of Christ is now in Heaven it were enough then that Opinion of Transubstantiation is hereby confuted Christs Body cannot be in Heaven and on the Earth both at one time Fourthly the ascension of Christ it overthrows the Opinion of the Carpocraciani that hold that onely his soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others And this cannot be for the Disciples said that they saw Christ ascend and this must be his Body for they could not see his soul for the soule is a spirit Now you see the reason why I spent so much time in the morning in giving you many Texts of Scripture to prove this poynt because there are so many Hereticks that doe oppugne this Doctrine of CHRISTS Ascension I now come to give you three or foure practicall deductions First is Christs body now in Heaven then I infer O thou that canst lay a grounded clayme for an interest in Jesus Christ O be not thou afrayd to die doe not thou be afrayd to die that canst lay a claime in Jesus Christ because thy Christ is in Heaven and when thou diest death is but a Trap-doore to let thee in to endlesse joy where Christ is why should wee bee as children to looke on death as a Bugbeare but looke upon death as being a passage into thy Fathers house as being a Trap-doore to let thee in where Jesus Christ is Gen. 45.25.27 And they went up out of Aegypt and came into the Land of Canaan unto Jacob their Father And they told him all the words of Joseph which hee had said unto them and when hee saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him the spirit of Iacob their Father revived Did Jacob rejoyce to see a Wagon or a Chariot that would carry him into Aegypt to see his Sonne Joseph and wilt not thou rejoyce to thinke that death is a chariot to carry thee to Jesus Christ to carry thee to Heaven O therefore let not thy heart be troubled to die because death is but a chariot to carry thee to Heaven Is Christ gone into heaven Then secondly labour thou whilst thou livest on the Earth to ascend to Christ in Divine and holy Ejaculations and Meditations Is Christ in Heaven then why should not thy heart be where thy head is why shouldst thou be grovelling on the Earth seeing thy Christ is now in Heaven It is a speech of Christ Canticles 3.6 Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse like Pillars of smoke perfumed with Myrrhe and Franckincense with all powders of the Merchant Thou shouldst ascend up to Christ though thou beest in trouble in the Wildernesse of this World O ascend up to Christ in holy Meditations the use the Apostle makes of it Colos 3.1 If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God The argument is where Christ sits at the right Hand of God set your affections there and so in the Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Christ is in Heaven therefore our conversation must be where our head is It is a notable Text Mat. 24.28 For wheresoever the Carkeise is there will the Eagles be gathered together That Christ being in Heaven it should make you ascend in your hearts heavenward It is true there are some that wrest these words and give this sence of them that they make the carkeise to be the Jewes and the Eagles to be the Romans because the Romans diduse the Eagle in their Banner and Ensigne of War therefore they say where the Jews were the Romans should come though this was a truth yet not the scope of the Text it is generally overthrowne by most Interpreters But where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort Gerrard doth chiefly referre it to the day of judgement where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort that is where Jesus Christ is in Heaven as the Eagles doe follow after the carkeise to feed upon that so the people of God as Eagles are gathered about a carkeise the people of God shall be gathered about Jesus Christ and this I doe confesse is the chiefe scope of the place and doe believe it is the chief intendment of the holy Ghost but Gerrard hee makes another use of it too and referres it to the power and efficacy of the Gospell in this Life Christ is now in Heaven saith Gerrard that the Gospell shall be as powerfull on men in the World that it shall make men as eager to come after Christ into Heaven as the Eagle is after the prey so your Soules shall be as eager after the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven as the Eagle is after her prey Thirdly I infer hence that before you presume to apply the benefits and the comforts of Christs Ascention into Heaven labour to feele in your own hearts the efficacy of Christs Death and Ascention every man applies the Benefit of Christs Death and Resurrection and Christs Ascention before they finde the efficacy of his Death and the efficacy of his Resurrection It is the Apostles word saith hee I labour to finde the power of his Resurrection so do you labour to finde the power of his Death and the power of his Ascention before you finde the comfort of it It is to make thee less Earthly minded more passionately eager and importunely earnest after the Lord Jesus Christ dost thou feele the power of his Ascention to make thee more heavenly minded and lesse earthly minded O labour to feele the efficacy and power of it else I might say to you as Jacob said to his Mother in Genesis 27.12 My Father peradventure will feele mee and I shall seeme to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon mee and not a blessing Nay without a peradventure God will feele and try whether you are men or no that have right to a blessing that shall have any reall advantage by the benefit of Christs Death of Christs Resurrection and Ascention God will try whether you doe not seeke to deceive your owne Soules and deceive God himselfe if so you will rather have a curse then a blessing if you seeke to apply the comfort of Christs Ascention before you feele the efficacy of it on your owne hearts For those that hold Christs Ascention with us yet they doe vary about some properties about the manner of Christs going away which I give it to you in these properties First Christ went to Heaven visibly in Acts 1. It was no transcient glance of the Eye but they stedfastly beheld Jesus Christ they saw him when hee went away Againe Secondly Christ went to Heaven bodily therefore those do erre that hold that onely his Soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others doe Thirdly hee went to Heaven locally hee ascended locally there are some men that hold that every place is Heaven where God is
doth say that the Saints that were beheaded that they 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 yeares yet the Text doth not say that they shall reigne with him here upon the Earth Thirdly that though it be said that the Saints shall live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares yet living and reigning with Christ doth not necessarily imply to be in the same place where Iesus 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 therefore follow from that time hee will be upon the Earth to the end of the World but Christ being with us or wee with him it doth not follow wee must be with him where hee is but it is 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 we may be also glorified together The Text it doth not denote the samenes of place and the onenes of scituation I give this to take off that which is made of this Text. Fourthly it is evident that this Scripture cannot be a Foundation to build on that Christ shall come to reigne a thousand yeares on the Earth then it will not onely follow that men shall live so long but shall reigne with Christ so long on the Earth Methuselah lived but nine hundred sixty and nine yeares and David saith the life of man is cut short The Text saith they shall live and reigne with Christ in that sence taking living properly and all the Phrases properly they must necessarily say that men shall live when that time comes that men shall live a thousand yeares together Then it cannot be the sence of the Scripture because that cannot be the sence of this Scripture which crosseth the sence of other Scriptures to make this Scripture to affirme that Christ shall reigne on the Earth a thousand yeares for other Scriptures tell you that Christ shall stay in Heaven in person till all men shall rise from the Dead every man shall rise then cometh the end 1 Cor. 15.23 24. But every man in his owne order Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end c. 2 Thess 2.1 Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him Then besides it doth crosse the Scripture to say that at Christs coming onely some men shall arise but not all Job 14.10 11 12. But man dieth and wasteth away yea man giveth up the ghost and where is hee As the waters faile from the Sea and the Flood decayeth and dryeth up So man lieth downe and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleepe Job telleth you expresly That the dead shall not be raised till the Heavens be no more and that cannot be the thousand yeares for there will be a Earth and a Heaven then And in Peters phrase The Heavens shall melt away like a scrowle c. Now to make a Resurrection before a Resurrection it is that which the Scripture doth no where mention John 5.28 29. Marvell not at this for the houre is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his Voyce And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the Resurrection of damnation The judging of the just and unjust shall be the same houre and upon Christs coming all men shall be judged 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome So that Christs appearing and Christs coming is a judging of the quick and the dead Now Beloved then to make this Scripture to say that Christ shall come on the Earth before his last coming this is to crosse other Scripture then of necessity it cannot bee the scope of this for there is no jarring between one phrase of the Scripture and another Fifthly when the Scripture saith here That they live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares it may be as well and they have as strong a ground to plead it is not spoken whether it be a reigning with CHRIST in Heaven or on Earth so the phrase neither carryeth it one way or another Sixthly John doth not say that he saw the bodies of men that were beheaded and they reigned with Christ but hee did in a Vision see the Soules of them that were beheaded now to say that they must come to reigne on the Earth for a thousand yeares it were a great inconveniency to them it is said I saw the Soules of them the thousand yeares cannot be applied to Christs personall Reigne for either it must be applyed to him as hee is simply God and it cannot be applyed to him for so Iesus Christ hath an eternall Kingdome hee doth not reigne a thousand yeares on Earth or in Heaven but everlastingly Kingdomes and States of this World have lasted a thousand yeares and to make Christs Kingdome to last no longer it is to give Christs Kingdome too narrow a confine I have consulted with many Authors and I finde the concurrent of Interpreters generally runne this way though some doe fancy that Text speakes of the binding of the Divell for a thousand yeares and during this time the Saints should live and reigne with Christ for a thousand yeares The sense and scope of this First for the period of time when this time began that the Divell was bound Interpreters doe unanimously give this Opinion that it began in the reigne of Constantine the Great hee being the first Christian Emperour in the World hee coming after 300 yeares Persecution by the Roman Emperours who made great massacre and havock in the Church of God Insomuch that in the booke of Martyrs wee reade that there may be for every day in the year five thousand Christians slaine this is a dreadfull persecution and the Divell raged and stirred much Now upon Constantines reigne the Divell was bound up that is the Roman Emperours who were acted by the Devill to all this cruelty when Constantine a Christian Emperour came to reigne hee gave out impreiall Edicts and Lawes for Establishment of the Christian Religion and that put an end to the Heathens Persecution the Roman Emperours and of this Opinion many Interpreters give in their consent Brightman Napman Gerrard with multitudes of others for the thousand years when the Divell was bound did end 300 yeares and more and this is given to be the scope and sense of the Scripture Obj. I but then you will say Though the Divel was bound how comes the Divell to be loose againe
inequall manner in the Life to come as thou hast gone beyond some Men in graces so thou shalt bee beyond some Men in glory in being present in enjoying the bodily presence of Jesus Christ thou shalt know all the bodies of all thy well-beloved friends that thou knowest here in the World this most Divines doe concurre in Bolton is very strong for it all our Moderne Authors are for it and some of the Antients too I onely give it as a probable advantage and eomfort when a Man shall say Here is the Child that I sought God for and may the Minister say Here is the People that I have Preached to and the people say here is the Minister now in Heaven that I have heard take these probable grounds for it First that the wicked knew the godly in Heaven Dives in Hell knew Lazarus in Heaven Then wee reade likewise in Luke 13.28 There shall bee Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth when yee shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selves thrust out Now the damned in Hell shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of God and why shall not the Godly know one another there Then againe Peter James and John knew Moses in the transfiguration Mat. 13. Then againe the godly they knew the damned in Hell Therefore certainly they may know one another in Heaven It is said in Mat. 8.11 And I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven I doe not give you this for certaine I am loth in things controversall tossed to and fro by learned Men but there are strong Hints and Foundations at best to build hopes on that in thy knowing of Christ in Person that when the bodies of the Elect shall bee raised thou shalt know the bodies of thy elected Friends Boulton here thinkes it should detract much from the happinesse of every Saint in Heaven if every Saint should not know one another which knew one another here upon the Earth this addes much to this happinesse in that they shall have a sociable Communion in being with Christ in Person where hee is And thus much for the Adjuncts of this Condition that where Christ is there yee may bee also Vse The use then If it be so that where Jesus Christ is that place where hee is gone to Heaven there you shall bee also then I Inferre O take it well at Christs Hand suppose thou livest here in a smoaky Cottage Suppose thou hast not a place to put thy Head in O thinke what a place Christ is gone to prepare for thee why hee is gone to prepare no worse a place for thee then Heaven Nay bee content with a Prison be content with a Dungeon O the place in Heaven shall make a recompence for all the obscure places in the World Suppose thou beest as Christ was in the World that the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Ayre have nests but the Sonne of Man hath not whereon for to lay his Head but hee hath a House in Heaven a House not made with hands a building of GOD hee hath his Fathers House in Heaven there you may goe you must bee patient though the places you dwell in are not so comfortable as you may desire but you shall be where Jesus Christ is Secondly if it be so that it is the great benefit of Christs coming againe to take us to himselfe to be in the same place where hee is O then take heede that thou beest not foolish to lose a place in Heaven for worldly profits and preferments for Earth to lose Heaven it is the great Bayte and Engine of these times to have places and Preferments and Advantages take heede they doe not make you to lose the place in Heaven where Christ is Historians that write of Tiberius they stigmatize him for a very foole that would for a drop of drinke sell his Kingdome and so was called of Tiberius Biberius O there are many such Biberius's in the world that for a draft of Drinke will venture the danger of Drinking downe shovells full of Fire to their owne damnation many in the World that will rather then lose their Places and Possessions here upon Earth they will venture the losing of that place to bee even where Jesus Christ is Thus I have in ten Sermons finished Five maine Poynts of Religion And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there yee may bee also FINIS An Alphabeticall TABLE to the first Part of the Saints advantage by Christs Ascension c. A. THe Ascension of Christ an advantage to the Saints the whole scope of the Booke Ascension of Christ the manner how page 33 Antichrist troubled the Church when the Roman Emperour did not p. 98 The Athenians question the Doctrin of Christs coming to Judgement 113 Anathema the meaning of the word p. 126 Abrahams bosome what p. 139 Adam in innocency how instated p. 170 B. The bodily presence of Christ in Heaven a singular benefit to Saints on Earth p. 6.21 Bodies three only in Heaven p. 34 The benefit of Christs Ascension p. 35 Bernards and Brightmans Opinion with the Authors of the phrase of living and reigning with Christ p. 100 The bodies as well as the Soules of the godly shall be received into Heaven p. 131 Christ taken bodily up into Heaven p. 13 The bodies endowments when Christ comes to receive them p. 153 C. Christs Arguments to his Disciples when he was toleave the World Christ gone bodily up to Heaven p. 2 Proved and Confirmed By Scripture p. 6 Proved and Confirmed By Tipes Ibidem Proved and Confirmed By Prophesies p. 7 Proved and Confirmed By The Apostles p. 9 Proved and Confirmed By The Angells p. 10 Proved and Confirmed By Severall reasons p. 11 Christ gone to Heaven to prepare a place for the Elect in what sense p. 36 Christs coming againe what understood thereof p. 51 Christ's personall reigne upon earth the rise of that opinion p. 71 72 73 Christ's sitting at the right hand of God how long p. 75 Christ must reigne how long p. 76. 77 Christ at his coming to Judgement gives his Kingdome to the Father p. 77 Christ shall not become an earthly Monar p. 27 Christ's second coming not to reigne upon Earth p. 77 Christ shall not reigne personally reas why 78 Christ's comming the concomitants thereof 79 Christ's personall reigne contrary to the Tenor of the Scripture p. 79 Christ's personall reigne a disadvantage to the Saints and Angells p. 86. 88 Christ at his Birth and Resurre a King p. 89 Christians 5000 a day put to death when p. 98 Christians 1700 in one month in whose reigne Ibid. Christ shall come like a thiefe p. 103 Christs coming againe the manner how Christ shall come Certainly p. 113
Christ shall come Personally p. 115 Christ shall come Visibly p. 116 Christ shall come Gloriously p. 117 Christ shall come Teribly p. 119 Christ shall come Vnexpectedly p. 120 Christ coming againe proved by the Mutability of Gods Decree p. 112 proved by the Infallibility of his Promises p. 112 proved by the Impartiality of his Justice p. 112 Christ's end in his first coming what p. 144 Christ's coming what produce to the wick p. 123 Christians in some particulers have cause to feare Christs coming Ibidem Christ's coming dreadfull to Opressors p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming dreadfull to Riotous persons p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming dreadfull to Non. Lovers of Christ p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming the end for what p. 133 Christ by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah did Preach to the old world p. 147 Christ must raise the bodies of the elect why p. 150 Christs Resurrection an Argument of ours Ibi. The Church of Corinth in an error touching the Resurrection p. 159 D. The Doctrin of Christs Ascension p. 4 The Doctrin of The Resurrection Ibid. The Doctrin of Everlasting Life Ibid. The Doctrin of Christs Ascension practically applied p 27 Doctrinall Inferences 4 drawn from Christs Ascension p. 27. 29 The Doctrine of Christs coming againe a comfort to believers p. 50. 52. 55. 57. 121. Duties 6 to be learned upon the consideration of Christs coming againe p. 61 Determinations concerning the place from Whence and Where Christ shall come to Judge the World dangerous p. 68 Bold determinations the foundation of superstitions p. 65 The Devill bound the time when it began p. 96 E. Epicurian Principles brought in that Doctrine of Christs personall reigne p. 102 Endowments 6 the bodies of the Elect shall receive at Christs second coming p. 154 F. Fruits of Christs Ascension p. 4 G. The Gospell under Christs time called a Kingdome p. 90 A godly Man when dying is in the Suburbs of Heaven p. 148 H. Himenius opinion touching the Resurre p. 159 I. Instructions drawn from the crcumstances of Christs Ascension p. 226 Incongruities 8 that would follow upon the personall reigne of Christ p. 85 Inconveniences that would follow should it be granted that God does not receive the soules of the Elect as some hold into Heaven till Christs coming to Judgement p. 145 K. The Kingdome given to Christ in whose dayes it began p. 105 The Kingdom of Christ not of this world p 106 The Kingdome of Christ refer'd to that with the Kingdome of God p. 107 L. Living and reigning with Christ does not imply the place where Christ is p. 92 Labaroch a Martyr his story p. 165 M. Maran-atha a compound word p. 127 Murder committed in Adams sin p. 131 Morall men may live and die in an unpardoned estate p. 136 Magistrates comanded to punish sin p 66 N. Non Lovers of Christ accursed p. 102 O. Opinions of the Seleucians confuted p. 27 Observations drawn from the Doctrine of Christs coming againe p. 52 Objections raised from the doctrine of Christs coming againe cleared p. 53 Opinions of the Milleners concerning the restitutions of all things p. 73 Obiections 2 by those that plead for a 1000 years answered p. 97 Opinions of Divines concerning the dwelling of Righteousnesse here p. 104 Origens mistake concerning the coming of Christ p. 114 The Opinion of those who hold the sleeping of the Soule p. 134 P. Practicall inferences 4 drawne from the doctrine of Christs Ascension p. 33. 29 Practicall inferences 4 drawne from the doctrine of Christ's preparing Heaven for the Saints p. 46 The place where and where not Christ shall come to Judge the World p. 66 The promise of Christs coming handled p. 7â— The promise of Christs coming againe what meant thereby p. 71 Paradice what p. 72 Perkins opinion concerning the Resurre p. 163 Price a Martyr his story p. 165 Pauls argument against uncleannesse p. 167 Q. Queries concerning Heaven being prepared by Christ for the Saints p. 39 40 R. Restitution of all things the time when p 73 74 Restitution of all things what it intends p. 74 Resurrection of the Just and unjust what p. 83 The Resurrection of the body proved p. 140 S. The soules of Saints went to Heaven before the Ascension of Christ p. 41. 135 Scriptures whereon are grounded those opinions of Christs personall reigne upon earth cleared p. 91. 101. 105 106 107. The Saints living and reigning what Christ the First Resurrection p. 98 The Scriptures doe not determine any coming of Christ out of Heaven till he come to Judge the World p. 109 The sins of the wicked to whom published p. 122 The soules of the Elect go to Heaven imediately after death confirmed by Scripture p. 141 142. 150. The Spirit sanctifies the bodies of the Elect as well as the soules p. 151 The Saints happinesse in being with Christ fully handled p. 70 T. The Turkish Emperour when began to beare sway p. 97 W. The wicked seperated from the Elect at Christs coming p. 122 The wicked goe to Hell p. 147 An Alphabeticall TABLE to the Second Part. Saints are bound to confesse their Sins A. ANtinomists their opinion of confession of sin p. 37 Auricular confession a great mistake p. 41 Auricular confession invented by whom p. 42 43 Aggrevations 6 in Adams sin p. 131 Austins aggravation of sin p. 147 Authors opinions concerning Infants p. 172 Antinomians opinions concerning the praying for pardon of sin p. 181 B. Believers both in New testament and old made conscience of confession of sin p. 38 C. Confession the nature of it p. 8 Confession is to the soul as the whetstone to the knife p. 11 Confession of sin is no slavish worke p. 17 Confession of sin in what cases needfull to confesse them to Men. p. 44 Confesion of sin what kind hath necessary connexion with forgivenesse of sin p. 72 Confession of sinne with its connexion how agreeable with the freeness of Gods grace p. 76 Negatively and Positively Considered p. 78 Concomitants 6 that attend a pardoned person p. 83 Characters 4 of a pardoned Man p. 87 Consolations 4 for a disconsolate soule p. 122. 151 Considerations 5 concerning lesser sins p. 128 Considerations concerning great sins p. 139 Christ dyed for Man not for the Devill p. 147 Cases of Conscience resolved p. 156 D. The Duty of confession p. 6 Defects 10 that the godly as well as the wicked lie liable to confession of sin p. 51 Doubts resolved p. 90. 95. 98 Davids 4 projects to hide sin p. 98 Differences 5 between pardoned an unpardoned sinner p. 104 Davids sin the nature of it p. 112 Directions sorgr eatsinners p. 142 E. Every confession of Sin will not serve turne p. 18 F. Forgivenesse of sin wherein it consists p. 21 Forgiveness Confession of sine a necessery connecti p. 66 Forgiveness of sins what it is p. 66 G. Gramarians bow they distinguish the words Sin Iniquity Transgression p. 5 God comands confession of sin p. 39 Gods Act touching the forgiveness of sin p. 46 God in some sence receives injury by Mans sin p. 82 God pardons Sins after repentance not before p. 167 H. Holy confession the properties of it p. 30 Helps against the defects of confession of Sin p. 57 I. Iniquity the signification of the word p. 5. Iustified persons bound to confesse their Sins to God p. 8 P. The pardoned Mans happinesse p. 2 Paul's 8 aggravations of Sin p. 27 Peters Sin the nature of it p. 118 Paul's Sin the nature of it p. 120 R. Rules for confession of Sin p. 19 Relapses into grose sins dangerous Symptoms of a Man to be in a lost condition p. 180 S. Sin in us to hide our Sins p. 1 Sin what it signifies p. 5 Saul made the same confession of Sin that David did p. 18 Saul confest his Sin to Samuel not to God p. 20 Sins in how many respects said to be forgiven p. 70 Sin how many ways considered p 71 Selah what it Signifies p. 111 Sin in divers respects aggravated p. 186 T. Transgression what it is p. 5 Times 3 most seasonable to confesse Sin to God p. 13 W. The way to procure the pardon of Sin p. 2 The wicked confesse Sin how p. 31. 36 Women 4 infamos recorded in the Genealogy of Christ p. 25. THE END
when Judas came with the Scribes and Pharisees to apprehend him from that place hee was taken to be crucified and seeing it was from that place hee would make choyce of that place that from thence hee would take his rise to go up to Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bethany in Hebrew signifies a house of affliction so that Christ made that which was the house of his affliction Christ made that Bethany to be the place of the translation of him into glory I would give you thence to note that God doth oftentimes make our sufferings to be Inlets to our glory So it was with Christ from Bethany hee was taken a Prisoner and from that place hee would ascend up into Heaven so if you suffer with him you shall also be glorified with him you may be carried to Heaven sometime in ways of sharpe afflictions therefore doe not be danted at persecution for the Lord makes Bethanies the houses of our afflictions to have a trap-doore in them to let us into our Fathers Mansion Thirdly from the circumstance in Christ ascention just as Christ did ascend he◠was speaking to his Disciples things that did appertaine to the Kingdome of God and as hee was blessing of them hee was taken up before their eyes Acts 1.9 And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight Whilest hee was blessing of his Disciples and whilest hee was speaking to them things appertaining to the Kingdome of God hee was taken away I would give you this note from thence that when you come towards the time of your departure out of this World make Christ your example Christ as hee was going away hee spake of things appertaining to the Kingdome of God so let your hearts be full fraught with Divine contemplation do you leave good counsell behinde you when you come to die that so some body may say these are the last words of a dying Friend I might extend this Example of Christ before his departure out of the World unto masters of Families that when you come towards your end leave good councell behind you Let not your speech be filled about worldly affaires but let that be setled before but leave good councell with your children Jacob when hee was to die hee called all his children about him and gave good councell unto them and blessed them Likewise of David 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Sonne know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seeke him hee will be found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for ever And thus wee see in the instances of Isaac and many other Servants of God Moses to Joshua when hee was to die I but take Christs Example so farre that when you are to leave the World that you may have your minds possessed with nothing else but with things appertaining to the Kingdom of God as Christ was Fourthly there is instruction to be gathered from the manner of Christs leaving the World the manner was in the Acts 1.9 And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight They saw him by degrees ascend into Heaven this must not passe our Meditation that a cloud should take Jesus Christ out of our sight it is for a reliefe to your Meditations that when you see the clouds that these cloud◠that I see hover in the Heaven they are Christs Chariot that did once carry him to Heaven and they are the chariots that shall carry Jesus Christ to judge the World O labour to have your Meditations on Divine things hee went up in a cloud therefore the clouds are called Gods Chariots Fifthly the circumstance in Christs ascention is this that hee would call all his Friends about him it is expresly said all the eleven Apostles were with him Acts 1. And an Interpreter doth think that there was an hundred and twenty with Jesus Christ when he ascended up into Heaven he gathered it from Acts 1.15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples and said The number of Names together were about an hundred and twenty Now learned men doe thinke that there was an hundered and twenty that did see Jesus Christ ascend up into Heaven it is cleare that there were the eleven Apostles there and if this be so that Christ gathered about him his Friends when hee was to leave the World I gather thence that when you are drawing towards your end and departing out of the World Labour to have your Friends about you that you might give them the advice of a dying Friend and it is a great blessing for to die amongst your Friends Christ before that hee would goe up to Heaven and leave the World hee would have his Friends about him and then hee was taken up from them I now come to draw out more practicall application of this poynt If it be so that Christs going up bodily into Heaven be a ground of such great comfort unto the people of God upon Earth the use that I shall draw it shall be to deduce foure Doctrinall and foure practicall inferences from this poynt First this poynt it confute the opinion of the Selucians and Herliani that hold that Christs Body is not in Heaven but that it is in the beautifull and splendent body of the Sun and they say that is the reason the Sun doth cast such a glorious light o're that the Moon doth and truly this old Heresie is againe revived amongst us and I have seene it in a booke called Divine Light when indeed it is nothing but darkenesse but Christ is above the Sun Christ is above all the visible Heavens Christ sits in the third Heaven as Paul calls it therefore if Christs Body be gone into Heaven they are in an errour Secondly this poynt will confute those who hold that Christs Body hath beene on Earth since his ascention into Heaven Some in Germany held that they were the very Christ and thus in King Henry the Eights days there was one held that hee was the Christ and his side was pearc't and there was Nayles seene in his hand c. I but if men say loe here is Christ and there is Christ believe them not for Christ was never on the Earth since his Ascention Thirdly that Christs Body is now in Heaven it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Popish Religion touching Transubstantiation or the reall presence that Jesus Christ is bodily present at the Sacrament say the Papists we really eate Christs flesh and drink Christs bloud that Christ is as really at the Sacrament as hee was on the Crosse If there were no other argument to overthrow this Opinion but this that the body
heaven then the Death and Merits of Christ would be much extenuated Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever He was the same yesterday that is before he was borne hee was of use then as well as after time Againe if the Soules of wicked men be in Hell before Christs time then the Soules of godly men must bee in heaven before Christs time that must clearly follow by the Rules of contrary now that wicked men went to Hell is cleare Jude 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall Fire They went to hell before Christs time therefore cleare it must follow that the Elect must goe to Heaven before Christs time Fourthly there is the very same reason why Believers should goe to heaven before Christs Ascension as there is why they should go to heaven after Christs Ascension because Believers under the old Testament they had the same Gospell preached to them as now wee have and they had the same Spirit the same Faith the same Christ and under the same Covenant and therefore why must they not goe to the same place I shall clearly prove this unto you First they had the same Spirit and the same Faith that wee had and this is laid downe by the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.13 Wee having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken wee also believe and therefore speak and they with us had the same justifying Faith Then for circumcision it was a signe of righteousnesse by Faith And then againe they had the same Gospell that wee have Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the same Gospell Preached as well as unto them but the word Preached did not profit them not being mixt with Faith in them that heard it The same Gospell onely theirs was darke for the ceremoniall Law was Gospell meerely Types and Shadowes to come Shadowes of Salvation by Christs Bloud to them was the Gospell Preached as well as unto us Nay they had the same Christ as wee have 1 Cor. 10.4 And did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that Sipirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ And in the Wildernesse it is said Let us not tempt Christ as they also tempted him they sinned against Christ in the Wildernesse and they enjoyed Christ in the Wildernesse so that they had the same Christ as wee have Againe they are under the same Covenant that wee are Jeremiah 31. It is the same Covenant with ours in Hebrewes 8. So that is there not the same reason why Believers under the old Testament should goe to the same place as Believers under the new for they had the same spirit the same Faith the same Gospell the same Christ and under the same Covenant therefore they must needs go to the same place though heaven be prepared by Christs Ascension yet heaven was opened before yet not so manifested before as since Christ Dyed Rose and went up to Heaven Vse I now come to the Application the use is to draw out a few practicall inferences from this Doctrine which are foure If it be so that Jesus Christ by his going into heaven hath prepared a place for the Elect there then learne by way of recompense by way of compensation and gratification to Jesus Christ O prepare thou a heart for Christ who hath prepared a heaven for thee Shall Christ go to heaven to prepare a place for thee yet thou afford Christ no corner in thy heart thou lettest thy lust sit on the Throne of thy heart yet not give Christ any roome there We reade in Revel 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her selfe ready O be thou as the Bride make thy selfe ready for the Marriage day the betrothing day was when Christ went up to heaven thy Marriage day is thy dying day O against the Marriage day of the Lambe doe thou who art his Bride make thy selfe ready doe thou prepare a heart for Christ who hath prepared heaven for thee Origen hath a good passage on Luke 22.12 And hee shall shew you a large upper roome furnished there make ready though hee doth much abuse the scope of the Scripture There were three properties of the Roome wherein Christ are the Passover a large upper and a furnished Roome hee makes this Allegory of it I doe not give it to you as the sence of it but take his glosse that if thou wilt come to sup with Christ thou must make thy heart as the upper Roome a heart raised in Divine contemplation and not onely an upper Rome but a large Roome a large Heart a furnished Roome a Heart adorned with grace O doe thou prepare a large Roome an upper Roome and a furnished Roome for Christ Secondly if Christ be gone into heaven to prepare a place for the Elect then wee are rather gayners then losers by the want of Christs bodily presence wee should be lesse happy to have Christ upon the Earth then now Christ is in heaven for wee are greater gayners by Christ now being in Heaven then if hee were in person with us upon the Earth Divines illustrate this say they the body of the Sun it is fixt in the Firmament and giveth light over all the World now should the body of the Sun be taken from the Firmament and be upon the Earth amongst us it would not be of that availe to us as now it is the Sun of Righteousnesse now hee is in the heavens hee is of greater availe to us then if hee were upon the Earth for if hee were on the Earth all the World could not see him at once so that wee are greater gayners by Christs bodily absence and by Christs going up to Heaven then if hee were in person here amongst us truly as Christ saith in John 14.28 Yee have heard how I said unto you I goe away and come againe unto you If yee loved me yee youl l rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. Truly it was matter of joy and not of griefe that Christ left this World and went to Heaven because hee went there to prepare a place for us I would faine know whether Jacob would have beene troubled for his Son Joseph if Jacob had known this that his Sonne was gone into Aegypt to prepare a place for him and all his Brethren against the Famine surely it would never have troubled him Truly your Joseph your Jesus hee is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for you there therefore let it not trouble you seeing you are more happy by Christs presence in Heaven then if you had his Bodily presence upon the Earth Thirdly if Christ be gone Bodily into
reigne on the Earth this you have in 2 Thess 2.9 Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him So that the coming of our Lord and our gathering together to be judged by Christ they are both coupled together because when the Lords coming is then is our gathering time Mat. 25.31.32 When the Sonne of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit upon the Throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and hee shall seperate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his Sheepe from the Goats And in 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdome The Scripture telleth you that when Christ appeares to judge the World hee shall have this Concomitant of his coming hee shall gather all together to judge both the Good and the Bad. Those that pretend that Christ shall come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth they cannot prove that then all shall bee gathered together they onely pleade for the Martyrs and none else therefore it cannot be referred to his coming to reigne a thousand years Thirdly when Christ comes then the end of the World is a period is put to this World 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father c. So when Christ comes then comes the end Now those who hold for Christs personall reigne they hold that the end of the World shall not be till a thousand yeares after because Christ must Reigne a thousand yeares Fourthly the Resurrection both of the just and unjust is a concomitant of Christs coming 1 Cor. 15.23 But every man in his owne Order Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming So that at Christs coming the generall Resurrection of the just and unjust is to be Lastly there is to be the Salvation of the Soules of all the Elect that is a fifth concomitant of Christs coming Heb. 9.28 So Christ was once offered to beare the sinnes of many and unto them that looke for him shall hee appeare the second time without sinne unto Salvation This cannot bee referred to Christs Person coming upon the Earth because hee doth not come then to save the soules of all the Elect that is the first reason why Christ cannot come to Reigne upon the Earth that when the Scripture speakes of Christ coming out of Heaven the Scripture doth annex five Concomitants with it that it cannot be true of Christs coming upon the Earth but to come to judge the World A second reason is this that Christ cannot come to reigne upon the Earth because if it should be so it would be worse for Christ and it would be worse for us then now it is it would be worse for Christ for to leave Heaven and come to the Earth for Christ to leave Saints and Angells and Heaven for to live among the wicked and the good for they themselves confesse that wicked men shall live upon the Earth then Then besides they fancy Earthly delights that the fruit of the Vineyard shall not fade as now it doth why they would lessen Christs Glory because hee sits this day at his Fathers right Hand for to fancy this that Christ must come to reigne upon the earth it would be a great losse to all the Elect for wee have the benefit of Christs everlasting Intercession And were Christ upon the Earth wee should lose that benefit Heb. 8.4 For if hee were on the Earth hee should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law Therefore I doe wonder what they will doe that pretend great glory to Christ to reigne on the Earth so that if hee were upon the Earth wee should lose the benefit of his Priest-hood Therefore it would be a great wrong to us to have Christ here on the Earth because the benefit of his Priestly Office would not be so availeable to us as it is in Heaven Thus I have laid down Scripture and given you reasons why Christ cannot come before his last coming Now there are eight Incongruities and Absurdities that would follow in case you should grant that CHRIST should come to Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth First by those mens Principles this inconvenience will follow that people may exactly know the punctuall time of Christs last coming to judge the World for those who hold Christs personall Reigne they do as well hold the time as the thing they doe as well maintaine when this Reigne shall begin Therefore some have maintained that Christ should come to Reigne on the Earth in the yeare 1650. One saith if it shall not be in the yeare 1650 it shall be in the yeare 1694. They that goe furthest give at that time if so be they hold the thing and maintaine the time when it shall begin then of necessity wee must know exactly when the day shall be that Christ shall come to judge the World for they grant it shal be imediately after the thousand yeares Now Beloved that Opinion that carries this absurdity to know the day of Christs coming to judge the World which Christ saith none in the World can tell of that houre and day knoweth no man Mark 13.32 But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells which are in Heaven neither the Sonne but the Father Therefore it cannot possibly be that Christ must come on the Earth therefore those that live at least to see Christ come from Heaven they cannot tell to a Day when CHRIST shall come to judge the World A second Incongruity which will follow is this if this should be granted that Christ shall Reigne on the Earth a thousand years before his great and last coming to judge the World then it will follow that Christ shall almost be as long a time on the Earth as in Heaven Christ dyed in the 33 yeare of his Age and hath beene 1619 yeares in Heaven and hee must be a thousand yeares upon the Earth that is very improbable This incongruity will follow that it will be a great disadvantage to Christ for Christ to come in person a thousand yeares on the Earth hee must leave his Father and leave his Heaven and come and onely possesse Earth Now Christ hath more happinesse in the imediate enjoyment of his Father in Heaven then hee can have here upon the Earth Then it will be a losse to us that wee should lose the benefit of his Priestly Office but Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse being in Heaven is more waileable to Believers then if he were upon the Earth Fourthly observe this that if Christ should come on the Earth for a thousand yeares then Christ would leave the Church after that thousand yeares for a while in
this Text. First they say that this Text it is a parable and not an Historicall Narration To this I answer though some men doe say it is a Parable yet many say it is a History Jerome and many following him doth give many Arguments to prove that it was a History and not a Parable And Tertullian is confident that this is an exact History of what was really done And Peter Martyr doth quote Tertullian saith hee that Tertullian is so confident that this is a History that hee undertakes for to tell this to tell you whom were the men saith hee the Rich man was Herod and the Beggar was Iohn the Baptist But suppose it be a Parable and not a History yet Parables doe carry the resemblance of truth Parables take their Foundations from truth that there are some men in Hell and some men in Heaven that in Hell there is torment and in Heaven there is joy that as the beggar went to Heaven after death so shall all the godly and as the rich man went to Hell so shall all the wicked The other Evasion is this it is said that this Beggar is said to be carried into Abrahams bosome I answer First it is more then probable that Abrahams bosome is Heaven Now Abraham being in Heaven why all his children are in Heaven as children in a Fathers bosome he being the Father of the faithfull that is the answer that Gerrard gives Againe it is said that they are carried by Angells into Abrahams bosome Therefore Abrahams bosome must be in Heaven now certainly the good Angells carry a good soule into Heaven and the wicked Angels carry a damned soule into hell and thus you have two Instances that imediatly after death the soules of the Elect goe to Heaven A third Instance is in Mat. 22.31 32. But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Argue from that Instance that therefore Abraham Isaac and Jacob were living at that time though not in their bodies but they were at that time living if you marke the reason the reason of that Text was not to prove a Resurrection of the body onely which the Saduces deny but also to prove the imortality of the Soule The Saduces deny Spirits and Angells too Acts 23.8 For the Saduces say that there is no Resurrection neither Angell nor Spirit but the Pharisees confesse both Christ doth prove that there shall be a Resurrection of the body and hee likewise proves that the soule doth not die when the body dyeth Indeed there is a quotation that I have read of a learned man that doth make use of this Instance Gen. 25.8 Then Abraham gave up the Ghost and died in a good old age an old man and full of yeares and was gathered to his people Abraham was not gathered to his Fathers nor to be gathered in the grave where his fore-fathers were how can this be true that the Scripture saith Abraham was gathered unto his Fathers yet hee was not gathered to his Fathers in God therefore say Divines it must be in his Soule that Abraham went to Heaven as his godly fore-fathers went that is the meaning of that phrase to be bound up in the bundle of Life to goe to Heaven as their fore-fathers did And thus much for particular Instances The second way to prove that the soules of the Elect men goe to Heaven imediately after death It is by generall Expressions in Scripture Two generall passages one is In Heb. 12.23 To the generall Assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect thence I argue that the Apostle makes mention and proves that there were the Spirits of just men made perfect Now if their soules did perish with their bodies then the Apostle should say that their spirits are annihilated with the body but it is the spirits of just men made perfect the Scripture takes notice in generall expressions that just men have their soules made perfect And then in Eccle. 12.7 Then shall the dust returne to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall returne to God who gave it Marke here are two things spoken of First here is the end of godly men the body shall goe to the dust and the soule to God the time when it shall be is when that man goeth to his long home when the keepers of the House shall tremble that is the Hands and Armes and the strong men shall bow themselves that is the Feete and Thighs and the Grinders shall cease that is the Teeth and they that looke out at the windowes shall be darkened that is the Eyes when nature decayes and the body perisheth by Diseases and dyes then shall the body goe to the dust and the spirit to God that gave it Thirdly I shall prove it to you from expresse passages in the Scripture that doe confirme this that the soules of the Elect after death before Christs coming are received into heaven for this I shall give foure or five expresse Scriptures The first is in Iohn 6.40 And this is the will of him that sent mee that every one which seeth the Sonne and believeth on him may have Everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Here are two distinct promises premised First a promise of everlasting Life Secondly a promise of raising up at the last day First a promise of everlasting Life is made distinct from the other Divines say that before the raising up at the last day there is an everlasting Life that his soule shall live before the last day and his body shall be raised up at the last day Another Text is in Luke 16.9 And I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that when yee faile they may receive you into everlasting habitations Kemnitius makes great use of this Text to prove what I am now arguing to you that imediately after death the soule of an Elect man is received into Heaven Marke make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that is your wealth called so either because it is unrighteously gotten or unrighteously kept use your wealth well that when you die you may be received into everlasting habitations It is questionable whether it be referred to Angells or to the poore which shall pray for us that wee may be received into Heaven but saith Kemnitius use your wealth well that you may be received into everlasting habitations upon your failing upon your dying the Lord receives the Elect into everlasting habitations This Kemnitius doth build on that the soule doth goe to Heaven imediately after Death A third Scripture is in Phil. 3.23 For I am in a straite betwixt two having a desire to
not in Heaven hee was speaking on Earth to them in his Person in his Humane Nature so likewise in John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given Mee bee with Mee where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given Mee for thou lovedst Mee before the Foundation of the World Gerrard doth raise this Question that when Christ speakes of his being in Heaven CHRIST doth speake of it in the Present Tense as if hee were there already Now why doth Christ say that hee is in Heaven when yet he was in his body on the Earth First Christ saith I am it denotes the certainty of Christs going to heaven that he should bee there as sure as if hee were there Babylon is fallen why the Popedome is not fallen yet it shall bee as sure as if it were fallen It is to note Secondly the suddennesse of it Christ was shortly to bee in Heaven there was but one day betweene Christ and his being in Heaven things suddenly to be done they are said to be done things that are neere a doing are said to be done Thirdly which is the reason that Gerrard gives Christ doth expresse in the present Tense where I am though hee were on Earth it was for this reason saith Gerrard to shew that Christ was truly God as well as Man and in regard of his Divine Nature hee was truly in Heaven as in regard of his Humane Nature hee was on Earth Thus much for the manner of expression that where I am there you may be also the latter part is that they might be with Christ where he is One thing to observe that in Scripture Language there is a great difference betweene Christs being with us and ours said to be with Christ Christ is said to be with us it doth not denote a personall presence but a presence by his Spirit Mat. 28. last verse Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I shall command you and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World It was not in person for hee left them but I am with you in my blessing in my Spirit but when the Scripture saith of our being with Christ it notes a personall presence a being with Christ in preson Therefore Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Christ was with Paul because Christ converted him but Paul was not with Christ but desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ our being with the Lord it notes a personall presence an enjoying of the presence of the Lord. Obser The Observation is this That Christ at his second coming receives the Elect unto himselfe in body and soule that they might bee for ever present where Jesus Christ is in Heaven that where I am there yee may bee also This Doctrine it is out of the common place Here in setting out to you this great happinesse that this should be the consequent of Christs great and last coming to receive the Elect unto himselfe that where Christ is there yee may be also I shall then shew you the great blessednesse in this condition in these eight or nine particulars First our being where Christ is in heaven I may first set out the happinesse of it in this particular First that you will bee more happy in being present with Jesus Christ in Heaven then if you had beene present with Adam in a state of Innocency wee should have thought our selves happy then to bee as Adam was to have had the Immediate presence of God wee should have thought this a very happy and glorious Estate Indeed so it was but now to be present with CHRIST in Heaven thou art more happy ten thousand times then if thou hadst beene made when Adam was made to have lived with him in Innocency First Adam when he was made by God in Innocency he was instated only into an earthly Paradice but now thou being with Christ art stated into an everlasting kingdom Againe Adam was placed in Innocency yet so as to bee liable to lose that blessed and glorious condition hee was in and did lose it though hee were a perfect Creature yet hee lay under a capacity to lose all his excellency but when God brings thee to bee present with Jesus Christ thou art instated into a kingdom that cannot be shaken into a happy condition that cannot be lost Againe thirdly when hee was made by God in Innocency hee enjoyed onely the society of Beasts on the Earth and Birds of the Ayre I but when God brings thee where Christ is hee doth instate thee into a condition where God the Father God the Son and all the Saints and Angels are thy companions Secondly here is another part of thy happinesse being where Christ is that thou shalt enjoy the society of Christ in his Humane Nature where Christ is thou shalt be that is the meaning of that expression John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given Mee be with Mee where I am that they may behold my Glory Beloved this is the Beatificall vision this referres to seeing the glory of Christs Person in his Humane Nature not the glory of his Godhead but the glory of his Man-hood which was in himselfe that they may behold my glorified body the glory of my Humane Nature that was so contemned and so despised when I was on the Earth I beseech thee let all the Elect that long for mee and for to bee with mee I beseech thee that they may bee with mee where I am to behold my glory It was a solemn wish of Austine a little before his Death hee wisht that hee might see three things and then if hee might die hee did not care I wish saith hee First that I might see Rome in its beauty and see Paul in the Pulpit and to see Christ in the flesh every Believer shall see the Lord Jesus in the flesh Job tells you of his confidence long before Christ was borne I know my Redeemer liveth and with these Eyes I shall see my Redeemer here is thy happinesse that being where Jesus Christ is thou hast a society with Christ in his Humane Nature 1 John 3.2 Beloved now wee are the Sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall bee but wee know not when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is Wee doe not know what Christ is wee doe not know what a glorified body is wee shall know him then wee shall see him as hee is glorified in Heaven A Third thing that makes much for the blessednesse of the Elect that thy being present with Jesus Christ God gives thee more Honour then ever thou couldst be capable of in former time God gives thee glory by vertue of thy being with Jesus Christ a notable Text John 12.26 verse If any Man serve mee let him follow mee and where I am there shall also my servant be If any Man serve mee
THE SOVLS CORDIALL In two TREATISES I. Teaching how to be eased of the guilt of Sin II. Discovering advantages by Christs ascension By that faithfull Labourer in the Lords Vineyard Mr. CHRISTOPHER LOVE Pastor of Lawrence Jury London The third Volum Job 33.27 28. He looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not He will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Romans 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us London Printed for Nathaniel Brooke at the Angell in Cornhill 1653. J Cross Sculpsit To the Reader READER THou art here presented with two Treatises of the late pious and faithfull Minister of the Gospell Mr. Christopher Love They come to thy view in an unpolished style as they were taken from the mouth of the reverend Author whose endeavour it was to pierce the conscience rather then to please the eare A garish dresse is unbefitting a chaste Matrone if thou expect here what may be pleasing to a wanton appetite stay at the threshold thou wilt lose thy labour if thy stomach be for wholesome Food and Doctrine according to Godlinesse enter in this diet is for hungry soules The first part will shew thee how thou must proceed to obtaine and assure thy heart of pardon of sin viz. by a sound Confession this duty is much decried in these dayes of Libertinisme but by such as decry the power of Godlines and are loath to have a check put upon their licentiousnesse but doe thou remember he that hideth his sin shall not prosper hee that confesseth and forsaketh it shall finde mercy If we say wee have no sin we deceive our selves and make God a lier if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive them pardon of sinne is the purchase of the bloud of Christ but intailed upon the Confession of sinne The latter will shew thee thy great advantage by Christs ascension intercession and returne to judgement this is a subject most sutable for the last times times of perill and temptation to quiet comfort and incourage to keepe the heart in the love of God in the patient waiting for Christ and unspotted in the world We have much talke in the World that Christs person shal reigne for 1000. yeares upon earth hee that can see this in Scripture hath a clearer sight then I but what ever becomes of this opinion we are sure of and stay our soules upon this That our blessed Saviour is now at the right hand of God in glory pleading the cause of his despised servants waiting till his enemies be made his footstoole from whence we expect him at that great day to transforme our vile bodies into the similitude of his glorious body to take us into these mansions prepared for us that we may see his glory and be for ever with the Lord. These meditations if they were often in our mindes would engage us to be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord because our labour is not in vain in the Lord. One thing more I advertise thee that in the perusing of these little Treatises thou wilt meet with many typographicall errors for these the Printer craves thy pardon Farewell J. Cranford Pastor of Christophers le Stocks Curteous Reader These Books following are Printed for Nathaniel Brooke and are to be sold at his Shop at the Angell in Gornehill 1. TImes Treasury or Academy for Gentry excellent grounds both Divine and Humane for their accomplishment in arguments of discourse habit fashion with a Ladies love Lecture and Truthes triumph summing up all in a character of Honour by Ri. Braithwait Esq 2. Morton of the Sacrament folio 3. Physiognomy and Chiromancy Metoposcopy the Symmetricall proportions and signall Moles of the body the subject of Dreames to which is added the art of Memory by Ri. Sanders Student folio 4. Theatrum chemicum Britanicum tontaining severall poeticall peeces of our famous English Philosophers which have written the Hermitque misteries in their antient Language by Elias Ashmole Esq 5. Chiromancy or the art of Divining by the lines engraven in the hand of man by dame Nature Theologically practically in 19. Genitures with a leraned discourse of the soule of the World and universall spirit thereof by Geo. Wharton Esq 6. Catholick History collected and gathered out of Scripture Councells and antient Fathers Moderne writers hoth ecclesiasticall and civill by Ed. Chisenhall Esq 7. Planometria or the whole art of Survey of Land shewing the use of all Instruments but especially the plain Table whereunto is added an Appendix to measure regular Solides as Timber Stone usefull for all that intend either to sell or purchase by Ol. Wallingby 8. 8. An Arithmetick in number and species in two Books 1 Teaching by precept and example the operation in Numbers whole and broken by Decimals and use of the Logarithms Napyers bones 2 The great Rule of Algebra in Species resolving all Arithmeticall questions by supposition with a Canon of the powers of numbers fitted to the meanest capacity by Jonas Moore late of Durham 8. 9. Tactometrica or the Geomety of Regulars after a new exact and expeditious manner in Solids with sundry usefull experiments Practicall Geometry of Regular-like Solids and of a Cylinder body for liquid vessell measure with sundry new experiments never before extant for gauging a work very usefull for all that are imployed in the art Metricall by John Wiberd Doctor in Physick 10. An Astrologicall discourse with Mathematicall Demonstrations proving the powerfull and harmonicall influence of the Planets and fixed Stars upon Elementary Bodies in justification of the Validity of Astrologie by Sir Christopher Heydon Knight 11. Magick and Astrology vindicated in which is contained the true definitions of the said Arts and the justification of their practise proved by the authority of Scripture and the experience of antient and modern Authors by H. Warren 12. An Astrologicall judgement of Diseases from the Decumbiture of the sick also the way of finding out the cause change and end of a disease also whether the sick be likely to live or die by N. Culpeper 13. Catastrophe Magnatum or the down fall of Monarchy by N. Culpeper 14. Ephemerides for the year 1652. being a year of wonders by N. Culpeper 15. Lux veritatis or Christian Judiciall Astrology vindicated and Daemonology confured in answer to Nath. Holmes Dr. D. By W. Ramsey Gent. 16. The History of the Golden Ass 17. The Painting of the Antients the beginning progress and Consummating of that noble Art and how those antient Artificers attained to their still so much admired excellency Israels redemption or the propheticall History of our Saviours Kingdome on earth by Robert
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
mention it for this to shew the vanity of our age of those who will undertake to shew the very day when Christ should come Likewise to condemne the former Ages who run to things not revealed I remember what a learned Man saith one that commenteth upon my Text saith hee There is nothing that doth expose the Christian Religion to more contempt then that the Preacher of it or the hearers of it will run into nice Questions and be peremptory in their resolves of that the Scripture speaks not of And Jewes and Gentiles may sufpect the whole Gospell because they see Men so peremptory about things which are not revealed in the Gospell and shall see their false-hood appearing to all be not peremptory in 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 Luke 17.37 And they answered and said where Lord And hee said unto them where the body is thither will the Eagles be gathered together Christ told them of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the end of the World 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 carcasse to feed upon so that Christ would neither tell the place where nor the time when and this should be a check and a controule to mens curious pryings about that which the Scripture is silent in Lastly take heed of bold and adventurous attempts of the manner of Christs coming to judge the World many are very peremptory about it and there be strange Bookes at least in their owne expressions that they can descry the very manner 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 neere take notice of I am to handle on this pâ—omise of Christ but I come againe A perplexed Quere which is this whether Christ Jesus in promising to his Disciples to come again whether that promise of Christ coming againe be to Reigne upon the Earth here a thousand yeares or whether it be to be 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 and in person and live upon the Earth for a whole thousand yeares they fancy that Jesus Christ when hee shall come on this personall Reigne then hee shall raise all the Martyrs that have lost their Lives in his Cause and the Divell shall be bound up that hee shall tempt Men to sinne no more and wicked Men shall bee 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 yeares upon the Earth I shall shew you the rise of this Opinion First from Eusebius and other they give us this to be the rise of this Opinion from Cyrenthus which had it who lived in the time of John This Cyrenthus who was a pestilent Heretick in those times who held that Christ was borne by the Conjunction of a Man and a Woman and not borne by a Virgin and was borne as others are and so must be a sinner Hee was the Man that was the first authour from whom this Opinion had any life and being Patrius seemed to maintaine this and divers others were ensnared with this conceite and Beloved there was some spice of this in the Apostles for they did dreame of a Temporall Kingdome Therefore they askt Christ when hee was going to Heaven Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome to Israel there was in the times of the Apostle a fancy that Christ must be 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 in Transilvania and Italy in Germany and there was taken hold on by John of Leydon and 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 incredulities that would follow if Christ should come to Reigne a thousand years upon the Earth First for expresse Scriptures which are foure The first Scripture is in Acts 3.21 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 There the Apostle telleth you directly that the Heaven must receive and keepe Jesus Christ how long till the restitution of all things The Milleners hold that the restitution of all things may be at the time of Christs Personall Reigne but I shall shew you that this restitution of all things cannot be till Christs judging the world First there cannot be a totall abolition of sinne in the World at the thousand yeares end there shall be a number of men and wicked during the thousand yeares all things cannot be restored for sinne bringeth the creature under a curse it is apparent that it cannot be till Christs last coming to judge the world because other Scriptures tell you that the time of restitution cannot be till our bodies be raised from the Dead Rom. 8.23 And not onely they but our selves also which have the first fruites of the spirit even wee our selves groane within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our bady That is the creatures do as it were groane being used by man as an instrument to Gods dishonour so that till the bodies of all the Elect be redeemed and glorified till that time the creature lies under a curse by reason of Mans sinnes and Mans abuse And they themselves hold that pleade for Christs personall reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth though they doe hold that the Martyrs shall be raised at that time but doe not hold that all the Elect shall be raised at that time therefore the Apostle saith expresly that the Heavens must keepe the person of Christ till the restitution of all things till the bodies of the Elect come to be raised from the Dead Againe it is apparent 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 it is when the Jewes were to be refreshed from the Lords presence v. 19 20 21. Repent yee therefore and be converted that your sinnes may be blotted 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 be refreshed by the Lords presence till Christs coming to judgement Secondly it was the time that God did solemnly declare pardon of sinne for all the Elect Repent yee therefore and bee converted that our Sinnes may hee blotted out Thirdly it is said of which all the Prophets do beare witnesse those that doe plead for Christs personall Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth they cannot say that all the Prophets did speake this for Moses Daniel and others nay none of the Prophets speake of Christs Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth therefore this cannot have a reference to Christs Reigne for a thousand yeares upon the Earth A Second Scripture is in Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right Hand untill I make thine Enemies thy Foote-stoole That Scripture tells you that Jesus Christ who is ascended into heaven and sits at Gods right Hand there that Christ shall sit at Gods right Hand how long till hee hath made all his Enemies his Foote-stoole The Apostle tells you that all Enemies to be made Christs Foot-stoole cannot be till Christs coming at the last time Will you marke that Scripture that the Apostle telleth you directly 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25 26. But every man in his owne Order Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when hee shall have put down all rule and all authority and all power For hee must reigne till hee hath put all Enemies under his Feets The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Here is the coming of Christ that hath reference to all the Just and Unjust Marke now Christ therefore must reigne in Heaven till all enemies be under his Feete now these thousand yeares all Enemies are not under his Feete why because death will be then death is not to be destroyed then for there will be thousands of Men upon the Earth but when the end comes hee must give up his Kingdome to his Father What is more cleare then this that the Heavens must keepe Christ till all things bee restored and that cannot be till the day of Judgement Againe Christ must reigne so long till the end of the World The third Scripture is in the 1 Cor. 15.23.24 But every Man in his owne Order Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when hee shall have put down all rule and all authority and all power This Scripture telleth you that when Christ cometh out of Heaven upon Christs coming three things must be done First every man must rise vers 23. Now that cannot be at a thousand years because they themselves hold this that there shall onely be a Resurrection of the Martyrs and here the Scripture saith that every man shall rise which cannot be till the day of Judgement Secondly when Christ comes then comes the end the Apostle tells us of his coming and the end of the World to note that Christs coming and the end of the World shall be together Thirdly hee delivers his Kingdome up to his Father whereas if Christ should reigne a thousand years here it could not be said to be the giving up of a Kingdome but to the taking of a Kingdome into possession hèe must resigne all to God the Father When the Scripture is so expresse it is a wonder that men can fancy such fantasticall thoughts that Christ must come as an Earthly Monarch to reigne here a thousand years A fourth Scripture is in Heb. 9.28 So Christ was once offered to beare the sinnes of many and unto them that looke for him shall hee appeare the second time without sinne unto Salvation From that Scripture I will argue against Christs coming to reigne upon the Earth for a thousand yeares First it is expresly in the Scripture that Christs coming there spoken of it referres to the day of judgement in vers 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to dy but after this the judgement There Christs second coming it doth referre to the day of Judgement Now if the Scripture doth call that his second coming which is his coming to judgement then Christ cannot come before that time as to reigne upon the Earth for if hee should come to reigne upon the Earth then the Apostle must call that his third coming there was but one coming which was from Heaven to the Wombe of the Virgin and there is no other coming but a second coming that is to judgement that is his second coming Secondly it is said Christ shall come the second time to our Salvation it cannot be said to our Salvation if his coming were to reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth it were onely a worldly way but Christs comming it must referre to the last and great coming wherein the World shall be judged and the Soules of the Elect shall be saved Beloved these Scriptures are very cleare unto mee The reasons are two that Christ shall not come personally out of Heaven to reigne upon the Earth for a thousand years First because the Scripture doth manifest that when Christ comes personally out of Heaven there are such Concomitants of his coming that can be refâ—rred to no other time then his last coming to judge the World First when Christ is said to come out of Heaven the Scripture telleth you this Concomitant that the Saints shall come along with him Jude 14. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints So that when Christ comes from Heaven hee must come with his Saints with him nay he must come with his Angels 2 Thess 1.7 And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels These two Scriptures put together Christ must come with his Saints and Angells I but those that fancy Christs coming a thousand years they cannot prove that Christ shall come with his Saints and Angells for the Scripture that seemes to carry it that way doth not speak of Angells and Saints coming Secondly it is said when Christ comes from Heaven that good and bad shall be gathered together and all shall be judged by Jesus Christ now this cannot bee of Christs personall
a worse condition then hee found it if Christ must come on the Earth hee must leave his Church in a worse condition then hee found it and I draw it from that Text which they pretend to be the strength of their Argument Revel 20.5.7.8 But the rest of the Dead lived not againe untill the thousand yeares were finished This is the first Resurrection And when the thousand yeares are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison And shall goe out to deceive the Nations which are in the foure quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to Battell the number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea So that after the thousand yeares the Devill shall be let loose againe and there shall be an innumerable company of enemies and they shall destroy multitudes of the godly Therefore Christ would leave his Church in a worse condition then hee found them if this were true that Christ should reigne a thousand years upon the Earth Fifthly if Christ should come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth then this incongruity will follow that there must be three personall comings of Jesus Christ for his first coming was in the Incarnation Second coming to these thousand yeares And his third coming must be to judge the World that is the last coming but the Scripture makes but two comings of Christ First his coming from Heaven when hee was borne his second coming when hee comes to judge the World againe Sixtly if Christ comes personally out of Heaven this incongruity will follow that either the Saints and Angells must come or not come with Christ if they must come with Christ then it is a losse to them for them to come to leave the imediate presence of God and come upon the Earth where wicked men shall be amongst them or if they must not come with Jesus Christ yet it is a lose to them to remaine there they shall lose for a thousand yeares the Body of Christ if Christ be on the Earth hee cannot be in Heaven the same time Therefore it would be a losse to the Saints and Angells for them to be a thousand yeares in Heaven without the company of Jesus Christ not to have the person of Jesus Christ with them A seventh Incongruity will follow that if Christ shall come to reigne upon the Earth then Christs Kingdom must be a worldly terrene Kingdome then it will be against the Word of God he must be a visible King to the Jewes and a visible King to all the World besides this would follow then that Christs Kingdome must not be a spirituall Kingdome but a Terrene a Worldly pompous Kingdome Iohn 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 be delivered to the Jewes 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 mee for to be an outward pompous King in the World for Christs Kingdome it is a spirituall Kingdome Eightly that if Jesus Christ shall come to take a Kingdome on the Earth for a thousand yeares then this Incongruity will follow As if Jesus Christ had not a Kingdome and were not a King all this while hee is in Heaven they apply that 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 hee was a King at that very houre 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 remarkeable 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 be 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 a 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 hee is King of Kings and Lord of Lords in heaven therefore cannot come a thousand yeares to reigne on the Earth Now I will deale fairely to shew you what strength and give you the strongest Scriptures that have 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 thoughs fasten upon to prove this poynt yet those they most stand to I shall fasten upon their chiefe Pillar is in Revel 20.2 4 5 6. And hee laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Divell and Satan and bound him a thousand yeares And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the Soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the Word of 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 againe 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 be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reigne 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 Iesus Christ This they build much upon That Christ shall come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth But I shall shew you that this cannot be the sense of it and I shall give you Six Answers First that though the Scripture
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
agile body and from being a weak body it shall be made a strong body Now before I come to the Application there are two Objections which lye in the way As in the primitive times there were the Saduces that held there was no resurrection and after Christs time there was Hymeneus and Philetus which said that the Resurrection was past already and the Church of Corinth was tainted with this Error if Christ be risen from the dead how say some among you that there is no Resurrection of the dead Now in the Primitive and Christs time there was this Opinion that there was no Resurrection of the Body and so made this meerly but a Poeticall fiction and to be no reall and undoubted truth That I might take off this The Scripture which they urge is this you talke of the Body being raised by Christ how can this be when the Apostle saith expresly the body is made of flesh and blood 1 Cor. 15.50 Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Therefore if flesh and blood cannot come to Gods Kingdome how then can the Body come there this is the Opinion of the Photinians First I answer it cannot be the Apostles intent to impugne the bodies rising for the drift of this whole Chapter is to prove that the body shall be raised Therefore not imaginable that in one breath the Apostle should deny and affirme the same thing Secondly the Apostle doth understand by flesh and blood the bodies of Men as they have sinfull and fraile infirmities cleaving to them in this World the body as it is now a sinfull body an infirme body a weake mortall body the body as it is now shall never come to Heaven The generality of Interpreters run this way by flesh and blood is understood the bodies of men as lyable to sinne as in this World they shall not be raised up they shall not come to Heaven but wee shall be changed wee shall not all sleepe but be changed the Apostle proves this himselfe 1 Cor. 15.50 51. Now this I say Brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Behold I shew you a mystery wee shall not all sleepe but wee shall all be changed Our corruptible Bodies they shall not come to Heaven as they are corruptible but come to Heaven by being incorruptible but we shall all be changed that is our bodies shall be changed from being mortall corruptible and being weake and sinfull to be made holy and Immortall so that flesh and blood as now it is sinfull corruptible till changed and made glorious and pure it shall not come to Heaven Second Text which they urge against the body being glorified and say it is but a fancy Job 14.7 8 9 10. For there is hope of a Tree if it be cut downe that it will sprout againe and that the tender branch thereof will not cease Though the roote thereof wax old in the Earth and the stock thereof die in the ground yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth Boughs like a Plant But man dieth and wasteth away yea man giveth up the ghost and where is hee A Tree saith Job if that dyes it may live againe because waters may be about the roote but if man dyes hee vanisheth away where is man on this they build that man shall never live againe To this take this cleare Answer That when Job speakes though a Tree dyes it lives againe but if man dyes hee lives not Job understands it by living againe in this World so there is more hope of a Tree then of a Man I but you will aske mee How doe you prove this for to be Jobs intent I prove it to you from Jobs words in the 12. vers So man lieth downe and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleepe So that here Job speakes of a raising when the Heavens shall be no more when the World shall be burnt with fire then man shall be awakned And in the 14. vers If a man die shall hee live againe All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come Job speakes in this Chapter of the change of the body and of the raising of the body Tertullian and Austine say well that there is no Doctrine of Religion is more repugnant to sense and reason There is this reason that may seeme to be against the raising of the body How it is possible that the bodies of men can be raised when that they are so confounded together as they are in the Earth Suppose a Man be killed by a Wolfe a Lyon eates that Wolfe suppose that Lyon dyes and the Fowles of the Ayre eate that Lyon and Men eate those Fowles Therefore how can the bodies of Men be raised being thus confounded Suppose a Man be drowned in the Sea and the Fishes in the Sea eate that Man how can his substance bee gathered together at the last Day Answer it is the Answer of Perkins First much may bee done by Nature by Art First an Illustration from a Refiner put before a Refiner a masse of mettall and there shall be in that one Lumpe a veyne of Silver a veyne of Brasse of Gold of Tyn of Iron and the like and these Mettalls are all mingled and mixt together Now a Refiner by his Art hee can distinctly sever the Silver from the Gold and the Iron from the Lead Now can Art doe this and shall not the God of Nature sever this man from that man God shall sever them though they are heapes together Againe a Gardner soweth varieties of Seeds yet doe you come to the Garden and let one aske you what seede lieth in that Bed or in this Bed as it is rotting in the ground why you cannot tell But come to the Gardner and aske him what Seede is in that Bed and hee can tell you distinctly the Seede in every Bed And cannot the great God doe this Hee that made us knowes our shape wee cannot tell what Man 's dust this is in the Grave I but God that laid thee in the Grave hee knowes hee knowes which shall bee my dust and which shall be thy dust and which every mans dust hee knowes what body shall spring up thence Therefore labour to exalt Faith in the great Mistary of raising and glorifying your bodies I have now a practicall application to make of this The Uses First this is it so that Jesus Christ shall raise your bodies and receive them to himselfe at his second coming Then let this comfort you against your sufferings in the body Suppose thou art exposed to violent Sufferings to Torments Tortures to Racks Fire and Faggots Suppose thy body undergoeth this for the sake of Jesus Christ yet remember thy body shall bee raised and glorified by JESUS CHRIST Let it not
trouble thee then that thy body shall be a crucified Body because at Christs second coming it shall be a glorious body Againe it may be comfort to thee by reason of thy naturall infirmities Suppose thy body be a sickly body suppose thy body be full of Aches Agues Consumptions Diseases and the like suppose thy body be maimed Blinde and Lame yet remember thy body that is vile deformed and sickly it shall have fresh Robes of glory upon it and be made like to the glorious Body of Jesus Christ Wee reade in the booke of Martyrs of two Martyrs that were to be burnt at Stratford Bow neere London one Hugh Laborocke and John Price the one blinde and the other lame this Price being full of feare when the fire was about him saith Hugh unto him Bee not troubled though thou blinde and I lame yet remember death will heale thee of thy Blindnesse and mee of my Lamenesse Suppose thou art blinde lame and maymed why Christs receiving of thy body will cure all and truly there were no comfort to a man under a bodily distemper when a man is under some great trouble when a man should thinke that this body of mine should rot in the Grave and never be raised from the dead which were very uncomfortable But thy deformed body it shall be a beautifull body that which is a sickly body it shall be made a healthfull body and freed from all Diseases A second Inference is this will Jesus Christ at his coming raise thy body and receive thy whole man unto himselfe Then learne to have elongation of soule after the second coming of Jesus Christ Therefore doe not desire to continue here upon Earth but to be dissolved and to be with Jesus Christ Will any man be grieved for changing of an old suite for a new Death doth this thou hast here an old rotten ragge of flesh about thee why Christ will put a new sute on thee Therefore the Apostle calls it the desire of the body is to be cloathed upon wee doe not desire to be in Heaven without bodies but wee desire to bee cloathed upon with those glorious endowments wherewith the elect shall be clad in glory Therefore be not unwilling to die doe not be unwilling to leave an old rotten Carcasse a sickly body a Diseased body Put a Bird into a Cage though the Cage be made of Silver or Gold yet the Bird had rather flie abroad then bee tide up in the Cage O thou whilest in the body art in a Cage thou hadst better have thy body in a glorified capacity then now it is Thirdly be not afraid to die nor unwilling to die because thy body shall be changed by Death if thy body should not die it would never be a glorified body keepe your Corne in your House and you will never have a Crop I but cast your Corne into the ground and let it die there saith the Apostle that that thou sowest is never quickened till it die why let your body be kept alive here in the World and it will never be raised to glory O doe not then bee unwilling to die because Death not come to an Elect man as a laying of Corne in the Grave till the Resurrection day As Corne doth rot in the ground to spring againe against the Harvest So doth thy Body rotte in the Grave as Graine against the Harvest Fourthly if this be true that JESUS CHRIST will raise thy body unto glory O then doe not imbase and abuse these bodies of yours for they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost these bodies of yours shall one day bee raised and received by Jesus Christ It is an Argument that the Apostle raiseth 1 Corinthians 6.14 15. vers And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by his owne Power know yee not that your bodies are the Members of Christ shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of Harlots God forbid This is the Apostles Argument The A. postle would reason against Adultery and Uncleannesse in the body what argument doth hee use Know yee this Christ will raise up our bodies and shall wee take these Memberr of our bodies and make them the Members of a Whore So that Beloved let the Doctrine of your Resurrection and of your bodies being raised and received to Jesus Christ let it provoke you that you doe not abuse your bodies Hee that keepes company with a Harlot sinneth against his owne body 1 Cor. 6.18 Flee Fornication every sinne that a Man doth is without the body but hee that comitteth Fornication sinneth against his owne body For a Man to lie and sweare it is against his Soule but for a Man to be uncleane it is to sinne against his Body O doe not die with an uncleane body with an Adulterous body and doe not abuse thy body doe not abuse those Eyes of thine to be Windowes of lust that shall one day behold Jesus Christ doe not abuse that body that must have a sweete communion with Christ in Heaven I am now come to handle the last point in the Text the last Clause that where I am there you may be also These words they note unto you the Event or Consequent what shall follow upon Christs coming againe and receiving our bodies unto himselfe at the last day The Event shall be this An exerlasting enjoyment of Christ that is the result and consequent of Christs coming to be ever with him that where I am there you may be also I shall open the Words for there is some difficulty in one Expression where I am you see it is a word in the present Tense where I am and though it bee a word of the present Tense it doth not denote thus much that they should bee at Jerusalem with Christ for christ was then at Jerusalem but as Grosius saith that here the word of the present Tense is to bee understood of the future Tense that is where I shall be shortly after I leave this World where I shall be there you shall be and so hee doth bring that Text to prove it John 7.34 Yee shall seeke mee and shall not finde mee and where I am thither yee cannot come It cannot be taken in the present Tense for hee was then at Jerusalem to shew that where I am is to be understood in the future Tense where I shall be I goe but I come againe that where I shall bee when I come to my Fathers House in Heaven that where I shall bee I may have all your companies to be personally present with me in Heaven that is the scope of the word Obser Observe that when ever Christ speakes of being in Heaven though hee was on the Earth yet hee speakes in the present Tense as if hee were in Heaven already John 3.13 And no Man hath ascended up to Heaven but hee that came downe from Heaven even the Sonne of Man which is in Heaven Christ was
Maâ—ton of Exon Colledge in Oxon. 8. 18. An Introduction to the Teutonick Philosophy being a determination of the originall of the Soul at a Dispute held in the School at Cambridg at the Commencement March 3. 1646 by Charles Hotham Fellow of Peter house 12. 19. Teratologia or a discovery of Gods wonders manifested in the former and moderne times by bloudy rain and waters by I. S. 20. Fons Lachrymarum or a fountain of Tears from whence doth flow Englands complaint Jeremiahs Lamentations with an Elegy upon that Son of Valour Sir Charles Lucas by John Quarles â— 21. Oedipus or a resolver being a Clew that leads to the chiefe Secrets and true resolution of Amorous naturall morall and politicall Problems by G. M. 22. The celestiall Lamp enlightning every distressed soule from the depth of everlasting Darknesse to the height of eternall Light by Tho. Fettisplace 23. Nocturnall Lucubrations or Meditations divine and morall with Epigrams and Epitaphs by Robers Chamberlain 24. The Unfortunate Mother a Tragedy by Tho. Nabs 25. The Rebellion a Comedy by T.R. 26. The Tragedy of Messatina by Nat. Richards â— 27. The remedy of Discontentment or a Treatise of contentation in whatsoever condition fit for these sad and troublesome times by Joseph Hall late B. of Exon and Norwich 12. 28. The Grand Sacriledge of the Church of Rome in taking away the farced Cup from the Laity at the Lords Table by the late revend Daniel Featly D. D. 4. 29. The cause and cure of Ignorance Error Enmity Atheism and profanenesse or a most hopefull way to Grace and Salvation by R. Young 8. 30. A bridle for the Times tending to still the Murmuring to settle the Wavering to stay the Wandring to strengthen the fainting by John Brinsley Minister of Gods Word at Yarmouth 31. Comforts against the fear of Death wherein are severall evidences of the the work of Grace by John Collins of Norwich 32. Jacobs seed or the excellency of seeking God by prayer by Jeremiah Burroughs Minister of the Gospell to the two greatest Congregations about London Stepney and Criplegate 17. 33. The Zealous Magistrate a Sermon by Tho. Threscot 34. Britannia Rediviva or a Soverain Remedy to cure a sick Common-wealth preached in the Minister at Yorke before the Judges August 9. 1649. by J. Shaw Minist of Hull 35. The Princses Royall preached in the Minster in York before the Judges March 24. 1650. by John Shaw Minister of Hull 36. Anatomy of Mortality divided into eight Heads 1. The Certainty of Death 2. Meditations of Death 3. Preparations for Death 4. The right behaviour in Death 5. The comfort in our own Death 6. The bomfort against the Death of Friends 7. The Cases whrein its lawfull or unlawfull to desire death 8. The glorious estate of Gods children after death by George Stronde 37. New Jerusalem in a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers August 1651. SERMON I. Text PSALME 32. latter part of the 5. vers I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne THis Psalme treats of the blessednesse of a justified of a pardoned sinner touching which severall particulars are handled First the Psalmist handles wherein the forgiveness of sin consists that he mentions under two expressions Verse 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sinne is covered the forgivenesse of sinne consists first in the covering of sinne the covering of sinne not from god but by god so it is explained by god himself Psal 85. vers 2. Psal 85 2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people Thou hast covered all their sinne It is sinne in us to hide our sinnes as it is sinne to hide our talents so it is sinne to hide our sinne therefore when the Psalmist saith the forgivenesse of sinne consists in the covering of sinne this covering by God is understood Secondly This forgivenesse is set out by not imputing of sinne vers 2. Sinne shall not be imputed unto a justified person though still it shall be inherent in him Secondly The Psalmist shews the Character of that man whose sin is pardoned vers 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile Thirdly Here is laid down the happinesse of a pardoned man nothing hindering his happinesse vers 3. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long yet for all this David cals him blessed though Gods hand was heavie upon him yet his heart was still towards him yet a blessed man though an afflicted man Fourthly Here is laid down the course that the Psalmist took to procure pardon of sinne that is in my Text I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne Thus I have brought you by the hand to the Text. I shall give you a short paraphrase of the words I said this word implies in Scripture phrase three things First it notes a deliberation or consideration of the minde Psal 14. vers 1. Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God that is he hath thought so in his minde Psal 30.6 that there is no God Psal 30. vers 6. And in my prosperity I said I shall never be moved that is I thought so Saying is not alwayes an act of the tongne but sometimes of the minde I said I will confesse my sinne that is I have bethought my self and considered in my minde that it is meet for me to get pardon and to confesse my sinne to God I said It notes secondly the purpose and the resolution of the will so you have it Psal 119. vers 57. Psal 119.57 Thou art my portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy words There saying is explained to be purposing or resolving of the will Thirdly I said it implies the execution or practise of what the minde resolves upon Psal 39 vers 1. Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes c. I am put upon the practise of taking care unto my steps and to my wayes the meaning of the phrase is this I said I will confesse my transgression I have bethought it so in my minde that it is good and meet so to do I have purposed and resolved in my will and am actually put on the practise of it I said I will confesse my transgression It is worth your notice that sinne is exprest by three words in this Text first transgression secondly iniquity and thirdly sinne I will confesse my transgression and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne There are but four places in the Scripture wherein these three words are joyned together in one verse Transgression Iniquity and Sinne. Exod. 34. Exod. 34.7 vers 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne Micah 7. Mic. 7.18 vers 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his