Eighty Sermons, Easter · Sermon 26
SERMON XXVI. Preached upon Eaſter-day.
1 THES. 4.17.
Then we which are alive, and remain, ſhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the ayre; and ſo ſhall we be ever with the Lord.
IN this Epiſtle, our Apoſtle (according to his manner in all his Epiſtles) firſt eſtabliſhes thoſe to whom he writes, in thoſe matters of faith, in which he had formerly inſtructed them; and then, rectifies them in matter of manners, of holineſſe of life, and the wayes and fruits of ſanctification. In this laſt part of this Chapter, he involves, he wraps up both together; a Fundamentall point, the Reſurrection of the dead, and then, an inſtruction for manners ariſing out of that, That they mourn not intemperately for the dead, as they do (ſaith he) which have no hope of ſeeing them again, who are gone. For we know, that they which are gone, are gone but into another room of the ſame houſe, (this world, and the next, do but make up God a houſe) they are gone but into another Pue of the ſame Church, (the Militant and the Triumphant do but make up God a Church.)Ver. 14. If we beleeve that Ieſus dyed, and roſe again (ſayes our Apoſtle) even ſo, them alſo, which ſleep in Ieſus, will God bring with him: with him; For, howſoever they have lien ingloriouſly in the duſt all this while, all this while they have been with God, and he ſhall bring them with him. But the Theſſalonians were not ſo hard in beleeving the Reſurrection,1 Cor. 15.35. as curious in enquiring the order of the Reſurrection. And as among the Corinthians ſome inquired de modo, How are the dead raiſed, and with what body do they come? So among the Theſſalonians ſome inquired, de Ordine, in what order, for precedency, ſhall the laſt ſcean of this laſt act of man, be tranſacted? What difference between them that were dead thouſands of yeares before, and them whom Chriſt ſhall finde alive at his ſecond comming? Them the Apoſtle ſatisfies; We that are alive, ſhall not prevent them that are aſleep, we ſhall not enter into heaven before them; The dead in Chriſt ſhall firſt riſe, ſayes he; and then, (then enters our Text) Then we which are alive, and remain, ſhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meete the Lord in the ayre, and ſo ſhall be ever with the Lord.
Then.Diviſie. When? This Then in our text, is an apprehenſive, and a comprehenſive word. It reaches to, and layes hold upon that which the Apoſtle ſayes before the text, in the fifteenth and ſixteenth verſes. Then, when the dead in Chriſt are firſt riſen, and riſen by Chriſts comming down from heaven, in clamore, in a ſhout, in the voice of the Archangel, and in the Trumpet of God, Then, when that is done, We that are alive, and remain, ſhall bee wrought upon, and all being joyned in one body, They, and we together, ſhall be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the ayre, and ſo ſhall we be ever with the Lord. So that, in theſe words we ſhall have three things to conſider, which will conſtitute three parts in this exerciſe. Firſt, the raiſing of thoſe that were dead before. Secondly, the changing of them who are alive then; And laſtly, our union in our exaltation, and poſſeſſion of the kingdome of God, We, together with them, ſhall be caught up.
Neither of theſe three parts will be ſwallowed down in a generality; There muſt paſſe a Maſtication, a re-diviſion into more particular branches upon them all. For, in the firſt, which the firſt word of our Text, Then induces, which is the raiſing of them who were dead before, we ſhall conſider firſt, That the dead are not forgotten, though they have dwelt long in the houſe of forgetfulneſſe, nor loſt, though they have lyen long in the duſt of diſperſion, nor neglected, nor deferred, that others might be preferred before them, which ſhall be alive then, for, ſayes the Apoſtle, We ſhall not prevent them, but they ſhall riſe firſt; How ſhall they riſe? For, that is alſo a ſecond conſideration, induced by our firſt word. Then, Then when they ſhal be raiſed in virtute Chriſti, in the power of Chriſt, for, ſayes the Text, The Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from heaven to raiſe them. And how ſhall he exerciſe, how ſhall he execute, and declare his power in their raiſing? It ſhall be In clamore, with a ſhout, and in the voyce of the Arch-angel, and the Trumpet of God. And in theſe three Branches, That the dead ſhall riſe firſt, That they ſhall riſe in the power of Chriſt, That that power ſhall be thus expreſſed, In a ſhout, in the voyce of the Arch-angell, in the Trumpet of God, we ſhall determine that firſt Part. When that is done, and done ſo, we ſhall be wrought upon, We that are alive and remain then; where we ſhall firſt ſee, that ſome ſhall be alive, and remain then, when Chriſt comes, And then conſider their ſtate and condition, how they being then cloathed with bodies of corruption ſhall be capable of that preſent entrance into glory; and in that diſquiſition we ſhall end our ſecond Part. And then, in our third and laſt part, The glorious Union of theſe two Armies, Thoſe which were dead, and thoſe which are alive, we ſhall conſider firſt, That here is no mention at all, of any Reſurrection of the wicked, but onelyonly of them that ſleep in Chriſt; They ſhall riſe; And then, thoſe that are to partake of this glory, are thus proceeded with; They are caught up, Rapiuntur; Caught up in the Clouds, In Nubibus; Exalted into the Ayre, In Aera; There to meet the Lord, Obviam Domino; And ſo to be with the Lord for ever. We ſhall be, and be with the Lord, and be with the Lord for ever; which are bleſſed and glorious gradations, if we may have time to inſiſt upon them; which we may beſt hope for this day of all others; for, this day, we have two dayes in one. This day both Gods Sons aroſe; The Sun of his Firmament, and the Son of his boſome. And if one Sun doe ſet upon us, the other will ſtay, as long as our devotion laſt. God went not from Abraham, till Abraham had no more to ſay;Gen. 18. ult. No more will Chriſt from us.
Firſt then, for our firſt Branch of our firſt part, the riſing of the dead,1 Part. the firſt man that was laid in the duſt of the earth, Abel, loſes nothing by lying ſo long there; He loſes nothing, that men of later ages gain; For, if we live to the comming of Chriſt to Judgement, we ſhall not prevent them, we ſhall have no precedency of them, that were dead ages before. No man is ſuperannuated in the grave, that he is too old to enter into heaven, where the Maſter of the houſe is The ancient of dayes. No man is bed-rid with age in the grave, that he cannot riſe. It is not with God, as it is with man; we doe, but God does not forget the dead; and, as long as God is with them, they are with him.Pſal. 56.9. As he puts all thy teares into his bottles, ſo he puts all the graines of thy duſt into his Cabinet, and the windes that ſcatter, the waters that waſh them away, carry them not out of his ſight. He remembers that we are but duſt; but duſt then when we lie in the grave;Pſal. 103.14. and yet he remembers us. But his memory goes farther then ſo, He remembers that we were but duſt alive, at our beſt; They dye, ſayes David, and they returne to their own duſt. It is not an entring into a new ſtate, when they dye, but a returning to their old, They return to duſt; Pſal. 104.29.And it is not to that duſt which is caſt upon them, in the grave, (for that may be another mans duſt) but to that duſt which they carried about them in their bodies, They returne, and to duſt; and to their own duſt.
Nor is duſt ſo inglorious a thing, but that God gives a dignity to duſt, when he admits it into compariſon to expreſſe the multiplication, the accumulation of his bleſſings upon Abraham, I will make thy ſeed as the duſt of the earth; not for weakneſſe,Gen. 13.16. but for infiniteneſſe; And ſo, to the ſame purpoſe of expreſſing greatneſſe, Balaam uſes this Metaphore of duſt, Who can count the duſt of Iacob, and the number of the fourth part of Iſrael? Numb. 23.10.Neither does Abraham think it any diminution to lie in the duſt of the earth, when he is dead, for he profeſſes that he walks in the duſt of the earth, in himſelf, whilſt he is aliye,Gen. 18.27. I have taken upon me to ſpeak to the Lord being but duſt. And when David ſeemes to fear the duſt of death, (lighten mine eyes, leſt they ſleep the ſleep of death) it is not that he ſuſpects any detriment to himſelf by death, that he ſhall be the worſe by dying,Pſal, 13.1. but that God may loſe of his glory, when (as he addes there) the enemy ſhall ſay, we have prevailed againſt him. For, as in the Primitive Church, thoſe that ſeeme prayers for the dead, at Funeralls, are, indeed, but thankſgivings to God, in their behalf that are departed; ſo, as often as David expreſſes himſelf in that Patheticall manner, Awake, O Lord, why ſleepeſt thou? ariſe, Pſal. 44.23.and caſt us not off for ever, it is a thankſgiving that he hath not, and a prayer that he would not forget them. When he ſayes, Will God be favourable no more? he meanes,Pſal. 77.7. I am ſure he will. Is his mercy cleane gone for ever? Doth his promiſe faile for ever? Hath God forgot to be gracious? Hath he ſhut up his mercy in anger? All theſe imply a kinde of confidence that he hath not.
And, as it is in that Reſurrection of which David ſpeaks moſt literally in thoſe places, (that is, The Reſurrection from the calamities and oppreſſions of this world) ſo is it in the Reſurrection from the duſt of the grave too;Pſal. 22.15. & 19. Thou haſt brought me to the duſt of the grave; but, be not thou farre from me; That is, when thou ſhalt bring me to the duſt of the grave, thou wilt not be farre from me. And, when he ſayes, (in apparence) by way of expoſtulation,Pſal. 39.10. and jealouſie, and ſuſpition, Will God ſhew wonders to the dead? ſhall the dead ariſe and praiſe him? ſhall his loving kindneſſe be declared in the grave, or his faishfulneſſe in deſtruction? All theſe paſſionate interrogatories, and vehement expoſtulations may ſafely be reſolved into theſe Doctrinall propoſitions, Yes, God will ſhew wonders to the dead, The dead ſhall riſe and praiſe him, His loving kindneſſe ſhall be declared in the grave,Pſal. 74.19. and his faithfulneſſe in deſtruction. For, God will not forget the Congregation of his poore for ever. The poore of this world, are our poore; Gods poore are they that lie in the duſt, the duſt of the grave, the dead; of whom, God hath a greater Congregation under ground, then of the living upon the face of the earth; And, God will not forget the congregation of his poore for ever. Finitus eſt eorum pulvis; That which we tranſlate, Their Extortioner is at an end, Eſay 16.4.their Oppreſſor is at an end, is in S. Hierome, Their duſt is at an end; that is, there comes a time, when the duſt of the grave ſhall oppreſſe them no longer. When? Truly, that time is virtually, and in an infallibility come already; as thoſe other words of the ſame Prophet, may admit an accommodation in the perſon of Chriſt,Eſay 26.19. Thy dead men ſhall live; When? Together with my dead body they ſhall riſe. Conſider, by occaſion of thoſe words, a promiſe, long before Chriſts Reſurrection, that all they which ſlept in Chriſt ſhould riſe in him, with my dead body they ſhall riſe; And then conſider the performance of this promiſe in the Apoſtle,Eph. 2.6. Conſurrexerunt, together with Chriſt, all that ſlept in him, (nay, all that fell aſleep ſince he waked, all that dyed ſince he roſe) did ariſe. Virtually, and infallibly they did. And, for the actuall accompliſhment of this Reſurrection in every individuall perſon, they that were laid in the grave in the firſt ages, loſe no time. For, there is no time of entring into heaven, till the Lord come to fetch us; And then, they that are dead, ſhall be ſo farre from being pretermitted, as that they ſhall firſt be raiſed before any thing be done upon us. But how ſhall they be raiſed, by what power? (for that is a ſecond Conſideration induced alſo by this firſt word of our Text, Then, when the Lord ſhall have deſcended from heaven to raiſe them; Then when they are raiſed, In virtute Chriſti, in the vertue and power of Chriſt.
Then, In virtute Chriſti. Mat. 13.43.(ſayes our bleſſed Saviour, ſpeaking of the Reſurrection) then, ſhall the righteous ſhine forth as the Sun; And whereſoever we are called the Sun, compared, aſſimilated to the Sun, Chriſt is our Zodiake; In him we move, from the beginning to the end of our Circle. And therefore, as the laſt point of our Circle, our reſurrection determines in him, in Chriſt; ſo, the firſt point of our Circle, our firſt adoption began in him, in Chriſt too. And, if I were adopted in Chriſt, (in Chriſt who is a Redeemer of ſinners) I was adopted in the condition, and in the conſideration of a ſinner, and ſuch a ſinner as ſhould, as would lay hold upon this Chriſt, this Redeemer. Chriſt is the Reſurrection; ſo Chriſt is the Adoption; If there be a Reſurrection in him, there were ſome dead before; If there bean Adoption in him, there are ſome ſinners before. The firſt look that God caſts upon us, is in Chriſt, and therefore the firſt conſideration that he takes of us, is, as we are ſinners; He adopts none but penitent ſinners, he reproves none but impenitent ſinners. In him alſo the dead are raiſed; that is, in that power, which he was raiſed by, The power of God. For, ſtill that phraſe is ingeminated, iterated, multiplied, Suſcitavit Deus, Mat. 28.6.ſuſcitatus à Deo, God raiſed Chriſt from the dead, and Chriſt was raiſed from the dead by God. And when it is ſaid by the Angell to the women, Surrexit, He is riſen, (riſen of himſelf, as the word ſounds) And when by thoſe two which went with Chriſt to Emaus, Luke 24.34.it is ſaid at their return to Jeruſalem, to the eleven Apoſtles, ſurrex it verè, Hee is riſen indeed, (riſen of himſelf, as the word ſounds) yet that phraſe and expreſſion, He is riſen, if there were no more in it, but that expreſſion, and that phraſe, would not conclude Chriſts riſing to have been in virtute propria, in his own power. For, of Dorcas who was raiſed from the dead,A… 9.4…. … 11. it is ſaid, Reſedit, ſhe ſate up, and of Lazarus, Prodiit, he came forth; and yet, theſe actions thus aſcribed to themſelves, were done in virtute aliena, in the power of another. Chriſts Reſurrection was not ſo, In virtute aliena, in the power of another, if you conſider his whole perſon, God and Man, but it was aliena à filio Mariae; Chriſt as the Son of Mary roſe not by his own power. It was by his own; but his own, becauſe he was God, as well as man. Nor could all the Magick in the world have raiſed him ſooner, then by that his power, (his, as God) he (that is, that perſon, God and man) was pleaſed to riſe. So ſits he now at the right hand of his Father in heaven; nor can all the Conſecrations of the Romane Prieſts either remove him from thence, or multiply him to a bodily being any where elſe, till his time of comming to Judgment, come. Then, and not till then, The Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from heaven, in clamore, ſayes the Text, in a ſhout, with the voyce of the Arch-angell, and with the Trumpet of God, which circumſtances conſtitute our third, and laſt Branch of this firſt Part, The dead ſhall riſe firſt, They ſhall riſe in the power of Chriſt, (therefore Chriſt is God; for Chriſt himſelf roſe in the power of God) and that power ſhall be thus declared, In a ſhout, in the voyce of the Arch-Angell, in the Trumpet of God.
The dead heare not Thunder, nor feele they an Earth quake.In clamore. If the Canon batter that Church walls, in which they lye buryed, it wakes not them, nor does it ſhake or affect them, if that duſt, which they are, be thrown out, but yet there is a voyce, which the dead ſhall heare; The dead ſhall heare, the voyce of the Son of God, Iohn 5.25.(ſayes the Son of God himſelf) and they that heare ſhall live; And that is the voyce of our Text. It is here called a clamour, a vociferation, a ſhout, and varied by our Tranſlators, and Expoſitors, according to the origination of the word, to be clamor hortatorius, and ſuaſorius, and juſſorins, A voyce that carries with it a penetration, (all ſhall heare it) and a perſwaſion, (all ſhall beleeve it, and be glad of it) and a power, a command, (all ſhall obey it.) Since that voyce at the Creation, Fiat, Let there be a world, was never heard ſuch a voyce as this, Surgite mortui, Ariſe ye dead. That was ſpoken to that that was meerely nothing, and this to them, who in themſelves ſhall have no cooperation, no concurrence to the hearing or anſwering this voyce.
The power of this voyce is exalted in that it is ſaid to be the voyce of the Archangel. In voce Archangeli.Though legions of Angels, millions of Angels ſhall be employed about the Reſurrection, to recollect their ſcattered duſt, and recompact their ruined bodies, yet thoſe bodies ſo recompact, ſhall not be able to heare a voyce. They ſhall be then but ſuch bodies, as they were when they were laid downe in the grave, when, though they were intire bodies, they could not heare the voice of the mourner. But this voyce of the Archangel ſhall enable them to heare; The Archangel ſhall re-infuſe the ſeverall ſoules into their bodies, and ſo they ſhall heare that voyce, Surgite mortui, Ariſe ye that were dead, and they ſhall ariſe. And here we are eaſed of that diſputation, whether there be many Archangels, or no, for, if there be but one, yet this in our text, is he, for, it is not ſaid, In the voyce of An Archangell, but of The Archangell; if not the OnelyOnly, yet he who comprehends them all,Coloſ. 1.16. and in whom they all conſiſt, Chriſt Jeſus.
And then, the power of this voyce is exalted to the higheſt in the laſt word, that it is,Tuba Dei. Tuba Dei, The Trumpet of God. For, that is an Hebraiſme, and in that language, it conſtitutes a ſuperlative, to adde the name of God to any thing. As in Sauls caſe, when David ſurpriſed him, in his dead ſleepe, it is ſaid, that Sopor Domini, 2 Sam. 26.12.The ſleepe of the Lord was upon him, that is, the heavieſt, the deadeſt ſleepe that could be imagined, ſo here, The Trumpet of God is the loudeſt voice that we conceive God to ſpeake in.
All theſe pieces, that it is In clamore, In a cry, in a ſhout, that it is In the voyce of the Archangell, that it is In the Trumpet of God, make up this Concluſion, That all Reſurrections from the dead, muſt be from the voice of God, and from his loud voice;In clamore. It muſt be ſo, even in thy firſt Reſurrection, thy reſurrection from ſin, by grace here; here, thou needeſt the voice of God, and his loud voyce. And therefore, though thou thinke thou heare ſometimes Gods ſibilations, (as the Prophet Zechary ſpeaks) Gods ſoft and whiſpering voyce, (in ward remorſes of thine owne; and motions of the Spirit of God to thy ſpirit) yet thinke not thy ſpirituall reſurrection accompliſhed, till, in this place, thou heare his loud voyce; Till thou heare Chriſt deſcending from Heaven, (as the text ſayes) that is, working in his Church; Till thou heare him In clamore, in this cry, in this ſhout, in this voyce of Penetration, of perſwaſion, of power, that is, till thou feele in thy ſelfe in this place a liquefaction, a colliquation, a melting of thy bowels under the commination of the Judgements of God upon thy ſin, and the application of his mercy to thy Repentance.
And then,In voce Archangeli. this thou muſt heare In voce Archangeli, In the voice of the Archangel. S. Iohn in the beginning of the Revelation, cals every Governour of a Church an Angel. And much reſpect and reverence, much faith, and credit behoves it thee to give to thine Angell, to the Paſtour of that Church, in which God hath given thee thy ſtation; for, he is thine Angel,Mal. 2.7. thy Tutelar, thy guardian Angell. Men ſhould ſeeke the Law at the mouth of the Prieſt, ſaies God in Malachi; (of that Prieſt that is ſet over him) For, the lips of the Prieſt, (of every Prieſt, to whom the ſoules of others are committed) ſhould preſerve knowledge, ſhould be able to inſtruct and rectifie his flock, Quia Angelus Domini Exercituum, becauſe every ſuch Prieſt is the Angell of the Lord of Hoſts. Hearken thou therefore, to that Angel, thine Angel. But here thou art directed above thine Angell to the Archangell.Acts 20.28. Epheſ. 5.23. Now, not the governour of any particular Church, but he Who hath purchaſed the whole Church with his blood, He who onelyonly is head of the whole Church, Chriſt Jeſus, is this Archangell; Heare him. It is the voyce of the Archangell, (that is, the trne and ſincere word of God) that muſt raiſe thee from the death of ſin, to the life of grace. If therefore any Angell differ from the Archangell, and preach other then the true and ſincere word of God,Gal. 1.8. Anathema, ſaies the Apoſtle, let that Angell be accurſed. And take thou heed of over-affecting, overvaluing the gifts of any man ſo, as that thou take the voice of an Angell, for the voyce of the Archangell, any thing that that man ſaies, for the word of God.
Yet thou muſt heare this voice of the Archangell in the Trumpet of God.In Tuba Dei. The Trumpet of God is his loudeſt Inſtrument; and his loudeſt Inſtrument is his publique Ordinance in the Church; Prayer, Preaching, and Sacraments; Heare him in theſe, In all theſe; come not to heare him in the Sermon alone, but come to him in Prayer, and in the Sacrament too. For, except the voyce come in the Trumpet of God, (that is, in the publique Ordinance of his Church) thou canſt not know it to be the voyce of the Archangell. Pretended ſervices of God, in ſchiſmaticall Conventicles, are not in the Trumpet of God, and therefore not the voyce of the Archangell, and ſo, not the meanes ordained for thy ſpirituall reſurrection. And, as our laſt reſurrection from the grave, is rooted in the perſonall reſurrection of Chriſt,1 Cor. 15.17. (For, if Chriſt be not raiſed from the dead, we are yet in our ſins, (ſaies the Apoſtle) But why ſo? Becauſe, to deliver us from ſin, Chriſt was to deſtroy all our enemies; Now, the laſt enemy is Death; and laſt time that Death and Chriſt met, (upon the Croſſe) Death overcame him, and therefore, except he be riſen from the power of Death, we are yet in our ſins) as we roote our laſt reſurrection in the perſon of Chriſt, ſo do we our firſt reſurrection in him, in his word, exhibited in his Ordinance, for, that is the voice of the Archangell in the Trumpet of God. And as the Apoſtle ſaies here,Ver. 15. This we ſay unto you, by the word of the Lord, that thus the laſt reſurrection ſhall be accompliſhed by Chriſt himſelfe, ſo, this we ſay to you, by the Word of the Lord, (by the harmony of all the Scriptures) thus, and no other way, By the pure word of God, delivered and applied by his publique Ordinance, by Hearing, and Beleeving, and Practiſing, under the Seales of the Church, the Sacraments, is your firſt reſurrection from ſin, by grace, accompliſhed. So have you then thoſe three branches, which conſtitute our firſt part; That they that are dead before us, ſhall not be prevented by us, but they ſhall riſe firſt; That they ſhall be raiſed by the power of Chriſt, that is, the power of God in Chriſt; That that power, working to their reſurrection ſhall be declared in a mighty voyce, the voyce of the Archangell, in the Trumpet of God. And then, then when they who were formerly dead, are firſt raiſed, and raiſed by this Power, and this power thus declared, then ſhall we, we who ſhall be then alive and remaine, be wrought upon; which is our ſecond, and our next generall part.
When the Apoſtle ſayes here,2. Part. Nos. Nos qui vivimus, We that are alive, and remaine, would he not be thought to ſpeake this of himſelfe, and the Theſſalonians to whom he writes? Doe not the words import that? That he, and they ſhould live till Chriſts comming to Judgement? Some certainly had taken him ſo; But he complaines that he was miſtaken; We beſeech you brethren, 2 Theſ. 2.2.be not ſoone ſhaken in minde, nor troubled, by word or letter, as from us, that the day of the Lord is at hand; ſo at hand, as that we determine it in our dayes, in our life. So that the Apoſtle ſpeakes here, but Hypothetically; he does but put a caſe, That if it ſhould be Gods pleaſure to continue them in the world, till the comming of his Son Chriſt Jeſus, thus and thus they ſhould be proceeded withall; for, thus and thus ſhall they be proceeded with, ſayes he, that ſhall then be alive. Our bleſſed Saviour hath ſuch a manner of ſpeech, of an ambiguous ſenſe, in S. Matthew, Mat. 16.28.That there were ſome ſtanding there, that ſhould not taſte of death, till they ſaw the Son of man comming in his Kingdome. And this might give them juſt occaſion to think, that that Kingdome into which the Judgement ſhall enter us, was at hand; For, the words which Chriſt ſpoke immediatly before thoſe, were evidently, undeniably ſpoken of that laſt, and everlaſting kingdome of glory, The Son of man ſhall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels, &c. Then follows, Some ſtanding here ſhall live to ſee this. And yet Chriſt did not ſpeak this of that laſt kingdome of glory; but either he ſpoke it of that manifeſtation of that kingdome which was ſhewed to ſome of them, (to Peter, and Iames, and Iohn) in the Transfiguration of Chriſt, (for the Transfiguration was a repreſentation of the kingdome of glory) or elſe he ſpoke it of that inchoation of the kingdome of glory, which ſhined out in the kingdome of grace, which all the Apoſtles lived to ſee, in the perſonall comming of the Holy Ghoſt, and in his powerfull working in the converſion of Nations in their life time.
And this is an inexpreſſible comfort to us, That our bleſſed Saviour thus mingles his Kingdomes, that he makes the Kingdome of Grace, and the Kingdome of Glory, all one; the Church, and Heaven all one; and aſſures us, That if we ſee him In hoc ſpeculo, in this his Glaſſe, in his Ordinance, in his Kingdome of Grace, we have already begun to ſee him facie ad faciem, face to face, in his Kingdome of Glory; If we ſee him Sicuti manifeſtatur, as he looks in his Word, and Sacraments, in his Kingdome of Grace, we have begun to ſee him, Sicuti eſt, As he is, in his Eſſence, in the Kingdome of Glory; And when we pray, Thy Kingdome come; and mean but the Kingdome of Grace, he gives us more then we ask, an inchoative comprehenſion of the Kingdome of Glory, in this life. This is his inexpreſſible mercy, that he mingles his Kingdomes, and where he gives one, gives both. So is there alſo a faire beam of comfort exhibited to us in this Text, That the number reſerved for that Kingdome of Glory, is no ſmall number. For though David ſaid, The Lord looked down from heaven, and ſaw not one that did good, no not one, Pſal. 14.2.(there it is leſſe then a few) though when the times had better means to be better, when Chriſt preached perſonally upon the earth, when one Centurion had but replyed to Chriſt, Sir,Mat. 8.10. you need not trouble your ſelf to go to my houſe, if you do but ſay the word here, my ſervant will be well, Chriſt ſaid in his behalfe, Verily I have not found ſo great faith, no not in Iſrael; When Chriſt makes ſo much of this ſingle grain of Muſtard-ſeed, this little faith, as to prefer it before all the faith of Iſrael, ſurely faith went very low in Iſrael at that time, Nay, when Chriſt himſelf ſayes, ſpeaking of his laſt comming, after ſo many ages preaching of the Goſpell, When the Son of man comes, ſhall he finde faith upon earth, Luk. 18.8.any faith? We have I ſay, a bleſſed beam of comfort ſhining out of this text, that it is no ſmall number that is reſerved for that Kingdome; For, whether the Apoſtle ſpeak this of himſelf and the Theſſalonians, or of others, he ſpeaks not as of a few, but that by Chriſts having preached the narrowneſſe of the way, and the ſtraitneſſe of the gate, our holy induſtry and endeavour is ſo much exalted, (which was Chriſts principall end in taking thoſe Metaphors of narrow wayes, and ſtrait gates, not to make any man ſuſpect an impoſſibility of entring, but to be the more induſtrious and endeavorous in ſeeking it) that as he hath ſent workmen in plenty, (abundant preaching) ſo he ſhall return a plentifull harveſt, a glorious addition to his Kingdome, both of thoſe which ſlept in him before, and of thoſe which ſhall be then alive, fit, all together, to be caught up in the clouds to meet him, and be with him for ever; for theſe two armies imply no ſmall number. Now, of the condition of theſe men, who ſhall be then alive, and how being clothed in bodies of corruption, they become capable of the glory of this text, in our firſt diſtribution, we propoſed that for a particular conſideration, and the other branch of this ſecond part, and to that, in that order, we are come now.
I ſcarce know a place of Scripture, more diverſly read,Immutabimur. and conſequently more variouſly interpreted then that place, which ſhould moſt enlighten us, in this conſideration preſently under our hands; which is that place to the Corinthians,1 Cor. 15.51. Non omnes dormiemus, We ſhall not all ſleep, but we ſhall all be changed. The Apoſtle profeſſes there to deliver us a myſtery, (Behold, I ſhew you a myſtery) but Tranſlators and Expoſitors have multiplyed myſticall clouds upon the words. S. Chryſoſtome reads theſe words as we do,Chryſoſt. Non dormiemus, We ſhall not all ſleep, but thereupon he argues, and concludes, that wee ſhall not all die. The common reading of the ancients is contrary to that, Omnes dormiemus, ſed non, &c. We ſhall all ſleep, but we ſhall not all be changed. The vulgat Edition in the Romane Church differs from both, and as much from the originall, as from either, Omnes reſurgemus, We ſhall all riſe again, but we ſhall not all be changed. S. Hierome examines the two readings, and then leaves the reader to his choice, as a thing indifferent. S. Auguſtine doth ſo too, and concludes aquè Catholicos eſſe, That they are as good Catholiques that reade it the one way, as the other. But howſoever, that which S. Chryſoſtome collects upon his reading, may not be maintained. He reads as we do; and without all doubt aright, We ſhall not all ſleep; But what then? Therefore ſhall we not all die? To ſleep there, is to reſt in the grave, to continue in the ſtate of the dead, and ſo we ſhall not all ſleep, not continue in the ſtate of the dead. But yet, Statutum eſt, ſayes the Apoſtle,Heb. 9.27. as verily as Chriſt was once offered to beare our ſinnes, ſo verily is it appointed to every man once to die; Rom. 5.12.And, as verily as by one man, ſinne entred into the world, and death by ſinne, ſo verily death paſſed upon all men, for that all men have ſinned; So the Apoſtle inſtitutes the compariſon, ſo he conſtitutes the doctrine, in thoſe two places of Scripture, As verily as Chriſt dyed for all, all ſhall die, As verily as every man ſins, every man ſhall die.
In that change then, which we who are then alive, ſhall receive, (for though we ſhall not all ſleep, we ſhall all be changed) we ſhall have a preſent diſſolution of body and ſoul, and that is truly a death, and a preſent redintegration of the ſame body and the ſame ſoul, and that is truly a Reſurrection; we ſhall die, and be alive again, before another could conſider that we were dead; but yet this ſhall not be done in an abſolute inſtant; ſome ſucceſſion of time, though undiſcernible there is. It ſhall be done In raptu, in a rapture; but even in a rapture there is a motion, a tranſition from one to another place. It ſhall be done ſayes he, In ictuoculi, In the twinkling of an eye; But even in the twinkling of an eie, there is a ſhutting of the eie-lids, and an opening of them again; Neither of theſe is done in an abſolute inſtant, but requires ſome ſucceſſion of time. The Apoſtle, in the Reſurrection in our text, conſtitutes a Prius, ſomething to be done firſt, and ſomething after; firſt thoſe that were dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt, and then, Then when that is done, after that, not all at once, we that are alive ſhall be wrought upon, we ſhall be changed, our change comes after their riſing; ſo in our change there is a Prius too, firſt we ſhall be diſſolved, (ſo we die) and then we ſhall be re-compact, (ſo we riſe again) This is the difference, they that ſleep in the grave, put off, and depart with the very ſubſtance of the body, it is no longer fleſh, but duſt, they that are changed at the laſt day, put off, and depart with, only the qualities of the body, as mortality and corruption; It is ſtill the ſame body, without reſolving into duſt, but the firſt ſtep that it makes, is into glory.
Now transfer this to the ſpirituall Reſurrection of thy ſoul by grace, here. Here, Grace works not that Reſurrection upon thy ſoul, in an abſolute inſtant. And therefore ſuſpect not Gods gracious purpoſe upon thee, if thou beeſt not preſently, throughly recovered. God could have made all the world in one day, and ſo have come ſooner to his Sabbath, his reſt; but he wrought more, to give us an example of labour, and of patience, in attending his leaſure in our ſecond Creation, this Reſurrection from ſin, as we did in our firſt Creation, when we were not made till the ſixt day. But remember too, that the laſt Reſurrection, from death, is to be tranſacted quickly, ſpeedily; And in thy firſt, thy ſpirituall Reſurrection from ſin, make haſte. The laſt is to be done In raptu, in a rapture; Let this rapture in the firſt Reſurrection be, to teare thy ſelf from that company and converſation that leads thee into tentation. The laſt is to be done Inictu oculi, In the twinkling of an eye; Let that, in thy firſt Reſurrection be, The ſhutting of thine eyes from looking upon things in things, upon creatures in creatures, upon beauty in that face that miſleads thee, or upon honour in that place that poſſeſſes thee; And let the opening of thine eyes be, to look upon God in every object, to repreſent to thy ſelf the beauty of his holineſſe, and the honour of his ſervice in every action. And in this rapture, and in this twinkling of an eye, will thy Reſurrection ſoon, though not ſuddenly, ſpeedily, though not inſtantly be accompliſhed. And if God take thee out of the world, before thou think it throughly accompliſhed, yet he ſhall call thine inchoation, conſummation, thine endeavour, performance, and thy deſire, effect. For all Gods works are intire, and done in him, at once, and perfect as ſoon as begun; And this ſpirituall Reſurrection is his work, and therefore quickned even in the Conception, and borne even in the quickning, and grown up even in the birth, that is, perfected in the eyes of God, as ſoone as it is ſeriouſly intended in our heart. And farther we carry not your conſideration upon thoſe two Branches which conſtitute our ſecond Part, That ſome ſhall be alive at Chriſts comming, That they that are alive, ſhall receive ſuch a change, as ſhall be a true death, and a true Reſurrection, And ſo ſhall be caught up into the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Aire, and ſo be with the Lord for ever; which are the Circumſtances of our third, and laſt Part.
In this laſt part, we propoſed it for the firſt Conſideration,3 Part. Reſurrectio juſtorum. that the Apoſtle determines the Conſideration of the Reſurrection in thoſe two, Them, and Us, They that ſlept in Chriſt, and We that expect the comming of Chriſt. Of any Reſurrection of the wicked, here is no mention. Not that there is not one; but that the reſurrection of the wicked conduced not to the Apoſtles purpoſe, which was to miniſter comfort in the loſſe of the dead, becauſe they were to come again, and to meet the Lord, and to be with him for ever; whereas, in the Reſurrection of the wicked, who are only to riſe, that they may fall lower, there is no argument of comfort. And therefore our Saviour Chriſt determines his Commiſſion in that, This is the Fathers will that ſent me, John 6.39.that of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day. This was his not loſing, if it were raiſed again; but, he hath only them in charge to raiſe at the laſt day, whom the Father had given him; given him ſo, as that they were to be with him for ever; for others he never mentions.
And upon this, much, very much depends. For,Chiliaſts. this forbearing to mention the reſurrection of the wicked with the righteous, gave occaſion to many in the Primitive Church, to imagine a two-fold, a former and a later Reſurrection; which was furthered by their miſtaking of thoſe words in S. Iohn, Apoc. 20.6.Bleſſed and holy is he that hath part in the firſt Reſurrection; which words, being intended of the Reſurrection from ſin, by grace, in this life, the Chiliaſts, the Millenarians, interpreted of this Reſurrection in our Text, That at Chriſts comming, the righteous ſhould riſe, and live a thouſand yeares, (as S. Iohn ſayes) in all temporall abundances, with Chriſt here, in recompence of thoſe temporall calamities, and oppreſſions, which here they had ſuffered; and then, after thoſe thouſand yeares, ſo ſpent with Chriſt, in temporall abundances, ſhould follow the reſurrection of the wicked; and then the wicked, and the righteous ſhould be diſpoſed and diſtributed and ſetled in thoſe Manſions, in which they ſhould remain for ever. And of this errour, (as very many of the Fathers perſiſted in it to the end) S. Auguſtine himſelf had a touch, and a tincture, at beginning. And this errour, S. Hierome alſo, (though truly, I think, S. Hierome was never touched with it himſelfe) out of a reverence to thoſe many, and great men, that were, (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Lactantius, and the reſt) would never call an Hereſie, nor an Errour, nor by any ſharper name, then an opinion, which is no word of heavy deteſtation.
And as thoſe bleſſed Fathers of tender bowels,Pagani. enlarged themſelves in this diſtribution, and apportioning the mercy of God, that it conſiſted beſt with the nature of his mercy, that as his Saints had ſuffered temporall calamities in this world, in this world they ſhould be recompenced with temporall abundances, ſo did they inlarge this mercy farther, and carry it even to the Gentiles, to the Pagans that had no knowledge of Chriſt in any eſtabliſhed Church. You ſhall not finde a Trumegiſtus, a Numa Pompilius, a Plato, a Socrates, for whoſe ſalvation you ſhall not finde ſome Father, or ſome Ancient and Reverend Author, an Advocate. In which liberality of Gods mercy, thoſe tender Fathers proceed partly upon that rule, That in Triſmegiſtus, and in the reſt, they finde evident impreſſions, and teſtimonies, that they knew the Son of God, and knew the Trinity; and then, ſay they, why ſhould not theſe good men, beleeving a Trinity, be ſaved? and partly they goe upon that rule, which goes through ſo many of the Fathers, Facienti quod in ſe eſt, That to that man who does as much as he can, by the light of nature, God never denies grace; and then, ſay they, why ſhould not theſe men that doe ſo be ſaved? And, upon this ground, S. Dionyſe, the Areopagite ſayes, That from the beginning of the world, God hath called ſome men of all Nations, and of all ſorts, by the miniſtry of Angels, though not by the miniſtry of the Church. To me, to whom God hath revealed his Son, in a Goſpel, by a Church, there can be no way of ſalvation, but by applying that Son of God, by that Goſpel, in that Church. Nor is there any other foundation for any, nor other name by which any can be ſaved, but the name of Jeſus. But how this foundation is preſented, and how this name of Jeſus is notified to them, amongſt whom there is no Goſpel preached, no Church eſtabliſhed, I am not curious in inquiring. I know God can be as mercifull as thoſe tender Fathers preſent him to be; and I would be as charitable as they are. And therefore humbly imbracing that manifeſtation of his Son, which he hath afforded me, I leave God, to his unſearchable waies of working upon others, without farther inquiſition.
Neither did thoſe tender Fathers then,Angeli lopſi in Coelis. (much leſſe the School after) conſiſt in carying this overflowing, and inexhauſtible mercy of God, upon his Saints, after their Reſurrection, in temporall abundances, nor upon the Gentiles, who had no ſolemne, nor cleare knowledge of Chriſt,Pſal. 138.2. Pſal. 17.7. (which is Magnificare miſericordiam, to magnifie, to extend, to ſtretch the mercy of God) but, Mirificant miſericordiam, (as David alſo ſpeaks) they ſtretch this mercy miraculouſly, for, they carry this mercy even to hell it ſelf. For, firſt, for the Angels that fell in heaven, from the time that they committed their firſt ſin, to the time that they were caſt down into hell, they whom we call the more ſubtile part of the Schoole, ſay, That In illa mo… la, during that ſpace, between their falling into their ſin, and their expulſion from heaven, the Angels might have repented, and been reſtored, for, ſo long, ſay they, thoſe Angels were but in ſtatu viatorum, in the ſtate and condition of perſons, as yet upon their way, (as all men are, as long as they are alive) and not In termino, in their laſt, and determined ſtation. And that which is ſo often cited out of Damaſcen, concerning the fall of Angels, Quod hominibus mors eſt, Angelis caſus, That as death works upon man, and concludes him, and makes him impenitible for ever, ſo works the fall upon the Angels, and concludes them for ever too, they interpret to have been intended by Damaſcen, not of the Angels fall in heaven, but their fall from heaven; for, till then, they were not, ſay they, Intermino, in their laſt ſtate, and, ſo, not impenitible.Apoc. 12.7. And thoſe Ancients, which expound that battle in heaven, between Michael and the Dragon, and their ſeverall Angels, to have been fought at that time, after their fall, and between Lucifers rebellion, and his expulſion, (as the Ancients abound much in that ſenſe of that place) argue rationally, That that battle, (what kinde of battle ſoever it were) muſt neceſſarily have ſpent ſome time. They conceive it to have been a battle of Diſputation, of Argumentation, of Perſwaſion; and that thoſe good Angels which are ſo glad of our Converſion, would have been infinitely glad to have reduced their rebellious brethren to their obedience. And, during that time, (which could not be a ſudden inſtant) they were not Inadeptivi gratiae, Hieſolom.incapable of repentance, and of mercy. S. Cyril comes towards it, comes neare it; nay, if it be well obſerved, goes beyond it; Of Gods longanimity and patience toward man, (ſayes he) we have in part ſpoken; Quanta ille Angelis condonaverit, neſcimus; how great tranſgreſſions he hath forgiven in the Angels, we know not; only this we know, ſayes he, Solus qui peccdre non poſsit Ieſus eſt, There is none impeccable, none that cannot ſin, Man nor Angel, but only Chriſt Jeſus.
Nay after the expulſion of the Angels,Angels lapſi in Infernum. not onelyonly after their fall in Heaven, but their fall from Heaven, many of the Ancients ſeeme loath to exclude all wayes of Gods mercy, even from hell it ſelfe. De ſtatu moti, ſed non irremediabiliter moti, ſaies Origen, The Angels are fallen, fallen even into hell, but not ſo irrecoverably fallen, Vt Inſtitutionibus bonorum Angelorum non poſsint reſtitui, But that by the counſaile and labour of the good Angels, they may be reſtored againe. Origen is thought to be ſingle, ſingular in this doctrine,Eph. 3.10. but he is not. Even S. Ambroſe, interpreting that place, That S. Paul ſaies He was made a Miniſter of the Goſpel, Vt innoteſceret, to the intent that the wiſdome of God, might by the Church, be made knowne to Powers and Principalities, interprets it of fallen Angels; That they, the fallen Angels might receive benefit by the preaching of the Goſpell in the Church. Prudentius ſaies not ſo, but this he does ſay, That upon this day, when our bleſſed Saviour aroſe from hell, Poenarum celebres ſub Styge feriae, And, Suppliciis mitibus, Nee forvent ſolito flumina ſulphure, Some relaxation, ſome eaſe in their torments, at ſome time, ſome very good men have imagined, even in hell. And more then that; they have not abſolutely cryed downe (for, ſo much it deſerves) that fable of Traian; That after that Emperour had beene ſome time in hell, yet, upon the prayers of Pope Gregory, he was removed to Heaven.… Nay, more then that; (for, that was but of one man) But, an Author of our age, and much eſteemed in the Roman Church, delivers as his owne opinion, (and thinks he hath the ſubtiler part of the Schoole on his ſide) That that, which is ſo often ſaid, (from hell there is no redemption) is only to be underſtood of them, whom God ſends to hell, as to their laſt place; to them, certainely there is no redemption. But, ſaies he, God may ſend ſoules of the heathen, who had not the benefit of any Chriſtian Church, and yet were good morall men, to burne out certaine errors, or ignorances, or ſins in hell, and then remove them to Heaven; for, for ſo long time, they are but Viatores, they are but in their way, and not concluded.
Beloved, that we might have ſomething in the balance to weigh downe the curelty, and the petulancy, and the pertinacy of thoſe men, who in theſe later times have ſo attenuated the mercy of God, as that they have almoſt brought it to nothing, (for there is no mercy where there is no miſery, and they place all mercy to have beene given at once, and that, before man was fallen into miſery by ſin, or before man was made) and have pronounced, that God never meant to ſhew mercy to all them, nor but to a very few of them, to whom he pretended to offer it, that we might have ſomething in the balance to weigh againſt theſe unmercifull men, I have ſtaid thus long upon theſe over-mercifull men, that have carried mercy upon the Saints of God, in temporall abundances after the Reſurrection, and upon the Heathen who never heard Goſpell preached, and upon the Angels fallen in Heaven, and upon thoſe Angels fallen from Heaven into hell, and upon the ſoules of men there, not onelyonly in the eaſe of their torments, but in their tranſlation from thence to Heaven. That ſo our later men might ſee, that the Ancients thought God ſo far from beginning at Hate, (That God ſhould firſt, for his glory, hate ſome, and then make them that he might execute his hate upon them) as that they thought god implacable, inexorable, irreconciliable to none; therfore to theſe unmercifull, have we oppoſed theſe overmercifull men.
But yet, to them wee muſt ſay, Numquid Deus indiget mendacio veſtro, Iob 13.7.ut pro eo Ioquamini dolos? Shall wee lye for God, or ſpeake deceitfully for him? deceive your ſoules, with over-extending his mercy? wee may derive mercy from hell, though wee carry not mercy to hell. Gehenna non ſolum eorum, qui puniendi, cauſa facta, Origen.ſed & eorum, qui ſalvandi; Hell was not onelyonly made for their ſakes, who were to ſuffer in it, but for theirs, who were to be warned by it; and ſo there is mercy in hell. Cooperatur regno, ſaies S. Chryſoſtome, elegantly, Hell hath a co-operation with Heaven,Chryſoſt. It works upon us, in the advancement of our Salvation, as well as Heaven; Nec ſaevitiaeres eſt, ſed miſericordiae, Hell is not a monument of Gods cruelty, but of his mercy, Et niſi fuiſſet intentata gehenna, in gehennam omnes cecidiſſemus, If we were not told of hell, we ſhould all fall into hell; and, ſo there is mercy in hell. And therefore, ſaies the ſame Father, Out of an unſpeakeable wiſdome, and Fatherly care, (as Fathers will ſpeak loudeſt to their Children, and looke angerlieſt, and make the greateſt rods, when they intend not the ſevereſt correction) Chriſtus ſaepius gehennam comminatus eſt, quam regnum pollicitus, Chriſt in his Goſpell, hath oftner threatned us with hell, then promiſed us Heaven. We are bound to praiſe God, ſaies he, as much for driving Adam out of Paradiſe, as for placing him there, Et agere gratias tam progehenna, quam pro regno, And to give him thanks, as well for hell, as for Heaven. For, whether he cauteriſe or foment, whether he draw blood, or apply Cordials, he is the ſame Phyſitian, and ſeekes but one end, (our ſpirituall health) by his divers wayes. For us, who by this notification of hell, eſcape hell,Pſal. 118.17. We ſhall not dye, but live; that is, not dye ſo, but that we ſhall live againe; Therefore is death called a ſleepe, (Lazarus ſleepeth, ſaies Chriſt.) And Coemiteria are Dormitoria, Iohn 11.11.Churchyards are our beds. And in thoſe beds, (and in all other beds of death) (for, the dead have their beds in the Sea too, and ſleepe even in the reſtleſſe motion thereof) the voyce of the Archangel, and the Trumpet of God ſhall awake them that ſlept in Chriſt before, and they and we ſhall be united in one body; for, as our Apoſtle ſayes here,Heb. 11.39. We ſhall not prevent them, ſo he ſayes alſo, That they ſhall not be made perfect without us. Though we live to ſee Chriſt, we ſhall not prevent them, though they have attended Chriſt five thouſand yeares in the grave, they ſhall not prevent us, but united in one body, Rapiemur, They and we ſhall be caught, &c.
Rapiemur, We ſhall be caught up. This is a true Rapture,Rapiemur. in which we doe nothing our ſelves. Our laſt act towards Chriſt, is as our firſt; In the firſt act of our Converſion we do nothing; nothing in this laſt act, our Reſurrection, but Rapimur, we are caught. In everything, the more there is left to our ſelves, the worſe it is done; that that God does intirely, is intirely good. S. Paul had a Rapture too; He was caught up into Paradiſe; 2 Cor. 12.4.but whether in the body, or out of the body, he cannot tell. We can tell, that this Rapture of ours, ſhall be in body and ſoule, in the whole man. Man is but a vapour; but a glorious, and a bleſſed vapour, when he is attracted, and caught up by this Sun, the Son of Man, the Son of God. O what a bleſſed alleviation poſſeſſes that man! and to what a bleſſed levity, (if without levity we may ſo ſpeake) to what a cheerefull lightneſſe of ſpirit is he come, that comes newly from Confeſſion, and with the ſeale of Abſolution upon him! Then, when nothing troubles his conſcience, then, when he hath disburdened his ſoule of all that lay heavy upon it, then, when if his Confeſſor ſhould unjuſtly reveale it to any other, yet God will never ſpeake of it more to his conſcience, not upbraid him with it, not reproach him for it, what a bleſſed alleviation, what a holy cheerefulneſſe of ſpirit is that man come to? How much more in the endowments which we ſhall receive in the Rapture of this text, where we do not onelyonly deveſt all ſins paſt, (as in Confeſſion) but all poſſibility of future ſins; and put on, not onelyonly incorruption, but incorruptibleneſſe; not onelyonly impeccancy, but impeccability. And, to be inveſted with this endowment, Rapiemur, Wee ſhall be caught up, and Rapiemur in Nubibus, Wee ſhall be caught up in the Clouds.
We take a Sar to be the thickeſt,In Nubibus. and ſo the impureſt, and ignobleſt part of that ſphear; and yet, by the illuſtration of the Sun, it becomes a glorious ſtar. Clouds are but the beds, and wombs of diſtempered and malignant impreſſions, of vapours, and exhalations, and the furnaces of Lightnings and of Thunder; yet by the preſence of Chriſt, and his employment, theſe clouds are made glorious Chariots to bring him and his Saints together.Pſal. 135.7. Thoſe Vapours and Clouds which David ſpeaks of, S. Auguſtin interprets of the Miniſters of the Church; that they are thoſe Clouds. Thoſe Miniſters may have clouds in their underſtanding and knowledge, (ſome may be leſſe learned then others) and clouds in their elocution & utterance, (ſome may have an unacceptable deliverance) and clouds in their aſpect, and countenance, (ſome may have an unpleaſing preſence) and clouds in their reſpect and maintenance, (ſome may be oppreſſed in their fortunes) but ſtill they are ſuch clouds as are ſent by Chriſt to bring thee up to him. And as the Children of Iſrael received direction and benefit,Exod. 13.21. as well by the Pillar of Cloud, as by the Pillar of Fire, ſo do the Children of God in the Church, as well by Preachers of inferiour gifts, as by higher. In Nubibus; Chriſt does not come in a Chariot, and ſend Carts for us.Acts 1.11. He comes as he went; This ſame Ieſus, which is taken up from you into Heaven, ſhall ſo come, in like manner as ye have ſeene him goe into Heaven, ſay the Angels at his Aſcenſion.Luk. 24.50. In what manner did they ſee him go? He was taken up, and a Cloud received him out of their ſight. So he went, ſo he ſhall returne, ſo we ſhall be taken up, In the Clouds, to meete him in the Ayre.
The Transfiguration of Chriſt was not acted upon ſo high a Scene,In aëra. as this our acceſſe to Chriſt ſhall be. That hill was not ſo high, nor ſo neare to the Heaven of Heavens, as this region of the ayre ſhall be. Nor was the Transfiguration ſo eminent a manifeſtation of the glory of Chriſt, as this his comming in the ayre to Judgement ſhall be. And yet Peter that ſaw but that,Mat. 17.14. deſired no more, but thought it happineſſe enough to be there, and there to fixe their Tabernacles. But in this our meeting of Chriſt in the ayre, we ſhall ſee more then they ſaw in the Transfiguration, and yet be but in the way of ſeeing more, then we ſee in the ayre then; we ſhall be preſently well, and yet improving. The Kings preſence makes a Village the Court; but he that hath ſervice to do at Court, would be glad to finde it in a lodgeable and convenient place. I can build a Church in my boſome; I can ſerve God in my heart, and never cloath my prayer in words. God is often ſaid to heare, and anſwer in the Scriptures, when they to whom he ſpeaks, have ſaid nothing. I can build a Church at my beds ſide; when I proſtrate my ſelfe in humble prayer there, I do ſo. I can praiſe God cheerefully in my Chappell, cheerefully in my pariſh Church, as David ſaies,Pſal. 26.12. In Eccleſiis, plurally, In the Congregations, In every Congregation will I bleſſe the Lord; But yet, I finde the higheſt exaltations, and the nobleſt elevations of my devotion,Pſal. 35.18. when I give thanks in the great Congregation, and praiſe him among much people, for, ſo me thinks, I come nearer and nearer to the Communion of Saints in Heaven.Apoc. 21.22. Where it is therefore ſaid that there is no Temple, (I ſaw no Temple in Heaven) becauſe all Heaven is a Temple, And becauſe the Lord God Almighty, and the Lambe, (who fill all Heaven) are, Obviam Domino.(as S. Iohn ſayes there) the Temple thereof.
So far towards that, as into the Ayre, this text carries us, Obviam Domino, To meet the Lord. The Lord requires no more, not ſo much at our hands, as he does for us. When he is come from the right hand of his Father in heaven, into the ayre to meet us, he is come farther then we are to go from the grave to meet him. But we have met the Lord in many a lower place; in many unclean actions have we met the Lord in our owne hearts, and ſaid to our ſelves, Surely the Lord is here, and ſees us,Gen. …9.9. and (with Ioſeph) How then can I doe this great wickedneſſe, and ſin againſt my God? and yet have proceeded, gone forward in the accompliſhment of that ſin. But there it was Obviam Ieſu, Obviam Chriſto, We met a Ieſus, We met a Chriſt, a God of mercy, who forgave us thoſe ſins. Here in our text, it is Obviam Domino, We muſt meet the Lord; He inveſts here no other name but that; He hath laid aſide his Chriſt, and his Ieſus, names of Mercy, and Redemption, and Salvation, and comes only in the name of power, The Lord, The Judge of quick and dead. In which Judgement he ſhews no mercy; All his mercy is exerciſed in this life; and he that hath not received his portion of that mercy before his death, ſhall never receive any. There he judges only by our workes, Whom haſt thou fed, whom haſt thou clothed? Then in judgement we meet the Lord, the Lord of power, and the laſt time that ever we ſhall meet a Ieſus, a Chriſt, a God of mercy, is upon our death-bed; but there we ſhall meet him ſo, as that when we meet him in another name, The Lord, in the ayre, yet by the benefit of the former mercy received from Ieſus, We ſhall be with the Lord for ever.
Firſt Erimus, We ſhall Bee, we ſhall have a Beeing.Erimus. There is nothing more contrary to God, and his proceedings, then annihilation, to Bee nothing, Do nothing, Think nothing. It is not ſo high a ſtep, to raiſe the poore out of the duſt,Pſal. 113.7. and to lift the needy from the dunghill, and ſet him with Princes, To make a King of a Beggar is not ſo much, as to make a Worm of nothing. Whatſoever God hath made thee ſince, yet his greateſt work upon thee, was, that he made thee; and howſoever he extend his bounty in preferring thee, yet his greateſt largeneſſe, is, in preſerving thee in thy Beeing And therefore his own name of Majeſty, is Jehovah, which denotes his Eſſence, his Beeing. And it is uſefully moved, and ſafely reſolved in the School, that the devill himſelf cannot deliberately wiſh himſelfe nothing. Suddenly a man may wiſh himſelf nothing, becauſe that ſeemes to deliver him from the ſenſe of his preſent miſery; but deliberately he cannot; becauſe whatſoever a man wiſhes, muſt be ſomething better then he hath yet; and whatſoever is better, is not nothing. Nihil contrarium Deo, Auguſt.There is nothing truly contrary to God; To do nothing, is contrary to his working; but contrary to his nature, contrary to his Eſſence there is nothing. For whatſoever is any thing, even in that Beeing, and therefore becauſe it is, hath a conformity to God, and an affinity with God, who is Beeing, Eſſence it ſelf. In him we have our Beeing, ſayes the Apoſtle.Act. 17.28. But here it is more then ſo; not only In illo, but Cum illo, not only In him, but With him, not only in his Providence, but in his Preſence.
The Hypocrite hath a Beeing, and, in God, but it is not with God,Cum illc. Eſay 29.13. Qua cor longe, With his lips he honours God, but removes his heart far from him. And God ſends him after his heart, that he may keep him at that diſtance, (as S. Gregory reads and interprets that place of Eſay) Redite praevaricatores ad cor, Return O ſinners, follow your own heart,Eſay 46.8. and then I am ſure you and I ſhall never meet. Our Saviour Chriſt delivers this diſtance plainly, Diſcedite à me, Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire. Mat. 25.42.Where the firſt part of the ſentence is incomparably the heavieſt, the departing worſe then the fire; the intenſneſſe of that fire, the ayre of that brimſtone, the anguiſh of that worm, the diſcord of that howling, and gnaſhing of teeth, is no comparable, no conſiderable part of the torment, in reſpect of the privation of the ſight of God, the baniſhment from the preſence of God, an abſolute hopeleſneſſe, an utter impoſſibility of ever comming to that, which ſuſtaines the miſerable in this world, that though I ſee no Sun here, I ſhall ſee the Son of God there. The Hypocrite ſhall not do ſo; we ſhall Bee, and Bee with him, and Bee with him for ever; which is the laſt thing that doth fall under ours, or can fall under any conſideration.
Of S. Hierome, S. Auguſtine ſayes, Quae Hicronymus neſeivit, Semper.nullus hominum unquam ſeivit; That that S. Hierome knew not, no man ever knew. And S. Cyril, to whom S. Auguſtine ſaid that, ſaid alſo to S. Auguſtine, in magnifying of S. Hierome, That when a Catholique Prieſt diſputed with an Heretique, and cited a paſſage of S. Hierome, and the Heretique ſaid Hierome lyed, inſtantly he was ſtruck dumb; yet of this laſt and everlaſting joy and glory of heaven, in the fruition of God, S. Hierome would adventure to ſay nothing, no not then, when he was deveſted of his mortall body, dead; for, as ſoon as he dyed at Bethlem, he came inſtantly to Hippo, S. Auguſtines Biſhoprick, and though he told him, Hieronymi anima ſum, I am the ſoule of that Hierome, to whom thou art now writing about the joyes and glory of heaven, yet he ſaid no more of that, but this, Quid quaeris brevi immittere vaſculo totum mare? Canſt thou hope to poure the whole Sea into a thimble, or to take the whole world into thy hand? And yet, that is eaſier, then to comprehend the joy and the glory of heaven in this life. Nor is there any thing, that makes this more incomprehenſible, then this Semper in our text, the Eternity thereof, That we ſhall be with him for ever. For, this Eternity, this Everlaſtingneſſe is not only incomprehenſible to us in this life, but even in heaven we can never know it experimentally; and all knowledge in heaven is experimentall; As all knowledge in this world is cauſall, (we know a thing, if we know the cauſe thereof) ſo the knowledge in heaven, is effectuall, experimentall, we know it, becauſe we have found it to be ſo.
The endowments of the bleſſed, (thoſe which the School calls Dotes beatorum) are ordinarily delivered to be theſe three, Viſio, Dilectio, Fruitio, The ſight of God, the love of God, and the fruition, the injoying, the poſſeſſing of God. Now, as no man can know what it is to ſee God in heaven, but by an experimentall and actuall ſeeing of him there, nor what it is to love God there, but by ſuch an actuall and experimentall love of him, nor what it is to enjoy and poſſeſſe God, but by an actuall enjoying, and an experimentall poſſeſſing of him, So can no man tell what the eternity, and everlaſtingneſſe of all theſe, is, till he have paſſed through that eternity, and that everlaſtingneſſe; and that he can never doe; for, if it could be paſſed through, then it were not eternity. How barren a thing is Arithmetique? (and yet Arithmetique will tell you, how many ſingle graines of ſand, will fill this hollow Vault to the Firmament) How empty a thing is Rhetorique? (and yet Rherorique will make abſent and remote things preſent to your underſtanding) How weak a thing is Poetry? (and yet Poetry is a counterfait Creation, and makes things that are not, as though they were) How infirme, how impotent are all aſſiſtances, if they be put to expreſſe this Eternity? The beſt help that I can aſſigne you, is, to uſe well Aeternum veſtrum, your owne Eternity; as S. Gregory calls our whole courſe of this life, Aeternum noſtrum, our Eternity; Aequum eſt, ut qui in aeterno ſuo peccaverit, in aeterno Dei puniatur, ſayes he; It is but juſtice, that he that hath ſinned out his owne Eternity, ſhould ſuffer out Gods Eternity. So, if you ſuffer out your owne Eternity, in ſubmitting your ſelves to God, in the whole courſe of your life, in ſurrendring your will intirely to his, and glorifying of him in a conſtant patience, under all your tribulations, It is a righteous thing with God, (ſayes our Apoſtle, in his other Epiſtle to theſe Theſſalonians) To recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, 2 Theſſ. 1.6.and to you, that are troubled reſt with us, ſayes hee there; with us, who ſhall be caught up in the Clouds, to meete the Lord in the Ayre, and ſo ſhall be with the Lord for ever. Amen.