Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 18
THE XVIII. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 4. verſ. 16. 17. 18.
16 For the Lord himſelfe ſhall deſcend from heauen vvith a ſhout, and vvith the voyce of the Archangell, and vvith the trumpet of God: and the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe againe.
Then ſhall vve vvhichwhich liue and remaine, be caught vp vvith them alſo in the cloudes, to meete the Lord in the aire: and ſo ſhall vve euer be vvith the Lord.
18 Wherefore, comfort your ſelues one another vvith theſe vvords.
THE Apoſtle (brethren) in this preſent text (by the way as it were) inſtructs the Theſſalonians in that head of doctrine, that concernes thoſe who are departed this lyfe: Of the which either they were ignorant, or thought not of it as they ſhould hauehave done. And therefore, in the death and departure of their kinſ-folke and friendes whom they loued well, they mourned exceſſiuely, as though there eſtate had beene miſerable: as though after this world there ſhould hauehave been no more of them, but they ſhould periſh like beaſts. And therfore the Apoſtle, to the end that for death they ſhold not mourne ſo deſperatlie, he inſtructs them in certaine heades of doctrine concerning the departed. The firſt was, that they that died, died not ſo much as ſleeped: this death is not ſo much to be called a death, as a ſleepe, for there ſhall be a waking againe, as a man lying down to ſleepe, ſhall awake againe. The ſecond point. Their reſurrection ſhall be glorious: Being laid down in the graue they ſhall not ly for euer, but ſhall be gloriouſlie raiſed againe: for heere he ſpeakes of the reſurrection of the elect and choſen. Now the third thing he inſtructs them in is an peece of honour they ſhall hauehave in their reſurrection. They that are dead firſt, ſhall ſee the Lord before them that ſhall be found aliue: for the dead ſhall ryſe firſt, and then the change ſhall be made of them, who are then liuing. And as the dead ſhall riſe firſt, ſo they ſhall be firſt in ranke among them who ſhall goe to meete the Lord in the aire: firſt the dead after their reſurrection ſhall be reſt vp to the cloudes: then they who ſhall be liuing, ſhall be reſt vp after them. So the dead ſhall get the firſt ſight of Chriſt, then they who ſhall be found alyue, ſhall be changed and get the next ſight. This before ye heard taught to you.
Now in the text we hauehave red, the Apoſtle takes occaſion of that which he ſpoke of immediatly before, concerning the ranking and order of thoſe that ſhall bee found dead on that great day. To enter in this matter more deeplie, and to fall out in a deſcription of the Lords comming in that latter day. He pointes out the manner of it, and that glorie that ſhall appeare. Thereafter he commes to that effect that ſhall follovv there-vponupon. The firſt effect, ſhall be the reſurrection of the dead; ere euer they vvho are alyue be changed (vvhichwhich ſhall be in a moment) the dead ryſing firſt, ſhall be reſt vp to the cloudes, and then they vvho ſhall be changed, ſhall be reſt vp after them. The eſtate of both is, they ſhall meete the Lord, and bee vvith him for euer. Then in the laſt verſe, he deſyres the Theſſalonians vvith ſuch ſpeaches as theſe, euerie one to comfort another: vvhether he ſorrovv for his owne or for anothers death, and to ſpeake one to another of the reſurrection, and of the glorie that ſhall followe on it. Now this text ſtandes in a narratiue of the forme of Chriſtes comming, vvhereof I vvill ſpeake no farther, nor I can gather thereof out of the Scripture, and with as great ſhortneſſe as I may: For, it is follie to ſpeake any thing heerein vvhichwhich is not reuealed and ſpoken of in the Scriptures. Now Brethren, I ſhall ſpeake firſt (according to the Scriptures of God) of the ſignes and tokens that ſhall appeare in the world before Chriſtes comming. For, ere he be ſeene, they who ſhall be found aliue at that great day, ſhall ſee ſignes and tokens of his comming. Next I ſhall ſpeake of his comming and of the manner of it. And in the third rovvme I ſhall ſpeake of the effectes that ſhall followe in the vvorlde immediatlie on his comming.
As for the ſignes that ſhall be ſeene, ere he be ſeene. There are ſome of them that ſhall goe before his comming immediatlie before he ryſe out of his Throne, vvhere he ſittes at the right hand of his Father, euen immediatlie before his ryſing there ſhall ſome ſignes be ſhovven to vvarne the vvorlde, that the King of Glorie is comming. Then there ſhall be ſome other ſignes, that ſhall be adjoyned vvith his comming, as hee commes through the Heauens and aire to judge the world. So the ſignes are of tvvo ſortes, ſome ſignes before his comming immediatlie,Signes immediatly preceding Chr…stes comming. ſome joyned with his comming. The ſignes immediatlie preceeding the Lords ryſing out of his Throne, to judge the vvorld, are, The vvhole vvorlde ſhall ſhake, Heauen and earth ſhall trimble; they who ſhall be liuing at that day ſhall ſee it. The vvhole povvers of the Heauen ſhall be ſhaken: The Sunne, the Moone ſhall be darkned, all ſhall be obſcured: the Sunne ſhall hauehave no light, the ſtarres ſhall fall downe, or, at the leaſt, ſhall appeare ſo, becauſe they ſhall giuegive no light, and light ſhall be away, nothing in the face of the earth, but darkneſſe: nothing in Heauen but darkneſſe. Ye may read this Matt. chap. 24. verſe 29. Luke chap. 21. verſe 25. Chriſt giues theſe ſame ſignes himſelfe, that ſhall be immediatlie before his comming. What ſhall be the eſtat in the mean-time of thoſe who are liuing when theſe ſignes ſhall appear? Al conſciences ſhall be wakned, all ſhall get vp, there ſhall be no ſleeping. The murtherer vvho hes his conſcience ſleeping now, ſhall be wakned then: the harlots conſcience ſhall waken. There ſhall be two ſorte of folke found liuing then; ſome reprobate, ſome elect; the world is neuer vvithout theſe tvvo. As for the reprobate vvhen they ſhall looke vp and ſee ſuch a wonderfull alteration, the ſhaking of the Heauens, the darkning of the Sunne, and Moon, then they ſhall beginne to ſhudder and to be ſtriken with ſuch a terrible fear, that, they ſhal be as they wer dead: and for fear of that judgment that is to follow, they ſhall run and ſeeke holes and ſecret places to hide them from the face of the Lord, and cry, Hilles fall dovvn on vsus, Mountains couer vsus, Yea, euen ere they ſee the Lord before his comming down, Read of this in Luke 21. 27. Reuelat. chap. 6. verſe 16. &c. Now as to the elect that ſhall be found aliue at that tyme, they ſhall conceiue at the ſight of theſe firſt ſignes an vnſpeakable joye, and ſhall not be afraide, but ſhall avvaite for that Redemption, which they ſhall ſee to be at hand, that full Redemption in the Redeemer the Lord Ieſus. And therefore, they ſhall not runne away and ſeeke holes to hyde them in, but they ſhall ſtand vp and lift vp their heades and faces to the Heauens and ſhall looke greedilie for the comming of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: indeede it is true, they ſhall conceiue a ſorrowe and ſhall be touched vvith a remorſe, and ſhall vveepe bitterlie; but a ſweete weeping they ſhall weepe, that euer their ſinnes procured the death of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that Lord of glorie. Therefore, they ſhall be both joyfull, and ſorrowfull: joyfull, becauſe the Redeemer is at hand: ſorrowfull, for their ſinnes, that Chriſt ſhould hauehave died for them; that they ſhould hauehave peirced him through with them. Reade of this at length Luke chap. 21. verſe 28. Zachary chap. 13. verſe 11. Reuel. chap. 1. verſe 7. yea, they who peirced him through, with their ſinnes, ſhall bewaile him. All the godlie Kinges of the earth ſhall bewaile him; all the elect ſhall ſorrow, that their ſinnes ſhould hauehave procured the death of this ſweete and glorious Lord. This for the ſignes immediatly going before his comming. Vnderſtand (brethren) that there ſhall be a proceſſe of tyme in the day of judgement, ſo that one thing ſhall (by a certaine ſpace) goe before another. It ſhall be ſodaine, but, not ſo ſodaine, but they who are aliue, ſhall ſee one thing done by a ſpace of time before another; it ſhall be ſo ſenſible, that euerie one that is liuing at that day ſhall ſee eueryevery thing done ſenſible.
Now to come to the ſignes joined with his comming. At his down comming,Signes ioyned vvith the comming of Chriſt. when the Lord riſes out of his Throne, before he be ſeene, the whole world that ſhooke before he roſe, ſhal be ſet on fyre, and there ſhall be a terrible diſſolution: All thinges ſhall be diſſolued, and ſo ſhaken lowſe, that the world ſhall not appeare, vntounto the tyme it bee made a nevv Worlde, a nevv Heauen, a new Earth, as Peter ſpeakes. Come to the particulares. As to the Heauens, they ſhall bee burnt vp, and being burnt vp, they ſhall paſſe away with a ſound and noyſe (ſaies Peter) as the ſounding of Chariot-wheeles. The elements, the aire, the water, all ſhall be conſumed with fire, and be burnt vp and euaniſh. The earth, and all the workes on the earth, planting, building, all ſhall be burnt vp with fire, nothing ſhall be ſpared. Theſe ſhall be the ſignes that ſhall be joined inſeparablie with Chriſts comming.The ſigne of Chriſt. In the meane tyme he ſhall come down, when all the world ſhall be on a fire. And this is called by Matthevv 24 verſe 30. the ſigne of Chriſt, the ſigne that ſhall be conjoined with his comming. Reade of this whole matter in this 24. chap. of Matthevv verſe 30. 2. Epiſt of Pet. chap. 3. verſe 10. 12. Reuelat. chap. 20. verſe 11. and chap. 21. verſe 1. Then brethren, if there was ſuch a commotion in the heart of men, in the firſt ſignes that paſt before, what commotion ſhall there be in the harts of men, when they ſhall ſee the whole world on fire? A wondrous thing. When all this conſumption ſhall be, no body ſhall be burnt, but the power of the judge ſhall reſerue the bodies to the judgement that is to follow immediatlie. Peter when he hes tolde of theſe ſignes, ſaies, If ſuch a diſſolution of the world be, what maner of men ſhould we be? how ſhould we ſtudie to prepare vsus to meete the Lord? So on that great day, all theſe thinges ſhall not make the godly to ſhrinke, but they ſhall ay preaſe forward to meete the Lord in the cloudes. As to the reprobate, ô, that horrour and terrible feare that ſhall ouertake them at his comming! Now this for the two ſorts of ſignes. The firſt, going before his comming: the ſecond, joined inſeparably with his comming down to judge the world.
Now, ſhortly to ſpeake of Chriſts owne comming. And this is it which the Apoſtle ſpeakes of in this place. Which for our vnderſtanding I ſhall gather out of this and ſundry other places of the Scripture.Chriſtes cōming. Now as for the comming of the judge, he ſhall not come from the Sea, from the Earth, from the Plane. Wherefrom commes all the Kings of the earth, when they are in their triumph? The Romane Emperours came out from the Capitoll in their Chariots. But, the King of Kinges ſhall come from the Heauen of Heauens, abone all theſe heauens that we ſee, from the higheſt place. The maner of his comming is ſodaine. Theſe ſignes that I ſpake of, ſhall come on a ſodaintie; and yet there ſhall be a proceſſe of tyme in doing thereof. He ſhall come on a ſodaine, as the deluge of Noah did, as the 24 chap. Matt verſe 37. telles. The people knew not of the deludge, that ouerwhelmed them, vntill it came: No more ſhall this miſerable world know Chriſtes comming, vntill he come ſodainlie. And therefore, conſidering this, in the Scripture the Lord giues a watch-word to his Diſciples: Many hundreth yeeres are paſt ſince, and repeate it heere, he ſaies, Matt. 24. 42. Watch, for ye knovv not vvhen the Lord ſhall come. The ſodaintie & vncertainty of his comming ſhoulde make vsus euer readie to looke for it. The Chariot he ſhall be caried in, is the cloudes of the aire. As in his aſcending the cloudes reſaued him from our ſight, ſo ſhall the cloudes reſaue him at his comming. Such a Chariot got neuer Emperour in all his higheſt triumph, none of them was caried in the clouds. The company that ſhall conuoy him: he ſhal come, ſaies Matt. chap. 24. verſe 30. with the Angels, and a flame of fire, that fyre that ſhall burne vp the world, and ſhall burne vp the reprobate in the owne tyme. 2. Theſſ. 1. 7. 8. Iude ſayes, verſe. 14. He ſhall come with millions of Angels, there ſhall not be an Angell, but all ſhall come in that conuoye, to let all the worlde ſee, that, all the Angels are but ſeruants to that Lord, and ſeruantes ſtanding about him, to obey his vvill vvhat hee commandes, that his glorie and Majeſtie may be ſeene. In the meane-tyme he hes no neede of them, for they neyther can adde to his glorie, nor diminiſh it: yet it hes pleaſed him, ſo to vtter his glorie to the vvorld. And in that meane-tyme, when he is comming, he will not come in ſilence. Ye ſee, when an Armie marches forward, there is a great noyſe and crying, ſhouting, and blovving of trumpets: So, there ſhall bee a noyſe in the Lords comming dovvne. The Angels of Heauen ſhall blovve the trumpets. So he ſpeakes Matth. 24. verſe 31. Paul in this place ſayes, there ſhall ryſe a ſound: The worde in this place is a vvorde of exhortation, foreign, borrovved from that ſound vvhichwhich the Mariners vſes to others, euerie one to moue others to rovv. A ſhout direct to the dead that lyes in the graue: it ſhall pearce through the graue and eares of the dead, and ſhall waken them vp. With the ſhout ſhall be conjoyned the voice of the Archangell, and with the voyce of the Archangell, the ſound of the trumpet of God, and this ſhall be the laſt trumpet, and neuer ſhall the voyce of the trumpet be heard againe, and it ſhall be the ſh…lleſt trumpet that euer was heard. Now when the Lord in his comming downe ſhall come to the place where he is ordained to ſit, to judge the worlde, which ſhall be in the cloudes: Then all the Angels ſhall ſhowe their preſence, and the Angels ſhall make a glorious Throne to the Lord of glorie, and there he ſhall ſit. This much ſhortlie for the comming and appearing. I ſhall be ſhort in this matter. For, I will ſpeake nothing but make a narration of it out of other parts of Scripture.
Would ye vnderſtand the effectes that followes on his comming?Effectes follovving Chriſts cōming. Certainlie notable effectes muſt followe on it. The Lord prepare vsus for it. The Father ſhall be there, the Sonne ſhall be there,cōming. the holie Spirite ſhall be there vvith all their power, and all their Majeſtie. The glorie of the Father neuer appeared ſo glorious, as it ſhall appeare that day. The glorie of the Sonne neuer appeared ſo glorious as it ſhall appeare that day. The glorie of the holie Spirit neuer appeared ſo glorious, as it ſhall appeare that day. Ye ſee in the Parliament the Kings of the earth appears in their greateſt glory to the people; ſo, the Lord of the world ſhall appeare with an infinite and vncapable ſight of glorie. Now to come to the effects that ſhall follow on his comming.Aſſēbly. The firſt effect. There ſhall be an aſſemblie, a conuention, the faireſt conuention that euer was ſince the world ſtoode. There are none that euer tooke lyfe, but all ſhall bee there: all ſhall be ſommonded with the ſhout of the trumpetuall ſhall compeare: no excuſe, the graue ſhall not excuſe, death ſhal not excuſe, dead and liuing, neuer man, nor, woman excepted, all ſhall be there. So, the firſt effect that ſhal follow the comming of the Iudge, ſhall be a conuention of the whole world, elect & reprobate, dead and liuing. And I ſhall tell you, after what order it wil be, by the Scripture. The firſt that ſhall come there to the conuention, ſhall be they who were dead, they ſhall preueene them who were alyue. And Adam and Eue, ſhall be with the firſt, and in the firſt ranke. For before they vvho in the vvorlde ſhall be changed (which ſhall be in the twinkling of an eye; and it ſhall ſtand to them in ſtead of death) ere this change be made, the dead ſhall ryſe firſt. 1. Corint. 15. 51 52. Some of them who are dead, ſhall ryſe to lyfe and honour, to witte, the elect: Some of them, to wit, the reprobat, to diſhonour, ignominie and death, and a worſe death nor they ly in preſently. Then when the dead is raiſed vp, and compeares firſt, then ſhall follow that ſodaine change of them who ſhall be alyue: the elect that ſhall be alyue ſhal be altred in a moment, in the twinckling of an eie, to a glorious eſtate. The reprobat aliue, ſhall be altered to, but, if they wer ignominious before, they ſhal be more ignominious then: for, not only their ſoule, but ſoule and body ſhal be vgly, and if they had any beauty,Estate of the bodies of the elect. it ſhall bee changed in a wonderfull foulues. But, to ſpeak of the body of the elect: for, the Scripture ſpeaks moſt of them. Paul (1. Cor. 15. verſe 35.) moues the queſtion, with what bodies ſhall they ryſe? what bodie ſhall the elect hauehave? For, he is not curious of the bodies of the reprobate, but he markes narrowlie the riſing of the bodies of the godlie at that day. And the firſt qualitie he giues them, is, that, whereas their bodies wer naturall, when they were laid down in the graue, their bodies in that day, ſhall be made ſpirituall: Not, that our bodies ſhall be changed in ſpirites; no, our bodies ſhall be bodies indeed, of that ſame ſubſtance they hauehave now. The verie ſame ſubſtance of the bodie thou haſt in this lyfe, the ſame verie ſubſtance thou ſhalt hauehave in that lyfe, and no other. It ſhall be preſent at that day, that ſame verie bodie, that ſame very hand and foote, &c. and no other bodie, nor no other hand nor foote, &c. And there ſhall be none of the aſhes of the bodie, but it ſhall be keeped, vntill that day, and ſhall be gathered vp and joined better, nor euer it was before. Then, the bodie ſhall abyde. Our lyfe ſhall be much better. I liue heere a naturall lyfe, by a naturall power in my ſoule, but, in the reſurrection, my lyfe ſhall be ſpirituall, and I ſhall not liue a naturall lyfe: Now I liue by a naturall power in my ſoule, but, then, I ſhall liue ſpirituallie, by a ſpirituall power in Chriſt. Yet, there ſhall be more. Another propertie of the bodie ſhall follow on this. This bodie, if it were neuer ſo faire, yet, in reſpect of the glorie it ſhall take vp, it is but ignominious, but the bodie ſhall riſe glorious and ſhyning as the Sunne; not by this naturall skin and colour that we hauehave here; but by a paſſing light and brightneſſe, conforme to that brightneſſe of Chriſt, when he was tranſformed on the Mountaine. (Reade Matt. 17. 1.) and conforme to his glorie in Heauen, as the Apoſtle telles Philipp. chap. 3. verſe 21. Yet more, ye ſee our bodies weake. The ſtrongeſt man is ſoone beatten downe for all his ſtrength; all the povver of man is feeble and weake, but in the reſurrection, the bodie ſhall be ſtrong and pithie. One man (to be homely with you) ſtronger in the reſurrection, nor an hundreth: yea, nor thouſands are now. For, all feebleneſſe ſhall be left behinde him in the graue, and he ſhall ryſe ſtrong, lyke the Angels in glorie and ſtrength. Yet more then this. (What matter of all this former glorie, if it were poſſible, that, this ſpirituall bodie could periſh:) The Apoſtle addes to this. We ſhall riſe incorruptible, immortail, to lyfe euerlaſting: when we ſhall ryſe in that ſtrength, that power and freedome, immortalitie ſhall follow after mortalitie, glorie after ignomnie, ſtrength after weakneſſe, ſpiritualitie after naturalitie. In lyfe we ſhall be ſpirituall, in qualitie glorious, in tyme euerlaſting, there is no end of it. This is the propertie that Paul ſpeakes of our bodies in the reſurrection.
Now to goe forward. There ſhall followe more in this conuention. That ſame power that ſhall conueene all men together,Separation of the elect from the reprobats. that ſame power ſhall make a ſeuering. The Angels, the Miniſters of that glorious judge, ſhall ſtoppe in betweene the elect and the reprobate, and putte them a ſunder. They ſhall ſeuere the ſheepe from the goates, they ſhall put the ſheepe at the right hand of the judge, and the goates at the left hand. Reade Matt. chap. 25 verſe 33. Appearantlie Paul heere would meane to vsus another kynde of ſeuering: and yet all is one. This appearantlie vvoulde be his meaning. They ſhal al be gathered together on the earth, and all ſhall ſtand together in a troup, and then this ſeuering ſhall be made: Then all the elect ſhall be reſt vp to the cloudes, to meete the Lord in the cloudes. As for the reprobate, they ſhall all ſtand ſtill on the earth, and ſhall not get that honour, to be reſt vp in the aire, but ſhall byde on the earth, and receyue their judgement there. For, Paul, vvhen he ſayes, they ſhall be reſt vp to meete the Lord in the aire, he ſpeakes onelyonly of the elect. Then, there ſhall be a ſeuering, after which there ſhall neuer be a meetting againe: a great golfe ſhall be betweene them that none may paſſe: We are all mingled heere through other, and none knowes other: The ſheepe oft-tymes are taken for the goates, and the goates for the ſheepe; but, at that great day, the ſheepe ſhall be ſeuered from the goates, and ſhall neuer meete againe, be it man with wyfe, parents with children. There are two effects, a conuention of all, and a ſeuering of all.
Yet the Iudge and the power of the Iudge ſhall paſſe forwarde, and the third effect followes. When the Judge hes all gathered together and none avvay: vvhen the rovve is called, and all are preſent: Then vvhen one ſorte ſhall be placed at the right hand,Iudgemēt pronounced. and the other at the left hand; then ſhall he fall to judgement: He cannot judge before he ſeuere; the verie ſeuering telles the judgement: but, before the ſeuering, the judgement ſhall not be pronunced. Then generallie he ſhall judge all according to their workes. The bookes ſhall be opened, the book of conſcience ſhall be opened, the booke of workes ſhall be opened and al their judgement ſhal be according to their works … vnderſtand this. The elect man ſhall be judged according to his works, not that his works ſhall be the cauſe that ſhal pro… his lyfe: but he ſhall be judged by his works as a teſtimony of his faith in Chriſt and of the maner of lyfe that he hes liued in the worlde as a member of Chriſt: So he ſhall be judged by his workes; not as a cauſe, but as a token of the true cauſe, as ye would judge a man by a witneſſe: for the workes ſhall be the tokens of the true cauſe, which is, the onelyonly juſtice of Chriſt imputed vntounto vsus by faith. I dare ſay, albeit the reprobate worthe…e ſhall be damned according to their workes, yet they ſhall be ſpeciallie condemned that they beleeued not in Ieſus Chriſt, but contemned his Goſpell without faith. Then to come to the ſentence. The Lord will beginne at the elect, as beſt and worthieſt and he ſhall giuegive them their ſentence, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, and vvher… the Kingdome prepared for you, before … of the vvorlde. Matt. chap. 25 verſe 32. From once this ſentence is paſt out on them, when this abſolution from death and damnation is pronounced, looke what eſtate they … be in: They ſhall ſtand with the Angles, as aſſeſſours to judge the reprobate. So Paul 1. Cor chap. 6. verſe 3. ſaies, knovv … iudge the Angels? that is to ſay, we ſhall allow that moſt juſt ſentence of Ieſus: And among all the reſt of the … the twelf Apoſtles ſpeciallie ſhall hauehave place. For, they ſhall ſit on twelfe Thrones, to juſtifie that juſt ſentence that ſhall paſſe on the reprobate. Then ſhall the ſentence paſſe out on the reprobate: the voice ſhall goe downe throgh the aire to the earth, a terrible voice, … accurſed of my Father to the fire prepared for the Deuill and all his Angels. Brethren, thinke not this a fable, manie will not beleeue this, vntil they feele it in them ſelues.
Now to be ſhort. To ſpeake of the lyfe of the reprobate after this ſentence, they ſhall no… remaine on the earth. In the verie moment of the doome (that is certaine) they ſhall paſſe to d…mnation.… At that ſame verie moment thou receiueſt the ſentence of lyfe, thou ſhalt goe to Heauen: The moment the reprobate receiues ſentence of damnation they ſhall go to Hell. Now to ſpeake of this death and lyfe: I will not be curious, there is much ſpoken in the Scripture thereof, both to let vsus ſee the glorie of the elect and the torments of the reprobate. But, I tell you in one word, it was neuer all tolde. Neuer Prophet nor Apoſtle expreſſed the greatneſſe of the joy that ſhall come to the godlie, nor of the paine that ſhall come to the vngodlie. There ſhall bee another paine nor fyre and brimſtone to bee tormented in. Neyther can any expreſſe the joye in Heauen, There ſhall be ſuch glorie and joye as the eare of man neuer heard of, the eye hes not ſeene, nor yet hes it entered in the heart of man. Novv looke hovv Paul ſpeakes of this joye heere. He ſayes, … ſhall be … vvith the Lord. He contentes him with theſe wordes. To be with the Lord imports not a dwelling only vvith him, but a lyfe and glorious lyfe, joye that is vvith him vnſpeakable: I cannot tell it: all the tongues in the vvorlde cannot tell it: For, all the joye in Heauen it is in the Sonne of God, and ſhall ſhine through him, that is, through the naturall … of man, couered ouer vvith a Majeſtie; and ſo all Heauens joye and glorie ſhall be vvith him, and they vvho ſhall bee vvith him ſhall be in that glorie and joye vvith him. I dare ſay more. Theſe thinges ſhall not be outvvith vsus onelyonly, but vvithin our bovvels. The joye and glorie ſhall not be outvvith the godlie, as it is novv: Commonlie the glorie, the pleaſure, are ou…vvith vsus, the matter of joye outvvith vsus, and vve … to it. But then, all matter of joye ſhall be in vsus; Chriſt firſt be in vsus, and God ſhall be all in all, and God in … be dvveling in vsus; and then, vvhen thou haſt all vvithin thee, vvhat ſhall thou vvant? And therefore, in the Reuelation chap 21. verſe 2; it is ſaid, We ſhall not neede thinges outvvith vsus. neyther a Temple, nor Sunne, nor Moone, for, God being in thee, ſhall be vntounto thee a Temple, hee is all in all; and hee being in thee … all … thee. In one vvord, He ſhall be vvithin the…, … becauſe God in Chriſt ſhall dvvell vvithin thee, and … part of that glorie and felicitie of that lyfe. Novv is there no more nor this? What matter if it vverfor a tyme vve vvere to be with him? What matter of Heauen if Heauen laſted not? What matter of a Kingdome that vaniſhes away? A man ſet vp on a pompe to day, caſten down to morrow? what matter of heauenlie glory, let be the earthly glory, if it laſted not? but the Apoſtle ſaies we ſhall be with him for euer. Take vp then our bleſſedneſſe. It ſtands in two pointes; firſt a paſſing and exceeding joy and glorie: and ſecondlie in an eternity and euerlaſtingneſſe of joy and glorie. Paul plainly and pithilie ſettes theſe two together. 2. Cor. chap. 4. verſe 17. He calles it a weight of glorie, that is excellent: Then he calles it an euerlaſting glorie. There are two, a weight of glorie, and an euerlaſting vveight of glorie, and more exceſſiuelie exceſſiue. He cannot get wordes to vtter it. It is a weight that will vveigh dovvne all the vvorlde, and then a weight of glorie exceſſiuelie exceſſiue, and then eternall and euerlaſting. So our felicities in glorie, and paſſing great glorie and an euerlaſting glorie. As for the paines of the reprobate▪ I will not inſiſt to ſpeake of them, becauſe the Apoſtle is ſpeaking heere to comfort the elect.
Now when the Apoſtle hes made a diſcourſe of the comming of Chriſt, He makes his exhortation and ſayes, and ſo I ſay alſo, Comfort one another vvith theſe vvordes. Brethren, many hes ſought comfort, death is dolorous and weariſome in the owne nature: and therefore, many of the Heathen hes buſied themſelues to get comfort and matter of conſolation in the houre of death. What matter of death, if there be a comfort therein? but then is death dolorous when it is without comfort. But, vvas there euer any that got comfort that knew not Chriſt, and the reſurrection, and a life after this life? no, neuer man; neither king nor Emperor. As for all the comforts they had, all was but vanitie, and dreames of comfort. Againe I ſay. Was there euer anie that gaue comfort to a bodie in death, or that gaue comfort to them that vvas heauie for the death of their freinde, but that man that hes a ſenſe of that glorious reſurrection of Chriſt and of his comming? And therefore, as thou wouldſt hauehave comfort in death & giuegive comfort for death; know, that, the Lord is to come in the world: knovv, that, there ſhall be a glorious reſurrection, and after the reſurrection there ſhall be an eternall joy and glorie in Heauen. And looke, that, this be not onelyonly wordes in the mouth. There are many vaine bablers of Chriſt, and of that glorious reſurrection: A knaue, an adulterer, a murtherer will flatter himſelfe, and clatter of that glorie and joy: but all is vanity▪ Wilt thou be a knaue, and then ſpeake of theſe thinges? The Lord ſhall puniſh thee. Looke therefore, that, thy ſpeaking of the latter day be not in vaine wordes; Heauen and lyfe euerlaſting is not in wordes; but, looke, that, it be fectfull in the heart, and that, of the aboundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeake. Before thou ſpeake, feele it in thy heart, and then ſpeake. So ſayes Paul 2. Cor. chap. 4. verſe 13. I beleeue I ſhall ryſe, and therefore I ſpeake to you. And Dauid ſayes, I beleeue, and therefore I ſpake. Pſal. 116. 10. And ſay, I pray God that I beleeue all theſe thinges that I ſpeake to you. The Lord giuegive euerie one of vsus grace, that, we may beleeue all theſe thinges of Chriſtes comming, and of the glorious reſurrection: For, vvithout Faith and Hope, of theſe thinges, no comfort, no lyfe. The Lord giuegive vsus Faith and Hope, vntill he bring vsus to the full ſight and fruition of theſe thinges throgh Chriſt. To whom with the Father and the holie Spirite, be all honour and praiſe for euer and euer
AMEN.