but then it shall have a lowd voice Blood shall crie and the voice of it ring betweene heaven and earth Oppression shall crie usury shall crie the wages of hirelings and labourers shall crie in the owne conscience It cryes now and thy conscience if thou hast any tells thee of thy wickednesse in defrauding Gods servants his Ministers and Christs members of their right but the voice will not bee now heard but then it will be heard and thou shalt heare it and thy gold and silver and the rust of them shall crie against thee and never be still till they have cryed thee downe into the pit as Jam. 5. 3. 4. Sixtly if all other conviction and witnesse should faile there is one more that will bee a sure and infallible witnesse and that is God himselfe Mal. 3. 5. who can abide the day of his comming for behold I will be a swift witnesse against sorcerers adulterers false swearers and all that feare not the Lord. Thus the Judge is gloriously prepared And he shall be as glorious in execution as in preparation For in passing a righteous sentence and irrevocable hee shall shine in surpassing glory both in respect of the wicked godly 1. Upon all the ungodly he shall get himselfe a greater name than ever he did upon Pharaoh when all the wicked Princes and people that ever lived shall be cited and assembled in the twinkling of an eye before his Tribunall and in terrour of his presence shall flie to the hils and mountaines to hide themselves yea when all the powers and gates of hell all wicked angels and men shall be by one word of his cast out and commanded out of presence and confined to their prison never to molest him or his Church any more 2. In respect of the godly hee shall be marvellous at that day 1. to the Saints 2. in the Saints To the Saints when they shall behold him that was betrayed spitted upon crucified pierced dead buried now advanced above all men and Angels and crowned with honour above all that created nature is capable of But in the Saints also hee shall be marvellous 2. Thess. 1. 10. for when Christ who is our life shall appeare we also shall appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. First the members shall partake of the glory of the Head that the Head may bee exalted in the glory of the members Secondly the Saints shall admire not only his glory in himselfe but in themselves How admirable will it be to see themselves who were in the world accounted the out-sweepings and driven out of the world with obloquie contempt fire and sword yea who were but even now dust and ashes newly crept out of the grave and rottennesse so suddainly to attaine that fulnes of the glory of Christ in their soules and bodies In their soules such a wonderfull perfection of Gods image such deepe knowledge of the secrets of heaven and earth such conformitie in their wils unto God clothed with such righteousnesse as God in his presence-chamber is delighted to behold And their whole bodies changed and arayed with immortalitie incorruption and made spirituall bodies like the glorious body of Jesus Christ. And the whole man filled with rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand and swallowed up with that happinesse which eye hath not seene nor ever entred into the earth of man This glory have all the Saints in whom the glory of Christ in his appearing is complete Note hence the long-suffering and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ who for his Elects sake is contented so long to be hid and not shew himselfe in his glory till the end of the world nay not only suffers his glory to bee vailed but trampled on by the wicked For 1. Now the heavens are as a curtaine betweene him and us which then shall bee undrawne that all eyes may behold him in a glorious bodily presence as the head of his glorious body 2. He is now out of sight and out of minde not knowne nor beleeved among the wicked who despise his patience because he sheweth not himselfe in terrour 3. Neither is he so beloved or admired of his Saints as hee should while he seemes to shut up and hide himselfe from their miseries and sufferings as one not wel knowing or weighing them And if he did not preserve a grain of faith in their hearts to make things absent to bee present his delayes would quite dishearten them But yet Christ will not alwayes neglect his owne glory nor will ever bee robbed of it a day comes wherein he shall appeare in surpassing glory 1. In himselfe not onely by that externall and accidentall glory of his attendance and most powerfull manner of appearing but by that internall and personall glory whereby hee shall obscure and darken the glory of all creatures A shadow of which Peter and John saw in the mount when his face did shine as the Sunne and his garments were as the light Mat. 17. 3. not as Moses when he came from the mount very glorious so as Israel could not behold his face for that glory was not his owne but his Lords but Christ shall appeare in his owne glory 2. His glory shall shine out unto and in his Saints in manifesting the power of his mercy as never he did before v. c. Raising them from the dead by a word as Lazarus Gathering them to himselfe as the Eagles to a dead body Loosing them eternally from all bands of sin and corruption Investing them in soule and body with his owne glory And glorifying himselfe as never before not as head of the Church but in his whole body for some of his owne glory was wanting till his spouse be perfectly glorified 3. His glory shall shine out to the wicked but not in mercy but majesty not in grace but in the power of his justice He will be glorified on them as on Pharaoh putting forth his power in their finall destruction Againe let this bee a ground of patience and contentednesse if we also be despised if our glory and worth bee hid and appeare not in the world till that day Shall Christ our Lord bee content to be abused and despised now in his glory till that day and shall the servants bee above their Master 1. Looke upon the Lords condition if wee suffer together wee shell raigne together and if Christ cannot expect the crowne before the Crosse no more may wee 2. Looke on thy condition thou art a stranger here among strangers who know not thy birth from heaven nor thy parents they know not God thy father nor his image on thee nor thy mother the Church and spouse of Christ nor thy worth through Christs worthinesse nor thy inheritance and expectation Bee content therefore as a stranger in this strange countrie with strange and course usage onely let it make thee love thy owne countrie so
who for avoyding the crosse perill have rejected him and the profession of his Gospell eternall perdition but to the godly who have persisted in the constant confession of his Name according to their workes life eternall This application of these words to the former matter is the true connexion of them wherein consider five things 1. The person that must come the Sonne of man 2. The action of comming shall come 3. The manner of comming in the glory of his Father 4. His attendants with his Angells 5. The end of comming to give to every man according to his deeds For the first The person that must come is the Sonne of man which title is used in the Scripture either commonly or singularly In the former sense for any common man borne of another Job 25. 6. How much more the Son of man which is but a worme In the latter it is taken for the eternall Sonne of God being made man Matt. 8. 20. the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head For by the sonne of man is meant here whole Christ by an ordinary figure whereby that which belongeth to one nature is ascribed to the whole person so in Mat. 9. 6. the sonne of man hath power to remit sinnes which power agrees not to Christ as the son of man or in respect of his humane nature but in respect of the eternall Person as hee is God for who can forgive sinnes but God onely Beside Christ while hee was in the world said that the sonne of man came downe from heaven is in heaven which then could not be in regard of his humane nature but of his divine Nay by this title our Text must needes understand whole Christ God and man the Sonne of God and the Sonne of man for though his speech expresse him the Sonne of man yet the action here refeired unto him to be the just Judge of all the world proclaims him to be the Son of God and hee is indeed the Sonne of man but comming in the glory of his Father Quest. But why doth Christ ordinarily speaking of himselfe call himselfe the sonne of man he might have said the Sonne of God shall come in the glory of his Father which might seeme to have added more weight to his words Answ. Yet he useth the other title 1. In respect of himselfe To note that hee was a true man being not onely a man but the sonne of man that borne man having flesh and blood no where else but from man And herein this second Adam was opposed to the first who was a man but not the sonne of man for hee was the Sonne of God by creation Luke 3. 38. The first Adam was framed of the earth and so was made a man but not the Sonne of man the second Adam tooke flesh of the Virgin and so was not onely man but the Sonne of man also Againe it implies that he was a weake and fraile man as the Hebrew phrase soundeth Psal. 8. 5. Lord what is man or the sonne of man that thou shouldest respect him being so base and vile Esay 51. 12. Who art thou that fearest a mortall man or the sonne of man that is a weake and fraile creature And hereto serves that distinction among the Hebrewes of filii viri and filii hominis Beniâ—sh noteth men in excellencie eminencie dignitie and authoritie Beni-adam obscure persons and men of common and low condition In the same sense Ezekiel because he was astonied and throwne downe by a glorious vision Chap. 1. was so often afterward called sonne of man and bid to stand up on his feet As if the Lord had said Ezeki cl I know thou art a sonne of man a weake man not able to behold the brightnesse of such Majestie but gather thy selfe bee of good cheare and stand on thy feet And thus Christ the sonne of man takes on him our frailties and weaknesses undertook an abject low and base condition and appeared in the forme of a servant in his nativitie life and death in all our basenesse like unto us sinne onely excepted Yea and more in this very phrase hee impropriateth our miserie to himself that as all sons of men are base and miserable yet of all sons of men none was ever so abased as hee was no sorrow was ever like his no not all the misery of all sonnes of men was comparable to his and therefore hee doth after a sort appropriate this title to himselfe 2. In respect of his hearers and mens judgement who commonly esteemed him no other and rose no higher in their judgement of him than of a meere man though perhaps a great and holy man He would tender the weaknesse of his hearers for scarce the Disciples themselves after a great while could come to acknowledge the Majesty of the Sonne of God in this sonne of man and therefore he speakes of himselfe as they are able to conceive him more intending their instruction than his owne reputation 3. In respect of the argument For the manner of Scripture in speaking of the last judgement is to use this phrase above other 1. because this was appropriated to Messiah by Daniel chap. 7. 13. to which Christ undoubtedly had reference I beheld and there came as a sonne of man in the clouds of heaven 2. To shew that as he shewed himselfe in the nature of man to be judged on earth so hee would shew himselfe in a visible manner a Judge from heaven for it is meete that the Judge of all should be seene of all In regard of which manner of judging the Sonne onely shall judge although the Father and the holy Ghost judge also but after another manner Ob. Christ was as a sonne of man Dan. 7. and Revel 14. 14. I saw upon the cloulds one sitting as the sonne of man therefore Christ is not but onely like the sonne of man So Phil. 2. 7. He tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made like a man Answ. For the two former places Christ was seene figuratively in vision When Daniel saw his vision he was not yet the son of man but was to be born be in time the son of man And after he was incarnate ascended being by S. John seene in vision hee is said to bee 〈◊〉 the sonne of man for that he was not seene of either in substance but in figure onely For the place in the Philippians well answers M. Calvin Saint Paul speakes not of the essence of his humane nature but of his state hee came a true man but in a lowly state and condition even the base condition of a servant Note here how our Lord doth willingly acknowledge the humilitie and basenesse of his humanitie speaketh lowly of himself in such an argument as wherein hee shall shew his greatest glory He might have stiled himselfe the Sonne of God as hee was not onely as God by eternall generation
much more in his glorie when he shall be armed with power and glory to this purpose GOD shall no sooner arise but his enemies shall be scattered they also that hate him shall fly before him Ps. 68. 2. O therefore considering these terrours of the Lord what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation 2 Pet. 3. 11. If Daniel chap. 7. 15. was so troubled in his spirit and perplexed to see but in a vision the manner of Christs glorious comming to judgement how much more dreadfull shall the judgement it self be when all secrets shall be revealed as packes and fardels are opened in the marketâ— Oh? how carefull should wee bee of the wares we lay up in our hearts and consciences seeing that day shall disclose them to a Judge of such 〈◊〉 power and glory With his Angels The fourth thing considerable 〈◊〉 the comming of Christ to judgment is his Attendants that is 〈…〉 e Angels in whom the glory 〈…〉 d magnificence of his second appearing shall manifest it selfe For as formerly we have shewed that hee is not sent as a Legate with commission from the side of any earthly Monarch but must shew himselfe from heaven so now wee shall see that the glory and state wherein hee shall appeare is not from earth but hee shall bee wonderfull in the glory of heaven Luke 2. 13. for his guard shall not bee a troope of men but of Angels nor an army of earthly warriours but of heavenly souldiers nor weake and feeble soone overcome but mightie Angels or Angels excelling in power Psal. 103. 20. This glorious appearing of Christ is shadowed by the comming in of earthly Judges to hold Assises attendeded with the honourable the Nobles Justices and Gentry of the countrie yea with the High Sheriffes power besides all their own followers and retinue by which great state and attendance they are both honoured and aided in their service and made formidable to adaunt and quell malefactors as becommeth such publike ministers of justice Here consider 1 Their number Angels in the plurall number 2 Their relation his Angels 3 Their office and ministrie in the judgement 4 How they can come with him For the number he saith Angels indefinitely not one or two or a few but a number finite in it selfe because created but to our apprehension infinite and numberlesse Heb. 12. 12. the innumerable company of Angels And the Scriptures expresse their number by the greatest and roundest numbers in use among men Jude 14. The Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints that is holy Angels and men attending him Dan. 7. 10. Thousand thousands minister unto him and ten thousand thousands stand before him when the judgement was set up But our Lord speakes of many more Mat. 24. when the sonne of man shall come and all his holy Angels with him not an Angell shall bee left in heaven which shall not come with him What a great glory is it to see a great Prince in the midst of his whole trained band armed with all the power of his Kingdome yet all this is but weaknesse to this of Christ who brings the whole hoast of heaven with him to make his throne surpassing glorious Next of the relation his Angells how are they his Answ. 1. By creation 2. by confirmation in grace other fell from him and became not his but these by his grace cleave for ever unto him in the holinesse of their nature Thirdly His by speciall attendance and ministrie hee being Lord of the holy Angels they are his subjects and ministers readie to execute his will Ob. They are our Angels and therefore not Christs Mat. 18. 10. their Angels behold the face of the Father in heaven Answ. They are called our Angels so farre as appointed our keepers or guardians against Satan and impure spirits but in all this ministery to the Church they are his Angels for they attend us for our heads sake and attend his body which is himselfe Next of their office and why Christ shall bring all his Angels with him Ans. 1. Their ministrie serveth to set forth the glory of Christ the head The most potent Monarchs that ever were in earth in their most stately and most magnificent showes were but seely creatures and wormes to this and attended with weak men and flyes in comparison of this presence 2. That by their ministery the great worke of the great day may bee powerfull and speedily dispatched For First being the Angels of his power they shall performe it mightily and powerfully No sooner shall the sentence of absolution or condemnation bee pronounced but it shall bee fully executed For besides that every of them is mighty in his owne nature and thence denominated principalities and powers and said to excell in strength Psal. 103. 20. so shall now for the time the power of Christ bee added to their owne which shall bee of such invincible strength in every one as Satan and all the gates of hell cannot much lesse the wicked of the world shall be able to resist any one of them Secondly they shall doe it willingly because their wills are wholly conformable to the will of Christ whom they love with all their strength Their readinesse appeareth Mat. 13. 28. the servants said shall wee gather up the tares Those that desire commission afore-hand will be ready enough when they have it Thirdly they shall performe it justly purely â—aithfully Rev. 15. 6. the seven Angels that had the seven plagues are said to bee cloathed in pure and bright linnen noting their righteousnesse not mingling corrupt passions in their executions nor corruptly respecting any persons And they are girded on their breasts with golden girdles gold is the purest of all metals noting their purity and faithfulnesse in performing the will of God in whole and in every part Fourthly they shall doe it diligently and perfectly in most strict and exact manner For they could not continue in their glorious estate if they should not bee every way answerable to the law of God both in the puritie of their nature and in the perfection of their worke for how soever the Angels compared with God are imperfect Job chap. 4. vers 18. yet in comparison of Gods Law they have perfection and no spot of sinne cleaveth to them Fiftly it shall bee done speedily and in the twinkling of an eye with unconceiveable quicknesse and celeritie which is noted by their wings and girded breasts readie and prest to the businesse of their Lord. So of the second thing 3. Their ministry office shall be of use against all wicked persons First to force them and present them before the Judge be they never so rebellious for they shall blow the trumpet that all shall heare they shall runne through earth and sea in an instant to gather out all that offend they shall compell mightie and rebellious Potentates to present themselves
Secondly to be perhaps witnesses and give evidence against the ungodly of many secret sinnes sure wee are they attend our Congregations 1 Cor. 11. 10. and why not in our private chambers Thirdly to be instruments of Gods vengeance on the wicked Mat. 13. 41 42. the reapers shall gather the tares and cast them into unquenchable fire So of the third 4. Their service and Ministry shall notably serve for the comfort and salvation of the Saints in that day for first they shall with admirable expedition gather the Saints out of their graves from all the foure windes and bring them into the presence of Christ secondly as they attended them in their humilitie so now shall their service be exceeding comfortable in that day never was Hagar so comforted by an Angell in her distresse when hee refreshed her with water as they shall be by the Angels in this day of refreshing for 1. These Angels which had carried their soules into heaven as Lazarus Luke 16. shall now bring their bodies out of the earth As the Angell loosed Peters chaines and brought him out of prison Act. 12. so now shall not one living body as his but all the dead bodies of the Saints bee brought out of their prisons and set into perfect freedome All stones shall bee rolled away and all chaines of corruption broken asunder 2. When all elements shall bee dissolved and set on â—ire the Angels shall helpe and hide them that the fire shall not hurt them that looke as the three servants of GOD walked in the midst of the fire and had no hurt onely their chaines were loosed because God sent his Angell among them Dan. 3. 25. so here all the godly shall bee safe in that fire which shall drive the wicked to desperation not able to stand before those terrible burnings And that fire shall resemble the waters of the red sea which was a wall to Israel but a well and pit to drowne Egypt Yea and as that fire of Nebuchadnezzar that sheltred Gods servants from the Tyrant but licked up and devoured the enemie 3. Whereas Satan at that day being at his last most desperate assault shall bee most raging against the Saints they shall stop the mouth of this raging Lion as once they did for Daniel and by their power quell the forces of the divell And their very multitude shall afford this comfort that there shall appeare infinite more with us than against us 2. King 6. 16. 4. As they shall bind the tares to cast them into the fire so shall they carry the wheat into the garner and so appeare glorious ministring spirits for the good of the heires of salvation Hebr. 1. 14. Thus the office and ministrie of the Angels shall marvellously set out the glory of Christ promote the worke of the great day bee serviceable for the finall ruine of all enemies and happily advance the comfort and salvation of the Saints in these particulars But I read not in the Scripture a word of those childish and ridiculous conceits of Petrus Thyreus a Jesuite who in the description of Christs glorious appearing appoints some Angels to beare up the cloud and hold up the seat of the Judge and some to beare the crosse before him others the crown of thornes others the nailes others the speare and other instruments of his passion Which he hath gravely confirmed because hee hath seene these things finely artificially painted upon tables Sound proofes of Jesuites when they want grounds from Prophets and Apostles they can supply them out of Poets and Painters to both whom was ever granted equall leave to devise what they listed But how can the Angels come with Christ seeing they are no bodily substances in their nature being without magnitude figure or sense and seeing they occupie no place how can they move locally from heaven into the aâ—re and into the earth Ans. The Angels being creatures though they fill occupie no place yet must needs be definitively in some place now in one and then in another and sometime locally ascend and locally descend after a manner unknown to us Hence in Jacobs ladder the Angels are said to ascend and descend and not onely in vision but actually Luk. 1. 26. Gabriel was sent from GOD to a Citie in Galilee So our soules are spirituall substances and yet they locally ascend to heaven and at the resurrection descend from heaven to be united to their bodies In like sort the Angels are described to be of most quicke motion and for their celeritie and swiftnesse are compared to the windes and have wings ascribed to them as flying with most swift motion about their Lords commands And so must it needs bee for 1. Their motion is without all resistance of bodily substances no body can resist an unbodily substance and all resistance is betweene bodies 2. Being without resistance their motions are without all labour or wearinesse they are restlesse in their motion 3. It must be most speedy because by no meanes hindred so as in a short time above that wee can perceive they can move betweene heaven and earth I say not in a moment for Angels cannot locally move betweene extremes as from heaven to earth but by passing the meane which is to be done in time though very short Thus wee conclude that the spiritual nature of Angels though it occupie and fill no place as bodies doe nor hath any circumscriptive place assigned them as they and though by their motion in place they neither expell nor move any body out of place yet are they moved locally and shall descend with Christ to judgement and quickly expedite all things belonging to it by their Ministrie Observe hence a difference betweene Christs first and second comming For first hee comes now with another manner of traine than hee had following him upon earth Then he had twelve poore fishermen despised persons following him for his Kingdome was not of this world but now his traine are all the Angels of heaven Secondly hee was then to shew himself the son of man and in the form of a servant but now hee will shew himselfe the Sonne of God and the Lord of glory Thirdly he was then to preach righteousnesse and to suffer for sin but now he is to judge righteously and to revenge sin Fourthly he was ever the Lord of the holy Angels and therefore in his temptations and agonie they were readie to comfort him and when hee was at the weakest hee was of power to command many legions of them but that was not the time to shew forth his Majestie by their attendance as this appearing is Fiftly those Angels which ministred unto him in his incarnation and birth in his life and death were Angels of grace Preachers to shepheards Disciples women and others appearing sometimes by one or two to one or two persons But these are Angels
of power appearing in millions to all the world who in their wonderfull glorie shall behold the glory of their Lord. Again the Lord Jesus is hence proved the Lord of glory in that the holy Angels serve him as their head King of the Church so the Apostle Phil. 2. 9. proveth him to have a Name above all names because all things in heaven and earth and under the earth shall confesse him and Christ himselfe to prove his headship useth the same argument Joh. 1. 52. Hereafter shall yee see the Angels ascending and descending on the Sonne of man that is ministring to him as the head of the Church as was figured in Jacobs ladder Gen. 28. 1â— for Christ is the ladder by which onely wee ascend to heaven this ladder reached from heaven to earth noting his two natures divine from his Father in heaven and humane from Jacobs loynes on earth Angels ascend and descend on it noting their emission and admission descending to their office and ascending to give account Besides he must be greatest of all who is honoured of all and so Christs eminencie above all creatures is proved because all the Angels of heaven must honour him Heb. 1. 6. And the more and more honourable the Attendants and Ministers be the greater is the personage so attended but the Angels are every where spoken of as the excellencie of the Creation and in the glory of these servants behold the glory of their Lord. Againe their incessant service to Jesus Christ advanceth his glory Exod. 26. 31. the vaile of the Tabernacle which covered the most holy expresly signifying the flesh of Christ which hid and covered his Deity must bee made of broydered worke with Cherubims not without Cherubims which noted the multitude of Angels serving Christ. Exod. 25. 20. The Cherubims signifying the Angels must lift their wings on high as attending Christ and their faces must bee to the Mercy-seat which lively resembled Christ on whom their eyes must still be cast as the eye of the handmaide to the hand of her Mistresse Thus wee shall see how they served Christ as man even in his lowest estate as well as in his highest In his birth they sang glory to God and were preachers of him to shepheards After his temptations they ministred to him spreading a table for him in the wildernesse and waiting at his table Mat. 4. 11. In his agonie in the garden they comforted him Luk. 22. 43. In the grave they roll away the stone for his resurrection Mat. 28. 2. In his ascension they waite upon him and lead him to the Ancient of dayes of whom he received a kingdome over all creatures Dan. 7. 13. But much more now they attend him and assist him in the judgement of the great day wherein hee is to put forth his greatest power and glory in the most glorious worke that ever was or can be 3. Here is matter of terror to the enemies of Christ even all wicked and impenitent persons in that Jesus Christ commeth armed with such power and glory against them for now he rideth in his chariot of triumph against all his enemies and now all the mountaines in the world cannot hide them from the Judge but the power of the Angels shall present them Neither can the sentence bee avoyded nor the execution reprived for if heaven and earth bee mingled together whatsoever sentence of death is pronounced on them the Angels shall speedily execute How comes it then to passe that men are so carelesse and passe over these great woes as a tale that is told shall this Judge pronounce the sentence and the Angels undertake the execution and yet the thing falle of execution Wo worth the deadnesse and securitie of wilfull sinners that dare contemne so dreadfull a sentence as shall eternally torment them 4. Here is assured comfort for the Saints that all this glorious attendance of the Head shall bee the glory of the members What a great comfort shall it be to see the Angels mustered together to become our servants also and performe the greatest service to us as ever was performed by them While the Saints lived here the good Angels attended them and kept them in their hands when they dyed the Angels carryed their soules to heaven which was no meane service But now in this great day they shall reunite the soules and bodies of the Elect they shall separate the whole man from all corruption and communication with sin and sinners and gather out all that offend and shall not leave them till they be set quite free from all danger as the Angell did Peter Act. 12. no nor till they have placed them in the glory of God Now what an honour is it that these glorious spirits who dwell in heaven should serve them that dwell on earth yea dwelt lately in the grave that meere spirits should serve flesh and blood and creatures so elevated in their nature above all sin and mortalitie should stand charged with them who immediatly before were clothed with miserie and corruption Quest. How comes this to passe seeing they are his that is Christs Angels Answ. This must neither impeach Christs glory nor lift us up to glorie in any thing in our selves For they serve Christ and us but not after the same manner nor upon the same grounds 1. Their service to him is immediate as to the head of the Church to us mediate as members of this head 2. Their service is due to him as to their Creator and Lord of dutie to us as creatures of charge from him 3. Their service is proper to him and invested in him as in his own right to us communicated onely by vertue of our communion with him 4. They are his Angels by speciall proprietie and they doe him all homage and service by speciall prerogative as the authour and preserver of all their excellent gifts and condition but our Angels by speciall commission and direction from him entrusted to employ their gifts for our good In one word never did they minister to a member but for the honour of their head 5. It teacheth us to admire the surpassing love of our Lord in that hee tooke our nature and bound us straiter to him than hee did the Angels of heaven and hath vouchsafed us his owne speciall servants to attend us and charged them with our safetie in all our wayes in life in death in judgement till we be set out of the reach of all danger Well knew our Lord what weake creatures wee are in our selves what dangerous combats wee were to stand in with how many spirituall and invisible enemies we were to be beset and therefore out of his love and wisedom hath appointed us so many spirituall invisible and more powerfull ayders and assisters 6. If wee expect this happie ministery from the Angels let us beware that in the meane time wee grieve not by our sin
and holiest men can make attonement but onely his blood which removeth the curse of the Law by satisfying for our sins which opens heaven now shut upon us and obtaines a perfect redemption Heb. 9. 2â— Next the Vertue and Preciousnesse of this Cure Oh it was a powerfull and precious blood and that in five respects 1. In respect of the quality it is the blood incorruptible All other diseases are cured with corruptible things but this is opposed to all corruptible things in the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Yee are not redeemed with corruptible things but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ. 2. In respect of the person it was the blood of God Act. 20. 28. and therefore of infinite merit and price to purchase the whole Church 3. In respect of the subject of it no other cure or remedy can reach the soule All others drugs conduce for healthfull life and worke upon the body but this makes for an holy life and workes upon the soule the sicknesse whereof the most precious thing in the world cannot cure Minister to a wounded spirit Aurum potabile Bezoar Alchermes dust of Pearles all is in vaine it is onely this blood which heales soules and spirits 4. In respect of the powerfull effects of it above all other cures in the world for first they may frame the body to some soundnesse of temperature but this makes sound soules according to the conformity of Gods Law Secondly they may preserve naturall life for a while but this brings a supernaturall life for ever Thirdly they may restore strength and nature decayed but this changeth and bringeth in a new nature according to the second Adam Fourthly they cannot keepe away death approaching but this makes immortall Fifthly they cannot raise or recover a dead man but this raiseth both dead in sinne dead in soule and dead in body Lastly in respect of time All other physicke is made of drugs created with the world but this was prepared before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 18. Againe all the worke of all other physicke is done in death but the perfection and most powerfull worke of this is after death By all this take we notice of our extreme misery by sinne seeing nothing else can cure us but the blood of the Sonne of God Gold enough can ransome the greatest Potentate on earth but here nothing can doe it but the blood of the Kings sonne If we had such a disease as nothing but the heart-blood of our dearest friends alive suppose our wife husband mother or childe could cure us what an hopelesse and desperate case were it it would amaze and astonish the stoutest heart But much more may it smite our hearts that we have such a disease as nothing else but the heart-blood of the Sonne of God can cure Looke upon the execration of thy sinne in this glasse If any thing can worke the hatred of sinne this may 1. To see the fire of Gods wrath kindled and nothing but this blood can quench it 2. To see the deadlinesse 〈◊〉 the disease in the price of the physicke and the dearenesse of the remedy 3. The danger of sinning against so precious a blood for if Abels blood being shed cryed from earth for vengeance much more will this blood trod under foot But those never saw their sinne in this glasse who conceive the cure as easie as the turning of an hand a light Lord have mercy or an houre of repentance at death and have lived in sinne and loved their sinne as if there were no danger in it passe away their daies and live in ignorance swearing cursing Sabbath-breaking lying covetousnesse filthinesse and all unrighteousnesse whereas had they eyes to see they might out of the price and greatnesse of the remedy gather the danger and desperatenesse of the disease For all the earth affords not any herbe or simple nor drug of this vertue but the Sonne of God from heaven must shed his blood Nay all the men on earth and all the Angels of heaven could not make a confection to cure one sinne or sinner Neither any of Salomons fooles who make a mocke of sinne ever saw it in this glasse Is it not extremity of folly to make a tush of sinne and to take pleasure and delight in it O consider in time that the sinne thou makest so light of cost Christ deare and the least sinne thou delightest in must either cost Christ his blood or thee thine in endlesse torments It is no safe jesting with edged tooles and to east darts and fire-brands and say Am I not in jest In this Cure we may observe a world of wonders First wonder and admire this Physician who is both the Physician and the Physicke Was ever the like heard of in all nature Secondly admire the confection that the Physician must temper the remedy of his owne heart-blood He must by passion be pounded in the mortar of Gods wrath he must be beaten smitten spit upon wounded sweat water and blood be trodden on as a worme be forsaken of his Father the Lambe of God must be slaine the just suffer for the unjust Doest thou not here stand and wonder 〈◊〉 there ever such a Prece 〈…〉 〈◊〉 the world that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 one man should heale ano 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—ound or that the wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Captaine should heal 〈…〉 souldiers The 〈◊〉 suffered darkenesse the earth quaked the rockes rent asunder the graves opened the dead arose to shew the admirable confection of this Cure and are we senslesse still Thirdly admire the power of weaknesse and the Omnipotent worke of this Cure by contraries as in the great worke of Creation there the Sonne of God made all things not out of something but out of nothing so in this great worke of our Cure by Redemption he works our life not by his life but by his owne death he makes us infinitely happy but by his owne infinite misery he opens the grave for us by his owne lying in the grave he sends us to heaven by his owne descending from heaven and shuts the gates of hell by suffering hellish torments He honours us by his owne shame he breakes away our temptations and Satans molestations by being himselfe tempted Here is a skilfull Physician tempering poyson to a remedy bringing light out of darkenesse life out of death heaven out of hell In the whole order of nature one contrary refisteth another but it is beyond nature that one contrary should produce another Wonder Fourthly admire the care of the Physician who provided us a remedy before our disease before the world was or we in it together with his bounty who bestowed on us so precious a balme when there was none in Gilead when neither all the gold in India nor all the metals or minerals in the bowels of the earth could save one soule nor all the wealth in the world oure one
children or lands for my sake and the Gospels he shall receive an hundred fold for the present houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecution and in the world to come eternall life Here is usury enough above ten in the hundred yea an hundred for ten yea for one Mar. 10. 30. Quest. But what are the signes or markes of selfe-deniall Ans. One is in regard of God it will cast a man wholly out of himselfe upon God as David Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee It will looke directly at God in all things In doing things it will doe all by Gods rule it will doe all for his glory the love of God constrains it to duty In duties of piety or charity it seekes not the owne things not private profit nor is carried by the aymes that flow from selfe-love but aymes at the Kingdome it selfe and the promoting of Gods glory in his owne salvation The second is in respect of Christ for whom hee esteemes all things losse and doung Phil. 3. 8. These inferiour comforts are but as the star-light in respect of the brightnesse of the Sun which is in his eye for Christ he can want as well as abound bee empty as well as full yea be nothing that Christ may be all in all The third is in respect of the word of God selfe-deniall bewrayes it selfe sundry wayes 1. It goes with an open heart to heare learne and obey whatsoever God shall please to teach Hee cannot bee a Disciple that brings not selfe-deniall Can he that stickes to his owne reason and denies not his owne wisedome ever beleeve that life must be fetched out of death that one man can bee healed by another mans stripes and wounds that heaven must bee fetched out of hell and a glorious resurrection out of dust and ashes Hee will never bee a Disciple that will receive the word no further than he seeth reason to do it But a true Disciple is described Isa. 32. 3. The eyes of the seeing shall not bee shut the ears of them that heare shall hearken And David desires but to be taught and promiseth to obey Psal. 119. 33. 2. It is willing to be acquainted with every part of Gods wil that he may frame his owne will unto it as knowing that every truth of God concerneth every one of Gods people and is profitable for them to know 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. and Rom. 15. 4. And hence selfe-deniall loveth reproofes and likes that Ministry best which most searcheth the conscience and in which is the most power of God judging and rebuking his owne sinne there if he be wounded he is sure to be cured But farre is he from the deniall of his sinne or himselfe that hates and stormes against him that dislikes and censures his sinne Ahab had sold himselfe to wickednes and therefore hates Micaiah because he never prophecied good unto him 3. Having heard the word it subscribes to it and dares not cavill or dispute against it be it never so contrary to nature or cross to our desires Selfe-deniall allowes every thought to be brought into the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. It checks the stubbornnesse of heart and saith as Rom. 9. 20. O man who art thou that disputest against God! who art thou that risest against the truth of God See Job 6. 24. 4. Selfe-deniall in love to the truth of the word resolves to suffer any thing rather than to renounce any part of that it is perswaded to bee the truth of God so did the Martyrs And without this readinesse to suffer disgrace and losse for the truth if wee be called we can neither be Martyrs nor Disciples wee can have no acquaintance with Christ here nor bee saved hereafter Luke 14. 26. So of the third note The fourth is in respect of himselfe Hee that hath denied himselfe will desire no way of prosperity but Gods owne nor relye upon his owne meanes strength policy diligence nor sacrifice to his owne net in successes but ascribe all his prosperity unto God it is he that gives him power to get substance it is hee that gives the fruit of the wombe the dew of heaven the fat of earth that spreads his table fils his cup c. Inadversity hee will be willingly what God will have him to bee sicke or poore pained or disgraced hee will not carve for himselfe but suffer his father to chuse his rod and not limit him for the manner or measure of correction and all this without murmuring or impatience and dares avoid no evill by any evill meanes The fift note is in respect of others He that hath denied himselfe lives not to himselfe but procures the good of others and advanceth to his power every mans wealth and good as being now a publike good though a private man He can do good to his enemies and pray for them that curse him and wrong him He lookes not on men as they are affected to himselfe but as hee ought to be affected to them And he that cannot deny and displease himselfe can never please his neighbour for good and edification which is the Apostles argument Rom. 15. 2. Let us not please our selves but our neighbour for edification for Christ pleased not himselfe c. The sixt and last note of selfe-deniall is the life of faith beyond and without all meanes of helpe Abraham denying himselfe distrusted not when meanes failed Faith leanes not upon meanes but upon God and is not tyed to meanes but to God and will say Our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever hee will bee there meanes or no Psal. 115. 3. The Prince could not deny his reason 2 Kin. 7. 19. If God should make windowes in heaven could this come to passe but it cost him his life And good Zachary could not deny himselfe but doubted of Gods word and God denied him his speech for forty weekes Luke 1. 30. As nothing gives more glory to God than faith so nothing takes so much from man Nothing makes him so little in himselfe as faith which acknowledgeth God so great By these signes wee may examine what measure of selfe-deniall we have attained and thereby know what fitnesse wee have to be Disciples Take up his crosse This is the second branch of the Precept to take up the crosse and as Saint Luke saith daily Where for the meaning consider 1. What is this crosse 2. Why it is called the crosse 3. What to take it up For the first of these By the crosse is not meant any affliction which belongeth to the common calamities of nature to which all men of all sects and professions are subject nor any thing suffered by evill doers But properly the crosse of a Christian is that affliction and suffering which is inflicted upon any
any businesse of the calling generall or speciall and sanctifying every thing by the Word and Prayer Christ could not pollute any thing and yet did thus A good motive to thee for performing this duty 4. In fervent zeale to his Fathers house which even consumed him Hee was daily in the Temple reading praying preaching conferring confirming reforming If hee withdrew from his Parents who had lost him there you might finde him Herein should Christians imitate his piety in a burning zeale to Gods glory How zealous was Phinehas for God! How was Pauls spirit troubled within him Acts 17. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies he was almost besides himselfe to see the Idolatry of the Athenians Alas where is our zeale wee are generally key-cold as Gallio was in Gods causes Christ his zeale was inflamed for the reformation of his Fathers house but much of our zeale is against zeale and reformation And such was his zeale that whatsoever hee saw it affected him deeply either with griefe if evill or joy if well done or pity and compassion in the misery of others Wherever hee was he was well-doing in the City and publike places hee was teaching and instructing in solitary desolate places hee was praying meditating preparing himselfe or enduring temptation in porches and high-wayes he was curing healing helping He went about doing good Acts 10. 38. Our zeale also to Gods glory should move us to watch and take all occasions of doing good of promoting Gods glory furthering mans good and fitting our owne reckoning 5. In his faith and confidence His whole life was an obedience of faith his death likewise an obedience of faith In that dreadfull desertion of his Father that we had deserved he cryed My God my God hee could trust in his Father killing him Herein a rare patterne of imitation in all deeps by faith to give the Lord the honour of salvation and leane upon his love and promise Thus of the piety of our Lord. His charity and love of man shined likewise many wayes 1. In his humility meeknesse patience and gentlenesse beyond all example For first being in the forme of God and equall to his Father yet he came to serve and not to be served So lowly that he disdained not to wash his Disciples feet even Judasses John 13. and hee will have every one look on this glasse If I have washed your feet you must wash one anothers feet that is stoup to the lowest services one of another and Learne of me for I am lowly and meeke Mat. 11. 29. and Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus But alas we strive to go one before another in pride and taking honour because the minde of Christ is not in us Secondly so patient was hee that when hee could have revenged his enemies who came to apprehend him hee strucke them all to the ground with a word but let them rise againe Hee hurt none of them but cured Malchus his eare whom Peter had hurt Hee delivered himselfe into their hands He blessed them that cursed him and prayed on the crosse for his tormentors All to teach Christians to moderate their anger to suffer wrong to offer none to return good for evill blessing for cursing as being heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3. 18. 2. In his beneficence goodnes to every one Hee healed all diseases dispossessed Divels raised the dead gave to his enemies food to eate health to their bodies salvation to their soules So must every Christian do good to all especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. yea doe good to enemies and ill deserving thus either winning them or heaping coales on their heads 3. In that hee was an admirable patterne of civill righteousnes in word and deed Never was guile found in his lips or hands no nor ever in the thoughts or desires of his heart did hee detaine any mans right but gave every man his due and taught others so to do To his Parents obedience to the Magistrate subjection to Caesar hee payd tribute for himselfe and his Hee never impaired the estate or good name of any man Thus must Christians give to every one his owne in word and deed honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute pertaineth and dispensing to every one all offices of justice and love Labouring to live though not without sin yet without just blame out of the testimony of a good conscience able to challenge the Adversary which of you can accuse mee though I can easily accuse my selfe but whose Oxe or Asse have I taken that I may recompence him 4. In that hee never transgressed the rule of love but left a transcendent patterne of it in laying down his life for his enemies Never was there such a copy And this for our imitation who must walke in love as hee loved us Ephes. 5. 2. and 1 John 3. 16. If he layd downe his life for us we ought also one for another Quest. Doth Christs example bind us to dye for our brethren Answ. Yes not onely that Scripture proveth it but the example of Moses Exod. 32. 32. and Paul Rom. 9. 3. and chapt 16. 4. Priscilla and Aquila laid downe their neckes for Pauls life The reason is this The member of the naturall body will save a fellow-member with the losse of it selfe as the hand will save the head though it bee stricken off for it So in the mysticall body the Church The rules these 1. Christians must ayme at such sincerity in love as to bee willing to give their lives 1. for God 2. for his image and stand in a readinesse to undergoe any danger for GOD and his image sake for love seekes not her owne 2. Wee must intend the salvation of our brethren before our owne lives for their soules are better than our lives so did Christ and so did the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 12. 15. I would most gladly bee bestowed for your soules 3. Not rashly and without calling for Christ died not for us till he was called to it Which when we have we must part with our lives even for their bodies much more for their soules Thus of the matter wherein we must follow Christ. Next of the manner of following him Object How can wee follow Christ seeing he is in heaven and we on earth Answ. Not having his bodily presence on earth wee cannot make any pilgrimage to follow him with the feet of our body but 1. Wee must follow him in faith move after him with the feet of faith which to do know that faith hath a threefold worke in this businesse First it causeth us to know acknowledge our Captaine and the way wherein hee is gone before us for it tels the Christian that he being now set into Christ and become a member of him If hee now live hee must live unto him If he dye
preserve our life by thus casting it away A man that will save his seed not cast it away into the grrund loseth it by such saving but if hee sowe it he reneweth it multiplies it somtime an hundred fold So to lose thy self for Christ is to save thy selfe and to reap an hundred fold for it is but sowne to spring out unto the eternall harvest Ever remember that the right love of a mans self is in and for Christ. Ob. You speake of nothing but hindrance loss as if a Christian may not have riches friends life and comforts of it Ans. 1. Yes he may have them must save them but not in Christs cause when hee is called from them 2. Divorce not the parts of the text as there is losse in the text so there is a greater gain by it as the harvest makes him a gainer who in seed-time seemed a loser Ob. But that is a long day we would have something in hand Answ. So thou hast in hand an hundred not for ten but for one in this life with persecution Mar. 10. 30. for thy father forsaken thou hast God to thy father for thy mother Gods Church for thy goods Gods rich graces for thy friends lost the favour of God of his Angels and all Saints for thy trouble without peace of conscience within for thy lands the deeds assurances of an heavenly inheritance and for thy life temporall life eternall Wouldst thou have more in hand Ob. Oh but this is a very hard thing to rowe thus against the streame and do as no body doth Ans. Indeed few enter into this narrow way but it is good going to heaven although without company And yet thou wantest no good company but hast the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Christ himselfe before thee who also suffereth and smarteth in all the sorrowes of the Saints Object But is it not hard to be counted die for an hereticke Ans. Not of hereticks Christ was counted no lesse for thee Ob. But I have wife children and friends depending on me Ans. The case indeed is heavie as Christ implied saying Wo be to them that give suck in those dayes but 1. thou art a saver if thou savest nothing but Christ thou lovest well enough if in case of confession thou lovest nothing but Christ 2. cast thy care on the Lord who is wont to save his against all appearance And speake not one word for them that depend on thee and two for thy selfe Ob. But it may be I have a flock which will be scattered Ans. But thy bloud shed for the truth which thou hast preached preacheth with much more fruit and furtherance of the Gospel than all thy life and labours as in Abel Stephen and the Martyrs whose bloud yet speaketh Let all of us therfore who are pressed under this banner of Christs holy profession resolve to do our Master saithfull service even to the death and strive to beleeve the words of our Lord that to lose the life in this cause is to winne it in everlasting glory Object But the dayes thankes bee to God are peaceable and there is no great need nor use of this doctrine Answ. Yet 1. a wise Pilot will in peace provide for a storme 2. Wee know not how soon wee may have use of it one powder-blow from under-ground may shake all our foundations Little did the Christians in King Edwards daies thinke of such a suddaine change as Queene Mary brought in 3. Never were Gods people neerer danger than when they thought themselves furthest off and cried Peace peace 4. No Christian is well furnished but hee that in peace hath attained a ready disposition to lay down his life at any warning for the Name of Christ. Object But who would not give his life for Christ all say they are ready Answ. Yet first if times should change would they indeed who now in daies of protection are ashamed of the Gospel of Christ would they stick to Christ crowned with thornes who when hee weares a golden Crowne thinke it good policie not to bee seene with him Secondly is it to bring mens lives in their hands to Christ and his profession to shrinke now for feare at the name of a Professor and bee ready to faint to heare a damosell say Surely thou art one of them Thirdly would they suffer for the profession that now scoffe scorne at Professors under reproachful titles that now are persecutors themselves goe as far in persecuting as they can and the lawes wil suffer No no those that now robbe them of their good names while the Gospel is publikely professed protected would easily bereave them of their lives if times would afford them lawes and liberty So as the great part of the world is not resolved of this truth that to lose the life for Christ is to save it and those that now deny him in the peace of the Gospel are farre from dying with him in the triall Now because this is a building which requireth great fore-cast and is above naturall strength we had need furnish our selves with all the helpes to set it forward and fit our selves well to the obedience of so difficult a commandement Quest. What are they Ans. 1. Begin with God presume not of thine owne strength as Peter It is a worke of sound conversion and of mighty power by that Spirit of fortitude by which of weake wee become strong And therefore wee must pray earnestly that hee would please to stablish us unto this triall strengthen us with all patience long-suffering and joyfulnesse Col. 1. 10. For none have more cowardly lost the field than such as have most boasted of their valour and strength at home Pray also for that eye-salve which may let thee behold the glory of Christ and thine eternall felicity hid with him this wil make thee forget thy self as the Disciples did at Christs Transfiguration long after him and indeed a little taste of his glory wil make us valiant to take the Kingdome by force as himselfe did for the glory that was before him 2. Then take thy selfe in hand and strive daily in thine owne mortification and deniall of thy selfe beware of self-love love not the world nor the things in it account not of riches wealth above their worth If thy life bee too deare to thee or the world swell in thine eye or if thou mindest earthly things or settest too fast a hand on any thing wert thou never so wise learned civil nay didst thou follow Christ at heeles wert able to worke miracles and cast out Divels yet at length thou wouldst play false prove an Apostate as Judas and Demas who forsook the truth to embrace the present world 3. Get sound judgement in matters of Faith firmly and distinctly to beleeve the truth of Religion for this must be the ground of undaunted profession 2 Cor. 4. 13. I beleeved and
ours to live well and honestly in the world Answ. God hath enjoyned man to labour and consequently permitteth him the reward of it for the sustaining and upholding of himselfe and his family Againe there is an honest care for the family which is part of a mans calling enjoyned by the Apostle if any man provide not for his family hee is worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5. 8. But the thing condemned is the seeking of the world 1. Out of order 2. Out of measure 1. The former when we seek it in the first place as that which wee can worst want when the unbeleeving heart saith in it selfe secretly I must attaine this and that profit and pitch of estate I must compasse such and such a project and then I will become religious and devout contrary to our Saviours counsell Matthew 6. 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God 2. Out of measure both seeking more than is sufficient and with more care and affection than is warrantable when for the matter nothing is sufficient for their desire but they are as the grave and Horse-leach and say ever Give give Eccl. 5. 9. he that loveth silver shall not bee satisfied with it And for the manner their care is immoderate cutting distracting the heart engrossing the thoughts and desires from better things extinguishing faith consuming the time deadning prayers cutting off testimonies of love resolving to part with nothing for Christ and to suffer lesse for him if it were possible and in a word not knowing any moderation Object But then we are in good case and none of us so bad Ans. It is hard to find a man not entangled for wealth or by wealth and the lesse the danger is seen the more it is All which may lead us into our selves to take notice of our pronenesse and propensity to this sin which no man willingly confesseth and those that are deepest in it and swarm with all sorts of evils flowing from it doe least discern it in themselves For why 1. The Apostle 1 Thess. 2. 5. calleth it coloured covetousnesse it maskes and hides it self by many subtle evasions 2. It is an inward sin lurking in the spirit of a man 3. The dust of earthlinesse putteth out the eye of the minde or at least darkneth the understanding that it doth not easily discerne it Yet Must we be convinced of it in our selves and of our danger by it for first while we have more care for earth than heaven secondly while wee more joy and trust the meanes than Gods promises or providence thirdly while we can compasse our gain by fraud of speech or deed fourthly while we are remisse in meanes of salvation for love of the world fiftly while wee are distracted and discontented with the things we have All the world may see our conversation is not without covetousnesse and where is he that can say his heart is cleane Let us therefore bewaile our selves who thrust our selves into such dangers by so base a vice as should bee found in none but Heathens Infidels Also it may moderate our delights in these outward things We think our selves happy beloved of God when wee prosper in the world We rejoyce in our wealth in-comes and beare up our head aloft because wee have gotten more than many others But may not many see in their wealth how they have endangered hazzarded their souls How many do highly conceit of themselves are well conceited of by others because they are rich but if either themselves or others should see how farre off salvation they are by means of their riches they would soon change their note and minde And why may they not see this Is not the Word a dead letter to them or choaked in them Is not Christ kept out his Spirit beaten out by the god of the world Are not religious duties laid aside they so much the more forgetfull of God as he is more bountifull toward them Is there not as much crop of the seed sowne in a thicket or a thorne hedge as of fruits of grace from them Likewise it may moderate our sorrows in afflictions in losses in the bitter suffrings here below seeing thereby the Lord weaneth us from the world and from the love of those things which are so dangerous to our selves Well we may as children cry when the father takes away a knife from them but it is our safety to want what may hurt us so much Lastly let it moderate our desires to use the world weinedly even as the Mariner the sea he cannot leave the sea only he must avoid the rockes and dangers Quest. How Answ. By foure rules 1. Labour to descry those rockes note the fearfull attendants of this sinne how easily it swalloweth unlawfull things what mischiefes usher it and are perpetrated for mony the poore shall be sold for shooes their faces ground justice perverted little and false measures great and unjust prices Balaam will curse Gehazi will bribe Demetrius will cry downe Paul for his Images Judas for a little mony will sell his Master and Christians will deny their profession for a vile price here is Mammon of iniquity the next odious name to the Divell himselfe 2. Consider the distance of that we desire and that we hazzard for it in the vanity of this life and the eternity of that wee expect in the basenesse of earth which we covet made to tread under our feet and the precious soule of man which is from heaven and hath no earth in it Nay God hath made the body of man upright and his face lifted up from the earth that hee might conceive how high his soule should be elevated from it And why should he take that into his heart which the Lord hath cast under his feet 3. Labour to esteeme of the world as Israel of Manna and that wealth is but for the day and if this dayes gathering or labour will serve this daies food so shall to morrowes labour supply for to morrowes meate Esteem it a moveable but God is the portion Esteem it a meanes but man lives not by bread onely Mat. 4. 4. God is our life and the maintainer of it Why then doest thou not cast over thy care to him and confine it to the day Hee gave thee thy body will hee not give rayment also Hee gave his Sonne for thy soule will hee then deny food for the body He made the mouth and will he not give meat Doest thou trust him for the salvation of thy soule and not for the provision of thy body for heaven and not for earth 4. Pray to finde the extreme need of Christ and his righteousnesse and that all other things are but conditionally necessary Pray that GOD would incline thine heart to his testimonies that it may be so much the more drawn from covetous cares which are
opposed to all Gods commandements Psal. 119. 36. Pray for wisdome to conceive thy selfe a stranger and pilgrime here so to intend principally thy departure hence for ere long gather as fast and as dangerously as thou canst the poorest mans Omer shall be as full as thine So of the former point of instruction 2. Many Christians do not only endanger but even lose their soules for the world so our Saviviour implyeth Numbers of men to winne the world do lose their soules And though a man would thinke that no man were or could be so mad as to part with his soule on such base termes yet millions of men exchange heaven for earth and barter away their soules not for the whole world but for an handfull of earth As for example 1. He that loseth Christ loseth his soule But for the winning of the world many lose and forgoe Christ. The yong man left Christ because hee had great possessions Mat. 19. 22. Many of the Jewes heard Christ knew him and beleeved in him but durst not confesse him for that they feared to be losers in the world Joh. 12. 42 43. And thus doe all they who being convinced in themselves and having some good affections joyned to illumination yet give the day to the world and the night to Christ. Great and rich men dare not be seene in the profession when poore fisher-men come by day they dare not come by night 2. Hee loseth Christ for the world that giveth priority to the world above Christ as the Gadeâ—ens preferred their hogges before the presence of Christ and as Esau preferred the broth before the blessing He onely hath wonne Christ that esteemes all things as drosse and dung in com parison of Christ Phil. 3. 7 8. The wise Merchant that found the pearle lost all to buy it The Disciples left all for Christ. But easily may we see how millions of men undervalue Christ in comparison of the world for First what is the chiefe labour studie time costs and paines of men employed upon is it not for the food that perisheth and profits of the world in the meane time the labour for that durable food and the Manna that came downe from heaven is either none or formall sleight seldome Secondly how are the affections of men generally bent is Christ their chife joy or treasure hath Shee gained their thoughts delight they in his love more than in life Or see we not the multitude preferre the world before their chiefe joy set their hearts upon it doat upon it their thoughts runne first and last and all day long after it with unwearied delight and comfort when in the meane time they banish thoughts of Christ of their treasure portion and country in heaven How doe most men feare the losse of the world more than the losse of Gods favour their soules and salvation How doe they more grieve and sorrow in a trifling losse of the world than when by sinne Gods favour and the grace of Christ is forfeited Thirdly how do the speeches of men bewray them to bee worldlings and if the speech be according to the abundance of the heart Christ hath small roome there Esa. 32. 6. the niggard speaks of niggardlinesse and 1 Joh. 4. 5. They speake of the world and the world heareth them But how long should a man watch in vaine for a â—avorie word concerning Christ or the salvation of their soules or speake to them the language of Canaan it is Hebrew or thrust in a savory speech of God his word or grace how strange and unwelcome is it their pennes tell us that their hearts indite no good matter Is not this to undervalue Christ in comparison of the world or is this to be a pilgrim or to possesse or rather to bee wholly possessed of the word Object There is no man whose ordinary theme is not more of the world than of GOD or Christ and will you therefore conclude that there is no man but loves the world better than Christ Answ. 1. Wee are all more carnall than spirituall and therefore our thoughts and speeches will be wandring but wee must not please our selves herein but mortifie and subdue carnall words as well as desires and groane under this corruption for is it not a wofull and wonderfull errour that earth and perishing things should more affect and possesse us than the great things given us of God in Christ Secondly I grant wee have callings and earthly affaires which tye us ordinarily to speak and thinke of such things but the speciall calling of a Christian must bee ever subordinate to the generall and in all earthly businesse a man must carry an heavenly minde God gives no leave to be earthly-minded even while a man is earthly-employed Thirdly the speaking and thinking more of a thing upon necessitie doth not ever argue more love unto it but the speaking and thinking of things out of the valuation of judgement for instance A workeman thinkes more of his tooles and an husbandman speakes more of his husbandrie than of his wife or children because these are the object of his labour but it followes not hee loves them better because he doth not in his judgement esteeme these better Now let a Christian preserve in his judgement a better estimate of Christ and heavenly things and his speeches in things earthly will still preferre that and runne upon it So of the two former proofes Thirdly he loseth his soule for the world that for wealth or by wealth hinders his owne salvation as numbers doe by unlawfull getting the world falling downe before the divell for it wealth is even the divels wages for some sinne committed being either gotten or kept by evill meanes or against good conscience viz. either in the use of an unlawfull calling or by the abuse of a lawfull Of the former sort are such as live by dicing houses filthy houses and the like places of hellish resort which may be rightly called the divells houses of office And those that live by unthriftie gaines by usury magicke making the instruments of pride and sinne or a calling to which they are not fitted as insufficient Ministers who runne but are not sent because they are not gifted God need not send a message by the hand of a foole Of the latter sort are first those that enrich themselves for doing a dutie which they doe not as grosse Non-residents that feed themselves but not the flocke or for doing that they ought not to doe as Lawyers who take reward for pervertings equity and right or perhaps are fee-ed on both sides by one to speake by the other to hold their peace or as good Secondly tradesmen that use false weights measures words wares sophisticall and insufficient as many who rise by cousenage and the craft of their trades by lying or swearing or by trickes in bargaining abuse the simplicitie or necessitie of
but also as man though not by creation as Adam nor by adoption as the beleeving sonnes of Adam yet by personall union of the Deitie with the humane nature Or if he would by his forme of speech make us know that hee is in his humanitie visibly to come and bee seene the sonne of man yet hee might have used a more royall title as that hee was the sonne of David or the sonne of Kings But this base title for the time of his abasement best pleased him 1. Because he was to be a patterne of humilitie and low linesse of minde His example was to bee our rule his action our instruction 2. His office and calling was not to be served but to serve nor to seeke to raise himselfe in the world but to raise our estate He must abase himselfe and make himselfe of no reputation to take our nature and sinnes upon him Hee hid for a time the glory and divine Majestie of his person He avoided often the applause and fame of men for that hee sought not the honour of men Hee refused preferments offered upon bad termes both by Satan who promised him all the glory of all the Kingdomes of the world and by men who would have made him a king Hee suppressed his owne praises Joh. 5. 34. 41. In a word his whole life was devoted to profit and helpe others with neglect of himselfe Now let the same minde bee in you that was in Christ Jesus Get humilitie into the minde the seat most proper for it and then it will outwardly appeare in speeches and behaviours Get the same minde not the same measure or degree of humilitie for no creature can fall from such height as our Lord did But whosoever will bee chiefe of all let him be servant of all for so was Christ. The primacie of a servant and Disciple of Christ is to bee servant to all Gods Saints Not that Christianitie brings in disorder or confusion or doth not observe this distinction of place gifts and condition in Church or commonwealth for Saints as Starres differ in glory But to shew that the highest place and advancement in the kingdome of Christ must expresse humilitie of minde and a willingnesse to lay hands under the feete of the least and lowest of the Saints for their good Now let us trie our selves a little 1. Christs humble mind makes him speake lowly of himselfe and call himselfe ordinarily the sonne of man being the Sonne of God But how doe wee boast our selves that every man shall know what wee are if wee bee borne of a little higher stocke than ordinary if wee have a little more knowledge or wealth or honour or friends than other men Alas what would wee doe if wee had Deitie and heavenly glory to stand upon Christ might have stood on his royall descent on his high birth on his wealth being Lord of heaven and earth and heire of all things But he emptied himselfe and brought himselfe almost to nothing that his example might plucke downe our top-sailes and wee learne to decke our selves with lowlinesse of minde 2. Christs humilitie made him beare the infirmities of others and seeke the things of others more than his owne life Yea though when hee became man he ceased not to bee God yet hee comes to his enemies seekes reconciliation with them stoupes to helpe them and save them with losse of his life Now if hee bee our root why draw wee not vertue from him if wee bee implanted into him why grow wee not up in all things in him Where is our charitie and compassion to our brethren yet he was compassionate to his enemies When doe wee emptie our selves to goe to our enemies and to seeke reconciliation nay wee can reject it and live in rancour hatred malice and contentions yeares and ages almost more like Scythians and Barbarians than Christians 3. Christ cast himselfe under all men to doe good unto all But where is our submitting one to another and that better esteeming of every one than of our selves no wee stand on our turret and full height and what should I yeeld to him c. Oh how many good lessons are lost and abuses unreformed and godly motions or duties stopt and crossed why because such and such move it and like of it and rather than please their humours let all things runne to ruine and wracke Did Christ so no had hee stood on his height and reputation and beene so stout against thee as thou art to his Ministers and members thou hadst ere this beene in the bottomlesse pit of hell What had become of thee that wilt beare no infirmitie in thy brethren if he had not stouped to beare all thine what had beene thy lot who wilt shew no mercie nor bowells of love in the distresses of the Saints thou passest by as the Priest and Levite thou cloathest not feedest not visitest not the afflicted members of Christ if he had so shut up his bowels against thee where hadst thou beene 4. As Christ by his speeches declared himselfe the sonne of man but by his workes the Son of God so must wee bee lowly in our speeches but let our works testifie wee are the sonnes and daughters of God expressing his vertues and shining as lights in the midst of a crooked generation So of the first thing in these words The second is the action of comming shall come Christ commeth to us either in spirit or in person In spirit hee comes 1. in the Ministry to win and perswade us to come to him thus hee went and preached in Noahs time to the spirits now in prison 1 Pet. 3. 19. 2. In some speciall manifestation of his presence in mercie or judgement The former when hee meets us with comfort strength and increase of any grace Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortlesse but will come unto you vers 23. My father will love him and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him The latter in judgement and testification of displeasure Rev. 2. 16. repent or I will come against thee shortly so in Joh. 16. 8. In person he comes two waies in carnem and in carne first into flesh afterward in flesh first in humilitie then in glory first in his incarnation at his first appearing the other in his glorious return at the last day the former to be judged the latter to judge all flesh and all things done in the flesh good and evill Of this latter he speakes here Where consider 1. Whence hee commeth 2. Whither 3. When. For the first He commeth from heaven 1 Thess. 4. 16. The Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven that is the third and highest heaven And why 1. Because it was according to Gods decree foretold not only by the Prophets as Jude 14. in the ancient prophesie of Enoch but also by Christ himselfe Mat. 26. 64. Hereafter yee shall see the sonne
of man come in the clouds of heaven 2. That was the place whither he ascended and from thence he must descend as Act. 1. 11. Yee men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into heaven this Jesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him goe into heaven 3. It is meet that Christ should come from heaven to judge because it is not meet that wicked men and Angels should come thither to him although to receive their sentence for that holy Citie can admit no uncleane thing Rev. 21. 27. 4. As it is in earthly judgements so must it be in this great Assise which must be held and the judgement set up in the same country or about the place where the facts and crimes to bee judged were committed But whither shall he come Some thinke into the valley of Jehosaphat which lyeth situate between mount Sion and mount Olivet neare Jerusalem so called from the noble victory which God gave Jehosaphat over the enemies of the Church for which they alledge Joel 3. 12. Let the Heathen be wakened and come to the valley of Jehosaphat for there I will sit to judge all the Heathen round about But allegoricall and typicall prophecies are not to be expounded according to the letter but according to the type and similitude which seemes to be this As that valley of Engeddi called the valley of Jehosaphat from the noble victory of Jehosaphat against the Moabites Ammonites and other enemies gathered against the Church was situate in the sight of the city Jerusalem and mount a type of the Church so the Lord will revenge and judge all his enemies before or in the last judgement day in the sight of all his holy people and Saints who in their manner shall judge the world And hence some godly and judicious Divines have probably conceived that the judgement-seat shall bee set up in some place neare Jerusalem both to increase the terror of the judgement and the glory of Christ to sit there as Judge where himselfe was judged But to conclude it as a resolved opinion is rash and ungrounded Others thinke it shall be upon the earth that the sentence may bee given where the facts have beene committed that Christ may shew himselfe a Conqueror where the combate was and justly condemne others where himselfe was unjustly condemned And sundry things of the Fathers sound hereunto But in vaine should wee seeke a reason of that which whether it selfe shall be is altogether unknown If the Scriptures had said it should bee on earth then the reasons were good But wherever it is the wicked shall looke on him whom they have pierced The Apostle seemes to settle the place of judgement in the aire 1 Thess. 4. 17. the elect shall be caught up to meete the Lord in the aire And as hee was carried up in a cloud so the Scripture saith hee shall come in the clouds of heaven So as it is most probable where wee shall meet him the judgement shall bee namely in the clouds of the aire neare the earth where the divells shall be conquered and sentenced in the very place where they have ruled all this while as Princes But whether over mount Olivet whence hee ascended or above the valley of Jehosaphat or the City of Jerusalem were folly to define seeing Gods wisedome hath not clearely determined The conclusion is that the Judge is of power and wisdome to set up the throne of his glory wheresoever himselfe thinketh most fit But when shall he come In the end of the world But the particular age yeare or day is not knowne to man or Angell Mark 13. 32. Of that day and houre knoweth no man nor the Angels of heaven no nor the Son himselfe but the Father onely because 1. the end of the world is fit to bee knowne to him onely who onely knew a fit time for the beginning of it 2. this secret is none of them which Christ had heard from his Father for then had he revealed it to the Apostles and so to the Church Neither 3. was it among them which the Spirit promised and sent revealed or taught the Apostles who yet were led by him into all necessary truth Joh. 16. 13. 4. Christ must come as a theefe in the night and as in the dayes of Noah when men knew nothing which could not bee if the time were knowne 5. Of what validitie were all those exhortations to watch and be warie because wee know not the houre unlesse the time were concealed Mat. 24. 42. 44. 6. Many are the reasons why God would not have us to know it as not knowing the set houre wee may bee prepared every houre our faith and patience may bee exercised and our hope upheld not limiting the Lord to times and seasons which are in his owne power The greater hath beene the sin and folly of many learned men of old and of late who have set their wits so childishly to play in so serious a businesse Augustine relates that many about his time defined the day of the Lords comming some to an hundred some five hundred some to a thousand yeares after his ascension Since that time Joachimus Abbas who set the yeare 1258. Arnoldus de villa nova the yeare 1345. Michael Stiphelius Saint Lukes day in the yeare 1533. Cyprianâ—s Leovitius Italus the yeare 1583. Johannes Regiomontanus the yeare 1588. Adelbertus Thermopedius the yeare 1599. and third of Aprill Nicolaus Cusanus the yeare 1700. Cardanus 1800. Ostander out of Cabala 1689. Picus Mirandula 1904. I will not name some worthy Writers on the Revelation but wish they had forborne that curiositie in this computation wherein I thinke they ungroundedly troubled themselves and many others The most I have named carrie alreadie the chastisement of their temeritie and have reaped onely the scorne of their errour that wee by them might learn to be wise to sobrietie Rom. 12. 3. and not seeke to know or make knowne that which the Angels and Christ himselfe was content to be ignorant of But though Christ knew it not then as man being for our sakes ignorant of many things which hee was not bound to know as of this day and the time of figs c. yet now he knoweth it and so it may now be communicated to the Angels and blessed spirits and why then may it not bee revealed to the Church True it is that Christ now glorified hath laid downe all infirmities and knowes both the day and houre and in this his exalted estate is ignorant of none of the workes of God which have beene are or shall bee his Deitie enlightning his humane soule But therefore to conclude that every such thing is revealed to the Angels and blessed spirits is frivolous For if every thing which belongs to the exalted head were necessary to bee communicated to the principall members they should bee
in the same degree of glory with the head which they are not capable of The King revealeth not every thing to the privle Councell but holds distance from them And to say they must needs see every thing in him as in a glasse because they see him that seeth every thing it is vaine and failes even in a corruptible creature for hee that sees the Sunne doth not see by that sight all that the Sunne by his beames beholdeth Others thinke the day uncertaine but the houre of an uncertaine day certaine namely that Christ will come the same houre to judge that hee rose againe in as Rabanus and Lactantius But with as little reason if I should say he may come the same houre that he ascended or shall come to judge at the same houre that hee was judged of men I shall speake as probably yet I know not no more do they Of the same strength is their conceit who say hee must come in the night because he shall come as a theefe in the night and because the Egyptians were destroyed at midnight Yet know they not whether the Master will come at midnight or in the morning watch and forget it is called the day of the Lord. The conclusion is Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us and our children for ever Deut. 29. 29. Now if Christ must come from heaven then hee is now in heaven and his body not every where as Ubiquitaries teach nor yet substantiall under the formes of bread and wine as Papists That which is every where cannot come from one place to another And Christ comes not in bodily presence from heaven but visibly whether we consider his first comming or his second As for any other invisible presence of his body such as they say is in the Sacrament the Scripture knowes none And whereas they flie to a miracle let them give us instance of a miracle in the Scripture which was not visible and whereof the senses might not be judges This also serves to terrifie wicked men from sin Christ comes from heaven to revenge sin and sinners and comming from heaven to doe it it shall be done to purpose If a man were to come out of some corner of the earth with an hand of revenge the danger were the lesse and the feare not so great But the mighty God comes from heaven to doe it c. Great men may stand upon their power and priviledges and often by wealth and friends make their partie good against earthly revenge but when Christ shall shew himselfe from heaven the great worke of Gods justice shall be done to purpose And if Christ come from heaven we must look for him thence yea and long for him Phil. 3. â—0 Our conversation is in heaven from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. The bride saith Come and the Saints are described to be such as looke for his appearing A loving wife cannot but looke for and long for the returne of her husband from a farre countrie A carefull servant will looke after his Master through the casements and expecting his returne will make all things readie If the bridegroome be comming let the bride decke her selfe as Rebecca espying Isaac a farre off As Joshua exhorted Israel chap. 3. 5. be sanctified for to morrow the Lord will worke wonderfull things and lead you through Jordan into the land of Canaan so our Joshua commands us to bee sanctified because the Lord in that day from heaven will doe wonders in leading us to heavenly Canaan Lastly if Christ be comming from heaven meet him in the way 1. Meet him in his Ordinances as the ancient Beleevers who waited for his comming in the flesh were ever found in the Temple A loving spouse will enjoy her husband as much as shee can in his long absence if she can heare of him or receive a letter from him or a token she is glad she hath something of him yea her love will make her meet him afarre off as farre as she can see him as the father of the prodigall and as Jepâ—haes daughter did And if thou longest for him indeed thou wilt enjoy him on earth as much as thou canst in his word which is his letters in his graces which are his pawnes and pledges c. 2. Meet him with thy affections prayers and wishes after him send thy prayers and holy requests daily as presents unto him 3. Meet him in heavenly conversation He commeth from heaven the first and second time to draw thee thither and shall hee not by all this paines gaine thy heart affection and conversation from earthlinesse to heavenly-mindednesse Begin heavenly life here First spend thy life in cheerfull praises keepe a perpetuall Sabbath Secondly enjoy God above all means and in all means hee is all now as well as hereafter Thirdly walke by the Charter of heaven the law of righteousnesse must be the rule of all and weights to weigh all in and out Fourthly wait still for further perfection of glorie stay not in first fruits In the glory of his Father Here is the manner of Christs second comming wherein it is opposed to the first there he covered and vailed his glory but now he will reveale and display it above the shining of a world of Sunnes Where consider three things and then the Uses 1. Why he calleth it the glory of his Father 2. Whether it be not his owne glory 3. Wherein this glory confisteth For the first of these Christ calleth it the glory of his Father 1. Because it is a most divine glory agreeing to none but the Father and himselfe with the blessed Spirit 2. Because the Father is the fountaine as of the deitie so also of this divine glory wherewith he hath crowned his Sonne Thence hee is called the Father of glory Eph. 1. 17. and the God of glory Act. 7. 2. the King of glory Psal. 24. 7. And Christ is said to bee taken up into glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. namely by his Father for we must conceive God not onely glorious by his nature in himselfe but the fountaine also of all that glorious life and motion which is communicated with any of his creatures 3. Because as all glory is from him so all is due unto him whom therefore his Sonne glorified and wee ought also to glorifie But was not this glory Christs owne in which he shall appeare Answ. Yes for consider him as the Sonne of God he was of equall glory with his Father in all eternitie Joh. 17. 5. Glorifie me with thine owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee before the world was And his incarnation abated nothing of that glory And consider him as the son of man and mediator 1. hee is worthy of all glory by the desert and merit of obedience Rev. 4. 11. insomuch that hee pleadeth with his
thou seest iniquitie in the place of judgement then thinke in thy heart that God will judge the just and the wicked and cap. 5. 7. If in a country thou seest the oppression of the poore and defrauding of judgement bee not astonied for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Now bee patient and appeale to this day from all unjust sentences as John Hus Jerome of Prague c. so did Zachariah 2 Chron. 24. 22. The Lord looke on it and require it Fourthly this must teach us sinceritie and truth in all our wayes before God and men seeing this judgement is not according to outward appearance but according to the truth then shall all showes and powerlesse forms of godlinesse bee blowne off as leaves in Autumne by violent windes and thou shalt bee layd open as thou art and not as thou seemest thou mayest now be as Ananias among beleevers and as Judas among the twelve and carry it smooth away but this day will set thee among hypocrites and thou shalt stand among thy fellowes Then shall the hope of the hypocrite perish and onely soundnesse of heart shall abide this exact triall It must bee gold that must abide the fire of this day and not a gilded hypocrite Fiftly this must teach us watchfulnesse in all our wayes and see they bee righteous Eccles 12. 13. Feare God and keepe his Commandements for God will bring every worke into judgement feare God in his presence power and justice do nothing in secret which thou wouldest not have preached on the house-top And keepe his Commandements for whatsoever is not answerable to some commandement this judgment must condemne and disprove whatsoever the word now alloweth it will then justifie and then will condemne whatsoever it now condemneth Judge thy selfe afore-hand and put thy selfe upon the tryall 1. Of the word how will those words and actions abide that tryall which now it passeth sentence against 2. Of thine own conscience if now thy conscience have a voice against thee but thou wilt choake and stiâ—le it yet it shall bee heard at this day 3. Of thy experience if any action now bring guiltinesse feare shame or heavinesse what else shall it bring then when it shall set before the Judge thy oppressions cruelties usuries wrongs oathes revenges filthinesse drunkennesse contempt of the word of grace the day and meanes of grace and shall doe God good service in bringing backe all old reckonings not reckoned for by Christ 4. Of thine owne present apprehension of that day if now the mention of this day make thee out of guiltines to tremble what shall the day it selfe doe Sixthly out of this doctrine a man may gather evidence of his future estate whether he shall speed well in the last judgement For as the tree leaneth so it is likely to fall and as it falleth so it lyeth But to helpe this inquisition the Scriptures afford us some notes of triall 1. That in Gal. 6. 7. What a man sowes that shall hee reape Sowest thou cockle and wouldest thou reape corne sowest thou to the flesh and expectest to reape any thing but corruption To sow to the flesh is to live according to the lusts of the flesh and command of lusts as to sow to the Spirit is to live aftet the motions of the Spirit Thou art in GODS field either wheat or chaffe and the reapers of this great harvest shall gather the wheate into the garner but the chaffe shall be cast into unquenchable fire 2. Another note is in 2 Thess. 1. 8. in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospell All ignorant and disobedient persons that love not the knowledge of God nor obedience to the Gospell may now read their doome in that judgement nothing but timely repentance preventeth it 3. Another note is in 2 Thess. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to trouble them that trouble you It shall then goe hard with those evill servants that beate their fellow-servants that revile Christ in his members or disgrace the profession of godlinesse whereas they shall finde it had beene their happinesse to have fed clothed comforted and honoured Christ in his members Mat. 25. 45. 4. Another note is in the parablâ— of the talents Mat. 25. 30. the faithfull servant having received talents used them and gained as many more was made ruler over much but the evill and sloathfull servant that hid his Masters talent and employed it not for his Masters advantage was taken and cast into everlasting darknesse What shall be their hope that are so farre from employing their talents that they declaime against them that doe and molest them for so doing Woe to such Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites that neither enter themselves nor suffer others but shut up the Kingdome of heaven before men Mat. 23. 13. What is the sound preaching of the Gospell but the key of the Kingdome given into the hand of Pastors to open the doore of heaven to beleevers Where then shall such Pharisees stand who not onely hinder others by their wicked example but wrest the key out of the Pastors hands and so bolt up the Kingdome of heaven that people should not enter Who sees not halfe the sentence executed on many such already even their talent already taken away and the other halfe remaines the taking away of the man himselfe the binding of him and casting him into the fire as a bundle good for nothing but for fewell of the fire of hell 5. The Apostle in Rom. 2. 7. gives other two certaine notes of him that shall speed well in judgement 1. Hee seekes glory that is by faith and repentance he seekes the kingdome 2. Hee perseveres in good and stands out to victory for good fruits from a sound roote abide and good works flowing from sound faith are not vanishing When those that are contentious against the truth and given up to unrighteousnesse shall meete with tribulation woe and anguish then shall these attaine glory and immortalitie Vers. 28. Verily I say unto you there bee some of you that stand here that shall not taste of death untill they have seene the sonne of man come in his Kingdome IN these words our Saviour partly to mitigate the former doctrine concerning self-deniall bearing the crosse and suffering for Christ partly to confirme what he had said concerning his glorious comming to judgment and partly to support and comfort his Disciples who by reason of his base and low estate could see nothing lesse than the great glory that hee speaketh of doth now make a gratious promise that although hee was now in an abject condition and after a while was to bee more humble and abased even to the death the shamefull death of the crosse and to be laid up a while in the house of death yet ere long hee should manifest his glory
what else is it to see the Kingdome of God come with power than to see the enlargement and increase of the Kingdome of God by the prevailing of the Gospell bringing in men to the obedience of faith whence Rom. 1. 16. the Gospell is called the power of God to salvation But thirdly let us looke into the accomplishment of this prophecie which will notably enlighten the true meaning because wee shall here see Christ now ascended mightily declaring himselfe the King of his Church and that hee was not only exalted unto the right hand of God but that even in the dayes of some of the Apostles he came in the mighty power of his kingdome of grace As appeared 1. In the emission of his Apostles Christ immediatly before his Ascension did call and send out his Apostles with speciall promise of his presence in their Ministerie to the end of the world Mat. 28. 18. Goe and reach all nations their commission was to make Disciples every where This great worke the Apostle magnifieth Eph. 4. 11. When hee ascended hee gave gifts to men some to be Apostles c. for the gathering of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie and the edification of the body of Christ. This was one most powerfull means for propagating his kingdom which was herein seene gloriously to come out through the world 2. In the descending of the holy Ghost fiftie dayes after his Ascension upon the Apostles when the Spirit promised came rushing upon them as a mighty winde and filled all the house whereupon forthwith they preached the Word of the Gospell to every nation under heaven at Jerusalem in their owne tongue Act. 2. 2. which was a fruit of his Ascension and Exaltation v. 33. and a comming in his kingdome with power 3. In the Apostolicall gifts we may see how powerfully the Sonne of man came in his Kingdome in their dayes as the gift of knowledge in deepe mysteries of the Kingdome without studie the gift of prophecie the gift of miracles of healing by imposition of hands of casting out devils of raising the dead and the like for confirmation of their doctrine the gift of tongues and of immunitie from errour in teaching or writing the gift of the Apostolicall rod in smiting offendors as Paul did Elymas with blindenesse and Peter Ananias Sapphira with suddaine death Which peculiar gifts were promised and given them that by the admirable use and power of them the Sonne of man should come gloriously in his Kingdome and the Church more and more confirmed in the faith and more allured in the beginning and cradle of it to the love of Christ and his truth who a little before was so hated and despised 4. In the Apostolicall diligence which was wonderfull and all to this end that the Sonne of man might come gloriously in this his Kingdome The travells of Paul alone were such as hee carried the word of the Kingdome and set up Christ as a King unto a third part of the knowne world Rom. 15. 19. 20. Yea in his time hee sheweth that the Gospell was preached not at Colossus onely as Col. 1. 16. but by the diligence of the Apostles it was fruitfull in all the world v. 23. How instant were they in preaching writing disputing and suffering and all to set up the Son of man glorious in his kingdome 5. In the successe of the Apostles in their Ministerie which if we consider wee shall see the truth of Christs speech that they did more in the means of conversion of men than himselfe did Act. 2. at one Sermon of Peters three thousand were converted this was the first famous draught of this fisher of men by which three thousand subjects were added to Christs Kingdome in one day here came the Sonne of man gloriously in his Kingdome And what wonderfull increase it took in all quarters all the Epistles of the Apostles do witnesse especially twenty yeares after Christs Ascension in which times howsoever some of the Apostles were extinct as James slaine with the sword by Herod Ast. 12. yet some other of the Apostles and of others who heard Christ speake these words were living witnesse that Synod of the Apostles which was fifteene yeares after Christs Ascension at Jerusalem wherein James sonne of Alphens was President which sheweth both the flourishing estate of the Church at that time and that many of the Apostles were then living and so this prophecie of Christ was accomplished But 6. Fortie yeares after Christs Ascension when all the Jewish â—orship and ceremonies together with the Temple were so â—olished and destroyed as one â—one was not left upon another â—e whole house and all the utenâ—ls and shadowes were burnt with fire so as none of them â—ould longer stand up against Christ the truth and substance of them Then was the sonne of man let into his kingdome most â—erspicuously all vaâ—les were â—ow rent all shadowes vanished â—ll partitions broken downe and Christ with open face triumâ—hantly conquering and prevaiâ—ing in the world And this Johnâ—he â—he Evangelist saw who dyed in the 101. yeare after Christ about â—0 yeares after the destruction of the Temple as Chronologers have collected Object Christ was come in his Kingdome before so John Baptist preached Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand and Christ himselfe said in Matt. 12. If I by the Spirit of God cast out divels then is the kingdome of God come unto you Answ. True it is the sonne of man was come in his kingdome before 1. in the beginnings of it 2. to Judea 3. in a dim obscure light in comparison But now it is come in the power of it and to all the world even in the Apostles time whereof our Saviour here speaketh Wee might adde hereto the writing of the Evangelists Matthew who wrote his Gospell eight yeares after Christ Marke ten Luke fifteene and John forty two wherein Christ came in his Kingdome apparently to all the world in all the Churches of the New Testament Yea this last of the Apostles John saw Christs comming in his Kingdome most gloriously in the undaunted confession of his Name by many thousand Christians that gave their lives for the testimonie of his truth For hee lived to see three of those bloodie persecutions of Roman Emperours as of Nero under whom Peter Paul suffered of Domitian under whom himselfe was banished into the Isle Pathmos where hee wrote his Revelation and of Trajan under whom were many thousand Christians drawne to death daily as Plinie the second testifieth writing in their behalfe to Trajan the Emperour in whose dayes John wrote his Gospell and dyed the 10â— yeare of his owne age All which hath notably cleared the sense of our Saviours prediction Now followes the observation Where the Word of God is most powerfully preached and most cheerefully obeyed there Christ commeth most gloriously in his kingdome The whole 110. Psalme
unto us This verse hath two parts 1. An holy prayer Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes 2. A religious promise or vow And I will keepe it unto the end In the prayer we have 1. The Object God O Lord. 1 The Petitioner teach me 3. The Petition to be taught in Statutes Which Statutes are described 1. By the Author or efficient thy Statutes 2. By a metaphor or similitude the way of thy Statutes For the meaning of the words wee must enquire and finde out 1 What be these Statutes 2 Whos 's they be thy 3 Why called the way of Statutes 4 Why David desires to be taught in this way For the first of these By Statutes sometime the Scriptures understand the Ceremoniall or Leviticall Law of Moses distinct from the morall and judiciall as in many places of Deu. 6. and 7. where Ordinances or Statutes are opposed to Lawes and Commandements So in Psal. 89. 30 37. are foure words Lawes that is the whole Doctrine of the Word by Judgements are meant Iudicials by Statutes rites and ceremonies by Precepts the morall Law But in this Psalme David useth many words to expresse the same thing The whole Word extant is called a Law because it bindes to obedience as a Law A Testimony because it testifieth the Wil of God concerning his Service and his good will and fatherly affection concerning his servants and children Iudgements because in them right and truth is discerned from wrong and falsehood Commandements implying the soveraignty and authority of God the Commander Statutes here a statuendo 1. Because as a statute-law the Word written sets down limits and rules how farre wee are to goe and what to doe and leave undone for all Kings make statute-lawes for their subjects 2. Because as statutes are enforced with rewards and penalties so are the Lords precepts in keeping of which is great reward and no lesse danger in transgressing any of them For the second generall Whose be they thy statutes 1. Because God is the Author of them all and although hee used his Amanâ—enses who themselves used great diligence in writing of the common salvation Iude 3. yet all holy men wrote the whole Word as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. Obiect But it seemes uncertaine whether all were written by the Spirit of God for Saint Paul 1 Cor 7. 6. speakes by permission not Commandement and vers ult I thinke I have the Spirit of God he seems to doubt of it Ans. 1. Saint Paul speakes by permission not Commandement not in respect of the Efficient by whom he was moved which was the Spirit of God but in respect of the matter which being a thing not of such absolute necessity he was directed to choose a manner of delivery proportionall conceiving it â—itter to perswade them in a thing indifferent as more convenient than to lay an absolute command as if it were a thing absolutely necessary 2. Where he saith he thinkes hee hath the Spirit of God hee speakes not doubtfully for he was sure hee had but humbly by an emphaticall meiosis or diminution so to checke the boasting of proud and false Apostles who to magnifie themselves and extenuante and elevate Pauls authority made great brags of the Spirit of God which they said Paul wanted 2. They are called Gods statutes because hee is also the principall obiect or subiect matter of them as the bookes of the Kings were so called not because they were Writers of them but because themselves their persons and acts are the principall matter of them 3. Because hee is the preserver and maintainer of them for else had they long since beene lost and perished by the rage of Tyrants and Heretickes but chiefly by the wrath of Satan against them 4. His by eminency for the excellency and perfection of them and to distinguish them from all the lawes and statutes of men for First all mens lawes are imperfect alterable abrogated or changed at their pleasure but the Law of the Lord is perfect and as unchangeable as himselfe Secondly they are temporary and for this present life onely and bind not beyond it but these are eternall the charter and rule of heaven Thirdly they may direct and command but give no ability to performe as they doe They may curbe and represse the evill of nature but cannot change the nature nor alter the man but Gods statutes not onely direct the way but lead into the way not onely restraine corruption but abolish it It converts the soule and changeth the heart and life Fourthly they for their end conduce to a well ordering of a civill and sociable life amongst men in peace and honesty but Gods statutes to the ordering of a spirituall and holy life among Saints before God for the attaining of grace and glory Fifthly those being transgressed the Law-maker may pardon or he may give a dispensation to himselfe to violate them and none is above him in his Kingdome to punish him David the King needs not much to feare any law of man but Gods statutes transgressed none but God can pardon from whom no flesh can get dispensation to offend in the least branch but it shall be revenged in himselfe or his surety So of the second generall But thirdly why doth David call the word the way of Gods statutes which hath a metaphor and noteth singularity Answ. 1. The Metaphor implyes that we are all travellers here in a strange countrey and travelling home Heb 11 13 14 But the way we know not nor can man or Angell teach us the way unlesse God shew it to us as he did to Adam who could lose his way but of himselfe could never finde it 2. It implyeth that God hath made knowne the way in his word called the way both because it points us the way as also because it leads us to heaven and happinesse as a way tends to some end or intended place Hence it is called the way of God Acts 18. 26. the way of peace Luk. 1. 79. the way of salvation Act. 16. 17. the way of life Psal. 16. 11. because it leads us to these as a way to a City 3. It implyeth that this way and word of God must be known of us as the way must be of a traveller And therefore as travellers and as David here wee must bee ever asking after the way 4. It implyeth that as a traveller must keep the beaten and high-way so must these Statutes be pathed and trodden of all the travellers of heaven neither must wee turne out of this way to the right or left hand Our thoughts must not stray out of the way as it is said Thâ—u shalt not covet Our words must bee kept in this way seeing of every idle word account must be given Our actions and metions must be held in this way whether naturall
that all true knowledge is from God whence hee is called the God of all grace and 2 Cor. 4. 6. God that commanded light to shine in darkenesse hath shined in our hearts Dan. 2. 20. the God of heaven revealeth secrets And therefore he is called light not onely essentiall in himselfe but by participation Reason 1. Gods way wants a teacher the way of sinne wants none And this teacher must not be man himselfe but God for the naturall man perceives not the things of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. nor can discerne them no more then a blinde man can judge of colours He walketh in the darke of his owne night and nature and knowes not whither he goeth Ioh. 12. 3. 5. The vayle upon the heart must be removed 〈◊〉 Cor. 3. 16. and the Father must draw or else none can â—ome to the Sonne 2. A naturall man is so farre from helping himselfe out of darknesse that hee increaseth his blindnesse every day and thickens the mist of his minde And were it a bodily darknesse â—s that of Egypt it were lesse dangerous but this is far more desperate That was on the body endangering the outward man this on the soule endangering that In that men desiâ—ed light in this they hate the â—ight and love darkenesse In that they would bee glad of guides in this refuse guides 〈…〉 orne and revile them In that they were afraid and sate still three dayes together here adâ—entrous more forward to lead then a seeing man to follow In that they were sensible of their misery in this they thinke themselves in a good case and in the way to heaven till they find themselves at the gates of hell as the Aramites thought themselves going to Elisha his house till their eyes were open and saw themselves in Samaria in the midst of their enemies So as no way can a naturall man wind himselfe out of his natural darknesse 3. True knowledge hath two things above the reach of nature First a sound Object namely holy things Prov. 9. 10. Now all the strength of Nature is too low and weake to reach them A naturall man may bee wise in naturall things or in civill actions yea wise to doe evil but to doe well in spirituall things hee is without all wisedome For nothing works beyond his ability Secondly it must have a sound Agent it must be wrought by the Spirit it is the inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding Job 32. 8. Flesh and blood reveales it not Mat. 16. nay the holiest men cannot reach it without Gods teaching Esa. 54. 13. they shall be all taught of God and 1 Cor. 2. 12. we have received the spirit of God that we might know the things of God Then if any want wisedome let him aske it of God with David let him goe to God for the opening of his eyes Salomon begged true wisedome and an understanding heart and obtained it of God 1 King 3. 9. And the rather ought wee to doe the like because we see in Salomon how God is well-pleased with this petition who suffers not a suit so pleasing to him to goe away unanswered And how can it bee other unto the Lord when in this request wee acknowledge the mournfull darknesse and blindnesse of our own minds the infinite depth and boundlesse Ocean of wisedome and knowledge in him and that we depend on him for knowledge which wee professe a treasure in his custody alone and that in the seeking of sound knowledge wee have an earnest desire to obey and please him And as this is a great meanes of Gods glory so also of our owne good for by this meanes as by a key wee unlocke unto our selves the rich treasury and full store-house of grace and wisdome prayer being the key of heaven Obiect But hath not God decreed unchangeably what to doe whom he will teach whom not so as our prayer or not prayer can never alter his decree Ans. 1. God hath decreed as well how to doe things as what he will doe and therefore Gods decree takes not away prayer but stablisheth it 2. God hath decreed to doe some things immediately by himselfe other things mediately by the creature Immediately by himselfe without the concurrence of the creature he decreed to create Adam Mediately by the concurrence of Adam and Eve hee decreed the being of Cain So for the effecting of many things in matters of regeneration and salvation he hath decreed that his servants shall concurre with him or else the thing shall not bee done as in this instance no prayer no teaching Never therefore seeke knowledge in the meanes without prayer to the Lord whose onely it is to give Thou commest to Church to heare the Word to get thine eyes opened to bee taught in the way of Gods statutes why now failest thou of that thou seekest but because thou seekest it at the mouth 〈◊〉 man and failest in seeking God for blessing Many heare and read a long time but the Word thrives not prospers not lives not in their hearts nor lives they are ignorant not infirmed they are prophane and not reformed And why doth that word which prevailes with others doe them no good but because one prayes for blessing and seekes higher than the Minister the other prayeth not or to no purpose And marke such as having heard the Word run out before prayer for blessing never looke the Word should prosper there ye shall never see a sound worke in such persons on whom is the brand of such prophanenesse as to flye from the face and presence of God Luther professed hee got more knowledge by praier then by all his study And thou shalt never prosper in the Word that neglectest prayer Ministers especially must pray for themselves and their people 1. For themselves as Daniel cap. 2. 17. hee and his fellowes beseeched the God of heaves for grace in those secrets and much more need we for grace to open to us the mysterie of this Kingdome Many good wits which are as laborious in study and reading are not so profitable and marvell that they cannot reach to such a gift as some other The very reason is they study read and meditate but pray not or sleightly and not craving a blessing they have none 2. For the people that God would prosper his Word to them and adde his teaching to theirs 2 King 6 20. Elisha prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of the Syrians that they might see themselves in the midst of their enemies so must Ministers be often on their knees in secret that their people may see themselves in the midst of their hellish enemies and discerne the danger so as to apprehend the meanes of their safety Thus of the first point 2. In the person praying teach mee David a man after Gods owne heart a Prophet a Teacher a Pen-man of Scripture one that had a singular measure of knowledge already yet hee