ever beheld thy face that was not impatient to be conformed to thee None have tasted thy sweetness who could be satisfied till they came to the fountain of it Therefore suffer us Good Lord to beg some more of thee since thou hast given us so much Yea suffer us to ask when thou wilt come and give us all that so we may ask no more of thee O how joyful will that time be which shall make us so complete that all our business will be to praise and thank thee How comfortable will thy appearing be which shall make us appear with thee O come Dear Saviour that we may come to thee Come that we may so come to thee as to be for ever with thee CHAP. VII Two further steps in this Love of Christs appearing III. NOW when we feel our souls thus touched with any thing that seems very good and convenient for us the first approaches of it beget a complacence in the heart and give it a sense of no small joy and pleasure For when the Image you may observe of any good that imprinted it self is on the mind or imagination it instantly endeavours to proceed further and creeps into the heart the will and affections which cannot but turn themselves towards it to feel what this is which shows so fairly and comes so kindly to salute them Now when the heart thus looks about to see what it is that courts it you shall find if you mark it that at the very first greeting it is entertained with a certain delight and pleasure which this new-come guest brings along with it to invite us to it For if you examine things strictly and with such a curious eye as some have done you will perceive that this Image which imprints it self upon us is of the same nature with light or any shining body It casts as I may say its bright rays round about the soul it disperses it self by a kind of illumination into the will and affections that they may be sensible how amiable it is Which when they are the Light is not more pleasant to the eyes than this is to the heart It rejoyces in this good which presents it self to its enjoyment as a man doth in the welcome approach of an ancient Friend whom he is glad to see but much more glad to feel in his arms And such is the contentment that the belief of Christs appearing gives to all those who fix their thoughts upon it It chears and refreshes their spirits It smooths their minds and makes them so calm and still that the Halcyon days are but fabulous shadows of that rest and peace which then they feel in themselves Their heart is intirely delighted and satisfied with this belief It is so transported beyond it self with this comfortable perswasion that it can easily overlook all other joys when it lifts up it self in the contemplation of this incomparable blessedness No musick can then be so sweet to the ear as the sound of the trump of God No beauty so fair to the eye as that glory which shall be reveal'd No company so inviting and welcome to the heart as that great Assembly of Christ with all his holy Angels And heark O my soul do they not call upon thee to cast a look that way that thou may'st behold them in their surpassing glory Listen a while and hear if they do not say We are preparing our selves and making ready to come for thee and for all those that love His appearing O hearken again my soul what is it they say to thee Turn thy self about and lift up thine eyes towards Heaven that thou may'st know what it is that 's promised to thee Will thy Lord indeed come again in power and great glory Will He once more leave his heavenly place and descend to call us up to himself Shall we see Him who loves us so much and be transformed at the sight of Him O welcome news When didst thou meet with any tidings like to this which sheds such a sudden and transcendent joy and gladness abroad in thy heart and prevents my forward thoughts which were going to exhort thee to rejoyce What hadst thou lost if thou hadst turned away thine eyes from this blissful sight How great an happiness hadst thou been deprived of if thine heart had not opened when the report of His coming knockt at its door But O my soul how sweet then will this appearing it self be the hope of which is so delicious How will that sight intrance us the news of which at this distance is so comfortable to us Into what raptures will it cast us which now inspires such joy into our hearts What a bright day will that be which through all the clouds wherein we are wrapt spreads round about us such a cheerful light If the representation of our Lord in the holy Sacrament of His body and blood and that but in His sufferings and low estate give such satisfaction to the heart What will the sight of Himself do to us and that when he appears in his glorious Majesty as the Lord of Heaven and Earth O sweet Jesus come and let us see what that Majesty and Glory is come and draw aside the veil do away the shadows and present thy self as the King of Glory before our eyes They have long looked for thee They would gladly know what it is to behold thee in thy glory O how gladly would they understand what the meaning is of thy coming in the Clouds of Heaven The brightness of them we believe is infinitely beyond all that eye ever saw The thoughts of it revive our hearts and make our faces shine Our souls are drawn out and run to meet thee by the joy we have conceived at the promise of thy coming Though we have not seen thee yet we love thee and though we now see thee not 1 Pet. i. 8. yet believing we rejoyce O that we could say with joy unspeakable and full of glory O blessed Lord do not deny to compleat our joys by hastning thy coming to let us see thee Come and fill our eyes which cannot here be satisfied with seeing Come and shew us thy glory that we may say it sufficeth And let our hearts in the mean time rejoyce in nothing so much as in the hope of thy glory Let them always prefer this above their chiefest joy and never wish for any thing with so much fervour as for thy coming IV. Now from this pleasant sense which is excited in us by the appearance of any Good to us there naturally follows not only a desire but a vehement motion and as it were an effusion of the heart towards that which is so agreeable and promises it so much satisfaction Complacence you must know is but the beginning of love For by that delicious pleasure which the heart feels when any good approaches it is invited further and even forced to pour forth it self upon that fair thing which presents it self
with cares nor dampt with fears but dwell secure in assured joys for evermore Joys in the perfection of a glorified body and of an exalted inlarged spirit Joys to find my self in the company of thy Saints and welcomed into the noble society of Angels Joy at the sight of my dearest Friends the greatest joys in thy presence and in the light of thy countenance from whom I hope for all this joy O come most blessed Saviour that we may all be nothing but joy and love and peace without any end Come and bring us to our beloved Rest and where can our souls find any rest but in thy bosom Come that we may rest from our labours and where can we lay down our selves in perfect repose but only in thy love O come and fill our hearts therewith that we may hunger and thirst no more Come that we may perfectly know what the new Wine of thy Kingdom is Come that we may desire to feed on nothing else but the sweetest comforts of seeing thy blessed face smileing on us And that we may have no other business nothing else to do but to enjoy thee in all that we see not so much imployment besides as to spend any time as now we are forced to do in wishing to enjoy thee X. And yet there is still a greater reason remaining why we should love our Lords appearing because we shall be brought by that to the very top and highest pitch of bliss which is to SEE GOD Matth. v. 8. and to SEE HIM AS HE IS 1 John iij. 2. Not as the old Prophets saw him in visions and dreams nor as others saw him in the Angels of his presence But alas who can tell what this sight is What tongue unless touched as the Apostles were by the Holy-Ghost can declare any thing of such a bliss The day of Pentecost must return again if we expect to have any language to express or thoughts to conceive the meaning of these words We must intreat some Angel to come and tell us if he can what it is to see God Or rather we must confess that if he should we cannot understand such celestial language It is above our reach and we do but babble we do not speak when we adventure to discourse of it Nay when we depart this world and shall be admitted into the blessed company above we may not be able to comprehend much of it if the opinion of many of the Ancient Fathers be true that the Saints shall not enjoy that which is properly meant by the Vision of God till after the great day of our Lord. And therefore it will be our best way now to do as the Painter did who being to make a picture of Love drew nothing on his Table but a Veil which covered no body knew what under the shadow of it Not so much to show as some have poorly conceived that Love is blind as to declare that it is an ineffable thing a mysterious passion not to be described by humane art Such I am sure is this Vision of God and such is the love that it will beget It is a secret never to be known but by the enjoyment of it A mysterie reserved in the holy Place to be beheld only by entring into it We have all a natural desire indeed to pry into this as well as all other secrets A strong appetite we find within us to be admitted into an intimate acquaintance with those things which are closely lockt up from us We cannot chuse but long to go within the Veil and would fain have the curtain drawn aside that the glorious face of the Divine Majesty may appear But after all our search and busie enquiry we are able to say no more at present but this O happy Darkness O blessed O most glorious obscurity For I do not know what else to call thee How joyful is it to think that thou art more than we can ask or think What a pleasure is it to know that thou surpassest all that can now be known How comfortable is it to believe that thou art hid from our eyes only because we are not capable to behold thy brightness Thou shamest indeed hereby our small understanding but publishest thine own most excellent Greatness We are laid very low when we hear thee speaking thus at present but it lifts us up and highly exalts us in our future hopes We have no means to comprehend this gracious promise nor know we what to think when we read these words you shall SEE GOD. We must confess our weakness which is absolutely puzled with so few and so plain words If we have any thing to boast of it is only this advantageous ignorance All that we have to glory in is that such our hopes we know not what to conceive of this dark so we must now speak this unseen and hidden brightness But this we know because thou O God hast told us that when this present darkness is done away and we shall see thee as thou art WE SHALL BE LIKE THEE O most desireable sight which will so happily transform us O much wisht for day which will set us in such a light as will make us all bright and shining too Shining in the light of the wisdom of God in the light of his Purity and of his Bliss and Immortality In the light which makes the eyes of Angels shine so brightly and which preserves the youth of Saints The light which no man can approach unto till thou O God who art that Light shalt finish our hope and bring us to see thee face to face And may we not be confident of this also though we know so little that when thou O blessed God shalt cause thy Son to appear and shalt show thy self unto us the very first glimpse of thy glory at the greatest distance from thee will mightily attract our hearts unto thee No arrow sure flies more swiftly from the strongest bow no bullet can be sent with greater violence from the bended force of steel than our souls shall then move or rather shoot themselves towards thee that they may know what it is to see thee and that they may be like thee And till that joyful day shall come shine thou O blessed Light perpetually in these eyes Strike through all the clouds that incompass me round about and by the bright hopes of thee chase away all my gloomy thoughts and put out the false lustre of this deceitful world Shed O thou blessed light thy glorious beams into this heart and kindle there such holy flames as may consume all sinful desires and purifie my soul as thou art pure Let me burn continually with an ardent love of thee till thy bright day appear Till not only these walls of flesh be pulled down which intercept thee from me but my spirit fly up in a lightsome body that I may see thee That I may see thee by whose power the Heavens and the Earth were made
mighty Power was the Author of it There are two places I know alledged by a Great Man which he thinks sound this way 1 Pet. i. 7. and 1 Tim. vj. 14. But it is far more agreeable to the coherence of those places to expound them of the Appearing we still expect Of which we may look upon his coming to destroy his Crucifiers and save his Servants as an Emblem and as a Pledg For it demonstrated both the Power of our Lord Jesus and his Faithfulness to his word assuring us that He will one day crown the patience and constancy of all his Friends with Eternal Life and punish the insolence of his Enemies with everlasting Fire However it is past all doubt that in this place I am treating of the Apostle speaks of the last and greatest appearing of our Saviour to finish the work of our Redemption and bestow the Crown of Righteousness which is laid up in Heaven for all that love him Which part of our Christian Faith I have shewn is to be understood in this manner That our Lord will in person present himself once more to the World and be seen at the last day to be what he is the King of Angels and Men and all Creatures For as at his first coming into the World He appeared in our likeness which the Ancients called his Epiphany a name that still sticks to the last day of the Feast of his Nativity and as He appeared in the same likeness when He rose from the dead and in that form and nature of a man went up into Heaven and still keeps it there as several have seen since his Ascension so he will in like manner appear in the end of the world only in greater Majesty and Glory as becomes Him who is over all God blessed for ever Amen ix Rom. 5. CHAP. III. A further Illustration of the APPEARING of our Lord Jesus Christ THERE is nothing to be added to what hath been said but only this That the word Epiphany or APPEARING denotes not meerly the presenting of himself in Person to the view of all the World but the whole SHOW as we call it that will accompany his coming from Heaven and all the things that shall be done by him as the Lord and Judge of the World He sits now on the Throne of his Glory and there shines in the splendor of the Divine Majesty and in that Majesty will one day descend from thence into this Air which the King of Heaven will never suffer his Son to do without a most Royal and Glorious Attendance sutable to the quality of his Person and to the dignity of his Office which is to judge the quick and the dead This illustrious SHOW is described by our Apostle in the 1 Thes iv 16. where he tells us that first of all He shall descend from Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a SHOVT That is with great Acclamations such as use to be made when a mighty Conqueror appears and rides in Triumph Thus we learn to understand it from xlvij Psal 5. where God is said to be gone up with a SHOVT the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet That is the Ark which was the token of Gods Presence among them returned to Mount Sion with great and joyful Ovations of all the people after the conquest they got by the Divine aid over their powerful enemies In such a manner will our Saviour descend as being about to compleat his Victories by conquering Death it self the last enemy that shall be destroyed For all the Heavenly Hosts we may well conceive will be wonderfully pleased to see him go forth upon this design and calling upon each other to perform to him the most cheerful service upon that great day will rejoyce to wait upon him in that most glorious Action and triumph before-hand in the assured Victory which he will get over Hell and the Grave 2. For then saith the Apostle will be heard the voice of the Archangel that is one of the chief Leaders and Commanders of the Coelestial Hosts MICHAEL I suppose the Protector of the Christian Church shall march before his Majesty calling aloud to all the rest of that Heavenly company to follow after in their order 3. And then will the Trump of God sound which the Apostle adds to signifie after the manner of men the powerful summons which will be issued forth to alarm all the World to attend at this great solemnity For the gathering of the Congregation of Israel together was by the sound of a Trumpet as we find among other places in iv Jer. 5. Blow ye the Trumpet in the land cry gather together and say Assemble your selves To which the Apostle seems to allude and calls it the Trump of GOD to distinguish it from all other and to express such a mighty and penetrating sound as shall be heard every where Such an one as is fit to precede none but GOD the Father Almighty himself or Him that holds his place his only begotten Son when he comes to judge the World In short this seems to be an expression borrowed from the appearance of God at Mount * So Thenphylact other Greek Interpreters Sinai whither all Israel being to be gathered together they were summoned thither by Thunders and Lightnings and a thick cloud and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud which made all the people tremble xix Exod. 16. So that the meaning of the Apostle is that our Lord shall come as the Great King of the World in a most venerable Majesty which shall make all Mankind stand in awe of him and tremble before him as the Israelites did at the Appearance of the Divine Majesty on Mount Sinai And a great deal more For 4. When he appears it will be as I have intimated already with innumerable glittering troops of Angels all clothed in very bright and shining Clouds as his Guard or Retinue to attend upon him So we are informed in several other places For the Son of Man saith our Lord himself xvj Mat. 27. shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Which Saint Luke expresses thus more fully ix Luk. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He shall come in his own glory and in his Father's and of the holy Angels Some of which glorious Creatures appeared to the Apostles and told them as much when they stood gazing after our Saviour as He ascended up into Heaven i. Act. 11. This same Jesus say they which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven Now he went thither in a most illustrious manner in the bright Clouds of Heaven attended by the Coelestial Ministers who came to conduct him into his Glory For that is the meaning it were easie to shew if this place were
heretofore they could tell committed so gross an error in their account that it hath taught posterity to be more cautious in determining any thing about it They I mean who fancied the World should continue just six thousand years following the Computation of the Greek Translators of the Bible brought this period to an end many Ages ago Lactantius for instance tells us and it is above thirteen hundred years since he died that post breve tempus * L. VII Divin Instit C. 14. after a short time they expected the conclusion of all things And although they varied in their account and could not agree in the exact summe of the years that were still to come yet Omnis expectatio non ampliùs quà m ducentorum videtur annorum * Ib. Cap. 25. in this they seemed all to consent that they would not exceed two hundred years But St. Ambrose lived to confute these conjectures and saith that according to his reckoning this period of six thousand years was out in his days And should we follow the Computation of the Hebrews perhaps we should not come nearer to the mark if we still depended on such expectations but after these six thousand years are indeed expired there may be a great number for any thing we know still to come before the end of all things Which notwithstanding should be no discouragement to us as long as it is sure and certain He will come the time being set and He who hath prefixed it being so qualified that no doubt He will show our Saviour in all his Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Theophylact and Oecumenius in the most convenient and peculiar season which is set apart and destin'd for it For as there was a fulness of time iv Gal. 4. when it was resolved our Saviour should first appear after they had waited many Ages for him so there is no doubt the like time set for his last appearing and the consummation of all things though it may be long before it be fulfilled He who so faithfully performed His promise of the one will never fail us in the other because He remains the same Almighty and Unchangeable Lord and Governour of all things whose will none can resist and whose purpose none can frustrate or divert but it shall certainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostome expounds it in due season take effect And that is the chief thing I intend here to note the description of the Person who will exhibit and shew Christ Jesus again to the World in the most magnificent Glory viz. God the Father Almighty Six of whose Attributes or Properties are here mentioned by the Apostle to confirm this Faith in Timothy and to work it in us that He will not fail in his times to bring our Saviour again out of his holy place and make Him appear in such a manner as they preached The grounds of their preaching it was that first of all our Saviour had made them a solemn promise before He left them that He would return and take them up to the same place whither He was going xiv Joh. 2 3. I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also And 2. the Holy Angels likewise had added their Testimony since He went to Heaven to the truth of this promise For as they were looking after Him when they saw Him ascend two of them stood by them and said This same Jesus which you saw taken up into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him going into Heaven i. Act. 11. And 3. after this the Holy Ghost came which was the fulfilling of a promise something like to this xvi Joh. 16. A little while and ye shall see me and again a little while and ye shall not see me because I go to my Father This was the Deputy of our Saviour as Tertullian speaks and the testimony of his Presence by whom he visited them and came again to see them v. 22. according to his word And the other promises they concluded would be as certainly made good as this was But lastly St. Paul had a greater reason still to preach this because he had received an express warrant and command from our Lord Christ himself since He went to the Throne of his Glory to declare that He would come again in all that pomp and royal Majesty which the Apostle describes in 1 Thess iv 16 17. For what he there delivers about this matter He assures the Thessalonians was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word of the Lord. Other things as Theophylact notes he spake by the Holy Ghost but this he learnt from Christ Himself and heard from his own mouth Either when our Lord first appeared to him and gave him a Commission to preach what he had seen or at some other time when He further appeared unto him xxvi Act. 16 17 c. or else as Oecumenius * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. conjectures when he was caught up into the third Heavens and into Paradise where he heard many things which he was not permitted or could not utter though thus far he was able to inform us that the glory wherein our Lord reigned would one day be visibly revealed Now see upon what solid reasons and sure foundations the Apostle perswades Timothy to believe that God the Father will perform this promise of our Lord and Saviour whom it is apparent He sent and hath therefore highly exalted because he never said nor did any thing but what He commanded Him I. First He tells him that there will no doubt be such a glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ because He who will shew him in his splendor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The BLESSED One. As much as to say so full a Good that He wants nothing at all to compleat and perfect his Happiness And therefore 1. cannot be tempted out of any envy with which none but penurious beings are capable to be infected to deny us this exceeding great favour But rather 2. will be moved by his plenitude and his bountiful nature to communicate it to us according to our Saviours promise Especially 3. since He hath already advanced him to the highest bliss and happiness and can so easily without any damage to himself make all others blessed who are faithful to him And 4. is unchangeable also which Theodoret * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. thinks is included in this word both in his nature and in his purpose because being most blessed in himself He cannot alter for any thing that is better They that have but a little may be loth to give and they who have any defect may be unwilling that any should approach too nigh their Greatness For wanting something themselves they may be best pleased when they see that others do so too
and what we would be too a Good wherein we see the image of our selves in that perfection to which we desire to be advanced All they therefore who would be truly disposed to love the appearing of our Lord must have a deep apprehension of the meanness and vileness of this present state They must be possessed with a serious sense of their many imperfections and great weakness in the best condition that this world affords of the poverty and emptiness of all earthly enjoyments yea and of the scantiness and narrowness of all those Divine participations which their Souls are here capable to be blessed withal And then the Appearing of our Lord will seem a Good so suitable to them that they cannot chuse but have the same affection for it that a crazy and diseased person hath to the most skilful Physician In hope that He will perfect their nature cure the disorders under which they labour supply their defects fill their appetites nay enlarge their capacities and raise them to a greater pitch of true goodness and bliss Let us suppose such persons to be so much in the favour of God as to have a liberal share even in the blessings of this World as well as of those which are more peculiarly in the gift of our Saviour Christ yet it is impossible one would think they should be so much pleased in the highest Dignities that can be conferred on them in the rarest Delicates that the bounty of Nature or curiosity of Art can provide for them in the society of the choicest and dearest Friends or I may add in their own secret joy though descending from heaven to them as not to think still that it is far more desirable to see the Lord Jesus come to promote them and all their pious Relations and Friends to an incomparably better condition in his Coelestial Kingdom It is their interest to have Him appear again and besides they have such a likeness and resemblance to Him that the bent and inclination of their Souls cannot but make them long after the sight of Him as a good more delightful and agreeable than any other For there is another Coming of Christ before that which we expect Quo per totum tempus in Ecclesia sua venit c. as St. Austin speaks * L. xx de Civ Dei Cap. v. by which He comes through all the time between his first appearing and the last in His Church that is his members particulatim atque paulatim working in every one of them by little and little according to his promise xiv Joh. 21 23. that if any man keep His Commandments He will look upon it as such a testimony of his love that He will love that man and the Father will love him and we will come saith He unto him and make our abode with him Now when we heartily entertain Him and He is so truly setled there that we are made partakers of his Blessed nature and disposition and all the lineaments of Him if I may so speak are drawn upon our hearts We shall find them inclined to wish for the day when he will compleat his work and fill up the whole image of Himself to the very life and not only make us glad with the light of His countenance but make us look perfectly like Him and intirely assimilate us to His own most Blessed nature Do you not see how the holy Scriptures represent this Appearing of Jesus as the most lovely of all other things and therefore apt to draw our hearts with an irresistible force towards it It is expressed there I observe under the character of that which is wont to touch the Soul with such an agreeable stroke that it ravishes it from it self I mean Beauty For as that is nothing else according to Plato but the splendor and glittering of that which is good so this appearing is set forth as exceeding bright splendid and glorious and as that which will make us so also to the end we may be affected with it as the most beautiful sight that ever was Read ij Tit. 13. xiij Mat. 43. And St. Luke I told you before mentions a threefold glory wherein He will appear His own His Fathers and His holy Angels ix 26. which is said I believe to make this day appear the more illustrious and amiable in our eyes The only visage of Scipio we read made him Master of some barbarous Nations he piercing further into their hearts by his countenance than by his sword And Heliogabalus as bad as he was was no sooner shown by his Mother to the Souldiers but from Priest of the Sun he became Emperour of the World Why then should not the beauty of that day when the Prince of all the Kings of the Earth shall appear in the most glorious splendor attended by the greatest Principalities of Heaven with all their shining Hosts in admirable order captivate the hearts of all those that love Him since there is none so powerful did they but behold His glory as the Apostles did and look upon Him as the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth to draw those to his Religion who love Him not How can they refuse to yield to do Him homage and suffer themselves to be carried after Him as the Conquerour of all Souls and above all desire to wait upon Him at his appearing which they discern will be so glorious and render them so amiable that they will become as I doubt not to show a considerable addition to his Triumphs The hearts of all the faithful cannot chuse but leap for joy at the very thought of so great a Good though widely distant from them and wish it would come nearer to make them happy by its presence with them They are apt to sigh and say when they deeply ponder these things with the Prophet David in another case ci Psal 2. O when wilt thou come unto me It is a long time O Lord since thou didst promise to come We have waited for thee and for thy salvation more than they that wait for the morning I say more than they that wait for the morning May I not pray thee to hasten thy desired coming O when wilt thou display thy self and show thy glory more openly before us O when wilt thou be pleased to impress thine own image more fairly on us When shall those little touches that we have received of thee be perfected and figured into a more exact resemblance of thy beauty We cannot refrain but we must long to have all our defects supplied out of thy fulness to have all spots wiped off our souls to be rendred clear as the Sun free as the Air and as unstained as the pure influences of heaven For how should we think O blessed Lord that we bear any love to thee if we can be content to remain as we are so much unlike thee There is none can see thee and not ardently love thee There is none
in her course as she is moving towards them and beats her affections back again or else turns the stream of them quite another way Love therefore is a generous vigour in the heart which incites and strengthens it to fair and noble actions for the effecting its desires though opposed by never so many enemies It is called by some the fire wherewith the soul is clothed which forces its way through all resistances A certain ardor in us which inspires us to worthy though difficult undertakings An Heroick passion which makes us think nothing impossible that is needful to be done for the compassing the end at which it aims Thus then must our souls be carried with such strong affections towards the appearing of Christ if we heartily love it We must omit nothing that we know is required of us for the obtaining the blessings which it will bring unto us We must bid all things stand aside that would impede us and tell them they must pretend to no interest at all in us when we are in pursuit of so great a good The love of which will soon reconcile us to the hardest duties and endear to us the most self-denying courses It will alter the countenance of sufferings and make all the troubles of this life cast a kinder aspect on us Nay it will enable us to look death in the face with a cheerful heart For it will present it to us in another shape and make the Grave that house of darkness seem like the beautiful gate of the Temple of God Whatsoever our Lord declares to be his pleasure this will bid us do it though we be undone by that means in all our temporal concerns And when they tempt us to murmur and repine to cry and lament at our parting with them Love will bid us be of good comfort because this is the way to have a fair reception by our Lord when He shall see we have quitted all for His sake We cannot indeed keep them always if we would yet such is his love our faith tells us that if we consent to forsake them beforehand upon his account He will not suffer us to be losers by it And therefore our love both to Him and to our selves prompts us not to stick at any thing which will be pleasing to Him though for the present it be harsh to us It teaches us to reason as St. Peter doth 2 Pet. iij. 11 12. Seeing all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of the Lord What manner of persons Truly such as are preparing a room in their hearts for their Lord. Such as hope then to compleat their Espousals to Christ And therefore must be holy and without blame before Him in love 1. Ephes 4. and study nothing so much as to be found acceptable in his sight who is the Lord of their hearts and their very life and to be nobly entertained by Him when He shall come again to receive His loving subjects up unto Himself We have our conversation in heaven saith St. Paul from whence we expect the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body according to the working whereby He can subdue all things unto Himself For in all reason they that expect such a sight should fit themselves for it by a conversation suitable to the dignity to which they shall be then preferred So Oecumenius I remember expounds these words of St. Paul to Timothy when he answers the Question who is it that loves his appearing in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that doth things worthy of excellent recompences Which if we love it will not fail to raise us unto a heavenly life If we wait for Him to come from Heaven it will lift up our hearts and carry them thither We shall disburden them of all carnal affections and throw off the load of the cares of this world that we may be light and airy ready to fly up above when He calls us to be with Him We shall labour to cleanse and purifie our souls as He is pure to adorn them with His Graces and in one word to put on the Lord Jesus that He may see Himself in us when He comes And wilt thou come then O blessed Saviour are such souls apt to say may we confidently look for thee from Heaven to be our Saviour Why do we question it sine we have thy faithful word for it who haste promised that we shall see thee as thou art and be for ever with thee O astonishing love what riches of grace is this Was it not enough that thou condescendedst once to come and save us but that thou determinest to come again Canst thou not satisfie thy love unless we be where thou art And wilt thou leave thy seat in heaven to come and fetch us rather than leave us here upon the earth O Love what is like unto thee Thou hast a mighty power who can understand the wonders that thou dost O make it great in us good Lord as well as in thy self Cause it to do marvels in our hearts as it hath done in thine Let our souls be unsatisfied till they come to thee Call forth all their powers as thou hast done their desires that they may restlesly move towards thee Make them unwearied in well-doing stedfast unmovable and abundant in thy work that they may not miss of thee O most gracious Lord suffer nothing in this world to discourage these hearts that have wholly given themselves to thee Cease not still to excite and quicken them since they have been already touched and awakned by thine Omnipotent love But preserve such a flame alive in them that they may ardently follow thee Inspire them with zealous resolution never to desist in their pursuit of that blessed Hope thou hast set before them Strengthen them against all the power of their enemies and let thy love burn with such fervour in them that none of the opposers of their holy desires may be able to stand before it Arm them good Lord with this invincible force of heavenly love which may make them noble conquerors and prepare them for thy glorious Triumph VI. But true love cannot stay here neither nor content it self with some endeavours to enjoy that Good which propounds it self to its affections for it ever tends to an Vnion with that lovely thing towards which it is moved When the Soul runs forth to see what it is that calls out its desires the intention of that motion is to possess it self of that amiable object if it answer its first pretences and prove such as it promised No sooner doth any thing appear beautiful and lovely to the mind or imagination but presently the heart sends messengers as I may call the spirits that issue out of it to bring it home and
Scriptures THus have I put an end to the third enquiry about the nature of this Love which St. Paul supposes good Christians feel in their souls to the appearing of Christ In satisfying of which I have not followed mine own fancy but the common sentiments of all those hearts who have so much good nature as to know what this passion means And there hath been nothing said but what may be fully justified by the Holy Scriptures if we diligently observe in what terms they speak of the passion and fervent desire which all pious Believers have for the coming of our Lord. I. For which they are first said to LOOK or to expect it with such a greediness as men do that of which they are extreamly desirous So those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie which are used in the 1 Cor. 1.7 iij. Phil. 20. ij Tit. 13. ix Heb. 28. where they are said to look for the Revelation of Jesus Christ to have their conversation in Heaven from whence they look for the Saviour to be looking for that blessed Hope the coming of Christ who will appear the second time to them that look for him with that earnestness that is and concernment which one hath for the greatest good in the world Or with such a longing as I have explained it before as the children of Israel had to see their High-Priest return out of the most holy place into which he went on the day of expiation to make reconciliation for their sins For if he came out alive it was a token that God had accepted him and with the greatest joy they received the blessing which then he brought and pronounced to them in his name There is a manifest allusion to this in the last of those places now mentioned Heb. ix where the Apostle saith vers 26. that when Christ appeared in this world it was to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Which bloody sacrifice as you read vers 24. He carried not into the holy places made with hands which were only figures of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us that is by vertue of this Sacrifice to perfect the expiation of our sins and obtain for us the Divine Blessing Now he being thus offered vers 28. to bear the sins of many as a publick Sacrifice that is for the whole body of mankind not a particular for one or a few persons unto them that look for him he shall appear visibly the second time without sin as having made a complete expiation to give salvation to his people who expect his coming out of Heaven to bless them II. Expect it did I say yea this Apostle calls it a most earnest expectation So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the creature viij Rom. 19. is expounded by Oecumenius * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be its exceeding intense and vehement desire and expectance of the revelation of the Sons of God that is sayes he of the conclusion of all when it shall be clearly seen who are the sons of God and who the sons of the Devil Which is a Good to be wisht for so much above all other that the Heaven the Earth the Sea the Air the Sun the Moon all the visible Creation together with all that is invisible the Angels Archangels Powers Principalities Dominions all these expect our perfection They are the words of Theodoret who with other of the Ancients looks upon the whole Creation as brought in here expecting our future happiness by such a figure * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum as the Prophets use when they introduce the Woods rejoycing the Mountains leaping the Floods clapping their hands to express the exceeding great joy that should be among mankind at the first coming of our Lord. But because it is controverted what the Apostle means by the Creature and this is not a fit place to discuss it I shall pass by this expression and not mention the sighs and the groans which there follow as the natural effect of an exceeding great desire to see the day of redemption come III. Let us rather consider that the glory which shall be revealed at the coming of Christ out of this holy place to give salvation to his faithful worshippers is the cause that as St. Paul speaks in this place which I have taken for the rise of this Discourse they look for it as a thing that hath very strongly engaged their hearts and is the object of their dearest affection They declare by the fixing of their eyes upon it how much they love it that is esteem it are inclined to it and think long till they enjoy it For whatsoever touches us so nearly we are wont to expect it with some impatience IV. But as the greatness of this Good is such as will make those that believe it earnestly long for it so it is able to quiet and still their souls by the mere hope of its enjoyment though it stay long before it come And therefore 4. they are said to WAIT for his Son from Heaven 1 Thess i. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tarry to stay till he come Which implies both longing and patient abiding till he please to send so great a Blessing V. Nay fifthly St. James exhorts them to be PATIENT with long-suffering to the coming of the Lord V. 7. For so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used imports a patient abiding though he stay long and we suffer much before he come We could not suffer and indure what we must on some occasions if we did not expect him as Oecumenius notes out of the ancient Greek Expositors * In 1 Th. i. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And our sufferings would not be very valuable if we were not content to expect him long as he likewise observes upon another place in that Epistle For if it were manifest saith he * In 1 Th. v. 1. that the day of the Lord or the consummation of all things would be within three years and it could not be otherwise all would despise dangers and make nothing of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what great vertue would this be when they knew that within so short a space they should receive their full reward The vertue of a Christian is to suffer long as well as to suffer much waiting with long patience as the Husbandman doth for the precious fruit of the Earth VI. And yet it is not such a patience we are to exercise but St. Peter gives us leave to HASTEN it which is a sixth word whereby the holy writings express this pious affection unto and vehement desire of the appearing of Christ Jesus 2 Pet. iij. 12. Looking for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and HASTING unto the coming of the day of God In the Greek it is not hasting unto the coming but hasting the coming and so we render it in the margin that
come Suffer me to wish most passionately that thou wouldest appear Be not angry with me if in the agonies of my soul I desire thou wouldst haste thine appearing And in the mean time increase my belief that thou O compassionate Saviour pitiest my weaknesses and art not insensible of all my miseries that so I may more comfortably hope thou wilt come and ease me and thy self both together Bear up my sinking spirit till I be so happy and by thine almighty power support me under the weight of all the fears and all the doubts that are apt to trouble me And let not the dulness of my mind or the heaviness of my heart the distraction of my thoughts or the deadness of my affections in thy most delightsome service utterly deject me But raise me up with a chearful hope of thy salvation to a pitch of joy and gladness under all the burdens that oppress me I am forced indeed to sigh when I think of the many temptations to which on every side I am exposed And more sad it is to think that they at any time have shaken though not overthrown me O the childish follies of a mind which doth so much as listen to the treacherous allurements which would steal away my heart from its happiness O the intolerable weakness of an heart which doth so much as waver in its resolved choice of so reasonable a service as that of thine wherein I am engaged Pardon me Good Lord that I call it intolerable For I know I ought to bear it in hope of greater strength and of eternal settlement and that I ought to rejoyce I am not overcome by all the temptation wherewith I have been assaulted Blessed be thy Almighty Grace that I have stood hitherto so stedfast so unmoveable in my duty and that I have thy word for it thou wilt never leave me nor forsake me It is only my love to thee which makes me complain though not of the inconstancy yet of the weakness of my love The coldness of my affections the listlessness of my devotions my aptness to be tired and soon weary of the divinest pleasure and satisfaction the unevenness of my temper the sudden discomposures I feel in my spirit are the things that often trouble me But I ought to remember that I am now in a body full of disorders and that my life is a warfare which I ought patiently to accomplish And I have great reason to bless thy name O thou most glorious Conqueror of the Devil and sin by whose gracious aids my will standeth firm and doth not yield or in the least consent to displease thy Majesty By thy power I have and shall do valiantly Thou shalt still tread down all mine enemies My soul shall make her boast in thee O Lord and be glad in thy salvation For I am continually with thee who hast holden me by my right hand Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Thus will I always hope in thee if thou wilt but be pleased mercifully to bear with my incurable infirmities to relieve my fainting spirit in this tedious pilgrimage and to permit me to sigh sometime and say O when will this long contest be ended when will this war which my passions raise in my breast be concluded and suffer me to live in tranquillity and enjoy the sweetest pleasures of perfect peace Yea when shall all thine enemies throughout the world be disarmed and there be no more rebellions against thy most sacred Authority and thy soveraign will O come sweet Jesus come thou Lord of peace get thy self and us the Victory that we may be more than Conquerors and triumph in thy praise Come and bring this troubled spirit into thy serene and undisturbed regions above Come and give it the wings of an Angel that I may flee away and be at rest That I may flee away from all the follies and from all the sorrows of this sinful life and be at rest with thee my Dearest Lord. At rest in that peaceful place in that Paradise above where is no dangerous Fruit to invite no temping Eve to solicite no subtile Serpent to deceive But we shall all live like so many Gods indeed perfectly wise and perfectly good inviting one another only to praise and love thee with our united strength Thee who art the first and the last the beginner of our Faith and the finisher of our Hope the Guide of our Pilgrimage through the troublesom wilderness of this World and the eternal rest of our wearied souls in that heavenly country which overflows with pleasures for evermore CHAP. XIV Two Reasons more to induce us to raise our thoughts and affections to the Appearing of our Lord. VI. AND the very first step we shall take towards our heavenly Rest will be so surprizing and advance us so far above our present imperfections that it must needs if we seriously consider it make this Appearing of his extreamly desireable Because all good men shall have the favour then to be snatcht from this earth and carried up into the air to meet our Lord Jesus there when he appears in his glory And who is there that understands himself who would not wish to be thus translated rather than to stay here though it were to see our Lord come to reign with his Saints a thousand years upon the earth Which Judaical conceit as St. Hierom truly calls it was embraced by many great men in ancient times as a piece of the most Orthodox faith So Justin Martyr esteemed it and Irenaeus with many others were very zealous for it And if they had thought more of spiritual delights which the Saints should have in that Sabbath as they termed it by the presence of our Lord St. Austin * L. xx deliv Dei c. 7. for his part acknowledges it would have been a tolerable opinion to which he himself was sometimes inclined For all good men as I said before would be glad to see righteousness planted more universally in the earth and prevailing over vice and wickedness before the dissolution of all things And yet even then should we suppose them to be so happy here they would be far more glad to behold our Lord appear in his glory to take them quite away from this earth Where as long as they continue they must needs be dull and heavy cloudy and dark and enjoy but little of him till they quit this gross body of flesh and blood and go up into a purer state of light and vigorous life Which St. Paul hath given us hope we shall enter into at the appearing of our Lord. Who will descend from Heaven with great acclamations you heard before from 1 Thess iv 16. to raise the dead and judge the World And then his Saints are not to remain any longer here but a sudden change being made in them 1 Cor. xv 52. both they who are then alive and all those who are newly raised from the
dead shall be CAUGHT UP TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR v. 17. There he will shew himself and not upon this earth Thither they shall be carried up unto him and not he come down hither unto them And if you well observe it the Apostle teaches you to believe that this ascent of the Saints unto him will bein a very glorious manner Just as he comes from Heaven shall they go up thither For St. Paul saith we shall be caught up IN THE CLOUDS as so many triumphal chariots sent to fetch us from this earth and transport us to himself Who when he stood before his Judges to receive his sentence from them thus describes his own coming to judge them xxvj Matth. 64. Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the CLOVDS of Heaven Though now that is I am arraigned and condemned by you as if I were the vilest of men you shall one day see that I am the Son of God by whom you shall be judged for with amazement you shall behold me clothed with Divine Majesty and coming as the Vicegerent of the supreme Lord of all to call you to an account For every one knows that clouds are called the Chariot of God civ Psal 3. and therefore his coming in the CLOVDS of Heaven can signifie nothing else but his appearing in the glory and with the Authority of his Father as Lord of the world that hath conquered all his enemies and is come to pronounce the sentence of God upon them In such a splendid manner with the like pomp and state shall we be carried up to him as so many Princes going to wait upon him and to receive the honour he will delight to confer upon us in the sight of all the world Nay it will be part of our honour to be conveighed to him just as Elias yea he himself ascended into Heaven For a Chariot of Fire appeared for the transportation of the one 2 Kings ij 11. and a cloud which is the same received the other out of the Apostles sight i. Act. 9. O blessed Day O happy Appearing doth an heavenly minded Christian often think with himself when a sight of my Saviour will draw me up to him to be where he is O most glorious most beautiful Spectacle when his beams which fall upon me shall make me ascend from this earth as the Vapors do before the rayes of the Sun O the joy that will fill my heart when I shall see those gilded Chariots sent from my Saviour to fetch me unto himself How shall I sing when I am uncooped and let out of this Cage wherein I am now confined to accompany the free people of the air in their heavenly melodies What a pleasure will it be to look behind me as I fly up unto Jesus and see what a poor spot this Earth is of which I shall then have taken my leave for ever O how glad shall I be that I am to return no more to a place so dull so dark and so full of miseries How happy shall I think my self that I am gone quite away from this vile Orb which will not seem then to my exalted soul so big as a pins-head Nay how joyful will it make me to find that I am at last ascended up so high as to have lost the sight of this little Globe and of all the Kingdoms and Empires that it contains O my Gracious Lord pardon me if I be sometime apt to think that thou stayest too long before thou comest to call me up unto those heavenly places This flesh is too unweildly a load when I think of that aerial state It hath made me groan ever since thou madest me believe that thou wilt bestow a lighter garment upon my soul Heretofore indeed I fancied nothing more than a body fresh and plump a tall and proper stature a fair face and beautiful features and I was prone to envy those who dwelt in such fine and goodly Palaces But ever since the time that I heard of going into the air to meet with thee my Lord all the love they excite in my heart makes such habitations seem no better than stately Prisons I have lookt upon my self and sweetest Friends in our most healthy estate and sighed to think that we were in Chains and Fetters Nay the best of these houses I tell them at certain seasons are but painted Sepulchres wherein the mind lies dead and buried It is thou therefore O most blessed Lord who hast made me to wish so earnestly for thine appearing I owe these longings to the discovery which thou hast made to me of another and better world whither thou intendest to transport me And if I have a mind to begin my journey thither presently if I would fain feel my wings so grown that they might be able to bear me up above this earth if my soul sometimes would willingly be released from these chains and have the freedom to leave this flesh and if I wish withal that this flesh may be changed and turned into a kind of spiritual being I must ascribe it unto thee who hast begot these desires in me by telling me of a building of God eternal in the Heavens when this earthly tabernacle is dissolved Thou hast revealed these things to me that I might desire them and who can desire them and not wish withal that he might presently enjoy them Let it not displease thee therefore I beseech thee again O my Dearest Lord if I say sometimes I am weary of being here Do not esteem me impatient if in the agonies and pangs of Love I long to come up higher and get as near as may be to thy self Suffer me to pray thee that these walls of flesh may not long immure me and exclude me from thy face At least open a window for my gasping soul that I may look into the purer air and please my self in the thoughts of the flight which I shall one day take to see thee and enjoy thee in unclouded Bliss VII But there is something beyond all this to draw our affections from all things here and to make us love and long for the coming of our Lord And that is the CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which the Apostle tells us in this very place shall then be given to all those who are thus piously disposed for it I cannot tell you how much is contained in these two words unless I should make another Treatise little less than this For a CROWN denotes the highest degree of honour and RIGHTEOUSNESS signifies in the holy language not only freedom from all pain and punishment but the enjoyment of the greatest felicity that the most bounteous goodness of God will bestow upon his faithful servants No less than such a glory and happiness as our Lord himself hath received for a reward of his labours For we see Jesus saith the Apostle ij Heb. 9. who was made a little lower than the Angels
for the suffering of death CROWNED with glory and honour So St. John saw him in a vision as he tells us xiv Rev. 14. sitting upon a white i. e. a bright and shining cloud having on his head A GOLDEN CROWN And thus our Lord hath caused it to be proclaimed in the Gospel of his Grace it shall be done to all those whom God delights to honour He hath shown in our blessed Saviour what he will bestow upon his constant followers And in what he hath done for him he hath shown also that he is upright and that there is no unrighteousness in him They may depend upon his word and be confident he will not fail their expectation but crown their faith and patience with immortal glory I say their patience because he will have them wait long and stay a great while before they receive this Crown which cannot be set upon their heads till the day of his Appearing He will take up all pious Souls indeed into a state of joy and bliss surpassing all that we can now conceive as soon as they depart this life but the perfection of it they must wait for till he have gathered the whole body of the faithful to him that he may crown them all together So the Ancients understand that place xi Heb. 39 40. as may be seen in Theodoret Oecumenius Theophylact and others And so the last named Writer discourses at large upon the xxiij Luke 43. according to the doctrine of St. Chrysostom whom he constantly follows Who pronounces that the soul lies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * In 1 Cor. xv 19. uncrowned till the resurrection of the dead which is the time when we shall all receive according to what we have done in the body whether it be good or whether it be evil Which was not his opinion alone or the sense of some few others but the current doctrine of the ancient Fathers Who look upon that invisible place and state wherein the souls of good men are before the Resurrection as so much inferiour to that wherein they shall be afterward that they have bestowed very different names upon them expressing the imperfect though very happy condition in which we must remain till our Lord will be pleased to appear for our consummation It will not be amiss to mention the descriptions they give of both The place and state before the Resurrection they call Paradise the Bosom of Abraham the feast of the Patriarchs the outward Altar below the Altar the Porch of the Sanctuary the Courts of the Lord the Custody and the storehouse of Souls secret receptacles the hidden seats or Tabernacles of the godly convenient or due places places meet for them or worthy of them the place of refreshment of Light of Peace a portion of the spiritual Rest the rest of security a certain retiring place of everlasting Rest the port of eternal security the bright the fragrant the royal Tabernacles the earnest or pledge of the Kingdom the White rayment a Chamber in the Palace Royal an Habitation with God the Asylum or place of refuge with other such like names which are so obvious that none can fail to be acquainted with them who read the ancient Doctors of our Religion Among whom St. Ambrose hath adventured to give us a very particular account of this state which I shall set down because it will be very pleasing to those who are desirous of some distinct conception of the happiness we hope for before the Resurrection in the celestial Tabernacles Where the joy of just souls L. de Bone Mortis c. xj saith he will be disposed per Ordines quosdam by certain orders ranks or degrees First there is the joy that they have overcome the flesh and were not crooked by its inticements Secondly that at the rate of their industry and innocence they enjoy security and are not intangled like the souls of the wicked in errors and perturbations and are neither tortured with the memory of their vices nor vexed with the rage of solicitude and cares Thirdly that they are supported with the Divine Testimony of their having observed the Law so that they are not in fear of the uncertain event of their deeds in the last judgement Fourthly because they begin to understand their Rest and Ease and to foresee their future glory and pleasing themselves with that consolation in their dwelling places they live at ease with great tranquillity invironed with the guards of Angels And the Fifth Order or Rank hath the sweetness of a most plentiful exultation or triumph that they are escaped out of the prison of this corruptible body into light and liberty and possess the promised inheritance For there is an order of the rest as there is of the resurrection We shall all rise but every one in his order Christ the first-fruits then they that are Christs who believe his coming and then is the end There shall be therefore a different order of dignity and glory as there will be an order of deserts So that in the sixth Order their Countenance will begin to shine as the Sun and to be compared to the lights of the stars but is such a brightness as cannot decay And the seventh Order will be that they may exult with confidence and full assurance and confide without any doubting and rejoyce without trembling making haste to see his Countenance to whom they have devoted the Obedience of a most diligent service From whence by the remembrance of an innocent Conscience they may presume a glorious reward of a small labour which they beginning to receive shall know that the sufferings of this present time are unworthy that so great a glory of an eternal recompense should be compared with them This is the Order wherein he places just souls before our Lord come to bring them into his heavenly Kingdom And some body under the name of St. Austin hath more briefly expressed it thus * L. de salutaribus Documentis c. xl Tom. 4. We believe that when our soul is freed from the bonds of the flesh if we have lived well and uprightly before God the Quire of Angels will presently come to meet us and troops of all the Saints will run into our embraces and bring us to supplicate the true Judge Then peace will incompass us and deep security We shall fear no more the fiery darts of the Devil nor any other enemy that desires to cast our souls into danger Not sword not fire not the cruel face of the Tormentor not hunger not thirst nor any sickness The flesh shall no longer be contrary to the spirit nor shall we fear any danger but having cast off the burden of the flesh the holy Spirit to whom we had before given a mansion in our body will give us a mansion in Heaven And so we shall joyfully and gladly expect the day of judgement in which the souls of all men shall receive rewards according to their deeds Now
pleasing her eyes and her mind with the very shadow of that dear Person or if she have any token of his love left or sent her whereby to remember him is ever and anon taking it into her hands and imprinting her kisses on it so it becomes all those to do who pretend any love to our Lord Jesus who hath endeared himself to us by such incomparable loving kindness and merited so highly of us that it would be exceeding strange if we should be either insensible of his favours or let them slip out of our minds when among the rest of the expressions of his wonderful love he hath taken great care to preserve the remembrance of them there Our gracious Lord the Bridegroom of our souls is gone a long journey even as far as Heaven He hath espoused us to himself it is true in great love most assured love but hath left us for a time here in this world and removed himself so far from us that though there be nothing so desireable as his company to those who are acquainted with him and have any affection for him yet they find the distance is so exceeding great between them that they cannot attain their much wisht for enjoyment of him And therefore every good soul should look towards him and sighing within it self should often say When will he come when will he come and let me have the long desired sight of him When will he come and finish what he hath so graciously begun O that he would come and take me to him O that he would come and satisfie this soul which is ready to dissolve and sweetly melt into that blissful union with him And till he please to grant this desire we should often fasten our expecting eyes on the Picture he hath left us of himself drawn as I may say by his own hand which tells us he will certainly come and requires us to rest assured he will be as good as his word and give us immortal life in the glory where he is We should frequent I mean the holy Sacrament of his body and blood we should love there to communicate with him and knit our selves to him it should be our greatest pleasure to solace our selves in that representation of him till he comes We should affectionately receive into our hands those tokens and pledges of his love which he continually sends us by his Ministers we should take them into our mouths yea let them into our hearts and embracing him in those signs and seals of his grace towards us should rejoyce in his love till he himself appear and lay our souls to rest in his bosom for ever If there were no other benefit we should receive by this means than that thereby our love will be mightily excited towards him who hath loved us so dearly it were sufficient to commend this duty to us But we shall also grow thereby more confident of his appearing again to perfect his love towards us and in the mean time be still receiving fresh tokens of the affection he now hath for us For as the thoughts of his love hath the greatest power over our hearts so we need not fear to say that the love he sees in us is of such force and efficacy with him that it strongly moves his tender compassions towards us If any man love me saith he himself xiv Joh. 21 23. he shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him O what a word is this I will love him How it pierces into the heart How it stirs and works how it revives and refreshes there Can there be any thing greater than this to be beloved of the Lord of Heaven the Prince of Life the King of Glory What will not he do for those whom he loves when we see he did not stick to dye for them even before they loved him You know that when Lazarus was sick as I think I have somewhere observed in another Treatise his Sisters sent this news to our Saviour saying Lord behold he whom thou lovest is sick xi Joh. 3. This was a very short Letter And their grief perhaps would not permit them to write a longer But they did not fare the worse because they were not more ceremonious in their addresses this alone did the business O how great a power was there in these few words They say no more to move him but only this Lord thou lovest him and what doth not our Saviour do to show they were not mistaken Up he rises away he goes to the place of his abode there needed no more prayers to bring him thither And though there were many dangers in the way as the story relates though to go thither his Disciples thought was to cast himself into a showr of stones v. 8. though the Jews he knew very well sought to take him and kill him x. 39. yet love being as strong as death carried him through all impediments He could not chuse but go when he heard this charming word he whom thou lovest is sick By which we may learn that to obtain the favour and grace the help and assistance the comfort and the presence of our blessed Saviour we need no long Petitions no great address of words no courtship nor studied complements Let us be able only to tell him that he loves us and it is enough If we can but win his good affection we need no more We may then remember to him his own dear love more than ours We may tell him how much good he hath done us and that is argument sufficient to move him to do more We may relate his graciousness and sweet disposition when we can perceive in our own hearts but disgusts at our selves We may say O my Lord I have seen by many arguments the wonderful great good will thou bearest to me For thou hast instructed my ignorance pitied my weaknesses cured many of my diseases delivered me from the power of temptations I cannot tell what thou hast done for me O most merciful Saviour who art still going on by innumerable ways to testifie thou lovest me And this humble devout acknowledgement will certainly invite a further effusion of his favours For it is a pleasure to him to do benefits especially to those he loves He rejoyces over them to do them good He loves to accomplish his own good purposes and delights as much as they can desire to perfect what he hath happily begun in them And therefore we may intreat him to give himself that pleasure not to lose any of that joy which will so much please and rejoyce us also and make us his debtors his admirers his adorers and lovers to all eternity We may desire him even that it would please him to come again according to his promise because he loves us and because he loves to finish his works of love and we may be confident he will and bring his rewards with him Though he stay we think
it is of grace and bounty and with what unwearied kindness it delights to communicate its blessings to us And what is there that we would see which is comparable to this What can we desire to see but more of this even when we are made perfect in love And what thanks do we owe to God that we see so much It ought to stir up all that is within us to bless his holy name We ought to say every day will I bless thee and praise thy name for ever and ever But for this also we must be beholden to love For it is that which indites all our Hymns and meditates the Divine Praises It puts the songs of joy into our mouth and fills our hearts with thanksgiving Our tongues are tyed without this or we do but babble not speak our Saviours praises It is love that bursts out into such effusions as these O praise the Lord of love who humbled himself do dwell among us Praise him in the beauties of his holiness praise him in his super-excellent wisdom Let all his works praise him who came to us with his hands full of Miracles and every miracle full of mercy O praise him in his almighty and most merciful kindness which made the lame to leap like a Kid and the tongue of the dumb to sing for joy which opened the eyes of the blind to see his wonders and the ears of the deaf to hear the wisdom where by he spake which restored the sick to health and the dead to life which published the Gospel to the poor and instructed the ignorant in the mysteries of the Kingdom of God O praise him before whom the Devils fled and confessed him to be the Lord. Praise him in his incomparable love which thought it not enough to do all this but also gave himself to dye for us Let all Nations praise him who are the purchase of his blood Let them mark every step of his dying love from the time he was betrayed and sold like a slave till he finished his sufferings on the Cross O the greatness of that love which endured such scorn such reproach such a bitter agony and shameful death even for all those who have little sense of this wondrous love But let no Christian soul be insensible how the hands which wrought so many Miracles and the feet which travelled up and down to do men good were cruelly nailed by them to an ignominious Gibbet Let them remember how his head was crowned with thorns and his body cloathed in a fools coat How they spit in his face blinded his eyes and then rudely buffeted him to make them sport O what love was that which made him submit to be mocked and reviled to be accounted worse than a seditious murderer and numbred among the greatest transgressors And above all let it never be forgotten how he sweat in our service as it had been drops of blood and at last bled to death after three hours shame and anguish on the Cross Praised be that incomparable Charity Praised be his inimitable meekness and humilitie Let all the world extol and praise his Lamb-like patience and innocence Let them celebrate his admirable kindness in forgiving such implacable enemies and his intire confidence and faith in God whereby he offered up himself to him and obtained an eternal redemption for us O the wonderful vertue of that sacrifice which hath taken away the sins of the world Praised be the tender mercies of our God which have forgiven us so many trespasses Praised be his mercies which have not only forgiven us but restored us to life and glory again by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead Let us rejoyce and be glad in that great salvation Let us bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by that resurrection of his from the dead Let us lift up our heads and look to Heaven our ancient Country for there he is exalted And let us thank our God who hath set him at his own right hand and made him most glorious for ever See how all the Angels welcomed him thither and falling at his feet most humbly worshipped his Majesty See how they all now wait upon him and constantly attend his pleasure And let us worship him too with the devoutest and most lowly reverence Let us praise him in his Sanctuary where he appears before God for us from whence he sends down the gracious influences of his spirit on us and commands his Angels to minister unto us Let us praise him the glorious King of Angels and men Who hath conquered death and triumphed over all the powers of darkness and opening the Kingdom of Heaven to all the faithful hath promised that they shall reign in glory together with him Let all the Angelical Ministers praise him Let the Apostles Prophets and Martyrs praise him Let all those who are departed in the true faith and fear of him praise him And let all the living who partake of the daily fruit of his bounteous love continually praise him Let them praise the name of the Lord for his name alone is excellent his glory is above the Earth and Heaven Let them praise him in the greatness of his Power in the Wisdom of his Counsels in the carefulness of his Providence in the riches the exceeding riches of his Grace in the stedfastness of his word and the faithfulness of all his promises And let them all joyn together and beseech him to come again that he may both accomplish our hopes and perfect his own praises O let him come that we may give him better praises in one body for ever CHAP. XIX More expressions of this devout affection towards our Lords Appearing and the way whereby we may excite them THis is some of the language of Love which wishes every knee would bow to Jesus and every tongue confess that he is the Lord to the glory of God the Father who hath thus highly exalted him For its desires are unlimited and its kindness like the fountain of it is inexhaustible and infinite It is the brightest image of Jesus There is nothing represents him so lively to the world He now appears most in those who love most and who long and wait with pure and ardent desires to see him come in all his glory For they will keep his commandment without spot unrebukeable until his appearing which in his times he will shew who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see to whom be honour and power everlasting Amen Why then O my soul do we not let this blessed guest be lodged in our heart Or why do we not entertain it so that it may stay with us and we may feel it stirring there in restless motions towards Jesus What
thee by whose Wisdom all things are governed thee by whose infinite kindness mankind was redeemed What a joy will it be to me to see thee who didst conduct me in my way direct me at every turn support me in every step assist me in all the various passages of my life secure me from innumerable temptations preserve me from as many dangers and at last broughtest me safe to see thee and rejoyce with thee for ever CHAP. XVI Of the mighty power and pleasure of Love when it is setled in the heart AND thus I am come to the end of this other part of my Discourse Wherein the reasons of placing our best affections on the appearing of Christ have been so plainly deduced that as they cannot but be understood so they cannot but move those hearts which do not quite turn away their minds from all consideration of them And that it should be hard to do one would think if we have the least acquaintance with the Christian Religion Which hereby most strongly recommends it self unto us that it gives us such great and glorious hopes and entertains our tiresome Pilgrimage with such delightful contemplations of the joys and pleasures we shall have in another world especially when we come to rest with our Lord for ever No man that is in his wits would be without the comfort of this expectation It far exceeds all our present enjoyments and is in it self so desireable that we may truly say Faith doth not beg to be admitted by us but rather commands us to open our hearts and let it in if we would have any constant pleasure and setled peace and satisfaction there which nothing but the Christian belief can establish in us And this is the misery of all those who do not faithfully receive the Gospel that as they shall miss of the greatest blessings hereafter so they want the highest comfort in the world at present Which is to wait with assured hope for those good things which our Lord will give us at his appearing By the expectance of which we are not only a little pleased while we imploy our minds in such meditations as these but they put us into a state of pleasure and constant satisfaction by drawing our hearts to Heaven and placing us out of the power though not out of the reach of all worldly accidents For such is the condition of man as the Disciples of Plato's School have well expressed it that there are two effusions and ecstasies as we may call them of his soul two sorts of inebriation as some of them love to speak whereby he is dispossessed of himself By the one which is a Divine rapture we are carried out and placed above our selves by the other which is the witchery of sense we are hurried away and thrust down into a condition below our selves Their meaning is that man being of a middle nature between Angels and Beasts by his intellectual part partaking of the nature of those heavenly beings and by his sensitive of the nature of the brutes he may so apply himself either to the one or to the other that he come in great measure out of his middle condition and go either upward to the former or downward to the later And this strange feat is wrought by nothing else but by the power of Love which evidently intrances our souls and transports us out of our selves either to the celestial natures if it be Divine or to the brutish if it be founded only in the flesh By exercising our minds in the actions of spiritual life and placing our affections on things above we may deliver and infranchise our selves from a servile base condition and approach nearer to the degree of Angels than of ordinary men As on the contrary by applying our minds and hearts wholly to corporeal actions and addressing all our services to the things of this world we may so inthrall our selves and bring our souls into such bondage that we shall sink down into a vile estate and become more like beasts than men O strange power of Love which makes such transformations turning men either into Angels or into the most sordid creatures How careful should we be to observe its motions What diligence should we use to watch whither it goes and to see that this mighty passion be directed to the most excellent good And if we do but open our eyes to receive the light of the glorious Gospel and all the beauties that it presents unto us we cannot easily be deceived There are a world of noble enjoyments to which our Saviour invites us if we will vouchsafe to look upon them and not be so sottish as to fasten our eyes only on a few objects here before us He hath opened to us the Kingdom of Heaven and tells us he will show us all the glory of his Fathers house if we will but wait a while till he be ready to come and fetch us thither Why should we not believe him and daily look up unto him with hearts full of joy that we are beloved of the Lord of life and have a good hope to live together with him What a change would this work in us And how happy should we be to think of the far more glorious change which the sight of him will make when by seeing him we shall become what he is O the joy that begins to spring up in my heart O what ravishing words are those WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS How sweetly they enter into mine ears How deliciously they spread and diffuse themselves all over my mind and strongly penetrate to my very heart I am changed already I am not what I was but quite another man All light and joy all spirit and life while I think of these things And can I ever so forget them as to be allured and drawn away from my self and my Saviour from my enjoyments and my hopes by any earthly pleasures What comparison is there between those two states I now described that I should be in danger of such temptations Is there any need to ask which is most to be chosen To suffer my heart to be touched with such a sense of Divine pleasures as to be ravisht out of my self and become more than man or to expose it so to the solicitations of sensible delights as to be inticed by them another way out of my self and transformed into the nature of the beasts that perish We are all desirous and forward enough to climb higher and our ambition tempts us to mount to as noble a station as it is possible to reach And therefore let us ascend O my soul to the Lord Jesus let us lift up our thoughts still towards the holy place where he reigns and look for the time of his appearing to make us reign with him for ever This is the most pleasant object we can behold or rather is a coliection of innumerable pleasures which all here meet