Sermon XLI
Wherein CHRIST's fitting at Gon's right-hand is explained and applied, being the third Step of his glorious EXALTATION.
HEB. 1. 3. When he had by himself purged ourfins, fat down on the right-hand of the majesty on high. CHRIST being returnedagaintohis Father, having finished his whole work on earth, is there bid by the Father to fit down in the featof honourand rest. A feat prepared for him at God's right-hand, that makes it honourable ; and all his enemies as a footstool under his feet that makes it easy. How much is the state and condition of Jesus Christ changed in a few days ! Here he groaned, wept, laboured, suffered, sweat, yea, fwearblood, and found no rest in this world, but when he comes to heaven, there he enters into rest. Sits down for ever in the highest andeasrestthrone, prepared by the Father for him, when hehaddonehis work. " When he had by himself purged our " sins, he fat down," &c .
The scope of this epistle istodemonftrate Christ to be the fulness of all legal typesandceremonies, and that whatever light glimmered to the world through them, yet it was but as the light of the day-star, to the light of this fun.
In this chapter, Christ the subject of the epistle, is described, G2
44 The Fountain of Life. SERM . XLI. and particularly, in this third verse, he is described three ways.
First, By his effsential and primeval glory and dignity, he is απαύγασμα, the brightness of his Father's glory, the very splendor of glory, the very refulgency of that son of glory. " * The primary reason of that appellation is with respect to " his eternal and ineffable generation, light of light, as the " Nicenecreedexpresses it. As abeam of light proceeding from " the fun. And the secondary reason of it, is with respect to 66 men," for look as the fun communicates its light and influence to us, by its beams, which it projects ; so doth God communicate his goodness, and manifest himself to us, by Christ. "Yea, " he is the express image, or character of his person. Not as " the impressed image of the feal upon the wax, but as the en- " graving in the seal itselft." Thus he is described by his essential glory.
Secondly, He is described by the work he wrought here on earth, in his humbled state, and it was a glorious work, and that wrought out by his own single hand, " when he had by " himself purged our fins." A work that all the angels in heaven could not do, but Christ did it.
Thirdly, and lastly, He is described by his glory, the which (as a reward of that work) he now enjoys in heaven. "When " he had by himself purged our sins, he fatdownon the right- " hand of the majesty on high," i. e. the Lord cloathedhim with the greatest power, and highest honour, that heaven itself could afford; for so much this phrase of" fitting down on the "right-hand of the majesty" imports, as will appear in the explication of this point, which is the result of this clause, viz.
Doct. That when our Lord Jesus Christ had finished his work on earth, he was placed in the feat of the highest honour, and authority ; at the right-hand of God in heaven.
This truth is transformingly glorious. Stephen had but a glimpse of Christ at his Father's right-hand, and it caused " his " face to shine, as it had been the face of an angel," Acts vii. 56. This, his high advancement, was foretold and promised
appellationes primaria eft respectu Patris cæleft isàquo abaterno, per ineffabilem generationem in star luminis, de lumine refplenduit, fecundaria respectu hominum, &c. Glass. Rhet. p. 174. †Χαρατειν infculpere dicitur, non tam imaginem exfigillo cera impress am, quam ipfumfigillum denotare, Glass.Rhet, sac. p. 159.
SERM . XLI. The Fountain of Life. 45 before the work of redemption was taken in hand, Psal. cx. r.
" The Lord taid unto my Lord, fit thou at my right-hand, " until I make thine enemies thy footstool." And this promise was punctually performed to Christ, after his resurrection and ascension, inhistupreme exaltation,far above allcreatedbeings, in heaven and earth, Eph. i. 20, 21, 22. We shall here open two things in the doctrinal part, viz. What is meant by God's right-hand, and what is implied in Christ's fitting there, with his enemies for a footstool.
First, What are we to understand here by God's right-hand? † It is obvious enough, that the expression is not proper, but figurative and borrowed. God hath no hand, right or left; butitisacondescending expression, wherein God stoops to the creature's understanding, and by i the would have us to understand honour, power, andnearness.
First, The right-hand is the hand of honour, the upper hand, where we place those whom we highly esteem and honour. So Solomon placed his mother ina feat, at his right hand, I Kings ii. 19. So, in token of honour, God sets Christ at his right-hand ; which, on that account, in the text is called the right-hand of Majesty. God hath therein expressed more favour, delight, and honour, to Jesus Christ, than everhedid to any creature. To which of the angels said he at any time, fit thou on my right-hand?" Heb. i. 13 . Secondly, The right-hand is the hand of power: we call it the weapon hand, and the working hand. And the setting of Christ there, imports his exaltation to the highest, authority, and most supreme dominion. Not that God the Father hath put himself out of his authority, and advanced Christ above himself; no, " for in that he faith he hath put all things un- " der him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all " things under him," 1 Cor. xv. 27. But to fit as an enthronedking at God's right-hand, imports power, yea, the most
power ; and so Christ himself calls the right-hand at which he fits, Mat. xxvi. 64. " Hereafter ye " shall see the Son of man fitting on the right-hand of pow- " er."
Thirdly, And as it signifies honour and power, sonearness in †The right hand of God denotes divine honour and glory, on which the Son of God, who existed before all ages, as God, in the highest, co-essential with the Father, and incarnate in the latter times, fatdownwithhis glorifiedbody. Damafc. lib. 4. c. 2. de orth. side.
46 The Fountain of Life. SERM. XLI.
66 place, as we use to say at one's elbow, and so it is applied to Christ, in Psal. cx. 5. The Lord at thy right-hand, shall " strike through kings in the day of his wrath;" that is, the Lord, who is very near thee, present with thee, he shall subdue thine enemies. This then is what we are to understand by God'sright-hand, honour, power, and nearness.
Secondly, In the next place let us fee what is implied in Christ's fitting at God's right-hand, with his enemies for his foot-stool. And, if we attentively confider, we shall find that it implies and imports divers great and weighty things in it. As, First, It implies the compleating and perfecting of Christ's work, that he came into the world about. After his work was onded, then he fat down and rested from those labours, Heb. x.
11, 12. "Every priest standeth daily mini string, and offering " oftentimes the same sacrifices ; which can never take away " fins: but this man when he had once offered one sacrifice for " fins, for ever fat down on the right-hand of God." Here he assigns a double difference betwixt Christ, and the Levitical priests; they stand, which is the posture of servants ; he sits, which is the posture of a Lord. They stand daily, because their sacrifices cannot take away fin; he did his work fully, by one offering; and after that fits, or rests for ever in heaven. And this (as the accurate and judicious Dr. Reynolds * observes) was excellently figured to us in the ark, which was a lively type of Jesus Christ, and particularly in this, it had rings by which it was carried up and down, till at last it rested in Solomon's temple, with glorious and triumphal solemnity, Psal. cxxxii. 8, 9. 2Chron. v. 13. So Christ, while he was here on earth, being anointed with the Holy Ghost and wisdom, went about doing good, Acts x. 38. and having ceased from his works, did at last enter into his rest, Heb.v. 10. which is the heavenly temple, Rev. xi . 19.
Secondly, His & fitting down at God's right-hand, notes the high content and satisfaction of God the Father in him, and in his work. "The Lord said to my Lord, fit thou on my right- " hand;" the words are brought in as the words of the Father, welcoming Christ to heaven; and(as it were) congratulating the * Dr. Edward Reynolds, on Psalm cx. p. 35, 36. +They are said to fit down, who rest from their labour, and therebyrefreshthemselves,Gen. xviii. 1. in which sense some understand what is said of Christ. To fit at God's right-hand, i. e. in the heavens, to rest in that eternal blessedness with God, from these Jabours and miseries to which he voluntarily subjected himself for us. Ravan. on the word to fit.
SERM . XLI. The Fountain of Life. 47 happy accomplishment of his most difficult work. And it is as if he hadfaid, "Omy Son, what shall be done for thee this day?
" Thou hast finished agreatwork, and in all the parts of itac- " quitted thyself as an able and faithful servant to me'; what "honours thall I now bestow upon thee nee? The highest glory in "heaven is not too high for thee; come fit at my right-hand." Ohowwell is he pleased with Christ, and what he hath done ! He delighted greatly to behold him here in his work on earth, and by a voice from the excellent glory he told him fo, when he spake from heaven to him, saying, " Thou art my beloved Son, " in whom I am well pleased," 2 Pet. i. 17. And himself tells us, Johnx. 17. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because " Ilaydown my life," &c. for it was a work that the heart of Godhadbeenupon from eternity. He took infinitedelightinit.
Thirdly, Christ's fitting down at God's right-hand in heaven, notes the advancement of Christ's human nature to the highest honour; even to be the object of adoration to angels and men. For it is properly his human nature that is the subject of all this honour and advancement ; and being advanced to the right hand of Majesty, it is become an object of worship and adoration. Not simply, as it is flesh and blood, but as it is personally united to the second person, andenthronedinthe fupremeglory of heaven.
Ohere is the mystery, that flesh andbloodshouldeverbe advanced to the highest throneofmajefty, and being there installed in that glory, we maynowdirectourworship to him as God-man; and to this end was his humanity so advanced, that it might be adored and worshipped by all. "The Father hath committed " all judgment to the Son, thatallmen shouldhonour the Son, " even as they honour the Father." And the Father will accept of no honour divided from his honour. Therefore it is added in the next clause," He that honoureth not the Sou, honoureth " not the Father which hath sent him," John v. 22, 23. Hence the apostles, in the salutations of their epistles, beg for grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ ; and in their valedictions, theydefire the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to the churches.
Fourthly, It imports the sovereignty and supremacy of Christ over all. The investiture of Christ, with authority over the empire of both worlds : For this belongs to him that fits down upon his throne. When the Father said to him *, Sit at my *Therefore this fittingdownof Christ at the Father's right-hand, does
48 The Fountain of Life. SERM. XLI. right-hand, he did therein deliver to him the dispensation and oeconomy of the kingdom. Put the awful fceptre of government into his hand, and so the apostle interprets and understands it, 1 Cor. xv. 25. " He must reign,till he have put all his ene- " mies under his feet." And to this purpose, the fame apostle accommodates, (if not expounds) the words of the Pfalmist, " Thou madest him a little lower than the angels," (i. e.) in respect of his humbled state on earth," thou crownedsthimwith " glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy " hands, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet," Heb. ii.7, 8. He is over the spiritual kingdom, the Church, absolute Lord there, Matth. xxviii. 18, 19, 20. He also is Lord over the providentialkingdom, the whole world, Psal. cx. 2. and thisprovidentialkingdom, being subordinate to his spiritual kingdom; he orders and rules this, for the advantage and benefit thereof, Eph. i. 22.
Fifthly, To fit at God's right-hand with his enemies for a footstool, implies Christ to be a conqueror over all his enemies. To have his enemies under his feet, notes perfect conquest and compleat victory. As when Joshua set his foot upon the necks of the kings : So Tamerlane made proud Bajazet his footstool*. They trampled his name, and his saints, under their feet, and Christ will tread them under his feet. It is true indeed this victory is yet incompleat, and inconfummate ; for now " we fee " not yet all things put under him, (faith the apostle) but we fee
Jesus crowned with glory and honour," and that is enough. Enough to shew the power of his enemies, is now broken ; and though they make some opposition still, yet it is to no purpose at all; for he is so infinitely above them, that they must fall before him; it is not with Christ as it was with Abijah, against whom Jeroboam prevailed, because he was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. His incapacity and weakness , gave the watchful enemy, an advantage over him. I fay, it is not so with Christ, he is at God's right-hand. And all does not signify properly that glory andessentialkingdom which was common to the Son of God with the Father from eternity, for in this respect even the Holy Spirit fits at the right hand of God; but the oeconomical and voluntary kingdom, over which he is appointed as Θεανθρωπος, i. e. God-man and Mediator by the Father, for the gathering in and defending of his church. Synopf. pur. Theol. Difp. 28. P. 343 . *The man who so often terrified the city Conftantinople, was a dog and a footstool under Tamerlane. Aurel. Vect.
SERM. XLI. 49 1 The Fountain of Life. the power of God stands ready bent to strike through his enemies, as it is Psal. cx. 5.
Sixthly, Christ's fitting in heaven notes to us the great and wonderful change, that is made upon the state, and condition of Christ, since his ascent i on into heaven. Ah, it is far otherwifewith him now, than it was in the days of his humiliation hereon earth. Quantum mutatus ab illo ! Oh what a wonderfullchange hath heavenmadeupon him ! It were good (as a †Worthyofoursspeaks) to compare in our thoughts the abasement of Christ, and his exaltation together; as it were in co. lumns, one over against the other. He was born in a stable, but now he reigns in his royal palace. Then he had a manger for his cradle, but now he fits on a chair of state. Then oxen and asses were his companions, now thousands of saints, and ten thousand of angels minister roun about his throne. Then, in contempt, theycalledhim the Carpenter's Son, now he obtains a more excellent name than angels. Then he was led away into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, now it is proclaimedbeforehim; " let all the angels of God worship him." Thenhehadnota place to lay his head on,now he is exalted to be heir of all things. In his state of humiliation, "he en- " dured the contradiction of sinners;" in his state ofexaltation, " he is adored and admired by faints and angels." Then " he " had no form or comliness; and when we saw him, there was " no beauty, why we shoulddefire him:" Now the beauty of his countenance shall send forth such glorious beams, as shall dazzle the eyes of all the celestial inhabitants round about him, &c.
Owhat a change is this! Here he sweated,but there he fits. Herehegroaned, but there he triumphs. Here he lay upon the ground, there he fits in the throne of glory. When he came to heaven, his Father did, as it were, thus bespeak him .
My dear Son, what an hard travail hist thou had of it ? What a world of woe hast thou passed through, in the strength of thy love to me, and mine elect ? Thou hast been hungry, thirsty, weary ; Scourged, crucified, and reproached : Ah what badusagehast thou had in the ungrateful world ! Not a day's reft for comfort since thou wentest out from me ; but now thy suffering days are accomplished ; now thy rest is come, reftfor evermore. Henceforth fit at my right-hand. Henceforth thou Sbaltgroan, weep, or bleed no more. Sit thou at my right-hand.
Mr. T. Case, Pisgah, part 3. p. 21. VOL.II. H
50 SERM.XLI. The Fountain of Life. 4 Seventhly, Christ's fitting at God's right-hand, implies the advancement of believers to the highest honour : For this session of Christ's, respects them, and there he sits as our representative, in which regard we are made to fit with him inheavenlyplaces, as the apostle speaks, Eph. ii.6. How secure may we be (faith Tertullian) who do now already possess the kingdom ? meaning in our head, Christ. This (faith another) is all my hope, and all my confidence, namely, that we have a proportion in that flesh and blood of Christ, which is so exalted, and therefore where he reigns, we shall reign; where our flesh is glorified, we shall be glorified. Surely, it is matter of exceeding joy, to believe that Christ our head, our flesh, and blood, is in all this glory at his Father's right-hand. Thus we have opened the sense and importance of Christ'sfittingat his Father's right-hand. Hence we infer, Inference 1. Is thissogreatanhonour to Christ, to fit enthroned at God's right-hand ? What honour then is reserved in heaven for those that are faithful to Christ, now on the earth? Christ prayed,and his prayer was heard, John xvii. 24- " That we maybe " with him to behold the glory that God hath given him ;" and what heart can conceive the felicity offuch a fight ? It made Stephen'sfaceshineas the face of an angel, whenhehadbut a glimpse of Christ at his Father's right-hand. " Thine eyes shall fee the king in his beauty," Ifa. xxxiii. 17. which respected Hezekiah in the type, Christ in the truth. Butthisisnot all, though this be much, to be spectators of Christ in his throne of glory ; we shall not only see him in his throne, but also sit with him enthroned in glory. To behold him is much, but to fit with him is more. I remember it was the saying ofa heavenly christian, now with Christ, I would far rather look but through the hole of Christ's door, to see but one half of his fairest and most comely face, [for he looks like heaven]suppose I should never win to fee his excellency and glory to the full ; than to enjoy the flower, the bloom and chiefeft excellency of the glory and riches of ten worlds. Andyouknow how the Queen of the South fainted at the fight of Solomon in his glory. But this fight you shall have of Christ, will change you into his likness. " We shall " be like him (faith the apostle) for we shall fee him as he is," 1 John iii. 2. He will place us as it were in his own throne with him. So runs the promise, Rev. iii. 21. "To him that " overcometh , I will grant to fit with me in my throne; even as I " also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne ; " and fo 2 Tim. ii. 12. " If we suffer with him, we shall also " reign with him." The Father set Christ on his right-hand,
SERM. XLI. 51 The Fountain of Life. and Christ will set the saints on his right-hand. So you know the theep a replaced by the angels, at the great day, Matth. xxv. and so the church, under the figure of the daughter of Egypt, whom Solomon married, is placed " on the king's right-hand, " in gold of Ophir," Psal. xlv. This honourhave all the saints. O amazing love ! What, we seton thrones, while as good as we bynaturehowl in flames ! O what manner of love is this ! These expressions indeed do not intend, that the saints shall be set in higher glory than Christ ; or that they shall have a parity of glory with Christ, for in all things he must have the pre-eminence: But they note the greathonour that Christ willputupon the saints ; as also, that his glory shall be theirgloryinheaven.
" As the glory of the husband redounds to the wife; " ‡ and again, their glory will be his glory, 2 Thef. i. 10. and so it will be a social glory. O it is admirable to think, whither free grace hath already mounted up poor dust and ashes ! To think how nearly we are related now to this royal, princely Jesus ! But how much higher are the designs of grace, that are not yet come to their parturient fulness, they look beyond all this that we now know ! "Now are we the fonsof God, " but it doth not yet appear what we shall be," I John iii. 2. Ahwhat reason have you to honour Christ on earth, who is preparing such honours for you in heaven.
Infer. 2. 1s Christ Jesus thus enthroned in heaven, then how impossible is it, that ever his interest should miscarry orfink on earth? The church hath many subtle and potent enemies. True, but as Haman could not prevail against the Jews, whilst Esther their friend spake for them to the king, no more can they, whilst our Jesus fits at his, and our Father's right-hand. Will he suffer his enemies that are under his feet, to rise up and pull out his eyes, think you ? Surely they that touch his people, "touch the very apple of his eye," Zech. ii. 8. " He must reign " till all his enemies areputunder his feet," ICor. xv. 25. The enemy under his feet, shall not destroy the children in his arms. He fits in heaven on purpose to manage all to the advantage of his church, Eph. i. 22. Are our enemies powerful; lo our king fits on the right-hand of power. Are they subtle and deep in their contrivance; he that fits on the throne, overlooks all they do. Heaven overlooks hell. "He that fits in heaven beholds," and derides their attempts, Psal. ii. 4. He may permit his enemies to straiten them in one place, but it shall be for their en-
† Uxorsplendefcit in radiis mariti. H2
52 The Fountain of Life. SERM. XLI. largement in another. For it is with the church, as it is with the sea; what it loses in one place, it gets in another; and fo really loses nothing. He may suffer them also to distress us in outwards, but that shall be recompensedwith inward and better mercies; and so we shall lose nothing by that. A footstool you know is useful to him that treads on it, and serves to lift him up higher; so shall Christ's enemies be to him, and his; albeit they think not so. What sfingular benefits the oppositions of his enemies, occasion to his people; I have|| elfewere discovered, to which I refer my reader; and pass to Infer. 3.Is Christsetdownon the right-hand of the Majesty in heaven ? O with what awful reverence should we approach him in the duties of his worship ! Away with light, and low thoughts of Christ. Away with formal, irreverent, and careless frames in praying, hearing, receiving, yea, in conferring and speaking of Christ. Away with alldeadness, anddrowsiness in duties; for he is a great King with whom you have to do. A King, to whom the kings of the earth, are but as little bits of clay. Lot he angels cover their faces in hisprefence. He is an adorable Majesty.
When John had a vision of this enthroned king, about sixty years after his ascension; such was the over-powering glory of Christ, as the fun when itshineth in its strength ; that when he
he fell at his feet as dead, and died it is like he had, if Christ had not laid his hand on him, and said, " Fear not, I am " the first and the last ; I am he that liveth, and was dead, " and behold I am alive for evermore," Rev. i. 17, 18. When he appeared to Saul in the way to Damascus, it was in glory above the glory of the fun, which over-powered him also, and laid him asonedead upon the ground. O that you did but know, what a glorious Lord you worship, and serve. Who makes the very place of his feet glorious, wherever he comes. Surely He is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him. There is indeed a παρρησια boldness or free liberty of speech allowed to the saints, Eph. iii. 12. But no rudeness or irreverance. We mayindeedcome, as the children ofakingcometothe father,who is both their awful sovereign, and tender father; which double relation causes a due mixture of love, and reverence in their hearts, when they come before him. Youmaybefree, but not rude, in his presence. Though he be your Father, brother, friend; yet the distance betwixt him and you is infinite.
SERM . XLI . 53 The Fountain of Life: Inference 4. If Christ be so gloriomfly advanced in the highest throne *, then none need to reckon themselves disbonoured, by suffering the vilest things for his fake †. The very chains and sufferings of Christ have a glory in them. Hence Moses " e- "steemedthe very reproaches of Christ greater riches than the " treasures of Egypt," Heb. xi. 26. He saw an excellency in theveryworst things of Christ, his reproaches, and sufferings, asmadehim leap out of his honours, and riches into them. He did not (as one faith) only endure the reproaches of Christ, but counted them treasures. To be reckoned among his honours and things of value. So Thuanus reports of Ludovicus Marsacus, a noble knight of France, when he was led with other martyrs, that were bound with cords, to execution; and he for his dignity was not bound, he cried, give me my chain too, let me be a knight of the fame order ‡. Disgrace itselfishonourable, when it is endured for the Lord of Glory. And furelythere is (as one phraseth it) a little paradise, ayoungheaven, in sufferings for Christ. If there were nothing else in it, but that they are endured on his account, it would richly reward all wecanendure for him ; but if we consider howexceedingkind Christ is to them, that count it their glory to be abafed for him; that though he be always kind to his people, (yet if we may so speak) he overcometh himself in kindness, when they
for him; it would makemen in love with his reproaches.
Infer. 5. If Christ fat not down to reft in heaven, till be had finished his work on earth ; then it is in vain for us to think of reft, tillwehavefinisbed our work, as Christ also did his.
How willing are we to find rest here! To dream of that, which Christ never found in this world, nor any ever found before us. Othinknotof resting, tillyouhavedoneworking and done sinning. Your life and your labours must end together. " Write (faith the spirit)blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, " for they rest from their labours," Rev. xiv. 13. Here you must have the sweat, and there the sweet. It is too much to have two heavens. Here you must be content to dwell in the tents of Kedar, hereafter you shall be within the curtains of Solomon. Heaven is the place of which it may be truly said, that there the weary be at rest. O think not of fitting down on this
for us to suffer what Christ suffered, nor is it any glory for you to do what Judas did. Hieronym. †Dr. Man ton on Jam. p. 228. †Gur et non me quoque torque donas? Et infignis hujus ordinis militem creas ? Thuan, Hift.
54 The Fountain of Life . SERM . XLI. fideheaven. There are four things will keep the saints from fitting down on earth, to rest, viz. grace, corruption, devils and wicked men.
First, Grace will notfuffer you to rest here. Its tendencies are beyond this world. It will be looking and longing for the blessed hope. A gracious person takes himself for a pilgrim, seeking a better country, and is always suspicious of danger in every place and state. It is still beating up the sluggish heart with such language as that, Mic. ii. 10. " Arise, depart, this " is not thy rest, for it is polluted." Its further tendencies and continualjealoufies, willkeepyou from fitting long still in this world.
Secondly, Your corruptions will keep you from rest here. They will continually exercise your spirits, and keep you upon your watch, Saints have their hands filled with work by their own hearts every day. Sometimes to prevent fin; and sometimes to lament it. And always to watch and fear to mortify and kill it. Sin will not long suffer you to be quiet, Rom. vii. 21, 22, 23, 24. And if a bad heart will not break your rest here, then Thirdly, There is a busy devil will do it. He will find you work enough with his temptations, and suggestions, and except. you can sleep quietly in his arms, as the wicked do, there is no reft to be expected. " Your adversary, the devil, goeth about as 6 " a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour ; whom resist,"
Pet. v. 8 .
Fourthly, Nor will his servants and instruments let you be quiet on this side heaven. Their very name speaks their turbulent disposition. "My soul (faith the holy man) is among lions, and " I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of 66 men, whose teeth are spears and arrows," Psal. lvii. 4. Well then, be content to enter into your reft, as Christ did into his. Hefweat, then sat,and fo must you.
עשר
Inquietum esse. Turbulent us..
SERM. XLII. 55 The Fountain of Life. SERMON XLII.
Wherein CHRIST coming to Judgment, being the fourth and last Degree of his Exaltation, is opened and improved.
Acts x. 42. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. C
HRIST enthronedin the highest glory in heaven, is there to abide for the effectual and successful government, both of the world, and of the church, until the number given him by the Father, before the world was, and purchased by the blood of the cross, be gathered in; and then cometh the judgment of the great day, which will perfectly separate the precious from the vile; put the redeemed in full possession of the purchase of his blood in heaven, and " then shall he deliver up the kingdom to his Father, that God may be all in all." This last act of Christ, namely, his judging the world, is a special part of his exaltation and honour, bestowed upon him, " because he is the Son of man," John v. 27. In that day shall his glory, as king, and absolute Lord, shine forth as the fun when it shineth in its strength. O what anhonour will it be to the man Christ Jesus, who stood arraigned and condemned at Pilate's bar, to fit upon the great white throne, surrounded with thousands, and ten thousands of angels ! men and devils waiting upon him to receive their final sentence from his mouth. In this will the glory of Christ's sovereignty and power, be eminently and illuftrioufly displayed, before angels and men*, And this is thatgreattruth, which he commanded tobepreachedand testified to the people; namely, that it is " he which is " ordained of God, to be the Judge of quick and dead."
Wherein we have four things to be distinctly considered, viz. The subject, object, fountain and truth of the fupremejudiciary authority.
First, The subject of it, Christ, it is he that is ordained to be judge. Judgment is the act of the whole undivided trinity. The Father and Spirit judge, as well as Christ, in respect of *To the royal dignity, doth belong that power, or authority, by which Christ is made the judge of allmen and angels. Amef. Med. p. 117.
56 The Fountain of Life . SERM. XLII. authority and consent, but it is the act of Christ, in respect of visiblemanagementand execution,and so it is his per proprietatem, by propriety, the Father having conferred it upon him, as the Son of man; but no this per appropriationem,so as to exclude either the Father or Spirit from their authority, for they judgebyhim.
Secondly, The object of Christ's judiciary authority. The quick and dead, (i. e.) all that at his coming do live, or ever had lived. This is the Object personal. All the men and women that ever sprang from Adam; all the apostate spirits that fell from heaven, and are reserved in chains to the judgment of this great day. And in this personal object, is included the real object, viz. all the actions, both secret and open, that ever they did, 2 Cor. v. 5. Rom. ii. 16.
Thirdly, the Fountain of this delegated authority, which is God the Father ; for he hath ordained Christ to be the Judge, " He is appointed †," as the Son of man, to this honourable of. fice and work. The word notes, a firm establishment of Christ in that office by his Father. He is now, by right of redemptir on, Lord and King. He enacts laws for government, then he comes to judge of mens obedience and disobedience to his laws.
Fourthly, And lastly, here is the infallible truth, or unquestionable certainty of all this. "He gave us commandment to preac hand testify it to the people." We had it in charge from his own mouth ; and dare not hide it. Hence the point of doctrine is plainly this.
Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ is ordained by God the Fa ther, to be the Judgeofquick and dead.
This truth stands upon the firm basis of scripture authority, You have it from his own hand, John v. 22. " TheFatherjudg " eth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son," viz, inthesensebeforegiven. And so the apostle, Acts xvii. 31. " He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world " in righteousness, by the manwhomhe hath ordained ; where- " of he hath given assurance," &c. And again Rom. ii. 16. " In "the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jens " Christ." Three things will be opened here. First, The certainty of a judgment to come. Secondly, The quality and nature of it. Thirdly, That it is a special part of Christ's exaltation to be appointed Judge in this day.
+Ωπισκινος. Definitusfeu conftitutus.
SERM . XLII. 57 The Fountain of Life.
First, The certainty of a judgment. This is a truth of firm-, erestablishmentthanheaven and earth. It is nodevifedfable,no cunning artifice to keep The certainty of the world in awe! but a thing as confessedly a judgment. true as it is awfully solemn. For, First, As the scriptures aforementioned (with these, 2 Cor. V. 10. Ecclef. xii. 14. Mat. xii. 36. and many other, the true and faithful sayings of God) do very plainly reveal it ; so the justice and righteousness of God require it should be fo. For the judge of all the earth will do right, Gen. xviii. 25. Now righteousness itself requires that a difference be made betwixt the righteous and the wicked: Sayye to the righteous, it " shall be well with him ; woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with " him," Ifa. iii. 10. But no such distinction is generally, and fully made betwixt one another in this world. Yea, rather the wicked prosper, and the righteous perish," There is a just man " thatperisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man " that prolongeth his life in his wickedness," Ecclef. vii. 15. Yea, not only in, but for his righteousness, as it maybe fairly rendered.
Here the " wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous " than himself," Hab. i. 13. As the fishes of the sea, where the great and strong swallow up the small and weak. And even in courts of judicature, where the innocent might expect relief; theretheyoftenmeetwith theworstoppreffions. How fairly and justlythereforedoth awise maninfer ajudgmenttocome from thisconfideration, Eccle. iii. 16, 17. " I saw under the fun the "placeofjudgment, that wickedness was there, and the place " of righteousness, that iniquity was there; I said in my heart, "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked ; for there is a "time there for every purpose, and for every work," q. d. the judgment to come, is the only relief and support, left to poor innocents, to quiet and comfort themselves withal*. To the famepurposealso is that, Jam. v. 6, 7. " Ye have condemned " and killed the just; and he doth not resist you ; be patient " therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord." It is confessed, that sometimes Godvindicates his providence against
1 * In considering so great injustice, I have betaken myself to the judgment of God, who will declare who are guilty. Drufius. I have applied this remedy to this evil. Merc. I have comforted myself against this injustice, with the thought that God judgeth all, Geirus.
VOL. II. I
58 The Fountain of Life. SERM. XLIK. the Atheism of the world, by particular strokes upon the wicked; but this is but rare. And as the Father well observes, " † if no sin were punished here, no providence would be be- " lieved; again, if every sin were openly punished here, no "judgment hereafter could be expected." Besides, Secondly, Man is a reasonable being, and every reasonable being, is an accountable being. He isa subject capable of moral government. His actions have a relation toa law. He is swayed by rewards and punishments. He acts by counsel, and therefore of his actions, he must expect to give an account, as it is Rom. xiv. 12. " So then every one of us, shall give anac- " count of himself to God." Especially if we add, that all the gitts of body, mind, estate, time, &c. are so many talents, con credited and be trusted to him by God, and every one of us hathone talent at least; therefore a time to render an account for all these talents will come, Mat. xxv. 14, 15. We are but stewards, and stewards must give an account, in order whereto, there must be a great audit day.
Thirdly, And what need we seek evidence of this truth, further than our own conscience ? Lo, it is a truth engraven legibly upon every man's own breast. Everyone hath a kind of little tribunal, or privy sessions in his own conscience, which both accuses, and excuses for good and evil, which it could never do, were there not a future judgment, of which it is now conscious to itself. In this court, records are now kept of all we do, even of our secret actions and thoughts, which never yet took air ; but if no judgment, what need of records ? Nor Jet any imagine, that this may be but the fruit of education and discourse. We have heard of such things, and so are scared by them. For if fo, how comes it to obtain so universally ? Who could be the author of such a common deception ?
Reader, bethink thyself a little; if thou hadst a mind (as ‡ one faith) to impose a lie upon all the world, what course wouldest thou take ? How wouldest thou lay the design ? Or whydost thou in this case imaginewhatthou knoweft not how to imagine ? It is evident that the very consciences of the Heathens, have these officesofaccufing and excusing, Rom. ii. 15. Anditishardtoimagine, (as an ingenious author|| speaks) that + Si nullum peccatum manifest a plecteretur pæna; nullam effe divinam providentiam crederetur. Rurfum fi omne peccatum apertepuniretur, nullumforejudicium crederetur. Aug. † Mr. Howe's Blessedness of the Righteous,p. 343 .
Sir Charles Woolfely's Unreasonableness of Atheism, p. 76.
SERM. XLII. The Fountain of Life. 59 a general cheat shouldbowdown the backs of all mankind, and induce fo many doubts and fears, and troubles, amongst them; and give an interruption to the whole course of their corrupt living, and that there should be no account of it? And therefore it is undoubted that such a day will come. But I shall rather chuse, in the Second Place, to open the nature, and manner of this judgment, than to spend more time in proving a truth, that cannot be de-
The quality of the jugdment. nied without violence offered to a man's own light. If then the question be, what manner of judgment will this be ? I answer, First, It will be a great and awful day. It is called the "judgment of the great day," Jude 6. Three things will make it so, the manner of Christ's coming. The work he comes about. And the issues, or events of that work. The manner of Christ's coming, will be awfully solemn, " For the " Lord himself shalldescendfromheaven with a shout, with the " voice of the archangel, with the trumpof God; and the dead " in Christ small rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, " shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet " the Lordintheair,"&c. I Theff. iv. 16, 17. Here Christ breaks out of heaven, with the shouts of angels εν κελευσμαλι, it signifies fucha shout (* faith one) as is to beheardamong sea men,when after a longanddangerousvoyage, they first descry land, crying aloud, with united voices, a foore, ashore. As the poet describes the Italians when they saw their native country, " lift- " ing up their voices, and making the heavens ring again with
Italy, Italy ; or as armies shout when the signal of battle " is given." Above all which (as some expound it) shall the voice of the Archangel be distinctly heard. And after this shout, the trump of God shall found. By this tremendous blast, sinners will be affrighted out of their graves,but to the saints, it will carrynomore terror, than the roaringofcannons, when armies of friends approach a besieged city, for the relief of them that are within it. The dead being raised, they shall be gathered before the great throne on which Christ shall fit in his glory : and therebedividedexactly to the right and left-hand of Christ, by the angels. Here will be the greatest assembly that ever met. WhereAdammayseehis numerous offspring, even as the * Case's Pisgah .
Italiam, Italiam, lacto clamorefalutant. Virgil. Æneid.
60 The Fountain of Life. SERM . XLII. sand upon the sea shore, which no man can number. And never was there such a perfect division made, (how many divisions soever have been in the world) none was ever like it. The faints in this great Oecumenical affize (as the author stiles it) shall meet the Lord in the air, and there the Judge shall fit upon the throne, and all the saints shall be placed upon bright clouds, as on feats or scaffolds round about him ; the wick mainingbelowupon the earth, there to receive their finaldoom and sentence. re-
preparatives will make it awful; and much more will the work itself, that Christ comes about, make it so. For it is to judge the secrets of men," Rom. ii. 16. To sever the tares from the wheat ; to make every man's whites and blacks appear; and according as they are found in that trial, to be sentenced to their everlasting and immutable state. O what a solemn thing is this! And no less will the execution of the sentence on both parts make it a great and solemn day. The heart of mancannotconceivewhat impressions the voice of Christ, from the throne, will make, both upon believers, and unbelievers.
uponhisglorious throne, surrounded withmyriads and legions of angels,his royal guard; a poor unbeliever trembling at the bar ; an exact scrutiny made into his heart and life; the dreadful sentence given; and then a cry; and then hisdeliveringhimovertothe executioners of eternal vengeance, never, never, to fee a glimpse of hope, or mercy any more.
Imagine Christ, like the generalofanarmy, mentioning with honour, on the head of allthehosts of heaven and earth, all the services that the saints have done for him in this world : then sententially justifying thembyopen proclamation; then mountingwithhim to the third heavens, and entering the gates of that city of God, in that noble train of saints and angels intermixed; and fo for ever to be with the Lord. O what a great day must this be !
Secondly, As it will be an awful and solemn judgment, so it will be a critical and exact judgment, everyman will be weighed
το his ounces anddrams. The name of the Judge is Καρδιογνωσης, the searcher of hearts. The Judge hath eyes as flames of fire, which pierce to the dividing of the heart and reins. It isfaid, Matth. xii. 36. That men shall then "giveanaccountofevery " idlewordthat they shall speak." It is a day that will perfectly fan the world. No hypocrite can escape ; Justice holds thebal Jances in an even hand : Christ will go to work so exactly, that some divines of good note think, the day of judgment will last
SRRM . XLII. σε The Fountain of Life. as long as this day ofthegofpel's administration hath lasted, or shall last.
Thirdly, It will be anuniversaljudgment, 2Cor. v. 10. "We "must all appear before the judgment-feat of Christ." And Rom, xiv. 12. " Every one of us shall give an account of him- " self to God." Those that were under the law, " and those " that having no law, were a law to themselves," Rom. ii. 12.
that had many talents, and he that had but one talent, must appear at this bar; those that were carried from the cradle to the grave, with him that stooped for age: the rich, and poor ; the father, and the child; the master, and servant; the believer, and the unbeliever, must stand forth in that day. "I fawthe "dead, both small and great, stand before God, and the books " were opened," Rev. xx. 12.
Fourthly, It will be a judgment full ofconvictive clearness. All things will be so sifted tobran, (as we fay,) that the sentence of Christ, both on saints and sinners, shall be applauded. " Righ- " teous art thou, O Lord, because thou hast judged thus." His judgments will be as the light that goeth forth. So that those poor sinners whom he will condemn, shall be first αυτοκα-
τακριτοι self-condemned. Their own consciences shall be forced to confess, that there isnotonedrop of injustice in all that sea of wrath, into which they are tobecaft.
Fifthly, and lastly, It will be a supreme and final judgment, from which lies no appeal. For it is thesentenceofthe highest, and only Lord. " For as the ultimate resolutionoffaith is in- " to the word, and truth of God, so the ultimate resolution of "justice is into the judgment of God*." This judgment is supreme and imperial. For Christ is the only Potentate, 1 Tim. vi. 5., and therefore the sentence once passed, its execution is infallible. And so you find it in that judicial process, Matth. xxv. ult.; just after the sentence is pronounced by Christ, it is immediatly added, "these shallgo away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." This is the judgment of the great day. you, that God, in Thirdly, In the last place, I must inform ordaining Christ to be the Judge, has very highlyexaltedhim. This will beverymuch
That this judgment for his honour : for in this, Christ's royal dignity will be illustrated, beyond whatever makes for Christ's honour.
Ad Dei verbumfit ultima refolutio fidei, ad Dei tribunal ultima refolutiojudicii.
62 The Fountain of Life. SERM . XLII. it was since he took our nature, till that day; now he will appear in his glory. For, First, This act of judging pertaining properly to the kingly office, Christ will be glorified as much in his kingly office, ashe hathbeenin either of the other. We find but some few glimpses of the kingly office, breaking forth in this world; as, his riding with Hosannahs into Jerusalem; his whipping the buyers and fellers out of the temple; his title upon the cross, &c. But these were but faint beams : Now that office will shine in its glory, as the fun in the midst of the heavens. For what were theHosannahs of little children, in the streets of Jerusalem, to the shouts andacclamations ofthousandsofangels, and ten thousands of saints ? what was his whipping the prophane out of the temple, to his turning the wicked into hell, and sending his angels to gather out of his kingdom every thing that offendeth ? what was a title written by his judge, and fixed on the ignominious tree, to the name that shall now be seen on his vesture, and on his thigh, King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Secondly, This willbeadisplayof his glory in the highest, before the whole world. For there will be present at once, and together, all the inhabitants of heaven, and earth, and hell ; angels must be there to attend and minister; those glittering courtiers of heaven must attend his person, so that heaven will, for a time, be left empty of all its inhabitants : men and devils must be there to be judged: and before this greatassemblywill Christ appear in royal Majesty. He will, (to allude to that text, Ifa. xxiv. 23.), reign before his ancients gloriously. " For he will " come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them " that believe," 2 Thess. i. 10. The inhabitants of the three regions, heaven, earth, and hell, shall then rejoice, or tremble before him, and acknowledge him to be supreme Lord and King.
Thirdly, This will roll away for ever the reproach of his death: for Pilateandthe high-Priest, that judged him at their bars, shall now stand quivering at his bar ; with Herod that set him at nought, the soldiers and officers that traduced and abufedhim: there they thatreviledhimon the cross, wagging their heads, will stand,with trembling knees, before his throne. For every eye shall fee him,and they also that pierced him," Rev. i. 7. O what a contemptible person was Christ in their eyes once ? As a worm, and noman. Every vile wretch could freely treadandtrample on him ; but now such will be the brightness of his glory, such the awful beams of majesty, that the wicked
in his presence, or" be able to rise up," (as that
SERM. XLII . The Fountain of Life. 63 †word imports, Psal. i. 5.), " before him." So that this will be a full and universal vindication of the death of Christ, from all that contempt and ignominy that had attended it. We next improve it.
Inference 1. Is Jesus Christ ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead ? Great then is the security believers have, that they shall not be condemned in that day. Who shall condemn, when Christ is Judge ? If believers be condemned in judgment, Christ must give sentence against them : yea, and they must condemn themselves too. I say, Christ must give sentence, for that is the proper and peculiar office of Christ. And, to be sure, no sentence of condemnation shall, in that day, be given Christ against them. For, First, He died to save them, and he will never cross and overthrow the designs and ends of his own death. That cannot be imagined. Nay, Secondly, They havebeencleared, and absolved already. And being once absolved by divine sentence, they can never be condemned afterward. For one divine sentence cannot cross and rescind another. He justified them here in this world by faith : Declared in his word, (which shall then be the rule of judgment, Rom. ii.16.), that " there is no condemnation to them that are " in Christ," Rom. viii. 1. And surely he will not retract his own word, and give a sentence quite cross to his own statute book, out of which he hath told us that they shall be judged. Moreover, Thirdly, The far greatest part of them will have passed their particular judgment, long before that day, and being therein acquitted by God, the Judge of all; and admitted into heaven upon the score and account of their justification; it cannot be imagined that Christ should now condemn them with the world. Nay, Fourthly, He that judged them is their head,husband, friend, and brother : who loved them, and gave himself for them : O then, withwhatconfidence may theygo, evenuntohis throne ? and say, with Job, " Though he try us as fire,we know we shall " come forth as gold." We know that we shall be justified. Especially, if we add, that they themselves shall be the affeffors with Christ in that day. And, (as a judicious author pertinently observes), not a sentence shall pass without their votes. " So as that they may by faith notonlylookupon themselves as alreadyinheaven, sitting with Christ, as acommonperson, in ומקי אל+ .
‡ Goodwin's Triumph, p. 146.
64 The Fountain of Life. SERM . XLII. " their right; but they may look upon themselves as judges al- " ready. So that if any sin should arise to accuse, or condemn, " yet it must be with their votes. And what greater security " can they have than this, that they must condemn themselves, " if they be condemned." No, no, it is not the the business of that day to condemn, but to absolve, and pronounce them pardonedandjustified, according to the sentence of Acts iii. 19. and Mat. xii. 32. So that it must needs be a time of refreshing, (as all scriptures call it), to the people of God. You that now believe, shall not come into condemnation,Johnv. 24. You that now judge yourselves shall not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor . xi . 31 , 32 . Inference 2. If Christ be ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead, how miserable a case will Christless fouls be in at that day! They that are Christlefsnow, will be speechless, helpless, and hopeless then. How will their hands hang down, and their knees knock together ! O what pale faces, quivering lips, fainting hearts, and roaring consciences will be among them in that day ! Odreadful day ! O astonishing fight ! to see the world in a dreadful conflagration, the elements melting, the stars faling, the earth trembling, the judgment set,the prisoners brought forth ; O who shall endure in this day, but those that by union with Christ are secured against the danger and dread of it ! Let me demand of poor Christless souls, whom this day is like to Overtake unawares .
First, Do you think it possible to avoid appearing, after what terrible citation is given to the world by the trump of God? Alas, howcanyou imagine it ? is not the fame power that revived your dust, able to bring you before the bar ? There is a necessity that you must come forth, 2 Cor.v. 10. " We [must] " all appear." It is not at the sinner's choice, to obey the summons or not .
Secondly, Ifyoumust appear, are there no accusers, nor witnesses, that will appear against you, and confront you in the court ? What think you, was Satan so often atempter to you here, and will he not be an accuser there ? Yes, nothing surer ; for that was the maindesignofallhis temptations. What think you of your own consciences ? are they not privy to your secret wickedness ; do not they now whisper sometimes in your ears, what you care not to hear of? If they whisper now, they will thunder then, Rom. ii. 15, 16. Will not the Spirit accuse you, for refiftinghis motions, and stifling thousands of his convictions ? Will not your companions in fin accuse you ? who drew, or were drawn by you to fin ? Will not your teachers be your
SERM . XLII. The Fountain of Life. 65 accufers ? How manytimeshaveyou made them complain, Lord, they are iron and brass, they have made their faces barder than a rock; they refuse to return. Will not your very relations be your accufers, to whom you have failed in all your relational duties ? Yea, and every onewhomyou have tempted to fin, abused, defrauded, over-reached ; all these will be your accufers. So that it is without dispute, you will have accufers enough to appear against you.
66 Thirdly,BeingaccusedbeforeJesus Christ, what will you plead for yourselves : will you confess, or will you deny the charge ? If you confess, what need more ? Out of thine own mouth " will I judge thee," faith Christ, Luke xix. 22. Ifyoudeny, and plead not guilty; thy Judge is the searcher of hearts, and knows all things. So that it will not at all help thee to make a lie thy last refuge. This will add to the guilt, but not cover it.
Fourthly, If no defence or plea be left thee, then what canst thou imagine shouldretardthe sentence ? Why should not Christ goon to that dreadful work ? " Must not the Judge of all the " earth do right?" Gen. xviii. 25. Must not he render to eve ry man according to his deeds ? 2 Cor. V. 10. Yes, no question but he will proceed to that sentence, how terrible soever it be to you to think on it now, or hear it then.
Fifthly, To conclude, if sentence be once given by Christ against thy foul, what in all the world canst thou imagine should hinder the execution ? Will he alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth ? No, Psal. lxxxix. 34. Dost thou hope he is more merciful and pitiful than so? Thou mistakest, if thou expectest mercy out of that way in which he dispenses it. There will be thousands, and ten thousands that will rejoice in, and magnify his mercy then; but they are such as obey his call, repented, believed, and obtained union with his person here ; but for unbelievers, it is against the settled law of Christ, and constitution of the gospel, to shew mercy to the despisers of it. But it may be, you think your tears, your cries, your pleadings with him, may move him; these, indeed, might have done somewhatintime, but they come out of season now. Alas, too late. What the success of such pleas and cries will be, you may fee, if you will but consult two scriptures, Job xxvii 8, 9. " What " is the hope of the hypocrite, tho' he hath gained, when "God taketh away his soul ? Will God hear his cry when "trouble cometh upon him ?" No, no: And Mat. vii. 22. "Manywillsay unto me in that day, Lord, Lord,have we not VOL. II. K
66 SERM . XLII. The Fountain of Life . " prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast outde- " vils, and in thy name done many wonderful works ? And " then will I profess unto them, I never knew you ; depart " from me ye that work iniquity."
it come to this dismal issue with you indeed ? God forbid it should. Oh then, Inference 3. If Christ be appointed of God to be the Judge of all, how are all concerned tofeeure their interest in him, and therein an eternity of happiness to their ownfouls, by the work of regeneration ? Of all the business that men and women have in this world, there is none so solemn, so necessary, and important, as this. O my brethren, this is a work, able to drink up your spirits, while you do but think of the consequence of it. •Summon in then thy self-reflecting, and considering powers : get alone, reader, and, forgetting all other things, ponder with thyself this deep, dear, eternal concernment of thine. Examine the state of thy own soul. Look into the scriptures, then into thine own heart, and then to heaven, saying, Lord, let me not be deceived info great a concernment to me as this. O let not the trifles of time wipe off the impressions of death, judgment, and eternity, from thy heart. O that long word [Eternity,] that it might be night and day with thee. That the awe of it may be still upon thy spirit. A gentlewoman of this nation, having spent the whole afternoon, and a great part of the evening at cards, in mirth and jollity, came home late at night, and finding her waiting gentlewoman reading, she looked over hor shoulder upon the book, and said, Poor melancholy foul, why dostthou fithereporing solongupon thy book ? That night the could not sleep, but lay sighing and weeping; her servant asked heronceandagain what ailedher; at last she burst out into tears, and said, O ! it wasone word that I cast my eye upon in thy book , that troubles me; there I saw that word Eternity. How happy were I, if I were provided for eternity ! Sure it concerns us, seeing we look for such things, to be diligent that we may be foundofhim in peace. O let not that day come by furprizal upon you. Remember that as death leaves, so judgment will find you.
Infer. 4. Is Jesus Christ appointed Judge of quick and dead, then look to it, all you that hope to be found of him in peace, that you avoid thosefins, and live in the daily practice of those duties, which the consideration of that day powerfully persuades you to avoid or practise. For it not only presses to holiness in actu primo, in the being of it; but in actufecundo, in the daily exercise
SERM. XLII. 67 The Fountain of Life. and practice of it. then, Do you indeed expect such a day ? Oh, First, See you be neek and patient under all injuries and abuses for Christ's fake. Avenge not yourselves, but leave it to the Lord,who will do it. Do not anticipate the work of God. " Be patient my brethren, to the coming of the Lord, " James V.7,8, 9.
Secondly, Be communicative, public-hearted Christians, studying and devising liberal things, for Christ's distressed members. And you shall have both an honourable remembrance of it, and a full reward of it in that day, Mat. xxv. 34, 35 .
Thirdly, Be watchful, and sober, keep the golden bridle of moderation upon all your affections; and see that you be not over-charged with the cares and love of this present life, Luke xxi. 34, 35. Will you that your Lord come, and find you in fuchaposture? " O let your moderation be known unto all, " the Lord is at hand," Phil. iv. 5.
Fourthly, Improve all your Master's talents, diligently and carefully. Take heedofthenapkin, Mat. xxv. 14, 18. Then must you make up your account for them all.
Fifthly, But above all, be sincere in your profession. Let your hearts be found in God's statutes, that you may never be ashamed ; for this day will be the day of manifestation of all hidden things. And nothing is so secret, but that day will reveal it, Luke xii. 1 , 2, 3. " Beware of hypocrity, for there is " nothing covered, which shall not be revealed ; neither hid, " that shall not be made known. "--Thus I have finished, through divine aids, the whole doctrine of the impetration of redemptionbyJesus Christ; we shall windup the whole in a ge neral exhortation, and I have done.
The General USE .
AND now, to close up all, letmepersuade all those for whom the dear Son of God came from theblessedbosom of the Father ; assumed flesh, brake, by the strength of his own love, through all discouragements and impediments, laid down his own life a ransom for their souls ; for whom he lived, died, rose, ascended, and lives for ever in heaven to intercede ; The general use of the whole, pressing to holiness, which is the main scope of the doc trineofredemption to live wholly to Christ, as Christ lived, and died wholly for them.
Obrethren, never was the Heathen world acquainted with K 2
68 The Fountain of Life. SERM . XLIF
arguments todeter them from sin; never acquainted with such motives to urge them to holiness, as I shall this dayacquaintyou with. My request is, to give up both your hearts and lives to glorify the Father, Son, and Spirit, whose you are, by the holiness and heavenliness of them. Other things are expected from you, than from other men. See that you turn not all thisgracethathathfoundedinyour ears, intowantonness. Think not because Chritt hath done to much for you, you may fit still; much less indulge your selves in fin, because Christ hath offered up such an excellent sacrifice for the expiation of it.
No, no, though Christ came to be a curse, he did not come to be a cloak for your fins. " Ifone died for all, then were all " dead; that they that live, should not henceforth live to them- " selves; but to him that died for them," 2 Cor. v. 15. Ο keep your lives pure and clean. Do not make fresh work for the blood of Christ everyday. " If you live in the Spirit, fee " that you walk in the Spirit," Gal. v. 25. That is, (faith * Cornelius a Lapide very solidly) " Let us shape and order " our lives and actions according to the dictates, instinct, and " impulses of the Spirit, and of that grace of the Spirit put " within us, and planted in our hearts, which tendeth toprac- " tical holiness ." O let the grace which is in your hearts, issue out into all your religious, civil, and natural actions. Let the faith that is in your hearts appear in your prayers; the obedience of your hearts in hearing; the meekness of your hearts in suffering; the mercifulness of your hearts in distributing ; the truth and righteousness of your hearts in trading; the sobriety and temperance of your hearts in eating and drinking. These be the fruits of Christ's sufferings indeed, they are sweet fruits. Let grace refine, ennoble, and elevate all your actions ; that you may say, " Truly our conversation is in heaven." Let grace have theorderingofyourtongues, and of your hands ; themoulding of your whole conversation. Let not humility appear in some actions, and pride in others. Holy seriousness in some companies, and vain frothiness in others. Suffer not the fountain of corruption to mingle with, or pollute the streams of grace. Write as exactly as you can after your copy, Christ, Olet there not be (as + one well expresses it) here a line and there a blank ; here a word, and there ablot. One word of God, and two of the world. Now a spiritual rapture, and then
Secundum dictamen, instinctum, impulfum Spirit us eogratia immisse, et indita nobis a Spiritu Sancto.
† R. A. Vindicia Pietatis.
SERM . XLII. The Fountain of Life. 69 a fleshly frolic. This day an advance towards heaven, and tomorrow a slide back again towards hell. But be you in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Let there be a due proportion betwixt all the parts of your conversation. Approve yourselves the servants of Christ in all things . " Bypureness, by know- " ledge, long-suffering, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, " by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of " righteousness, on the right-hand, and on the left," 2 Cor. vi. 6. See then how accurately you walk.--Cut offoccafion from them thatdefire occasion ; and in well-doing commityourselves to God, and commend religion to the world. That this is your great concernment and duty, I shall evidence to your consciences,by these following considerations. That of all persons in the world the redeemed of the Lord, are most obliged to be holy ; most assisted for a life of holiness; and that God intends to make great use of their lives, both for the conviction, and conversion of others .
Confider, First, God hath more obliged them to live pure and strict lives. I know the command obliges all men to it, even those that cast away the cords of the commands, and break Christ's bonds asunder, are yet bound by them ; and cannot plead a dispensation to live as they do. Yea, and it is not unusualforthem to feel the obligations of the command upon their consciences, even when their impetuous lusts hurry them on to the violation of them; but there are special tiesuponyour fouls, that oblige you to holiness more than others. Many special and peculiar engagements you are under. First, from God. Secondly, from yourselves. Thirdly, from your brethren. Fourthly, from your enemies .
First, God hath peculiarly obliged you to purity and strictness of life. Yea, every Person in the blessed Trinity hath cast his cord over your fouls, to bind up your hearts and lives to the most strict and precise obedience of his commands. The Father hath obliged you, and that not only by the common tie of the Father. creation, which is yet of great efficacy in Obligations from itself; for, is it reasonable, that God should create and form fo excellent a piece, and that it should be employed against him ? That he should plant the tree, and another eat the fruit of it ? But, besides this common engagement, he hath obliged you to holiness of life.
First, By his wife and merciful designs and counsels for your recovery and salvation by Jesus Christ. It was he that laid the corner-stone of your salvation with his own hands. The first
70 The Fountain of Life. SERM . XLII. motion sprang out of his breast. If God had not designed the Redeemer for you, the world had never feenhim ; he had never left that sweet Bosom for you. It was the act of the Father to give you to the Son to be redeemed, and then to give the Son to be a Redeemer to you. Both of them stupendous and astonishing acts of grace. AndinbothGod acted as a most free A. gent. When he gave you to Christ before the beginning of time, there was nothing out of himself that could in the least move him to it. When the Father, Son, and Spirit fat(as I may fay) at the counsel table, contriving and laying the design for the salvation of a few out of many of Adam's degenerate offspring, there was none came before him to speak one word for thee ; butfuch was the divine Pleasure to infertthy name in that catalogue of the saved. Oh how much oweft thou to the Lord for this ! And what an engagement doth it leave upon thy soul to obey, please, and glorify him ?
Secondly, By his bountiful remunerations of your obedience, which have been wonderful. What service didst thou ever perform for him, for which he hath not paid thee a thousand times more than it is worth ? Did it thou ever seek him diligently, and not find him a bountiful rewarder; none seek him in vain, unless such only as seek him vainly, Heb. xi. 6. Didst thou ever give a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, and not receive a disciple's reward ? Mat. x. 42. Haft thou not found inward peace and comfort flowing into thy foul, upon every piece of sincere obedience ! Oh what a good master do faints serve ? You that are remiss and unconstant in your obedience, you that are heartless and cold in duties; hear how your God expoftulates with you, Jer. ii. 31. " Have I been a wilder- " ness to Israel, or a land of darkness?" q. d. Have I been a hard Master to you ? Have you any reason to complain of me ?
To whomsoever I have been streight-handed, surely I have not been so to you. Are fruits of fin like the fruits of obedience ? Do you know where to find a better,Master ? Why then are you so shuffling and unconftant, so sluggish and remiss in my work ? Surely God is not behind-hand with any of you. May you not say with David, Psal. cxix. 56. This I had, because " I kept thy precepts." There are fruits in holiness, evenprefent fruit. It is a high favour to be employed for God. Reward enough that he will accept any thing thou dost. But to return every duty thou presentest to him with such comforts, such quickenings, such inward and outward blessings into thy bosom, fo that thou mayeft open the treasury of thine own experiences, view the variety of encouragements, and tokens of
SERM. XLII. 71 The Fountain of Life. his love, at several times received in duties; and say, this I had, and that I had, by waiting on God, and serving him. Oh what an engagement is this upon thee, to be ever abounding in the work of the Lord ! Though thou must not work for wages ; yet God will not let thy work go unrewarded. For he is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love.
Thirdly, Your Father hath further obliged you to his holiness and purity of life, byfignifying to you (as he hath frequently done) the great delight and pleasure he hath therein. He hath told you, " that such as are upright in the way are hisde- " light," Prov. xi. 20. That he would not have you " forget to do good, and to communicate, for with such sacrifices he " is well pleased," Heb. xiii. 16. You know you cannot walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, (except) ye be " fruitful in every good word and work," Col. i. 10. And oh what a bond is this upon you to live holy lives ! Can you please yourselves in displeasing your Father ? If you have the hearts of children in you, sure you cannot. O you cannot grieve his spirit by loose and careless walking, but you must grieve your own spirits too. How many times hath God pleased you, gratified and contented you, and will you not pleale and content him ? This mercy you have asked of him, and he gave it, that mercy and you were not denied ; in many things the Lord hath wonderfully condescended to please you, and now there is butone thing that he desires of you, and that most reasonable, yea, beneficial for you, as well as pleasing to him, Phil. i. 27. " Only let your conversation be asbecometh the gospel of Jesus " Christ." This is the one thing, the great and main thing, he expects from you in this world, and will not you do it ?
Can you expect he should gratify your desires, when you make no more of grieving and displeasing him ? Well, if you know what will please God, and yet resolve not to do it, but will rather please your flesh, and gratify the devil, than him ; pray pull off your vizards, fall into your own rank among hypocrites ; and appear as indeed you are.
Fourthly, The Father bath further obliged you toftrictness and purity of conversation, by his gracious promises made to such as fo walk. He hath promised to do great things for you, if you will but do this one thing for him. If you will " order your conversation aright," Pial. 1. ult. He will be your fun and Soield, if you walk before him and be upright,Gen. xv. 1. "He