Christs coming Opened in a SERMON Before the HONOURABLE HOUSE OF Commons IN MARGARETS WESTMINSTER MAY 17. 1648. Being the day appointed for Thanksgiving for the great Victory in WALES By WILLIAM BRIDGE Preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth London Printed for Peter Cole at the Signe of the Printing-Presse in Cornhill at the Royall Exchange 1648. To the Honorable House of COMMONS In PARLIAMENT Assembled at WESTMINSTER ACcording to your command I have presented these notes to your view somewhat concerning the Kingdome and coming of Christ an Argument as unwelcome to some as welcome to others Kings Princes and Rulers sometimes startle at it but they need not for Christ meanes them no hurt Quicquid Christo datur abundantiùs redditur if they will throw down their Crowns at his feet he will set their Crowns on their heads and his own too Timuisti perdere terram The Jewes feared and refused to receive Christ and his Kingdome Perdidisti Deum timuisti ne tollerent gentem sustuleruÌ„t Deum quia tenere voluisti tenendo malè amisisti sine terrâ remansisti sine Deo Augustin in Joan. 11.48 Tract least they should lose their owne Kingdome and thereby they lost both their God and their Kingdome as Austin observes But who ever lost his Scepter by submitting unto Christs Scepter I may say truly Potestas Christi is rather Cumulativa then Privativa In helping Christ to his Throne you shall helpe your selves to your honours and greatnesse A liquis dicitur alio adjuvari duplicitèr vel propter additionem novae virtutis sic infirmi est sic Deo non competir vel per executionem prioris in quantum aliquis per alium exequitur â—uam ordinationeÌ„ sic Deus per nos â—djuvaâ—r Thom. â—â—in I will not say that Christ hath need of you he hath no need of us But if that of the Schooles be true viz. that one is helped by another either by addition of new strength and vertue or by the exercise of what was formerly given then Jesus Christ may in some sense and that according to Scripture Phrase Judges 5.23 be said to be helped by you Great confedracies will be raised against him when he comes to his Kingdome Ps 2.1 2. But God who sits in Heaven laughs at those combinations v. 4. and in spite of them will set his King upon his holy hill of Zion v. 6. And to him that overcometh will I give to fit downe with me in my Throne sayeth our Saviour even as I have overcome and sit with my Father in his Throne Rev. 3.21 Wherefore most Honourable be not overcome with evill be not overcome with difficulties with oppositions or combinations of men but overcome evill with good and do what in you lies to bring this blessed King Jesus unto his Thron and Inheritance that as al the earth in due time shall so England in speciall manner may become the Kingdom of our Lord Christ and we may all say the Lord God omnipotent reigneth amongst us I could not long deliberate in so short a time what part of Gods Word I should preach to you but knowing the trouble of these times and that the more you spend your thoughts on Christs coming and Kingdome the more your hearts will be upheld in the times of your troubles I chose rather to preach on this Argument which I here now present beseech the Lord to blesse it to you and you to this Kingdome onely be strong and be of good courage feare not neither be dismayed and the Lord your God will be with you as he hath beene formerly which shall be the prayer of Your humble Servant in the Gospel of Jesus Christ WILL. BRIDGE CHRISTS COMING Is At OUR MIDNIGHT Mat. 25. vers 6. And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bridegroome cometh IN this parable ye have the state and posture of the Church a little before and at the coming of Jesus Christ Then shall the Kingdome of heaven be likened unto ten Virgins verse 1. Sometimes the Doctrine and grace of the Gospell is called the Kingdome of heaven The Kingdome of heaven is like to a graine of mustard-seed c. This cannot be meant here because in the Gospel there are not ten Virgins Sometimes the state of glory above is called the Kingdome of heaven That is not meant here because there are no foolish Virgins Sometimes the Church of Christ under the New Testament is called the Kingdome of heaven for there God appears manifests himselfe and it is heaven on earth and this is that which is here called the Kingdome of heaven Which Kingdome is described by the Governour King and Head thereof And by the subjects of that Kingdome The Subjects are described by their Agreement and Disagreement First they agree in this that they are all Virgins though some foolish yet Virgins not defiled with men or the pollutions of the world 't is possible a foolish and unsound heart may go thus farre in Religion to be free from the pollutions of the world yea through the knowledge of Christ sayes the Apostle Peter Secondly they agree in this that they have all their Lampes good and bad wise and foolish under Ordinances which are the Lampes whereby the golden oyle of the sanctuary is emptied into our hearts Thirdly they agree in this that they are all expectants wise and foolish wait the bridegroomes comming they all thinke to receive good and have a good day by the comming of Jesus Christ this is farre yet thus farre may a foolish Virgin go Fourthly they all agree in this that they had oyle in their lampes indeed verse the 3. it is said Ad nihiluÌ„ valet quod non valet ad finem suum that the foolish Virgins took no oyle with them but verse the 8 they say Our lampes are gone out So that oâ—â—e they had once but they had not enough and so none parts and gifts and common graces a man may have not only his lampe but some oyle in it for a time yet be a foolish Virgin Fifthly they agree in this that they keep Company have Communion and fellowship together in the Church yea so farre that the foolish are not knowne till Christs comming so smoothly may a foolish Virgin carry it yet remain foolish Sixthly They all agree in this also that they hold out their profession with lamps and waiting till the bridegroom comes So that possibly a man may be a Professor of the Gospel and beare up his Profession among the best even to the last yet be unfound at heart and a foolish Virgin Thus farre they agree But Secondly though these Virgins agree in many things yet they disagree in the point of wisedome for the wise got so much oyle as did serve till the last the foolish not so there was defectus olei verse 8. Secondly you have here the description of the King Governour and Head of this Kingdome
who is described from and by the manner of his coming First he comes as a Bridegroom Secondly he comes apparently Not as in the dayes of his flesh when he came more hiddenly behold a great cry c. Thirdly he comes suddenly unexpectedly in the most darke time he comes at midnight Now Christs coming is either spirituall and invisible John 14.18 I will not leave you comfortlesse I will come to you Or visible and that either at the day of judgement or else at the calling and conversion of the Jewes when he will appeare in the clouds and come to set up his Kingdome in this world in a more glorious manner then ever So Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with cloudes and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him that is the Jewes and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him even so Amen Which relates unto the 12. Chapter of Zachariah verse the 10 11 12 13 14. I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son c. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem and the land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Levi apart and their wives apart c. Which cannot be understood of the day of judgement because then the families of David Nathan Shimei Levi shall not mourne apart and their wives apart Of this coming of Christ to set up his Kingdome I rather take this parable to be understood and not of his coming at the day of judgement for in the 24. of Matthew the Disciples did propound three questions to our Saviour Christ verse the 3. Tell us when shall these things be that is the destruction of the Temple and what shall be the signe of thy coming and of the end of the world To the last he doth answer first as is usuall in Scripture negatively verse the 6. Ye shall heare of warres and rumours of warres but the end is not yet Affirmatively verse the 14. And this Gospel of the Kingdome shall be preached in all the world for a witnesse to all Nations and then shall the end come To the first question he doth answer in the second place verse the 15 and 16. And to the second he doth answer in the third and last place because he intended to speake most to that and so proceeds to speake of his coming and the signes thereof in the after part of the 24. Chapter and verse the 37 39 40 44 46 50. and so he goes on in this beginning of the 25. Then shall the Kingdome of Heaven be like unto ten virgins In which parable still he speakes of his coming as before for verse 13. he concludes this parable thus Watch ye therefore for ye know not the houre wherein the Son of man cometh Besides Christ comes not as a Bridegroome but as a Judge at the day of judgement And if ye look into the 19 21 22 chapters of the Revelation where mention is made of the glory of Christs kingdome in the latter times ye find that the converting Jew who there sings the Hebrew song Halleluja iâ—â—alled the Bride the Lambes wife saying Come Lord Jesus And at the eighteen and nineteene verses of the nineteenth Chapter mention is made of a great battell But there is no fighting nor battelling at the day of judgement That is no time for feasting nor suppers neither but at weddings and marriages there were and are great suppers which we reade shall be at this time verse 17. And as the wise enter so the foolish and those that tell and make lies are shut out Finding therefore all these things at that coming of Christ thus to suit with this parable I rather incline to thinke that it cannot be understood of the day of judgement but of that time when Christ will appeare at the Jewes conversion to set up his kingdome on earth in that glorious and blessed manner which all the Prophets beare witnesse unto And because all the Victories and deliverances that Christ worketh for the churches in the meane time are so many steps unto this kingdome and coming of his therefore in Scripture phrase sometimes they are called his coming Matthew 17. His transfiguration was called his coming in his Kingdome for Chapter 16.28 Christ saith There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the son of man coming in his Kingdome And then verse 1. Chapter 17. it is said And after six dayes Jesus taketh Peter James and John his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountaine apart and was transfigured before them In three Gospels this history of the transfiguration is linked unto that speech There are some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the son of man coming in his Kingdome with those words And after six dayes Jesus tooke Peter c. Our Lord and Saviour Christ was then come when he spake those words but he was to come in a more glorious way and manner to set up his Kingdome and his transfiguration being a taste of that glory and coming it is here called his coming in his Kingdome So all these great deliverances and victories which Christ worketh for his Church being so many tasts and forerunners of his coming in his Kingdome they may be called his coming too surely they are as so many steps that he takes in the way of his coming to his Kingdome But sayes the text He comes at midnight That is in a time when he is least expected suddenly and when we are most in the dark And so the Observation is this Christ comes at midnight Doct. Though his coming be most expected yet he will come in a time when he is least expected when he comes as a Bridegroome he comes at midnight in a time when he is least expected in the darkest time Christ comes at midnight Behold sayes Christ I come as a thief theeves come in the darkest time a time when they are least expected so will Christs coming be For the opening and clearing of which truth I shall labour to shew First That our Lord and Saviour Christ will come againe Secondly That he will come at midnight Thirdly Give you some account why he chooses rather thus to come at midnight then otherwise And then draw down this by way of Application to our present occasion First Our Lord and Saviour Christ will come againe 1. Take his coming for his Spirituall coming and though now absent from your soule yet he will come againe John 14.23 If any man love me my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Secondly Take
step he takes shall be midnight both unto those he comes for and those that he comes against but woe to them whom he doth come against it is adreadfull thing to be cutt off suddenly and surprized in our sins This is a judgment threatned on the latter day Christ will come quickly be quick with men in a way of judgment as a thief in the night will he come when poor foolish virgins shall be fast asleep I would hâ—â—e therfore exhort and beseech ye in the Lord to consider the grounds ye stand upon the principles ye worke by the cause ye mannage and I appeale to you whether do ye not thinke that God is in all these warres that the event of battels is only in the hand of God Some of you no friends to Parliament nor the cause of God in their hands have tryed many wayes as once Balaam to curse Israel sometimes ye have got upon one hill and there ye have built an altar thinking from thence to curse Gods people when that would not do then ye got upon a second when ye could not do it from thence then ye got to a third mountaine one while ye thought to have done it by the strength of your old skilfull soldiery when that would not do then ye came home and sought to make divisions among us and to raise jealousies between brethren seeing that would not do it sufficiently you have now gotten to a third mountain labouring to stir up the Countreys to make insurrection and yet you cannot curse them from thence Wherefore now after all do ye not thinke that God is against you can ye beleeve that God is with you after all these successive victories that have fallen against you Have ye not read that Scripture The Lord is knowne by the judgement which he executeth the wicked are snared in the workes of their owne hands and have ye not been snared in the works of your owne hands have ye not risen to fall have not your own doings been your undoing and will ye yet go on to plot consult designe what will ye never have done well then go on consult plot devise associate confederate together try the conclusion worke to the utmost yet know that when ye have done all and as you thinke have the better and all is your owne then will Christ come upon you at midnight in an houre and time when ye do least expect him and it will be a darker night then ever yet you saw for our Lord and Saviour Christ he doth come as at the last so now in these his precedaneous comings still at midnight he doth come at midnight Be wise now therefore O ye Princes Nobles Rulers Judges Gentlemen and others Kisse the Son lest ye perish in the way for Christ is upon his way unto his Kingdome Secondly This Doctrine looks wishly upon such as Christ comes for Why should any of Gods people despaire or be discouraged saying Christ is now gone and will never come againe he hath hid himself and I shall never see his face againe Nay but he comes at midnight that is his time a time wherein he is least expected a darke time the darkest time the sleepiest time the coldest time a time when all your candles are out and your comforts out when you cannot see your hand your working hand your praying hand when you say all is gone and lost and I shall never see the light againe comfort again then doth Christ say this is my time it is now darke and night and midnight with my servant now will I go and comfort and deliver him why should any godly man be discouraged what ever his condition be shall Christ come at midnight and shall I be discouraged because I am in the darke O my soule remember this Christ comes at midnight in all his comings still he doth come at midnight And that this is Christs constant course with all his people see what is said in the 6. of Hosea verse 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the raine as the latter and former raine unto the earth Oh! but I am a poore ignorant creature don't know or understand the mind and will of God in these actions and transactions of things abroad Be it so yet sayes the Lord you shall know him if you follow on to know him Oh! but I am in a sad and a darke condition benighted with some affliction Be it so Christ will come and he will come as the morning as sure and certain as the morning comes so will Christ come and though it be a darke night yet you say certainly morning will come againe so confident may you be of Christs coming for saith the text he will come as the morning that is certainly Oh! but I shall faint in the meane while he will stay long ere he comes Nay but he will come in season as the former and as the latter raine the former and the latter raine come in their seasons so will Christ do and therewithall your comforts shall be all revived and refreshed why should then any of Gods people be discouraged But suppose that the Lord Jesus do comfortably appear to us in a darke condition Quest when we look not for him as now he hath done to this Kingdome what is our duty that doth flow from hence First Answ If Jesus Christ hath appeared to you in the darke and come to you even at midnight Duty 1 then trust in the Lord for ever and againe I say trust in the Lord trust in the Lord at all times Here is one night over but another night will come I feare and it may prove a darker night night and day have their courses Nec super biendum rebus florentibus nec desperandum adversis But does Christ come at midnight why then should we not trust in God at midnight in the darkest time At what time I am afraid sayes the Psalmist I will trust in the Lord Faith moves Christ for to come the sooner And therefore sayes the Apostle Looking for and hastening the coming of the Lord. You reade it in the English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hastening unto but according to the Greek the words may better be read thus looking for and hastening the coming of the Lord. Our very looking for his coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.12 doth hasten his coming Faith mitigates our calamities and holds the hands of our enemies I have read in the life of Tindall that he being in the Low-countreyes heard of a certaine Jugling Conjurer that could by his conjuring command a dish of meate from any Princes table in the world which he did use to do and would ordinarily invite his friends unto dinner Whereupon Master Tindall resolved that he would go see this act but would set himselfe to beleeve the contrary which he did the company being
come together and the Conjurer indeavouring the same was so hindred by the faith of Master Tindall that he cried out and said Fidearmatus dissicilia quaeq potest I cannot do it there sits the man that hinders me and holds my hands I say faith will hold the hands of wicked and devilish men such too many we have to deale with in these times Oh! that you would use your faith more and more And have ye not ground enough for it Christ comes at midnight why should you not beleeve what ever your condition be although it be never so darke Secondly If Christ come at midnight Duty 2 then why should those who are imployed for Christ be shaken or unsetled in his worke and service We many times leave Gods work and are not constant in it because of opposition which doth make us fear But will Christ come and own us and come in a time when we looke not for him in the darkest time then why should not men go on with all constancy even in their darkest feares Luther relates a story of Austins mother which also Austin doth mention who was much troubled for her son Austin because that for the space of seven or nine years he had been a Manichee she prayed continued praying for him at the last in the night she had as a word from God in answer to her prayer these words Qualis tu talis ille As thou so he Whereupon she was much refreshed and told him she had received a promise from the Lord that he should be converted from his error but he told her the meaning of the words was contrary that she should be as he was that is converted to his opinion But she did so constantly abide in her sence Ad-ò constantâ—r manebat in suo sen su ut Angustinus facile transivit in sententiam maâ—ris Luth. in Gen. that Facile transivit in sententiam matris he easily turned to his mothers opinion And indeed what more convincing to an adversary then to see one constantly abiding by what is good A Christian especially a Christian Magistrate should be like to Christ who when he is in a way of mercy will not be put out of his way by men Isaiah 27. verse 4. Who would set the bryars and thornes against me in battell I would go through them I would burne them together At the 2. and 3. verse he speakes of his great love and care to and of his Church A vine-yard of red wine I the Lord do keepe it I will water it every moment least any hurt it I will keep it night and day I but in this vine-yard there may be many briars and thornes that may arise up to afflict Gods people True But sayes the Lord who would set the briars and thornes against me in battell I would go through them As if he should say Indeed these wicked men are as briars and thornes rending and tearing my poore people and as briars and thornes they do conjoyne and twist together but though they do rise up against me in the way of my mercy towards my people yet they shall not put me out of my way I will even passe through them yea and though they do rise it shall be to their owne ruine they shall burne together I would burne them together I the Lord would passe through them Now our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I hope is in the way of mercy to this poore Kingdome but certainly he is upon the way to his own Kingdome and though wicked men may obstruct and hinder us they shall never hinder him but he will passe through them Oh! therefore labour more and more to be like to Christ keep on your way for though it be late ere he come yet he will certainly come he comes at midnight Thirdly Duty 3 If Jesus Christ have come unto us even at midnight why should not all of us go forth to meet him with some present of thankfulnesse The more abundant full free and continued any mercy is the more it doth call for thankfulnesse Christ hath been in the field for you and fought your battels for these many years and I must needs say that of late our divisions and sins have been so great that I feared they would even drive Christ out of the field but now I see still he doth own your cause and own your forces still he doth keepe the field yea and goes on marching as if he were resolved not to leave the field till he hath conquered all this Kingdome with his love and he hath now given you a taste of his intentions and love in this victory a seasonable victory a wonderfull victory an unexpected victory a midnight victory Oh! thou Wonder-working God! shall we not now praise thy name We reade of a great straight and darke condition that Jehosaphat was in by reason of his enemies but he crying unto the Lord the Lord heard and delivered him and his people in so much as they kept a day of thanksgiving in the open fields and they called the name of the place Berachah the valley of blessing 2 Chron. 20.26 In Joshua's time the people of Israel were in a great straight by reason of the Amalekites who came upon them when they were weake but the Lord fought for his people smote their enemies and they were quite destroyed whereupon Israel made an Altar and called it Jehovah-nissi The Lord my shield In Samucls time again they were in a great distresse by reason of their enemies but they cried to the Lord and he delivered them and destroyed all their enemies then they set up a stone and called it Eben-ezer The stone of help saying Hitherunto the Lord hath holpen us Afterwards againe they were brought very low into a very darke estate sould into the hands of their enemies but the Lord raised them up Saviours Deborah and Barak and delivered them from all their enemies and then they penned a Psalme of praise the 5. of Judges wherein they do ascribe and give the glory of all unto God himself wherein they make an honourable mention of the instruments which God used they did not revile the instruments but honoured them wherein they condemned and cursed those that would not go forth to help the Lord curse ye Meroz Wherein they commended the Tribes and Countreyes who came forth and willingly offred themselves unto the service of the Lord wherein they prayed against the enemies of the Church And then marke the issue at the last verse And the Land had rest forty yeares And such an issue not onely forty yeares but many times forty yeares rest may you have as an issue of the praises of this day But yet observe still some monument of praise was erected sometimes a stone sometimes an Altar alwayes one monument or other of praise And have we no Altar no stone now no name of God to celebrate now no present of thankfulnesse to bring to our God this day
of sleeping for if you do fall asleepe you will never wake again will he not take heed of sleeping thus it shall be with the sleepers of this latter time at other times men shall sleepe and wake and wake and sleepe but if men fall asseepe into a spirituall sleepe immediately before the coming of Jesus Christ they shall sleepe till he comes and shall be wake't no more but by his coming Oh! Lord who would not watch and pray least he enter into temptation Thirdly If ye observe this Parable ye shall finde that there are two sorts of sleepers and accordingly two events of their sleeping Some slept as the wise Virgins but did keep their oyle their oyle not spent these when the Bridegroome came entred with him into his joy Others there are that sleepe and have spent their oyle had oyle but spent it and these when the Bridegroome cometh are shut out and though they call Lord open He answers I know ye not So now in the latter dayes there shall be two sorts of professors one that shall sleepe and slumber but they shall keepe their graces their oyle their principles and these though they be found asleepe when Christ comes Christ will pardon and their sleeping becausethey have still their oyle Others there shall be who shall not only fall asleepe but they shall lose their principles True I thought indeed that a man was bound for to keep the sabbath to live strictly and to make a conscience of every word and thought but now I see there is more liberty thus they shall lose their principles their oyle their judgements these poore soules shall never wake againe and when Christ comes though they cry to him for mercy they will not obtaine it No ye have lost your principles your oyle your judgements ye are foolish Virgins ye shall never enter into my joy he will then say Who would not then watch and pray what I say to you I speak unto my own soule and to every person here present Oh! let us all watch for the Son of man comes and he comes at midnight and if it be not midnight now yet it is late already And seeing all these things are so give me leave Honourable and Beloved to leave an exhortation with you which is no other then that which the Psalmist presents unto ye in the 24. Psalme Lift up your heads O ye gates and be lift up ye everlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Gates ye know are the place where the Magistrate fate The Temple doore was called the Everlasting doore in opposition to the doore of the Tabernacle which was to continue but a little time The Psalmist speakes here of Christs Kingdome and Lordship on earth verse 1. The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the world and they that dwell therein Then he will have a Church and a precious people Who shall ascend unto the hill of the Lord who shall stand on his holy place verse the 3. Which he answers in the generall He that hath cleane hands and a pure heart And more particularly at the 6. verse This is the Generation of them that seeke him that seeke thy face even Jacob. The Children of Israel had two names sometimes they were called Israel when they were in a more flourishing and strong condition sometimes they were in a low and weake condition and then they were called Jacob Feare not O worme Jacob. Now sayes the Psalmist here The earth is the Lords and Christ shall raigne and the poore despised Israel who now are in low condition and therefore called Jacob shall be converted and ascend unto the hill of God Now therefore my advice and counsell unto you is That as the Lord Jesus shall make any approach unto your Townes Cities Kingdomes Churches you would receive him and not shut your gates and doores against him but O all ye Cities Townes and Magistrates lift up your heads lift up your heads O ye gates and all you Temple-men and Churches lift up your everlasting doores that this King of glory may come in And if ye aske who it is It is the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel wherefore lift up your heads And because this exhortation is of great consequence and men are slow to receive it I exhort you to it againe at the 9. verse Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift them up ye everlasting doores and the King of glory shall come in Now the Lord grant that we may all so lift up our heads and gates that this King of glory may come in among us not as a judge to condemne us but as our Bridegroome to love us FINIS