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
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
Father for his glorification because hee had glorified him on earth Joh. 17. 4. 5. 2. All glory is due unto him as the sonne of man by the donation of his Father Mat. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth So as it is Christs owne glory as the sonne of man as that is a mans owne which is given him Therefore in Mat. 25. 31. the phrase is changed Christ challengeth it to bee his owne glory when the sonne of man commeth in his glory But yet in speaking of himselfe as on the one hand he advanceth that great majestie hee shall appeare in so on the other he forgetteth not to referre all that glory to his Father which may bee a glasse held before our eyes that when wee speake of our selves or any endowment or gift belonging to our selves wee so speake of it and so use it as still our eye be fixed on Gods glory from whom and for whom wee have received it When Christ shall appeare in such glory as never creature was capable of nor can be then shall â—e most of all advance the glorie of his Father But contrarily when God most honours some men they most forget his honour so they may advance themselves they litle care how his glory bee troden under foot Happie is that man who is so faithfull in these small things as that the Lord shall be then occasioned to trust him with much But wherein shall this glorie appeare Partly in his person partly in â—is office both for preparation execution 1. In his person he shall be advanced above all the glory of all â—he Judges and Princes of the earth whether wee consider his divine nature or humane For the former hee shall bee manifest to be the mighty God for howsoever hee shall exercise his judiciary power visibly and appeare the sonne of man yet shall hee be mightily declared to be the Sonne of God in that the personall union of his two natures shall shine out as the Sunne in his strength which before was vailed and obscured And for his humane nature he shall be therein exalted in glorie as the head of his Church that even his glorious body shall carrie such majestie with it and be seene in such admirable brightnesse as that the sunne which dazelleth our eyes can scarce resemble it For if the just shall shine in the glory which shall obscure the Sunne in the Firmament how shall their justifier shine in glory And if his Attendants shall be so glorious as no man is able to behold the glory of the least of them what and how glorious must he be who shall so farre surpasse them all put together as the Sunne doth the lesser starres in brightnesse 2. If we consider his high office we shall behold him as the just Judge of all the world clothed with all the robes of glory and majestie such as shall well suit with the throne of his glory and such as shall fit him to the great worke in hand How glorious and magnificent was the giving of the Law and how solemne the preparation the earth shooke the mountaines trembled the Lord came downe in fire and out of thundrings lightnings and a thicke cloud sounded his trumpet so lowd as all the people trembled and shooke and afterward a terrible voice was heard of six hundred thousand men beside women and children yea in such glory appeared the Lord on mount Sinai that Moses himselfe said I quake and feare But when the Lord Jesus shall shew himselfe from heaven to judge the transgression of that law his glory shall not onely shake mount Sinai but the whole frame of heaven and earth all to pieces when fire shall not compasse one mountaine but the whole world shall be set on a light fire when the last trumpet shall sound and not onely the living shall heare it as then but the dead and all that are in the graves when the Lord of glory with one shout shall not raise one man as Lazarus but all that ever have beene dead from the first man to the last which hee shall finde standing on the earth But to behold more specially the particular robes and rayes of glory wherewith the Judge is prepared to the judgment 1. He shall come armed with an infinite power and dominion over all creatures which shall be acknowledged by them all the Angels shall all observe and attend it the heavens and earth and all elements shall bee dissolved by it the dead bodies of men shall be raised by it and called out of the graves the sea the bellies of beasts in all corners of the world the voice of the Son of God shall be heard of all in the graves and obeyed none shall be able to resist it 2. Hee shall come furnished with a glorious and unconceivable Omniscience to which nothing shall be hid or covered he shall reveale all counsels of hearts and all secret contrivances never so long hid All things are naked to him with whom we have to doe for to him the day and darknesse are alike there can be no concealment of things from this allfeeing Judge 3. Hee shall come covered with divine justice as a robe which shall confound all the enemies of his glory Jer. 2. 16. as a theefe is ashamed when he is taken in the manner so shall all wicked doers And there is no avoiding no deluding or perverting the justice neither the processe or finall sentence unlesse any mans power or policie were above his 4. Hee shall come prepared with glorious evidence and testimonie against all wicked men for their conviction that they shall not be able to implead the justice of the Judge or judgment For First hee shall have evidence and witnesse in their owne consciences which shall then accuse them to the Judge and their owne confessions shall be as a thousand witnesses Therefore saith Augustine Doest thou feare the last judgment rectifie thy conscience and all shall be well Secondly hee shall command the creatures and elements abused by their sinnes to give in evidence against them Job 20. 27. The heavens shall reveale their wickednesse and the earth shall rise up against them all creatures shall serve their Lord. Thirdly the good Angels whom they have in their kinde grieved and driven away from them by their sin shall witnesse against them And the wicked Angels who were first in tempting shall then bee first in accusing and first in tormenting Fourthly the Scriptures of God against which they have sinned yea the word of mercy the offer of mercies their abuse of mercies the resisting of means of grace and mercy all shall witnesse against them not so much to informe the Judge as to convince themselves and promote justice Fiftly all their sinnes shall witnesse against their authours and patrones Every iniquitie hath his secret and still voice saith Gregory
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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