is of David 2 Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe also that is born unto thee shall surely dye I will punish thee in thy child I will pardon thy sin yet I will punish thy sin so likewise in 2 Sam. 7.14 15. I will be his father and he shall be my son If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men But my mercy shall not depart away from him c. A promise to Solomon I will be his father and hee shall be my son but if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with rods And the Psalmist when he quotes this expression referres it to all the godly Psal 89.31 32. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes It was not only true of Solomon but it is spoken of all the Church If they commit iniquity I will chastise them with rods O beloved here a Solomon may be chastned with rods if he commits iniquity nay not only one man but all the Church Amos 3.2 You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your inquities If God be severe it is with his own people to make them smart for sin he may spare wicked men and not punish them here because he hath his hell for them hereafter but this shall be all the hell of a godly man and all their punishment I but this is Old Testament and thus the Antinomians take off and evade this Scripture but doth God so in the New Testament Yes in the New Testament Rom. 8.10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin He speaks of the beleeving Romans that death on their bodies was because of sin And then the Apostle speaks to the godly Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.29 30. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many sleep Many godly men were sick and weak for their prophaning the Lords Supper and this is under the New Testament that the Apostle saith as approving the righteous judgement of God let not us commit fornication as some of them committed 1 Cor. 10. Let not us fall as they fell and many of them among the 23 thousand were good men the Apostle approves of Gods Judgement to be righteous in that Act. Only one Objection against this Doth not the Scripture say in Isai 53. That the chastisements of our peace are laid on Christ now if all those chastisements that were due to us for sin were laid on Christ doth not this derogate from Christs sufferings that he must suffer for sin and that we must suffer too doth not this intimate that Christs sufferings were not satisfactory The Answer is easie That when we say we suffer for sin and are punished for sin understand this there is a great deal of difference between our suffering for sin and Christs we do not suffer for sin as Christ did because our punishments for sin are not by way of satisfaction to Divine Justice but only by way of castigation from Divine Justice when God doth punish a pardoned man with some outward Judgement for sinne it is no satisfaction no compensation when the text saith that our chastisements are laid upon Christ the meaning is Christ suffers for sin by way of satisfaction he appeaseth Gods wrath he satisfies Gods Justice for the sins that we have done should we lose our bloud for a sinne should we give the fruit of our body for the sins of our soul yet this cannot make a compensation for sin therefore it may well consist that God punished Christ for our sins by way of satisfaction to his Justice and may punish us by way of castigation Now to ratifie satisfie your thoughts the more in this that though God doth pardon a sin yet he will punish for a sin take some Reasons for it First this Because wicked men that are punished for sin would accuse God of partiality and in justice should he punish them and not his own people for the same sin wicked men would account God partiall but the wicked shall say I see Gods own people are punished in this life more severely then I am the Lord doth it to vindicate the impartiality of his Justice that he will not spare sin where ever he finds it A second Reason is Because God doth command Magistrates to execute punishments in this life for sin even upon good men therefore if he commands a Magistrate to punish a good man for his sin surely he doth approve of it Suppose a good man should commit adultery he was to dye for it suppose he should commit murder he was to dye for it if God did command that poenall punishment should be inflicted on good men in this life then surely he might do it much more himself The third case of Conscience is this Whether doth pardon of sin go before faith and repentance or else follow after I do not speak now of the priority of nature but of the priority of time This is a usefull question There are many Books in Print made by severall Antinomians that plead for this that a man is pardoned from all eternity that before a man beleeves and repents he is pardoned which is a falshood for to a beleever the Apostle doth confine pardon Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth â—o be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God For sins that are past those sins you have committed have repented of he gives you pardon for all them He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy and he that doth not so shall not finde mercy I answer affirmatively That God doth pardon sin after a man repents beleeves not before and to give you a proof for this First I shal give you the grounds from the Scripture then absurdities that would follow if this were not so First from the Scripture Observe that the Scripture doth limit and confine pardon to a repenting state Act. 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out No blotting out of sin without repentance repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me So that till thou beest turned from darknesse to light untill thou beest turned from Satan to God thou hast not received forgivenesse of sins mark the antecedent words he opens their eyes c.
is that to us that Jesus Christ is now bodily in heaven what comfort was this to the Disciples that Jesus Christ should leave them that hee must goe from them unto his Fathers house There are seven particulars that it is great ground of comfort to all the people of God that Jesus Christ is gone bodily to heaven The first ground of comfort is this Christs going to heaven bodily it assures you of Christs full Triumph and compleat conquest over all your spirituall Enemies This the Apostle lays down as a ground of comfort upon Christs Ascention Eph. 4.8 Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men That is the Devill and Sinne that carried you captive and Christ by his going up to heaven hath led them captive that is hath led your spirituall enemies that carried you captive led them captive Christ alluded to the custome among the Romans when the Roman Conquerour was to come to the Cardinall of Rome to rejoyce in his victory over his enemies the Conquerour did use to tie his Captives to the Chariot-wheeles So Christ did carry his Captives by his wheeles as it were hee led captivity captive Colos 2.15 And having spoyled Principalities and Powers hee made a shew of them openly Triumphing over them in it So that Beloved here is one great comfort that Christ by going up to heaven doth manifest and declare to all the World that hee hath overcome the Grave Death Devill and Sinne for neither could they hold Christ in the chaines thereof Secondly Christs going bodily to heaven It is a pledge to you that Christ will one day bring your bodies to heaven I goe to heaven that I may receive you to my selfe that you may be bodily in heaven where Christ is In John 14.19 Yet a little while and the World seeth mee no more but yee see mee because I live yee shall live also As if hee should say well I must leave you and I must go to heaven before you but because I live in heaven and live there bodily you shall also live with mee in heaven with your bodies Tertullian doth make this use of it to comfort the Christians in his days saith hee Jesus Christ did carry our flesh into heaven with him and hee is of our flesh and of our bone Now saith Tertullian Jesus Christ hath carried flesh into heaven this is a good pledge unto us that our flesh shall be in heaven where Christs is also Therefore O flesh and bloud doe thou rejoyce thou hast possest heaven in Christ already And Christ would be imperfect in heaven should not the bodies of Believers come there also because he lives in heaven you shall live there also Thirdly Christs going bodily to heaven it is a ground of comfort to you in this because Christ is gone bodily into heaven to performe and accomplish his Sacerdotall Office that is as a high Priest hee is now in heaven to performe the Office of a high Priest to make intercession to God his Father in your behalfe that your sinnes might be pardoned that your Soules might bee saved that your bodies might be raised and received into heaven with him in Glory Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the Figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us Christ is entred into the very heavens that hee might appeare before God for us so in Heb. 7.26 For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmelesse undefiled seperate from sinners and made higher then the heavens It became us to have a high Priest in Heaven Therefore observe though it was a great benefit to the Disciples to have Christs Bodily presence yet Jesus Christ could never have fulfilled the office of the Priest-hood to make intercession for all the Elect if Christ had not gone bodily into heaven Will you observe one Text in Heb. 8.4 For if hee were on Earth hee should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer-gifts according to the Law Christ must goe to heaven and there hee is a Priest Now if hee were upon the Earth hee could not be a Priest for us therefore wee have great advantage by CHRISTS going into heaven O beloved then looke on this as a great comfort that our Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven in his Body Flesh and Bloud appearing before God making Intercession for all his people This was typed out under the Law Exod. 28.9 10 11 12. verses And thou shalt take two Onix Stones and grave on them the Names of the Children of Israel Six of their Names on one stone and the other six Names of the rest on the other stone according to their Birth With the worke of an ingraver in stone like the ingravings of a signet shalt thou ingrave the two stones with the names of the Children of Israel thou shalt make them to be set in Ouches of gold And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the Ephod for stones of memoriall unto the Children of Israel And Aaron shall beare their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memoriall This is a Type of Jesus Christ our high Priest who is gone not into the holy of holiest but in it selfe the holy of holiest and there he hath not onely the names of all the Elect of God throughout the world on his Breast but he hath them in his heart and there he makes intercession for them to his Father This is a Third ground of Comfort that you have of Christs going bodily into Heaven which assures you that Christ is now in Heaven A Fourth ground of comfort you have by Christs going into Heaven is this that Jesus Christ is gone into heaven to convey to you a fuller communication of the gifts and graces of his spirit then was bestowed on his people whilst hee was upon the Earth Ephes 4. ver 8. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men It is an illusion to the Roman custome that when the Conquerour rode in Triumph towards the Capitoll he did not onely leade the Prisoners by the Charet wheeles but likewise scattered mony to the Spectators that saw him ride along in triumph so the Lord Jesus Christ having by his Ascension spoyled death and the Devill this Jesus Christ doth cast his gifts unto men dispenseth his graces in a greater measure into the hearts of his people not that we are to run into the Socinian errour because of this text they gather that before Christs Ascension into heaven there was no saving gifts of the spirit and they ground it on that text Joh. 7. ver 38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water But this spake he of the spirit which they that believe
of Christ is now in Heaven it were enough then that Opinion of Transubstantiation is hereby confuted Christs Body cannot be in Heaven and on the Earth both at one time Fourthly the ascension of Christ it overthrows the Opinion of the Carpocraciani that hold that onely his soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others And this cannot be for the Disciples said that they saw Christ ascend and this must be his Body for they could not see his soul for the soule is a spirit Now you see the reason why I spent so much time in the morning in giving you many Texts of Scripture to prove this poynt because there are so many Hereticks that doe oppugne this Doctrine of CHRISTS Ascension I now come to give you three or foure practicall deductions First is Christs body now in Heaven then I infer O thou that canst lay a grounded clayme for an interest in Jesus Christ O be not thou afrayd to die doe not thou be afrayd to die that canst lay a claime in Jesus Christ because thy Christ is in Heaven and when thou diest death is but a Trap-doore to let thee in to endlesse joy where Christ is why should wee bee as children to looke on death as a Bugbeare but looke upon death as being a passage into thy Fathers house as being a Trap-doore to let thee in where Jesus Christ is Gen. 45.25.27 And they went up out of Aegypt and came into the Land of Canaan unto Jacob their Father And they told him all the words of Joseph which hee had said unto them and when hee saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him the spirit of Iacob their Father revived Did Jacob rejoyce to see a Wagon or a Chariot that would carry him into Aegypt to see his Sonne Joseph and wilt not thou rejoyce to thinke that death is a chariot to carry thee to Jesus Christ to carry thee to Heaven O therefore let not thy heart be troubled to die because death is but a chariot to carry thee to Heaven Is Christ gone into heaven Then secondly labour thou whilst thou livest on the Earth to ascend to Christ in Divine and holy Ejaculations and Meditations Is Christ in Heaven then why should not thy heart be where thy head is why shouldst thou be grovelling on the Earth seeing thy Christ is now in Heaven It is a speech of Christ Canticles 3.6 Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse like Pillars of smoke perfumed with Myrrhe and Franckincense with all powders of the Merchant Thou shouldst ascend up to Christ though thou beest in trouble in the Wildernesse of this World O ascend up to Christ in holy Meditations the use the Apostle makes of it Colos 3.1 If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God The argument is where Christ sits at the right Hand of God set your affections there and so in the Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also wee looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Christ is in Heaven therefore our conversation must be where our head is It is a notable Text Mat. 24.28 For wheresoever the Carkeise is there will the Eagles be gathered together That Christ being in Heaven it should make you ascend in your hearts heavenward It is true there are some that wrest these words and give this sence of them that they make the carkeise to be the Jewes and the Eagles to be the Romans because the Romans diduse the Eagle in their Banner and Ensigne of War therefore they say where the Jews were the Romans should come though this was a truth yet not the scope of the Text it is generally overthrowne by most Interpreters But where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort Gerrard doth chiefly referre it to the day of judgement where the carkeise is thither will the Eagles resort that is where Jesus Christ is in Heaven as the Eagles doe follow after the carkeise to feed upon that so the people of God as Eagles are gathered about a carkeise the people of God shall be gathered about Jesus Christ and this I doe confesse is the chiefe scope of the place and doe believe it is the chief intendment of the holy Ghost but Gerrard hee makes another use of it too and referres it to the power and efficacy of the Gospell in this Life Christ is now in Heaven saith Gerrard that the Gospell shall be as powerfull on men in the World that it shall make men as eager to come after Christ into Heaven as the Eagle is after the prey so your Soules shall be as eager after the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven as the Eagle is after her prey Thirdly I infer hence that before you presume to apply the benefits and the comforts of Christs Ascention into Heaven labour to feele in your own hearts the efficacy of Christs Death and Ascention every man applies the Benefit of Christs Death and Resurrection and Christs Ascention before they finde the efficacy of his Death and the efficacy of his Resurrection It is the Apostles word saith hee I labour to finde the power of his Resurrection so do you labour to finde the power of his Death and the power of his Ascention before you finde the comfort of it It is to make thee less Earthly minded more passionately eager and importunely earnest after the Lord Jesus Christ dost thou feele the power of his Ascention to make thee more heavenly minded and lesse earthly minded O labour to feele the efficacy and power of it else I might say to you as Jacob said to his Mother in Genesis 27.12 My Father peradventure will feele mee and I shall seeme to him as a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon mee and not a blessing Nay without a peradventure God will feele and try whether you are men or no that have right to a blessing that shall have any reall advantage by the benefit of Christs Death of Christs Resurrection and Ascention God will try whether you doe not seeke to deceive your owne Soules and deceive God himselfe if so you will rather have a curse then a blessing if you seeke to apply the comfort of Christs Ascention before you feele the efficacy of it on your owne hearts For those that hold Christs Ascention with us yet they doe vary about some properties about the manner of Christs going away which I give it to you in these properties First Christ went to Heaven visibly in Acts 1. It was no transcient glance of the Eye but they stedfastly beheld Jesus Christ they saw him when hee went away Againe Secondly Christ went to Heaven bodily therefore those do erre that hold that onely his Soule did goe to Heaven and his body perished as others doe Thirdly hee went to Heaven locally hee ascended locally there are some men that hold that every place is Heaven where God is
without mercy that hath shewed no mercy to him that shewes no mercy hee shall have judgement without mercy Christs coming to judgement shall bee a time of thy having of judgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy In Mat. 25.41 42 43. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand Depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells For I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meate I was Thirsty and yee gave mee no Drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke mee not in naked and yee cloathed mee not sick and in Prison and yee visited mee not Austin hath a good glosse upon this Text saith hee If that man shall goe to Hell that will not give another man Bread when hee is a hungry O then to what a Hell shall that man goe to which taketh away Bread from the hungry man And if that man shall goe to Hell that will not cloath the naked O then to what a Hell shall that man goe to that taketh cloaths off the necessitous mans back And if that man shall goe to Hell that will not visit men that are in Prison O then to what a hell shall that man goe to that casts godly men into Prison Now beloved I beseech you take heede that you be not men wanting bowels of mercy towards your distressed brethren you are to expect judgement without mercy that shew no mercy Eightly to those that live and die in the sinne of uncleannesse and lusts of the flesh Christs coming it will be a dreadfull day to them Therefore you reade that God will judge Adulterers hee will judge a Drunkard hee will judge a Swearer hee will judge a Sabbath breaker yet particularly Whoremongers and Adulterers hee will judge Heb. 13.4 But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge King Henry the 8. was a lascivious Prince and old Latimer sent him a Token A Napkin and a Bible and about the Bible was written Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge it was to terrifie him There is a strange Text 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgement to be punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse Here is a chiefely for them God will punish every unjust man but God reserves them to the day of Judgement chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse c. Doe I speake to men that may have this chiefly put on them O take heede that thou dost not fall under the righteous judgement of God O that thou beest not entangled in that sin that will make the Lord judge thee chiefly Ninthly and lastly Christs coming againe it is dreadfull to all men who live and strengthen themselves by popular tumults and insurrections In oposing and destroying of a lawfull Magistracy that have destroyed Judges Rulers Governments it will be a woefull time to them 2 Peter 9.10 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust to the day of Judgement to be punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse and despise Government Presumptuous are they selfe-willed they are not afraid to speake evill of Dignities Men that under pretence of power and the like shall trample downe Rule Government Authority and Dignity but the Lord hath another day to judge them that will not be judged here hee will judge them with a chiefly And thus I have done I desire every man to make Application of it Now living and dying unrepentingly under these evills it exposeth thee to the righteous judgement of God to destroy thee Another day I am now to make entrance into the fourth Fundamentall Doctrine in these words And receive you unto my selfe These words containe in them that great Fundamentall point touching the Resurrection of mans body that not onely the Soule shall goe to Heaven but also the bodies of godly men shall goe to Heaven Christ shall come out of Heaven for this end to receive the bodies as well as the Soules unto himselfe I will come againe and receive you unto my self There is some difference betweene a few Interpreters touching the sence of these words one carrieth it this way that here the promise of Christs coming hee made it a little before hee was to die saith Christ Bee not troubled for I will come againe Some referre that promise of coming againe not to the last coming but they referre it to that forty dayes that hee was upon the Earth after his Resurrection to the Ascension they referre that this promise was accomplished and then I will receive you unto my selfe they make that to be nothing but this that Christ after his Resurrection did come to his Disciples and did eate a broyled Fish with them and stayed forty dayes with them Why what comfort would this be to the Disciples to thinke of Christs going away and coming againe and stay but forty dayes and then bee seene no more And this would have made them the more sorrowâ—ull that they should never have seene him more Here are two or three reasons from the Text why that cannot be the sence of the place because here was a promise before that hee was going to his Fathers House Now that living upon the Earth forty dayes after his Resurrection cannot be his Fathers House but hee being in his Fathers House this cannot therefore be meant of Christs being coming againe at that time to them Againe that it is said where hee was to goe hee was to goe to prepare a place for them now if his meaning had beene that hee would come againe at forty dayes it should have beene an Earthly place that hee had prepared for them But the current of Interpreters seeing the weakenesse of that gives many consequent reasons why it must necessarily be referred to Christs last coming receiving of them everlasting when the body shall be raised that here Christs coming againe it referres to no other coming but to his great and last coming to judge the World and at that coming hee hath promised the Elect that hee will receive them unto himselfe As if hee should have said Though I leave your bodies behind mee in the World for a season though they may be mangled and massacred by cruell Persecutors and though you may be without my bodily presence for a while yet I doe not goe to Heaven to stay there for ever but I promise you I will come againe and then I will take you into Heaven with mee They would faine have had Christ to have received them into Heaven and faine would they have gone with him The Disciples when they heard Christ speake of going to his Fathers House why they were all on fire to goe with Christ into Heaven O no saith Christ I will come againe to judge the World and then I will receive your very
bodies into Heaven with mee that as my body is in Heaven so your bodies shall be there also with me Obser The Observation is this That it is one great end of Christs coming againe for to receive the bodies of all the Elect unto himselfe into Heaven with him I come againe and receive you unto my selfe I shall not follow the common place in handling the Resurrection of the body I shall onely handle this poynt practically to you in shewing you what the happinesse of the Elect of God is in their bodies as well as their Soules Now because this Text is made use of to pervert many Scriptures I shall handle this practicall Question before I can come to handle the Doctrine Quest The Question is this that seeing Jesus Christ doth onely promise that hee will receive the Elect unto himselfe at his coming againe Then this Question will be started Then what becomes of all the godly imediately after death before Christs coming againe to judgement Therefore those that hold for the sleeping of the Soule they on this Text doe ground that there is no receiving neither one or other the one to Life the other to Death the wicked are not tormented then nor the godly glorified till then Therefore it is needfull that seeing Christ doth here speake of receiving them unto himselfe not till his coming then what becomes of the Soules of dead Men before the coming of Christ Ans Before I give you the Answer take this distinction There is a twofold receiving First there is a partiall and incompleat receiving and this is done imediatly after death that when the Soule doth depart from the body the Soule is received by Jesus Christ in Heaven and that is the reason of those Speeches in Acts 7. There is a receiving them before Christs coming and this is called a partiall and incompleat reception it is onely a receiving of the spirit and not of the body Secondly there is a totall and compleat reception both of the body and the soule into glory and it is this that the Text here speakes of though it is true there is not a totall reception of a Believer till Christs coming to judgement yet there is a partiall reception I do not speake to those that say the soule is mortall and that it shall never live but to those that say the soule shall sleepe and the soule doth perish with the body untill the Resurrection Now against these that pleade for the sleeping of the soule till Christs coming againe take these foure wayes how to strengthen you in this First there are pregnant instances in Scripture that after the godly die their Soules are received into Heaven before CHRIST comes Secondly there are generall expressions in the Scripture as well as particular instances to prove this Thirdly there are expresse passages in the Scripture to confirme this Fourthly there are absurd inconsequences that will arise in case it should be denyed First there are Pregnant Instances or examples in the Scripture to prove that after death the soul is received into heaven Take three instances First that knowne Text Luke 23.43 And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise That day Christ dyed that day Christ went to Heaven therefore that day the soule of that converted thiefe must go to Heaven Now beloved there are two Evasions that those who pleade for the soules cessation for the soules sleeping that they make to avoid this Text and take off this Instance First is by altering the comma or stop in the Text and reade it thus I say unto thee this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise that to day they doe not referre it that the Thiefe should be in Paradise Peter Martyr doth give two Answers to this Evasion First saith hee it is not safe to alter a comma or stop in Scripture for so you may pervert the Scripture and make it speak what it never meant if men at their pleasure disagreeing from all Copies alter comma's in the translation Another Answer that it appeares this cannot bee the sense of it to referre to day to the time that Christ spake and not to the time that the thiefe should be in heaven for saith Gerrard marke the thiefes prayer In ver 42. And be said unto Jesus Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy Kingdome Marke there is the thiefes when that when Christ should come to Heaven Christ should remember him Christs Hodie must answer to his Quando or else hee did not answer to his Prayer Christs to day must answer the thiefes when that when Christ came to Heaven there to remember the thiefe And Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise Thirdly this day it was needlesse for Christ to say to day to tell him the time when hee spake hee knew Christ spake to him then but to speake of the time when the thiefe should be in Heaven I say to thee this day thou shalt be with Mee in Heaven The second Evasion is this It is true Christ promised thou shalt be with mee in Paradice but Christ doth not say thou shalt be with mee in Heaven but with mee in Paradice There are three answers to give you to this Evasion First that those that will not by Paradice understand Heaven by this Text they then fall in with the Papists either for Purgatory or a Limbus Patrum Secondly take this answer that in other Scriptures when Paradice is mentioned it is to be understood Heaven and so the Apostle doth expound it 2 Cor. 12.2.4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third Heaven How that hee was caught up into Paradice and heard unspeakeable words which it is not lawfull for a man to utter So that the Apostle by Paradice doth expound it to be Heaven Revel 2.7 Hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches To him that overcometh will I give to eate of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God That is hee shall enjoy Jesus Christ Christ in Heaven is the Tree of Life in the Paradice of God Thirdly it cannot be any Earthly Paradice the Paradice Adam was in before his fall for the Earthly Paradice was destroyed by the Flood therefore of necessity when Christ tells the thiefe To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradice it must referre to the thiefes going to Heaven at that day with Jesus Christ A second instance it is in Luke 16.22 And it came to passe that the Beggar dyed and was carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosom The rich man also dyed and was buried This is another instance that the soules of the Elect after death they go to Heaven There are two Evasions made upon
depart and to be with Christ which is far better So that the Apostle doth only make these two conclusions a departing out of the World out of this Life and a desire to be with Jesus Christ hee mentions no place for a good soule to goe to hee mentions no Purgatory nor Limbus Patrum And so likewise a fourth Text you have in 2 Cor. 6.8.9 Therefore wee are alwayes confident knowing that whilst we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. Wee are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent wee may be accepted of him Marke That the Apostle doth onely make these two conclusions to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord so that the soule is present with the Lord whilst absent from the body Then againe that Prayer of Stephen proves it likewise in Acts 7.59 And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit It had beene uncomfortable for him to have thought that hee should have beene stoned for Jesus Christ and it must have beene above 1600 yeares before Christ should have received his soule but hee prayed Lord Iesus Christ receive my Soule which hee would not have done if hee had not believed that his soule would have beene received by Jesus Christ imediately after death And thus I leave those Scriptures to confirme you in this that the soule doth not sleepe in the body but at the parture from the body it doth imediately goe to Heaven Fourthly I prove it to you by shewing those grosse absurdities and inconveniencies that will arise in case it should be denyed that God doth not receive the soule of any Elect man till hee doth come to judge the World First it will follow that the godly will be in a worse condition after they are dead then they were in when they were alive for when they were alive to live is Christ Christ dwelt in their hearts by Faith Now if the soule doth sleepe with the body and perish with the body then Christ doth not live in them Christ doth not dwell there by Faith so that this would be uncomfortable that a believer after death should be in a worse condition then during this Life for here he lives in Christ by Faith Secondly then it will follow that God the Father would be more cruell to his people then hee would have other men be to their servants which have done their worke Marke that Text Levit. 19.13 Thou shalt not defraud thy Neighbour neither rob him the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night untill the morning That the Master was not to keepe the hire of the Labourer long from him that the Master should not keep the servants wages long from him Now will the great God keepe you who are his servants that have served him here in this World and have done him faithfull service and will hee keepe any reward from you till his last coming No but when you have ended your Life and done your worke you receive your wages when your work is done you have your reward Thirdly observe this if this should be true that the Soules of the Elect men doe not goe to Heaven after death then it will follow that the soules of wicked men doe not goe to Hell after death and how repugnant this is to the Scripture you well know when the Scripture saith in the Epistle of Jude That the men of Sodome and Gomorrha suffered the vengeance of eternall fire And of Judas Acts 25. That hee may take part of this Ministery and Apostle-ship from which Judas by transgression fell that hee might goe to his owne place I could give you multitude of Instances where the wicked are in Hell 1 Pet. 3.19 20. By which also hee went and preached unto the Spirits in prison Which sometimes were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water That is Jesus Christ by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah did preach to the old World who were disobedient to that Preacher of righteousnesse who is now in Heaven To say that a godly man doth not goe to Heaven imediately after death it will follow that a wicked man doth not go to Hell imediately after death Fourthly it would follow that there should be onely Angels in Heaven and no Saints whereas the Scripture saith expresly that Christ shall come from Heaven with his Saints And wee reade in Scripture that there are the Spirits of just men made perfect as well as the innumerable company of Angells Fifthly this would follow that it would be a great discomfort to a godly man on his death-bed if hee should be so many hundred yeares before Christ would bring him to Heaven what comfort shall a godly man have to die when hee shall say it shall be so many hundred yeares before my body and my soule shall be thought of by Jesus Christ it would be a very uncomfortable Doctrine for a man to thinke that I shall die like a beast that my soule after death shall not be taken up into Heaven And thus I have proved that imediatly after the godly die their Soules are received into Heaven I have proved it by pregnant Instances in the Scripture by generall expressions in the Scripture and by those expresse passages in Scripture and have given you those absurdities that will arise in case it should be denyed A word now from what hath beene spoken If it be so that Christ doth receive thee O thou Believer receive thee to himselfe before his totall and compleate reception I would then give you this use for to comfort you Vse First O feare not a dying time let not death be dreadfull and terrible to thee Beloved were this true indeed that when thou diest thy soule should perish with thy body then a Life is not worth the having but when thou shalt thinke on thy death-bed here now is a Disease a consuming of thy nature and sending of thee to thy grave and now there is but a little time betweene thee and Heaven that when I am a dying I am in the very Suburbs of Heaven a little breath betweene mee and Heaven O how should this comfort a dying man when that hee hath good evidences for Heaven O this should greatly comfort thee against thou comest to die to thinke that thy death-bed is the very Suburbs of Heaven I have read what John said that wrote the Revelations when hee was ready to die I do believe saith hee that in this very day my soule shall be represented before the Lord Jesus Christ. O think now thou art leaving thy friends but it will not be a day before Christ and I shall meete in Heaven As in the Booke of Martyrs wee reade
that in Queene Maries time of two friends that were put to death together One of them was fearfull to think that the flames should scorch his flesh O saith the other be of good comfort for halfe an houre hence thou shalt be in Heaven O thinke though thou art weake and sick even unto death yet thinke that thou shalt shortly be with Jesus Christ doubt not of the truth of this for I could even pawne my soule of the truth of it that the Soules of the Elect are taken up into Heaven imediately after death O then let not death trouble you Doct. 4 The fourth Doctrine here mentioned is the benefit of Christs coming and that is to raise your bodies from the dead and receive them to himselfe This is the particular that I am now to insist upon and receive you to my selfe Obs The Observation is this that the maine end of Christs coming againe is for to raise the bodies of the Elect and to receive them to himselfe not onely to save the Soule imediatly after death but to raise the body also There are two Queres in the Doctrinall part of this poynt touching the end of Christs coming which is to raise the bodies of the Elect and to receive them to himselfe Two things in this First why Jesus Christ must raise the bodies of the Elect and receive them to himselfe as well as the soules Secondly when Christ doth receive the body to himselfe then what endowments doth the body receive as now it hath not First why must Christ receive the body to himselfe as well as the soule There are foure Reasons First because of the Resurrection of his own body Christs own body is raised from the dead and received up into Heaven and therefore the bodies of the Elect must be there also where Christ is there must his members be Christ the head is raised from the dead and received up into glory The Apostle doth ground this reason 1 Cor. 15.12 Now if Christ be preached that hee rose from the dead c. As if hee should have said Christ being risen from the dead doth argue that our bodies must rise from the Grave though they be dead there In 1 Cor. 6.14 And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power 1 Thess 4.14 For if wee believe that Iesus dyed and rose againe even so them also which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him So that because Jesus Christs body is raised from the dead and received up into Heaven therefore our bodies must be raised up and received into glory with him Secondly the bodies of the Elect must be raised why because of the Inhabitation of the Spirit the Spirit doth sanctifie the bodies of the Elect as well as the soules the very God of peace sanctifie you throughont and I pray God that your Soule Spirit and Body be kept blamelesse unto the coming of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 6.18 19 20. Flee Fornication every sinne that a man doth is without the body but hee that comitteth Fornication sinneth against his owne body What know yee not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which yee have of God and yee are not your owne For yee are bought with a price Therefore glorifie God in your body and in your Spirit which are Gods Now the Spirit of God having a gracious worke in the body as well as the soule Therefore the body must be raised up from the dead as well as the soule and this the Scripture makes an Argument of in Rom. 8.11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you So that spirit that raised up Christ from the dead if that Spirit dwelleth in you the graces of the spirit why that Spirit shall quicken your mortall bodies Therefore the bodies of the Elect shall be raised from the dead and received into glory with the soule Thirdly because the body hath a condition and co-operation with the soule in all gracious working because if that the body shall be partner with the soule being received unto Jesus Christ because the Body doth co-operate with the Soule Rom. 8.13 For if yee live after the flesh yee shall die but if yee through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live Now being that the godly doe mortifie the deeds of the body and do expose their bodies to tortures and torments for Jesus Christ now because the bodies of the Elect doe co-operate with the soule in good therefore the body shall be co-partner with the soule in good also Fourthly it proceeds from that neere Union which is in a Believer and Jesus Christ Christ is the head and Believers are the members now the members must be raised and received up to Jesus Christ to make his body a perfect body Thus much for the Reasons why that Jesus Christ at his second coming he shall raise and receive the bodies of the Elect to himselfe as well as the soules The second quere is this I but what benefit is it to the body what endowments shall the body receive by this when Christ comes First in generall I shall say this to you that the body shall receive more glorious endowments then ever it could be capable of to receive and enjoy here in this world it may be thy Body is endowed with a comely feature yet when Christ comes to receive thy Body it shall be endowed better then now it is Chrisostome saith Take Wooll and let this Wooll be dyed into a Scarlet or purple colour dyed in graine yet the Wooll is the same Wooll as it was before when it was white but yet there is a more goodly lustre put upon it Thy body shall be the same body but thy body shall have more illustrious endowments then now it hath And thus much onely in the generall Now to come to particulars I shall resolve this Question in these six Particulars There are six glorious endowments that the body shall receive from Jesus Christ at his second coming when hee receives the body to himselfe First from being a naturall body as it is now it shall be made by Christ a spirituall body that is the first endowment thou shalt cast off thy old Apparell of corruptible flâ—sh and blood and shalt be cloathed with robes of glory it is no contradiction to say a spirituall body because the Apostle useth the expression 1 Cor. 15.44 It is sowne a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body The meaning is the body as it lives here is a naturall body reeding naturall refreshments I but saith the Apostle it shall be raised a spirituall body it shall have no more neede of naturall refreshments which the naturall body requireth
inequall manner in the Life to come as thou hast gone beyond some Men in graces so thou shalt bee beyond some Men in glory in being present in enjoying the bodily presence of Jesus Christ thou shalt know all the bodies of all thy well-beloved friends that thou knowest here in the World this most Divines doe concurre in Bolton is very strong for it all our Moderne Authors are for it and some of the Antients too I onely give it as a probable advantage and eomfort when a Man shall say Here is the Child that I sought God for and may the Minister say Here is the People that I have Preached to and the people say here is the Minister now in Heaven that I have heard take these probable grounds for it First that the wicked knew the godly in Heaven Dives in Hell knew Lazarus in Heaven Then wee reade likewise in Luke 13.28 There shall bee Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth when yee shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selves thrust out Now the damned in Hell shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of God and why shall not the Godly know one another there Then againe Peter James and John knew Moses in the transfiguration Mat. 13. Then againe the godly they knew the damned in Hell Therefore certainly they may know one another in Heaven It is said in Mat. 8.11 And I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven I doe not give you this for certaine I am loth in things controversall tossed to and fro by learned Men but there are strong Hints and Foundations at best to build hopes on that in thy knowing of Christ in Person that when the bodies of the Elect shall bee raised thou shalt know the bodies of thy elected Friends Boulton here thinkes it should detract much from the happinesse of every Saint in Heaven if every Saint should not know one another which knew one another here upon the Earth this addes much to this happinesse in that they shall have a sociable Communion in being with Christ in Person where hee is And thus much for the Adjuncts of this Condition that where Christ is there yee may bee also Vse The use then If it be so that where Jesus Christ is that place where hee is gone to Heaven there you shall bee also then I Inferre O take it well at Christs Hand suppose thou livest here in a smoaky Cottage Suppose thou hast not a place to put thy Head in O thinke what a place Christ is gone to prepare for thee why hee is gone to prepare no worse a place for thee then Heaven Nay bee content with a Prison be content with a Dungeon O the place in Heaven shall make a recompence for all the obscure places in the World Suppose thou beest as Christ was in the World that the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Ayre have nests but the Sonne of Man hath not whereon for to lay his Head but hee hath a House in Heaven a House not made with hands a building of GOD hee hath his Fathers House in Heaven there you may goe you must bee patient though the places you dwell in are not so comfortable as you may desire but you shall be where Jesus Christ is Secondly if it be so that it is the great benefit of Christs coming againe to take us to himselfe to be in the same place where hee is O then take heede that thou beest not foolish to lose a place in Heaven for worldly profits and preferments for Earth to lose Heaven it is the great Bayte and Engine of these times to have places and Preferments and Advantages take heede they doe not make you to lose the place in Heaven where Christ is Historians that write of Tiberius they stigmatize him for a very foole that would for a drop of drinke sell his Kingdome and so was called of Tiberius Biberius O there are many such Biberius's in the world that for a draft of Drinke will venture the danger of Drinking downe shovells full of Fire to their owne damnation many in the World that will rather then lose their Places and Possessions here upon Earth they will venture the losing of that place to bee even where Jesus Christ is Thus I have in ten Sermons finished Five maine Poynts of Religion And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there yee may bee also FINIS An Alphabeticall TABLE to the first Part of the Saints advantage by Christs Ascension c. A. THe Ascension of Christ an advantage to the Saints the whole scope of the Booke Ascension of Christ the manner how page 33 Antichrist troubled the Church when the Roman Emperour did not p. 98 The Athenians question the Doctrin of Christs coming to Judgement 113 Anathema the meaning of the word p. 126 Abrahams bosome what p. 139 Adam in innocency how instated p. 170 B. The bodily presence of Christ in Heaven a singular benefit to Saints on Earth p. 6.21 Bodies three only in Heaven p. 34 The benefit of Christs Ascension p. 35 Bernards and Brightmans Opinion with the Authors of the phrase of living and reigning with Christ p. 100 The bodies as well as the Soules of the godly shall be received into Heaven p. 131 Christ taken bodily up into Heaven p. 13 The bodies endowments when Christ comes to receive them p. 153 C. Christs Arguments to his Disciples when he was toleave the World Christ gone bodily up to Heaven p. 2 Proved and Confirmed By Scripture p. 6 Proved and Confirmed By Tipes Ibidem Proved and Confirmed By Prophesies p. 7 Proved and Confirmed By The Apostles p. 9 Proved and Confirmed By The Angells p. 10 Proved and Confirmed By Severall reasons p. 11 Christ gone to Heaven to prepare a place for the Elect in what sense p. 36 Christs coming againe what understood thereof p. 51 Christ's personall reigne upon earth the rise of that opinion p. 71 72 73 Christ's sitting at the right hand of God how long p. 75 Christ must reigne how long p. 76. 77 Christ at his coming to Judgement gives his Kingdome to the Father p. 77 Christ shall not become an earthly Monar p. 27 Christ's second coming not to reigne upon Earth p. 77 Christ shall not reigne personally reas why 78 Christ's comming the concomitants thereof 79 Christ's personall reigne contrary to the Tenor of the Scripture p. 79 Christ's personall reigne a disadvantage to the Saints and Angells p. 86. 88 Christ at his Birth and Resurre a King p. 89 Christians 5000 a day put to death when p. 98 Christians 1700 in one month in whose reigne Ibid. Christ shall come like a thiefe p. 103 Christs coming againe the manner how Christ shall come Certainly p. 113
Christ shall come Personally p. 115 Christ shall come Visibly p. 116 Christ shall come Gloriously p. 117 Christ shall come Teribly p. 119 Christ shall come Vnexpectedly p. 120 Christ coming againe proved by the Mutability of Gods Decree p. 112 proved by the Infallibility of his Promises p. 112 proved by the Impartiality of his Justice p. 112 Christ's end in his first coming what p. 144 Christ's coming what produce to the wick p. 123 Christians in some particulers have cause to feare Christs coming Ibidem Christ's coming dreadfull to Opressors p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming dreadfull to Riotous persons p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming dreadfull to Non. Lovers of Christ p. 124 125 126 127 128 129. Christ's coming the end for what p. 133 Christ by his Spirit in the Ministery of Noah did Preach to the old world p. 147 Christ must raise the bodies of the elect why p. 150 Christs Resurrection an Argument of ours Ibi. The Church of Corinth in an error touching the Resurrection p. 159 D. The Doctrin of Christs Ascension p. 4 The Doctrin of The Resurrection Ibid. The Doctrin of Everlasting Life Ibid. The Doctrin of Christs Ascension practically applied p 27 Doctrinall Inferences 4 drawn from Christs Ascension p. 27. 29 The Doctrine of Christs coming againe a comfort to believers p. 50. 52. 55. 57. 121. Duties 6 to be learned upon the consideration of Christs coming againe p. 61 Determinations concerning the place from Whence and Where Christ shall come to Judge the World dangerous p. 68 Bold determinations the foundation of superstitions p. 65 The Devill bound the time when it began p. 96 E. Epicurian Principles brought in that Doctrine of Christs personall reigne p. 102 Endowments 6 the bodies of the Elect shall receive at Christs second coming p. 154 F. Fruits of Christs Ascension p. 4 G. The Gospell under Christs time called a Kingdome p. 90 A godly Man when dying is in the Suburbs of Heaven p. 148 H. Himenius opinion touching the Resurre p. 159 I. Instructions drawn from the crcumstances of Christs Ascension p. 226 Incongruities 8 that would follow upon the personall reigne of Christ p. 85 Inconveniences that would follow should it be granted that God does not receive the soules of the Elect as some hold into Heaven till Christs coming to Judgement p. 145 K. The Kingdome given to Christ in whose dayes it began p. 105 The Kingdom of Christ not of this world p 106 The Kingdome of Christ refer'd to that with the Kingdome of God p. 107 L. Living and reigning with Christ does not imply the place where Christ is p. 92 Labaroch a Martyr his story p. 165 M. Maran-atha a compound word p. 127 Murder committed in Adams sin p. 131 Morall men may live and die in an unpardoned estate p. 136 Magistrates comanded to punish sin p 66 N. Non Lovers of Christ accursed p. 102 O. Opinions of the Seleucians confuted p. 27 Observations drawn from the Doctrine of Christs coming againe p. 52 Objections raised from the doctrine of Christs coming againe cleared p. 53 Opinions of the Milleners concerning the restitutions of all things p. 73 Obiections 2 by those that plead for a 1000 years answered p. 97 Opinions of Divines concerning the dwelling of Righteousnesse here p. 104 Origens mistake concerning the coming of Christ p. 114 The Opinion of those who hold the sleeping of the Soule p. 134 P. Practicall inferences 4 drawne from the doctrine of Christs Ascension p. 33. 29 Practicall inferences 4 drawne from the doctrine of Christ's preparing Heaven for the Saints p. 46 The place where and where not Christ shall come to Judge the World p. 66 The promise of Christs coming handled p. 7â— The promise of Christs coming againe what meant thereby p. 71 Paradice what p. 72 Perkins opinion concerning the Resurre p. 163 Price a Martyr his story p. 165 Pauls argument against uncleannesse p. 167 Q. Queries concerning Heaven being prepared by Christ for the Saints p. 39 40 R. Restitution of all things the time when p 73 74 Restitution of all things what it intends p. 74 Resurrection of the Just and unjust what p. 83 The Resurrection of the body proved p. 140 S. The soules of Saints went to Heaven before the Ascension of Christ p. 41. 135 Scriptures whereon are grounded those opinions of Christs personall reigne upon earth cleared p. 91. 101. 105 106 107. The Saints living and reigning what Christ the First Resurrection p. 98 The Scriptures doe not determine any coming of Christ out of Heaven till he come to Judge the World p. 109 The sins of the wicked to whom published p. 122 The soules of the Elect go to Heaven imediately after death confirmed by Scripture p. 141 142. 150. The Spirit sanctifies the bodies of the Elect as well as the soules p. 151 The Saints happinesse in being with Christ fully handled p. 70 T. The Turkish Emperour when began to beare sway p. 97 W. The wicked seperated from the Elect at Christs coming p. 122 The wicked goe to Hell p. 147 An Alphabeticall TABLE to the Second Part. Saints are bound to confesse their Sins A. ANtinomists their opinion of confession of sin p. 37 Auricular confession a great mistake p. 41 Auricular confession invented by whom p. 42 43 Aggrevations 6 in Adams sin p. 131 Austins aggravation of sin p. 147 Authors opinions concerning Infants p. 172 Antinomians opinions concerning the praying for pardon of sin p. 181 B. Believers both in New testament and old made conscience of confession of sin p. 38 C. Confession the nature of it p. 8 Confession is to the soul as the whetstone to the knife p. 11 Confession of sin is no slavish worke p. 17 Confession of sin in what cases needfull to confesse them to Men. p. 44 Confesion of sin what kind hath necessary connexion with forgivenesse of sin p. 72 Confession of sinne with its connexion how agreeable with the freeness of Gods grace p. 76 Negatively and Positively Considered p. 78 Concomitants 6 that attend a pardoned person p. 83 Characters 4 of a pardoned Man p. 87 Consolations 4 for a disconsolate soule p. 122. 151 Considerations 5 concerning lesser sins p. 128 Considerations concerning great sins p. 139 Christ dyed for Man not for the Devill p. 147 Cases of Conscience resolved p. 156 D. The Duty of confession p. 6 Defects 10 that the godly as well as the wicked lie liable to confession of sin p. 51 Doubts resolved p. 90. 95. 98 Davids 4 projects to hide sin p. 98 Differences 5 between pardoned an unpardoned sinner p. 104 Davids sin the nature of it p. 112 Directions sorgr eatsinners p. 142 E. Every confession of Sin will not serve turne p. 18 F. Forgivenesse of sin wherein it consists p. 21 Forgiveness Confession of sine a necessery connecti p. 66 Forgiveness of sins what it is p. 66 G. Gramarians bow they distinguish the words Sin Iniquity Transgression p. 5 God comands confession of sin p. 39 Gods Act touching the forgiveness of sin p. 46 God in some sence receives injury by Mans sin p. 82 God pardons Sins after repentance not before p. 167 H. Holy confession the properties of it p. 30 Helps against the defects of confession of Sin p. 57 I. Iniquity the signification of the word p. 5. Iustified persons bound to confesse their Sins to God p. 8 P. The pardoned Mans happinesse p. 2 Paul's 8 aggravations of Sin p. 27 Peters Sin the nature of it p. 118 Paul's Sin the nature of it p. 120 R. Rules for confession of Sin p. 19 Relapses into grose sins dangerous Symptoms of a Man to be in a lost condition p. 180 S. Sin in us to hide our Sins p. 1 Sin what it signifies p. 5 Saul made the same confession of Sin that David did p. 18 Saul confest his Sin to Samuel not to God p. 20 Sins in how many respects said to be forgiven p. 70 Sin how many ways considered p 71 Selah what it Signifies p. 111 Sin in divers respects aggravated p. 186 T. Transgression what it is p. 5 Times 3 most seasonable to confesse Sin to God p. 13 W. The way to procure the pardon of Sin p. 2 The wicked confesse Sin how p. 31. 36 Women 4 infamos recorded in the Genealogy of Christ p. 25. THE END
then with a godly man Fourthly There is this difference though the conscience of a good man be a sleep for a time and doth not smite him for sin yet some time before he dyes his conscience shall smite him for sin there is no godly man in the world but under known sins if his conscience hath not smitten him his conscience shall smite him before he dyes but wicked men live and dye in sin and never have the controll or rebuke of conscience Ahaz was troubled by affliction from God yet conscience never troubled him for he did yet more wickedly against God Fifthly Though the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be asleep for a time and may not reprove him for sin committed yet a good mans conscience when it doth reprove him it doth check him more out of a sense of sin and the dishonour done to God then out of fear of hell or any outward judgements but wicked men are asleep in their consciences and if conscience doth ever awake it is not because sin is sin and because God is dishonoured but because there is hell for sin and because there are outward grievous judgements when God breaks men by his judgements then they will put conscience on work but never doe it out of sense of sin Take this comparison of Ducks in a pond of water cast but a little peble stone into the water and it will make them dive but let it rattle and thunder in the heavens the Ducks feare not a Divine makes this a fit embleme of a wicked mans conscience cast but a little peble stone some present affliction neer a wicked man and that will make him dive that will trouble conscience and perplex the man but let God thunder from heaven let the Lord declare all the threatnings of his spirituall judgements against sin how evill sin is how God is dishonoured by sin and how the soule is indangered all these thundrings from heaven cannot make him startle And thus I have run hastily over the answering of this third Objection I have done it meerly for a relief of a perplexed Conscience thus I have done with this doctrine I confest and thou forgavest Thou for gavest to forgive saith Museulus is a word of favor or grace not merit or sanctification thou forgavest It notes pardon of sin is not vouchsafed to men by way of debt but of gift I confessed and thou forgavest thou forgavest what Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin the sin of my sin Interpreters have various apprehensions touching the meaning of these words what it is for God to forgive the iniquity of my sin I will bring it to a two fold channell Some there are that by iniquity understand the punishment of sin I acknowledged my sin and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin That is thou forgavest the punishment of my sin the reason of that interpretation is because in the Hebrew language the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies iniquity signifies punishment and therefore they understand the iniquity of sin the punishment of sin but Interpreters generally go against this interpretation for usually the word is taken for sin it self Again the whole scope of the Psalm is not in seeking the outward punishment to be forgiven but the forgivenesse of sin is referred to eternall guilt Thirdly Here is in the Text a Selah which is a note of attention a note of admiration annexed to this expression Thou hast forgiven c. surely that would be no wonder to God to passe by an externall punishment for that he might do to men whose sins were never pardoned What is it for God to forgive the iniquity of sin I answer the iniquity of sin is meant that God out of his free grace doth not onely simply forgive a sin committed but he forgives the iniquity of that sin all the malignity of that sin all the hainous aggravated circumstances that may any ways make it great A learned Authour having a whole Tract upon this Psalm hath these words the Psalmist useth this kinde of speech To forgive the iniquity of sinne that hee might teach us that it was no light fault that was pardoned it was sin and it was the iniquity of sin sin upon sin and sin greatned by many hainous circumstances Yet Behold the great mercy of God Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin thus much for the explaining of the words The Observation is this That such are the riches of Gods pardoning grace that he forgives his people not onely sin in the generall but their great sins such as are cloathed with many aggravated and hainous crying circumstances Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne In the handling of this point I shall proceed in this method First To prove the point to you by an Induction of particular instances then the application of it by severall uses It is a point full of comfort and indeed I know not such a Text in all the Bible that speaks of Gods grace in pardoning aggravated sins sins more clearly then this Text doth First of all I shall give you an induction of instances that God doth not only forgive his people a bare sin convicted but God doth out of the riches of his Grace forgive his people those sins that you may call the iniquity of sin sins cloathed with many hainous aggravated circumstances The instance of David that speakes the words an instance of Peter another of Paul many men that have sinned against light and love sinned against cheks of conscience and against mercies are these sins forgiven Yes that is my work to prove that Gods grace doth forgive sins that are cloathed with many hainous and aggravated circumstances to make them great First David I begin with David because it is the instance in hand will you consider Davids sin the sin of Adultery and ransack the bowels of it you shall finde Davids sin cloathed with great hainous and aggravated circumstances to make it great and grievous and yet for all this that sin forgiven him Circ 1 First Circumstance to aggravate Davids sin if you consider the quality of it the kind of it What sin was it it was the sin of Adultery now of all sins the sin of adultery is an aggravated sin there are five circumstances 1. He that commits adultery he sins against his own body 2. It is a wrong to the body of the woman he is unclean with 3. It is a wrong to his own wife 4. It is a wrong to Bathshebas husband 5. It is a wrong to the child that is illegitimately begotten in adultery that an ignominy should be on him when hee is born and therefore that David should fall to that sin it was one great sin to aggravate Davids sin Circu 2 Secondly If you consider the dignity and the quality of Davids person that did commit this sin He was a King Now the greater the person is that sins the sin is the greater Third Circumstance to
had Achan sinned too but I sinned further then hee O labour to finde out what aggravations there are that thy evills are capable of that so thou mightest come to magnifie and grraten the grace of God in thy esteem A famous story of Austin Aug. in his confessionâ— when God converted him and smote his conscience for the vanity of his youth how doth he aggravate his sin when he was a boy for robing of an Orchard he doth aggravate that sin with many circumstances First I robed an Orchard meerly out of vanity not out of need to steal for need is more tolerable though not justifiable but when he had enough that was vanity then it was not for the goodnesse of the fruit but meerly for the lust of the eye then I did not rob the Orchard alone but I got others with me then it was an unseasonable time of night then he went to rob the Orchard after he had spent all the day in vain sport then what they could not eat they gave to the hogs then saith he I wronged and injured an honest neighbour that never did me wrong O see how he clothed that sin with many hainous crimes and circumstances canst not thou cloath thy ununcleannesse thy oppression thy extortion thy unjust dealing with hainous circumstances Let me direct you a little in this rule First To aggravate thy sin consider all sins against the manifestation of Gods love are great when God speaks peace to thee if thou shouldest then warre against God Psal 58. this greatens sin it was an aggravation of Solomons sin that he sinned against the Lord after God had revealed himself twice to him 1 King 11.9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared to him twice Secondly It aggravates sin when you commit a sin upon a slight temptation for a man to sin when he hath little or no provocation that greatens sin What made the sin of the devill so great it was this that the Angels had no Devils to tempt them for thee to follow the stews for thee to follow thy lust when the devill doth not tempt thee to doe it when the provocation is meerly from thine owne heart this greatens a mans sin and thus in the Prophet Micah That men should sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a paire of shoes O when thou shalt recollect and say How have I dishonoured God how have I runne the hazard of an immortall soul when the Devill hath laid no temptation to me this greatens sinne exceedingly A third thing to greaten sin by is when a man doth sin against the checks and rebukes of his own conscience Conscience saith doe not sin do not wickedly and the man saith I must I must I shall lose all else When Conscience shal arrest thee and accuse thee of sin and thou shalt stifle and put by all this aggravates thy sin Fourthly The frequency of the acts of sin to commit a sin once is not so much but to fall often into the same sin this greatens sin Fifthly Complacency of heart in sin when sin is not onely the sin of thy practise and of thy life but thou delightest in sin if sin be riveted and rooted in thy heart thou art unclean Canst thou goe to God and say Lord what grace is here and what mercy is here that thou hast pardoned great transgressions and those sins that I can aggravate by many hainous circumstances I have read my pardon and yet I have now blotted my pardon canst thou say I have sinned and upon a very triviall occasion and on a small temptation I am a drudge to the Devil on an easie temptation when the Devill can draw thee by a silken thread to a sin O it is a great aggravation when Conscience arrests thee for sin and thou wilt still be stifling the cries of Conscience Would you greaten sin you are in a ready way to greaten mercy and pardoning grace that is a fourth direction Fifthly If God doth out of the riches of his grace pardon aggravated sins take you heed that when you have obtained great and gracious pardons for great and grievous sins you do not extenuate your sins doe not say of your sins as Lot of Zoar Is not this a little one doe not say of wilful enormities as Jacob did Peradventure it was an oversight doe not mince the matter and doe not lessen sin but greaten sin The reason why thou shouldst not doe it consider first by extenuating sin and making it smal and little in your eye you will lessen the greatness of gods pardoning grace who will value the skill and physick of a kitchin woman that Physitian is valued that can cure a deadly and and dangerous disease when a mans spirits are gone and strength is consumed he is prized thou by lessening thy sin dost lessen pardoning grace 2. By the extenuating thy sin thou dost lessen the value of Christs bloud 3. Thou wilt lessen thine owne repentance and humiliation for what man will labour after great humiliation for small transgressions therefore there is a world of wrong done to thine own soul when God hath pardoned great transgressions if thou shouldst extenuate and lessen the greatnesse of thy evils Sixthly Content not your selves with slight and superficiall repentance for falling into great and grosse evils bee not like Lewis the eleventh King of France when he did an evill against his Conscience he pulled off his hat and took his Crucifixe and cryed God mercy for what he had done so many men if they can but cry God mercy in ordinary and generall tearms they think they have made a Compensation to Divine Justice And thus I have done with the second branch of the use in these six particulars Vse 3 The third and the last branch shall be by way of Consolation Consolations against great sins to troubled and perplexed Consciences that by reason of their falling into aggravated and hainous sins doe entertain doubtfull thoughts of their own pardon five Consolations I shall lay down to you from the Scripture First Consider for thy Comfort that Conversion and repentance for sin before God wipes off the ignominy and the infamy of thy former miscarriages suppose thou past been an ignominious notorious foul creature yet repentance puts a vail over thy ignominious lusts Secondly Take this for thy comfort that Jesus Christ doth manifest more love to those men who have fallen into grosse sin after repentance and humiliation then he did to any other sorts of men in the world It is observable of Peter Peter did sin more then all the Disciples unlesse Judas that was the cast-away after Peter did humble himself and repent of his denyall Christ did shew more love to Peter then to all the other Disciples First Christ appeared to Peter after his Resurrection before he appeared to any other so Paul tels you in 1 Cor. 15.5 And
my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God Christ did promise that hee would ascend Iohn 16.5 7. But now I go my way to him that sent mee and none of you asked me whither goest thou Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you Iohn 16.16 A little while and yee shall not see mee and againe a little while and yee shall see mee because I goe to the Father I could quote you many Scriptures that Christ promised hee would goe away Fourthly the Doctrine of Christs going up to Heaven is confirmed by the Testimony of the Apostles who were Eye-witnesses of Christs Ascension Gerrard notes saith he Jesus Christ did rise invisible none saw him Rise the Scripture telleth you that the Souldiers that watched were asleepe yet Christ gathereth all his eleven Apostles that they might be Eye witnesses of his Ascension that they saw him ascend to Heaven Acts 1.9 10. And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as hee went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell and so the Apostle Peter in the 1 Peter 3.22 Who is gone into Heaven and is on the right Hand of God Angells and Authority and Powers being subject unto him So Paul tells you in Ephesians 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all Heavens that hee might fill all things So in Hebrewes 9. the Author of that Booke tells you that Jesus Christ is not gone into the holy place but is gone into the Heaven it selfe In vers 24. For Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for us 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversy great is the mystery of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into glory And in Mark 16.19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them hee was received up into Heaven and sate on the right hand of God I take the more paines to prove this because of what Ancient Heresies there have been to overthrow this great comfortable Doctrine of Christs going bodily into Heaven having our flâ—sh in Heaven this very day Fifthly it may be proved by the Concurrent Testimonies of the Angells who were witnesses of this truth Acts 1.10 ve And while they looked stedfastly toward Heaven as he went up behold two men stood by them in white apparell These two men were Angells the Angels did give in their concurrent Testimonies that Jesus Christ did goe into Heaven and the same Jesus Christ that did go shall come againe Beloved I know not any one poynt in all the Bible that is so proved and strengthned as Christs personall and Bodily going up to Heaven and thus much for the strengthning of you in the proofe of the poynt I lay that for the Foundation because if the proof of it be not well grounded then the fruit of it will not be well regarded Secondly what is the reason that Christ must have his Body goe up to Heaven and not his Soul as other mens First Christ in his bodily presence must go to Heaven lest his Disciples should be taken too much with his bodily presence and never looke after the Communication of his Spirit Therefore they aske Christ Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome to Israel they expected that Christ would take away the Roman Emperour which was a heathen and expected that hee would bee King himselfe Acts 1.6 When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel It is for this reason say Interpreters because the Disciples should not dote on Jesus Christ as to looke on him as a temporall King and looke on him for a temporall Kingdome so that was one reason why hee would not leave his body with them but that they might looke after the Kingdom where he is therefore Paul hath a passage in 2 Cor. 5.16 Wherefore henceforth know wee no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more As if hee should say it may be those that lived in Christs time that knew him according to the flesh as a lovely person but saith Paul wee know him in a spirituall way to looke after Heaven by Christ to looke after Salvation by Christ Secondly Christ must be taken up into Heaven in his body to make a compensation and a recompence to himselfe for his sufferings in his Body to make a compensation to him for his bodily sufferings hee must go to Heaven Phil. 2.8.9 And being found in fashion as a Man hee humbled himselfe and because obedient unto Death even the Death of the Crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name Therefore God did exalt Christ and raise him from the dead and bring him to Heaven because hee obeyed the death of the Crosse and took on him the forme of a servant Psal 110. last Vers He shall drinke of the brooke in thy way therefore shall hee lift up the Head Because thou dyedst and sufferedst therefore thou shalt lift up thy head therefore thou shalt ascend up to Heaven Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angells for the suffering of Death crowned with glory and honour that hee by the grace of God should taste death for every man For suffering of Death hee was crowned with Glory and Honour to translate him bodily into heaven that is a second Argument Thirdly Christ was taken up bodily to heaven it was to manifest to the World that Christ was God as well as man to manifest the God head of Jesus Christ therefore taken up bodily to heaven Eph. 4.9 10. Now that hee ascended what is it but that hee also descended first into the lower parts of the Earth Hee that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things There the Apostle proves that Christs going up to heaven it was an argument that Christ came downe from heaven So in John 6.62 What and if yee shall see the Sonne of man ascend up where hee was before That shews that Christ was in heaven before therefore must bee God Coequall and Coeternall with God the Father and thus you have the second poynt dispatched to you shewing the reasons why Jesus Christ must go bodily into heaven The third point is I but what benefit and comfort
when Judas came with the Scribes and Pharisees to apprehend him from that place hee was taken to be crucified and seeing it was from that place hee would make choyce of that place that from thence hee would take his rise to go up to Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bethany in Hebrew signifies a house of affliction so that Christ made that which was the house of his affliction Christ made that Bethany to be the place of the translation of him into glory I would give you thence to note that God doth oftentimes make our sufferings to be Inlets to our glory So it was with Christ from Bethany hee was taken a Prisoner and from that place hee would ascend up into Heaven so if you suffer with him you shall also be glorified with him you may be carried to Heaven sometime in ways of sharpe afflictions therefore doe not be danted at persecution for the Lord makes Bethanies the houses of our afflictions to have a trap-doore in them to let us into our Fathers Mansion Thirdly from the circumstance in Christ ascention just as Christ did ascend he◠was speaking to his Disciples things that did appertaine to the Kingdome of God and as hee was blessing of them hee was taken up before their eyes Acts 1.9 And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight Whilest hee was blessing of his Disciples and whilest hee was speaking to them things appertaining to the Kingdome of God hee was taken away I would give you this note from thence that when you come towards the time of your departure out of this World make Christ your example Christ as hee was going away hee spake of things appertaining to the Kingdome of God so let your hearts be full fraught with Divine contemplation do you leave good counsell behinde you when you come to die that so some body may say these are the last words of a dying Friend I might extend this Example of Christ before his departure out of the World unto masters of Families that when you come towards your end leave good councell behind you Let not your speech be filled about worldly affaires but let that be setled before but leave good councell with your children Jacob when hee was to die hee called all his children about him and gave good councell unto them and blessed them Likewise of David 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my Sonne know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seeke him hee will be found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for ever And thus wee see in the instances of Isaac and many other Servants of God Moses to Joshua when hee was to die I but take Christs Example so farre that when you are to leave the World that you may have your minds possessed with nothing else but with things appertaining to the Kingdom of God as Christ was Fourthly there is instruction to be gathered from the manner of Christs leaving the World the manner was in the Acts 1.9 And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld hee was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight They saw him by degrees ascend into Heaven this must not passe our Meditation that a cloud should take Jesus Christ out of our sight it is for a reliefe to your Meditations that when you see the clouds that these cloud◠that I see hover in the Heaven they are Christs Chariot that did once carry him to Heaven and they are the chariots that shall carry Jesus Christ to judge the World O labour to have your Meditations on Divine things hee went up in a cloud therefore the clouds are called Gods Chariots Fifthly the circumstance in Christs ascention is this that hee would call all his Friends about him it is expresly said all the eleven Apostles were with him Acts 1. And an Interpreter doth think that there was an hundred and twenty with Jesus Christ when he ascended up into Heaven he gathered it from Acts 1.15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples and said The number of Names together were about an hundred and twenty Now learned men doe thinke that there was an hundered and twenty that did see Jesus Christ ascend up into Heaven it is cleare that there were the eleven Apostles there and if this be so that Christ gathered about him his Friends when hee was to leave the World I gather thence that when you are drawing towards your end and departing out of the World Labour to have your Friends about you that you might give them the advice of a dying Friend and it is a great blessing for to die amongst your Friends Christ before that hee would goe up to Heaven and leave the World hee would have his Friends about him and then hee was taken up from them I now come to draw out more practicall application of this poynt If it be so that Christs going up bodily into Heaven be a ground of such great comfort unto the people of God upon Earth the use that I shall draw it shall be to deduce foure Doctrinall and foure practicall inferences from this poynt First this poynt it confute the opinion of the Selucians and Herliani that hold that Christs Body is not in Heaven but that it is in the beautifull and splendent body of the Sun and they say that is the reason the Sun doth cast such a glorious light o're that the Moon doth and truly this old Heresie is againe revived amongst us and I have seene it in a booke called Divine Light when indeed it is nothing but darkenesse but Christ is above the Sun Christ is above all the visible Heavens Christ sits in the third Heaven as Paul calls it therefore if Christs Body be gone into Heaven they are in an errour Secondly this poynt will confute those who hold that Christs Body hath beene on Earth since his ascention into Heaven Some in Germany held that they were the very Christ and thus in King Henry the Eights days there was one held that hee was the Christ and his side was pearc't and there was Nayles seene in his hand c. I but if men say loe here is Christ and there is Christ believe them not for Christ was never on the Earth since his Ascention Thirdly that Christs Body is now in Heaven it overthrowes the Doctrine of the Popish Religion touching Transubstantiation or the reall presence that Jesus Christ is bodily present at the Sacrament say the Papists we really eate Christs flesh and drink Christs bloud that Christ is as really at the Sacrament as hee was on the Crosse If there were no other argument to overthrow this Opinion but this that the body
heaven then the Death and Merits of Christ would be much extenuated Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever He was the same yesterday that is before he was borne hee was of use then as well as after time Againe if the Soules of wicked men be in Hell before Christs time then the Soules of godly men must bee in heaven before Christs time that must clearly follow by the Rules of contrary now that wicked men went to Hell is cleare Jude 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternall Fire They went to hell before Christs time therefore cleare it must follow that the Elect must goe to Heaven before Christs time Fourthly there is the very same reason why Believers should goe to heaven before Christs Ascension as there is why they should go to heaven after Christs Ascension because Believers under the old Testament they had the same Gospell preached to them as now wee have and they had the same Spirit the same Faith the same Christ and under the same Covenant and therefore why must they not goe to the same place I shall clearly prove this unto you First they had the same Spirit and the same Faith that wee had and this is laid downe by the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.13 Wee having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken wee also believe and therefore speak and they with us had the same justifying Faith Then for circumcision it was a signe of righteousnesse by Faith And then againe they had the same Gospell that wee have Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the same Gospell Preached as well as unto them but the word Preached did not profit them not being mixt with Faith in them that heard it The same Gospell onely theirs was darke for the ceremoniall Law was Gospell meerely Types and Shadowes to come Shadowes of Salvation by Christs Bloud to them was the Gospell Preached as well as unto us Nay they had the same Christ as wee have 1 Cor. 10.4 And did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of that Sipirituall Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ And in the Wildernesse it is said Let us not tempt Christ as they also tempted him they sinned against Christ in the Wildernesse and they enjoyed Christ in the Wildernesse so that they had the same Christ as wee have Againe they are under the same Covenant that wee are Jeremiah 31. It is the same Covenant with ours in Hebrewes 8. So that is there not the same reason why Believers under the old Testament should goe to the same place as Believers under the new for they had the same spirit the same Faith the same Gospell the same Christ and under the same Covenant therefore they must needs go to the same place though heaven be prepared by Christs Ascension yet heaven was opened before yet not so manifested before as since Christ Dyed Rose and went up to Heaven Vse I now come to the Application the use is to draw out a few practicall inferences from this Doctrine which are foure If it be so that Jesus Christ by his going into heaven hath prepared a place for the Elect there then learne by way of recompense by way of compensation and gratification to Jesus Christ O prepare thou a heart for Christ who hath prepared a heaven for thee Shall Christ go to heaven to prepare a place for thee yet thou afford Christ no corner in thy heart thou lettest thy lust sit on the Throne of thy heart yet not give Christ any roome there We reade in Revel 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her selfe ready O be thou as the Bride make thy selfe ready for the Marriage day the betrothing day was when Christ went up to heaven thy Marriage day is thy dying day O against the Marriage day of the Lambe doe thou who art his Bride make thy selfe ready doe thou prepare a heart for Christ who hath prepared heaven for thee Origen hath a good passage on Luke 22.12 And hee shall shew you a large upper roome furnished there make ready though hee doth much abuse the scope of the Scripture There were three properties of the Roome wherein Christ are the Passover a large upper and a furnished Roome hee makes this Allegory of it I doe not give it to you as the sence of it but take his glosse that if thou wilt come to sup with Christ thou must make thy heart as the upper Roome a heart raised in Divine contemplation and not onely an upper Rome but a large Roome a large Heart a furnished Roome a Heart adorned with grace O doe thou prepare a large Roome an upper Roome and a furnished Roome for Christ Secondly if Christ be gone into heaven to prepare a place for the Elect then wee are rather gayners then losers by the want of Christs bodily presence wee should be lesse happy to have Christ upon the Earth then now Christ is in heaven for wee are greater gayners by Christ now being in Heaven then if hee were in person with us upon the Earth Divines illustrate this say they the body of the Sun it is fixt in the Firmament and giveth light over all the World now should the body of the Sun be taken from the Firmament and be upon the Earth amongst us it would not be of that availe to us as now it is the Sun of Righteousnesse now hee is in the heavens hee is of greater availe to us then if hee were upon the Earth for if hee were on the Earth all the World could not see him at once so that wee are greater gayners by Christs bodily absence and by Christs going up to Heaven then if hee were in person here amongst us truly as Christ saith in John 14.28 Yee have heard how I said unto you I goe away and come againe unto you If yee loved me yee youl l rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. Truly it was matter of joy and not of griefe that Christ left this World and went to Heaven because hee went there to prepare a place for us I would faine know whether Jacob would have beene troubled for his Son Joseph if Jacob had known this that his Sonne was gone into Aegypt to prepare a place for him and all his Brethren against the Famine surely it would never have troubled him Truly your Joseph your Jesus hee is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for you there therefore let it not trouble you seeing you are more happy by Christs presence in Heaven then if you had his Bodily presence upon the Earth Thirdly if Christ be gone Bodily into
rejoyce in promises being made to them though the accomplishment thereof was not fulfilled till many yeares after and why should not the Disciples be so then and why should not wee be so now I will give you two or three instances John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad Abraham that had a promise of Christ the promise was made to Abraham above a thousand years before hee saw him and he was glad Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seene them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them They did embrace the promise though they were farre off in their accomplishment An excellent Text you have in Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a Child is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders c. Behold this is matter of joy for to us a Child is borne and unto us a Son is given why they might have said Lord what is that to us wee heare of garments rowled in blood and of the confused noyse of Warriers and dost thou tell us of that which shall not be till many yeares after and yet the Prophet doth thinke no fitter a promise to give them then the promise that a Virgin should conceive a Sonne I mention it for this that though promises were made long since yet beare up your hearts for that it will be sure and certaine though it be long and so much for the first particular The next particular is I but how doth it appeare that Christs coming to judge the World is a Doctrine so full of comfort to Believers First it appeares by the Believers longing and looking for Christs coming to judge the World it is the people of Gods property to long for the appearance of Christ when it makes the heart of a Felix to tremble but it is a Doctrine of great comfort to a Believer it is called the day of Redemption and called by Peter the day of Refreshing and this made the Church say Come Lord Iesus come quickly this shews that to the people of God there is no Doctrine so comfortable as the Doctrine of Christs coming to judge the World Titus 2.13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Peter 3.12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate That men should so long after Christs coming nay love Christs coming 2 Timothy 4.8 Henceforth there is laid up for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give mee at that day and not to mee onely but unto them also that love his appearing A crowne is laid up for mee and not for mee onely but for all them that love his appearing This shewes that surely it must be a Doctrine of great comfort to the Elect of God because they so long looke for and love the coming of Iesus Christ Secondly it is a Doctrine of great comfort because Iesus Christ hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect for that time though Christ brings Soules to Heaven before his coming yet hee doth not compleatly glorifie any of his servants till his coming againe to judge the World 1 Iohn 3.2 Beloved now are wee the Sons of God and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be but wee know not when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is and in Colos 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory God hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect against the time of his coming 1 Peter 5.4 And when the chiefe Shephard shall appeare yee shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away Frequent Texts of Scripture there are to prove that the reserve that Christ hath of the full glorifying of the Elect it is at the time of his coming to judge the World The third particular is but wherein is the Doctrine of Christs coming againe so comfortable to Believers there are these foure Particulars more especially wherein the Doctrine of Christs coming againe to judge the World is a Doctrine full of comfort to Believers First in case of any scandalous aspersions or any unjust imputation which is laid upon thee it may serve for great comfort to thee in this case The Apostle gives it you 1 Cor. 4.3 4. But with mee it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement yea I judge not mine own selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but hee that judgeth mee is the Lord. Censure mee what you will and judge of mee what you please for hee that judgeth mee shall be the Lord therefore it is a small matter that I am judged of Why suppose thou art judged thou art scandalized and thou art aspersed in the World why appeale to Jesus Christ in Heaven for hee that judgeth thee is the Lord and this wee finde Christ did 1 Pet. 2.23 Who when hee was reviled reviled not againe when hee suffered hee threatned not but comitted himselfe to him that judgeth righteously When thou art reviled and aspersed and censured why do not revile againe do not censure againe but do as Christ did commit thy cause to Christ that judgeth all things righteously Christ will come to over-judge all things that have beene judged amisse Jude 1.5 To execute Indgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly commited and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Men have hard speeches against many who are upright in the Land why it is a comfort that Christs coming againe one end is to convince men of all their hard speeches and scandalous aspersions Secondly Christs coming againe it is a Doctrine of comfort in this cause in case of all Presecution thou undergoest from men for Christ for the Gospell 1 Thess 1.6.7 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels As if hee should have said you are troubled and persecuted about the Gospell for Christs sake why be not troubled for Christ is coming from Heaven 1 Peter 4.13 But rejoyce in asmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy When Christ comes to be revealed and judge the World why rejoyce in your sufferings you shall be glad also with exceeding joy that is a second case wherein this Doctrine may be of comfort Thirdly this Doctrine may serve for comfort in case of any inward accusation
Judgement First because it is said that the time here spoken of it is when the Jewes were to be refreshed from the Lords presence v. 19 20 21. Repent yee therefore and be converted that your sinnes may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And hee shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you Whom the Heaven must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the World began And they cannot be refreshed by the Lords presence till Christs coming to judgement Secondly it was the time that God did solemnly declare pardon of sinne for all the Elect Repent yee therefore and bee converted that our Sinnes may hee blotted out Thirdly it is said of which all the Prophets do beare witnesse those that doe plead for Christs personall Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth they cannot say that all the Prophets did speake this for Moses Daniel and others nay none of the Prophets speake of Christs Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth therefore this cannot have a reference to Christs Reigne for a thousand yeares upon the Earth A Second Scripture is in Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right Hand untill I make thine Enemies thy Foote-stoole That Scripture tells you that Jesus Christ who is ascended into heaven and sits at Gods right Hand there that Christ shall sit at Gods right Hand how long till hee hath made all his Enemies his Foote-stoole The Apostle tells you that all Enemies to be made Christs Foot-stoole cannot be till Christs coming at the last time Will you marke that Scripture that the Apostle telleth you directly 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25 26. But every man in his owne Order Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when hee shall have put down all rule and all authority and all power For hee must reigne till hee hath put all Enemies under his Feets The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Here is the coming of Christ that hath reference to all the Just and Unjust Marke now Christ therefore must reigne in Heaven till all enemies be under his Feete now these thousand yeares all Enemies are not under his Feete why because death will be then death is not to be destroyed then for there will be thousands of Men upon the Earth but when the end comes hee must give up his Kingdome to his Father What is more cleare then this that the Heavens must keepe Christ till all things bee restored and that cannot be till the day of Judgement Againe Christ must reigne so long till the end of the World The third Scripture is in the 1 Cor. 15.23.24 But every Man in his owne Order Christ the first Fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when hee shall have put down all rule and all authority and all power This Scripture telleth you that when Christ cometh out of Heaven upon Christs coming three things must be done First every man must rise vers 23. Now that cannot be at a thousand years because they themselves hold this that there shall onely be a Resurrection of the Martyrs and here the Scripture saith that every man shall rise which cannot be till the day of Judgement Secondly when Christ comes then comes the end the Apostle tells us of his coming and the end of the World to note that Christs coming and the end of the World shall be together Thirdly hee delivers his Kingdome up to his Father whereas if Christ should reigne a thousand years here it could not be said to be the giving up of a Kingdome but to the taking of a Kingdome into possession hèe must resigne all to God the Father When the Scripture is so expresse it is a wonder that men can fancy such fantasticall thoughts that Christ must come as an Earthly Monarch to reigne here a thousand years A fourth Scripture is in Heb. 9.28 So Christ was once offered to beare the sinnes of many and unto them that looke for him shall hee appeare the second time without sinne unto Salvation From that Scripture I will argue against Christs coming to reigne upon the Earth for a thousand yeares First it is expresly in the Scripture that Christs coming there spoken of it referres to the day of judgement in vers 27. And as it is appointed unto men once to dy but after this the judgement There Christs second coming it doth referre to the day of Judgement Now if the Scripture doth call that his second coming which is his coming to judgement then Christ cannot come before that time as to reigne upon the Earth for if hee should come to reigne upon the Earth then the Apostle must call that his third coming there was but one coming which was from Heaven to the Wombe of the Virgin and there is no other coming but a second coming that is to judgement that is his second coming Secondly it is said Christ shall come the second time to our Salvation it cannot be said to our Salvation if his coming were to reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth it were onely a worldly way but Christs comming it must referre to the last and great coming wherein the World shall be judged and the Soules of the Elect shall be saved Beloved these Scriptures are very cleare unto mee The reasons are two that Christ shall not come personally out of Heaven to reigne upon the Earth for a thousand years First because the Scripture doth manifest that when Christ comes personally out of Heaven there are such Concomitants of his coming that can be refâ—rred to no other time then his last coming to judge the World First when Christ is said to come out of Heaven the Scripture telleth you this Concomitant that the Saints shall come along with him Jude 14. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints So that when Christ comes from Heaven hee must come with his Saints with him nay he must come with his Angels 2 Thess 1.7 And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels These two Scriptures put together Christ must come with his Saints and Angells I but those that fancy Christs coming a thousand years they cannot prove that Christ shall come with his Saints and Angells for the Scripture that seemes to carry it that way doth not speak of Angells and Saints coming Secondly it is said when Christ comes from Heaven that good and bad shall be gathered together and all shall be judged by Jesus Christ now this cannot bee of Christs personall
reigne on the Earth this you have in 2 Thess 2.9 Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him So that the coming of our Lord and our gathering together to be judged by Christ they are both coupled together because when the Lords coming is then is our gathering time Mat. 25.31.32 When the Sonne of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit upon the Throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and hee shall seperate them one from another as a Shepheard divideth his Sheepe from the Goats And in 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdome The Scripture telleth you that when Christ appeares to judge the World hee shall have this Concomitant of his coming hee shall gather all together to judge both the Good and the Bad. Those that pretend that Christ shall come to reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth they cannot prove that then all shall bee gathered together they onely pleade for the Martyrs and none else therefore it cannot be referred to his coming to reigne a thousand years Thirdly when Christ comes then the end of the World is a period is put to this World 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father c. So when Christ comes then comes the end Now those who hold for Christs personall reigne they hold that the end of the World shall not be till a thousand yeares after because Christ must Reigne a thousand yeares Fourthly the Resurrection both of the just and unjust is a concomitant of Christs coming 1 Cor. 15.23 But every man in his owne Order Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming So that at Christs coming the generall Resurrection of the just and unjust is to be Lastly there is to be the Salvation of the Soules of all the Elect that is a fifth concomitant of Christs coming Heb. 9.28 So Christ was once offered to beare the sinnes of many and unto them that looke for him shall hee appeare the second time without sinne unto Salvation This cannot bee referred to Christs Person coming upon the Earth because hee doth not come then to save the soules of all the Elect that is the first reason why Christ cannot come to Reigne upon the Earth that when the Scripture speakes of Christ coming out of Heaven the Scripture doth annex five Concomitants with it that it cannot be true of Christs coming upon the Earth but to come to judge the World A second reason is this that Christ cannot come to reigne upon the Earth because if it should be so it would be worse for Christ and it would be worse for us then now it is it would be worse for Christ for to leave Heaven and come to the Earth for Christ to leave Saints and Angells and Heaven for to live among the wicked and the good for they themselves confesse that wicked men shall live upon the Earth then Then besides they fancy Earthly delights that the fruit of the Vineyard shall not fade as now it doth why they would lessen Christs Glory because hee sits this day at his Fathers right Hand for to fancy this that Christ must come to reigne upon the earth it would be a great losse to all the Elect for wee have the benefit of Christs everlasting Intercession And were Christ upon the Earth wee should lose that benefit Heb. 8.4 For if hee were on the Earth hee should not be a Priest seeing that there are Priests that offer gifts according to the Law Therefore I doe wonder what they will doe that pretend great glory to Christ to reigne on the Earth so that if hee were upon the Earth wee should lose the benefit of his Priest-hood Therefore it would be a great wrong to us to have Christ here on the Earth because the benefit of his Priestly Office would not be so availeable to us as it is in Heaven Thus I have laid down Scripture and given you reasons why Christ cannot come before his last coming Now there are eight Incongruities and Absurdities that would follow in case you should grant that CHRIST should come to Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth First by those mens Principles this inconvenience will follow that people may exactly know the punctuall time of Christs last coming to judge the World for those who hold Christs personall Reigne they do as well hold the time as the thing they doe as well maintaine when this Reigne shall begin Therefore some have maintained that Christ should come to Reigne on the Earth in the yeare 1650. One saith if it shall not be in the yeare 1650 it shall be in the yeare 1694. They that goe furthest give at that time if so be they hold the thing and maintaine the time when it shall begin then of necessity wee must know exactly when the day shall be that Christ shall come to judge the World for they grant it shal be imediately after the thousand yeares Now Beloved that Opinion that carries this absurdity to know the day of Christs coming to judge the World which Christ saith none in the World can tell of that houre and day knoweth no man Mark 13.32 But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells which are in Heaven neither the Sonne but the Father Therefore it cannot possibly be that Christ must come on the Earth therefore those that live at least to see Christ come from Heaven they cannot tell to a Day when CHRIST shall come to judge the World A second Incongruity which will follow is this if this should be granted that Christ shall Reigne on the Earth a thousand years before his great and last coming to judge the World then it will follow that Christ shall almost be as long a time on the Earth as in Heaven Christ dyed in the 33 yeare of his Age and hath beene 1619 yeares in Heaven and hee must be a thousand yeares upon the Earth that is very improbable This incongruity will follow that it will be a great disadvantage to Christ for Christ to come in person a thousand yeares on the Earth hee must leave his Father and leave his Heaven and come and onely possesse Earth Now Christ hath more happinesse in the imediate enjoyment of his Father in Heaven then hee can have here upon the Earth Then it will be a losse to us that wee should lose the benefit of his Priestly Office but Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse being in Heaven is more waileable to Believers then if he were upon the Earth Fourthly observe this that if Christ should come on the Earth for a thousand yeares then Christ would leave the Church after that thousand yeares for a while in
doth say that the Saints that were beheaded that they should live with Christ a thousand yeares yet the Text doth not say that Christ shall come to reigne with them a thousand yeares Secondly though the Text saith that they should live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares yet the Text doth not say that they shall reigne with him here upon the Earth Thirdly that though it be said that the Saints shall live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares yet living and reigning with Christ doth not necessarily imply to be in the same place where Iesus Christ is for then you would pervert many Scriptures For loe saith Christ I am with you to the end of the World it doth not therefore follow from that time hee will be upon the Earth to the end of the World but Christ being with us or wee with him it doth not follow wee must be with him where hee is but it is his Spirit Romans 8.17 And if Children then Heires of God and joynt Heires with Christ if so bee that wee suffer with him that we may be also glorified together The Text it doth not denote the samenes of place and the onenes of scituation I give this to take off that which is made of this Text. Fourthly it is evident that this Scripture cannot be a Foundation to build on that Christ shall come to reigne a thousand yeares on the Earth then it will not onely follow that men shall live so long but shall reigne with Christ so long on the Earth Methuselah lived but nine hundred sixty and nine yeares and David saith the life of man is cut short The Text saith they shall live and reigne with Christ in that sence taking living properly and all the Phrases properly they must necessarily say that men shall live when that time comes that men shall live a thousand yeares together Then it cannot be the sence of the Scripture because that cannot be the sence of this Scripture which crosseth the sence of other Scriptures to make this Scripture to affirme that Christ shall reigne on the Earth a thousand yeares for other Scriptures tell you that Christ shall stay in Heaven in person till all men shall rise from the Dead every man shall rise then cometh the end 1 Cor. 15.23 24. But every man in his owne order Christ the first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end c. 2 Thess 2.1 Now wee beseech you Brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him Then besides it doth crosse the Scripture to say that at Christs coming onely some men shall arise but not all Job 14.10 11 12. But man dieth and wasteth away yea man giveth up the ghost and where is hee As the waters faile from the Sea and the Flood decayeth and dryeth up So man lieth downe and riseth not till the Heavens be no more they shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleepe Job telleth you expresly That the dead shall not be raised till the Heavens be no more and that cannot be the thousand yeares for there will be a Earth and a Heaven then And in Peters phrase The Heavens shall melt away like a scrowle c. Now to make a Resurrection before a Resurrection it is that which the Scripture doth no where mention John 5.28 29. Marvell not at this for the houre is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his Voyce And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the Resurrection of damnation The judging of the just and unjust shall be the same houre and upon Christs coming all men shall be judged 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome So that Christs appearing and Christs coming is a judging of the quick and the dead Now Beloved then to make this Scripture to say that Christ shall come on the Earth before his last coming this is to crosse other Scripture then of necessity it cannot bee the scope of this for there is no jarring between one phrase of the Scripture and another Fifthly when the Scripture saith here That they live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares it may be as well and they have as strong a ground to plead it is not spoken whether it be a reigning with CHRIST in Heaven or on Earth so the phrase neither carryeth it one way or another Sixthly John doth not say that he saw the bodies of men that were beheaded and they reigned with Christ but hee did in a Vision see the Soules of them that were beheaded now to say that they must come to reigne on the Earth for a thousand yeares it were a great inconveniency to them it is said I saw the Soules of them the thousand yeares cannot be applied to Christs personall Reigne for either it must be applyed to him as hee is simply God and it cannot be applyed to him for so Iesus Christ hath an eternall Kingdome hee doth not reigne a thousand yeares on Earth or in Heaven but everlastingly Kingdomes and States of this World have lasted a thousand yeares and to make Christs Kingdome to last no longer it is to give Christs Kingdome too narrow a confine I have consulted with many Authors and I finde the concurrent of Interpreters generally runne this way though some doe fancy that Text speakes of the binding of the Divell for a thousand yeares and during this time the Saints should live and reigne with Christ for a thousand yeares The sense and scope of this First for the period of time when this time began that the Divell was bound Interpreters doe unanimously give this Opinion that it began in the reigne of Constantine the Great hee being the first Christian Emperour in the World hee coming after 300 yeares Persecution by the Roman Emperours who made great massacre and havock in the Church of God Insomuch that in the booke of Martyrs wee reade that there may be for every day in the year five thousand Christians slaine this is a dreadfull persecution and the Divell raged and stirred much Now upon Constantines reigne the Divell was bound up that is the Roman Emperours who were acted by the Devill to all this cruelty when Constantine a Christian Emperour came to reigne hee gave out impreiall Edicts and Lawes for Establishment of the Christian Religion and that put an end to the Heathens Persecution the Roman Emperours and of this Opinion many Interpreters give in their consent Brightman Napman Gerrard with multitudes of others for the thousand years when the Divell was bound did end 300 yeares and more and this is given to be the scope and sense of the Scripture Obj. I but then you will say Though the Divel was bound how comes the Divell to be loose againe
this Text. First they say that this Text it is a parable and not an Historicall Narration To this I answer though some men doe say it is a Parable yet many say it is a History Jerome and many following him doth give many Arguments to prove that it was a History and not a Parable And Tertullian is confident that this is an exact History of what was really done And Peter Martyr doth quote Tertullian saith hee that Tertullian is so confident that this is a History that hee undertakes for to tell this to tell you whom were the men saith hee the Rich man was Herod and the Beggar was Iohn the Baptist But suppose it be a Parable and not a History yet Parables doe carry the resemblance of truth Parables take their Foundations from truth that there are some men in Hell and some men in Heaven that in Hell there is torment and in Heaven there is joy that as the beggar went to Heaven after death so shall all the godly and as the rich man went to Hell so shall all the wicked The other Evasion is this it is said that this Beggar is said to be carried into Abrahams bosome I answer First it is more then probable that Abrahams bosome is Heaven Now Abraham being in Heaven why all his children are in Heaven as children in a Fathers bosome he being the Father of the faithfull that is the answer that Gerrard gives Againe it is said that they are carried by Angells into Abrahams bosome Therefore Abrahams bosome must be in Heaven now certainly the good Angells carry a good soule into Heaven and the wicked Angels carry a damned soule into hell and thus you have two Instances that imediatly after death the soules of the Elect goe to Heaven A third Instance is in Mat. 22.31 32. But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living Argue from that Instance that therefore Abraham Isaac and Jacob were living at that time though not in their bodies but they were at that time living if you marke the reason the reason of that Text was not to prove a Resurrection of the body onely which the Saduces deny but also to prove the imortality of the Soule The Saduces deny Spirits and Angells too Acts 23.8 For the Saduces say that there is no Resurrection neither Angell nor Spirit but the Pharisees confesse both Christ doth prove that there shall be a Resurrection of the body and hee likewise proves that the soule doth not die when the body dyeth Indeed there is a quotation that I have read of a learned man that doth make use of this Instance Gen. 25.8 Then Abraham gave up the Ghost and died in a good old age an old man and full of yeares and was gathered to his people Abraham was not gathered to his Fathers nor to be gathered in the grave where his fore-fathers were how can this be true that the Scripture saith Abraham was gathered unto his Fathers yet hee was not gathered to his Fathers in God therefore say Divines it must be in his Soule that Abraham went to Heaven as his godly fore-fathers went that is the meaning of that phrase to be bound up in the bundle of Life to goe to Heaven as their fore-fathers did And thus much for particular Instances The second way to prove that the soules of the Elect men goe to Heaven imediately after death It is by generall Expressions in Scripture Two generall passages one is In Heb. 12.23 To the generall Assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect thence I argue that the Apostle makes mention and proves that there were the Spirits of just men made perfect Now if their soules did perish with their bodies then the Apostle should say that their spirits are annihilated with the body but it is the spirits of just men made perfect the Scripture takes notice in generall expressions that just men have their soules made perfect And then in Eccle. 12.7 Then shall the dust returne to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall returne to God who gave it Marke here are two things spoken of First here is the end of godly men the body shall goe to the dust and the soule to God the time when it shall be is when that man goeth to his long home when the keepers of the House shall tremble that is the Hands and Armes and the strong men shall bow themselves that is the Feete and Thighs and the Grinders shall cease that is the Teeth and they that looke out at the windowes shall be darkened that is the Eyes when nature decayes and the body perisheth by Diseases and dyes then shall the body goe to the dust and the spirit to God that gave it Thirdly I shall prove it to you from expresse passages in the Scripture that doe confirme this that the soules of the Elect after death before Christs coming are received into heaven for this I shall give foure or five expresse Scriptures The first is in Iohn 6.40 And this is the will of him that sent mee that every one which seeth the Sonne and believeth on him may have Everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Here are two distinct promises premised First a promise of everlasting Life Secondly a promise of raising up at the last day First a promise of everlasting Life is made distinct from the other Divines say that before the raising up at the last day there is an everlasting Life that his soule shall live before the last day and his body shall be raised up at the last day Another Text is in Luke 16.9 And I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that when yee faile they may receive you into everlasting habitations Kemnitius makes great use of this Text to prove what I am now arguing to you that imediately after death the soule of an Elect man is received into Heaven Marke make you friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse that is your wealth called so either because it is unrighteously gotten or unrighteously kept use your wealth well that when you die you may be received into everlasting habitations It is questionable whether it be referred to Angells or to the poore which shall pray for us that wee may be received into Heaven but saith Kemnitius use your wealth well that you may be received into everlasting habitations upon your failing upon your dying the Lord receives the Elect into everlasting habitations This Kemnitius doth build on that the soule doth goe to Heaven imediately after Death A third Scripture is in Phil. 3.23 For I am in a straite betwixt two having a desire to
not in Heaven hee was speaking on Earth to them in his Person in his Humane Nature so likewise in John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given Mee bee with Mee where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given Mee for thou lovedst Mee before the Foundation of the World Gerrard doth raise this Question that when Christ speakes of his being in Heaven CHRIST doth speake of it in the Present Tense as if hee were there already Now why doth Christ say that hee is in Heaven when yet he was in his body on the Earth First Christ saith I am it denotes the certainty of Christs going to heaven that he should bee there as sure as if hee were there Babylon is fallen why the Popedome is not fallen yet it shall bee as sure as if it were fallen It is to note Secondly the suddennesse of it Christ was shortly to bee in Heaven there was but one day betweene Christ and his being in Heaven things suddenly to be done they are said to be done things that are neere a doing are said to be done Thirdly which is the reason that Gerrard gives Christ doth expresse in the present Tense where I am though hee were on Earth it was for this reason saith Gerrard to shew that Christ was truly God as well as Man and in regard of his Divine Nature hee was truly in Heaven as in regard of his Humane Nature hee was on Earth Thus much for the manner of expression that where I am there you may be also the latter part is that they might be with Christ where he is One thing to observe that in Scripture Language there is a great difference betweene Christs being with us and ours said to be with Christ Christ is said to be with us it doth not denote a personall presence but a presence by his Spirit Mat. 28. last verse Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I shall command you and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World It was not in person for hee left them but I am with you in my blessing in my Spirit but when the Scripture saith of our being with Christ it notes a personall presence a being with Christ in preson Therefore Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Christ was with Paul because Christ converted him but Paul was not with Christ but desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ our being with the Lord it notes a personall presence an enjoying of the presence of the Lord. Obser The Observation is this That Christ at his second coming receives the Elect unto himselfe in body and soule that they might bee for ever present where Jesus Christ is in Heaven that where I am there yee may bee also This Doctrine it is out of the common place Here in setting out to you this great happinesse that this should be the consequent of Christs great and last coming to receive the Elect unto himselfe that where Christ is there yee may be also I shall then shew you the great blessednesse in this condition in these eight or nine particulars First our being where Christ is in heaven I may first set out the happinesse of it in this particular First that you will bee more happy in being present with Jesus Christ in Heaven then if you had beene present with Adam in a state of Innocency wee should have thought our selves happy then to bee as Adam was to have had the Immediate presence of God wee should have thought this a very happy and glorious Estate Indeed so it was but now to be present with CHRIST in Heaven thou art more happy ten thousand times then if thou hadst beene made when Adam was made to have lived with him in Innocency First Adam when he was made by God in Innocency he was instated only into an earthly Paradice but now thou being with Christ art stated into an everlasting kingdom Againe Adam was placed in Innocency yet so as to bee liable to lose that blessed and glorious condition hee was in and did lose it though hee were a perfect Creature yet hee lay under a capacity to lose all his excellency but when God brings thee to bee present with Jesus Christ thou art instated into a kingdom that cannot be shaken into a happy condition that cannot be lost Againe thirdly when hee was made by God in Innocency hee enjoyed onely the society of Beasts on the Earth and Birds of the Ayre I but when God brings thee where Christ is hee doth instate thee into a condition where God the Father God the Son and all the Saints and Angels are thy companions Secondly here is another part of thy happinesse being where Christ is that thou shalt enjoy the society of Christ in his Humane Nature where Christ is thou shalt be that is the meaning of that expression John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given Mee be with Mee where I am that they may behold my Glory Beloved this is the Beatificall vision this referres to seeing the glory of Christs Person in his Humane Nature not the glory of his Godhead but the glory of his Man-hood which was in himselfe that they may behold my glorified body the glory of my Humane Nature that was so contemned and so despised when I was on the Earth I beseech thee let all the Elect that long for mee and for to bee with mee I beseech thee that they may bee with mee where I am to behold my glory It was a solemn wish of Austine a little before his Death hee wisht that hee might see three things and then if hee might die hee did not care I wish saith hee First that I might see Rome in its beauty and see Paul in the Pulpit and to see Christ in the flesh every Believer shall see the Lord Jesus in the flesh Job tells you of his confidence long before Christ was borne I know my Redeemer liveth and with these Eyes I shall see my Redeemer here is thy happinesse that being where Jesus Christ is thou hast a society with Christ in his Humane Nature 1 John 3.2 Beloved now wee are the Sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall bee but wee know not when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for wee shall see him as hee is Wee doe not know what Christ is wee doe not know what a glorified body is wee shall know him then wee shall see him as hee is glorified in Heaven A Third thing that makes much for the blessednesse of the Elect that thy being present with Jesus Christ God gives thee more Honour then ever thou couldst be capable of in former time God gives thee glory by vertue of thy being with Jesus Christ a notable Text John 12.26 verse If any Man serve mee let him follow mee and where I am there shall also my servant be If any Man serve mee
him will my Father honour That is where I shall bee in Heaven Beloved the time is now of giving honour to God and giving glory to God but thy being where Christ is God gives thee glory and gives thee Honours Fourthly thy happinesse in being present with Christ where hee is that thou shalt stand in no neede of Ordinances beloved here the highest growne Christian and the strongest Believer in the World doth stand in more neede of Ordinances then a lame man doth of Crutches to goe by I but when thou comest to have this accomplished that thou shalt bee where Christ is thou then standest in no neede of Ordinances then what needs the Candlestickes of Sermons what needs the Candlestick of Preaching and the Candlestick of Praying when thou art present with Christ there is no neede of conduit Pipes when thou art by the Fountaine-head thou needst no Ordinances the Conduit Pipes are the Ordinances there is no neede of Ordinances any longer then thou art absent from the Fountaine which is JESUS CHRIST the ceremoniall Law is all Gospell it is darke Gospell the Evangelists are explained Gospell the ceremoniall Law is darke Gospell Exodus 25. Meaning the Holy place There was to bee golden Candlesticks which Types out the Preaching of the Word In the holy place there was the Candlesticks and the Incense Dishes to wit Christs Intercession this was onely in the holy place but in the Holy of Holiest there was no Candlestick no Incense Dishes there to shew that whilst you are on this side Heaven in the Church of God you neede the Candlestick you neede Preaching and Praying I but in the holy of holiest there was none of this to shew that it was a type of Heaven and when Christ brings thee there then thou art above Ordinances and never till then this is a fourth particular A Fifth priviledge of thy being where Christ is is this that thou shalt have a full communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ in person Beloved here wee have a communion with Christ but it is a communion far different from that which we shall have in Heaven First it shall bee different in regard of the manner of its enjoyment in this World thou enjoyest Christ mediately by Ordinances thou dost but see him as in the Apostles phrase in a glasse darkely but in Heaven thou shalt enjoy Christ personally and have communion imediately with Christ in Heaven Secondly in regard of the measure of your enjoyment here you enjoy but a parcell of Christ you here enjoy Christs Spirit by drops you shall then enjoy the fulnesse of the Ocean Thirdly it differs in regard of its time and duration Here you doe injoy Christ it is true but it is by fits and starts you enjoy him now in an Ordinance but you have interrupted fellowship and communion with Christ but when thou art with him in Heaven there is no Interruption in thy communion with Christ Fourthly it is different in regard of its expectation I but now in Heaven thou enjoyest Christ by way of possession Fiftly in regard of place here there is a great distance of place betweene Christ and us here wee enjoy Christ hee in heaven and wee on Earth but then wee shall enjoy Christ in one place hee in Heaven and wee in Heaven here thou mayest thinke much of Christ I but if thou were nearer Christ thou shouldst see and know more of his glory Sixtly there shall bee a difference in regard of thy companions and those that are in fellowship with thee in Heaven they are Saints and Angells I but one Earth though thou dost enjoy Christ yet thou art inforst to discourse and commerce with wicked men A sixt particular is this thy being present with Jesus Christ there is this to attend thee there shall bee gladnesse and rejoycing among all the Angells in Heaven if the Angells in Heaven shall rejoyce at a sinners conversion they shall much rejoyce at a sinners inauguration and Inthronizing into Heaven they and wee shall make but one head but one fold to glorifie the great Shephard of our soules the Lord Jesus what great joy shall there be among Angells Archangells thrones c. Singing Hallelujah to God making you partners of their glory Seventhly our being with Christ shall put us into a state of exemption from sin from the causes of sin and from the punishments of sinne First from sinne here thy beautifull soule is bespotted with the spots of Leprosie I meane with foule and deformed lusts but when thou art with Jesus Christ thou art exempted from sin sin no more Secondly thou shalt be exempted from the causes of sinne the Divell shall deceive no more there but here thou liest exposed to all temptations Thirdly there shall be no more punishments for sinne why here thou art punished by thy body by Diseases and the like here punishments from trouble of soule but in Heaven freed from internall punishments and externall punishments this was prefigured under the Law 1 Kings 33. The Palme-tree is an Embleme of victory Therefore the victorious are said to weare Palme in their hands triumphing Revelations 7. to shew that you can never bee compleat Conquerours to weare signalls of triumph and signalls of conquest in your hands till you come to enter into the holy of holiest That you have conquered over sinne and over temptations to sinne and conquered over all punishments for sinne The Morall Philosophers say that Raine Haile Storme and Tempests are engendred in the midle Region but about the middle Region there is no Winde no Storme or Tempest but whilst thou art here below there are Stormes Winde and blustring Temptations but when God takes thee above this middle Region there is no storme nor tempest to disturbe thee but thou shalt be quiet there Eightly that being present with Jesus Christ that those who have suffered most and done most for Jesus Christ shall have most glory with Jesus Christ all shall have glory enough hee that hath least in Heaven shall have enough every vessell of glory shall bee full yet some shall containe more then others as thou hast had more grace in this World why thou shalt have more glory There are degrees of glory in Heaven and there are degrees of torments in Hell there are degrees and orders among the Angells in Heaven not onely Angells but Archangells not onely cherubins and ceraphins but distinct orders among Angells there surely is an order and degree among glorified Saints that those that have done most for Christ and suffered most for Christ they they shall have most glory from Jesus Christ I am loth for to runne out upon these Arguments I onely take it in as a comfortable head by the way you shall accordingly as you have done and suffered most you shall have most glory from him It is the saying of One that as God doth inequally communicate his Graces in an inequall manner in this Life so hee shall crowne them in an