to shed his bloud and to wash us in his own bloud he hath so loved us as he hath laid down his life for us and thought nothing too dear to part with nothing too hard to suffer on our account 6 Christ likewise sparkled in his pity and compassion towards the people when they came to hear him Christ was full of compassion and would not let them go away hungry lest they should faint by the way Christ in the nineteenth of Luke weeps over Jerusalem Christ wept over sinners that would not weep for themselves Christ sparkled in all these and in many other passages of his life and so you see that he is a Star indeed in sparkling and letting out his beams and dispelling darkness Thirdly The morning Star is the most eminent Star one of them in all the Heavens a chief Star so Christ is the chiefest Star the Star of the first Magnitude there is not a more glorious Star in the Heavens than the morning Star and not a more glorious one than Christ In 2 Sam. 16.17 Princes and great ones are called eminent Stars or Lights Thou shalt go no more out with us to Battel that thou quench not the light of Israel why David was a Star of the greatest magnitude in all Israel and so Senacharib or Nebuchadnezzar or both of them they are said to be Lucifer the Son of the morning Isa 14.12 that is a chief Star yet a falling star but now Christ is a Star which is most eminent there is no star among the Sons of Men no Man no Angel that is equal to Christ but he is above them he is of a higher magnitude Psal 45.2 He is fairer than the Children of men he hath more beauty more glory more Majesty more greatness than any of the Children of men Rev. 1.5 Hee is Prince of the Kings of the earth take the Kings of the Earth that are stars and great stars yet Christ is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth so that upon this account he is a bright and a morning Star he goes beyond all the stars and all the lights in the World and all the Lights in Heaven Fourthly Stars you know have their influences and let down their influences here upon the Creatures In Job there is mention made of Pleiades the seven stars and Oryon and the rest that send down their influences and the morning star hath its influences as well as other stars so the Lord Christ he is not wanting this way but le ts out his influences Christ is said to have the seven Spirits the seven Stars and le ts out all the Graces and vertues of his Spirit Of his fulness we receive grace for grace and he sends the Comforter he is the head and hath influence into the whole body This Star lets out vertue into all the inferiour Bodies that are belonging unto him so that the Lord Christ he is a bright morning Star upon this account Lastly Christ is a bright and morning Star especially in that the morning Star brings notice of good tidings that the day is at hand when the morning Star is up then the day is near so Christ hee hath brought good tidings that the day is at hand and that the night is past Luk. 2. At the Incarnation of Christ the Angel said Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And what then Vers 14. Glory to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men Now the night of Gods anger was past and the day of Gods favour was coming he brought back the Sun of Gods favour and fatherly goodness and love unto us so in Luke 1.76 77. Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give knowledge of Salvation to his people by the remission of their sins through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us to give light unto them which sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace So that here is good tidings come now the day is at hand and Christ hath brought immortality and life again into the world 2 Tim. 1.10 which are now made manifest by the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel and especially the morning Star in regard of the great day that is a coming which some call the Day of Judgement and others call the Day of Restitution of all things there is a great Day a coming Christ is the bright morning Star that doth fore-run the great Day of which you hear in Zech. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one this bright morning Star is the fore-runner of that day in that day this bright morning Star shall be a Sun and vers 20 21. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses holiness to the Lord and the Pots in the Lords House shall be like the Bowls before the Altar yea every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall bee holiness to the Lord of Hosts and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them and seeth therein and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts There is a great day a coming wherein there shall be no more the Canaanite in the House of the Lord and Mal. 4. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an Oven c. but unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings There is a day a coming a great day which this Day-star is the fore-runner of 2 Pet. 3. Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens beeing on fire shall bee dissolved and the Element shall melt with fervent heat He is a bright morning Star in regard he goes before that day which shall come Thus you see upon what account and in what sense Christ is resembled to a bright morning Star Now an Objection we have to answer which is this Obj. Are not Saints Stars and Angels Stars and Morning Stars too Is this any great matter in that Christ is called a Star and a morning Star In Gen. 37.9 Joseph in his Dream there saith I beheld the Sun and the Moon and the eleaven Stars made obeysance unto me that was his Brethren And in Job 38 7. When the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy that is interpreted of the Angels who are called morning Stars so that if Saints be Stars and Angels morning Stars is it any such matter that Christ is here called a bright and a morning Star and it is
the Canticles she is espoused unto Christ 3 A Bride she hath her Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trim'd Isa 61.10 so the Church hath Ornaments and Jewels about her she is trimmed and deckt with the Graces of the Spirit with the righteousness of Christ White Linnen in the Revelation is said to bee the righteousness of Saints the Church hath her Ornaments her Jewels and Graces Canticles 4.9 4 Lastly The Bride you know expects Marriage of such a Person so the Church looks to be married unto Christ she waites for the day she is espoused already and waites for to be married unto the Lamb Rev. 19. so then you see upon what account the Church is called a Bride Now the Point to be handled is this Doct. That both the Spirit of God and the whole Church are desirous of Christs coming And the Spirit and the Bride say come To speak a little to the Spirit of God the Spirit of God is said in Scripture to intercede for us and the Spirit of God lusts against the flesh and here the Spirit desires the coming of Christ The Spirit saith come And the Spirit desires the coming of Christ Why the Spirit desires the coming of Christ because it having received from Christ all truth and having given it out unto Apostles and unto John and so to the Church it would gladly have the Church see the accomplishment of what is given out by the Spirit which will not all bee done till the coming of Christ all truth will not be accomplished Prophesies or Promises will not be fulfilled till the coming of Christ and the Spirit having received of Christ and given them out the Spirit desires the accomplishment of them that the Church might see it 2 The Spirrt desires Christs coming for the honour of Christ it is said in 2 Thes 1.10 Christ shall come to be admired this shall bee the honour of Christ to bee admired by the Church to be admired by the World especially he shall bee admired of the Saints and of those that do beleeve and the more admirable will Christ be when they shall see all Truths fulfilled and made good that he gave out by his Spirit It is said Isa 44.26 God is a God that confirmeth the word of his Servant and performeth the counsel of his Messengers so Christ he will confirm the word of his Spirit and confirm the word of his Messenger the Spirit brought it from Christ to John John gives it out to the Church and when Christ comes he will confirm the word and make it all good and so both Christ shall bee honoured the Spirit honoured and the Instruments that gave out the word be honoured 3 The Spirit desires the coming of Christ that so it self may be no more grieved no more quenched So 1 Thes 5. Quench not the Spirit in Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Spirit whereby yee are sealed unto the day of redemption The Spirit hath sealed up men unto the day that is this day of Christs coming unto the day of redemption Now saith the Spirit come come that I may be no more grieved I am grieved in the hearts of Saints daily I am troubled by them they do many things that are contrary to my Nature contrary to my Holiness the Spirit is a tender thing and soon grieved now saith the Spirit Come come then when Christ comes the Spirit shall no more be grieved there shall be a course taken with enemies Here then we may see that this is a matter of weight and worthy of consideration the coming of Christ for the very Spirit of Christ desires it But so much for that The whole Church also desires it even the Church Triumphant desires it I might insist upon that first In Rev. 6.9 10. The Church triumphant desires Christs coming And when he had opened the fifth Seal I saw under the Altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed with a loud voyce saying how long how long O Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Here is part of the Church Triumphant crying How long O Lord afore thou comest Souls have no Tongues you must know but here by crying is meant the desires of the Soul they desire Christs day might come and so their enemies might be judged and they might have their bodies united unto their souls and be made compleat Quest But it may be said Do the Souls in Heaven and the Church in Heaven desire Christ may go out of Heaven and come down to earth that should seem strange Ans 1. Yes The very Church in Heaven desires the day of Christs coming and what if Christ do leave Heaven and come down to earth what hurt in that for they being in Heaven do see the face of the Father and beholding the face of the Father they have happiness enough there as the Angels always behold the face of my Father 2 But secondly when Christ comes they shall come with him as you may see in Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints Here is a limited number put for an illimited ten thousand that is with all his Saints so you have it in Ezek. 14.5 And the Lord my God shall come with all the Saints with him Christ shall come and all the Saints shall come with him when he comes so in 1 Thes 4.14 For if we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him they shall come with Christ when he comes so that the very Church Triumphant are desirous of the coming of Christ But so much for that We come now to that which is more chiefly our aime and scope The Church Militant desires the coming of Christ that is the Church here in this World the Bride here doth desire the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ the Bride saith come come Lord you have it in the twentieth Verse of this Chapter He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus John desires the comming of Christ in the person of the Church Come Lord Jesus and frequently in Scripture thâ—s is spoken of Tit. 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ The Church looks for and so desires the glorious appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ that which we look for we desire and so in 2 Pet. 3.12 Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 1 Thes 1.10 And to wait for his Son from Heaven The Thessalonians the Church there waited for the coming of Christ from Heaven and Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ And many other places there are Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also
known and yet they do not prepare for the coming of Christ Do you read the Gospel do you read the Epistles do you read this Book of the Revelation and do not you meet with the coming of Christ every where And what will you not prepare for it Christ will say What did you not know that I would come again did not I tell you Did not all my Servants tell you of it Did not Matthew Mark Luke John Paul Peter Angels did not they tell you of my coming Why did you not prepare for it You have gotten Lamps but where is your Oyl You make profession and you bear my name why have you not prepared for my coming Men will be inexcusable like the man that had not on the Wedding Garment Friend how camest thou in here his mouth was stopt so you will bee inexcusable and your mouthes will be stopt that do not prepare for the coming of the Lord Jesus 3 Let us consider it is our duty to prepare for the coming of Christ it is made known in the Word and it is made known to you this day O prepare for the coming of Christ Mat. 24 44. Be yee also ready for in such an hour as yee think not the Son of Man cometh bee ready What is this preparation we should make for Christs coming there are three or four things to be done 1 See that you cast off every thing that hinders your going out to Christ and meeting of Christ Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith Well lay aside every weight and every burden every Sin that doth so beset you and bows you down cloggs and hinders you from going out to meet Christ from running the race that is set before you cast off all things which cumber and burden you all your lusts and corruptions all base thoughts and practises all sinful ends and aymes that you have lay aside every burden 2 See that you do adorn and beautifie your selves with all Graces you know the Bride Revel 10. did trim up her self and make her self ready put on her best apparrel put on Christ put on all Graces When you expect some special Friend to come to your Houses you make preparation for him you will not only have the house swept but you will have the windows and tables rubbed you will have your floores strown you will wash and perfume your selves and be in a decent a comely posture and habit the Lord Jesus Christ will come and he is a coming daily you must therefore make ready for him and prepare your hearts your consciences your wil your affections and understandings the outward man the body all must bee fitted for Christ 3 You should put forth your desires as here the Bride doth and the Spirit doth O come Lord come Lord the Soul that doth heartily desire the coming of Christ is well prepared for his coming 4 Lastly you must wait daily for the coming of Christ Job waited all his appointed time for the coming of his Redeemer And Luk. 12.35 36. Let your loyns bee girded about and your lights burning and yee your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return This is the preparation that you are to make especially see that you have faith in Christ as Paul saith in the Philippians I labour to win Christ and to be found in Christ not having mine own righteousness so you should have faith in Christ and say In the Lord Christ have I righteousness and strength I have none in my self but all is in him Obs 2. The Second Observation is That the coming of Christ is a thing to be hearkened unto Let him that heareth say come Every man doth not hearken unto the coming of Christ he hears of it it may be but he doth not hearken unto it it is one thing to hear it another thing to hearken unto it Let him that heareth say Come To hear is ordinary but to hearken is rare and so to hearken as to say come is rare few so hearken as to say Come Lord come Lord Rev. 2.7 Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Let every man that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches so let every one that hath an ear hearken unto the coming of Christ heed attend it observe minde this business for it is a thing of great concernment and things of concernment you will hear and hearken unto them attend and observe the coming of the Lord Christ is of very great concernment What concernment you will say is it of I shall shew it you in some particulars 1 It is of great concernment upon this account Of what concernment Christs coming is That there will bee then the greatest discovery made of men and women that ever was in the World then shall the Sheep be discovered from the Goats then shall the Lambs bee discovered from the Wolves then shall those that fear God be discovered from those that fear him not Mal. 3. Then shall yee return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Then when Christ shall come will be the clear discerning then will the difference be made between the sealed ones and those that are not sealed Revel 7. Those that have overcome and have white Garments and Palms in their hands and those that have not overcome and are in their wickedness then will those that are redeemed from the Earth stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion then will there be such a discovery made of who are right and who are wrong as never was Then shall Christ say Who is on my side who Then shall all Christs friends run to him then shall all his enemies hang down their heads 2 It is of great concernment because then when Christ comes will be the greatest change and alteration that ever was here in the World there was a great change when the Floud came in in Noahs days and drowned the World there will be as great at Christs coming yea a greater change and alteration than that 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Then shall there bee new Heavens and a new Earth the Heavens shall bee renewed the Earth shall bee renewed Then there will be as in Revel 21. I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more Sea and I saw the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God Then shall be the new Heavens and Earth the new Jerusalem and there will be a great change and alteration then the
you may see how they sparkle and send out their beams whereby they do dispel darkness so Christ having hid in him all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge he doth sparkle and send out his beams of Light whereby he doth dispel darkness and herein he is like to the Stars now Christ he sparkles and expels darkness by his Doctrin by his Miracles and by his Conversation First in his Doctrin the Lord Christ had the Spirit above measure and was full of Wisdom full of Grace full of Knowledge and hee gives out Divine truths sparkling truths truths that are very glorious he gave out the Gospel 2 Cor. 4.4 Lest saith he the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the Gospel is glorious and full of light and it shines why it is the Gospel of Christ and in 1 Joh. 2.8 The darkness is past and the true Light now shines Christ is the true Light and he gave out the true Light the Gospel and saith he the darkness is past that is dispelled and driven away and the true Light shines Christ is a Star now upon this account that he sparkles in his Doctrin and dispels darkness Christ doth dispel the darkness of ignorance Matth. 4.16 The people which sate in darkness saw a great light when Christ came they saw â—â—en the darkness of ignorance and now this Star scattered the darkness and they saw a great light Hee scatters the darkness of wickedness of malice of corruption and sin in the hearts of men and women and in their lives Ephes 5.11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Here is light now brought to scatter the darkness of wickedness and of sin He scatters the darkness of death Luk. 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation saith old Simeon Now I fear no death nor the darkness of death Mine eyes have seen thy salvation Christ he came and he being the Salvation and the Consolation of Israel the darkness of death was no darkness unto Simeon He scatters the darkness of Afflictions 2 Cor. 4. For our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things that are not seen when we look at Christ and the glory of Christ afflictions are no afflictions unto us so in 1 Cor. 5. for as the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation abounds by Christ afflictions are no afflictions where this Light comes where this Star shineth so that Christ he gives in his Doctrin and expels darkness Christs Doctrin is a convincing Doctrin He shall convince men of sin of righteousness and of judgement so in Mat. 22. there he convinc'd them stop'd their mouthes Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods and they were all amazed at his Doctrin and Wisdom Christs light it was a distinguishing light Joh. 3. Verily verily I say unto you except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven so in Joh. 8. If Abraham were your Father you would do the works of Abraham but you are of your Father the Devil and his lusts you will do It is distinguishing Light His Doctrin is quickning and converting Joh. 6. The words that I speak are spirit and life His Doctrin is a comforting Doctrin full of comfort and consolation why this Star doth sparkle in the Gospel and there is abundance of glory and light therein so that Christ he is a Star upon that account So Secondly in his Miracles how did this Star sparkle there and fill the world with glory and light there Matth. 4.23 Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people and his same went throughout all Syria and they brought unto him all sick people c. His fame went throughout all Galilee and Syria and all the Countries round about And in Matth. 15. the Woman of Canaan comes to him and he healed her daughter and vers 30 31. Great multitudes came unto him having with them those that were Iame blinde dumb maimed and many others and cast them down at Jesus feet and he healed them insomuch that the multitude wondred when they saw the dumb to speak the maimed to be whole the lame to walk and the blinde to see and they glorified the God of Israel Here is the Lord Christ now sparkling in his power and Miracles and shewed himself to be a bright morning Star to be God indeed Thirdly Christ sparkles in his Conversation O how did this morning Star sparkle there 1 In his Humility how did hee shine there in the thirteenth of John Christ washes his Disciples feet and wipes them when hee had done Go saith he and do as I have done I that am your Lord and Master I have humbled my self to set you down and to wash your feet and to wipe them with a towel here is an example of Humility for you go and do as I have done 2 In his Meekness and Patience O how patient was Christ when they wronged him and abused him every way He was dumb as a sheep before the Shearer and opened not his mouth Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly 3 He sparkled in his Self-denial when they came to make him a King he would be no King he refused Honour and Greatness and Glory when they would have trumpeted his Fame hee forbad them and commanded them silence and to say nothing when they would have him to have divided the Inheritance among the Brethren he would not but denies himself yea he denied his own greatness in heaven 4 So likewise in his Obedience There he was a sparkling Star indeed never such obedience as the obedience of Christ Phil. 3. Hee humbled himself to the death of the Cross hee bare our infirmities he bare our sins he bare the wrath of God he was made an open shame and scorn O never such Humility as was in Christ he humbled himself to obey things contrary to flesh and bloud who would have obeyed as Christ obeyed when he had power in his hand and could have commanded twelve Legions of Angels yet he obeys unto death 5 So Christ he sparkles in his love to Mankind was there ever such love as Christ shews to the World Gods Love is set out with a So he loved the world and so hath Christ loved the world so as to dye for it Rev. 1.5 He hath loved us and washed us in his own bloud Did ever any Mother love the Childe so as to wash it in her own bloud Did there ever any Prince love his People so as to wash them in his own bloud But Christ hath so loved us as
said of John likewise that hee was a burning and a shining light Anso It is granted Saints are Stars and Angels are Stars and they may bee morning Stars too and yet this doth not at all disadvantage Christs being here a bright and morning Star for 1 These Stars their light is Derivative it is derived from Christ and derived from God both what Angels have and what the Saints have it is borrowed the Angels are the Creatures of God and of Christ they made the Angels and so they had their light whatsoever it is from them And the Saints Ephes 5.8 Yee were darkness but now are yee light in the Lord they have their light from the Lord from Christ and from God so that this is no disadvantage unto Christ Christs light it is essential unto him it is no derived light 2 Their light is diminutive a little light it is Candle light they do understand little to what Christ doth In him are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge in him is all the fulness of God which is not so in any of these these Stars the Brethren of Joseph had but a little light and Angels have but little light to God and Christ What is the light of a Torch to the light of the Sun such is the light of these to the light of God and Christ 3 The light of these is dependent light If God and Christ with-draw their influences a little how dark are they Psal 103.20 The Angels stand hearkening what God will say to them they do not know what to do but God must give them out a word of command and give them light and they depend upon him for light and so all the Saints depend upon God and Christ for light and if God do but with-draw his influences how dark are Saints and Angels so that you see the light of these is no way derogatory to the light of Christ hee is a bright and a morning Star Quest But now a Question here If Christ be a bright and a morning Star why do so few follow the light of this Star and so many follow Sathan who is the Prince of darkness and Antichrist who is darkness it self Ans The only and great Answer to this is because men are darkness themselves and love darkness Joh. 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lesh his deeds should be reproved And in vers 19. Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil they love darkness they hate light and love darkness if men hate light they care not for the light of Christ that is convincing light reproving light condemning light now they hate the light and they love darkness and if the Devil and Antichrist turn themselves into Angels of Light sometimes yet that light is but darkness and they love that darkness they love Delusions love Errors love Heresies and Lyes 2 Thes 2.10 because men receive not the truth with the love of it therefore God sends them strong delusions and gives them up to beleeve the lyes of Sathan and the lyes of Antichrist that pretend light but they are lyes and they are darkness no marvel then that they follow the Beast and follow Sathan and follow the World and run the contrary way Thus you see the Point opened 1 If Christ be a bright and morning Star Application then surely it is evil and their end will be fearful and dreadful that will not follow after light but go on in sin and works of darkness whereas the very rising of this Star and shining of this Star was to dispel darkness and to shew unto men the way they should walk in Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men this Star is risen hath appeared to the whole World full of grace And to what end hath it appeared To bring Salvation and to teach men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Now if men will not see this light but will live ungodly unrighteously unjustly wickedly If men will follow the courses of the World then they refuse this light and what will be the issue of it 2 Cor. 4.4 If our Gospel be hid saith he it is hid to them that are lost If they will not see this light now that is so bright the Gospel is hid and Christ is hid and the Star is in a Cloud and the Devil hath cast a mist before their eyes and before their mindes and they are lost and undone Creatures and in Joh. 3.19 This is the Condemnation this will be the Condemnation That light is come into the world the morning Star is up the glorious Gospel is gotten out but men love darkness rather than light they love Sin they love Antichrist they love Sathan they love their Lusts and is it not a grievous thing that this Star should shine among us which the Jews have not and we should be worse than Jews that Heathens have not we should be worse than Heathens for Drunkenness for Swearing for deceiving and for defrauding one another and for all manner of wickedness O this will be the Condemnation It will be easier for Jews and Turks that have not the Gospel neither own it han for Christians that have this light this bright morning Star shining among them and walk not after it 2 If Christ be a bright and a morning Star then let us all look unto this Star for light for direction It is not good to be in the dark if you have but a little light in the dark you account it a great matter this World is full of darkness now let us look to this Star and the light of this Star You that are Mariners when you are at Sea if you can see but a Star especially the Pole-Star you think it a great priviledge and know where you are and how to steer your course and to avoyd Sands and Rocks and dangers this World is a sea of trouble a sea of sin and of affliction and wil you not look to this Pole-Star If you will look to this Star this bright and morning Star you will sayl safely you will avoyd Shipwrack you will avoyd the losing of your Souls which is the greatest loss of all O look to this Star to direct you and to guide you over the sea of this World that you may go safely to the Haven of Happiness if you sayl not by this Star you will never get to Heaven It is not sayling by your own Lusts your own Wills Humours and fancies and to live as you please If you will not live according to the light that hee hath given you out you are undone Creatures look to it wee are all sailing either down to Hell or towards Heaven well let us take our directions from this bright and morning Star and wee shall never sail the wrong way 3 If Christ bee the bright
and morning Star then hee is worthy to bee admired and worthy to bee magnified who is a Star of the highest Magnitude who is the chiefest Star in Heaven you stand looking sometimes upon a Star and gazing upon the Sun or Moon and admire them for their glory and beauty and sparkling and the like well here is a Star for you to look upon and to admire The Heathens did so admire the Stars that they did worship them for Gods and did sacrifice unto them that you are not to do but here is a star for you to admire to adore and to sacrifice unto I mean to offer praises unto this bright and morning Star even the Lord Jesus Christ The Lord hath set him up that wee should honour him as wee honour the Father to praise and magnifie him for the Light hee hath brought for the great things hee hath wrought for us I herefore mind this Star and admire this Star hee will come to bee admired in all his Saints hereafter hee should bee admired now Psal 145. praise him all yee Stars of Light Are you Stars and are you Stars of Light are you godly and gracious praise him even this Star all you Stars of Light O blesse God for Christ and magnifie Christ and lift up the honour and praise of Jesus Christ for hee is worthy hee is above all Princes and Potentates above all Angels hee is the bright and morning Star 4 Is Christ the morning Star then examine whether this day-Star as Peter calls him bee risen in your hearts the Stars may bee up in the Heavens but whether is this Star risen in your hearts and for discovery of that I shall give you a few things whereby you may know whether this bright morning Star bee risen in your hearts 1 You know the Light is a pleasant thing Eccles 11. to if Christ bee risen in your hearts then the Light of Christ will bee a pleasant thing to your minds to your souls The Light is a thing that doth greatly please and rejoyce what delight then have you in this Star what delight have you in the Gospel Is the Gospel and the Light of it welcome to your hearts pleasing to your souls glad tydings to you the Word of God was to Job and to David as meat and their appointed food as hony and the hony combe more than thousands of gold and silver And the more bright the Light is the more pleasing and delightfull dim Light doth not so much please as a clear Light the shaddows and types and ceremonies of the Law they had some Light in them but it was a dim Light but now all these shaddows and darknesse hath Christ taken away and the Light now appears clearly is this welcome now to your hearts can you say as David did Psal 119.140 Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loves it O Lord thy Word is clear Light there is no darknesse in it therefore doth thy Servant love it do you love the Light others hate the Light because their deeds are evill but do you love the Light is it welcome to you though it do reprove you and condemn your Light and the more it condemns and reproves the more acceptable it is O! this is an Argument the day Star is risen in your hearts 2 Where this Light is risen there it doth work a transformation it transforms all where this day Star doth rise Rom. 12. And bee not conformed to the World but bee yee transformed by the renowing of your minds why what Light is it that doth transform us by the renewing of our minds it is not the light of Nature doth it nor the Light of any Creature but it is the Light of Life doth it and there is no Light of Life but this Light that Christ brings Joh. 8.12 Christ speaks there that hee is the Light of the World and it is called the Light of Life It is Light that will make you a New-Creature and this begins in the mind being transformed by the renewing of your mind the Mind will be altered and the Will will bee altered and the whole Man will bee altered and there will bee an universall change wrought in the Man 2 Cor. 3. But wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image Wee behold in the Gospel that is the glass This bright morning Star arises in the Gospel and wee behold his glory and his Light there and what then are changed into the same Image even from glory to glory so that it is a transforming Light you were darkness in your selves but now are you Light in the Lord the Ephesians that were darknesse were changed into Light into the very Light of the Lord so that there is a transforming of us and a changing of us into the very Light of Christ so that wee become Stars and have that very Light as Paul saith we have the minde of Christ 3 Where this bright and morning Star is risen there will be love to all those that have the same light in them to all those that are Christs to all beleevers to all the godly to all are brethren there will be love unto them all see a place for this purpose 1. Joh. 2.8 9 10 11. The darkness is past and the true light now shineth he that saith he is in the light mark and hateth his brother is in darkness even untill now Why many will say they are in the light and this Day-star is risen in them He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness but he that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes Is Christ the Day-star risen in that mans heart who hates his Brother No he is in darkness and knows not what hee doth nor whither hee goes Do you love a godly man do you love your brother many cannot indure him that hath light in him their ways are not as our ways their lives are not as our lives O then light will convince light doth reprove and light will reprove the unfruitful works of darkness well if you have light in you you will love the brethren I the Brethren but who are they These are Hypocrites and if they had light and Christ were in them we should love them Well will you know who is a Brother turn to Matth. 12. ult For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my brother Whosoever will do the Will of God the same is a Brother a Brother to Christ and to all the Brethren of Christ I go to my Father and to your Father and I have called you brethren That man that endeavours most to do the Will of God that man hath light and that man
Heavens then shall have new qualities and new dispositions and produce new effects the earth then shall be refined and renewed and put into its primitive estate and be made fit to bee a foot-stool for Christ when hee sits in his Throne to judge the World 3 When Christ comes will bee the greatest distress and trouble to the wicked that ever was and the greatest comfort and consolation to the godly that ever was there will bee the greatest distress and trouble to wicked men that ever was 2 Pet. 3.10 But the Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noyse and the Elements shall meli with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall bee burnt up What work will here be now when all shall bee on fire and Christ shall come in flames of fire What work will this make you shall see what work it will make with the wicked and ungodly Revel 6.14 15. And the Heavens departed as a scrowl when it is roled together and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places and the Kings of the earth and great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bond-man and every free-man kid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand it will be a dreadful a terrible day to all wicked ones when Christ comes who shall bee able to stand but it will be as comfortable a day to the godly Revel 21. New Jerusalem came down from Heaven Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new and he said unto me Write for these words are true and faithful it will be a day of great comfort to all Beleevers to all Saints to all that fear God all tears shall bee wiped from their eyes there shall be no more death no more pain 4 Again It is of great concernment in regard that the Lord Jesus Christ shal appear eminently in his greatness and in his glory Christ before appeared like a Servant in a state of Humiliation but then when he comes he shall appear eminently in greatness and glory Matth. 24 30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Christ shall come with power and great glory It will be a day of glory indeed for the World shall be filled with the glory of Christ They shall see the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven What is the sign of the Son of Man not the Cross as the Papists say nor other fancies of men but as you may gather out of the twenty seventh verse For as the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be hee shall come with Lightning the brightness of Christ shall fill the World with the glory of Christ Christ is glorified and Christs coming now shall be so shining and so glorious that there shall be an appearance of his coming from the luster that shall be seen in the World Paul saith in Acts 26.13 that he saw a light brighter than the Sun at noon day Christ being so glorious he is so bright that when he comes hee will fill the world with glory so that it will be an eminent day indeed a day of great concernment the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ So then you see that this is a day a time to be harkned unto let him that heareth say come Now what is the use of this point Vse 1. This serves for reproof and reproof of those that do not at all listen after the coming of the Lord Christ many they hearken after any thing but the coming of Christ they hearken after news out of all quarters they hearken after ships from all parts and Ports in the World they hearken after Husbands Friends and Relations they hearken after good Bargains good Matches good Houses good Land good Air good Apparrel they hearken after new Fashions and the like but who hearkens after the coming of the Lord Jesus this is a fault too general a common Sickness that we do not hearken after the coming of Christ 2 This is matter of comfort unto those that do hearken after Christ and so hearken as to say Come Lord come Lord It is matter of comfort unto them they are of the Brides minde they are of the Spirits minde they are of that side the Bride and the Spirit are let him that hears say come if he do so hear and hearken as to say come I say he is of the same side with the Bride and the Spirit â—â—e is indeed the Bride hee hath the Spirit that doth so This is matter of comfort Christ will come and will separate thee ere long from all thine enemies free thee from all evils ere long he shall come and all tears shall be wip'd from thine eyes and there shall bee no more sorrow pain or death it is comfort to those that do so As God took care of the Mourners in Jerusalem they were sealed so those that desire the coming of Christ they shall be revealed they are the Sealed ones the Redeemed ones and they shall stand with the Lamb and be with the Lamb they shall lift up their heads and rejoyce in the coming of Christ when others howl and run to Rocks and Mountains 3 Let us all then so hearken to the coming of Christ as to desire it sincerely and heartily you have heard of it hearken after it inquire whether Christ bee not coming daily consult with the Word of God see whether all things are not accomplished or neere accomplished that be foretold saith Christ When you see the Figg-tree bud then you say that Summer is at hand If an Ambassadour were to come into the Land from some Forreign State how you would hearken whence comes the Ambassabour what comes he about What if Gabriel should come from Heaven What if David Moses or Aaron What if Eliah Enoch or Paul should come from Heaven If God should reveal by his Spirit unto you that these men should come from Heaven would not you hearken after their coming God hath revealed
evil the thoughts of the heart As God is just and will punish sin so God is powerful to do it God he hath a strong Arm and when he comes to punish he can do it to purpose See what Job saith in chap. 16.12 I was at ease but he hath broken me asunder he hath also taken me by my neck and shaken me to peeces and set mee up for his mark c. Did God deal thus with holy Job what will hee do with sinners Is not God a consuming fire Is not God terrible in righteousness Can any escape the hands of God Yee sinners in Sion can yee escape the hands of God What will yee do in the day of Visitation when God comes Can yee stand it out against the Almighty can yee plead with God and bring forth your Arguments to justifie your selves God will Condemn you he will shake you to peeces God will break your bonâ—s hee will make your reâ—es speak bitter things unto you Now the consideration of Gods Purity of Gods Justice of Gods Power sould make you thirst after Christ who may make you holy and free you from his Justice and from his Power that he might not destroy you The Law Secondly Consider the Law of God the Law of God is in few words in the Ten Commandements there is much forbidden and many things commanded he that is angry without cause he that saith unto his Brother Racha or thou fool is in danger of Hell fire Hee that looks upon a Woman and lusts after her hath committed Adultery and Adulterers shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven you think Thoughts are free and lust free but what saith Paul When the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed the Commandement slew me and if the Law once enter and seize upon your heart it will drink up the moysture of your spirit it will make you restless night and day it will be as an Arrow in your Liver as a hot burning Iron Paul thought himself once that he was righteous blameless civil just and that no man should be saved sooner than himself but he was deceived when the Law came he saw what a sinner he was what vild thoughts vild lusts and practices he had been guilty of and the Law slew him The Law pronounces a Curse over your heads and James tells you He that breaks one is guilty of all therefore do not you see a need of Christ now Have you no thirsting desires after Christ who shall deliver you from the Law who shall free you from the Curse if you have not Christ to do it you will stand and fall by the Law and you cannot be justified the Jews would be saved as it were by the Law but they perished seeking righteousness by the Law and so will all that go that way Sin Again consider something of Sin are you not sinners If there be any here that saith he is not a sinner let him depart but if we be all sinners let us consider the nature of Sin O how doth sin defile us how doth sin black us what ugly loathsome Creatures doth sin make us what Black-a-mores are wee and those that are in their bloud in their filth those that dye in their sin wo bee to them well let us then lay to heart the evil of our sin and I am perswaded there is not one here that hath any understanding about it but sees a great deal of evil at one time or other in sin it is the offence of God it is the death of the Soul it is the breach of the Command Sin is that that separates between God men now what you have in the notion bring it down and reallize it in your hearts follow it with meditation and let meditation bring in the evil of sin bring in the Indictment I am guilty of this and that and the other sin and let Conscience now sit as Judge in you and speak out Conscience will Condemn you and say O thou hast sinned against my Lord and Master I am his Deputy and I sit as a petty god in thy Soul and I tell thee Thou art a Damned lost Creature now when things are brought home thus then will yee thirst after a Pardon then will you look out for Salvation then will you see Christs Bloud Christs Intercession and Christs Merits to bee precious Stout-hearted Sinners and High-way Men when the Sentence of death hath been pronounced over their heads and they have seen that they are Condemned men then they have fallen down upon their knees and have begged mercy so many stout-hearted Sinners if they would but follow home their sin by Meditation and bring the Notion home to their hearts they would see themselves to have need of Christ and to have Mercy and Grace through him Our own Lives Again Consider your own Lives have you any Lease of your Lives as Hezekiah had Do you know you shall live another week another year another night or day Are not your Lives uncertain your breath in your Nostrils Do we not finde in Scripture and in daily experience how suddenly men and women are pulled away by some hand of God or other Senacheribs Army smitten all in a night one hundred fourscore and five thousand men fifty thousand Bethshemites smitten for peeping into the Ark Herod eaten up with Worms the Tower of Shilo fell upon eighteen two Bears out of the Wood tare forty two Children And have we not examples in our days How many are blown up with Powder how many are burnt with fire how many drop down in the streets as they go Why do not you thirst after Christ and his Righteousness There is no way for you but by Christ it is Christ alone that will secure your Souls therefore can you be too early hie forward upon this account If Christ be not yours and you dye wo to you you shall dye in your sins saith Christ This were a sad Sentence to be pronounced over your head to be written upon your doors or hearts Man Woman thou shalt dye in thy sins it had been better thou hadst never been born now unless you get interest in Christ you must dye in your sins Eternity Lastly consider Eternity here you have a being but for a little time but what comes after there is an eternal condition of bliss or wo and the most go the wrong way there is a possibility for thee for eternal Happiness and the way is to thirst after Christ sit down and consider with thy self whosoever thou art that art in the gall of bitterness and hast deluded thy Soul hitherto with an out-side or form of godliness Consider ere long I must go hence and there are thousands go to Hell for one that goes to Heaven well it is time for me now to look to my self I may be gone before next day before next year and is Christ mine what a Swearer a Drunkard a Worldling a Whore-master one that doth rail slander and
backbite others Christ is none of thine the Scripture is clear none such shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven therefore consider there is eternal woe for all those that dye in their Natural condition that have not this thirst in them after the Lord Christ and his Righteousness O therefore give no rest to God nor no rest to thy Soul until thou finde that thou art delivered 2 To you that are godly Direction to those that thirst after Christ and have some thirst in your Souls after Christ many times you grow luke-warm flat dead and secure you had need be quickned and to have your thirst stirred up in you and for that consider 1 Your own infirmities have you no infirmities is there no deadness dulness laziness how do you perform the Worship of God and the duties thereof Are you not more Carnal than Spiritual Do not your hearts wander Are you not sleepy are not you formal Do not you neglect many times your duty do not you come short surely these and many other things you know by your selves And whence came all these from the body of Sin from the Old man that is in you Paul he was sensible of this Rom. 7. he found a Law in his members warring against the Law of his minde he found he was Carnal sold under sin he found he was unspiritual and he is troubled at this and his thirst was increased what saith hee O wretched man who shall deliver me his thirst now is great Who shall deliver me I thank God through Jesus Christ I thirst after Christ and the coming of Christ to deliver me so that the serious consideration of your own infirmities and corruptions and the hinderances and cloggs and lets you have from them in your way of Christianity should cause your thirst to bee greater and greater daily 2 Consider what work you have to do and what little strength you have to do it Christians have a great deal of work to do here in the World they should pray continually they should stand and with-stand the Tempter and all his Temptations overcome the World work the Works of God they should side with Christ and his interest and help on the Gospel and the power of godliness they have their Lusts to mortifie and great things to do Now how will you do these saith Christ Without me you can do nothing will not you thirst after Christ now and strength from him and assurance from him and new influences from him and more of his Spirit daily Many do act in their own strength and therefore so little good comes thereof We pray by our own Natural abilities and Natural parts and through Power and Gifts acquired and therefore I say so little good comes of all but had wee Divine strength to pray and to do all we do did we go out in his Name and in his strength and work the Works of God who could stand before us then 3 Consider the great good that is to be had by Christ have you not wants why there is infinite good to be had by Christ In him is all fulness with him is plentious Redemption hee hath unsearchable riches of Grace he hath the residue of the Spirit he hath whatsoever may make our lives comfortable whatsoever may make our lives happy Christ hath all in his own hands and therefore you should hunger and thirst after Christ more and more 4 Consider what is promised unto you by Christ the Promise is That there shall be times of refreshing when Christ comes Acts 3.19 then the times of restitution of all things shall be there are times for these things And so when the Lamb shall be the Light then the Lamb shall lead you to the Fountain of living Waters then you shall hunger and thirst no more then all tears shall be wiped from your eyes Why do not you thirst after these things and after the Lord Jesus Christ and his coming The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith come And what are your Souls asleep Should not we say Come Lord come quickly The times in which wee live are sad times but the coming of the Lord would change all and rectifie all and satisfie all therefore consider of these things and your thirst after Christ will be increased 5 Lastly If you that thirst would have your thirst more lively and inlarged remember what sweetness you have found in Christ at some time or other when men remember they have drunk admirable Wine the very remembrance of it makes them to thirst after that Wine the more the Wine that Christ made at the Marriage Feast and brought forth the people were so affected with it that they called the Governour and askt him why he kept the good Wine till then they were taken with the Wine so when Christians do remember what ravishments they have had from Christ sometimes what hits of joy what sound peace what sweet communion with the Father through him what out-lettings of his Spirit This will inlarge their hearts and their desires some Christians have had large experiences this way they have had flaggons of Wine to drink and apples of comfort to feed upon and the more they do remember these the larger will bee their thirstings after Christ Christ's willingness to save sinners Reve 22.17 Let him that is athirst come LEt him that is athirst come come Christ doth not say here Let him that is athirst seek out and yet that had been humanity and courtesie Christ doth not say Let him that is athirst goe to Jordan Christ doth not send them to Moses nor to any of the brooks or Cisterns but Christ saith Let him that is athirst come and whither should he come or to what should he come The meaning is let him come to me Let him come to me for drinke for satisfaction let him that is athirst come here 's exceeding kindness choice love peculiar mercy let him that is athirst come Come unto me as it 's said in the 7th of John and Drinke I have drinke for him water of life for him as it 's in the next words And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely To open this word unto you what 's meant by come 't is not meant come bodily so you all know what coming is when the body removes out of one place and goes to another But it is meant spiritually 't is not the feete of the body but the feete of the soule are required and by coming in Scripture is meant beleiving unbeleife is departing from God Heb 9.12 Take heed Brethren least there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeleife in departing from the living God An heart of unbeleife is a heart departs from God and goes away from God So in the 10th Chap The Just shall live by Faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him An unbeleiving heart is a heart draws back and departs from God Now to