against him And so when he came to Athens and there saw the City so wholly given to Idolatry his spirit was stirred within him saith the Text Acts 17. 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exacerbabat spiritus ejus his spirit was sharpned it had an edge set upon it it was so stirred that he could not but break forth into an open and tart reproof And so was it with our blessed Lord and Master the Lord Iesus However in his own personal concernments none more patient that Lamb of God yet in the cause of his father none more zealous The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up It is spoken of Christ Iohn 2. 17. Such was his holy zeal for the service and honour of God his Father that it was as a fire in his Breast continually feeding upon his spirits so busying and taking up his thoughts that it made him even regardless of himself And such should be the zeal of his servants his Ministers Onely let them see that it be a well tempered zeal Not fiery not furious In this do Stars differ from Comets Blazing-stars Both sparkle but the one in a temperate the other in a furious way as if they would set the world on fire Such zeal the Ministers of God must be ware of When Iames and Iohn having had some affront offered them and their Master by the Samaritans wo refused to receive them propound to him this course of proceeding against them wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them he presently makes answer to them with a Check ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9. 54 55. Giving them to know that their counsel did not suit with their calling neither did it favour of a truly Ministerial spirit which should be a spirit of meekness and gentleness Zealous the Ministers of God may be ought to be But let it be for God and not for themselves And then let their fervour be tempered with a wise and holy discretion Let them sparkle where need is but let it be like Stars not like Blazing-stars Thirdly As in Puritie and Zeale so in Humilitie Hereof the Stars are very proper Emblems as Lapide hints it upon the Text. Which though they be vaste bodyes most of them far bigger then the Earth yet how little doe they seem to be And such should the Ministers of the Gospel be what euer they be for place for partes for gifts yet they should be little in their owne eyes· So was Paul however not Inferiour in place or gifts to any of the Apostles which being thereunto provoked by his emulous Adversaries he sometimes asserts and stands upon 2 Cor. 11. 5. I suppose I was not any whit behind the cheifest of the Apostles And againe in the Chapter following verse 11. he inculcates the same In nothing am I behind the very cheifest Apostles Yet in his owne eyes how low was he Even the least of them So much we may heare him elswhere acknowledging 1 Cor. 15. 9. I am the least of the Apostles Yea the least of Saints So he tels his Ephesians cap. 3. verse 8 Vnto me who am least then the least of all Saints is this grace given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double diminitive Less then the Least i.e. for the least So little was this great Apostle to himself Even as nothing That is his Expression elswhere in that place forenamed 2. Cor. 12 11. In nothing am I behind the very cheifest Apostles though I be nothing Thus whilst he tooke notice of the abundant grace of God to him in bestowing such gifts as he had done upon him yet with all he acknowledgeth his owne nothingness How in and of himself he was nothing nothing without Christ even as the stars are nothing without the Sun of no use good for nothing Such was Paul in his own eyes And he would not seeme over great in the eyes of others It is the reason which he giveth why he did forbeare to speake somewhat of himself which
savorie doctrine and holy example they season others changing and altering them for the better And on the other hand being bad themselves they infect others So as what the Lord speaks of the Prophets and people of Israel in another sense Hos. 4. 9. We may use it in this Like Preist Like people Surely it was not without cause that the Lord sending his destroying Angell to Ierusalem he orders him to begin at the Sanctuarie Ezek. 9. 6. From thence came the rise of all those Abominations that were done in the midest of that Citie of which he speakes verse 4. they began at the Preists who if they had not been first corrupted themselves the people had not been what then they were Thus are the Ministers of God like Stars for those Influences which they have upon the people To which I might add did I not feare the straining of this string as an enlargment or further improvement of this Resemblance Stars having such an Influence upon the earth they have also a power of Binding and Loosing Such are the properties of those two a foresayd Constellations Pleiades and Orion The one bindeth the earth with the hard frost the other looseth it by the warme ayre and showres And such a power hath Jesus Christ given to these Stars the Ministers of his Gospel a Binding and a Loosing power This power he gave to Peter Mat. 16. 19. I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven But not to Peter alone but to the â—est of the Apostles and Disciples as well as to him So you shall finde it Ioh. 20. 23. Where explaining what he meant by binding and loosing with their solemn Mission he giveth them this Commission Whosoever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retayne they are retayned This power did Jesus Christ give unto them and their successors putting the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven into their handes the Keye of Doctrine and the Keye of Discipline whereby they open and shut binde and loose binde the Obstinate loose the Penitent both which they doe in a Ministeriall and declarative way Even as it may be conceived of those two foresayd Constellations Orion and Pleiades the one bindeth the earth the other looseth it But how Not meerely by their owne influence as being the sole or yet principall Cause of that Change for that is to be attributed to the Sun which by his Recess and returne maketh that alteration but they by their rising notifie those changes Even so is it with these Stars the Ministers of Christ what herein they doe they doe it not by their owne power or vertue as Peter said of his healing the Cripple Act. 3. 12. but by Anthoritie from Jesus Christ in his name declaring what his will and pleasure is Here is a sixth Resemblance To which I might yet add some other which are reached unto me by other handes But I would not seeme to straine the Allegorie by drawing that from it which it will not naturally and voluntarily yield And I shall have occasion to touch upon some and diverse other in the Application Which let it be directed both to Ministers and People 1. For the former were the Audience sutable I might from hence take a just occasion to speake largly to the men of my owne Tribe minding them of their Duty and exciting them to the discharge of it But however give me leave here to present to you what more immediately and properly concerneth them Hirein I shall preach to my self and you must give us leave sometimes so to doe Whereof you may have the benefit afterwards Besides you hearing what the duties of Ministers are may be the better able to doe what you are 〈◊〉 onely allowed but in some cases required to doe viz. to say to Archippus as Paul biddeth them Col. 4. 17. take â—â—â—de unto the Ministery which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it I meane in a Christian and becoming way to excite and admonish those whome God hath or shall set over you in case they shall be found remiss or negligent in their Ministerial duty and service Upon this account I shall give an account to you of what more properly concerneth my selfe and others of my Brethren To whome the sum of what I have to say is onely thus much that seeing they are set by God as Stars in the firmament of his Church they would performe the like offices to those committed to their charge as the Stars doe to this Inferiour world But before I come to prosecute this Exhortation let me first premise one or two Premonitions Let them first see that they be Stars such as are so placed by God in the firmament of his Church Therein do true Stars differ from Comets The one is fixed by God the other ascends of it self Let not the Ministers of the Gospell doe so Let not them ascend into Mose's Chayre as that new starre is sayd to have done into Cassâ—â— pâ—â—â—s in the yeare 1572 of themselves thrusting themselves whether upon the Ministeriall function or yet particular Charge without a regular and warrantable mission So did those false Prophets in Ieremies time of whome the Lord complayns Ier. 23. 21. I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken unto them yet they prophesied Thus did they all on their owne heades having neither Mission nor Message from God Let it not be so with Gospell Ministers They who take that office upon them let them looke to their calling Noe man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was saith the Apostle of the Priesthood Heb. 5. 4. speaking not de facto but de jure not what men doe but what they ought to doe Uzziah though a King must not take upon him the office of a Preist 2 Chron. 26. 16. No more ought any to usurpe upon a Gospell ministerie taking upon them to dispence Ordinances in a ministerial way without a warrantable calling from God Let them see that they be Stars not Comets that they be set by God in the firmament of his Church 2. And being thus set let them now seeke after Illumination that they themselves may be inlightened So are the stars being set in the firmament they are inlightned without which they would be of no use And this let these mysticall stars seeke after even a supernaturall illumination God hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle that we should give the light c. Ministers that they may inlighten others they must first be enlightned themselves And this let them seeke after And where shall they have it Why where have the stars their light but from the Sun And where should Gospel Ministers have their light but from Iesus Christ. He
He will fight against them with the sword of his mouth executing upon them those judgements which he hath threatned in his word Temporal or Eternal It may be temporal Thus is he said to slay the Isralites with the words of his mouth in that place forecited Hos. 6. 5. And thus shall he go forth against Antichrist and his party as you have it set forth Revel 19. 15. Out of his mouth goeth a sharpe sword that with it he should smite the Nations Thus shall the Lord Jesus execute upon that grand enemy of his that man of sin and his adherents the judgements denounced and threatned in his Word And thus let all obstinate and rebellious sinners fear lest Jesus Christ whose Word they now contemn should thus come forth against them here thus fighting against them with the sword of his mouth executing upon them Temporal judgements But if not so yet let them know there is a judgement to come which they shall not escape even that last and Eternal judgement And then shall they both see and feel this sword coming out of the mouth of Iesus Christ when they shall hear that terrible sentence put out of his mouth As for those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me as you have it Luk. 19. 27. O how will this sword then pierce through their soul Now thus knowing the terrour of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 5. 11. taking notice of this sharpe two edged sword going out of the mouth of Jesus Christ the refore we perswade men and that it might take place with all you that hear it that they would stand in awe fearing before him Fourthly And thus standing in awe of his Person now hear and receive his word Receiving it from the mouth of his Ministers The Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth saith the Prophet Malachy Mal. 2. 7. And this let the people do seek the Law of Christ at the mouth of his Ministers Receiving it as his word Though spoken by man yet so have and receive it as coming from the mouth of Iesus Christ. So did those believing Thessalonians receive the word which came from Pauls mouth as he giveth testimony of them 1 Thes. 2. 13. When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God And thus let the word which is spoken to you by the Ministers of Christ in his Name be heard and received not as their word but as his word as coming out of his mouth Fifthly And being so looked upon let it be heard and received with holy fear and trembling To this man will I look saith the Lord even to him that trembleth at my Word Isai. 66. 2. letting it into the heart labouring to find and feel effectual working of it upon your souls to find it there as it is here represented and set forth as a sharpe two edged sword First Pricking your hearts with Godly communication and contrition for sin Which who so have not in measure felt they may conclude they have not yet heard Iesus Christ speaking to them His word is a sword Secondly And thus pricking suffer it to pierce further even to the dividing a sunder of the soul and spirit and of the joynts and morrow making a full and thorow discovety of the frame and temper of your hearts and souls so as the secrets of your hearts may thereby be made manifest to your selves that you may be thorowly convinced of the corruption of your natures the lusts of your hearts and errour of your lives Thirdly Thus piercing labour also to find and feel the killing and mortifying property of it as in making you to see your selves dead men by reason of sin so in killing the body of sin mortifying all sinful and inordinate lusts in your souls Fourthly And thus feeling the killing labour also to find the quickning power of it This is the two fold operation of this two edged sword as I told you it both killeth and maketh alive Labour to feel this efficacy of it that whilest you are dead unto sin you may be alive unto God through Iesus Christ. Thus feeling the power of this sword of Jesus Christ the sword of his Word here yea shall then feel of that other sword of his the sword of judgement and vengeance which he is said to whet against all obstinate sinners Psal. 7. 12. and wherewith he will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of every such a one as goeth on in his trespasses Psal. 68. 21. FINIS THE Mystical Sun In the Face of JESUS CHRIST And his Countenance was as the Sun shineth in his strength HEre have we the last branch of this Description which our Evangelist and Apostle giveth of this Sun of Man which appeared unto him in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Iesus Christ in the midst of the Churches Wherein he giveth us an account of the most noble and principal part of his Body his Face his Countenance That ordinarily sheweth what the the man is And so it here did what this Son of man was No ordinarie person but one far surpassing all other of the Sons of men His face had a radiant Majestie in it such as never was seene in the Face of any mere man It was as the Sun as the Sun shining as the Sun shining in his strength Quest. And what was hereby represented and signified Ans. Here againe I finde different apprehensions among expositors 1. Some looking upon this as a representation of the glorie of the mysticall body of Iesus Christ his Church which is and shall bee Glorious here Thence are called the Glorie Isai. 4. 5. upon all the Glorie shall be a defence saith the Prophet speaking of Gods protection and his Church under the Gospell which is called the Glorie in as much as it is the habitation of the God of glorie as the Arke upon the same account also was called The glorie is departed 1 Sam. 4. 22. where he manifesteth his presence in the midest of his ordinances The Church glorious here much more hereafter As glorious in the Kingdome of grace so much more in the Kingdome of glorie where all the members of the misticall Bodie shall be made conformable to their glorious head when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glorie Col. 3. 4. And this glorious condition of theirs some looke upon as represented here by this glory in the face of Iesus Christ. 2. One and but one I meete with who in this glass fancies a representation of the splendor and glorie of the Roman Church which in regard of externall pomp and state must be acknowledged to be paramount for
the height of Summer when it is in his greatest vigour and strength Such a difference here is betwixt the head aud members of the mystical body The Saints they shall shine yea shine gloriously shine as the Sun but not so as Iesus Christ doth he shineth as the Sun in his strength Such is the transcendent glory and excellency of the Head above the members as Pareus observes it from this word in the Text. He being as before I said the Head of the Church and the first-born it is meet that he should have a double portion as he had of grace so of glory having the preeminence in all things Here is his Personal property Besides which we may yet conceive some other operations of his hereby insinuated I shall touch upon two or three and that briefly 1. The Sun in his strength dissipates and dispels all mists and fogs which were before upon the earth hiding the face of it And so will the Lord Iesus this Sun of righteousness when he shall shew himself in his strength he shall dissipate and dispel all those mists and fogs of Heresies and Errours which do infect the Church and darken the truth of God So the Apostle tells us concerning Anti-Christianisme in that known Text 2 Thes. 2. 8. Where speaking of that Mystery of Iniquity which began to work as he saith in his time there being then some Errours and Superstitious doctrines held forth which served as materials for the building of mystical Babel he saith Then shall that wicked one meaning that man of sin the Romish Anti-Christ be revealed whom the Lord shall answer with the spirit or breath of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming He shall consume him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wasting him by little and little till he come to nothing as that word doth properly signifie Thus doth the Sun arising on the earth by little and little it consumes and wasts the fogs and mists which were upon it till at length they disappear and come to nothing And thus shall the Lord Iesus do to that man of sin and all those Antichristian mists which have in so great a measure overspread the face of the Church he shall consume them by little and little by the preaching of his Gospel till at length by the brightness of his coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a powerful manifestation of his presence he shall utterly destroy both him and them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abolish and bring them to nothing as that word signifieth And so shall it be with all other erroneous doctrines It may be for a time they overspread the face of the Church and darken the truth of God but in his time the Lord Iesus shall dissipate them all being unto his Church as the Sun shining in his strength 2. Again the Sun shining in his strength resolveth and melteth what was before congealed and frozen The Summers Sun resolves the Winters Frosts loosing those bands of Orion wherewith the Earth and Waters before were bound And such operation hath the Lord Iesus upon the hearts of poor sinners Though frozen as it were and congealed in sin yet he arising and coming upon them by the powerfull work of his Spirit he thaweth melteth resolveth them bringing them into a relenting temper Such operation had the eye of Christ upon the heart of Peter After he had denied his Master and was grown stiff in his denial standing to it though pressed again and again like the water which being hard frozen bears whoever treads upon it adding Abjuration to his Abnegation forswearing to his denying yet no sooner doth his Master turn and look upon him but presently his heart forgave So Saint Luke expresly notes it Luke 22. 61. 62. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter c. looked upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a benigne aspect a gracious eye even as the Sun looketh upon the frozen earth and Peter went out and wept bitterly Such a suddain thaw there was upon the appearing of this Sun his heart melted And so did the heart of that Mary whom the same Evangelist denominates a sinner Luke 7. 37. a sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a notorious lewd woman a trumpet upon her appearing and coming nigh unto Christ vertue also going out of him as it did for the healing of the Bodies of those that touched him Lu. 6. 19. her heart also melted melted into tears wherwith she washed her Saviours feet Such operation hath the spirit of Christ upon the most obdurate and obstinate sinners Though before through long custome and continuance in sin their hearts were hardned even frozen in their wickedness yet he coming to them in the power and strength of his spirit meleth and softneth them making them pliable and tractable fit and ready to receive the impressions of his grace so setting them at liberty from those bonds of sin wherein before they were bound This is the proper office of Iesus Christ as the Prophet sets it forth Isaiah 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. he hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to set them free both from the Guilt and Power of sin which he doth by the Application of his Merit and the communication of his Spâ—rit unto them 3. Againe the Sun in his strength not only looseth softeneth the earth but also warms it heats it whereby it cometh to steame upwards exhaling and sending forth a warm vapour out of the bottom of it towards the Sun from which it hath received that warmth And the like operation hath the Lord Iesus upon the hearts of his people shining upon them giving them some cleare and comfortable euidences of his love and favour some sence and feeling of it there with he Warmeth their hearts So it was with those Disciples forenamed whome our Saviour fell with as they were going to Eâ—â—maus while he talked with them opening to them the Scriptures their hearts as they say burned within them They felt a holy fervour in their spirits kindled there by that Spirit of Christ which accompanied his word And such effect hath the Spirit of Christ where he is pleased gratiously to communicate himself to the souls of his people he causeth a holy fervour in thier hearts Warming them with inward Ioy which is the immediate fruit and effect of the face of Iesus Christ shining upon the soule Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us saith the Psalmist adding Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their mine increased Psal. 4 6 7. No warmth so kindly as the warmth of the Sun No joy like that which is caused by the light of Gods countenance the shining of the face of Iesus Christ upon the soul. And breeding Joy it also produceth Love and Zeale Love to
Christ Zeale for Christ. The aforesaid Mary having had experience of the great love of Christ in forgiving her so many and great sins she returns an answerable affection she loved much Luk. 7 47. And Paul after he had seene that great light shining round about him from heaven and heard the Lord Iesus speake unto him how Zealous was he ever after for Christ Not more Zealous against him before then now for him Now he calleth out Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Act. 9 3 6. And not only do but suffer I am readie not only to be bound but to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 21 13. Thus doth this Sun shining upon the heart in its strength it draweth up ardent Affections towards it self I might go on and yet instance in some other particulars wherein the Lord Iesus is like the Sun in his strength As viz. In drying up of sinful Corruption and inordinate lusts in the soule even as the Sun in the Summer season dryeth up those waters wherewith the face of the earth was before surcharged to the prejudice of it And so in diverse other But I shall harken to the Counsell which Aretius writing upon the Text giving to those that handle it which is that whilst they prosecute this Allegorie betwixt Christ and the Sun wherin he acknowledgeth there are many very apt resemblances to be found yet ne modum excedant they take heed of following it too far so as to extort that from it which it will not naturally yield Taking this advice I shall pass to Application That consisteth of many Branches but I shall graft them upon one stock reducing all to one head which shall be onely to exhort and excite every of us to seeke the face of this Son of man Seeke the face of Iesus Christ. This is that which the Lord calleth upon his people to doe in that foresaid Text Psal. 27 8. Seeke ye my face And wherefore was it that this Son of man here shewed his face in this glorious manner in the midest of the Churches but that they should be invited to seek his face And this doe wee Having heard how glorious this face of Iesus Christ is let all of us seeke it This is the Psalmists resolve there in the Text last named Hearing what God sayed unto him and other beleevers Seeke ye my face his heart ecchoeth backe againe Thy face O Lord I will seeke And let there be the like mind in every of us Hearing how Christ shewed his face here unto his servant Iohn in the midest of the Churches seeke we this face of his Q. How seeke it A. Take the Answere in two words Seeke it that we may See it and seeke it that we may feele it 1. That we may See it A sight worth the seeing His face was as the Sun saith the Text Now what more desirable sight then this Truely the light is sweet saith the Preacher and a pleasant thing it is to behold the Sun Eccles. 11. 7 How pleasant to beholde this Sun the Sun of righteousness It is so to the Saints in heaven who behold this Sun shining in his strength see Iesus Christ as he is in the fulness of his glory they are never wearie of beholding him That we may also in due season be made partakers of that beatificall vision to see Christ in his Kingdom of glory seeke we his face now in his Kingdom of grace that we may see it This was that which some were so desirous to see when he was upon earth to see the face of Christ though then to the bodily eye it was scarce worth the seing there being no beautie in him that he should be desired as the Prophet hath it Yet Zacheus gets up into a tree to see him as he passed by Luk. 19. 3. And this is the request which those Greekes which came to worship in the Temple made unto Philip Sir we would see Iesus Ioh. 12. 21. What they desired to see with the bodily eye every of us labour to see with the eye of our soules This is the vision which maketh the eye of the beholder happie and blessed Blessed are your eyes for they see saith our Saviour to his Disciples Math. 13. 16. And what did they see that should make them so blessed why they sawe Christ in the flesh But did not others so also Yes but not as they did They saw him not onely with their bodily eyes as the multitude did many of which sawe him but beleeved not in him as our Saviour tells some of them Ioh. 6. 36. Yee also have seene me and beleeve not nay multi viderunt oderunt many saw him and hated him but they sawe him also with the eye of their minde they saw his inside who he was and what he was they so saw him as that they beleeved on him which is the true seeing of Christ. This is the will of him that sent mee that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life saith our Saviour vers 40. of the same Chapter They sawe not only that meane out side of his as others did who were thereby prejudiced against him Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6. 3. but they saw the glorie which was hid under that veile The word was made flesh aâ—d dwelt amongst us and we saw his glory the glory as of the onely begotten sonne of the father saith Saint Iohn Ioh. 1. 14. O that all our eyes may be blessed with this vision with the beholding of the glory of Christ that wee may see this face of his shining as the Sun That so we may give unto him the glory of those Personall Properties wherein hee resembles the Sun the glory of his Sole Lordship and Mediatorship by submitting to him and resting wholly upon him the glory of his transcendent Dignitie by adoring and Worshipping him the glory of his Omnisciens by indeavouring to approve our selves unto him and that not onely our actions but our secretest Counsels and intentions â—he glory of his absolute Puritie by striving to be like him holy as he is holy Q. But where or how shall wee thus see him A. Take the Answer first Negatively Do not looke to see him as Saint Iohn here did by way of vision immediate Revelation Thus indeede Christ here shewed himselfe to this his servant but this was an extraordinary favour and so not to bee expected by us Nay thus wee cannot see him see his face When Moses desired to see the glory of God Exod. 33. 18. The Lord returnes him answere verse 20. Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see mee and liue And our Apostle here upon the sight of the face of this Son of man fell down as dead Such is the glory of this face that no mortall eye is capable of beholding it in an immediate way Q. How then A.
Ioy in the Lord Christ as when the Candles are all blowne out there is light enough in the Sun Rejoice we in him Seeking how to make answerable returnes unto him Answering his love with love loving him above all which who so doth not Saint Paul hath denounced an Anathema Maranatha upon him If any man love not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration even unto the death 1 Cor. 16. 22. And loving him be Zealous for him Zealous for his truth Zealous for his worship and service Zealous for his honour and glory Thus labour we to find and feel these and the like efficatious and powerfull operations of this Sun of Righteousness Which whilst we doe now feare not the rising of this Sun the coming and appearing of the Lord Iesus at the last day Which indeede unto all his enemies as I shewed you both open and secret shall be a terrible appearing in so much as they shall not be able to abide it So saith the prophet Malachie concerning his first coming Mal. 3. 2. Who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth Such was the day of his first coming his coming in the flesh a dreadfull day to obstinate and obdurate sinners for whome it had been better he had never come How much more the day of his second coming his second appearing when he shall come like the Sun in his strength in the glory of his power and Majesty come purposely to render vengeance to them that would not knowe and acknowledg him nor obey his Gospell Then shall all the kindreds of the earth wail because of him as you have it verse 7. of this Chapter Rev. 1. Then shall the sinners in Sion be afraid fearefullness shall surprize the Hypocrites as the prophet speakes Isaiah 33. 14. And why Because then they shall be discovered That shall be a day of Revelation when God shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts of men as the Apostle hath it 1. Cor. 4. 5. Then shall all masks and vizardes be pulled off And then shall they who have here stood out against the Government of Jesus Christ would not stoope to his scepter to be guided by his word they shall be dragged before his dreadful tribunall brought to appeare before the Iudgment seat of Christ that they may receive the things done in the body as the same Apostle tels them 2 Cor. 5. 10. So terrible shall that his second appearing be to all his Enemies But to others who have here owned him in the Relations of a Saviour and Lord it shall be a joyfull day Such was his first coming to these that beleeved on him So it was to Abraham who onely sawe it afar off by faith in the promise your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day so our Saviour tels the Jewes Ioh. 8. 56. And so it was to Iohn the Baptist who being then in his mothers womb yet leaps for joy at the salvation of Marie Luk. 1. 41 44. by a secret sympathie exulting in the Incarnation of Christ. And the Angell bringing the tidings of the Nativity unto the shepherds telleth them Behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people Luk. 2. 10. The greatest Ioy that ever sounded in the eares of men or Angels Such was his first coming to all beleevers And such shall his second coming much more be unto them When they shall see their King coming to them not as he did to Ierusalem in that meane and despicable garbe but in his glory coming with clouds as the seventh verse of this Chapter hath it sitting upon them as on a throne of glory his face shining like the Sun in his strength this shall be a joyfull and a happie day to them all them who having been in their measure made comformable to him here shall then be transformed into his Image When he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Having beene like unto him in grace we shall be like him in glory When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. And so have I now done with this verse Wherein we have met with three sacred Emblems The Mysticall Stars Sword Sun the first in the Hand the second in the Mouth the third in the Face of this Son of man the Lord Iesus Each holding forth unto us many usefull truths and some of them verie seasonable for the present times My prayer shall now be that they may be in like manner profitable to you to whome they have beene delivered FINIS Reader besides some other Literal and Punctual mistakes pardon and Correct these more considerable Errours of the Press FIrst Part. p. 2. l. last for Mysteries r. Ministers p. 3. marg r. â—aspidefulvo p. 4. l. 14. dele as p. 17. l 13. r. affectionate p. 19. l. 17. r. as he p. 25. l. 22. r. am less l. 24. r. far the least p. 32. l. 14 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 33. l 3 for cumbring r. combining p. 35 l. 24. dele have p. 37 l. 6. dele little p. 40. l. 21. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 46. l. 17. for twice r. choice p. 50. l 11. r his Ministers l. 15. r. Ambassadours are p. 56. l. 27. r. mission p. 57. many r. doing his will p. 62. l. 21. r. tels us p. 64. l. 18. dele by p. 20. for reports r. respects p. 65. l 6. r. but not l. 8. for see r. be l. 11. r. saith our Part 2. p. 2. l. 7. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 12. for his r. a. l. 21. dele story l. 28. for Engine r Ensign p. 3. l. 22. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 26. r. thâ—s King p. 4. l. 11 r Etymologist l. 28 r. Virga oris l. 30 for life r. lips p. 7. l 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 17. r. like as l. 20 r. Simeon p 8 l. 28. marg r. The word doing p. 9. l. 22 for part r. that l. 25. r. it is called p 10. l 28 for needeth r. meeteth p. 11 l 6. for sword r. word p. 13. l. 10. del that p 14 l. 13 r This is also the p. 16. l. 9 r in and by p. 17 l 22 for change r challenge ibid. r. to a p. 19. l 3. r. did those p. 21. l 22. r his truth p. 22. l. 6. for blinded r. blended l. 26. r. two hinges p. 23. l. 4. r will be l 16 for first r. such p. 25. l. 8. r. the directions p 26 l 30 del not p. 27. l. 32 for put r passe p. 28 l 9. r. O that l 20 r so here p 29. l 5 r the effectuall l. 9 for communication r compunction p. 30 l 4 for then r never Part 3. p. 1 l 3 r Son of man p. 2. l 14 del