The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 32
THE XXXII. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
LVKE, CHAP. XXIIII.
verse 12 Then aroſe Peter, and ranne vntounto the ſepulchre, and looked in, and ſawe the linnen clothes layed by themſelues, and departed, wondering in himſelfe at that which was come to paſſe.
IOHN, CHAP. XX.
verse 3 Peter therefore went foorth, and the other diſciple, and they came vntounto the ſepulchre.
verse 4 So they ranne both together, but the other diſciple did out-runne Peter, and came first to the ſepulchre.
verse 5 And hee ſtouped downe, and ſawe the linnen clothes lying: yet went hee not in.
verse 6 Then came Simon Peter following him, and went into the ſepulchre, and ſawe the linnen clothes lie,
verse 7 And the kerchiefe that was vponupon his head, not lying with the linnen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by it ſelfe.
verse 8 Then went in alſo the other diſciple, who came first to the ſepulchre, and hee ſawe it, and beleeued.
verse 9 For as yet they knewe not the Scripture, That hee must riſe againe from the dead.
verse 10 And the diſciples went awaye againe vntounto their owne home.
WE hauehave heard theſe dayes paſt (beloued in the Lord Ieſus) of the two companies of women, that went out of Hieruſalem, towarde the graue of the Lorde, early in the morning. The one company that came firſt, wherein was Marie Magd. and Marie the mother of Iames, and Salome, with other women. And the next company of women, whoſe names are not expreſſed, nor regiſtrate: Wee hearde of their returning home againe from the graue of the Lord: how they come to the place where the XI. Apoſtles were lurking, with ſome other diſciples, who loued the Lord: We heard of ye preaching that the firſt company makes: & then the preaching of the ſecōd company, their preaching all teſtifying, that the Lord Ieſus was riſen. Wee heard laſt, what effect this preaching wrought in the heartes of the XI. Apoſtles, to wit, they thought it all but follie, fables, & a fained report, & beleeued it not. It is an hard matter, to beleeue ye report of Chriſt, of His Paſſion & glorious reſurrection. Thus far we heard the laſt day. Now to come to the Text yt we hauehave read: We hauehave firſt another effect which this report wrought: howbeit it wrought not faith, yet it had its own effect in 2. diſciples at leaſt, Peter & Iohn, they are wakened by it, to ſeeke to the graue of ye Lord, to ſee if it was ſo as the women reported. Well then, the report of the women is not altogether fruitles, at the leaſt it wakens ſome of them vp to run to the graue, to ſee if it was ſo as the womē had reported. This teſtifies clearly, yt euen al the time yt theſe Apoſtles lay lurking like cowards, yet all that time there remained in them a ſeede of faith, a ſeede of godlineſſe, & a ſponke of louelove toward their Maſter Chriſt: Indeed it was ſmoothered with the droſſe of the corruption of nature, but yet it was not quite put out: and therefore, aſſoone as theſe women come, and make report of the Reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt, the ſeed begins to waken and drawe ſpirits, and makes them to run to ſee if it was true yt He was riſen. For it is true, that they who once hauehave gotten faith in Chriſt, in whoſe heart this ſeede is once ſowne, howbeit for a time they will fall in a ſlumber, yea, in an heauy ſleepe, & that ſeed will be ſo holdē down, that it will not be ſeen to ye world, yea, they that hauehave it, wil not feele it thēſelues: yet it is ſure, that true ſeed of faith, ſowne once in the heart, wil neuer be clean put out & extinguiſhed altogether. It is true, it will be for a time lying dead in the heart without life or motion. The Lorde will bee lying in thee without working for a time, and taking a ſhape and faſhion, as the birth in the mothers vvombe does, as the Apoſtle ſayes; Galath Chap. 4. verſ. 19. vntill Christ bee formed in you. And all this time Hee lyes vvithout vvorking, the man vvill ſeeme then to bee but dead: but aſſoone as that vvorde ſoundes, vvhichwhich is the vvorde of Life, the vvorde of the Croſſe, and of the Reſurrection of Ieſus, then that man who appeared to be dead, vvill take life, and Ieſus, who appeared to be dead in thee, vvill be quicke. Howbeit they vvill not hauehave faith, yet it vvill ſtirre them vp to ſeeke Chriſt, and inquire vvhether it bee ſo or not. In the Hiſtorie of the Actes, (Chap. 17. verſ. 11.) yee maye reade a vine example of this: There vvere certaine of the IEVVES in a Towne called Berea, and they vvere in the ſame eſtate, they had no thought of Ieſus, but vvere enemies vntounto Him: yet notwithſtanding there was ſome good ſeede vvithin them: And therefore they are ſaide to bee more Noble than the IEVVES at Theſſalonica. Now the Apoſtle PAVL comes in amongſt them, and beginnes to preach CHRIST: then that little ſeede beginnes to ſtirre, and they beginne to bee vvakened, and they are thereby mooued to reade the olde Teſtament, to ſee if it vvas true that PAVL preached or no: And then they finding it to bee ſo as PAVL had ſpoken; manie of them beleeued in CHRIST.
Wee hauehave our leſſon heere: It is not good to be haſtie in judgement, bee loath to condeme anie, howbeit thou ſee men fall, and lye long, yet judge not too haſtilie of them, for who knowes if there bee a ſponke in their heartes, which neither thou, nor they themſelues knowe of: but trie, whether the ſeede bee or no: And thou ſhalt trie it by this thing: Speake of the Death, Paſſion, and Reſurrection of CHRIST vntounto them: if after long ſpeaking there bee no vvakening, certainlie that is a verie euill token, that there is no good in that heart: if hee bee in ſuch a deadlie ſleepe, that nothing vvill vvaken him, that is a faithleſſe heart, and an heart full of gall and bitterneſſe, and repleniſhed vvith iniquitie: But if there bee ſome quickening, although it vvere neuer ſo little, yea, ſuppoſe hee beleeue not, and yet hath a readineſſe to heare, and ſaye this, LORDE open mine eyes to ſee, and mine heart to beleeue: And if this bee founde in him, that is a good heart, and that birth ſhall come foorth in its owne time, for as the birth is not perfected in an inſtant in the mothers wombe, ſo faith is not perfected at the firſt, but it growes by little & little.
Nowe when they are wakened, what doe they? They runne to the graue. They went not faire and ſoftlie, but they ranne to the graue. Nowe certainlie this running muſt needes proceede of ſome motion in the heart; ſome motion behooued to ſtirre them vp: Yee ſee what motion mooued Marie Magdalene to runne home: ſhe was in diſpleaſure, becauſe ſhee miſt the bodie of the LORD: for ſhee thought it had beene ſtollen awaye. It cannot bee diſpleaſure that mooued them to runne: No doubt it was joye in their heartes, which made their heartes light, and the light heart made the feete ſpeedie: And if thou hauehave joye, it will cauſe thee to runne and ſeeke Him. But from whence came this joye? I ſee no matter of joye, but in theſe tidinges which they hearde: But howe coulde they hauehave joye, ſeeing they beleeued them not? I anſwere to this They woulde hauehave beleeued, and faine woulde hauehave had it ſo, and that vvas the thing which they moſte deſired: And yee knowe, that vvee heare that thing vvhichwhich vvee vvoulde faine hauehave come to paſſe, vvee vvill hauehave joye to heare of it, and our delight vvill bee to ſee if it bee ſo. And ſo ſuppoſe there vvas not a full faith in them, yet there vvas a bowing, and an inclination to faith. And it is a ſtrange thing to bowe the heart, for it will bee as hard to bow the heart, as to bowe a ſtrong Oake. So the leaſt bowing to yeelde to the report of Ieſus, is wonderfull, and there ſhall followe an vnſpeakeable joye which paſſes all vnderſtanding. The leaſt conception of that joye will bee greater, than thou wilt hauehave, yea, and make thee a King or a Queene. Seeke euer to that Heauenlie affection, for the Beaſt hath this earthlie affection: then ſeeke thou after the Heauenlie, or thine eſtate ſhall bee worſe than the Beaſtes one daye. So when the heart is wakened, thou wilt ſeeke the Lord: but if thine heart be not bowed, it ſhall ſtand vp like a wall, or a braſen pillar, and this ſhall bee thine eſtate, Thou vvilt hauehave no joye, but ſadneſſe, at the hearing of theſe tidinges: for the ſtiffe heart receiues no joye, but is in dolour, and there is no ſeeking of CHRIST there, to ſee vvhether Hee bee there or not: So in a worde, our leſſon is this: Let not a ſtiffe heart depriue thee of that ſolide joye which is in CHRIST: fie vponupon that heart.
Nowe to goe forwarde: They runne, and they ranne together, ſtriuing who ſhould bee formoſt, and who ſhould come firſt to the graue, to vnderſtande the trueth of theſe vvomens reportes. Now our leſſon is this: It is an happie thing to ſtriue in good thinges, vvho ſhoulde bee readieſt & fartheſt forwardes: No, I ſhall neuer blame one to ſtriue to be firſt at CHRIST: No, ſtriue with thy father, and with thy mother: No, ſtriue with all thy kinred, to be firſt in Heauen, and looke that thou neuer giuegive place to another to goe before thee: but alas, our people ſtriue farre otherwiſe: we ſtriue who ſhould runne faſteſt from the LORD, and faſteſt forward to a miſchiefe, to murther, blood, and in oppreſſion: this is all the ſtrife in this countrey: Who ſtriues to be firſt in Heauen? The LORD ſayes, Matth. CHAPTER 11. VERSE 12. The Kingdome of Heauen ſuffer violence, and the violent take it by force, and poſſeſſe it: The LORD meaneth, that wee ſhould ſtriue to throng in, and to ſee who ſhould be firſt in Heauen: Alas, how farre are wee from this godly ſtriuing, dolefull experience teaches vsus this day in Scotland. Thou wilt poſſeſſe another mans heritage, but who ſtriues to poſſeſſe that heauenly heritage. The LORD ſayes in Luke, 13. Chapter, and verſe 24. Striue to enter in at the ſtrait gate, Meaning, that we ſhould ſtriue with our whole kinred to be firſt in Heauen, ſuppoſe thou wilt let a King goe in before thee at an earthly gate, yet ſtriue to goe in before him to Heauen, and ſtriue to goe in before all thy kinred. Paul that exhorted all men to runne, hee ranne himſelfe: he ſayes, in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, the ninth Chapter, and the twentie three verſe: Hee ranne, and hee ranne on, to be partaker of the Goſpell that he preached to others, and hee ran ſo faſt, that hee neuer looked behind him: No, if thou ſtandeſt to count thy footſteps, another ſhall paſſe by thee, and thou ſhalt come behind: Hee ſayes, Hee looked to that priſe of the high calling of GOD, Philip. 3.14. If two be running here on the earth, ſtriuing to get the crowne, the one will enuie the other, and he will trauell to get himſelfe forvvard, and put his companion backvvard. This earthly race is with enuie, and eueryevery one would take the feet from another: Paul giues a reaſon hereof, in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, the ninth Chapter, and the twentie foure verſe, and ſayes There is but one crowne: but it is not ſo with thee that runneſt in that heauenly race, the one will not enuie the other, the one vvill not put the other behind, he will not put him backe, but hee vvill take him by the hand & ſay, Goe forward to the end, brother, and thou ſhalt get the crowne: & this is it, that we ſhould eueryevery one exhort another to doe, euer to goe forward to Heauen, and eueryevery one take another by the hand, to helpe him forward, becauſe there is not a crowne only, but many crownes: looke how many runne, there are as many crownes: wilt thou runne, thou ſhalt get a crowne, will I runne, I ſhall get a crowne, and will the third runne he ſhall get a crowne: neuer one who runnes ſhall be deſtitute of a crovvne. PAVL in the ſecond Epiſtle to Timothie, the fourth Chapter, and the 7. and eight verſes, ſayes, I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave finiſhed my courſe, J hauehave kept the faith: nowe hencefoorth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord that righteous Iudge will giuegive to mee at that day: No, he cannot be juſt, but He muſt giuegive the crowne to thee that haſt runne: And not only to mee, ſayes hee, but vntounto all them alſo that louelove that His appearing: As he would ſay, to all them that vvill runne vvith mee: and I ſay to thee, if thou wilt runne on, & lead thy neighbour by the hand, that is vveaker than thou: it ſhall be ſo farre from hindering thee from the crowne, that thine honour and glorie ſhall be augmented, when thou ſhalt come to Heauen. Paul ſayes in the firſt Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians, the 2. Chapter, and the nineteenth verſe, What is our hope, or ioy, or crowne of reioycing? Are not yee it, euen in the preſence of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, at His comming: And therefore well is that ſoule that winnes another to Heauen, be thou King, Lord, Gentleman, or Miniſter: if thou helpeſt many to Heauē, thou ſhalt get ye more glorious crowne. To goe forward: they run together, but in ye running, ye one is ſpeedier than ye other, & Iohn leaues Peter behind him, & outruns him, but when it comes to the graue, he only lookes in, and ſees the linnen cloathes lying, but hee enters not in, to get knowledge, but ſeeing the linnen cloathes, hee ſtands ſtill: Peter that came behind him, enters firſt in into the graue, & ſees the matter as it was: the windingſheete, as we call it, lying in one place, and the kerchiefe that was vponupon His head in another place by it ſelfe. To ſpeake this by the way: it lets vsus vnderſtand this: Amongſt the Iewes that the windingſheete was not put ouer the whole body and head, as we vſe to doe, but from the ſhoulders downe, and the linnen was about the head: after this manner Chriſt was wrapped. Wherefore ſhould I ſpeake of the vanitie of the Papiſtes: they will ſay to you, they hauehave the ſame windingſheete, and this ſame kerchiefe remaining as reliques: and they will hauehave them in ſixe or ſeuen places at one time: is not this a great wonder it ſhould hauehave laſted ſo long, and yet ſhould bee kept in ſo many places at one time: and more they ſay, the vine picture of Chriſt is in that windingſheete, His body, they ſay, made ſuch a dint, that His picture might be ſeene there: but thinke yee, if it were ſo, that the Euangeliſts, who regiſter ſmaller thinges, would hauehave hid and conceiled it. But I leaue them to their vanitie, as vnworthie of any refutation, and I come to the matter. In this courſe and race of Peter, and Iohn, to the graue, I ſee this courſe that wee hauehave in this life, is verie vnequable: it keepes not alwayes one conſtant tenour, nor wee are not ay alike ſpeedie: ſometimes one runnes faſt, ſometimes hee will ſettle and wearie, and goe ſlowly forwarde, and whilſt as hee wearies, his neighbour will outrunne him, and ere they come to the end, hee that came out laſt, will ſometimes bee firſt at the marke, and get the crowne. Marke this well▪ it lets vsus ſee, that to be true which Paul writes in the ninth Chapter to the Romanes, and the ſixteenth verſe, It is not in the hands of him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in the handes of the Lord that ſheweth merciemercy: when the Lord holdes His hande to thee, thou wilt run, and when Hee takes His hande from thee, thou wilt ſtay behinde, and hee that dragled behinde, vvill bee before thee: this is the courſe we keepe to that marke: wee ſhould not thinke, that all men ſhould runne alike: and ſuppoſe thou ſeeſt a dragling perſon, thinke not, that perſon will neuer come to the marke.
Peter gets the ſight firſt, Iohn, ſuppoſe he gote it not firſt, yet hee gets it, and it is ſaid in the Text, Hee ſaw, and hee beleeued. Marke the leſſon: Albeit there be many changes by the way, yet hee or ſhee that vvill perſeuere in dragling, ſhall not vvant the crovvne, as vvell as they that ranne ſpeedily, and came firſt. It ſtands not ſo much in the faſt running, as in the perſeuering: it is not ſaid, he or ſhee that runnes faſt, ſhall be crowned, but hee or ſhe that continues to the end, ſhall be crovvned: looke ay thou pereſeuere, if thou may not runne, goe: yet if thou may not goe, fall downe vponupon thine hands and feete, and creepe as it were a ſnaile, or vvorme, albeit it vvere but two foot in the day: & as euer thou wouldeſt be ſafe,ly not ſtill: it ſtands thee vponupon life & death: thou muſt weare away, and night and day thou goeſt euer to this ende: and if this outvvard man decay, grovv in the invvard man: and as thou grovveſt vveake in this life, ſtriu… to grovv ſtrong in that heauenly life, that thou art to goe to. Paul in the ſecond Epiſtle to the Corinthians, the fourth Chapter, and the ſixteenth uerſe, ſayes, As the outwarde man decayed dayly, ſo the inward man grew dayly. So to end this in a word: As euer thou wouldeſt ſee Heauen, goe either faſt or elſe ſoftly to that life. Well, it is ſaide, They were ignorant of the Scripture, that tolde, Hee ſhould riſe againe from the dead: and ſo becauſe he ſaw, hee beleeued: hee ſhould hauehave beleeued, becauſe he heard it: for hee had the Scripture for his vvarrand: hee and Peter ſhould hauehave grounded their Faith on the Scripture.
Take heede to this: The Apoſtle ſayes, Wee liue by Faith, and not by ſight: yet hovv euer it be, that man or vvoman beleeue, they are bleſſed: and bleſſed art thou, man, or vvoman, that beleeueſt either for hearing or ſeeing: and ſuppoſe thou feeleſt him by the hands, and beleeueſt in Him, as Thomas did, that felt Him, thou art bleſſed: but that is an euill thing, vvhen thou haſt the vvorde, and yet ſuſpends thy faith, vntill thou ſeeſt.
It vvas an euill thing in Peter and Iohn, that they let the vvorde paſſe, and beleeued it not: it vvas an euill thing in Thomas, that hee beleeued not, vntill hee felt Chriſt: and I ſay to thee, it is a ſure thing, if thou refuſeſt to beleeue, vntill thou ſeeſt, thou aduentoureſt and hazardeſt thy life and ſaluation: and I ſay to thee, if thou contemneſt this word, and ſay this, I will not beleeue vntill I ſee Him, I giuegive thee thy doome, thou ſhalt neuer ſee Him to thy comfort nor ſaluation.
Therefore if He ſay to thee, and if Hee promiſe, Hee vvill giuegive thee Heauen, beleeue it, and lay holde on it, although thou vvereſt dying: and if Hee ſay to thee, that Hee vvill giuegive thee life, depend and ſticke by His promiſe.
Thou honoureſt thy GOD in beleeuing and depending on His promiſe: for thou canſt not doe Him greater honour, than to beleeue His promiſe.
And albeit thou ſee litle appearance outvvardly, and if thou beleeueſt the vvorde, vvithout doubt, thou ſhalt get a ſight of Him one day to thy comfort and endleſſe conſolation.
Depend and waite on patiently with Abraham, and euer ſticke and lay holde on the promiſe, and I promiſe to thee in His Name, beleeue the promiſe of life, and thou ſhalt ſee life: beleeue in Him, and thou ſhalt ſee Him one day.
Bleſſed are they vvho beleeue in Him, and yet ſee Him not: bleſſed are they who walke by Faith: for one day they ſhall vvalke by ſight. Striue to beleeue in His vvord, and looke on Him, and Heauen and earth ſhall periſh, ere thou wanteſt that ſight of Him one daye. Yet I maye not paſſe by the vvordes of IOHN: I ſee in him a wonderfull plainneſſe, and ſingleneſſe of heart: which of vsus will bee contented that another regiſtrate our faultes, that anie other might reade them. This man ſinned this waye, and that waye? Then, who will write vp his owne faultes, with his owne handes, as hee does? Hee ſayes, hee was ignorant. So then, if there were none other argument to tell vsus, that this Booke is dyted by the SPIRITE of GOD, and that it is the worde of GOD, this ſingleneſſe of vvryting their owne faultes without affection or ſelfe-louelove, which euer woulde entiſe vsus to honoure our ſelues, telles vsus ſufficientlie.
But naturallie, rather than thou haddeſt thy Parentes, or thy kinsfolke aſhamed, thou wouldeſt rather hauehave GODS glorie and juſtice ſmoothered and defaced. But ſee if MOYSES ſpared to regiſter the faultes of LEVI, of vvhome hee was deſcended: ſee if hee ſpared? AARON: See if hee ſpared himſelfe: No, hee telles his owne fault, hee telles his owne infidelitie. And againe, ſee if DAVID ſpares himſelfe: ſettes hee not downe his owne adulterie, and murther? IOHN regiſtrates his owne ignorance. Let GOD bee glorified, and all creatures aſhamed: for, to that ende were wee created: for except Hee had reſpected His owne glorie, wee ſhoulde neuer hauehave beene made. Shoulde vvee not then ſeeke His glorie, although it were with our owne ſhame? IOHN learnes vsus heere another good leſſon, howe often ſoeuer vvee faile through ignorance: (Alas, vvee faile often through ignorance and misbeliefe, and ignorance bringes on infidelitie.) And therefore, vvhenſoeuer vvee faile through ignorance, laye not the blame of thy blindneſſe vponupon the Scripture: In paine of thy life ſay not, I am ignorant, becauſe the Scripture is obſcure and darke, as the Pope & his ſhauelings blaſphemouſlie alleadge: but I affirme, that it is ſo perfect, that all thinges appertaining to thy ſaluation are contained therein. And I ſay in deſpite of the Pope, thou vvho ſayeſt it is obſcure, one day thou ſhalt not bee challenged ſo much for thine ignorance, as for thy blaſphemie againſt GOD, when thou vvilt ſtande vp, and ſaye, The Scripture of GOD is not perfect, but obſcure and vvanting: I tell you, one daye theſe blaſphemers (for all their out-crying) ſhall hauehave their mouthes ſowed vp, and they ſhall make an offer to ſpeake, and to ſaye. The Scripture of God was not perfect: but the conſcience of them ſhall ſo ſtrike them with feare and terrour, that they ſhall not be able to anſwere one word. Woe to them that impaire the authoritie of the Scripture: wee may pingle with them a while here, but wee remit them to that great day, that the Iudge appeare, and then they ſhall receiue their reward for their blaſphemie. But to leaue them, What are theſe Scriptures that preach CHRISTS Reſurrection from the dead? In what part is His Reſurrection foretolde? In the 13. of the Actes Paul preaching of Chriſt, he confirmes it by the olde Scriptures: The firſt Scripture is out of the 55, of Eſay, verſe 3.24. Where He ſayes, Hee will make an euerlaſting couenant with you of the ſure mercies of Dauid: Then he concludes, Therefore it behooued the Lord to riſe from death: Marke the conſequent: No, there is not ſuch a thing, as that euer merciemercy had continued, if Chriſt had not riſen. The Apoſtle ſayes in the 2. Epiſtle to the Corinthians, the firſt CHAPTER, and the 20. VERSE, In Him are all the promiſes of God, Yea, and Amen, No, thou, or I ſhould neuer hauehave had Faith, nor any ſpirituall grace, if Chriſt had not riſen: So, ſo oft as euer thou feeleſt a ſponke or motion of that ſpirituall life within thee, thou mayeſt ſay, I am ſure, that Ieſus is riſen from the death: for this is ſure, all grace and life flowes from the life of Ieſus. So, if Hee had not riſen, thou ſhouldeſt hauehave had no life. He hath another Scripture, out of the ſixteenth Pſalme, at the tenth verſe, Thou wilt not leaue my ſoule in the graue, neither wilt ſuffer thine Holy One, to ſee corruption. Then hee concludes, therefore Hee is riſen. How followes this? It followes well enough, for if He had not riſen, His body behoued to rot, and to be corrupted, as ours rotte. And Peter in the ſecond Chapter of the Actes, and verſe 31. vſes the ſame teſtimonie: Likewiſe in the fiftie three Chapter of Eſay, and the 8. verſe, where he prophecies of Chriſt, he ſayes, And who is able to count His generation: for all His death He is that euerlaſting Eſſence: meaning, that albeit Hee died, Hee ſhall riſe to life without end.
There is another Scripture, Then they ſhould hauehave beleeued without ſight: But, alas, who is carefull to get this knowledge of this Reſurrection: and if we had a care to ſeeke Chriſt, wee would turne ouer theſe olde Scriptures, to ſee the prophecies of Chriſt to come, & then we would come to the New Teſtament▪ to ſee theſe things accompliſhed, & ſo wold meditate in ye Scriptures, night & day, to cōfirme our faith, & to get our hearts ſet & ſtabliſhed on the LORD: for it is a matter of great difficultie, to get the heart eſtabliſhed with grace: and if thine heart bee not eſtabliſhed and filled with that worde, thou wilt neuer ſee CHRIST, nor gette anie grace in Him. So to ende this: I beſeech you, as euer yee woulde ſee CHRIST, bee diligent to ſeeke the Scriptures, that yee maye ſettle your heartes heere vponupon Him, and beleeue in Him, that heereafter yee maye ſee Him to your comfort and conſolation at His ſeconde comming, when Hee ſhall appeare in the cloudes, with the millions of Angels: To Him bee glorie for euer, Amen.