go away Fourthly the Doctrine of Christs going up to heaven is confirmed by the Testimony of the Apostles who were eie-witnesses of Christs Ascension Gerrard notes saying Jesus Christ did rise invisible none saw him Rise the Scripture telleth you that the Souldiers that watched were asleep yet Christ gathereth all his eleven Apostles that they might be eie-witnesses of his ascension that they saw him ascend to Heaven Acts 1. 9 10. And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell and so the Apostle Peter in 1 Pet. 3. 22. Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being subject unto him So Paul tels you in Ephesians 4. 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things So in Hebrewes 9. the Author of that book tels you that Jesus Christ is not gone into the holy place but is gone into Heaven it selfe In verse 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversy great is the mystery of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory And in Mark 16. 19. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them he was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God I take the more pains to prove this because of what ancient Heresies there have been to overthrow this great comfortable doctrin of Christs going bodily into heaven having our flesh in heaven this very day Fifthly it may be proved by the concurrent Testimonies of the Angels who were witnesses of this truth Acts 1. 10. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell These two men were Angels the Angels did give in their concurrent Testimonies that Jesus Christ did goe into Heaven and the same Jesus Christ that did go shall come againe Beloved I know not any one point in all the Bible that is so proved and strengthened as Christs personall and bodily going up to Heaven and thus much for the strengthning of you in the proof of the point I lay that for the foundation because if the proof of it be not well grounded then the fruit of it will not be well regarded Secondly what is the reason that Christ must have his body and soul go up to heaven First Christ in his bodilie presence must goe to Heaven lest his Disciples should be taken too much with his bodily presence and never look after the Communication of his Spirit Therefore they ask Christ Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome to Israel They expected that Christ would take away the Roman Emperour which was a heathen and expected that he would be King himselfe Acts 1. 6. When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel It is for this reason say Interpreters because the Disciples should not dote on Jesus Christ as to look on him as a temporall King and look on him for a temporall Kingdome but that they might look after the Kingdome where he is therefore Paul hath a passage in 2 Cor. 5. 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more As if he should say it may bee those that lived in Christs time that knew him according to the flesh as a lovelie person but saith Paul we know him in a spirituall way to look after heaven by Christ to look after salvation by Christ Secondly Christ must be taken up into Heaven in his body to make a compensation and a recompence to himselfe for his sufferings in his body Phil. 2. 8 9. And being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name Therefore God did exalt Christ and raise him from the dead and bring him to Heaven because he obeied to the death of the Crosse and took on him the form of a servant Psal 110. last verse He shall drink of the brook in the way thersfore shall he lift up the Head Because thou diedst and sufferedst therefore thou shalt lift up thy head therefore thou shalt ascend up to Heaven Heb. 2. 9. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God should tast death for every man For suffering of death hee was crowned with Glory and Honour and translated bodily into Heaven that is a second Argument Thirdly Christ was taken up bodily to heaven it was manifest to the world that Christ was God as well as man to manifest the God-head of Jesus Christ therefore taken up bodily to heaven Eph. 4. 9 10. Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things There the Apostle proves that Christ going up to Heaven it was an Argument that Christ came down from heaven So in John 6. 62. What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before That shews that Christ was in Heaven before therefore must he be God Coequall and Coeternall with God the Father and thus you have the second point dispatched to you shewing the reasons why Jesus Christ must go bodily into Heaven The third point is I but what benefit and comfort is that to us that Jesus Christ is now bodily in Heaven what comfort was this to the Disciples that Jesus Christ should leave them that he must go from them unto his Fathers house There are seven particulars that it is great ground of comfort to all the people of God that Jesus Christ is gone bodily to heaven The first ground of comfort is this Christs going to heaven bodily it assures you of Christs full Triumph and compleat conquest over all your spirituall Enemies This the Apostle lays down as a ground of comfort upon Christ Ascension Eph. 4. 8. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men That is the Devill and sin that carried you captive Christ by his going up to heaven hath led them captive that is hath led your spirituall enemies that carried
them in the clouds to meete the Lord in the Aire and so shall wee ever bee with the Lord vers 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend with a shout from Heaven c. If it had been Christ in his spirit then it would have been said the Lord by his spirit shall descend But the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven with a shout it notes his personall coming out of Heaven that whereas Jesus Christ had a personall translation and as Christ had a visible Elevation he was in the eyes of his Disciples lifted up so Christ shall bodily descend and come out from Heaven the Lord himselfe c. Therefore it cannot bee the Lord by his spirit Acts 1. 11. Which also said yee men of Galilee why stand yee gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as yee have seen him goe into Heaven The same Jesus that you saw Ascend shall descend so that it cannot bee Christ in his spirit but in his person I onely mention this to confute those that follow the conceit of Origen meerly to make Christs coming to be but a spiritual coming a coming in the hearts of Saints Thirdly his coming it shall be visibly Acts 1. 11. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven That as Christs going up to Heaven bodily was visible so Christs coming out of Heaven shall be visible Mat. 26. 64. Hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds Indeed Christ did rise invisibly for no man saw Christ rise from the dead but Christ shall descend visibly you shall see the Sonne of man c. Mat. 24. 30. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory All men shall see the glory of Jesus Christ the wicked shall see him to their Amazement and consternation and the godly shall see him to their joy and consolation Fourthly Christs coming shall bee gloriously and there shall bee many things that shall make the coming of Christ to bee a glorious coming hee shall come in the clouds these glorious bodies shall bee the triumphant and swift Chariots of the sonne of God wherein hee will come to judge the world and his Atendance shall make him glorious Daniel 7. 10. A fiery streame issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the judgement was set and the bookes where opened Jude 14. and Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints And in 2 Thess 1. 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels O then behold the clouds to be the Triumphant Chariots of Christ the Innumerable company of Saints and Angels to bee attendants on the person of Christ to come to judge the world and that is the reason that hee is called so glorious Mat. 24. 30. And they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Mat. 16. 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels Luk. 9. 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed when hee shall come in his own glory in his Fathers and of the Holy Angels And that is the reason of that Epithet given to Christs coming Titus 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Now beloved Christs coming to have this property or this manner the reason must bee to distinguish his second coming from his first coming to take off the contempt and reproach that was on Jesus Christ in his first coming and he shall come in glory in the second coming First wee read in Scripture that Christs first coming it was in the forme of a servant Phil. 2. 7. But made himselfe of no reputation and tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men Now in the second coming hee comes with that glory and Majesty of a King In the first coming hee had no reasonable creature to attend him at the second coming hee shall have all the Saints and Angels in Heaven to attend him At his first coming hee was swadled with swadling bands but at this second coming he shall be as it were cloathed with the Clouds of Heaven Againe his first coming it was in dishonour and contempt every Traveller had more honour then Jesus Christ for the Inne was for every Traveller but there was no roome for Christ there hee was borne in an out-house but his second coming shall bee in great glory Againe in his first coming Christ representing the persons of the Elect came with sin imputed to him and was the greatest Beggar in the world as Luther saith and the greatest sinner in the world not by way of inherence but by way of imputation therefore Luther calleth him Peccator maximus the greatest sinner Christ incoming into the the world had all the sinnes of the Elect of God imputed to him so hee came as a sinner as an evill person though hee was not so yet hee was looked upon as so But the second time hee shall come without sinne hee shall not have our sinnes by imputation cast on him because when hee comes againe hee shall make a totall Abolition of sinne Therefore there needs no impution of our sinnes upon Jesus Christ Thus you have a fourth way of his coming he shall come Gloriously A fifth way of Christs coming againe is this he shall come terribly In Isaiah 13. 9. Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruell both with wrath and fierce Anger to lay the Land desolate and hee shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it Revel 6. 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall bee able to stand the coming of Jesus Christ it is a terrible coming that is a fifth way of his coming Sixthly and lastly Christ shall come unexpectedly though it is true there shall be immediate warnings of his coming as the powers of Heaven shall be shaken the Sun Moon and Starrs shall bee darkned but that shall bee but a little before his coming but beloved the coming of Christ shall bee when men are not aware of it as in the dayes of Noah men were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage when the flood come and destoyed them so shall the Sonne of man come Christs coming shall then bee to burne all with fire
things and then if he might die he did not care I wish saith hee First that I might see Rome in its beauty and to see Paul in the Pulpit and to see Christ in the flesh every Beleever shall see the Lord Jesus in the flesh Iob 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 that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is Wee do not know what Christ is wee shall know him then we shall see him as he is glorified in Heaven A third thing that makes much for the blessednesse of the Elect that in thy being present with Jesus Christ God gives thee more honour then ever thou couldest bee capable of in former time God gives thee Glory by vertue of thy being with Jesus Christ a notable Text Joh. 1. 26 verse If any man serve mee let him follow mee and where I am there shall also my servant bee If any man serve mee him will my Father honour That is where I shall bee in Heaven Beloved the time is now of giving honour to God and giving Glory to God but thy being where Christ is God then gives thee Glory and gives thee Honour Fourthly thy happinesse in being present with Christ where hee is is that thou shalt stand in no need of Ordinances beloved here the highest growne Christian and the strongest Beleever in the World doth stand in more need of Ordinances then a lame man doth of Crutches to goe by but when thou comest to have this accomplishment that thou shalt bee where Christ is thou then standest in no need of Ordinances then what needs the Candlestick of Sermons what needs the Candlestick of Preaching and the Candlestick of Praying when thou art present with Christ the Sun of righteousnesse there is no need of conduit pipes when thou art by the Fountain head thou needst no Ordinances the conduit pipes are the Ordinances there is no need of Ordinances any longer then thou art absent from the Fountaine which is Jesus Christ the ceremoniall Law is all Gospell it is a darke Gospell the Evangelists are the explained Gospel the ceremoniall Law is a darke Gospell Exodus 25. Meaning the holy place There was to be golden Candlesticks which Typified the Preaching of the Word In the Holy place there was the Incense Dishes to wit Christs Intercession this was only in the holy place but in the holy of holiest there was no Candlestick no Incense Dishes there to shew that whilest you are on this side Heaven in the Church of God you need the Candlestick you need Preaching and praying but in the holy of holiest there was none of this to shew that it was a Type of Heaven and when Christ beings thee there then thou art above Ordinances and never till then this is a Fourth particular A Fifth Priviledg of thy being where Christ is is this that thou shalt have a full communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ in Person Beloved here wee have our communion with Christ but it is a communion far different from that which we shall have in Heaven First it shall bee different in regard of the manner of its enjoyment in this world thou enjoyest Christ mediately by Ordinances thou doest but see him as in the Apostles phrase in a glasse darkely but in Heaven thou shalt enjoy Christ personally and have communion immediately with Christ in Heaven Secondly in regard of the measure of your enjoyment here you enjoy but a parcell of Christ you here enjoy Christs spirit by drops you shall then enjoy the fullness of the Ocean Thirdly it differs in regard of its time and duration Here you doe enjoy Christ it is true but it is by fits and starts you injoy him now in an Ordinance but you have interrupted fellowship and communion with Christ but when thou art with him in Heaven there is no interruption in thy communion with Christ Fourthly it is different in regard of its expectation herein Heaven thou enjoyest Christ by way of of possession Fifthly in regard of place here there is a great distance of place betweene Christ and us here wee enjoy Christ hee in Heaven and wee on Earth but then we shall enjoy Christ in one place hee in Heaven and wee in Heaven here thou mayest thinke much of Christ but if thou wert nearer Christ thou shouldest see and know more of his glory Sixtly there shall bee a difference in regard of thy companions and those that are in fellowship with thee in Heaven they are saints and Angels but on Earth though thou doest enjoy Christ yet thou art inforc'd to discourse and commerce with wicked men A sixth particular is this thy being present with Jesus Christ there is this to attend thee there shall bee gladnesse and rejoycing among all the Angels in Heaven If the Angels in Heaven shall rejoyce at a sinners conversion they shall much rejoyce at a sinners inauguration in Heaven they and we shall make but one fold to glorifie the great Shepherd of our soules the Lord Jesus what great joy shall there bee among Angels Archangels Thrones c. Singing Hallelujah to God making you partners of their glory Seventhly our being with Christ shall put us into a state of exemption from sin from the causes of sin and from the punishments of sin First from sinne here thy beautifull soule is bespoted with the spots of Leprosie I mean with foule and deformed lusts but when thou art with Jesus Christ thou art exempted from sin no more sin Secondly thou shalt be exempted from the causes of sin the Divel shall deceive no more there but here thou lyest exposed to all temptations Thirdly there shall bee no more punishments for sin here thou art punished in thy body by Diseases and the like here punishments by trouble of Soul but in Heaven thou art freed from internal punishments and externall punishments this was prefigured under the Law 1 Kings 33. The Palme-tree is an Embleme of victory Therfore the victorious are said to wear Palmes in their hands triumphing Revelation 7. to shew that you can never bee compleat Conquerours to wear signals of triumph and signals of conquest in your hands till you come to enter into the holy of holiest Then you have conquered over sin and over Temptation to sinne and conquered over all punishments for sinne The Morall Philosophers say that Raine Haile Storme and Tempests are engendred in the middle Region but above the middle Region there is no Winde no storme or Tempest whilest thou art here below there are stormes Winde and blustring Temptations but when God takes thee above this middle Region there is
is why should wee bee as children to looke on death as a Bugheare but looke upon death as being a passage unto 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 Egypt 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 Jacob their father revived Did Jacob rejoyce to see a waggon or a chariot that would carry him into Aegypt to see his Son Ioseph and wilt not thou rejoyce to think that death is a chariot to carry thee to Jesus Christ to carry thee to heaven O therefore let not thy heart bee troubled to dye because death is but a chariot to carry thee to heaven Is Christ gone into heaven Then secondly labour thou whilest 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 shouldest thou bee 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 Frankincense with all powders of the Merchant Thou shouldest ascend up to Christ though thou beest in trouble in the Wildernesse of this world O ascend up to Christ in Holy Meditations this use the Apostle makes of it Colos 3. 1. If yee then bee 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 Phil. 3. 20. For our conversation is in heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ Christ is in heaven thereâ—ore our conversation must bee where our head is It is a notable Text Mat. 24. 28. For wheresoever the Carkase is there will the Eagles be gathered together That Christ is in heaven it should make you ascend in your hearts heavenward It is true there are some that wrest these words and give this sense of them that they make the carkase to be the Jewes and the Eagles to be the Romans because the Romans did use the Eagle in their Banner and Ensigne of War therefore they say where the Jewes were the Romans should come though this was a truth yet not the scope of the Text it is generally overthrown by most Interpreters but Gerrard doth chiefly referre these words to the day of judgement where the carkase is thither will the Eagles resort that is where Jesus Christ is in heaven as the Eagles doe follow after the carkase to feed upon that so the people of God shall be gathered about Jesus Christ and this I doe confesse is the chiefe scope of the place and doe beleeve it is the chiefe 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 and the Gospel shal be so powerful on men in the world that it shal make men as eager to come after Christ into heaven as the Eagle is after the prey Thirdly I inferre hence that before you presume to apply the benefits and the comforts of Christs ascension into heaven labour to feele in your own hearts the efficacy of Christs Death and ascension every man applies the benefit of Christs Death and Resurrection and Christs ascension before they find the efficacy of his Death the efficacy of his resurrection It is the Apostles word saith he I labor to find the power of his resurrction so do you labor to find the power of his Death and the power of his ascension before you find the comfort of it It is to make thee lesse Earthly-minded more passionately eager and importunatly earnest after the Lord Iesus Christ dost thou feele the power of the ascension 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 Iacob said to his mother in Genesis 28. 12. My father peradveuture will feele mee and I shall seeme to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse and not a blessing Nay without peradventure God will feele and try whether you are the men or no that have right to the blessing that shall have any reall advantage and benefit by Christs Death by Christs ascension God will try whether you doe not seek to deceive your Souls and deceive God himselfe if so you will rather have a curse then a blessing if you seeke to apply the comfort of Christs ascension before you feele the efficacy of it on your own hearts Ques How did Christ ascend Answ 1 First Christ went to heaven visibly in Act. 1. It was no transient glance of the Eye but they stedfastly beheld Jesus Christ they saw him when he went away Again Secondly Christ went to heaven bodily therefore those doe erre that hold that onely his soule did go to heaven and his body perished as other do Thirdly hee went to heaven locally hee ascended locally there are some men that hold that every place is heaven where God is 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 hee 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 chariot to carry him to heaven but Christ had none for he went to heaven by his own strength Lastly Christ went to heaven eminently and singly There are three bodies in heaven there is the bodie of Enoch the body of Elias and the body of Christ all else in heaven are onely Saints and Angels Enoch went to heaven bodily as a type of Christs ascension before the Law and Elias unde the Law and Christ under the Gospell Divines say that this shewes there was salvation by Christ before the Law and salvation by Christ under the Law and salvation by Christ in the time of the Gospell but there is difference between 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 daies hee did ascend into heaven there was one difference Again they did not ascend to heaven by their own strength but by the power of God they did ascend into heaven but we have got no good by their ascension no benefit nor merit accrues unto us by
not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing The meaning is this that the way to Heaven it was not manifest to the Jewes whilest their Tabernacle stood that is whilest their Leviticall Ceremonies were in use the way to heaven was not manifest the godly went to heaven before Christs time but it was not manifested for the common sort of the Jews did not understand that by Jesus Christs Passion and Ascension they must come to heaven therefore the Apostle saith the way to the holiest of all was not yet manifested whilest their first Tabernacle stood So my Text is true that heaven was prepared for believers by the Lord Jesus Christ his ascension The third Quere is this but you will say if Christ by his ascension into heaven did prepare heaven for believers then what became of all the people of God and holy men of God under the old Testament whither went they The Jesuites raise the difficulty from the Text. They say that before Christ ascended none did goe to heaven therfore they make Abraham Isaac and Iacob with all the Patriarkes and all the holy men of God to be in the place called Limbus Patrum which was for the good men till Christs ascension Then there is Limbus Infantum a place of receipt of Infants Then there is Purgatory for men guilty of grosse sins heaven and hell they concurre in to be a truth Limbus Patrum say they was the place to receive all the good men till Christs ascension and then Christ tooke them all into heaven Protestant Divines do take a deale of paines to vindicate this Text. If you will aske me what is become of the Patriarkes and all good men of old before Christs going into heaven how can they come to heaven if heaven be prepared by Christs ascension First I may say that of Christs ascension as Gerrard doth of Christs Passion the Death of Christ it was availeable before it was in being so I may say of Christs Ascension that it was availeable before it was in being Gerrard hee hath another passage that the benefits wee have by Christ they are not onely to bee restrained to ages that are to come after Christ but to looke backward to all ages before Christ Revel 5. 9. And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the Seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Not onely the Lambe slain decretively in Gods decree nor onely is the Lambe slaine Typically in the ceremoniall Sacrifices but also vertually that there was vertue in Jesus Christ that all the Godly Jewes had vertue by CHRISTS death there is my first Answer Secondly observe this that the Scripture doth not say that Christ by going up to heaven did open heaven for us he being our Mediator sitting at Gods right hand in heaven heaven was opened before but not so fully adorned as it was by Christs ascension Heb. 9. 8. The holy Ghosts this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest whilest the Tabernacle was yet standing The Grecians doe observe that Christ doth not use a word that signifies to open a thing that is shut but to open clear and manifest a thing that is obscure it was open before Thirdly against the Jesuits conceit of Limbus Patrum there are cleare passages in the Scripture and undenyable reasons drawn from the Scripture that doth prove beleevers under the old Testament went to heaven before CHRISTS ascension As in Luke 16. 22. And it came to passe that the begger dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosome the Rich man also dyed and was buried Hee lived two thousand years and more before Christ was borne heaven is called Abrahams Bosome and the elect that dyed are said to goe into Abrahams Bosome and Eliah and Enoch are in heaven Heb. 11. 5. By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him in the 16 verse but now they desired a better Countrey that is heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for hee hath prepared for them a City Hee is ashamed to bee their God therefore they have a City prepared for them by God that likewise Lazarus was said to be carried by Angels into Abrahams Bosome this was before Christ dyed then frequent Scriptures there are touching Christs transfiguration that when Christ was taken up that hee saw Moses and Elias from thence Divines gather that they must bee in Heaven There are foure undeniable Reasons wil prove that the godly before Christs Ascension they went to Heaven First it appears by this because it is said that those that were carried to heaven they were carried to Heaven by the Angels the Angels carried Lazarus into Abrahams Bosome now certainly Angels are not in Limbus Partum Luk. 16. 22. Againe if the Beleevers of old should not goe into Heaven the Death and Merits of Christ would bee extenuated Heb. 13. 8. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hee was the same yesterday that is before he was borne hee was of use then as well as to after time Againe if the Soules of wicked men bee in Hell before Christs time then the Soules of Godly men must bee in Heaven before Christs time that must clearly follow by the Rule of contraries 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 examples suffering the vengeance of eternall Fire They went to Hell before Christs time therefore it must follow clearly that the elect must go 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 goe to heaven after Christs Ascension because Beleevers 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 and under the same Covenant and therefore why must not they go to the same place I shall clearly prove this unto you First they had the same Spirit and the same Faith that we have and this is laid down by the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I beleeved and therefore have I spoken wee also beleeve and therefore speak and they with us had the same justifying Faith Their circumcision was a signe of righteousnesse by Faith And then againe they had the same Gospel that we 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
coming to judge the world Titus 1. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Peter 3. 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall bee dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Tim 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for mee a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to mee onely but unto them all that love his appearing A crowne is laid up for mee and not for mee onely but for all them that love his appearing This shews that surely it must bee a Doctrine of great comfort to the elect of God because they so long and look for and love the coming of Jesus Christ Secondly it is a Doctrine of great comfort because Jesus Christ hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect for that time though Christ brings soules to heaven before his coming yet hee doth not compleatly glorifie any of his servants till his coming againe to Judge the world 1 Iohn 3. 2. Beloved now are wee the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what wee shall bee but Wee know that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for we shall see him as hee is and in Colos 3. 4. When Christ who is our Life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory God hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect against the time of his coming 1 Peter 5. 4. And when the chiefe Shepherd shall appear yee shall receive a Crown of Glory that fades not away Frequent Texts of Scripture there are to prove that the reserve that Christ hath of the full glorifying of the Elect it is at the time of his coming to judge the world The third particular is but wherein is the Doctrine of Christs coming again so comfortable to Beleevers there are these foure particulars more especially wherein the Doctrine of Christs coming againe to judge the world is a Doctrine full of comfort to Beleevers First in case of any scandalous aspersion or any unjust imputation which is laid upon them it may serve for great comfort to thee in this case The Apostle gives it you 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 But with with mee it is a very small thing that I should bee judged of you or of mans judgements yea I judge not my owne selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but hee that judgeth mee is the Lord. Censure me what you will and judge of mee what you please for hee that judgeth mee shall be the Lord therefore it is a small matter that I am judged of you Suppose thou art judged thou art scandalized and thou art aspersed in the world appeale to Jesus Christ in Heaven for hee that judgeth thee is the Lord and this wee finde Christ did 1 Peter 2. 23. who when hee was reviled reviled not againe when hee suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously When thou art reviled and aspersed and censured doe not revile again doe not censure again but doe as Christ did commit thy cause to Christ that judgeth all things righteously Christ will come to over-judge all things that have been judged amisse Jude 5. To execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Men have hard speeches against many who are upright in the Land it is a comfort then that of Christs coming again one end is to convince men of all their hard speeches and scandalous aspersions Secondly Christs coming again is a Doctrine of comfort in case of all persecution thou undergoest from men for Christ for the Gospell 1 Thess 1. 6 7. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels As if hee should have said you are troubled and persecuted about the Gospel for Christs sake why bee not troubled for Christ is coming from Heaven 1 Peter 4. 13. But rejoyce in asmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his Glory shall bee revealed yee may bee glad also with exceeding joy when Christ comes to be revealed and to judge the world you shall be glad also with exceeding joy that is a second case wherein this Doctrine may bee of comfort Thirdly this Doctrine may serve for comfort in case of any inward accusation of conscience from the apprehension of thine own guiltinesse it may bee thou judgest thy self that thou art a damned undone Creature remember that there is a Judgement to passe on thee besides thy own mistake and misapprehension Christs coming to Judgement should bee a comfort to thee against thine own inward accusation because hee that is thy Jesus is thy Judge hee is thy Advocate to plead thy cause and thy Judge to judge thy cause Suppose thy conscience doth accuse thee and thou judgest thy selfe to Hell yet comfort thy self with this that thy Jesus will afterwards come to judge thee Fourthly Christs coming againe to judge the would it is a Doctrine of comfort in case of oppression in Courts of Judicature What though Might overcometh Right and the usurping hand useth waies of oppression and violence towards you it matters not For Christs coming to judgement shall bee of great comfort to you Ierome saith that Christ shall come to judge things that are not judged in the world and Christ shall come to judge things that are judged amisse in the world Christ shall judge all oppressions and violence which is done by an usurping hand here is matter of comfort that Christ cometh to judge them all over againe an excellent passage which Solomon hath Eccle. 3. 16 17. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity was there I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose for every work That is I saw into Courts of Judicature and I saw wickednesse was there and I looked into the place of righteousnesse and behold iniquity was there then I said in my heart surely God shall judge both the righteous and the wicked if there were no argument in all the Scripture to prove Christs coming again this argument it will evince that Christ shall come to judge the world there must bee a judging over againe there shal bee a generall Judgement because there is so much perverting of judgement here below and thus you have wherein or in what cases the Doctrine of Christs coming may serve for comfort Fourthly To whom will Christs coming bee a comfort
peremptory conclusions about this dark and obscure Doctrin of Christs coming to judge the world There are many loose and lavish frolick wits that have bold and adventurous attempts touching the coming of the Lord in determining that which the Scripture determineth not it is not my intent to trouble you with niâ—â—ties but onely to check the frollick and bold attempts of some who goe about to determine that which the Scripture doth no way reveale to which end take heed of these things First take heed of determining the place from whence Christ should come The Papists they are bold thiâ— way they hold you in hand that Christ shall come from the East Therefore our Churches all of them were built East and West and upon that ground that Christ would come from the East the Scripture saith that Christ shall come as lightning from the East but that doth not shew the place from whence hee comes but as Christ shall come as Lightning it notes the visibility of Christs coming and the celerity of Christs coming Lightning it is visible and so shall Christs coming bee all shall see him as yee see Lightning Now this bold attempt hath been the foundation to many Superstitions Opinions it is the reason of bowing and câ—inging towards the East All rose meerely from that ground of Christs coming from the East the Scripture onely saith that hee shall come downe from Heaven and the Lord shall come from Heaven but from what part of the heaven the scripture speaketh not Againe passe not bold conjectures in determining the place where Christ shall come to judge the world many men where the Scripture is silent doe run into many strong conceits to determine that which the Scripture doth not many Books doe determine the place where Christ shall come to judge the world and that is in the Valley of Iehoshaphat and there is one Text which seemes to carry it that way which is in Ioel 3. 12. Let the Heathen bee awaked and come up to the Valley of Iehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about Here they doe conjecture that Christ shall come to the Valley of Iehoshaphat and there hee shall judge all the world and I shall to shew the vanity and wickednesse of these give these five demonstrations First it is not spoken of God the Sonne but of God the father to bee thy judge therefore it cannot have a reference to the last Judgement for Christ judgeth then Secondly their Judgement here onely referres to the Judging of the Heathen round about Now the generall judgement is for the judging of the righteous and the unrighteous Thirdly that it is impossible that the Valley of Iehoshaphat should containe all the men that ever were that are and that shall bee in the world to bee judged therefore it is not profitable that this hath reference to the last Judgement Fourthly the time that this judgement here is spoken of it is limited by the prophet himselfe for compare this verse with the second verse I will also gather all Nations and will bring them downe into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my People and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and parted my Land The time is spoken of when God shall turne againe the captivity of Iudah and Ierusalem then God should judge the Babylonians and those heathen Nations that assisted them for to undo the people of God therfore it refers to some time after the captivity not to the general and last coming of the Sonne of God and thus much for taking off that Text from yeelding patronage to that fond conceit of Christs coming to judge the world in the Valley of Iehoshaphat and the Scripture is farre from giving you the place where Christ shall come to judgement either in the Valley of Iehoshaphat or Mount Olivet out only in the ayre 1 Thess 4. 7. Then wee which are alive and remaine shall bee caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The Scripture doth make no mention of Christs coming upon the Earth at all Take heed of bold attempts and conjectures about the place of Christs judgement Thirdly take heed of bold attempts about the time of Christs judgement there have been them which have shewne abundance of wickednesse in this Gerrard doth confute the folly of such men that do guesse at the time when Christ shall come to judge the world Austin doth make mention of some in his time that held that Christ should come to judge the world a thousand years after his Death but wee have seen their folly and shame for there is more time expired then that Another saith that some held in his time that Christ should come to judge the world 365. yeares after his Death that is a folly likewise for there is more time past then that Luther saith that there were Anabapists which held that in the yeare 1530 Christ should come to judge the world but wee have seen their folly likewise for there is more time past then then that Napier though a learned Nobleman in Scotland hee was too frolick in this way for he doth boldly say that Christ shall come to judge the world in the yeare 1688. But beloved Christs coming to judge the world cannot be determined for Christ would not gratifie his own Apostles to tell them the time when his coming should bee Mat. 24. Hee would not tell them when the end of the word should bee it shews then it is great pride of heart to passe peremptory conjectures upon the period of time Christ did not thinke it meet for to tell his Apostles of the time of his coming 1 Thess 5. 1. But of the times and seasons Brethren yee have no need that I write unto you nay Angels in heaven and Christ himselfe as hee was meere Man could not tell the time Marke 13. 32. But of that day and that houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven neither the Sonne but the Father Mat. 24. 36. But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heaven but my father onely I onely 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 Preachers and the hearers of it will run into nice questions and bee peremptory in their resolves of that the Scripture speakes not of And Jews and Gentiles may suspect the whole Gospell because they see Men peremptory about things which are not revealed in the Gospell and shall see their false-hood appearing to all bee not peremptory in
resurrection Secondly it was the time that God did solemnly declare pardon of sinne for all the elect Repent yee therefore and be converted that your Sinnes may bee blotted out Thirdly it is said of which all the Prophets doe 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 Foot-stoole That Scripture tells you that Jesus Christ who is ascended into Heaven and sits at Gods right Hand there shall so sit till hee hath made all his Enemies his Foote-stoole That the Apostles tells you that all Christs Enemies are to be made his Foot-stoole cannot bee till Christ coming at the last time will you marke that Scripture where 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 put down all rule and all authority and all power For hee must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his Feet The last enemie that shall bee 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 bee under his Feet now these thousand years all enemies are not under his Feet why because death will bee then death is not to be destroyed then when the end comes hee must give up his Kingdome to his Father what is more clear then this that the Heavens must keep Christ till all things be 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 own 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 bee done First every man must rise vers 23. Now that cannot bee at the thousand yeares 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 bee 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 bee said to bee the giving up of a Kingdome but the taking of a Kingdome into possession hee must resigne all to God the Father When the Scripture is so expresse it is a wonder that men can receive such fantasticall thoughts that Christ must come as an Earthly Monarch to reign here a thousand yeares A fourth Scripture is in Heb. 9. 28. So Christ was once offered to beare the sâ—nt of many and unto them that looke for him shall be appeare the second time without sin unto Salvation From that Scripture I will argue against Christs coming to reign upon the Earth for a thousand yeares First it is expresly in the Scripture that Christs coming there spoken of referres to the day of Judgement in v. 27. And as it is appointed unto all men once to dye but after this the judgement There Christs second coming it doth referâ—e unto the day of Judgement Now if the Scripture doth 〈◊〉 that the second coming which is his coming to judgement Then Christ cannot come before that time 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 hath been but one coming which was from Heaven to the wombe of the Virgin and there is no other coming to follow but a second coming that is to judgement Secondly it is said Christ shall come the second time to our Salvation it cannot bee said to our Salvation if his coming were to reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth that were onely some temporall good but Christs coming must referre to the last and great coming wherein the world shall bee judged and the soules of the Elect shall bee saved Beloved these Scriptures are very clear unto mee The reasons are two that Christ shall not come personally out of Heaven to reigne upon the Earth for a thousand yeares First because the Scripture doth manifest that when Christ comes personally out of Heaven there are such Concomitants of his coming that can bee referred 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 thousand of his Saints So that when Christ comes from Heaven he 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 Christ shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels Put these two Scriptures together Christ must come with his Saints and Angels But those that fancy Christs coming a thousand yeares they cannot prove that Christ shall come with his Saints and Angels for the scripture that seemes to carry it that way doth not speak of Angels Saints coming Secondly it is said when Christs comes from Heaven that good and bad shall bee gathered together and all shall bee judged by Jesus Christ now this cannot bee of Christs personall reigne on the Earth this you have in 2 Thess 2. 9. Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him So that the coming of our Lord and our gathering together to bee 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 Son 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 bee gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his sheepe from the Goats And in 2 Tim. 4. 1. I
Fifthly if Christ comes personally out of Heaven to reigne a thousand yeares this incongruity will follow that either the Saints and Angels must come or not come with Christ if they must come with Christ then it is a losse to them for them to leave the immediate presence of God and come upon the Earth where wicked men shall bee amongst them or if they must not come with Jesus Christ yet it is a loss to them to remaine there they shall lose for a thousand yeares the bodily presence of Christ if Christ bee on the Earth â—ee cannot bee in Heaven the same time Therefore it would be a losse to the Saints and Angels for them to bee a thousand yeares in Heaven without the company of Jesus Christ not to have the person of Jesus Christ with them A Sixth Incongruity will follow that if Christ shall come to reigne upon the Earth then Christs Kingdome must bee a worldly and terrene Kingdome then it will bee against the word of God hee must be a visible King to the Jewes and a visible King to all the world besides this would follow then that Christs Kingdom must not be aspirituall Kingdome but a Terrene a worldly pompous Kingdome John 18. 36. Jesus answered My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my Servants fight that I should not bee delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdome not from hence Luke 17. 20. And when hee was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdome of God should come hee answered them and said the Kingdome of God cometh not with Observation Would not all the world observe this for Christ to come bodily from Heaven and in the Majesty of a Monarch Now Christs Kingdome doth not come with Observation When the Disciples looked after an Earthly Kingdome No saith Christ my Kingdome is for to Rule and Reigne in your hearts you shall never see me for to be an outward Pompous King in the world for Christs Kingdome it is a spiritual Kingdome Seventhly that if Jesus Christ shall come to take a Kingdome on the Earth for a thousand yeares then this would intimate as if Jesus Christ had not a Kingdome and were not a King on Earth all this while hee is in Heaven they deny that place in Daniel and all those phrases in the new Testament that the Kingdome of the world is become the Kingdome of the Lord they deny that Christ is a King in Heaven When hee was in the Cratch and borne in the Stable he was a King at that very hour Psalme 2. The Apostle referres it to Christs Birth and Christs Resurrection Christ when hee arose from the Dead hee was a King then and the Gospell under Christs time is called a Kingdome It is remarkable in John 18. 37. Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Jesus answered thou sayest that I am a King Christ was a King though hee would not bee an Earthly King to destroy Earthly Governments therefore when the people in a tumult would have made him a King yet hee would not Zech. 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee hee is just and having Salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the fole of an Asse Hee was King when hee was on that slow contemptible creature so that now to say Christ shall come to reigne as King it is to intimate to the world as if Christ were not a King at this day and whereas he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Heaven therefore he cannot come a thousand years to reigne upon the Earth Now I will deale fairely to shew you the strongest Scripture that hath most shew of reason for the maintaining of this Opinion and shall labour to take them off and cleare it to you There are multitudes of quotations that varieties of mens thoughts fasten upon to prove this poynt yet those they most stand to I shall fasten upon their chiefe Pillar is in Revel 20. 2 3 5 6. And hee laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan and bound him a thousand yeares And I saw thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given uuto them and I saw the Soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares But the rest of the Dead lived not again untill the thousand yeares were finished This is the first Resurrection blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall bee Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand yeares Now from this Text which is the chiefest in the Scripture they seeme to build these two things upon First That Jesus Christ shall live upon the Earth and the Saints reigne with him for a thousand yeares Secondly Those that were Martyrs by Antichrist shall rise from the Dead and come upon the Earth these thousand yeares to continue with Jesus Christ This they build much upon That Christ shall come to reign a thousand yeares upon the Earth But I shall shew you this cannot bee the sense of it and I shall give you Six Answers First that though the Scripture doth say that the Saints that were beheaded should live with Christ a thousand yeares yet the Text doth not say that Christ shall come to reigne with them a thousand yeares Secondly though the Text saith that they should live and reigne with Christ a thousand years yet the Text doth not say that they shall reigne with him here upon the Earth Thirdly that though it bee said that the Saints shall live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares yet living and reigning with Christ doth not necessarily imply to bee in the same place where Jesus Christ is for then you would pervert many Scriptures For loe saith Christ I am with you to the end of the World it doth not therfore follow from that time hee will bee upon the Earth to the end of the world but Christ being with us or wee with him it is by his spirit Romans 8. 17. And if Children then Heires of God and joynt Heires with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that wee may bee also glorified together The Text it doth not denote the sameness of place and the oneness of scituation I give this to take off that which is made of this Text. Fourthly it is evident that this Scripture cannot bee a Foundation to build on that Christ shall come to reign a thousand yeares upon the Earth because then it will not onely follow that men shall live so long but shall reigne with Christ so long on the Earth Methuselah
day to the time that Christ spake and not the time that the thiefe should bee in Heaven for saith Gerrard marke the thiefs prayer in ver 42. And hee said unto Jesus Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy Kingdome Marke there is the thiefs when that when Christ should come to Heaven Christ should remember him Christs Hodie must answer to his Quando or else hee did not answer his prayer Christs to day must answer the thiefs when that when Christ came to Heaven then to remember the thiefe And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thirdly it is needlesse for Christ to say to day to tell him the time when hee spake hee knew Christ spake to him then but to speak of the time when the thiefe should bee in Heaven it was needfull I say to thee this day thou shalt be with me in Heaven The second Evasion is this It is true Christ promised thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise but Christ doth not say thou shalt be with me in Heaven There are three answers to confute this Evasion First that those that will not by Paradise understand Heaven by this Text they then fall in with the Papists either for Purgatory or a Limbus Patrum Secondly take this answer that in other Scriptures when Paradise is mentioned it is to be understood Heaven and so the Apostle doth expound it 2 Cor. 12. 2 4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third Heaven How that hee was caught up into Paradise and beard unspeakable words which it is not lawfull for a man to utter So that the Apostle by Paradise doth meane Heaven Revel 2. 7. Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcometh will I give to eate of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God That is he shall enjoy Jesus Christ Christ in Heaven is the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God Thirdly it cannot be any Earthly Paradise as the Paradise Adam was in before his fall for the Earthly Paradise was destroyed by the Flood therfore of necessity when Christ tells the thiefe To day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise it must referre to the thiefes going to Heaven at that day with Jesus Christ A second instance it is in Luke 16. 22. And it came to passe that the Begger dyed and was carried by the Angels into Ahrahams bosom the rich man also dyed and was buried This is another instance that the souls of the elect after death they goe to Heaven There are two Evasions made upon 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 Tertullian is so confident that this is a History that hee undertakes to tell you who were the men saith hee the Rich man was Herod and the Beggar was John 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 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 the godly and as the rich man went to Hell so shall all the wicked The other Evasion is this 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 all his children are in Heaven that are in his bosome that is the answer that Gerrard gives Againe it is said that they are carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome therefore Abrahams bosom must be in Heaven certainly the good Angels carry a good soule into Heaven and the wicked Angels carry a damned soule into Hell and thus you have two instances that immediately after death the soules of the Elect go 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 I argue from that instance that therfore Abraham Isaac and Jacob were living at that time though not in their bodies if you marke the reason of that Text it was not to prove a Resurrection of the body only which the Sadduces deny but also to prove the immortality of the soule The Sadduces deny Spirits and Angels too Acts 23. 8. For the Sadduces say that there is no Resurrection neither Angell nor Spirit but the Pharisees confesse both Christ doth prove that there shall bee a Resurrection of the body and hee likewises proves that the soule doth not dye 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 dyed 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 then can this be true that the Scripture saith Abraham was gathered unto his Fathers Divines say it must be in his soule that Abraham went to heaven as his godly fore-fathers went that is the meaning of that phrase his soule was to be bound up in the bundle of Life to go 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 immediately 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 writen in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect thence I argue that 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 return to God who gave it Marke here are two things Here is the end of Godly men the body shall goe to the dust and the soule to God Then the time when it shal 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 feet and the thighs and the grinders shall cease that is the teeth and they that looke out at the windowes shall bee darkened that is the eyes when nature decayes and the body perisheth by Diseases and dyes then shall the body go 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 will 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 that seeth the Sonne and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Here are two distinct promises 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 Chemnitius makes great use of this Text to prove what I am now arguing for that immediately after death the soule of an Elect man is received into Heaven Marke make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that is of your wealth called so either because it is unrighteously gotten or unrighteously kept use your wealth well that when you die you may bee received into everlasting habitations It is questionable whether it bee referred to Angels or to the poor which shall pray for us that wee bee received into Heaven but saith Chemnitius use your wealth well that you may bee received into everlasting habitations upon your failing upon dying the Lord receives the Elect into everlasting habitations This Chemnitius doth build on that the soule doth goe to Heaven immediately after Death A third Scripture is in Phil. 3. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to bee with Christ which is far better The Apostle doth Conjoyne these two conclusions a departing out of the world out of this life and a desire to be with Jesus Christ he mentions no middle place for a good soul to goe to he mentions no Purgatory nor Limbus Patrum And so likewise a fourth Text you have in 2 Cor. 6. 8 9. Therefore wee are alwaies confident knowing that whilst wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. Wee are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord wherefore wee labour that whether present or absent wee may be accepted of him Marke the Apostle desires to be absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord so that the soule is present with the Lord whilest absent from the body Then againe that Prayer of Stephen proves it likewise in Acts 7. 59. And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit It had been uncomfortable for him to have thought that he should have been stoned for Jesus Christ and it must have been above 1600 yeares before Christ should have received his soule but hee prayed Lord Jesus Christ receive my soule which hee would not have done if hee had not beleeved that his soul would have been received by Jesus Christ immediately after death And thus I leave those Scriptures to confirme you in this that the soule doth not sleep in the body but at the departure from the body it doth immediately go to Heaven Fourthly I prove it to you by shewing those grosse absurdities and inconveniencies that will arise in case it should bee denyed that God doth not receive the soule of any Elect man till he doth come to judge the world First it will follow that the godly will bee in a worse condition after they are dead then they were in when they were alive for when they were alive to live is Christ Christ dwelt in their hearts by Faith Now if the soule doth sleep with the body and perish with the body then Christ doth not live in them Christ doth not dwell there by Faith so that this would be uncomfortable that a beleever after death should bee in a worse condition then during this life for here hee lives in Christ by Faith Secondly then it wil follow that God the Father would be more cruell to his people then he would have other men be to their servants which have done their worke Marke that Text Levit. 19. 13. Thou shalt not defraud thy Neighbour neither rob him the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night untill the morning That the Master was not to keep the hire of the Labourer long from him that the Master should not keep the servants wages long from him Now will the great God keep from you who are his servants that have served him here in this world and have done him faithfull service any reward till his last coming No but when you have ended your life and done your worke you receive your wages when your worke is done you have your reward Thirdly observe this if this should bee true that the soules of the Elect men doe not goe to Heaven after death then it will follow that the soules of wicked men doe not goe to Hell after death and how repugnant this is to the Scripture you well know when the Scripture saith in the Epistle of Jude That the men of Sodome and Gomorâ—ha suffered the vengeance of eternall fire And of Judas Acts 25. That hee may take part of this ministery and Apostle-ship from which Judas by transgression fell that hee might goe to his owne place I could give you a multitude of instances where it is shewn the wicked are in Hell 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. By which also he went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waiting in the daies of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water To say that a godly man doth not goe to Heaven immediately after death it will follow that a wicked man doth not goe to Hell immediately after death Fourthly it would follow that there should be onely Angels in Heaven and no saints
whereas the scripture saith expresly that Christ shall come from Heaven with his Saints and wee read in Scripture that there are the Spirits of just men made perfect as well as the innumerable company of Angels Fifthly this would follow that it would bee a great discomfort to a godly man on his death-bed to think he should bee so many hundred yeares soule and body in the grave before Christ would bring him to Heaven it would bee a very uncomfortable Doctrine for a man to thinke on that I shall die like a beast that my soule after death shall not bee taken up into Heaven And thus I have proved that immediately after the godly die their soules are received into heaven I have proved it by pregnant instances in the Scripture by generall expressions in the Scripture and by those expresse passages in Scripture and have given you those absurdities that will arise in case it should be denyed A word now from what hath been spoken If it bee that Christ doth receive thee O thou beleever to himselfe before the totall and compleat reception I would then give you this use for to comfort you Use First fear not a dying time let not death bee dreadfull and terrible to thee Beloved were this true indeed that when thou diest thy soule should perish with thy body then a Life is not worth the having but when thou shalt thinke on thy death-bed here now is a disease consuming thy body and sending of thee to thy grave and now there is but a little time betweene thee and Heaven that when I am a dying I am in the very Suburbs of Heaven a little breath between mee and Heaven O how should this comfort a dying man when that hee hath good evidences for Heaven O this should greatly comfort thee against thou comest to die to thinke that thy dead-bed is the very Suburbs of heaven I have read what John said that wrote the Revelarions when hee was ready to die I doe beleeve saith hee that in this very day my soule shall be presented before the Lord Jesus Christ O thinke now thou art leaving thy friends it will not bee a day before Christ and I shall meet in heaven As in the Booke of Martyrs wee read that in Queene Maries time two friends were put to death together One of them was fearfull to thinke that the flames should scorch his flesh O saith the other bee of good comfort for halfe an houre hence thou shalt bee in Heaven O thinke though thou art weake and sick even unto death yet that thou shalt shortly bee with Jesus Christ doubt not of the truth of this For I could even pawn my soul of the truth of it that the soules of the Elect are taken up into heaven immediately after death O then let not death trouble you Doct. 4 The fourth Doctrine here mentioned is the benefit of Christs coming and that is to raise your bodies from the dead and receive them to himselfe This is the particular that I am now to insist upon and receive you to my selfe Obser The Observation is this that the maine end of Christs coming againe is for to raise the bodies of the Elect and to receive them to himselfe not onely to save the Soule immediately after death but to raise the body also There are two Queries in the Doctrinall part of this point touching the end of Christs coming which is to raise the bodies of the Elect and to receive them to himselfe First Why Jesus Christ must raise the bodies of the Elect and receive them to himselfe as well as the soules Secondly when Christ doth receive the body to himself then what endowments doth the body receive as now it hath not First why must Christ receive the body to himselfe as well as the soule There are four reasons First because of the Resurrection of his own body Christs own body is raised from the dead and received up into heaven and therefore the bodies of the Elect must be there also where Christ is there must his members be Christ the head is raised from the dead and received up into glory The Apostle doth give this reason 1 Cor. 15. 12. Now if Christ bee preached that hee rose from the dead c. As if he should have said Christ being risen from the dead doth argue that our bodies must rise from the Grave though they be dead there In 1 Cor. 6. 14. And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power 1 Thess 4. 14. For if wee beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose againe even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him So that because Jesus Christs body is raised from the dead and received up into Heaven therfore our bodies must bee raised up and received into glory with him Secondly the bodies of the Elect must be raised because of the inhabitation of the Spirit the Spirit doth sanctifie the bodies of the Elect as well as the soules the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your soule Spirit and Body bee kept blamelesse unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 6. 18 19 20. Flee Fornication every sinne that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own body What know yee not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which yee have of God and yee are not your owne for yee are bought with a price Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Now the spirit of God having a gracious worke in the body as well as the soule Therefore the body must be raised up from the dead as well as the soule and this the Scripture makes an Argument of the resurrection in Rom. 8. 11. But if the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you So that spirit that raised up Christ from the dead if that dwelleth in you and the graces of the spirit that spirit shall quicken your mortall bodies therefore the bodies of the Elect shall be raised from the dead and received into glory with the soule Thirdly because the body hath a conjunction and co-operation with the soule in all gracious working the body shall bee partner with the Soule being received unto Jesus Christ because the body doth co-operate with the Soule Rom. 8. 13. For if yee live after the flesh yee shall die but if yee through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live Now being that the godly doe mortifie the deeds of the body and do expose their bodies to tortures and torments for Jesus Christ now because the bodies of the Elect doe co-operate with the soule in good therefore the body shall be co-partner with the soule in good
no storm nor tempest to disturb thee but thou shalt be quiet there Eightly in being present with Jesus Christ those who have â—uffered most and doe most for Jesus Christ shall have most glory with Jesus Christ all shall have glory enough he that hath least in Heaven shall have enough every vessell of glory shall bee full yet some shall containe more then others as thou hast had more grace in this world thou shalt have more glory There are degrees of glory in Heaven and there are degrees of torments in Hell there are degrees and orders among the Angels in Heaven not onely Angels but Archangels not onely Cherubins and Seraphins but distinct orders among Angels there surely is an order and degree among glorified Saints that those that have done most for Christ and suffered most for Christ they shall have most glory from Jesus Christ It is the saying of one that as God doth communicate his Graces in an unequall manner in this Life so hee shall crowne them in an unequall manner in the Life to come as thou hast gone beyond some men in graces so thou shalt be beyond some men in glory 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 Ancients too I onely give it as a probable advantage and comfort then 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 read likewise in Luke 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selves thrust out Now if the damned in Hell see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God why shall not the Godly know one another there Then againe Peter James and Iohn 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 Iacob in the Kingdome of Heaven I doe not give you this for certaine I am loath in things controversall tossed to and fro by learned Men rashly to determine but there are strong Hints to build hopes on that in thy knowing of Christ in Person and when the bodies of the Elect shall be raised thou shalt know the bodies of thy Elected Friends Bolton here thinks 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 Earth this addes much to this happinesse in that they shall have a sociable Communion in being with Christ in Person where he is And thus much for the Adjuncts of this Condition that where Christ is there ye may be also 〈◊〉 Use The use then If it be so that where Jesus Christ is that place where he is gone to Heaven there ye shall bee also then I inferre take it well at Christs hand whatsoever thou hast here below suppose thou livest in a smoky Cottage Suppose thou hast not a place to put thy head in O thinke what a place Christ is gone to prepare for thee he is gone to prepare no worse a place for thee then Heaven Nay bee content with a Prison be content with a Dungeon 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 he hath a house in Heaven a House not made with hands a building of God he hath his Fathers House in Heaven there you may goe you must be patient though the places you dwell in are not so comfortable as you may desire 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 he is Then take heed 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 baite of these times to have places and preferments and Advantages take heed they doe not make you to lose the place in heaven where Christ is Historians that write of Tâ—iberius stigmatize him for a very foole that would for a drop of drink â—ell his Kingdome and so was called of Tiberius Biberius O there are many such Biberius's in the world â—hat for a draught of drink will venture the danger of drinking down shovels full of fire to their own damnation many in the world that will rather then lofe their places and possessions here upon Earth venture to lose that place where Jesus Christ is Thus I have in ten Sermons finished Five maine Points 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 ye may bee also FINIS Febr. 24. 1649. Psalm 85. 2. Psalm 14. 1. Psalm 30. 6. Psalm 119. 57. 1 Kings 5. 5. Psalm 39. 1. Multi confitentur iniquitatem suam sed non adversus se sed adversus Deum qui dicunt non hoc feci aut hoc Deus voluit fatum mihi hoc fecit stellae c. Aygnanus in loc Exod. 34. 7. Mic. 7. 18. Levit. 16. 21. Job 13. 13. Et raatum c. poeaam Psalm 32. 3. Spiritualis vomitus Psalm 119. 25. Jer. 31. 18 Cant. 2. 14. Psalm 119. 26. 1 Kings 20. 31 Psalm 32. 6. Dan 9. 20. Psalm 38. 18. Josh 7. 19. Oculos quos culpa claudit poena apeâ—it Greg. Gen. 41. 21. Psal 38. 5. 2 Sam. 12. 13. Multi amane veritatem lucentem not redanguentâ—â— 2 Sam. 12. 13. 1. Sam. 15. 26. S Iam 12. 19. 1 Chron. 21. 17. Psalm 90. 8. Psalm 19. 12. Gen. 4. 13. Act. 26. 10 11. Dan. 9. 5. Dan. 9. 9. Ezra 10. 2. Luke 18. 18. Psal 38. 18. Psal 51. 3. Zach. 12. 12. Exod. 9. 27. 1 Sam. 15. 24. 30. Job 7. 20. Acts 2. 37. Hos 12. 4. Job 32. 18 19 20. Exod. 9. 1. Matth. 27. 3. 2 Sam. 18. 29. Dan. 2. Judg. 10. 10. Luke 18. 13. Dr. Vsher Compare Josh 7. 19. with Josh 22. 20. 10 Defects Hildersham on Psal 51. Psal 51. 5. Rom. 7. 24. Lam. 8. 40. Jer. 8. 6. Thus did Paul 2 Tim. 1. 14. 15. Psal 50. 17. Mehem 9. 17. Revel 18. 21. Job 7. 21. Gen. 3. 21. Revel 3. 18. Esta spiritualis vomitns Bern. Causa sine quâ non Ovid Metamorph lib. 15. Mos erat antiquus inveis atrisque labellis His damnare nos illis absolvere culpa Luke 4. 19. Luke 24. 45. 46. 47. Act. 8. 22. Act. 2. 38. Micah 7. 19. Psalm 38. 18. compared with Psalm 39. 1. Job 10. 14. Psalm 32. 1. 2. Levit. 11. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simile Omne animi vitium tantò conspectius in se Crimen habet quantò major qui peccat habetur Rom. 5. 15 16 17. Five considerations concerning lesser sins Peccâ—ta minor is infaminae possunt esse major is culpae reatus Rom. 5. 12. Considerations concerning grosse sins Direction to great sinners Aug. in his confession Use 3. Consolations against great sins Cases of Conscience This cavill is brought by the Papists against justification by faith Rom. 10. 15. Mat. 10. 16. Jud. 15. 6. Heb. 11. 32. Luk. 17. 4. 1 Kin. 11. 9. 1 Thes 5. 19. Eph. 4. 30. Mat. 11. 31. Beneficia Christi valent non solum antrorsum sed retrorsum Ger. loc com Aut precantem aut predicantem
great labour taken before his dead conscience will hear the rebukes of the Word there is more adoe with a wicked man to have his conscience in office then with a godly man Eightly There is this difference though the conscience of a good man be asleep for a time and doth not smite him for sin yet some time before he dyes his conscience shall smite him for sin there is no godly man in the world but under known sins if his conscience hath not smitten him his conscience shall smite him before he dyes but wicked men live dye in sin never have the controll or rebuke of conscience Ahaz was troubled by affliction from God yet conscience never troubled him for he did yet more wickedly against God Ninthly Though the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be asleep for a time and may not reprove him for sin committed yet a good mans conscience when it doth reprove him it doth check him more out of a sense of sin and the dishonour done to God then out of fear of hell or any outward judgements but wicked men are asleep in their consciences and if conscience doth ever awake it is not because sin is sin and because God is dishonoured but because there is hell for sin because there are outward grievous judgements when God breaks men by his judgements then they will put conscience on work but never doe it out of sense of sin Take this comparison of Ducks in a pond of water cast but a little peble stone into the water and it will make them dive but let it rattle and thundeâ—â—n the heavens the Ducks fear not a Divine makes this a fit embleme of a wicked mans conscience cast but a little pebble stone some present affliction neer a wicked man and that will make him dive that will trouble conscience and perplex the man but let God thunder from heaven let the Lord declare all the threatnings of his spirituall judgements against sin how evill sin is how God is dishonoured by sin and how the soule is indangered all these thundrings from heaven cannot make him startle And thus I have run hastily over the answering of this third Objection I have done it meerly for the relief of a perplexed Conscience thus I have done with this doctrine I confest thou forgavest Thou forgavest to forgive saith Musculus is a word of favour or grace not merit Thou forgavest It notes pardon of sin is not vouchsafed to men by way of debt but of gift I confessed and thou forgavest thou forgavest what Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin the sin of my sin Interpreters have various apprehensions touching the meaning of these words what it is for God to forgive the iniquity of my sin I will bring it to a two fold channell Some there are that by iniquity understand the punishment of sin I acknowledged my sin and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin That is thou forgavest the punishment of my sin the reason of that interpretation is because in the Hebrew language the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies iniquity signifies punishment and therefore they understand the iniquity of sin the punishment of sin but Interpreters generally go against this interpretation for usually the word is taken for sin it self Again the whole scope of the Psalm is not in seeking the outward punishment to be forgiven but the forgivenesse of sin is referred to eternall guilt Thirdly Here is in the Text a 〈◊〉 which is a note of admiration annexed to his expression Thou hast forgiven c. surely that would be no wonder to God to passe by an externall punishment for that he might do to men whose sins were never pardoned What is it for God to forgive the iniquity of sin I answer the iniquity of sin is meant that God out of his free grace doth not onely simply forgive a sin committed but he forgives the iniquity of that sin all the malignity of that sin all the hainous aggravated circumstances that may any wayes make it great A Learned Author having a whole Tract upon this Psalme hath these words the Psalmist useth this kind of speech To forgive the iniquity of sinne that he might touch us that it was no light fault that was pardoned it was sin and it was the iniquity of sinne sin upon sin and sin greatned by many hainous circumstances Yet Behold the great mercy of God Thou forgavest the Iniquity of my sin thus much for the explaining of the words Doct. The Observation is this That such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace that he forgives his people not onely sin in the general but their great sins such as are cloathed with many aggravated and hainous crying circumstances Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin In the handling of this point I shall proceed in this method First To prove the point to you by an Induction of particular instances then the application of it by several uses It is a pointfull of comfort and indeed I know not such a Text in all the Bible that speaks of Gods grace in pardoning aggravated sinnes more clearly then this Text doth First of all I shall give you an induction of instances that God doth not onely forgive his people a bare sin committed but God doth out of the riches of his Grace forgive his people those sins that you may call the iniquity of sin sins cloathed with many hainous aggravated circumstances to prove this take the instance of David that speaks the words an instance of Peter another of Paul many men that have sinned against light love sinned against checks of conscience and against mercies are these sins forgiven Yes that is my work to prove that Gods grace doth forgive sins that are cloathed with many hainous and aggravated circumstances to make them great First I begin with David because it is the instance in hand will you consider Davids sin the sin of Adultery and ransack the bowels of it you shall finde Davids sin cloathed with great hainous and aggravated circumstances to make it great and grievous and yet for all this that sin forgiven him First Circumstance to aggravate Davids sin if you consider the quality of it the kind of it What sin was it it was the sin of Adultery now of all sins the sin of Adultery is an aggravated sin there are five circumstances 1. He that commits adultery he sins against his own body 2. He sins against the body of the woman he is unclean with 3. It is a wrong to his own Wife 4. It is a wrong to the Adulteresses Husband 5. It is a wrong to the child that is illegitimately begotten in adultery that an ignominy should be on him when he is borne and therefore that David should fall to that sin it was one great sin to aggravate Davids sin Secondly If you consider the dignity and quality of Davids person that did commit this sin He was King Now
gave it her and came in unto her and she conceived by him Then you read of Rachab a common harlot in Heb. 11. 31. By faith the Harlot Rachab perished not with them that beleeved not when she had received the spies with peace Matth. 1. 5. And Salmon begat Boaz of Rachab c. A third woman mentioned in the Genealogy is Ruth what was she she was not so infamous as the rest were yet she ran into a grievous scandal Ruth came of Moab whom Lot begat of his own daughter you have the story in the Book of Genesis 19. 36. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their Father vers 37. And the first borne bare a Son and called his name Moab What was she for her person she was a good woman but as all Divines observe of her she did an action that had appearance of evill what did she read the story in the third of Ruth beginning at verse 5. c. the story saith that she came alone at midnight to Boaz there was an action full of infamy which was a shamefull thing that a woman should come to a man lying alone Secondly she came and lay by him in the night season but it is true the Scripture câ—ears her for any thing following vers 14. And she lay at his feet untill morning and she rose up before one could know another there was no vanity no folly and no evill yet it was a grievous scandall for a woman to be with a man and Boaz did fear the scandall of it too yet this woman is reckoned in the Genealogy of Christ The fourth woman is Bathsheba she was unclean with David What is the Mystery of this truely all Interpreters give this There are but four women named in the genealogy al of them blame-worthy some in a higher and some in a lower degree and it is recorded that Christ came from these four to take off the ignominy and infamy of your sins that you have fallen into before conversion suppose God should suffer thee to fall into execrable villanies reall and sound conversion to God takes off the reproach and ignominy therefore Christ to take off the ignominy and reproach from these women would honour them so far as to reckon them in his own Genealogy The point was this That such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace that hee forgives his people the great sins that are cloathed with many hainous and aggravated circumstances Now lest any might abuse this Doctrine and suck poyson from these flowers that are mâ—st sweetly scattered up and down the Scripture I shall labour so to handle the matter as to keep off presumptuous men that they be not emboldned in a wicked course of sin Therefore my use shall be to two sorts of men Use 1 First of all it shall bee directed to morall and civill honest men if God doth forgive men great sinnes cloathed with many hainoâ—s and aggravated circumstances as Davids sinne was as Peters sinne was and Paul sinnes were then I have great hopes of pardon mine are but sinnes of an ordinarie incursion therefore I have hopes my sinnes are pardoned because they have not been crying great sins First of all consider That God hath shewn as much displeasure against small and little sins as against greater and grosser enormities I will give you some instances First of the neglect of Moses to circumcise his son one would think that for forbearing the circumcising of a childe when a man was in a journey and had urgent businesse lying upon him his businesse should have been a plea to excuse him yet for the bare omission of that on the eight day the Lord met him and would have killed him Exod 4. 24. And it came to passe by the way in the Ione that the Lord met him and sought to kill him Another time thâ— Psalmist tels us of Moses sin in the wilderness Moses spake unadvisedly with his lips onely a rash word and what was the issue of that sin the Lord would never suffer Moses to enter into the land of Canaan Another instance of Uxzah one would thinke it but â—mail thing for Vzzah to put his hand to uphold the falling Arke it was out of a good intention that the Arke should not fall yet you know how the hand of God smote Uzzah for it So likewise of David you would thinke it but a small matter for a King to number his people yet you know how many thousands in Israel God did take away by the Plague for that very sin so that beloved suppose thou hast not fallen into hideous and hainous wickednesses yet thou seest little sins displease God as well as great because sin though little yet is against a great God and little sins displease as well as great Secondly That though grosse sins may carry a greater infamy yet little secret sins may carry a greater guilt in them to God Beloved the sin of Angels it was but a small sin a spirituall sin onely one sin and a sin in thought too not of act yet you know that for that sin God did tumble the Angels out of heaven Indeed gross sins carry a greater infamy but little small sins may carry as great a guilt Third Consideration is this That small and little sins may be aggravated and cloathed with such cricumstances as may make them great two instances in Adams sin and Davids sin First Adams sin you would account it a small matter to eat an apple or some other fruit but yet that small fact of eating the forbidden fruit was so cloathed with many circumstances which made it a great and grievous sin for First if you consider the state of Adam he was not as we are but Adam was a perfect and an innocent creature and it is a greater evill for a perfect creature to sin then for us that are imperfect Secondly Consider the place where Adam was it was in Paradise and yet there to sin Thirdly Consider the publicknesse of his person hee did not sin for himself but in his sin we all sinned for a private man to sin is an evill but for a publicke person representing other men his sin is other mens sin Fourthly How many aggravations were in the bowels of Adams sin there are six First There was unbliefe in his sin God did not tell them with an if or an and but told them peremptorily they should dye Secondly There was this aggravation that Adam did believe the Devil before God Thirdly there was pride in this sin for saith the Devill Ye shall be as Gods and that pleased them it was not enough to be man and woman but they must be gods Fourthly There was curiosity in that sin You shall be as gods knowing good and evil now out of meer curiosity to know more then they did know though they knew enough to make them happy and blessed did they plunge themselves into this sin Fifthly They were not contented with their
you captive Christ alluded to the custome among the Romans when the Roman Conquerour rode to the Capitol of Rome to rejoyce in his victory over his enemies the Conquerour did use to tie his Captives to the Chariots wheels So Christ did carry his captives by his wheeles as it were he led captivity captive Colos 2. 15. And having spoyled Principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly Triumphing over them in it So that beloved here is one great comfort that Christ by going up to heaven doth manifest and declare to all the world that he hath overcome the Grave Death Devill and Sinne. Secondly Christs going bodily to heaven It is a pledge to you that Christ will one day bring your bodys to heaven I go to heaven that I may receive you to my self that you may be bodily in heaven where Christ is In Joh. 14. 19. Yet a little while the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also As if he should say wel I must leave you and I must goe to Heaven before you but because I live in heaven and live there bodily you shal also live with me in heaven with your bodies Tertullian doth make this use of it to comfort the Christians in his dayes saith hee Jesus Christ did carry our flesh into heaven with him and he is of our flesh and of our bone Now saith Tertullian Jesus Christ hath carried flesh into heaven and this is a good pledge unto us that our flesh shall be in heaven where Christ is also Therefore O flesh and bloud doe thou rejoyce that hast possest heaven in Christ already And Christ would be imperfect in heaven should not the bodies of beleevers come there also because he lives in heaven you shall live there also Thirdly Christs going bodily to heaven it is a ground of comfort to you in this because Christ is gone bodily into heaven to performe and accomplish his Sacerdotall Office that is as a high Preist hee is now in heaven to performe the Office of a high Priest to make intercession to God his Father in your behalfe that your sinnes might be pardoned that your soules might bee saved that your bodies might he raised and received into heaven with him in Glory Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Christ is entred into the very heavens that he might appeare before God for us so in Heb. 7. 26. For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmelesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens It became us to have a high Priest in Heaven Therefore observe though it was a great benefit to the Disciples to have Christs bodily presence yet Jesus Christ could never have fulfiled the office of the Priest-hood to make intercession for all the Elect if Christ had not gone bodily into heaven Will you observe one Text in Heb. 8 4. For if he were on earth hee should not be a priest seeing there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law Christ must goe to heaven and there hee is a Priest now if hee were upon the earth hee could not be a Priest for us therefore we have great advantage by CHRISTS going into heaven O beloved then looke on this as a great comfort that our Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven in his body flesh and bloud appearing before God making Intercession for all his people this was typified out under the Law Exod. 28. 9 10 11 and 12. verses And thou shalt take two Onix stones grave them on the names of the children of Israel Six of their Names on one stone and the other six Names of the rest on the other stone according to their Birth With the work of an ingraver in stone like the ingravings of a signet shalt thou ingrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel thou shalt make them to be set in Ouches of Gold And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the Ephod for stones of memoriall unto the children of Israel And Aaron shall beare their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memoriall This is a type of Jesus Christ our high Priest who is gone into that which is so in it selfe the Holy of Holiest and there he hath not onely the names of al the elect of God throughout the world on his breast but hath them in his heart and there he makes intercession for them to his father This is a third ground of comfort that they have of Christs going bodily into heaven A Fourth ground of comfort you have by Christs going into Heaven is this That Jesus Christ is gone into heaven to convey to you a fuller communication of the gifts and graces of his spirit which was bestowed on his people whilest he was upon the Earth Ephes 4 ver 8. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave giftes unto men It is an allusion to the Roman custome that when the conquerour rode in Triumph towards the Capitoll he did not onely lead the Prisoners by the Charet wheeles but likewise scattered mony to the Spectators that saw him ride along in triumph so the Lord Jesus Christ having by his Ascension spoiled death and the Devil thus Jesus Christ doth cast his gifts unto men dispenseth his graces in a greater measure into the hearts of his people not that we are to run into the Sociâ—ian errour because of this text they gather that before Christs Ascension into heaven there was no saving gift of the spirit and they ground it on that text Ioh. 7. ver 38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified The Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus Christ was not yet glorified but this Text is not to be taken simply then it will follow that Abraham Isaac and Jacob had not the spirit and then they could not bee in Heaven but the meaning is that the gifts of the Holy Ghost in that abundant measure was not given because Christ was not yet ascended Christ did reserve the full giving of the Holy Ghost to the time of his Ascension and untill he was glorified therefore the Apostles soon after his ascension received the Holy Ghost in a greater measure then was given to the people of old and beloved not onely gifts to bring you to Heaven but also Ministeriall gifts to qualifie men fit for the Ministery you are to looke on this also as the fruit of Ascension Ephesians 4. 10 11 12. vers He that descended is the
same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ. So that you are to looke upon not onely your own Christian gifts whereby God brings you to Heaven but all Ministeriall gifts are the fruits of Christs going to heaven Fifthly Christ is gone to Heaven It is to comfort us in this that Christ being bodily in Heaven it might make thee holy and bold and fiducially confident when ever thou comest to God in prayer when thou dost come to God in prayer come to him as one that hath Jesus Christ at his Right hand in Heaven presenting thy prayers to God for thee observeth it comfortable advice given Heb. 4. 14 16. Seeing then that we have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to help in time of need Jesus Christ being in Heaven it should work a holy boldnesse in us to keep out fear and distrust when thou prayest because we have an high Priest that is past into the highest Heavens Jesus the Son of God Who would not come boldly to the Court when he knows that the Kings Eldest Son is his friend and is assured of his love that he will intercede for him to his Father Jesus Christ is the King of Heaven the eldest Son and he is bound by office to represent all our supplications and make Intercession for us Sixthly that Christ is gone bodily into Heaven it may be of comfort that yet he hath the same relation towards a Beleever which he had to them whilest he was upon the Earth When hee was on the Earth Christ did say go tell my Brethren that I am to ascend and after he was taken up into heaven he cals them his brethren Heb. 2. 11. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Though Christ was crowned with glory and gone up to Heaven yet he was not ashamed to call beleevers brethren Now in Heaven Christ is thy God there and Christ is thy Father there Christ is thy Prince there and Christ is thy friend there and this may administer much comfort to thee that Jesus Christ retaines the same relation now hee is in Heaven that he had with thee in the world therefore Iob could speak in a vision I know that my redeemer liveth I know my Kinsman liveth for so the word signifieth I know my kinsman liveth Christ did call his Disciples Brothers when he was in the flesh and so he calleth them brothers now he is in heaven Suppose thou art a poor woman that dost marry a man that is mean and poor in the world why suppose this man should come to the dignity of a King it would be a great comfort to thee that thou who wast but a beggar art now become a Kings wife so though thou art mean in the world yet Jesus Christ doth preferre thee to be his brother Seventhly and lastly it may serve for comfort in this regard that Christ is gone to Heaven for this very purpose to prepare Heaven for thee I goe to prepare a place for you Heb. 6 20. Whither the foreruner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Christ is our forerunner gone to Heaven for us Christ did not onely dye for us but Christ did go to heaven for us Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holâ—est by the bloud of Iesus By a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh That is having hopes to come to enter into Heaven by the bloud of Christ through Christs flesh as dying on the Crosse And thus much be spoken for the Doctrinall part of this point the point was this That Christs Ascensionor going up bodily to Heaven is a ground of great comfort to Gods people whilest they live here upon the Earth I shall now draw out some instructions from some circumstances in Christs going to heaven There are five circumstances from which you may gather some instruction First from the time when Christ did leave the world and ascend up to goe to Heaven if you read the Evangelists they will tell you it was abote the 33 year of his Age he left this world and goeth up to Heaven Learn thus much from thence that if Christ would leave the world in the flower of his Age a young man then this should be fastened to the Meditation of you young men that you should not have your hearts too much glued to the world to hanker after a long life Suppose God should take thee away now in the flower of thy age bee willing and submissive for God tooke Christ away so Secondly you may learne some what from the place whence Christ did ascend it is very observable It was Mount Olivet Acts 1. 12. Then returned they unto Ierusalem from the mount called Olivet which is from Ierusalem a Sabbath days Iourney Luke saith it was from Bethany Luke 2. 50 51 And he led them out as far as to Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them And it came to passe while hee blessed them hee was parted from them and carried up into heaven It was all one but there is much of Gods minde in this of all places in the world Christ did make choyce of Bethany by Mount Olivet to go up to heaven Beloved the reason was because that was the place where Christ was taken when Judas came with the Scribes and Pharisees to apprehend him from that place he was taken to be crucified and seeing it was from that place he would make choyce of that place from whence hee would take his rise to go up to Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bethany in Hebrew signifies a house of affliction Christ made that which was the house of his affliction that Bethany to be the place of the translation of him into glory I would give you thence to note that God doth oftentimes make our sufferings to be Inlets to our glory So it was with Christ from Bethany hee was taken a Prisoner and from that place hee would ascend up into Heaven so if you suffer with him you shall also bee glorified with him you may be carried to Heaven sometime in ways of sharpe afflictions therefore be not daunted at persecution for the Lord makes Bethanics the houses of our afflictions to have a trap-doore in them to let us into our Father Mansion Thirdly from the circumstance in Christs ascension that just as
their being in heaven but there is great benefit redounding to us by Christs being in heaven for saith Christ I goe to Heaven to prepare a place for you Again Enoch went to heaven but he could not give the spirit so Elias went to heaven but hee could not give the spirit I but our Lord Iesus Christ hee is gone bodily into heaven hee hath ascended up on high and hath given gifts unto men Again they went to heaven saith Polanus onely as Citizens of heaven but Christ went to heaven as the Lord of heaven who is there in his body and in his person and these are the short and transient hints that I have given you on the first part of my Text. I come now to the second thing in the Text to the benefit that believers have by Christs going bodily into heaven I go to prepare a place for you Doct. 2 The observation is this the fruit and benefit that all the Elect of God have by Christs going into heaven is to prepare a place for them there I go to prepare a place for you Now in the handling of this Doctrine there are three particulars First I shal shew you in what sense Christs going bodily into heaven prepares heaven for believers Secondly I shall shew you how can this scripture say that by Christs Ascension heaven was prepared for us when other Scriptures say that heaven was prepared for us from the beginning of the world Thirdly whether did the Patriarks and righteous holy men of God that lived before Christs ascension goe into heaven whither went they when they dyed therefore the Church of Rome gather from this Text that before Christ went to heaven there was none went into heaven but all went into a place called Limbus Patrum First in what sense may it bee said that Christ by his going into heaven prepares a place for believers there I answer in these three regards Christ by going into heaven prepares a place there First By way of Representation Christ is not gone to heaven as other men as a single and a private person but Christ is gone into heaven as a common and a publique person Christ is gone up to heaven with flesh and blood and with our natures hee is gone to heaven and hee is gone there as a Representer of all the Elect Jesus Christ is gone to heaven representing the persons of the Elect of God upon the earth Hence it is that you have a passage Eph. 2. 6. And hath raised us up together in heavenly places into Jesus Christ Wee are not in heavenly places wee are in earthly places but we doe sit in heaven because Christ is now in heaven hee being gone to heaven as a common and a publique person a Representer of all the elect Heb. 6. 20. Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchesodec Hee did not goe there for himselfe but for us Christ did dye as a publique person representing all the elect of God and Christ did goe to heaven as a publique person and hath taken possession of heaven in our stead Christ keepes our inheritance there saith Grotius Christ is said to prepare a place for us in heaven just as a company of Travellers when they are going a journey they send one man before to be their harbinger to take up lodging in the Inne and make provision for them against they come to the Inne our Lord Jesus Christ is gone to heaven before to prepare a place for the elect there Secondly Christ prepares a place for the elect by way of intercession Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us That as the Priest under the Law when hee went to the holy places hee had the names of all the Tribes on his breast so the Lord Jesus Christ our great high Priest having the Names of all the elect not onely on his breast but in his heart prayeth to his Father that we might come there and this Intercession is another way that heaven is prepared for the elect Thirdly Christ is said to prepare heaven for us by way of Operation in us hee prepares heaven for us by preparing us for heaven and this is the sence that Austin gives of these words Jesus Christ prepares a Mansion for us in heaven when hee prepares us the Inhababitants for heaven here is the great evidence for heaven are your hearts prepared then you may bee assured that heaven is prepared for you Col. 1. 12 13 14. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the Kingdome of his deare Son In whom wee have Redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sins An unconverted man is not a meet man for heaven now when Christ makes you meet for heaven hee then prepares a place for thee 1 Peter 1. 3 4 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus from the Dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation ready to bee revealed in the last time So that beloved if you be kept for heaven and made meet for heaven that is a demonstration that heaven is prepared for you I now come to the second Quere which is this how can this scripture say that by Christs ascension Heaven is prepared for us when other Scriptures say that heaven was prepared for us from the beginning of the world Mat. 25. 34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Now if a Kingdome was prepared for them from the beginning of the world how doth this Scripture appropriate a preparing of the Kingdome of Heaven onely from the ascension of Christ Divines do answer that you must distinguish between the decrees of God and the clear manifestation and full execution of those decrees Now if you respect the decrees of God then the Scripture is true that the Kingdome of heaven is prepared from the beginning of the world for the decree and purpose of God was before the world was that the elect should have heaven as an Inheritance but if you expect the clear manifestation of it then it was not till Jesus Christ Ascended and the distinction this Scripture allows of especially in the point of Justification in this point the Scripture doth clear this distinction Heb. 9. 8. The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was
Gospell onely theirs is darke for the ceremoniall Law was Gospell meerely Types and Shadowes of Christ to come Shadows of Salvation by Christs Bloud Nay they had the same Christ as wee have 1 Cor. 104. And did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that spirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ And in the Wildernesse it is said let not us 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 Hebrews 8. Is there not then the same reason why Beleevers under the old Testament should goe to the same place as Beleevers 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 goe 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 Use I now come to the Application the use is to draw out a few practicall inferences from this Doctrine which are four If it be so that Jesus Christ by his going into Heaven hath prepared a place for the elect there then learn 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 and wilt thou afford Christ no corner in thy heart thou lettest thy lusts sit on the Throne of thy heart yet you doe not give Christ any roome there We read 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 herselfe ready O bee 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 shal 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 Room wherein Christ are the possover a large upper and a furnished Roome hee makes this Allegory of it I doe not give it to you as the sense 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 Roome but a large Roome a large Heart a furnished Roome a Heart adorned with grace O do thou prepare a large Room an upper Roome and a furnished Roome for Christ Secondly if Christ be gone into heaven to prepare a place for the Elect then we are rather gayners then losers by the want of Christs bodily presence wee should bee lesse happy to have Christ upon the Earth then now Christ is in heaven for wee are greater gainers by Christs 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 is fixt in the Firmament and giveth light over all the world now should the body of the Sun bee taken from the Firmament and bee upon the Earth amongst us it would not bee 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 he were upon the Earth for if hee were on the Earth all the World could not see him at once so that we are greater gainers by Christs going up to Heaven then if hee were in person here amongst us as God saith in John 14. 28. Yee have heard how I said unto you I goe away and come againe unto you If yee loved mee ye would rejoyce because I saed 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 he went there to prepare a place for us I would faine know whether Jacob would have been troubled for his Son Joseph if Jacob had known this that his Son was gone into Aegypt to prepare a place for him and all his brethren against the famine surely it would never have troubled him Truely 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 Heaven it is a ground of comfort to thee that though thou hast no place to put thy head here in this world yet remember Christ is gone to prepare Heaven for thee It may be many of you have poor cottages smoaky houses why for all that lift up thy heart with joy that Christ is gone to prepare a large place in heaven for thee Valens the Arian Emperour when hee did threaten Basill and said that neither by Sea nor Land he should be safe from his power yet saith Basil for all the Emperours rage I shall be either in Heaven or under Heaven Why so though thou mayest be driven to and fro by Sea and Land and having no abiding place of safety to put thy head in yet maugre the malice of Men and Devils thou shalt bee either in Heaven or under Heaven A Cardinall threatned Luther with this that there should not bee a place left for Luther in all the empire O saith Luther smilingly if Earth cannot keepe mee yet Heaven shall Beloved beare up your hearts that though thou mayest not have an abiding place on Earth yet thou hast one prepared for thee in Heaven Fourthly is Christ gone into Heaven to prepare a place for Beleevers then all Christlesse and gracelesse men have no benefit by the passion or Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ Christ dyed but not for thee Christ rose again but not for thee Christ is gone up to Heaven but not for thee he will prepare no place in Heaven for thee therefore thy case is as was spoken of Judas Acts 1. 25. That hee may take part of this Ministery and Apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell that hee might goe to his own place It was to no place of Christs preparing it was to a place prepared of old for condemnation In the phrase of Jude Tophet is prepared of old it is a place prepared of an angry God and not a place prepared by a Mediatour This therefore should bee matter of astonishment to all Christlesse and
Gracelesse men what though Christ bee gone into Heaven yet thou shalt never follow after him What though Christ prepareth a place for all his Elect yet hee prepareth none for thee thy place is prepared by an angry God thou goest to Hell and not to a place prepared by Jesus Christ And thus I have done with the second Doctrine to wit that the fruit and benefit that all the Elect of God hath by Christs going into Heaven it is to prepare a place for them I goe to prepare a place for you The third main Doctrine is the Doctrine of Christs coming againe I goe and prepare a place for you but I will come again Christ may stay long but hee will not stay ever but Christ that said hee would goe away also said hee would come again To explicate the phrase I will come again what is meant by Christs coming again Beloved there are foure sorts of Interpretations of these words neither of which are true but the last First by coming again some understand Christs first coming so the Jewes understand it for some of them do study the Evangelists though they study to confute it they doe not beleeve that Christ is come they make it of his coming in the flesh John 4. it was the womans sence of the coming of Christ in the 25. verse The woman saith unto him I know that Messias cometh which is called Christ when he is come hee will tell us all things why he was come but shee thought that hee had not been come O saith Jesus Christ I am hee I am come already so that the Jewes and the Samaritans did ever take the phrase of Christs coming not to Judge the world but of the coming in the flesh Secondly it cannot be understood of the coming of Christ by his spirit so some Interpreters doe understand the words but I will come again by my Spirit and they make it agreeable to that phrase loe I goe away but I will bee with you to the end of the world but Calvin rejects it because the next words say I will come againe to receive you to my selfe Thirdly it cannot bee meant as the Millenaries understand it of Christs coming again to remaine a thousand yeares upon the Earth and for that I shall give you severall demonstrations from Scripture when I come to handle it Fourthly by Christs coming againe it is to bee understood as Calvin and most Interpreters take it of Christs coming to Judge the world as if hee should say I go to prepare Heaven for you and I promise you to come again that though your bodies die and rot in the Graves yet I will come again and raise you up another day and receive you unto my selfe It is to bee understood of his last coming And thus much for the explication of the phrase Obser 3 Christ doth here give them a promise of his coming to comfort their troubled hearts From thence observe that Christs coming again to judge the world is a Doctrine full of comfort to every Beleever whilest they are here upon the earth for the proofe of this see 1 Thess 4. 15. To the end For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that wee which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleepe For the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then wee which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayre and so shall wee ever bee with the Lord Wherefore comfort one another with these words In the handling of this there are four Queries to be answered The first is by way of Objection what comfort is this to us that Christ should bid them they should not bee troubled that hee might come againe when between the making of this promise and this time promised it hath run above 1600 hundred years already Answer First that Tract of time can neither interrupt the accomplishment of a promise nor the comfort of a promise it is comfortable that what is promised shall sooner or later come to passe Daniel 10. 1. In the third year of Cyrus King of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel whose Name was called Belteshazzar and the thing was true but the time appointed was long and hee understood the thing and had understanding of the vision It is a promise made by Christ to comfort you against all the troubles of the world hee will come againe and though the time bee long ere hee doth come yet the time appointed will bee true it is certaine though it be long Secondly that the godly in ages before us could rejoyce in promises being made to them though the accomplishâ—ment thereof was not fullfilled till many years after and why should not the Disciples doe so then and why should not wee doe soe now I will give you two or three instances John 8. 56. Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad The promise was made to Ahraham above a thousand years before he saw him and yet he was glad Heb. 11. 13. These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them They did embrace the promises though they were farre off in their accomplishment An excellent Text you have in Isaiah 9. 6. For unto us a child is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall bee upon his shoulders c. Behold this is matter of joy for to us a childe is borne and unto us a Sonne is given they might have said Lord what is that to us wee heare of garments rowled in blood and of the confused noyse of Warriers and dost thou tell us of that which shall not bee till many yeares after and yet the Prophet doth thinke no fitter a promise to give them then the the promise that a Virgin should conceive a Sonne I mention it for this that though promises were made long since yet bear up your hearts for that it will be sure and certain though it be long and so much for the first particular The next particular is I but how doth it appeare that Christs coming to judge the world is a Doctrin so full of comfort to beleevers First it appears by the beleevers longing and looking for Christs coming to judge the world it is the people of Gods property to long for the appearance of Christ when it makes the heart of a Felix to tremble it is a Doctrine of Great comfort to a Beleever it is called the day of Redemption and called by Peter the day of refreshing and this made the Church say Come Lord Jesus come quickly this shews that to the People of God there is no Doctrine so comfortable as the Doctrine of Christs
your determinations about the time of Christs coming nor about the place where for neither is revealed in Scripture Christ did deny his Disciples when they asked him where hee should come Luk. 17. 37. And they answered and said where Lord And hee said unto them where the body is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Christ told them of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the end of the Woâ—ld then said the Disciples but where Lord wilt thou come Christ onely gives them this answer that where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles flee that is where Christ is all the Elect shall bee gathered as Birds of prey flock together after a carcasset o feed upon so that Christ would neither tell the place where nor the time when and this should bee a check and a controle to mens curious pryings about that which the Scripture is silent in Lastly take heed of bold and adventurous conjectures about the manner of Christs coming to judge the World by vaine and carnall corruptions of a temporall Kingdome of Christ Many are very peremptory about it and there bee strange Books at least in their own expressions that they can descry the very maner of his coming that Christ shall come from heaven and dwell a thousand yeares upon the Earth and the Dead shall rise and live in the World but these are such things which the Scripture doth never take notice of I am to handle on this promise of Christ but I will come again A perplexed Quere which is this whether Christ Jesus in promising to his Disciples to come again did meane to come to Reigne upon the Earth here a thousand years or whether it bee to bee meant of Christs last coming to judge the world this Scripture and others are made use of and brought to prove that Christ shall come from heaven in person and live upon the Earth for a whole thousand years they fancy that Jesus Christ when hee shall come to this personall Reigne then hee shall raise all the Martyrs that have lost their Lives in his cause and the Divell shall bee bound up that hee shall tempt Men to sinne no more and wicked Men shall be ty'd up that they shall not persecute the Church of God this is an Antient Opinion and almost since the Apostles dayes Before I shall come to give you my thoughts from the words touching Christs coming as they pretend to Reigne a thousand years upon the Earth I shall shew you the rise of this Opinion First from Eusebius and others they give us the rise of this Opinion from Cerinthus which had it who lived in the time of John This Cerinthus who was a pestiâ—ent Heretick in those times who held that Christ was borne by the conjunction of a man and a woman Christum ex congressu maritali genitum esse and not born by a Virgin and was borne as others are and so must be a sinner Hee was the Man that was the first author from whom this Opinion had any life or being Eusebius saith Papias Bishop of Hieropolis did also hold this Opinion but not in so grosse a way as Cerinthus did but rather spiritually and there was some spice of this in the Apostles for they did dream of a temporal Kingdome therfore they askt Christ when hee was going to Heaven Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome unto Israel there was in the time of the Apostle a fancy that Christ must bee an Earthly Monarch and destroy all the Kings of the Earth and all the Enemies of the world and must come here to Rule and Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth it was brought over into Germany and there was taken hold on by John of Leydon in westphalia and handed over to us in England by men of late Now for the confutation First I shall quote expresse Scriptures that Christ shall not come in person out of heaven till his last coming to judge the world Secondly I shall give you some reasons from the Scripture why Christ cannot come out of Heaven Bodily and in person to Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth Thirdly I shall shew you some absurdities and incongruities that would follow if Christ should come to Reign a thousand yeares upon the Earth First for expresse Scriptures which are four the first scripture Act. 3. 21. Whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began There the Apostle telleth you directly that the Heaven must receive and keep Jesus Christ how long till the restitution of all things The Millenaries hold that the restitution of all things may be at the time of Christ Personall Reigne but I shall shew you that this restitution of all things cannot be til Christs judging the world First there cannot be a totall abolition of sin in the world at the thousand yeares end there shall bee a number of men and wicked during the thousand yeares all things cannot bee restored for sinne bringeth the creature under a curse it is apparent that it cannot bee till Christs last coming to judge the world because other Scriptures tell you that the time of restitution cannot bee till our bodies bee raised from the Dead Rom. 8. 23. And not onely they but our selves also which have the fruits of the spirit even wee our selves groane within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our body That is the creatures doe as it were groane being used by man as an instrument to Gods dishonour so that till the bodies of all the Elect bee redeemed and glorified till that time the creature lies under a curse by reason of mans sinnes and mans abuse And they themselves that plead fâ—r Christs personal reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth though they doe hold that the martyrs shall bee raised at at that time yet doe not hold that all the Elect shall bee raised at that time therefore the Apostle saith expresly that the Heavens must keepe the person of Christ till the restitution of all things 〈◊〉 the bodies of the Elect come to bee raised from the Dead Again it is apparant from the context in Acts 3. That the restitution of all things can intend no other time then the time of Christs coming to judgement First because it is said that the time here spoken of is when the Jewes were to bee refreshed from the Lords presence vers 19 20 21. Repent yee therefore and bee converted that your sinnes may bee bloted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And hee shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you Whom the Heaven must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began And they cannot bee refreshed by the Lords presence till Christs coming to Judgement and their
charge thee therfore 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 he shal 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 plead for the Matryrs and none else therefore it cannot be referred to his coming to reigne a thousand yeares 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 he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father c. When Christ comes then comes the end now those who hold for Christs personall reign they hold that the end of the world shal not be till a thousand yeares after because Christ must Reigne a thousand yeares Fourthly the resurrection both of the just and the 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 bee the Salvation of the Soules of all the Elect that is a fifth concomitant of Christs coming Heb. 9. 28. 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 be referred to Christs Personal coming upon the earth to reign a thousand years because he 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 because when the Scripture speaks of Christs coming out of heaven it doth annex five concomitants with it which belong not to any coming of Christ 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 bee so it would bee worse for Christ and it would bee 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 Angels and Heaven for to live upon the Earth 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 yet they would lessen Christs Glory because hee sits this day at his Fathers right Hand againe for to fancy this that Christ must come to reigne upon the Earth it would bee 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 bee a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law So that if hee were upon the Earth wee should lose the benefit of his Priest-hood therefore it would it bee a great wrong to us to have Christ here on the Earth because the benefit of his Priestly Office would not bee 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 be 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 doe 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 year 1650. One saith if it shall not be in the yeare 1650 it shall bee in the yeare 1694. They that go furthest guess at that time if so bee they hold the thing and maintaine the time also when it shall begin then of necessity wee must know exactly when the day shal be that Christ shall come to judge the world for they grant it shall be immediately 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 Son but the Father is a false Opinion Secondly this incongruity will also follow that it will bee a great disadvantage to Christ in coming to reigne a thousand yeares on the Earth to leave his Father and Heaven and come and onely possesse Earth Now Christ hath more happinesse in the immediate enjoyment of his Father in Heaven then hee can have here upon the Earth Then it will bee 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 available to Beleevers then if he were upon the Earth Thirdly 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 a worse condition then hee found it and I draw it from that Text which they pretend to bee the strength of their Argument Revel 20. 5 7 8. But the rest of the Dead lived not again untill the thousand years were finished This is the first resurrection and when the thousand yeares are expired Satan shall bee loosed out of his Prison And shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth Gâ—g 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 bee let loose again and there shall bee 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 yeares upon the Earth Fourthly if Christ should come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth then this incongruity will follow that there must bee three personall comings of Jesus Christ for his first coming was his Incarnation Second coming to these thousand yeares And his third coming must bee 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 he comes to judge the world again
the time that the Roman persecution was curbed by Constantine that was a Resurrection and that they reigned with Christ at that time Answ For Answer first in Scripture phrase the word rising doth not carry a reference to the body rising from the Grave onely but of a man rising from a state of affliction and of sinne they are expressed in Scripture by a Resurrection Roman 10. 10 11. Let their Eyes be darkned that they may not see and bow down their back alway I say then have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid but rather through their fall Salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie Isaiah 22. 19. And I will drive thee from thy Station and from thy state shall hee pull thee down The men that are as it were low men in captivity in Babylon they shall rise it doth not referre to the resurrection from the Dead at the last day so a rising from sinne Coloss 2. 12. Buried with him in Baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the Dead Wee are risen with Christ not bodily but out of our sinnes Coloss 3. 1. If yee thâ—n bee risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God So that here this is the first Resurrection the meaning is this that those that did escape the rage and cruelty of the ten Persecutions and did come to live in Constantines daies and did all the while of the former Persecutions keep themselves from the Idolatry of the Heathens and Corruptions of Antichrist they are said to have the first Resurrection blessed are they that were raised up by Christ from the sinnes and from the Errours Superstition and Idolatry both of Antichrist and the Heathens I but then it is said they live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares Beloved that Phrase living and reigning with Christ though some Interpreters reâ—erre it to Heaven yet with Brightman and others I concurre and alâ—o Bernard that it doth denote thus much that those in Successive Ages who enjoyed Liberty in the Christian Religion under Constantine the great who lived to a thousand years and were delivered from former afflictions that kept by Christs Power from the Idolatry of the times and from Antichrist they were said to live with Christ a thousand yeares for they lived to him and depended on him and were not plunged into the wickednesse of the times and thus with consulting of many Authors I finde this to bee the truest account in a few words in defending this Text from giving any foundation to Christs personall reigne for a thousand yeares upon the Earth The second Scripture that they doe urge for Christs personall reign upon the earth for a thousand years is the 2 Peter 3. 7 10 11 12 13. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire untill the day of judgement and â—erdition of ungodly men But the day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the Earth also and the workes that are therein shall bee burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall bee dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to bee in all holy conversation and godlinesse Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall bee dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Neverthelesse wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Here is mention of a coming of Christ wee looke for and hasten to his coming at Christs coming wee looke for a new Earth Now say they to what purpose were there to bee a new Earth if Christ were not to come down on this Earth and the Saints with him for a thousand yeares as the Scripture doth seeme to give warrant for a thousand yeares reigne this Scripture seemes to give warrant that hee shall be on the Earth they say that the righteous shall onely have benefit of Christs personall reign upon the Earth To take off this First marke the scope and the context how this Scripture is brought in and it will something cleare the Text. it is brought in against some Epicurean Principles that some scoffers had taken up in those times ver 3 4. Knowing this first that there shall come in the last daies scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Eathers â—ell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation Wee see no change in providence therefore where is the promise of Christs coming they scoffed at Christ that Christ was a contemptible man in this world this is the answer in the 7 vers But the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and Perdition of ungodly men Peter speakes directly that the time of Christs coming which they scoffed at was not the time of the thousand yeares but of the day of judgment therefore this coming here that Peter speaks of cannot be meant of a thousand years before the day of judgement Secondly observe that the day of Perdition of ungodly men they say themselves that Christ doth suffer the wicked of the world to live in the world the thousand yeares though not to rule as they had done Thirdly observe that it is said here that before this new Earth is the world shall bee burnt with Fire the Heavens shall passe away with a noyse c. Now before a thousand yeares there is no such thing as it is before the day of Judgement The burning of that world is reserved against the day of Judgement therefore this coming cannot be referred to Christs personall coming on the earth to reign a thousand years Fourthly it is said here that Christ should come as a Thiefe But the day of the Lord will â—ome as a Thiefe in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse c. That Epithet is referred to his coming to judge the world to his last coming and not to any other coming 1 Thess 5. 2. For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a Thiefe in the Night But if Christ should come to reigne upon the Earth then he cometh visible and observable Mat. 33. 44. But know this that if the good man of the house had knowne in what watch the Thiefe would come hee would have watched and would not have suffered his house to bee broken up Therefore be ye also ready for in such an houre as you thinke not the Sonne of man cometh Rovel 16. 15. Behold I come as a Thiefe Blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth
when men shall bee eating and drinking possessing and adding muck to muck when men are secure and never thinke of Christs coming to burn all with fire then the powers of Heaven shall be shaken and the world be set on fire Hence it is that you read in Scripture in five or six places Christs coming it shall be as a Thiefe in the night a Thiefe will come in the dead time of the Night as Christ said to his Disciples in Luke 21. 34. The coming of Christ it is an unexpected coming thus you have six Particulars of Christs coming Use Now a word of Application Having shewed you how this Doctrine of Christs coming it is a Doctrine of comfort I shall finish this point in shewing you how this Doctrine of Christs coming is a Doctrine of terrour and of dread and to whom It is observeable that the word is not compared onely to Milke and Honey but the word is compared also to Salt which also hath an efficacy to make smart Beloved you have heard the Hony of this Doctrine what great comfort it will afford to Godly men but remember the word is Salt also and it is of a smart efficacy to terrifie and fret the conscience Now the Doctrine of Christs coming it is a terrible Doctrine in these four things To all wicked men Christs coming again it is a terrible Doctrine because first al the secretst sins that ever a wicked man hath committed in this world they shal be made manifest to all I confesse it is a contest among learned men whether the sinnes of good men as well as bad shall not be known and there are strong arguments that all shall be made known but the Scripture is full in this that at the day of Judgement the sinnes that a wicked man hath done in this world shall bee published to all the Saints and Angels in Heaven and all the men that were on Earth It may bee thou goest for an honest man amongst thy Neighbours yet thou lovest thy Neighbours wife and goest in unto her if thou hast been so or thou hast deceived in thy Trade why for all thy secresie here yet then all the world shall know thy deceit and uncleannes it is built upon that Text Luk. 8. 17. For nothing is secret that shall not bee made manifest neither any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come abroad Here a thousand things are hid that men do not know here thou carriest it fairly and squarely in the world that men cannot say black is thine Eye but then they may say shame to thy Face this is dreadfull Secondly Christs coming it shall bee dreadfull in regard of thy Separation from all the Elect of God In Mat. 25. 32. 33. And before him shal be gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his sheepe from the Goates And hee shall set the sheep on his right hand but the Goates on the left Here thou art mingled it may bee thou livest in the same house with a godly man and lyest in the same bed with a godly man but remember a parting time is coming that as the Shepherd parteth the Sheepe from the Goats so doth Christ part the wicked from the godly Thirdly Christs coming againe it is dreadfull to wicked men in regard it shall be the time of the promulgation of thy Sentence A Thiefe in Newgate is a miserable creature a Thiefe at Bar is in a sad condition but a Thiefe when the Sentence of death is past upon him then hee is in a hopelesse condition O thou wicked man at thy dying day thou art a Malefactor but at thy Sentence giving thou art an undone man thou art in a hopelesse condition Fourthly Christs coming it is the time of the reuniting of thy body and soule together and of thy taking possession of Hell when thy body and soule that have been so many hundred yeares parted shall come to meet together and your meeting to bee but a going into Infernall torments this makes the coming of Christ to be a dreadfull coming I but you will say it is true indeed A Felix may tremble when Paul shall Preach to him of Judgement to come but have wee Christians cause of feare Yes you that are Christians in case you bee found under these particulars that I am now naming to you the day of Judgement will be dreadfull to you Christs coming againe to judge the world is not onely a dreadfull Doctrine to a Felix but may make thee a Christian to tremble in these cases First The Doctrine of Christs coming may make men tremble who are guilty of Acts of Oppression and Violence in Courts of Judicature Eccle. 3. 16 17. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of Judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousness that iniquity was there I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time for every purpose and every worke That is to judge every purpose and every worke When God shall come to places of Judgement and places of Judicature and shall say wickednesse is there and shall say bribery is there and the deferring of the cause of the poor is there woe bee to all Oppressions of the poore and grinding their Faces in Courts of Judicature many whereof are Seats of violence and not Courts of Judicature Christ shall come to judge things that men will not judge men will not judge Adulterers but whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Men will not judge men for Heresie but God will judge them Christs coming is dreadfull to all men that live by Oppression and Violence in Courts of judicature Secondly Christs coming to judgement is dreadfull to all them who to save their worldly advantage are ashamed to professe the Gospell of Christ O! Christs coming is a dreadfull time to these In Mark 8. 38. Whosoever therefore shall bee ashamed of mee and of my words in this Adulterous and sinfull Generation of him also shall the Son of man bee ashamed when hee cometh in the glory of his Father with the Holy Angels I pray you marke here are two answers to an Objection in these words First men might say why blessed Jesus who would bee ashamed of thee if Christ were on the Earth wee would never bee ashamed of Christ Therefore Christ addes whosoever is ashamed of mee and of my words though you might not bee ashamed of Christs person yet you might bee ashamed of his words Then men may Object and say why truly if it were a peaceable time a safe time to professe Christ but what when wee live in a wicked place and among a wicked people will not Christ bear with us to hold down our heads a little and to sleep in a whole Skin no saith Christ whosoever shall be ashamed of mee and of my words in this Adulterous and sinfull Generation of him also shall the Sonne of man c.
Let the place bee never so bad thou must not bee ashamed of Jesus Christ and his words if thou beest the Son of man shall bee ashamed of thee when hee comes with the glory of his father Christs coming is dreadfull to all you who are ashamed to professe Iesus Christ in a sinfull and Adulterous age and place wherein you live I shall leave it to you to make Application Thirdly Christs coming to Judgement is dreadfull to all those who spend their dayes in sensuality and ryot Christs coming is terrible to them Luke 21. 34. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Men that live in ryot and excesse and sensuality they doe but pamper their flesh and feed themselves to make themselves a sweeter morsell both for wormes and Devill Christs coming will be a dreadfull time for them Fourthly Christs coming will bee dreadfull to all those who beare not a sincere love to Iesus Christ Wilt thou marke one scripture 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee Anathema Maranatha There is much of Gods mind in this darke expression If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee an accursed man that is the meaning of the word Anathema but the other word Maranatha it is a word compounded of two words and it beares this sense Maran signifies a Lord and Atha signifies venit hee comes so then when the Scripture saith hee that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him bee an accursed man Let him bee Maran Atha when the Lord Jesus shall come to judge the word let Christ then curse him that doth not love him O then I beseech you thinke this with your selves that all you who doe not beare a sincere love to Jesus Christ when hee comes his coming shall be with a curse a curse to Hell and damnation to all such Fifthly Christs coming will bee dreadfull to all them who doe obstinately refuse subjection and obedience to the Gospell of Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1 7 8. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengence on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ Christs coming it wil be in flaming fire to take vengeance on all such Sixthly Christs coming it will be dreadfull to them that doe live and dye raylers against Religion those who scoffe and jeare at godlinesse Christs coming will bee a dreadfull coming to all wicked men Jude 15. To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him I doe wish it were engraven befere the Eyes of all wicked raylers There is many a rayling Rabshakeh and many a cursing Shimei which hath uttered many a hard speech against the people of God they accuse one man to bee an hypocrite for carrying of a Bible under his Arme another man to bee an hypocrite for shedding a teare in his Sermon O you are the men that Christ will come to execute Judgement upon to convince you of your hard speeches Seventhly to unmercifull men Christs coming is a dreadfull time Iames 2. 13. For hee shall have Iudgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Christs coming to judgement shall bee a time of thy having of judgement without mercy that shewest no mercy In Mat. 25. 41 42 43. Then shall hee say also unto them on the left hand Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divill and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meate I was Thirsty and yee gave mee no Drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke mee not in naked and yee cloathed mee not sick and in Prison and yee visited mee not Austin hath a good glosse upon this Text saith hee If that man shall goe to Hell that will not give another man Bread when hee is an hungry O then to what a hel shal that man go to which takes away Bread from the hungry man And if that man shall go to Hell that will not cloath the naked O then to what a Hel shall that man go to that taketh cloathes off the necessitous mans back And if that man shall goe to Hell that will not visit men that are in Prison O then to what a Hell shall that man goe to that casts godly men into Prison Now beloved I beseech you take heed that you bee not men wanting bowels of mercy towards your distressed Brethren you are to expect judgement without mercy that shew no mercy Eightly to those that live and die in their sinne of uncleannesse and lusts of the flesh Christs coming it will be a dreadfull day to them Therefore you read that God will judge Adulterers hee will judge a Drunkard hee will judge a swearer hee will judge a Sabbath-breaker yet particularly Whoremongers and Adulterers he will judge Heb. 13. 4. But whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge King Henry the 8. was a lascivious Prince and old Latimer sent him a Token a Bible and about the Bible was written whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge it was to terrifie him There is a strange Text 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgement to hee punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse Here is a chiefly for them God will punish every unjust man but God reserves them to the day of Judgement chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse c. Doe I speak to men that may have this chiefly applyed to them O take heed that thou doest not fall under the righteous judgement of God that thou beest not entangled in that sin that will make the Lord judge thee chiefly Ninthly and lastly Christs coming againe is dreadfull to all men who strengthen themselves by popular tumults and insurrections In opposing and destroying of a lawfull Magistracy that have destroyed Judges Rulers Governments it will bee a woefull time to them 2 Pet. 2. 9 10. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement to bee punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse and despise Government Presumptuous are they selfe-willed they are not afraid to speake evill of Dignities Men that under pretence of power and the like shall trample down Rule Government Authority and Dignity the Lord hath another day to judge them that will not bee judged here hee will judge them with a chiefly And thus I have done with the third Doctrine I am now
also Fourthly it proceeds from that neer Union which is betweene a Beleever and Jesus Christ Christ is the head and Beleevers are the members now the members must bee raised and received up to Jesus Christ to make his body a perfect body Thus much for the Reasons why that Jesus Christ at the second coming shall raise and receive the bodies of the Elect to himself as well as the soules The second query is this but what benefit is it to the body what endowments shall the body receive by this when Christ comes First in generall I shall say this to you that the body shall receive more glorious endowments then ever it could bee capable to receive and enjoy here in this world it may bee thy body is endowed with a comely feature yet when Christ comes to receive thy body it shall bee endowed better then now it is Chrysostome saith take Wooll and let this Wooll be dyed into a Scarlet or purple colour dyed in graine yet the Wooll is the same Wooll as it was before when it was white but yet there is a more goodly lustre put upon it Thy body shall bee the same body but thy body shall have more illustrious endowments then now it hath And thus much onely in the generall now to come to particulars I shall resolve this question in these six Particulars There are six glorious endowments that the body shall receive from Jesus Christ at his second coming when he receives the body to himselfe First from being a naturall body as it is now it shall bee made by Christ a spirituall body that is the first endowment thou shalt cast off thy old Apparell of corruptible flesh and blood and shalt bee cloathed with robes of glory it is no contradiction to say a spirituall body because the Apostle useth the expression 1 Cor. 15. 44. It is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body The meaning is the body as it lives here is a naturall body needing naturall refreshments but saith the Apostle is shall be raised a spirituall body it shall have no more need of naturall refreshments which the naturall body requireth when it is a spirituall body it stands in no more need of meat no more need of drinke nor sleep and other naturall refreshments it shall bee raised a spirituall body Mat 22. 30. For in the resurrection they neither Marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels of God in Heaven The Angels have no need of food and stand in no need of outward helps Rev. 7. 15 16. Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and hee that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heate Therefore O beleeving soule behold thy happiness of soule and body in glory they shall bee no more standing in need of naturall refreshments then spirits doe when the Scripture saith that your bodies should be received by Christ The Platonick Philosophers understand the body shall bee turned into a spirit into a ghost or into winde or aire but that is not the reason of it it shall bee 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 of vile bodies they shall bee made beautifull it may bee 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 bee 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 thy body shall bee like Christs glorious Body 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is sowne in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weaknesse it is raised in power Here thy body it is a vile body Elâ—phaz cals the body a house of clay and Job cals it a house of Earth It is the Opinion of Gerrard and he gives strong reasons for it that if there bee any defects upon the body in this world 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 bee like Christs Body now Christs Body hath no redundant and defective member defect is but the product of sinne and the result of sinne therefore our bodies being said to to bee like Christs Body there shall bee no defect in it Secondly some members are necessarily required to make up the happiness of the Elect in Heaven suppose an Elect man should bee borne blind or lost his eies by casualty if this man should not have his eyes he could never see Christ in Heaven we shall see with these very eyes the Body of Christ The third reason is this because the bodies of the Elect shall bee as Adams body was in innocency Adams body was created perfect by God when Christ raiseth thy body it shall never want a member nor abound in a member thy vile body shall bee beautifull what though others bee 〈◊〉 then thee and clearer skin'd then thee what though others mens Earth bee painted better then thine yet when Christ receives thy body it shall be a beautifull a glorious body therefore you have that phrase Mat. 13. 43. Thâ—â— shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Thirdly from being a mortall body it shall bee 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 bee 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 bee raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality Those mortall bodies that must die must bee made immortall and those incorruptible bodies made incorruptible and never die this is the great happiness of the elect that their bodies shall bee made immortall bodies Fourthly the bodies of the elect from being lyable to sorrows and sufferings in the world shall bee made 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 lyable to no sufferings God shall then wipe a way all teares from our eies no sorrows no crying nor no paine there is the great happinesse of the body it shall be made impassive not lyable to hunger thirst paine Diseases and the like Fifthly thy body from being a
to reign in his Church by a well-ordered Discipline that the Government of Christ may be established in the places where you dwell Thirdly Seeing there is no coming of Christ as King in this world then doe not trouble your selves with Niceties and Obscurities about his coming upon the Earth but labour to be fitted and prepared for his last and great coming Fourthly if Christ should come to reigne upon the Earth which the Scripture no waies speakes of then certainely the Saints of these times do make but a bad preparative for Christs reigne that doe impale Saintship and monopolize Saint-ship unto themselves and say they are the people of God the church of Christ and the Saints of Christ and they make but a bad preparation for Christs coming to live in sensuality as they doe and commit such wickednesses as they do upon the Earth This is but a bad preparation and but poor encouragement to Jesus Christ to come and reigne amongst such Saints as these are which indeed are a scandall to Saints a scandall to Religion and would bee a scandall to that thousand yeares of Christ if he should come to reigne but Christ will have better Saints then these are to reigne with him In treating of the Doctrine of Christs coming againe the other Quere is this how or after what manner shall this coming of Christ be But I will come again Now in the resolving of this question I shal confine my answers to these six particulars First he shall come certainly Secondly he shall come personally Thirdly he shall come visibly Fourthly he shall come gloriously Fifthly he shall come terribly And sixthly he shall come unexpectedly These wayes the Scripture doth furnish you with severall hints touching his coming First the Lord Jesus shall come certainly Christs coming is to bee numbred among poeticall Fictions or with the delusion of Mahomet the certainty of Christs coming againe is built on these three foundations First it is built on the immutability of Gods decree Acts 17. 31. Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the World in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained wherof he hath given assurance unto all men in that hee hath raised him from the Dead The immutability of Gods decree doth prove the certainty of Christs coming God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world Secondly the certainty doth stand upon the infallibility of Christs promise Mat. 26. 64. Jesus saith unto him Thou hast said neverthelesse I say unto you Hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of Heaven there is Christs promise to which three of the Evangelists doe concurre Thirdly the certainty of his coming is grounded upon the impartiality of his Justice here every man hath not right and in Solomons phrase a just man perisheth in his uprightnesse and a wicked man prolongeth his dayes in wickednesse therefore to shew Gods impartiality there must bee a coming of the Sonne of man to judge the world righteously The Doctrine of Christs coming is impugned by Atheists therefore you read what Peter tells you 2 Peter 3. 3 4. Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Fathers fell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation And wee read of the men of Athens they questioned this and would not beleeve this For Christ coming to judge the world Acts 17. 32. And when they heard of the Resurrection of the dead some mocked and others said wee will heare thee againe of this matter Of old time in the times of Jesus Christ or soone after men did mocke at this Doctrine that the dead shall rise and Christ should come to judge both the quick and the dead Herein Gerrard reckons up abundance of Sects as the Floriani the Dosithiani the Symmachiani and many others Indeed there is one Scripture that these Atheists do abuse in making it to deny the coming of Christ to judgement Joh. 8. 15. Ye judge after the flesh I judge no man But Beloved to this Text that they make use of to to shake this great Pillar of our hopes the coming of Christ againe take these two Answers when Christ saith I judge no man that is I judge no man with a rash and heady judgement as you judge men that are not of your Opinion you judge things rashly and inconsideratly but I judge no man as you doe so Austine in his 36. Tract on John gives it to bee the sence of the place it doth not exclude Christ from judging the world at the last day but from judging of men as the Pharisees to wit rashly and inconsideratly Secondly Christ doth here speake what was not the end of his first coming in the flesh but the end of his second coming was to judge all men but I judge no man that is it was not the intent or the end of my first coming in the flesh to judge men John 3. When God sent his Sonne to bee borne of a Virgin hee did not send him to judge the world but to save the world hee reserved his judging of the world till his last coming John 12. 47 48. And if any man heare my words and beleeve not I judge him not for I come not to judge the world but to save the world Hee that rejecteth mee and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the words that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The end of my first coming was not to judge it was to bee judged and to be condemned by Pontius Pilate and to dye the cursed death And that is the end of Christs first coming that is the first particular hee shall come certainly Secondly Christ shal not only come certainly but he shal come personally It was the great mistake of Origen though hee holds for the coming of Christ againe that hee pleades for the coming of Christ in spirit therefore that Text where it is said you shall see the Sonne of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven Origen understands by the Cloudes to bee the Saints because it is mentioned in Scripture that the Beleevers are called a cloud of witnesses Now this is to pervert the whole letter of the Bible and turne all the Scripture into an Allegory and Metaphoricall sense Now in opposition of that I lay downe a second property that Christs coming shall bee a personall coming out of Heaven but the Scripture doth not speake of Christs coming on the Earth but no further then the Aire Christ in his Body shall come personally out of Heaven Now to prove this second property or second manner or way of Christs coming there are two Texts of Scripture to confirme it 1 Thess 4. 17. Then wee which are alive and remaine shall bee caught up together with