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 Again Enoch went to heaven but he could not give the spirit so Elias went to heaven but hee could not give the spirit I but our Lord Iesus Christ hee is gone bodily into heaven hee hath ascended up on high and hath given gifts unto men Again 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 transient hints that I have given you on the first part of my Text. I come now to the second thing in the Text to the benefit that believers have by Christs going bodily into heaven I go to prepare a place for you Doct. 2 The observation is this 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 go to prepare a place for you Now in the handling of this Doctrine there are three particulars First I shal 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 was prepared for us when other Scriptures say that heaven was prepared for us from the beginning of the world Thirdly whether did the Patriarks and righteous holy men of God that lived before Christs ascension goe into heaven whither went they when they dyed therefore the Church of Rome gather from this Text that before Christ went to heaven there was none went into heaven but all went into a place called Limbus Patrum First in what sense may it bee said that Christ by his going into heaven prepares a place for believers there I answer in these three regards Christ by going into heaven prepares a place there First By way of Representation Christ is not gone to heaven as other men as a single and a 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 the Elect of God upon the earth Hence it is that you have a passage Eph. 2. 6. And hath raised us up together in heavenly places into Jesus Christ Wee are not in heavenly places wee are in earthly places but we 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 entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchesodec 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 goe to heaven as a publique person and hath taken possession of heaven in our stead Christ keepes our inheritance there saith Grotius 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 onely on his breast but in his heart prayeth to his Father that we might come there and this Intercession is another way that heaven is prepared for the elect 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 Inhababitants for heaven here is the great evidence for heaven are your hearts prepared then you may bee 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 darknesse and translated us into the Kingdome of his deare Son In whom wee have Redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sins An unconverted man is not a meet man for heaven now when Christ makes you meet for heaven hee then prepares a place for thee 1 Peter 1. 3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus from the Dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation ready to bee revealed in the last time So that beloved if you be kept for heaven and made meet for heaven that is a demonstration that heaven is prepared for you I now come to the second Quere which is this 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 Mat. 25. 34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Now if a Kingdome was prepared for them from the beginning of the world how doth this Scripture appropriate a preparing of the Kingdome of Heaven onely from the ascension of Christ Divines do answer that you must distinguish between the decrees of God and the clear manifestation and full execution of those decrees Now if you respect the decrees of God then the Scripture is true that the Kingdome of heaven is prepared from the beginning of the world for the decree and purpose of God was before the world was that the elect should have heaven as an Inheritance but if you expect the clear manifestation of it then it was not till Jesus Christ Ascended and the distinction this Scripture allows of especially in the point of Justification in this point the Scripture doth clear this distinction Heb. 9. 8. The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was
First To all tempted and troubled by Satan this is the time of accomplishing that promise Rom. 16. he shall tread Satan under your feet shortly Secondly To all persecuted and opposed by men 2 Thess 1. 6 7. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels Thirdly to all mercifull ones Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirsty and yee gave mee drink I was a stranger and yee tooke mee in c. 2 Tim. 1. 16 18. The Lord give mercy unto the house Onesiphorus for hee oft refreshed mee and was not ashamed of my chain The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day Fourthly to all that can lay a grounded claime of interest in Jesus Christ His coming againe will bee comfortable then 1 Iohn 2. 28. And now little children abide in him that when hee shall appeare wee may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his coming Fifthly Christs coming againe will be comfortable to all that judge themselves 1 Cor. 11. 31. For if wee would judge our selves we should not be judged Sixthly to all them that watch and pray Luke 21 36. Watch yee therefore and pray alwaies that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Seventhly to all beleevers it will bee very comfortable 1 Pet. 1. 7. That the tryall of your Faith being much more pretioâ—s then of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found unto praise and Honor and Glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ I now come to the Application of the point by way of caution there are four cautions that are to be noted First though the Doctrine of Christs coming againe bee full of comfort yet take this caution that you are to looke on the Doctrine of Christs coming to judgement as a Doctrine to teach you duty as well as to give you comfort it is a great abuse of your priviledges when you make any Gospell-point to bee an inlet of comfort and do not make that very comfort to bee a spurre to duties and the Scripture putteth you upon this 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that ye come behinde in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thess 2. 1. Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ that yee bee not soon shaken in your minds Hee presseth them to duty on this Doctrine by the coming of Jesus Christ Now to speak distinctly to the caution there are duties that the Doctrine of Christs coming is serviceable unto First the Doctrine of Christs coming should teach you the duty of patience under all your sufferings in the world Iam. 5. 8. Be ye all patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Secondly it should serve to bee a spurre to the improving of your gifts under Ordinances not onely patient under afflictions but it should provoke you to improve your gifts under Ordinances 1 Cor. 1. 7. So that yee come behinde in no gifts waiting for the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ The waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ it should provoke you to a holy improvement of growth under Ordinances for Christ will call you to an account of your hearing Revel 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come Thou that art an unfaithfull hearer an unprofitable hearer thou darest not say as the spirit saith Lord come Lord come but he that groweth better by hearing hee will say Lord come Lord come a notable Text Mat. 25. 22. Hee also that had received two Talents came and said Lord thou deliveredst unto mee two Talents behold I have gained two other Talents besides them his Lord said unto him well done good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into joy of thy Lord. This is Christs Language as Divines interpret that when hee will come to judge the world he will call thee well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast improved thy gifts wel thou hast improved thy Talents well Thirdly this Doctrine it should provoke you to bee conscionable in your outwards calling whether Religious or whether civill I wish saith Austine that when Christ shall come he might find mee either Preaching or Praying Labour then to bee about your worke when Christ comes for Christ to come and find thee in the stews and to finde thee working of wickednesse O how unmeet art thou for Christs coming Fourthly this Doctrine it should bee a spurre to you to moderate the the use of lawfull comforts Phil. 4. 15. Let your moderation bee known unto all men The Lord is at hand Luk. 21. 34. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts bee over-charged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares It was Christs counsell to his Apostles 1 Peter 4. 7. But the end of all things is at hand bee yee therefore sober and watch unto Prayer Fifthly it should provoke you to repentance Acts 17. 30 31. And the times of this Ignorance God winked 〈◊〉 but now commandeth all Men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom hee hath or The Doctrine of Gods appointing the day for the Man Christ to judge the world it should bee a spurre to the grace of Repentance that now every man every where should repent Christs coming should be a spur to repentance Sixthly Christs coming should bee a spurre to provoke you to keepe a good conscience towards God and Man in thy living here in this world Acts 24. 15 16. And hath hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the Death both of the just and the unjust And herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men The thoughts of Christs coming to judge the Quicke and the Dead should make you have thoughts to get a good conscience void of offence towards God and Man 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall bee dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse And thus much for the first caution that you are to looke on the coming of Christ as a Doctrine serviceable as well for duty as comfort The second caution is this take heed of
your determinations about the time of Christs coming nor about the place where for neither is revealed in Scripture Christ did deny his Disciples when they asked him where hee should come Luk. 17. 37. And they answered and said where Lord And hee said unto them where the body is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Christ told them of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the end of the Woâ—ld then said the Disciples but where Lord wilt thou come Christ onely gives them this answer that where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles flee that is where Christ is all the Elect shall bee gathered as Birds of prey flock together after a carcasset o feed upon so that Christ would neither tell the place where nor the time when and this should bee a check and a controle to mens curious pryings about that which the Scripture is silent in Lastly take heed of bold and adventurous conjectures about the manner of Christs coming to judge the World by vaine and carnall corruptions of a temporall Kingdome of Christ Many are very peremptory about it and there bee strange Books at least in their own expressions that they can descry the very maner of his coming that Christ shall come from heaven and dwell a thousand yeares upon the Earth and the Dead shall rise and live in the World but these are such things which the Scripture doth never take notice of I am to handle on this promise of Christ but I will come again A perplexed Quere which is this whether Christ Jesus in promising to his Disciples to come again did meane to come to Reigne upon the Earth here a thousand years or whether it bee to bee meant of Christs last coming to judge the world this Scripture and others are made use of and brought to prove that Christ shall come from heaven in person and live upon the Earth for a whole thousand years they fancy that Jesus Christ when hee shall come to this personall Reigne then hee shall raise all the Martyrs that have lost their Lives in his cause and the Divell shall bee bound up that hee shall tempt Men to sinne no more and wicked Men shall be ty'd up that they shall not persecute the Church of God this is an Antient Opinion and almost since the Apostles dayes Before I shall come to give you my thoughts from the words touching Christs coming as they pretend to Reigne a thousand years upon the Earth I shall shew you the rise of this Opinion First from Eusebius and others they give us the rise of this Opinion from Cerinthus which had it who lived in the time of John This Cerinthus who was a pestiâ—ent Heretick in those times who held that Christ was borne by the conjunction of a man and a woman Christum ex congressu maritali genitum esse and not born by a Virgin and was borne as others are and so must be a sinner Hee was the Man that was the first author from whom this Opinion had any life or being Eusebius saith Papias Bishop of Hieropolis did also hold this Opinion but not in so grosse a way as Cerinthus did but rather spiritually and there was some spice of this in the Apostles for they did dream of a temporal Kingdome therfore they askt Christ when hee was going to Heaven Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome unto Israel there was in the time of the Apostle a fancy that Christ must bee an Earthly Monarch and destroy all the Kings of the Earth and all the Enemies of the world and must come here to Rule and Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth it was brought over into Germany and there was taken hold on by John of Leydon in westphalia and handed over to us in England by men of late Now for the confutation First I shall quote expresse Scriptures that Christ shall not come in person out of heaven till his last coming to judge the world Secondly I shall give you some reasons from the Scripture why Christ cannot come out of Heaven Bodily and in person to Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth Thirdly I shall shew you some absurdities and incongruities that would follow if Christ should come to Reign a thousand yeares upon the Earth First for expresse Scriptures which are four the first scripture Act. 3. 21. Whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began There the Apostle telleth you directly that the Heaven must receive and keep Jesus Christ how long till the restitution of all things The Millenaries hold that the restitution of all things may be at the time of Christ Personall Reigne but I shall shew you that this restitution of all things cannot be til Christs judging the world First there cannot be a totall abolition of sin in the world at the thousand yeares end there shall bee a number of men and wicked during the thousand yeares all things cannot bee restored for sinne bringeth the creature under a curse it is apparent that it cannot bee till Christs last coming to judge the world because other Scriptures tell you that the time of restitution cannot bee till our bodies bee raised from the Dead Rom. 8. 23. And not onely they but our selves also which have the fruits of the spirit even wee our selves groane within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our body That is the creatures doe as it were groane being used by man as an instrument to Gods dishonour so that till the bodies of all the Elect bee redeemed and glorified till that time the creature lies under a curse by reason of mans sinnes and mans abuse And they themselves that plead fâ—r Christs personal reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth though they doe hold that the martyrs shall bee raised at at that time yet doe not hold that all the Elect shall bee raised at that time therefore the Apostle saith expresly that the Heavens must keepe the person of Christ till the restitution of all things 〈◊〉 the bodies of the Elect come to bee raised from the Dead Again it is apparant from the context in Acts 3. That the restitution of all things can intend no other time then the time of Christs coming to judgement First because it is said that the time here spoken of is when the Jewes were to bee refreshed from the Lords presence vers 19 20 21. Repent yee therefore and bee converted that your sinnes may bee bloted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And hee shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you Whom the Heaven must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began And they cannot bee refreshed by the Lords presence till Christs coming to Judgement and their
Fifthly if Christ comes personally out of Heaven to reigne a thousand yeares this incongruity will follow that either the Saints and Angels must come or not come with Christ if they must come with Christ then it is a losse to them for them to leave the immediate presence of God and come upon the Earth where wicked men shall bee amongst them or if they must not come with Jesus Christ yet it is a loss to them to remaine there they shall lose for a thousand yeares the bodily presence of Christ if Christ bee on the Earth â—ee cannot bee in Heaven the same time Therefore it would be a losse to the Saints and Angels for them to bee a thousand yeares in Heaven without the company of Jesus Christ not to have the person of Jesus Christ with them A Sixth Incongruity will follow that if Christ shall come to reigne upon the Earth then Christs Kingdome must bee a worldly and terrene Kingdome then it will bee against the word of God hee must be a visible King to the Jewes and a visible King to all the world besides this would follow then that Christs Kingdom must not be aspirituall Kingdome but a Terrene a worldly pompous Kingdome John 18. 36. Jesus answered My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my Servants fight that I should not bee delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdome not from hence Luke 17. 20. And when hee was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdome of God should come hee answered them and said the Kingdome of God cometh not with Observation Would not all the world observe this for Christ to come bodily from Heaven and in the Majesty of a Monarch Now Christs Kingdome doth not come with Observation When the Disciples looked after an Earthly Kingdome No saith Christ my Kingdome is for to Rule and Reigne in your hearts you shall never see me for to be an outward Pompous King in the world for Christs Kingdome it is a spiritual Kingdome Seventhly that if Jesus Christ shall come to take a Kingdome on the Earth for a thousand yeares then this would intimate as if Jesus Christ had not a Kingdome and were not a King on Earth all this while hee is in Heaven they deny that place in Daniel and all those phrases in the new Testament that the Kingdome of the world is become the Kingdome of the Lord they deny that Christ is a King in Heaven When hee was in the Cratch and borne in the Stable he was a King at that very hour Psalme 2. The Apostle referres it to Christs Birth and Christs Resurrection Christ when hee arose from the Dead hee was a King then and the Gospell under Christs time is called a Kingdome It is remarkable in John 18. 37. Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Jesus answered thou sayest that I am a King Christ was a King though hee would not bee an Earthly King to destroy Earthly Governments therefore when the people in a tumult would have made him a King yet hee would not Zech. 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee hee is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the fole of an Asse Hee was King when hee was on that slow contemptible creature so that now to say Christ shall come to reigne as King it is to intimate to the world as if Christ were not a King at this day and whereas he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Heaven therefore he cannot come a thousand years to reigne upon the Earth Now I will deale fairely to shew you the strongest Scripture that hath most shew of reason for the maintaining of this Opinion and shall labour to take them off and cleare it to you There are multitudes of quotations that varieties of mens thoughts fasten upon to prove this poynt yet those they most stand to I shall fasten upon their chiefe Pillar is in Revel 20. 2 3 5 6. And hee laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan and bound him a thousand yeares And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given uuto them and I saw the Soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares But the rest of the Dead lived not again untill the thousand yeares were finished This is the first Resurrection blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall bee Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand yeares Now from this Text which is the chiefest in the Scripture they seeme to build these two things upon First That Jesus Christ shall live upon the Earth and the Saints reigne with him for a thousand yeares Secondly Those that were Martyrs by Antichrist shall rise from the Dead and come upon the Earth these thousand yeares to continue with Jesus Christ This they build much upon That Christ shall come to reign a thousand yeares upon the Earth But I shall shew you this cannot bee the sense of it and I shall give you Six Answers First that though the Scripture doth say that the Saints that were beheaded should live with Christ a thousand yeares yet the Text doth not say that Christ shall come to reigne with them a thousand yeares Secondly though the Text saith that they should live and reigne with Christ a thousand years yet the Text doth not say that they shall reigne with him here upon the Earth Thirdly that though it bee said that the Saints shall live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares yet living and reigning with Christ doth not necessarily imply to bee in the same place where Jesus Christ is for then you would pervert many Scriptures For loe saith Christ I am with you to the end of the World it doth not therfore follow from that time hee will bee upon the Earth to the end of the world but Christ being with us or wee with him it is by his spirit Romans 8. 17. And if Children then Heires of God and joynt Heires with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may bee also glorified together The Text it doth not denote the sameness of place and the oneness of scituation I give this to take off that which is made of this Text. Fourthly it is evident that this Scripture cannot bee a Foundation to build on that Christ shall come to reign a thousand yeares upon the Earth because then it will not onely follow that men shall live so long but shall reigne with Christ so long on the Earth Methuselah
his garments lest he walke naked and they see his shame Fifthly and this Divines stand much upon it is said wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse That the dwelling of a righteousnesse here doth not imply that such a thing shall bee on the new Earth but the dwelling of righteousnesse referres to righteous men not to heaven or earth the Greeke word cleares it plainely it is a word in the Plurall Number Therefore it is referred to the Earth which is in the Singular Number Therefore Divines say from the Originall 2 Peter 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—e in whom â—wels righteousnesse look for a new Heaven and a new Earth So that the dwelling of righteousnesse it is not to be interpreted as referring to the Earth but that righteousnesse should dwell in men wee read of none being on the Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse Thus much for that other Scripture Wee looke for new Heavens and a new Earth A third Scripture and that they deeme to have some strength in too In Daniel 2. 44. And in the daies of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never bee destroyed and the Kingdome shall not bee left to other People but it shall breake in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever Now beloved to give you the scope of the Text take these answers First It is true that a Kingdome is given by God to Jesus Christ and that Kingdome was given by God to Christ while hee was here upon the Earth in the forme of a servant and this Luke tells you Chap. 1. vers 32 33. Hee shall bee great and shall bee called the Son of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and hee shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end So that Jesus Christ had a Kingdom and he is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords in heaven Secondly it is said here that this Kingdome it was begun in the daies of those Kings Now whose daies doth this Text speake of It speakes of those that divided Alexanders Kingdome who overcame the Medes and Persians it was divided betweene Ptolomy Lagides King of Egypt Zeleuchus King of Assyria In that time Jesus Christ did set up a Kingdome for he was born King of the Jewes Thirdly it is apparent that this cannot bee referred to Christs Kingdom in this world for a thousand yeares Because it cannot bee said that it should bee a Kingdome for ever and ever for a Kingdome for a thousand yeares cannot bee said to bee a Kingdome for ever and ever but it is said in Daniel It shall bee for ever and ever A fourth Scripture is in Eph. 5. 5. For this yee know that no Whoremonger nor Uncleane person nor Covetous Man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God And this Text Gerrard quotes and doth well resolve it they say there is not only a Kingdome of God that is Heaven but the Scripture doth make mention of a Kingdome of Christ as a Kingdome of God Therefore they build on this Christs reigne and of having a Kingdome here upon earth First I answer it is true Christ hath a Kingdome but hee saith expresly that his Kingdome is not of this world John 18. 36. Jesus answered my Kingdom is not of this world c. Secondly though it be said here that there is a Kingdome of Christ yet it is not expressed to be upon the Earth for a 1000 yeares Thirdly this Kingdome of Christ Interpreters refer it to the same with the Kingdome of God and to bee meant exegetically A fifth Text they have is in Mat. 26. 29. But I say unto you I will not drinke henceforth of this fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome Alsted quotes from thence they gather it cannot bee meant of Heaven why because there is no eating and drinking there here is a promise by Jesus Christ to come to them no more till he would drinke with them Wine in his Fathers Kingdome and it cannot bee unlesse Christ doth come in person amongst his people and have a Kingdome to eat and drinke with his people in this World This they stand much upon Take these clear answers to these Quotations First this cannot be meant of a Kingdome in this world for a thousand yeares my reason is this because the Kingdome which is Christs personall reigne should bee called Christs Kingdome and not his Fathers Kingdom it should have been called my Kingdome and not my Fathers Kingdome that is one Answer that Divines give Secondly observe this that this may referre to that time between Christs Resurrection and Ascension for after Christ did rise from the dead you know hee did continue forty daies upon the Earth and the Scripture telleth you in Luke 24. 42. And they gave him a piece of broyled Fish and of a hony-combe and hee tooke it and did eat before them So he may as well drinke and eate but that to me is somewhat uncertaine Thirdly which is the true scope of this place I will not drinke henceforth of this fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drinke it with you in my Fathers Kâ—ngdome he was taking the Lords Supper and was drinking the cup of Wine saith hee I am going away and will drinke no more till wee meet in Heaven not that there should bee Eating and Drinking in Heaven but when you and I meete wee shall have sweet fellowship and communion together as is in Eating and drinking together As Feasting is a badge of communion and of Love so there shall be endeared love and endeared communion with Christ in Heaven you shall drinke it new not new Wine nor eat new Bread but after a new manner of Love and communion they should expresse Love each to other and have everlasting communion one with another They say likewise that there shall bee no sinne in the world and that the Earth shall bee restored to its primitive fruitfulnesse as it were before the fall but I shall not middle with these And thus according unto my poore measure I have laboured to lay down the grounds from Scripture why Christ cannot come to reigne personally upon the Earth a thousand yeares and have vindicated those Scriptures that seeme to patronize that Opinion Use Is it so that the Scripture doth not determine of any coming of Christ out of Heaven till his last and great coming to judge the world O then labour to make it your worke to have Jesus Christ as King to reign in your hearts by mortification to rule in thy Heart by his Spirit to mortifie thy head-strong lusts that are in thee Secondly Seeing there is no coming of Christ as King in this world then labour to have Christ
to reign in his Church by a well-ordered Discipline that the Government of Christ may be established in the places where you dwell Thirdly Seeing there is no coming of Christ as King in this world then doe not trouble your selves with Niceties and Obscurities about his coming upon the Earth but labour to be fitted and prepared for his last and great coming Fourthly if Christ should come to reigne upon the Earth which the Scripture no waies speakes of then certainely the Saints of these times do make but a bad preparative for Christs reigne that doe impale Saintship and monopolize Saint-ship unto themselves and say they are the people of God the church of Christ and the Saints of Christ and they make but a bad preparation for Christs coming to live in sensuality as they doe and commit such wickednesses as they do upon the Earth This is but a bad preparation and but poor encouragement to Jesus Christ to come and reigne amongst such Saints as these are which indeed are a scandall to Saints a scandall to Religion and would bee a scandall to that thousand yeares of Christ if he should come to reigne but Christ will have better Saints then these are to reigne with him In treating of the Doctrine of Christs coming againe the other Quere is this how or after what manner shall this coming of Christ be But I will come again Now in the resolving of this question I shal confine my answers to these six particulars First he shall come certainly Secondly he shall come personally Thirdly he shall come visibly Fourthly he shall come gloriously Fifthly he shall come terribly And sixthly he shall come unexpectedly These wayes the Scripture doth furnish you with severall hints touching his coming First the Lord Jesus shall come certainly Christs coming is to bee numbred among poeticall Fictions or with the delusion of Mahomet the certainty of Christs coming againe is built on these three foundations First it is built on the immutability of Gods decree Acts 17. 31. Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the World in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained wherof he hath given assurance unto all men in that hee hath raised him from the Dead The immutability of Gods decree doth prove the certainty of Christs coming God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world Secondly the certainty doth stand upon the infallibility of Christs promise Mat. 26. 64. Jesus saith unto him Thou hast said neverthelesse I say unto you Hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of Heaven there is Christs promise to which three of the Evangelists doe concurre Thirdly the certainty of his coming is grounded upon the impartiality of his Justice here every man hath not right and in Solomons phrase a just man perisheth in his uprightnesse and a wicked man prolongeth his dayes in wickednesse therefore to shew Gods impartiality there must bee a coming of the Sonne of man to judge the world righteously The Doctrine of Christs coming is impugned by Atheists therefore you read what Peter tells you 2 Peter 3. 3 4. Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation And wee read of the men of Athens they questioned this and would not beleeve this For Christ coming to judge the world Acts 17. 32. And when they heard of the Resurrection of the dead some mocked and others said wee will heare thee againe of this matter Of old time in the times of Jesus Christ or soone after men did mocke at this Doctrine that the dead shall rise and Christ should come to judge both the quick and the dead Herein Gerrard reckons up abundance of Sects as the Floriani the Dosithiani the Symmachiani and many others Indeed there is one Scripture that these Atheists do abuse in making it to deny the coming of Christ to judgement Joh. 8. 15. Ye judge after the flesh I judge no man But Beloved to this Text that they make use of to to shake this great Pillar of our hopes the coming of Christ againe take these two Answers when Christ saith I judge no man that is I judge no man with a rash and heady judgement as you judge men that are not of your Opinion you judge things rashly and inconsideratly but I judge no man as you doe so Austine in his 36. Tract on John gives it to bee the sence of the place it doth not exclude Christ from judging the world at the last day but from judging of men as the Pharisees to wit rashly and inconsideratly Secondly Christ doth here speake what was not the end of his first coming in the flesh but the end of his second coming was to judge all men but I judge no man that is it was not the intent or the end of my first coming in the flesh to judge men John 3. When God sent his Sonne to bee borne of a Virgin hee did not send him to judge the world but to save the world hee reserved his judging of the world till his last coming John 12. 47 48. And if any man heare my words and beleeve not I judge him not for I come not to judge the world but to save the world Hee that rejecteth mee and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the words that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The end of my first coming was not to judge it was to bee judged and to be condemned by Pontius Pilate and to dye the cursed death And that is the end of Christs first coming that is the first particular hee shall come certainly Secondly Christ shal not only come certainly but he shal come personally It was the great mistake of Origen though hee holds for the coming of Christ againe that hee pleades for the coming of Christ in spirit therefore that Text where it is said you shall see the Sonne of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven Origen understands by the Cloudes to bee the Saints because it is mentioned in Scripture that the Beleevers are called a cloud of witnesses Now this is to pervert the whole letter of the Bible and turne all the Scripture into an Allegory and Metaphoricall sense Now in opposition of that I lay downe a second property that Christs coming shall bee a personall coming out of Heaven but the Scripture doth not speake of Christs coming on the Earth but no further then the Aire Christ in his Body shall come personally out of Heaven Now to prove this second property or second manner or way of Christs coming there are two Texts of Scripture to confirme it 1 Thess 4. 17. Then wee which are alive and remaine shall bee caught up together with
same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ. So that you are to looke upon not onely your own Christian gifts whereby God brings you to Heaven but all Ministeriall gifts are the fruits of Christs going to heaven Fifthly Christ is gone to Heaven It is to comfort us in this that Christ being bodily in Heaven it might make thee holy and bold and fiducially confident when ever thou comest to God in prayer when thou dost come to God in prayer come to him as one that hath Jesus Christ at his Right hand in Heaven presenting thy prayers to God for thee observeth it comfortable advice given Heb. 4. 14 16. Seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Jesus Christ being in Heaven it should work a holy boldnesse in us to keep out fear and distrust when thou prayest because we have an high Priest that is past into the highest Heavens Jesus the Son of God Who would not come boldly to the Court when he knows that the Kings Eldest Son is his friend and is assured of his love that he will intercede for him to his Father Jesus Christ is the King of Heaven the eldest Son and he is bound by office to represent all our supplications and make Intercession for us Sixthly that Christ is gone bodily into Heaven it may be of comfort that yet he hath the same relation towards a Beleever which he had to them whilest he was upon the Earth When hee was on the Earth Christ did say go tell my Brethren that I am to ascend and after he was taken up into heaven he cals them his brethren Heb. 2. 11. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Though Christ was crowned with glory and gone up to Heaven yet he was not ashamed to call beleevers brethren Now in Heaven Christ is thy God there and Christ is thy Father there Christ is thy Prince there and Christ is thy friend there and this may administer much comfort to thee that Jesus Christ retaines the same relation now hee is in Heaven that he had with thee in the world therefore Iob could speak in a vision I know that my redeemer liveth I know my Kinsman liveth for so the word signifieth I know my kinsman liveth Christ did call his Disciples Brothers when he was in the flesh and so he calleth them brothers now he is in heaven Suppose thou art a poor woman that dost marry a man that is mean and poor in the world why suppose this man should come to the dignity of a King it would be a great comfort to thee that thou who wast but a beggar art now become a Kings wife so though thou art mean in the world yet Jesus Christ doth preferre thee to be his brother Seventhly and lastly it may serve for comfort in this regard that Christ is gone to Heaven for this very purpose to prepare Heaven for thee I goe to prepare a place for you Heb. 6 20. Whither the foreruner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Christ is our forerunner gone to Heaven for us Christ did not onely dye for us but Christ did go to heaven for us Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holâ—est by the bloud of Iesus By a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh That is having hopes to come to enter into Heaven by the bloud of Christ through Christs flesh as dying on the Crosse And thus much be spoken for the Doctrinall part of this point the point was this That Christs Ascensionor going up bodily to Heaven is a ground of great comfort to Gods people whilest they live here upon the Earth I shall now draw out some instructions from some circumstances in Christs going to heaven There are five circumstances from which you may gather some instruction First from the time when Christ did leave the world and ascend up to goe to Heaven if you read the Evangelists they will tell you it was abote the 33 year of his Age he left this world and goeth up to Heaven Learn thus much from thence that if Christ would leave the world in the flower of his Age a young man then this should be fastened to the Meditation of you young men that you should not have your hearts too much glued to the world to hanker after a long life Suppose God should take thee away now in the flower of thy age bee willing and submissive for God tooke Christ away so Secondly you may learne some what from the place whence Christ did ascend it is very observable It was Mount Olivet Acts 1. 12. Then returned they unto Ierusalem from the mount called Olivet which is from Ierusalem a Sabbath days Iourney Luke saith it was from Bethany Luke 2. 50 51 And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them And it came to passe while hee blessed them hee was parted from them and carried up into heaven It was all one but there is much of Gods minde in this of all places in the world Christ did make choyce of Bethany by Mount Olivet to go up to heaven Beloved the reason was because that was the place where Christ was taken when Judas came with the Scribes and Pharisees to apprehend him from that place he was taken to be crucified and seeing it was from that place he would make choyce of that place from whence hee would take his rise to go up to Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bethany in Hebrew signifies a house of affliction Christ made that which was the house of his affliction that Bethany to be the place of the translation of him into glory I would give you thence to note that God doth oftentimes make our sufferings to be Inlets to our glory So it was with Christ from Bethany hee was taken a Prisoner and from that place hee would ascend up into Heaven so if you suffer with him you shall also bee glorified with him you may be carried to Heaven sometime in ways of sharpe afflictions therefore be not daunted at persecution for the Lord makes Bethanics the houses of our afflictions to have a trap-doore in them to let us into our Father Mansion Thirdly from the circumstance in Christs ascension that just as
Gracelesse men what though Christ bee gone into Heaven yet thou shalt never follow after him What though Christ prepareth a place for all his Elect yet hee prepareth none for thee thy place is prepared by an angry God thou goest to Hell and not to a place prepared by Jesus Christ And thus I have done with the second Doctrine to wit that the fruit and benefit that all the Elect of God hath by Christs going into Heaven it is to prepare a place for them I goe to prepare a place for you The third main Doctrine is the Doctrine of Christs coming againe I goe and prepare a place for you but I will come again Christ may stay long but hee will not stay ever but Christ that said hee would goe away also said hee would come again To explicate the phrase I will come again what is meant by Christs coming again Beloved there are foure sorts of Interpretations of these words neither of which are true but the last First by coming again some understand Christs first coming so the Jewes understand it for some of them do study the Evangelists though they study to confute it they doe not beleeve that Christ is come they make it of his coming in the flesh John 4. it was the womans sence of the coming of Christ in the 25. verse The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come hee will tell us all things why he was come but shee thought that hee had not been come O saith Jesus Christ I am hee I am come already so that the Jewes and the Samaritans did ever take the phrase of Christs coming not to Judge the world but of the coming in the flesh Secondly it cannot be understood of the coming of Christ by his spirit so some Interpreters doe understand the words but I will come again by my Spirit and they make it agreeable to that phrase loe I goe away but I will bee with you to the end of the world but Calvin rejects it because the next words say I will come againe to receive you to my selfe Thirdly it cannot bee meant as the Millenaries understand it of Christs coming again to remaine a thousand yeares upon the Earth and for that I shall give you severall demonstrations from Scripture when I come to handle it Fourthly by Christs coming againe it is to bee understood as Calvin and most Interpreters take it of Christs coming to Judge the world as if hee should say I go to prepare Heaven for you and I promise you to come again that though your bodies die and rot in the Graves yet I will come again and raise you up another day and receive you unto my selfe It is to bee understood of his last coming And thus much for the explication of the phrase Obser 3 Christ doth here give them a promise of his coming to comfort their troubled hearts From thence observe that Christs coming again to judge the world is a Doctrine full of comfort to every Beleever whilest they are here upon the earth for the proofe of this see 1 Thess 4. 15. To the end For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that wee which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleepe For the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then wee which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayre and so shall wee ever bee with the Lord Wherefore comfort one another with these words In the handling of this there are four Queries to be answered The first is by way of Objection what comfort is this to us that Christ should bid them they should not bee troubled that hee might come againe when between the making of this promise and this time promised it hath run above 1600 hundred years already Answer First that Tract of time can neither interrupt the accomplishment of a promise nor the comfort of a promise it is comfortable that what is promised shall sooner or later come to passe Daniel 10. 1. In the third year of Cyrus King of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel whose Name was called Belteshazzar and the thing was true but the time appointed was long and hee understood the thing and had understanding of the vision It is a promise made by Christ to comfort you against all the troubles of the world hee will come againe and though the time bee long ere hee doth come yet the time appointed will bee true it is certaine though it be long Secondly that the godly in ages before us could rejoyce in promises being made to them though the accomplishâ—ment thereof was not fullfilled till many years after and why should not the Disciples doe so then and why should not wee doe soe now I will give you two or three instances John 8. 56. Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad The promise was made to Ahraham above a thousand years before he saw him and yet he was glad Heb. 11. 13. These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them They did embrace the promises though they were farre off in their accomplishment An excellent Text you have in Isaiah 9. 6. For unto us a child is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall bee upon his shoulders c. Behold this is matter of joy for to us a childe is borne and unto us a Sonne is given they might have said Lord what is that to us wee heare of garments rowled in blood and of the confused noyse of Warriers and dost thou tell us of that which shall not bee till many yeares after and yet the Prophet doth thinke no fitter a promise to give them then the the promise that a Virgin should conceive a Sonne I mention it for this that though promises were made long since yet bear up your hearts for that it will be sure and certain though it be long and so much for the first particular The next particular is I but how doth it appeare that Christs coming to judge the world is a Doctrin so full of comfort to beleevers First it appears by the beleevers longing and looking for Christs coming to judge the world it is the people of Gods property to long for the appearance of Christ when it makes the heart of a Felix to tremble it is a Doctrine of Great comfort to a Beleever it is called the day of Redemption and called by Peter the day of refreshing and this made the Church say Come Lord Jesus come quickly this shews that to the People of God there is no Doctrine so comfortable as the Doctrine of Christs