that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Ioh. 3. 2. Like him in Glory When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. Thus is Iesus Christ fitly resembled by the Sun in regard of his illuminating property being fons luminis the fountaine of all light inlightning all that are inlightned in what kind so ever 2 And inlightning hee also enliveneth quickneth This doth the Sun in a naturall way it quickneth vegetables hearbs and plantes and trees and some other creatures which seeme dead in the winter yet by the returne of the Sun they are quickned in the spring And the like doth Iesus Christ in a supernaturall way Hee quickneth men Thence called their life in that place last mentioned When Christ who is our life shall appeare Col. 3. 4. Quickning them and that both in their soules and Bodies Their soules The Son quickneth whome he will Ioh. 5. 21. This doth he here to the soules of men Finding them dead in trespasses and sins Chap. 2. 1. hee quickneth them Which he doth by sending his spirit into their hearts as the Sun quickneth the hearbs and plants by sending his warme beames into the bosome of the earth And as the soules so the Bodies of men Having quickned the soules of his elect here he shall quicken their Bodies hereafter This is the Fathers will who hath sent me saith our Saviour that of all that he hath given me I should loose nothing but should raise it up againe at the last day Ioh 6. 39. And this shall he doe by the same spirit So the Apostle tels his Romanes C. 8. 11. If the spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes by his spirit that dwelleth in you That spirit of Christ which here quickneth the souls of his elect in the first resurrection shall by the like power also quicken their bodies in the second Upon which double account he is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Quickning spirit 1. Cor. 15. 45. The last Adam was made a quickning spirit The last Adam Iesus Christ who is the head and roote of all his elect as the first Adam was of all mankind he is ordained by God to be the fountaine and Author both of a spirituall and Eternall life unto them quickning them by the Communication of his spirit unto them quickning their Souls here and Bodyes hereafter Thus is he as the Sun vivifiying quickning 3. Quickning he also cheareth and comforteth This doth the Sun which is as it were the Ioy and comfort of the world without which there is nothing but melancholie darkness and sadness Such is Iesus Christ the joy and comfort of his Church The Consolation of Israel as he is stiled Luk. 2. 25. refreshing chearing comforting the hearts of his people Even as the Sun by the warm beams of it cheereth and refresheth the herbes and plants making them lift up the head which drooped before Even thus doth this Sun of righteousnes arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. Comforting the hearts of his people chearing up their drooping and dejected spirits comforting them I even I am he that comforteth you saith the Lord Christ to his people Isai. 51. 1. This is the proper office of Iesus Christ as the same Prophet sets it forth Isai. 91. 1. 2. The spirit of the Lord is upon me and hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meeke He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to comfort all that mourn To appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for asshes and the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of gladness for the spirit of heavines Even as the Sun arising upon the earth putteth a new garment upon it instead of that sable mantle of darkness wherewith it was covered it put on it a robe of â—ight and so alters the habit of it making all things chearfull and comfortable So doth Iesus Christ coming to a dejected soule he causeth light to shine forth into it even the light of spirituall joy and comfort so changing and altering the state of it Which also he doth by his spirit Even as the sun whilst the body of it is in heaven yet by sending downe its beames it cheareth and comforteth those creatures which are here below Thus doth the Lord Iesus though he be in person in heaven yet by sending his spirit he comforteth the hearts of his people That is the Promise which he maketh unto his Apostles when he was to take his leave of them as to his bodily presence yet he would not leave them comfortles Ioh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you viz. by his spirit Even as the Sun though at a vast distance from the earth yet daily cometh to it viâ—iteth it by sending down his beams upon it Thus â—he Lord Iesus though keeping his residence in heaven yet he cometh to his people upon earth by sending his Spirit to them which is their Comforter When the Comforter is come whom I wil send unto you even the spirit of truth c. Ioh. 15. 26. 4. Againe Thus chearing the hearts of his people he also maketh them to fructifie So doth the Sun to the earth to trees and plants by â—hining upon them it maketh them beare fruit which otherwise standing in the shade would be barren What ever fruites the earth bringeth forth it may thanke the Sun for it And thus the Lord Iesus by sending his spirit into the hearts of his people he maketh them fruitful who otherwise without him would be barren as he himself setteth it forth fully Ioh. 15. 4 c. By this meanes they who of themselves are not sufficient so much as to thinke a good thought as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3. 9. come to abound in good workes and to be filled with the fruites of righteousness which are by Iesus Christ to the Praise and Glory of God as the same Apostle prayeth for his Philippians Phil. 1. 11. Which fruits are the fruites of the spirit so called Gal. 5. 22. 5. To which I might yet add As he causeth them to fructifie so also he purifieth them Thiâ— doth the Sun rising upon the earth it clarifieth purifieth the ayre freeing it from those annoyances which in the night season had fallen upon it And this doth the Lord Iesus rising upon the heart of his people by his spirit he purifieth them Thence compared to a refiners fire Mat. 3. 2 3. But I shall not give way to further inlargments Thus you see how Iesus Christ is as the Sun to his Church performing the like office to his people that the Sun doth to the world I might yet goe on and shew you how he is
onely to him as Romanists would have it but to other his Apostles and Disciples and in them to their Successours even to all the Ministers of the Gospel as I touched before Into whose hands he hath put a double Key The Key of Doctrine and discipline of Doctrine giving them not onely leave or allowance but power to preach the Gospel Go teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. Go preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. And that in measure as himself is said to have done Matthew 7. last with Authoritie These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all Authoritie saith Paul to Titus Tit. 2. last And as the Key of Doctrine which is elsewhere called the Key of Knowledge Luke 11. 52. because it openeth the door and letteth men into the saving knowledge of God in Christ so of Discipline and Government Jesus Christ having given a Ministerial power to them partly by the Application of that Doctrine to the consciences of men and partly by the censures of the Church as it were to open and shut the Kingdome of Heaven the Kingdome of Grace and Glorie to open it to penitent believers to shut it against obstinate sinners Whatsover ye bind on earth c. Whose sins ye remit c. Thus have Gospel Ministers their Office from Christ their persons also being sent by him with Authoritie from him And upon this account are these stars here placed in the hand of this Son of Man to intimate the interest and propertie that Iesus Christ hath in the Ministers of the Churches who are his Ministers Here is a first thing hereby signified Pass we to a second Secondly As they are Ministers his Officers so they are ordered and governed by him And upon this account again they may be said to be in his hand in as much as they are disposed of and directed by him As are Ambassadours by their Masters that send them together with their Commission they receive particular directions and instructions both whither they are to go and what they are to say and do Even so it is with the Ministers of Christ being sent by him they are also directed by him As whither to go so were the Apostles whose Commission was first restrained to one particular Nation viz. to the Jewes Go not into the way of the Gentiles Matth. 10. 15. afterwards inlarged Goe teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. And so was S. Paul sent to the Gentiles by Christ who appeared to him Acts 26. 18. And so are ordinarie Ministers though not in so immediate a way yet still they are directed by Christ viz. by his special Providence whither to goe where they are to be imployed It is this hand that fixeth these Stars in their several Orbes that placeth Ministers in their particular charges where also he continues them during his good pleasure disposing of them both for life and libertie as he seeth fitting So also what it is that they are to speak in his Name To which end he as it were putteth his word into their mouths So the Lord is said to have done into that fals Prophet Balams Numb 23. 16. The Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth And so he did in the mouths of his true Prophets Behold I have put my word into thy mouth saith the Lord to the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 1. 9. And the like doth the Lord Jesus into the mouthes of his Ministers he putteth his word into their mouthes sending them to preach he ordereth them what they are to preach Goe preach the Gospel Thus he giveth them directions and instructions from his Word the Scriptures whereby the Man of God cometh to be perfect as the Apostle telleth Timothie 2 Tim. 3. last And with his word he giveth them his Spirit This is that which our Saviour maketh promise to his Apostles and Disciples John 14. 16. 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth which Spirit he afterwards tells them should guide them into all Truth chap. 16. 13. And this Spirit Christ giveth in measure to all their Successours the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel whereby their Heads and Hearts come to be enlightned with those saving and usefull truths which they are to hold forth uuto others God hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle in that place forenamed Thus are they in their ministerial work and service disposed of ordered governed by Christ. And upon this account again may be said to be in his hand Thirdly They are in his hand his right hand being powerfully supported and upheld defended and maintained by him In this sense all the Saints of God are said to be in his hand All his Saints are in thy hand saith Moses Deut. 23. 3. Gods Saints in the hand of Jesus Christ under his custody and protection But so are his Ministers after a special manner They are in his right hand under his powerful and gracious protection and support So the Psalmist often useth this phrase Thy right hand upholdeth me Psal. 18. 35. v. 63. 8. O thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust iâ— thee Psal. 17 7. The right hand is a member strong and active whereby a man sheweth and putteth forth the whole strength of his body And thence is it that Gods power manifested in the protection or deliverance of his people is called the strength of his right hand The Lord saveth his anointed with the saving strength of his right hand saith the Church speaking of David her king Psal. 20. 6. And such is the salvation which the Lord Christ sheweth unto his servants his faithful Ministers First maintaining their office which he will do in despite of all opposition to the end of the world I am with you alwaies to the end of the world And then so far as he seeth it expedient defending their persons continuing their lives and liberties Thus was this Son of man with those stars the Ministers of the Asian Churches He held them in his right hand protectiug them keeping them either from or in the hour of Temptation That is the promise which he maketh to the Philadelphian Angel Revel 3. 10. I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world Such was the state of the Church then under the reign of that cruel Tyrant the Emperour Domitian it lay under a general persecution yet the Lord Iesus promiseth to the Church and in particular to the Ministers thereof an exemption and immunitie And thus doth Iesus Christ hide his Ministers sometimes as it were in the hollow or shadow of his hand Thus was he himself hid by his Father as the Prophet Esay saith of him Isai. 49. 21. In or with the shadow of his hand hath he hid me So protecting him against all the might and malice of his capital enemies that they could not lay hold upon him or do ought
in his Conception and Birth And such he was in his Life During which he continually conversed with sinners yet he received no infection from them Being every way such as the Apostle describeth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy harmless â—ndefiled separate from sinners viz. in respect of any participation in that sin which is common to all other of the sons of men Heb. 7. 26. Thus Jesus Christ was and is as the Sun in respect of his personal properties From them come we to his operations and effects And here we shall find the like resemblance Christ being unto his Church as the Sun is to the world present with it Even as the Sun is in the midst of the Planets and being in his strength at noon day it is in the midst of the heavens and yet so as it is vertually and vigorously present in all places of the hemisphere that part of heaven and earth wherin it appears Even so is the Lord Iesus in the midst of his Châ—rches So this Son of man here appeareth unto our Apostle in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks A representation of the presence of Christ in the midst of those seven Churches as the last verse of this Chhapter expounds it And so he is in all other his Churches in the midst of them Being present not only with his Ministers to whom he hath promised his presence after a special manner Behold I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Math. 28. 20. But also with all true worshippers That is his promise to his Disciples and in them to all believers Matth. 18. 20. Where two or three are met together in my name there am I in the midst of them Coming together in the name by Authority with commission from Iesus Christ and being occupied about the business of his worship and service there is he in the midst of them viz. by his grace and spirit Even as the Sun whilest the Body of it is in heaven yet by the beams of it it is upon earth Thus the Lord Jesus whilest his body is in heaven yet by his grace and spirit he is present with his Church upon earth and that efficaciously present not only eying and observing but acting Exercising many operations in for and upon his Church resembling those offices which the Sun performeth unto the earth Of these instance in three or four of the principal 1. Enlightning it This doth the Sun being the fountaine of light it inlightneth both earth and heaven as the dark places here below so the moone and stars above all with what light so ever they have they receive it from this great Luminary the Sun This is Iesus Christ the light of the world So he stileth himselfe once and againe I am the light of the world Ioh. 8. 12 and 9. 5. viz of the Reasonable world the world of mankinde In him was life and the life was the light of men Ioh. 1. 4. Of all men What ever light they have whether Naturall or Supernaturall they receive it from Iesus Christ. For Naturall light even that common light of reason and understanding that is a beame from this Sun So that Text is commonly understood Ioh 1. 9. where it is sayed of Christ. Hee is that true light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world viz with that common light of Reason which as their Creatour he bestoweth upon them Much more supernaturall light And that both of Grace and Glory The light of grace where with the soules of Gods elect are inlightned it is an effluxe from this Sun The light shineth in darkness sayth Saint Iohn in the fift verse of that Chap Thus doth Iesus Christ inlighten the minds of men with supernaturall knowledg which of themselves are full of darkness of ignorance And so that ninth verse there may be read and construed That was the true light which coming into the world inlightneth every man So Grotius following Cyrill and Augustine there looketh upon it referring the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coming not to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every man but to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light This Iesus Christ coming into the world inlightneth every man viz. that is inlightned Communicating the light of divine and supernaturall knowledg to the world And that as the Sun doth his light unto the earth which in a little time in the space of twentie-foure howers inlightneth the whole world So the Psalmist setteth forth both the swift motion and vigorous operation of it Psal. 19. 5. In the heavens God hath set a Tabernacle for the Sun which is as a Bridgroome coming out of his Chamber and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race His going forth is from the end of the heavens and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat therof Even thus the Lord Iesus coming out of the womb of the virgin his Bride-chamber in a little space by himself and by his Apostles caused the light of his gospel to shine forth through the world in so much as the Apostle saith that in his time it was and had beene preached to every creature under heaven Col. 1. 23. So as in this he was like unto the Sun So the Apostle applyeth that of the Psalmist concerning the Sun unto him Rom. 10. 18. Thus doth the light of grace come from Iesus Christ in whome as the Apostle saith are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledg Col. 2. 3. And that as of Common so specially of saving grace This light cometh from the face of Iesus Christ being beheld by faith So much we may learn from that Text of the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. 6. God hath shined into our hearts that we should give the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. The glory of God shineth in the face of Iesus Christ which being held forth unto Gods elect in the Glass of the Gospel and there beheld by them by faith they come thereby to be changed into the same Image from glorie to glory as the same Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3. last By thus beholding of the face of Christ they come to be made like unto him in the glory of holiness which work is still in progress here untill it come to perfection in heaven Thus is the light of Grace derived from Iesus Christ. And so is the Misticall Glory Which is but as it were a reflex from that glory which is in the face of Iesus Christ which being beheld by the Saints of God in that beatificall vision they thereby are made partakers of the same glory Even as so many looking glasses being set before the Sun by the reflex of the Beames thereof every one is changed into the same Image and made like unto it Even so shall it be with the Saints in heaven We know saith Saint Iohn
the height of Summer when it is in his greatest vigour and strength Such a difference here is betwixt the head aud members of the mystical body The Saints they shall shine yea shine gloriously shine as the Sun but not so as Iesus Christ doth he shineth as the Sun in his strength Such is the transcendent glory and excellency of the Head above the members as Pareus observes it from this word in the Text. He being as before I said the Head of the Church and the first-born it is meet that he should have a double portion as he had of grace so of glory having the preeminence in all things Here is his Personal property Besides which we may yet conceive some other operations of his hereby insinuated I shall touch upon two or three and that briefly 1. The Sun in his strength dissipates and dispels all mists and fogs which were before upon the earth hiding the face of it And so will the Lord Iesus this Sun of righteousness when he shall shew himself in his strength he shall dissipate and dispel all those mists and fogs of Heresies and Errours which do infect the Church and darken the truth of God So the Apostle tells us concerning Anti-Christianisme in that known Text 2 Thes. 2. 8. Where speaking of that Mystery of Iniquity which began to work as he saith in his time there being then some Errours and Superstitious doctrines held forth which served as materials for the building of mystical Babel he saith Then shall that wicked one meaning that man of sin the Romish Anti-Christ be revealed whom the Lord shall answer with the spirit or breath of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming He shall consume him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wasting him by little and little till he come to nothing as that word doth properly signifie Thus doth the Sun arising on the earth by little and little it consumes and wasts the fogs and mists which were upon it till at length they disappear and come to nothing And thus shall the Lord Iesus do to that man of sin and all those Antichristian mists which have in so great a measure overspread the face of the Church he shall consume them by little and little by the preaching of his Gospel till at length by the brightness of his coming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a powerful manifestation of his presence he shall utterly destroy both him and them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abolish and bring them to nothing as that word signifieth And so shall it be with all other erroneous doctrines It may be for a time they overspread the face of the Church and darken the truth of God but in his time the Lord Iesus shall dissipate them all being unto his Church as the Sun shining in his strength 2. Again the Sun shining in his strength resolveth and melteth what was before congealed and frozen The Summers Sun resolves the Winters Frosts loosing those bands of Orion wherewith the Earth and Waters before were bound And such operation hath the Lord Iesus upon the hearts of poor sinners Though frozen as it were and congealed in sin yet he arising and coming upon them by the powerfull work of his Spirit he thaweth melteth resolveth them bringing them into a relenting temper Such operation had the eye of Christ upon the heart of Peter After he had denied his Master and was grown stiff in his denial standing to it though pressed again and again like the water which being hard frozen bears whoever treads upon it adding Abjuration to his Abnegation forswearing to his denying yet no sooner doth his Master turn and look upon him but presently his heart forgave So Saint Luke expresly notes it Luke 22. 61. 62. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter c. looked upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a benigne aspect a gracious eye even as the Sun looketh upon the frozen earth and Peter went out and wept bitterly Such a suddain thaw there was upon the appearing of this Sun his heart melted And so did the heart of that Mary whom the same Evangelist denominates a sinner Luke 7. 37. a sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a notorious lewd woman a trumpet upon her appearing and coming nigh unto Christ vertue also going out of him as it did for the healing of the Bodies of those that touched him Lu. 6. 19. her heart also melted melted into tears wherwith she washed her Saviours feet Such operation hath the spirit of Christ upon the most obdurate and obstinate sinners Though before through long custome and continuance in sin their hearts were hardned even frozen in their wickedness yet he coming to them in the power and strength of his spirit meleth and softneth them making them pliable and tractable fit and ready to receive the impressions of his grace so setting them at liberty from those bonds of sin wherein before they were bound This is the proper office of Iesus Christ as the Prophet sets it forth Isaiah 61. 1. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. he hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to set them free both from the Guilt and Power of sin which he doth by the Application of his Merit and the communication of his Spâ—rit unto them 3. Againe the Sun in his strength not only looseth softeneth the earth but also warms it heats it whereby it cometh to steame upwards exhaling and sending forth a warm vapour out of the bottom of it towards the Sun from which it hath received that warmth And the like operation hath the Lord Iesus upon the hearts of his people shining upon them giving them some cleare and comfortable euidences of his love and favour some sence and feeling of it there with he Warmeth their hearts So it was with those Disciples forenamed whome our Saviour fell with as they were going to Eâ—â—maus while he talked with them opening to them the Scriptures their hearts as they say burned within them They felt a holy fervour in their spirits kindled there by that Spirit of Christ which accompanied his word And such effect hath the Spirit of Christ where he is pleased gratiously to communicate himself to the souls of his people he causeth a holy fervour in thier hearts Warming them with inward Ioy which is the immediate fruit and effect of the face of Iesus Christ shining upon the soule Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us saith the Psalmist adding Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their mine increased Psal. 4 6 7. No warmth so kindly as the warmth of the Sun No joy like that which is caused by the light of Gods countenance the shining of the face of Iesus Christ upon the soul. And breeding Joy it also produceth Love and Zeale Love to
with him Being made one with him they come to participate of what is in him Now this Union is by and through faith Hereby Christ cometh to dwell in the soule That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. And dwelling there he communicates and giveth forth this quickning spirit to beleevers whereby they come to live Thence saith the Apostle of his newe life The life which I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely in the faith that is in the hope and assurance of obtaining eternall life which Christ hath promised as Grotius expounds it but by the faith this being the instrumentall cause of that life which he then lived Being by faith United unto Christ he came to be made partaker of that new life whereof Christ was the roote and spring even the life of grace And in this way seeke you this life Being convinced that by nature you are dead dead in trespasses and sins and so unable to doe any thing as of your selves towards your quickning come unto Iesus Christ that you may have life from him never giving rest unto your soules untill you finde this newe life begun in them that you can say with the Apostle Now we live And having received a Principle of Spiritual life from Iesus Christ then looke unto him both for the preserving and increasing of it Both these doth the Sun to the plant having quickned the seede it maintaineth that life and increaseth it untill it come to full maturitie and perfection And for both these looke we unto this Sun of righteousness the Lord Iesus that having received such a principle of Spiritual life from him we may through the continued efflux of that Spirit of his have that life preserved and maintained in us which otherwise of it self is ready to dye And not only maintained but increased I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly saith our Saviour speaking of his Elect all true beleevers Ioh. 10. 10. that is that that spiritual life which they have received from me may alwayes increase in them untill it come to its perfection till grace be swallowed up of glory This benefit have beleevers by Christ. He being the Authour he is also the finisher of their faith as the Apostle describeth him Heb. 12. 2. And so of all other graces And therefore looke we up unto him for this every day as it were fetching new life from Iesus Christ. This doth the plant Drooping in the evening in the morning it receiveth a new life from the Sun to which lifting up the head it looketh And thus doe we feele any decaying or weakness of grace looke we up unto the Lord Iesus who is full of grace as Saint Iohn saith of him Ioh. 1. 14. As full of grace as the Sun is of light To him lift we up our heads looking unto him by faith that so of that his fulness we may receive grace for grace which the same Apostle there saith all true beleevers do verse 16. One grace after another and one degree of grace after another until we shal have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces answerable and in some measure proportionable to those graces that are in Christ and in the end for the grace of free Iustification receive the grace of Eternal Glorification as that Text is by some expounded Here is the second of these Operations 3. The third is Chearing Refreshing This operation hath the Sun upon hearbes and flowers And the like hath Iesus Christ upon the hearts of his people He is their Comforter And here seeke we our Consolations Not from Creatures which what ever they be are but like the Stars which though they be many yet they give but a dim light Such and no better is the Comfort which the Creatures are able to yield Though a man be surrounded with never so great a conflvence of them yet is it but a poore comfort which they are able to afford him If the Sun be absent it is night for all the Stars And so is it with the soule what ever other comforts it enjoyeth without Christ it is but in a sad condition And so it will be found when God cometh to open the eye of it so as to make a man truly apprehensive of it Now for all those sparkes he seeth himselfe in the darke And therefore thinke not to derive true comfort from them Nor yet from any thing in our selves our owne Righteousness our owne graces or works what ever we have done or can doe The Lord speaking by the prophet Isaiah to the Jews concerning their false-confidences Isai. 50. last Behold saith he all ye that kindle a fire that compass your selves about with sparkes walke ye in the light of your fire and in the sparkes that ye have kindled This shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lye downe in sorrow They hearing the Iudgements of God denounced against them by the Prophets comforted themselves with their vaine apprehensions that they should escape those evils by their own wit and policie their Artes and Inventions These were the sparkes which they compassed themselves about with seeking comfort from them Even as men in a cold wet winter season gather sticks and make a fire of them to warme themselves with But what saith the Lord This shall ye have at my hand ye shall lye down in sorrow What ever they fondly flattered themselves with they should find this in the end that notwithstanding all those false fires they should wander in the darke meeting with nothing but perplexity and confusion in the end And no better may they expect and looke for who seeke for comfort from any thing in themselves from their own good workes workes of righteousness or holiness which they have done trusting in them and resting upon them let them looke to lye down in sorrow in the end They who shall make a fire of these sticks to warme themselves by may well expect the like event to that which happened to Paul from that fire which he having gathered a bundle of sticks made to warme himselfe withall after his shipwrack out of which there came a Viper and seazed upon him Act. 28. 3. Such will be the issue of those false confidences which men place in and comfortes which they take up from their owne workes without Christ they will prove dangerous and if not shaken off deadly to them And therefore renouncing our selves with all sublunary comfortes as to any trust and confidence in them seeke we the warmth of comfort from this Sun from the face of Iesus Christ. Here is the fountaine of all true Consolation If there be any consolation in Christ saith Paul to his Philippians Phil. 2. 1. Supposing that to be the choicest cheefest consolation And so it is Even as the warmth of the Sun excelleth the warmth of