Lectures Upon Colossians, Lecture 23
THE XXIII. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE Coloſſians.
COLOS. Chap. 3. verſ. 1. 2. 3.
1 If ye then be riſen with Chriſt, ſeeke thoſe things which are aboue, where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God:
2 Set your affections on things which are aboue, and not on things which are on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Chriſt in God.
WE hauehave heard in this Epiſtle (beloued brethren in Ieſus Chriſt) firſt the inſcription of the Epiſtle. Secondly, The parts of this epiſtle alreadie handled.the preface. Thirdly, the doctrine touching Chriſt and his benefits. And then fourthly, wee hauehave heard how he paſſed from the doctrine, to the exhortations and admonitions, exhorting the Coloſſians to perſeuerance in that faith which they had receiued, admoniſhing them to beware of the falſe Apoſtles, their doctrine, and mens traditions. In this admonition hee inſiſteth throughout the whole ſecond chapter. Now (brethren) in this third chapter, taking occaſion of the vaine and corruptible things, as meate, drink, and ſuch things (of which are the traditions of men, from the which he had diſſwaded them in the former chapter) he begins to exhort them to other things not corruptible, but euerlaſting; not earthly, but heauenly; in the which true godlines and holines ſtandeth. Throughout all this whole chapter he inſiſteth vponupon this firſt in general; and then he cōmeth to his exhortation in ſpeciall. And he continueth ſo to the ſeuenth verſe of the next chapter. The particulars I remit to the diduction of the text, and I come to the words preſently read.
In thē there are two exhortatiōs to one thing, together with ſundry arguments, hee exhorteth in both, to the things aboue, to heauenly things: and the foreſaid exhortation which he vſeth for this purpoſe is to ſeeke them: and the ſecond exhortation is to know them, to be wiſe in them, and to vnderſtand them; for that is the force of the word. Then to come to the firſt exhortation: If ye be riſen with Christ, ſeeke the things that are aboue. There is the exhortation, and the firſt argument, which is, ye are riſen with Chriſt to life, after that ye were dead to all theſe beggerly ceremonies, to mens traditions of meate and drinke and ſuch like. Now after ye were dead to theſe, ye are riſen againe to a life, and to an heauenly life: therefore ſeeke the things that are in heauen. Now to inſiſt vponupon eueryevery word: Ye ſee here, and in the chapter before, mention is made of a dying of Chriſt, and of a buriall with him, and of a riſing and liuing with him: ſo that when he dieth, wee die; and when hee riſeth and liueth, we riſe and liue. Marke it well. In a word, as he altereth, wee alter: ſo many as beleeue in him, of neceſſitie they change as he change; when he dies they die, by vertue of his death, to ſinne and to the world, and ſinne dieth in them: when he riſeth, they riſe with him, vntounto that heauenly life. This alteration is wonderfull. What man is high in the world which wil draw others after him after this manner? that when he dieth wil cauſe another to die with him, that neuer ſaw him bodily in this life. What is he I ſay, looke through the whole world, and to all the Kings of the world, whom will ye find in heauen or earth, that will alter men after this manner by his death and life? This is one common doctrine, but it would be conſidered well: for there are few which vnderſtande this doctrine. Then of neceſſitie in Ieſus Chriſt there muſt be a great force and vertue. Ye ſee now, the Heauens, Planets, Sunne, Moone, and the reſt, becauſe they by their operation do make alteration in theſe inferiour things, as in plants, graſſe, fields, and euen in the bodie of man; becauſe (I ſay) of this operation in theſe inferiour creatures wee aſcribe a great vertue to them. But all theſe celeſtiall bodies cannot worke ſuch effects, as Ieſus Simile.his death and life can worke. No, no, if thou were once dead, theſe celeſtiall ſignes and planets will not make thee liue againe. The Sunne nor the Moone cannot make thee liue, when once thou art dead; but when thou art dead, Ieſus will raiſe thee vp more liuely then euer thou werſt before. So there The power of Christs death and reſurrection.muſt be in him a force aboue all the force and power, that euer God made or gaue to any creature. But marke brethren, concerning this power: he muſt be a man in whom this power is, becauſe this vertue cannot come to thee, but through the nature of man: man cannot die to ſinne, and liue to righteouſneſſe, but by that vertue that commeth through man; yet he muſt be more then a man, and that a holie man without al ſpot of ſinne. He muſt be more then this: I ſay, he muſt be God, to Rom. 8. 11 Phil. 3. 10. 11.make thee die to ſinne and riſe vntounto righteouſnes. This commeth of the ſpecial power and vertue of God; for none is able in heauen or earth, to worke ſuch a ſtrange worke as this, except hee be God. Yet there muſt be more of neceſsitie, there muſt be a coniunction betwixt thee and him; he muſt be ioyned Our communion with Chriſtto thee, and thou to him; otherwiſe his vertue will not come to thee either to thy death or to thy life: he muſt bee thy husband, and thou his ſpouſe; yea hee muſt be more then thy husband: for the husband cannot draw the wife after him by vertue of his death or life, either to liue or to die, as Chriſt can doe. He muſt be then thy head: he muſt be as neere as thy head is neere thy bodie. That is the familiar ſimilitude of the Scripture. When the head dieth, the bodie dieth with it; and when the head is liuely, the bodie hath ſenſe and being: So when Ieſus dieth, the bodie dieth; when Ieſus riſeth, the bodie riſeth alſo. So the meeteſt thing to expreſſe him and his coniunction with vsus, is the head & bodie of man; and yet he muſt be more then the head: for there came neuer ſuch vertue from the head of a man to the bodie, as there ſhall come from thy head Ieſus Chriſt vntounto thy ſoule, when thou art ioyned to him by faith. He muſt hauehave vertue and power to giuegive thee, whereby thou maiſt be able to die or to liue. Now brethren, if there were no more but theſe effects to flow from Ieſus into vsus, it telleth vsus plainly, that there was neuer giuen ſuch a power to any in heauen or earth, as there was giuen to Ieſus Chriſt, man our Regeneration.head. It telleth, that as hee is man, ſo is he God. Looke if thou hauehave regeneration in thee, and thou ſhalt feele this to be true: if wee hauehave it, it will tell vsus that Ieſus Chriſt is the neereſt to me, and thee of all others. There is none that will make thee to die with them, but Chriſt only: no, thy father and mother will not be able to doe that: none will draw thee after him in death and life, ſaue onelyonly Chriſt. So if thou be ioyned with Chriſt, it is impoſsible to ſeparate thee from him, as thou maiſt be from thy wiſe and children, and the deereſt things thou haſt: no, no, if thou be once ioyned to him as thy head, there is no ſeparation for thee, he ſhall be all things to thee.
Now this much for the firſt argument, the exhortation followeth. If ye be riſen with Chriſt (ſaith he) ſeeke thoſe things which are aboue. There is an action required, and life, and eueryevery kind of life muſt hauehave an action, otherwiſe it cannot be a life. The naturall life muſt hauehave an action: the earthly life muſt hauehave an action. Then this heauenly life, that we are riſen to, with Ieſus, it muſt hauehave an action, otherwiſe it cannot be a life. Note.Thou that art quickened with him, muſt be a doer; otherwiſe thou haſt not his life: for as his life is the quickeſt thing that is, or euer was (for it is the life of God) ſo it muſt hauehave the quickeſt action that is. This action is firſt a ſeeking with the whole hart, and all the affections, and members of the bodie. There is the firſt action, ſeeking. EueryEvery life, ye know, ſeeketh for the things VVhat the ſpirituall life of Chriſt workes in his members.that ſerue for the ſuſtaining of it. This naturall life that periſheth, ſo long as it abideth, it is occupied in ſeeking for the maintenance of it by night and by day, by al meanes poſsible. Should not then this heauenly life hauehave a ſeeking? Shouldeſt thou ſit when thou ſeeſt this man catching here and there, ſeeking for the maintenance of this naturall life? Wilt thou not take an example of theſe earthly things and earthly creatures, to ſeeke for heauenly things to the confirmation and preſeruation of thy ſpirituall life? O if thou hadſt a ſparke of heauenly life, thou wouldeſt ſeeke more earneſtly for the entertainment of it, then euer any creature did for the maintenance of this naturall life! Well then, by the example of theſe earthly things that are occupied in ſeeking for the meanes of this preſent life, learne thou to ſeeke ſpirituall graces, and ſay to the Lord: O Lord, grant that I may ſeeke heauen, and heauenly things, for the preſeruation of this my ſpiritual life, as al theſe earthly bodies ſeeke for theſe periſhing things.
Now come to the things that they ſhould ſeeke, Seeke (ſaith he) what? nothing beneath, meate, drink, and the reſt of theſe things: No, what ſhould they ſeeke? Things aboue in heauen that are in Ieſus Chriſt. O the fulnes that is in him! Brethren, all grace firſt is in heauen, yea aboue theſe viſible heauens, where that glorious bodie is: then it commeth downe to the earth. Therefore he ſendeth thee vpward to heauen for to ſeeke. Ye know eueryevery kind of life ſeeketh things proper and meete for ſuch a life: The life of a beaſt will ſeeke for that, that is proper for the life of a beaſt; the life of a tree, for that that is meete for ſuch a life; and the life of a man for ſuch things as are meete for the life of a man. EueryEvery life will ſeeke for things which ſerue for the preſeruation of it: euen ſo if thou hadſt this life of God, thou wilt ſeeke things proper for this life. Thou wilt ſeek things from heauen, becauſe heauenly things are proper for ſuch a life. For heauenly things are proper for an heauenly life. Ieſus Chriſt after his death and buriall, or euer his bodie was in heauen, the heart of him was in heauen: So if thou hauehave the life of Ieſus, of neceſsitie thy heart muſt goe to heauen; for looke whither his heart went, if thou bee riſen with him, of neceſſitie thy heart muſt goe thither: and by thine action meaſure thy life in Ieſus: for if thou hauehave not a heart to heauen and heauenly things, alas thou haſt not the life of Ieſus: but if thou hauehave it, thou wilt euer be ſeeking for heauenly things; and then, in ſome meaſure thou art in heauen.
Then to conclude this firſt exhortation and firſt argument thereof in a word, and ſo to come to the ſecond argument. If there were nothing more to moue thee to ſeeke after heauen and heauenly things, but this ſpirit of regeneration, the life of the ſpirit in Ieſus Chriſt, it ſhould lift thee vp to heauen as heauie as thou art. For it is true, thou art a lumpe: but if thou hauehave the ſpirit, if thou werſt neuer ſo heauie, he will raiſe thee; and giuegive thee ſtrength to flie vpward, though the body be neuer ſo clogged. If thou hauehave a ſparke of that life, it will cauſe thee to mount aloft. Indeede this bodie will draw thee downe, and muſt doe ſo; yet bee aſſured, if thou hauehave one ſparke of that ſpirituall life, it will raiſe thee vp, when the other is pulling thee downe; and in the end when mortalitie is ſo ſhaken off of thee, then in a wonderfull manner the bodie ſhall be lifted vp, and that ſoule and bodie of thine ſhall be glorified. Therefore marke euer this life by the effect: if thou findeſt thy heart in heauen and heauenly things, ſay, thou haſt the life of Ieſus: but on the contrarie, if thou finde not thy heart ſet A true note of the life of God in vsus.on heauen, and ſeeking for heauenly things, thou haſt not to doe with the life of Ieſus, and woe be to thee for euermore. When thou riſeſt in the morning, if thou findeſt thy heart vpward, O thou riſeſt with ioy! therfore neuer reſt till thou haſt Eph. 4. 18.gotten the life of God. Lord make vsus carefull to hauehave a ſenſe of this life, without the which there is no glorie, nor ioy for the ſoule of any perſon liuing.
Now to come to the next argument, which is taken from Chriſt himſelfe, and the place where hee is: Seeke (ſaith he) thoſe things that are aboue where Chriſt is. As if he would ſay, Chriſt is aboue, that glorified bodie with all the ſpirituall graces, and that fulnes is aboue; yea aboue theſe viſible heauens. Therefore let thy heart goe where he is; let it be lifted vp aboue theſe heauens. Brethren, the preſence of Ieſus and the louelove of that preſence ſhould make vsus to louelove heauen, and make vsus oftentimes to caſt vp not onelyonly the eye of the ſoule, but alſo the bodily eye, to theſe viſible heauens, if we louelove the preſence of Ieſus, who is aboue theſe heauens, and to ſtriue to pearce through them as to his owne preſence. For if hee were not there, what reckoning is there of theſe heauens? I would not reckon of them more then of the earth which wee tread on: and I had rather dwell with Ieſus in the earth, then in heauen, for all the glorie thereof without Ieſus: for all the pleaſure that is either in heauen or earth is in Ieſus, and without him, away with heauen and earth both, I will giuegive nothing for them. And therefore the louelove of that preſence ſhould make vsus to louelove heauen. Ye know if a man louelove another entirely, he will louelove the place where he dwelleth, and (as we ſay) hee will A note of louelove.louelove the ground hee goeth on: ſo if thou louelove thy Lord, thou wilt louelove the place hee treads on; nay thine eye would not be off theſe viſible heauens, at the leaſt once in the day; for hee is aboue them, and ſhall abide there, till his laſt comming: So if thou louelove him, thine eye would follow him where he is. But alas, for the lacke of the louelove of his preſence, this louelove is not to be found in many mens hearts, and of this it commeth to paſſe that men are ſo loth to die: nay if the louelove of thy ſoule were with him, thy ſoule would ſay with Paul, I groane to be with the Lord; it will groane within thee to be out of the bodie. And take this for a token; where there is not an eye to heauen, alas there is no louelove of Ieſus Chriſt in thy ſoule: and alas, what good thing can poſſeſſe thy ſoule, if it be emptie of the louelove of Ieſus Chriſt?
Now followeth in the end of the verſe the third argument, taken from the eſtate of Chriſt in heauen; but what is his eſtate? He is ſitting at the right hand of God. As if hee would ſay; he is in heauē, but not there as a ſeruant or an Angel; there are ſundrie in heauen, but in diuers rankes. He is in heauen exalted to that height; hee hath ſuch glorie as thou neuer The glorie of Chriſt in heauen.ſaweſt. All the Angels bow their knees, hee is Lord ouer them all, euen as he is man. Then as the preſence of Ieſus and louelove of him ſhould draw our heart to heauen: ſo the eſtate he ſtandeth in preſently, that paſſing glorie, and that kingdome he is in, ſhould draw our hearts vpward to heauen. If his glorie were deare to thee, thy heart would be where his glorie is, and thou wouldeſt not be content vntill thy heart were lifted vp to him, and the eye of thy ſoule ſet on him: yea this bodily eye would euer pearce to get that preſence of Ieſus in the heauens glorified in our nature. Ye know, if a man, vponupon whom our life and comfort dependeth, were in a ſtrange land, and promoted A ſweete ſimilitude.to be a Lord; thou wouldſt neuer reſt vntill thou were with him, and thy thought would be euer vponupon his glorie: Now I would to God wee could hauehave that affection to Ieſus the King of glorie. It is true, we cannot louelove him as we ſhould: but (I ſay) bleſſed is that ſoule that hath any louelove towards him, pearcing through this bodie of clay. Bleſſed is that heart that can giuegive once but a ſigh either by night or day, if it were after neuer ſo ſmall a meaſure for the preſence of Ieſus: for be aſſured that ſoule ſhall be glorified with the Lord of glorie. Note.This for the firſt exhortation, with the three arguments, the life whereunto we are riſen, the preſence of Ieſus, and his glorious eſtate in heauen, al which ſhould make vsus ſet our eye vpward to heauen, and bee occupied in ſeeking of heauenly things meete for the ſpirituall life.
Now to goe to the next exhortation, and it is to theſe ſame things that are aboue. Before hee exhorted the Coloſſians to ſeeke them, now he exhorteth them to be wiſe in them, to fill themſelues with them, to *Or to deſire that they may affect all their ſenſes.ſent them with all their ſenſes: to ſee them with their eyes, and to feele them ſenſibly, as it were with their hands. This exhortation is grounded vponupon the firſt argument. If ye be riſen with Chriſt, &c. Then be *foreign.wiſe in the things that are aboue: that is a common ground to both. This is ſo ioyned with the firſt, that there can be no ſeeking without wiſedome. How canſt thou ſeeke that, that thou knoweſt not? If thou hauehave no knowledge of heauen & heauenly things, how canſt thou ſeeke them? what deſire canſt thou hauehave of them? for the prouerbe is true, Ignoti nulla cupido, there is no deſire of that wee know not. Then as before he exhorteth to ſeeke; ſo now hee exhorteth to know; and knowledge goeth Knowledge.before ſeeking: And therefore thou that wouldeſt ſeeke heauen and for heauenly things, know them firſt; and when thou haſt gotten a knowledge of them, then let thy affection come after: for if thou ſeeke without knowledge, thou ſhalt neuer finde them. Therefore euer ſeeke the knowledge of Ieſus, and of that fulnes of grace that is in him, and thinke not that thou haſt enough of knowledge alreadie. No, crie euer, Lord open the eye of my ſoule to ſee thee and the things that are with thee, that I may ſee the things I hauehave not ſeene, and that I ſhould ſee. Heare the word of the Goſpell; for knowledge is gotten by the word of the Goſpell. Seeke, that thy mind may be inſtructed, but to the purpoſe.
Bewiſe. As ſeeking is an action; ſo wiſedome is an action. There is no action without ſome ſenſe and knowledge. The life of a beaſt is not without ſome ſenſe; take it away, the beaſt periſheth. The life of a man cannot be without ſome ſenſe and knowledge; therefore thou canſt not hauehave the life of God, except thou hauehave a ſenſe and ſmelling of God and of heauenly things. It is a thing impoſsible, that thou that haſt no taſte of things aboue, canſt either ſeek or ſee them; and if thou thinkeſt otherwiſe thou art deceiued. Can the life of Ieſus be in thee without a knowledge of heauenly things? No, no, deceiue not thy ſoule, it is vnpoſſible: for Ieſus liueth not in the ſoules of men altogether ignorant. So that if thou get not a portion of this knowledge, of this heauenly life, and of things aboue, thou ſhalt neuer ſeeke for them, nor hauehave a deſire of them: no, I ſay to thee, if thou want knowledge, thou ſhalt neuer get them.
Come forward. Let vsus ſee of what things muſt this knowledge be? He anſwereth, of things aboue, that is, of ſuch things as are proper for ſuch a life. I tell you this earth, and all the things in it, your ſiluer, gold, drinke, and all the reſt, the knowledge of theſe things ſerueth not for the life of heauen: but if thou wilt hauehave ſuch a life, thy knowledge muſt reach to heauen: and howbeit thy knowledge be finite; yet it will compaſſe things infinite: if thou hauehave the ſpirit of Ieſus, ſaith the Apoſtle, it compaſſeth the breadth, and depth of him, Epheſ. chap. 3. verſe 18. 19. Knowledge of heauenly things neceſſarie if we be in Chriſt.So this heauenly life requires wiſedome in heauenly things. Ieſus Chriſt when hee roſe, the eye of him went vp to heauen; he knew no more theſe carnall things; all went away, and the minde of him was occupied vponupon heauenly things: ſo if thou riſe with him, thy minde will to heauen, and in ſome meaſure thou wilt vnderſtand things, and thou wilt be wiſe in God. If thou hauehave not this, I ſay thou haſt not riſen with Ieſus, but art yet filthie, wallowing in thy owne bloud to thy eternall damnation.
Now he is not content to exhort them that they be wiſe in theſe things aboue, but hee excludeth things of this earth: to teach thee that thou canſt not be wiſe in theſe heauēly things, in caſe thou be wiſe in theſe things beneath; yea theſe heauenly things ſhall bee but fooliſhnes to a wiſe man in earthly things: for they ſhall be but as a dreame and imagination to ſuch: the ſpeech of the Goſpell ſhall be follie to him. So think not to take both in thy armes; when thou art looking downe, how canſt thou looke vp? Thinke not to compaſſe heauen and earth both together: for in compaſſing the one, thou ſhalt loſe the other: Therefore the Apoſtle ſundreth them. This ſeemeth to be hard, for how can we caſt all care of this world away, we muſt eate, drinke, and be cloathed, and hauehave ſome care of theſe things ſo long as we abide in the earth? The Apoſtle anſwereth in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinth. chap. 7. verſ. 29. for hauing ſpoken of mariage, he ſaith, the time is ſhortned. As if hee would ſay, ye will not be long in this life. Therefore ye that hauehave wiues, be as though ye had them not. By the which he meaneth not, that we ſhould caſt all care away of this world, but that we ſhould take the things of this earth by the way as it were: that is to ſay, let not thy chief care be on them, but ſo farre as they ſerue for heauen. Doe euen as though thou were going on a pilgrimage, yee will take meate, drinke, gold, ſiluer, and ſuch other things to helpe you forward in your iourney; yet your care will not bee on them, but your care will bee chiefly on your iourney, euer hauing your eye vponupon the end of it. Thou wilt not ſit downe vponupon thy riches, vponupon thy meate, and the reſt Simile▪while thou art in iourneying; but wilt be euer going forward in thy iourney, vſing theſe things by the way: euen ſo the Lord in this our iourneying to heauen, hee will not hauehave vsus to ſit downe, and ſet our care chiefly on theſe things in the earth, but to take them as it were by the way, hauing thy chiefe care Matth. 6.on him, and the things with him: therefore ſit not down vponupon any thing in this earth; if thou doe, thou ſhalt neuer come to thy iourneys end; yea thou ſhalt loſe the remembrance of it.
Now to goe forward in the words following. There are two arguments to this purpoſe ſet downe by the Apoſtle: the firſt is to diſſwade them from earthly things, ye are dead. The next is to ſeeke heauenly things; your life is hid with Christ in God. To ſpeake then of the firſt argumēt, which is, ye are dead to the earth: therfore ſtriue not to be wiſe in ye earth. Ye knowe that a mā that is dead, ſuppoſing that he had neuer ſo great care of this world, and could neuer get a fill of the things in it, ſo long as he liued, yet when life is gone, the bodie lieth ſtill, and will not giuegive a peny for all the world, all pleaſure goeth away, and Simile.as a man dieth, he will begin to ſpit at the world: yea, a man full of the honour of it, he will at his dying day ſpit at it. Euen ſo brethren, the ſoule dying with Ieſus ſpiritually (as the bodie dieth naturally) to ſinne, to the earth, and to all earthly things, to what end ſhould it care for theſe earthly things? Nay, if thou didſt finde that death of Ieſus, thou wouldeſt loath theſe things. In deede it is vnpoſſible to be altogether voyde of the care of theſe things of the earth, as long as we are in the bodie here: but if thou be buried with him, certainly thou wilt loath all theſe things beneath, and deſpiſe the wiſdome of them, and begin by little and little to ſeeke the things of heauen. And if thou be thus wiſe dead, it is a ſure argument, thy ſoule is mortified, lying as it were in the buriall of Ieſus, vntill the time thou riſe glorious in that great day. As by the contrarie, if thou be not buried with Ieſus in thy ſoule and bodie, thou art liuing to ſinne, thou wanteſt the life of God, and haſt nothing but a ſinfull life. Brethren, ye heard before, he ſayd they were liuing: now he ſaith, they are dead. How can theſe two ſtand Obiection. Anſwere.together? I anſwere, a ſpirituall death in the ſoule, when it dieth to ſinne, to foule affections, and to earthly things, ſuch a death as that ſtandeth very well with a ſpirituall life; yea, this death is ſo ioyned with the ſpirituall life, that except the ſpirituall death precede, the life of Ieſus will not enter into thee. Thinke not to enioy both together at once, the life of ſinne, and the life of God; but ere thou get the life of God, the eye thou hadſt to earthly things muſt be cloſed: no, thinke not to looke vp and downe together at once. No, no, be dead to the world ere euer thou minde to open an eye to heauen. So then, the death to the world, and the life to heauen ſtandeth well together.
The laſt argument followeth, perſwading to the things aboue, your life is hid aboue with Christ. There are the words, and why ſhould ye not follow him, and ſet your heart and your eye vponupon him, where your life is? Brethren, I ſee there are many things to moue vsus to ſeeke heauen, and to be wiſe in heanenly things. Now I would to God one of them could moue vsus, but alas! as for a ſtonie heart, ſpeake and reaſon with it as ye will, and conuince it as ye pleaſe, it will abide hard, and will not be moued. Wouldſt thou goe downe to the things of this life? that death that thou dieſt forceth thee vp to heauen; it giueth thee wings to flie vpward, and cloſeth thine eyes from the world, and then commeth that ſpirituall life; which alſo forceth thee vpward: will not this moue thee? Then commeth the preſence of Ieſus that is in heauen, he is drawing thee vpward with his hand; the other two thruſteth thee vpward, but he draweth thee by his ſpirit: Father (ſaith he) in Iohn chap. 17. verſe 24. I will that thoſe which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am. Will not this moue thee? yet there is more, his glorie wherewith he promiſeth to adorne thee with himſelfe. Would not that yet moue thee to ſeeke heauen and heauenly things? O thy life is not here! In deed thou haſt begun a peece of the life of heauen, when thy deſire is ſet vponupon it; but thy glorie is in the heauen, thou art alreadie the ſonne of God, but yet it appeareth not what thou art, 1. Iohn 3. 2. Thy life is in heauen. Then ſeeing there are ſo many arguments to moue thee to ſet thy heart and affection on heauen and heauenly things, to drawe thee vpward to heauen; O miſerable ſoule! that yet wilt goe downe to hell. There is no want of power to conuince, and arguments to moue vsus to ſeeke for heauen and heauenly things; but alas all the want is in thy miſerable heart, to let thee ſee how great an induration is in thy heart, that will vndoe thee ſo in the light of the Goſpell. The greateſt ſinne that thou canſt commit, it is not thy murther, thy adultery, thy oppreſſion, it is none of theſe that holdeth thee backe from God. No, no, it is the hardening of thy heart againſt Hardnes of heart how perilous.ſo many graces, whereby the Lord would heaue thee vp to heauen. And ſo the ſpeciall poynt of thine enditement ſhall be, that thou hardeneſt thy heart, and wouldeſt hauehave none of his grace. I would hauehave forgiuen thee freely, will the Lord ſay, if thou wouldeſt hauehave taken me by the hand when I put it out to thee. O bleſſed is that ſoule that can put out the hand, and take grace of God when he offereth it! Yet I muſt not paſſe by the words. Your life (ſaith he) is hid aboue with Christ, and in whom? In God. By life is meant that perfection of glorie, that once we ſhall ſee, when the glorie of Ieſus ſhall ouerſhadow vsus, and make this vile bodie of ours glorious, as it is ſaid in the Epiſtle to the Philippians, chap. 3. verſ. 21. There our life (he ſaith) is hid aboue, it is not open to be ſeene. The eye of man hath not ſeene it: the eare hath not heard of it: and all the tongues of the Angels cannot tell you of the greatnes of that glorie; neither can it enter into your heart, Hebr. 2. 7. So it is hid aboue from the world: the wicked ſeeth it not, and ſo it commeth to paſſe that the child of God is leaſt accounted of; and why? becauſe the life of him is not ſeene, and the reprobate ſhall wonder at it, at that day, when it ſhall be cleerely reuealed to him, but alas, to his euerlaſting confuſion; yea the very ſonnes of God ſhall wonder at it themſelues: for thou ſeeſt not the glorie of thy eſtate. Alas, heauen is but as a dreame to thee, and is as it were a glimmering; thou ſeeſt not the thouſand part of it, neither feeleſt the thouſand part of the ioy that thou ſhalt hauehave there: but we ſee it a farre off; and therefore it ſeemeth like a mote. But when we draw neere it, it ſhall be like a great mountaine. So it is hid. With whom? with Chriſt: where he is, there is thy life. Then it muſt follow, as it is hid, Ieſus is yet hid from thee; thou liueſt not by ſight of him, but by faith in him, 2. Cor. 5. 7. He is hid from thee, and thou ſhalt wonder, when thou ſhalt ſee him: When thou ſhalt ſee him, euen as he is man, he ſhall make thee aſtoniſhed. And where is Ieſus hid? He anſwereth, in God. It is not theſe heauens: it is not this viſible circle, theſe cloudes that hide him. No, take them away, thou canſt ſee him with that corruptible eye of thine. In whom then is he hid? In God. That is, in a light that hath no acceſſe. 1. Timoth. chap. 6. verſ. 16. where God is himſelfe, Ieſus is hid vp. So all the ſight of things inuiſible is in Ieſus: So that no eye can ſee God, but in Ieſus; and if Ieſus be hid vp, God is inuiſible to thee, all is hid vp within that vaile, and all is dwelling in that vaile of man. So all is hid: thy life is hid, and Ieſus is hid vp. Therefore wonder not, although thou canſt not get ſuch a ſight of that life of Chriſt, and ſuch a ſight of God, as thou wouldeſt hauehave: for the appointed time is not as yet come. The Lord hath appointed a time, when Chriſt ſhall be reuealed, and then ſeeing Ieſus, thou ſhalt ſee thy life, that was hid vp in him: yea then thou ſhalt ſee God himſelfe. Now what ſhall we do in the meane time? I will tell thee, hold thee by the faith of Ieſus, vntil thou get this ſight: that is, ſtick A ſweete concluſion. 2. Cor. 3. 17. 18.to the mirrour of the Goſpell, hold thy eye to it, and euer bee looking on it: and then in a moment Ieſus ſhall ſtand vp before thee, ere thou be aware; and when the mirrour ſhall goe away, Ieſus ſhal ſtand vp in ſteed of it; and he ſhal not ſo ſoone ſtand vp before thee, but hee ſhall as ſoone transforme thee, and ſhall make this vile bodie to be glorious. And ſo ſoone as this mortalitie ſhall be ſwallowed vp, then thou ſhalt poſſeſſe that infinite ioy euerlaſtingly, and ſhalt looke into the deepenes of that Lord for euer. Now Lord giuegive vsus grace to looke ſtedfaſtly in this Goſpell of Ieſus till wee be glorified in him, and get his preſence to look on for euer and euer, Amen. Now to this Lord Ieſus with the Father and holy Ghoſt be euerlaſting praiſe, honour and thankes for euer.