Looking Unto Jesus, Book 10 · Chapter 2 · Section 1 – Section 2
SECT. I. Of knowing Jeſus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his ſecond coming.
WHAT looking is, and what it contains, we have often heard; and that in theſe reſpects we may look on Jeſus.
1. Let us know Jeſus, carrying on the Saints Salvation in his ſecond coming, and taking them to Heaven. Many glorious excellent things, many precious paſſages, many high and heavenly carriages are in this tranſaction; Is it not of high concernment that he that now ſits at God's right hand interceding for us, ſhould thence come again to judge the World, and after judgment take up his Saints with him into glory? can we read of the ſeveral actings of this general Aſſize, and not deſire to read on ſtill? nay, is not all our reading mixt with admiration of every paſſage? come! wonder, and ſit, and pauſe, and ſtop, at every word; ſtay and wonder, and adore that light, which appears in any beam of truth, and in the admiration of that truth which doth appear, caſt thy ſelf down at the feet of Chriſt, and cry out; O the depth of Glory, and Majeſty, and goodneſs, and grace in thee! O the riches of love that thou ſhouldſt let out thy ſelf in theſe ſeveral admirable diſpenſations! come be exact in this ſtudy; gather up all the crumbs and fillings of this gold; the leaſt beams of the glory of Chriſt (eſpecially as it ſhines and glitters at his ſecond coming) have ſo much light, and love, and ſplendour in them, as that they will be very ſweet to look upon them: every piece or part of this knowledge will be of ſpecial uſe and worth, yea the low and imperfect knowledge of this myſtery is of infinite more value then the high and perfect knowledge of Ten thouſand things beſides. And one thing (O my ſoul) let me tell thee it is poſſible for thee to attain a very ſweet, and ſatisfactory degree of this very knowledge. And therefore ſtudy cloſe, run over again all that hath been ſpoken, and dig yet deeper into that glorious mine; content not thy ſelf with a bare diſcovery of that gold-oare which is only upon the ſuperficies or top of the mine, but go ſo far as to find out the inward ſpiritual, and experimental knowledge, which the Saints by the light of the Spirit may come to attain. O ſtudy Chriſt in his ſecond coming to judgment.
SECT. II. Of conſidering Jeſus in that reſpect.
2. LET us conſider Jeſus, carrying on this work of Salvation at his ſecond coming. It is not enough to know, but we muſt meditate and ſeriouſly conſider of it A meer ſtudent may know Chriſt, and ſtudy Chriſt, as he knows and ſtudies other things: he may keep together many notions concerning Chriſt, and his coming to Judgment, but he hath no impreſſion of the holineſs of Chriſt upon his heart: and in this reſpect he is a ſtranger to Chriſt and all his actings; alas, he ſtudies Chriſt, but he doth not rightly, ſeriouſly, inwardly conſider of Chriſt, but he doth not look unto Jeſus, as one that looks to his pattern, or as one that looks to his refuge, hope, and help; true and ſpiritual conſideration, is a ſerious matter; its not ſome few and freeting thoughts that are the diſcharge of this work, but thoughts reſting, dwelling, fixing, and ſtaying upon Chriſt, until they come to ſome profitable iſſue; O it is another manner of buſineſs then many are aware of; it's a thinking with thought upon thought; it's a reiteration and multiplication of the thoughts of the mind upon the Subject propounded; ſo the Scripture expreſſeth it, I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, Eccleſ. 2.11, 12.and in that next verſe, I turned to ſee; he looked, upon and conſidered his works, and he returned to behold them; he thought on them before, but now he returned to think; he renewed his thoughts upon the matter, and took a new view of them. Indeed when the underſtanding works ſeriouſly and ſpiritually, it will fetch things into ſight, and not only ſo, but it will hold them there, and faſten upon them,Lam. 4.20. and when they are gone, it will fetch them again, my ſoul hath them ſtill in remembrance, my ſoul in remembring doth remember them, and will not off till the end he obtained; ſo a man eyes Chriſt, till he have more of Chriſt, more of his preſence, and more of his light, and more of his favour, and more of his image. O let this be our work; let us thus conſider Jeſus in reference to his ſecond coming to judgment. And that we may do it in Order—
1. Conſider Chriſt's preparing for judgment; realize it as if thou ſaweſt or heardſt the ſame; no ſooner the time determined which God hath appointed, but Chriſt commands, make ready ye Angels to wait upon me, and make ready ye glorious ſouls that now are with me; it is the Fathers pleaſure, and it is my pleaſure to go down into the neather World, and to call before me all the men and women that ever lived in it; there will I paſs my doom upon all fleſh, and reward every one, good and bad, according to his works. O what a ſhout may I imagine in heaven at this news! what joy is in the ſouls of Saints that now they muſt go to their bodies, and enter into them, that both their ſouls and bodies, which ſometimes lived together, may now dwell together with Chriſt, in glory, and never part more? if thoſe that live on earth are commanded by Chriſt, To lift up their heads, becauſe their redemption draweth nigh; how much more ſhall they joy in Heaven, who alſo have waited for the adoption, to wit, Rom. 8.23.the redemption of their bodies, that now the long-looked-for day is come, it is come, O the exaltation of the Angels at this tydings! This is worthy a pauſe, a Selah to be ſet upon it.
2. Conſider Chriſt's coming to judgment; all now in readineſs, the Son of God comes forth with all his glorious attendants;Matt. 16.27. For the Son of man ſhall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels, and with the ſouls of Saints, that for a time have been in Paradiſe. Oh what a goodly ſight is here! In this meditation I may ſee with John, Rev. 21.2.The new Jeruſalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband. Down comes Chriſt, and down come the Angels, and down come the ſpirits of the juſt made perfect: and as they come along, ſee how they ſhake the Heavens, and dim, and dark the very lights of Heaven; ſee what a flood of fire goes before them; ſee how they paſs into the cloud, where Chriſt makes a ſtand, and erects a Throne for himſelf to ſit on. Sure 'twill be a guilded glorious cloud, when Chriſt with all his celeſtial ſervants shall ſit upon it: a mornings cloud guilded with the beams of the Sun is admirably fair and shining; but what a shining cloud is that where the Sun of righteouſneſs with all his morning ſtars do ſit and shine? here's enough to dazzle my eyes, and to take up my thoughts; O my ſoul think on it!
3. Conſider Chriſt's ſummons of the Elect to come under judgment; no ſooner in the cloud, but He ſhall ſend his Angels with a great ſound of a Trumpet, Mat. 24.31.and they ſhall gather together his Elect from the four winds, from the one end of heaven to another. Will not this be a ſtrange ſight to ſee Chriſt a coming, with Trumpets ſounding before him, cauſing all the dead to awaken out of their ſleeps of death; the very ſound of this Trumpet was ever in Jerom's ears, Ariſe ye dead and come to Judgment, and no queſtion but thy ears shall be filled with the blaſt thereof; the Trumpet shall found that shall bp heard over all the World; and then shall the dead ariſe out of their graves; and every Saints ſoul shall re-enter into his own body, by vertue of the reſurrection of Chriſt their Head. Can I paſs this meditation without ſome reflection on my ſelf? O my ſoul how joyfully wilt thou greet thy body, when thou shalt enliven it again? how wilt thou ſay, O my dear Siſter, whom I left behind me in the duſt when I went to Heaven? how ſweet is thy carcaſs, how comely is thy countenance? how do I enter into thee, and animate thee, and I will never more leave thee; thou waſt my yoke-fellow in the Lords Labours, and my companion in perſecution and wrong; now shall we enter together into our Maſters joy? ſee, lift up thy head, behold Jeſus Chriſt yonder ſitting in the cloud; and lo here the Angels waiting on us, and coming to take us with the reſt of the Saints into the Air, to meet our Redeemer there. Could I but realize this ſummons, this reſurrection, this meeting of the ſoul and body, and going with the Angels into the judgment-ſeat, oh how would it work! and what work would it make within!
4. Conſider Chriſt and the Saints meeting at the judgment day; oh how shall the Saints look, and ſtare, and gaze at the beauty of Jeſus Chriſt? oh how will they break out into admiration at the firſt view of thoſe glories which never before appeared on this ſide Heaven? is not this he (will they ſay) of whom we read ſo often, that he was fairer than the ſons of men? that he was white, and ruddy, the chiefeſt of ten thouſands; that his countenance was as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, glorious as when the Sun shineth in his ſtrength: but was ever the half told us of what now we ſee, and behold? O the ſuper-excellent, tranſcendent beauty of this Son of righteouſneſs! O the treaſures of lovelineſs in this Jeſus Chriſt never ſeen before! And thus as they admire, ſo they adore; now they begin thoſe Hallelujahs, that never, never ſhall have end; they fall at the feet of Chriſt, and the Lord Chriſt takes them up with his hands, and folds them in his arms; oh what mutual reciprocal ſalutations are theſe betwixt Chriſt and his members? oh my head! and oh my body! oh my husband! and oh my ſpouſe! oh my dear! and oh my darling! never two lovers met with ſuch heat of love, as Chriſt and his Saints; come, ſaith Chriſt, and ſit you down here at my right hand, and let the world be on my left hand; it was otherwiſe with you in your life-time, my gold and my jewels were then caſt in the duſt; you were then cloathed with infamy, and the vileſt of men were then guilded with honour; but now I will ſet all right, now the duſt shall be ſwept away, and the jewels of my Kingdom shall be gathered up; now the Goats ſhall be driven into the deſart, and you who are the Sheep ſhall be brought into my fold. Oh my ſoul, what a meeting is this? what a ſight will this be, to behold the Saints in this condition, and thy ſelf amongſt them? couldſt thou but realize this one very paſſage, it were enough to quench thy luſt, and to kindle a flame of pure love in thy heart to Jeſus Chriſt; it is a quickning, rouzing, riſing, rejoycing, conſideration.
5. Conſider Chriſt ſentencing the Saints for eternal glory; then ſhall the books be opened, and all the good works of the Saints ſhall be revealed and made known; and then ſhall the Judg from his Throne of Majeſty (in the ſight and hearing of all the world) pronounce that ſentence, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherite the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Mat. 25.34.q. d. Come my Saints, come with me into glory; come now from labour to reſt, from diſgrace to glory, from the jaws of death to the joys of eternal life; for my ſake ye have been railed on, reviled and curſed; but now it ſhall appear to all thoſe curſed Eſaus, that you are the true Jacobs that ſhall receive the bleſſing, and bleſſed ſhall you be; come now and poſſeſs with me the inheritance of Heaven, where you ſhall be for love, Sons; for birth-right, heirs; for dignity, Kings; for holineſs, Prieſts: come, you may boldly enter in, for my Father hath prepared, and kept it for you, ever ſince the firſt foundation of the World was laid.
O my ſoul, doſt thou not remember when ſometimes thou haſt been at the feet of Chriſt in the beauty of holyneſs, and there tookeſt in thoſe droppings of his ſpirit; which were better to thee than the feaſts of Kings? doſt thou not remember when ſometimes thou haſt had the very beams of light darted from the face of Jeſus Chriſt, when he whiſpered to thy ſoul the forgiveneſs of thy ſins, ſaying, Fear not, thy ſins ſhall not hurt thee, I am thy ſalvation? oh what joy was then? what meltings, movings, ſtirrings, leapings of heart were then in thy boſom? but was that joy any thing to this, or to be compared with this? that was a drop, but here's an Ocean, here's fulneſs of joy; oh what leapings of heart, what raviſhments will be within when thou ſhalt ſee thy ſelf in the arms of Chriſt, and ſhalt receive words of life from the mouth of Chriſt, in the face of all the World? what a thing will this be, when Chriſt ſhall paſs a ſentence of death on others, and ſpeak words of life unto thee? when thou ſhalt ſee him frowning upon the world (and oh thoſe frowns will break the heart) and shalt behold him ſmiling in the fulneſs of his love upon thy ſelf? that Chriſt at ſuch a time should be delighting-thee with all the imbraces of love, and with this ſweet invitation to Heaven, Come thou bleſſed inherite the Kingdom, it were enough to a ſpirit a ſoul half dead; the very meditation of this muſt needs be ſweet.
6. Conſider Chriſt and the Saints Judging the reſt of the world; no ſooner are the Saints ſentenced, but Chriſt turns to the wicked, and bids them go into everlaſting fire; in which ſentence the Saints shall joyn with Chriſt himſelf, Do ye not know that the Saints ſhall judge the World? 1 Cor. 6.2.when the Saints appear, it is not only by a Summons, but with commiſſion; not only to be judged, but to judge; not only shall they ſtand at Chriſts right hand, but they shall ſit down on the Throne of the Son of God, to judge the wicked Angels and the World. O the torment! O the vexation of wicked men and Devils, when they shall ſee thoſe very men whom they ſcorned, oppreſſed, perſecuted, to be now advanced, not onelyonly to glory, but to be their judges! it is as if ſome Noble man had wronged ſome Poor man, and that the King should therefore deliver the Noble man into the power of the poor man,Pſal. 112.10. to take his own revenge: Surely, The ungodly ſhall ſee this, and be grieved, he ſhall gnaſh with his teeth for indignation, and melt away: but on the contrary,Pſal. 58.10. The righteous ſhall rejoyce when he ſeeth the vengeance, he ſhall waſh his foot-ſteps in the blood of the ungodly.
O my ſoul, doſt thou believe this truth? and art thou confident that thou ſhalt ſit with Chriſt on his very Throne to judge the World? why then be joyfull in afflictions, exerciſe thou patience in the cenſures and judgments of the World, know thou for thy comfort that there is a turn and time of judging, and therefore ſay,1 Cor. 4.…. With me it is a ſmall matter that I ſhould be judged of you, or of man's Judgment, as the original hath it, of man's day. Is it not enough to command patience, if God's day be at hand, when I shall judge my unjuſt judges; hark what the Apoſtle ſaith,Jam. 5.7, 8, 9. Be patient Brethren unto the coming of the Lord, behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, untill he receive the early and latter rain; be ye alſo patient, ſtabliſh your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh,—behold the judge ſtandeth before the door. Come exerciſe patience, let the World be judging; if they will needs ſlander, reproach, and perſecute thy ſoul, they had better abuſe any judge on earth than thee: though thou art the pooreſt, weakeſt, meaneſt of God's Saints upon the earth, they will know one day that they have abuſed their own judge in abuſing thee. And therefore be thou quiet, ſilent, patient; Say as David, let him alone, and let him curſe, yea, let him judge, for the Lord hath bidden him; it may be the Lord will look, on mine affliction, and will requite good for his Judging this day; this is his day; but the day of the Lord is my day, and then ſhall I ſit with Chriſt on his Throne to judge the World. Oh the ſweet that I may ſuck from this hony-comb, of Chriſt and his Saints judging the World!
7. Conſider Chriſt and his Saints going up into Heaven. No ſooner hath he done his work with the World, and ſent them away, but then he shall conduct all his flock like a faithful shepherd to their fold; then shall he go with all his troops following him into Heaven. Hath not Chriſt ſaid ſo? If I go away, I will come again, John 14.3.and receive you unto my ſelf, that where I am, there you may be alſo. O thoſe ſongs of joy, and shouts of praiſe that will fill the World at that day! And thus as they go along, Heaven opens unto them, and they enter in; what welcomes they have there is paſt my telling; if we may imagine and gueſs, O the welcome that Chriſt will give! Come my ſpouſe, and come my dear, come all my Saints; here be thoſe Manſions that I went before to prepare and make ready for you, here be thoſe everlaſting habitations wherein you and I will dwell together; here is your Fathers houſe, the building of the wall is all of Jaſper, Rev. 21 18.and the worſt piece of it is all of pure Gold, like unto clear Glaſs; why this is your home, your houſe made without hands, here you and I will ſpend our time, eternity it ſelf, in joying, enjoying, and beholding of each other. And as thus Chriſt ſalutes them, ſo will the Angels, thoſe Created Citizens of Heaven ſalute them too; for if joy be in Heaven at the converſion of one ſinner, what joy will there be at the glorification of all theſe Saints? what welcome, entertainment, will the Angels give to theſe new gueſts at their firſt enterance into Heaven?
O my ſoul, if thou art one of them that shalt have this welcome, what wilt thou ſay when thou art admitted in thither! if weeping were in Heaven, wouldſt thou not weep for joy? ſure theſe things are no fictions of man's brain, but truths, and realities; and as they are true and real, ſo they are exceeding full of joy; all the excellencies of this World are but a dream in compariſon of them; even the Sun in its brightneſs is but darkneſs to this glory that shall then be ſeen. Come, think over theſe things, and be ſo enlarged in thy thoughts, that before they go, thou mayeſt feel the ſweet, and taſte of this goodneſs of the Lord.
8. Conſider all the ſeveral tranſactions that will follow in Heaven: then will Chriſt preſent all his elect to God his Father; then will he give in all his commiſſions which he hath received from his Father; Then will the Son himſelf be ſubject to the Father, that God may be all in all. I cannot ſtay to enlarge on theſe; OnelyOnly remember, though God may be all in all, that excludes not Chriſt, for he alſo is All in all to all his Saints, even to all eternity; Immediate viſions and fruitions of Chriſt, as God is the very top of Heavens joy: Chriſt is all, and in all; Chriſt is the center of Heavens happineſs; Chriſt is the well-ſpring that fills the capacities of Saints and Angels; Chriſt is the object of happineſs it ſelf, there is as much happineſs in Chriſt as happineſs is; what ever belongs to glory, is in Chriſt, In him dwels all the fulneſs: whatever excellency is in Heaven, it is in Chriſt, not onelyonly in perfection, but connexion, for all thoſe excellencies meet together, reſt in Chriſt; and Chriſt is all good things to all his Saints in Heaven; he is Beauty to their Eyes, Muſick to their Ears, Honey to their mouths, Perfume to their Noſtrils, Health to their Bodyes, Joy to their Souls, Light to their Underſtandings, Content to their Wills; he is Time without ſliding, Society without loathing, Deſire without fainting, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending; wanting both, needing neither, yet the Author of them both, he is All in all, from one, not all. Even all the Strength, Wit, Pleaſure, Vertues, Colours, Beauties, Harmony, and goodneſs that are in Men, Beaſts, Fiſhes, Fouls, Trees, Herbs, and all Creatures, are nothing but ſparkles of thoſe things which are in Chriſt. Chriſt himſelf will then ſupply their uſe, ſo that the beſt Creatures which now ſerve the Saints, ſhall not have the honour to ſerve them then;Rev. 21.23. There will be no need of the Sun, nor of the Moon, to ſhine in that City, for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
And hence the beholding of Chriſt is the All in all to his glorified Saints: this was Chriſt's Prayer, Father I will that thoſe whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, to what end?John 17.24. that they may behold my glory. Chriſt's heavenly preſence is conſpicuous, he is not preſent as ſome things that are not ſeen, and yet are preſent; but his preſence is, or certainly ſhall be conſpicuous to all his Saints: when he was in the world his glory was covered under a mean outſide, he was like a bright light in a dark-Lanthern, and there were very few that knew him then; but in Heaven he ſhall be as a Cabinet opened, or as the Sun in his full glory; We ſhall know him as we are known, and behold him face to face, 1 John 3.2.and we ſhall ſee him as he is. Nor only will he be conſpicuous, but his preſence ſhall be vital; a ſtone may be with us, and ſeen clearly, but there's little in the ſight of that; in the beholding of Chriſt there will be an acting of kindneſs upon the Saints, there will be viſions with life and dear refreſhing: O the influences that the ſight of Chriſt will have on his Saints in Heaven! nor onelyonly will he be conſpicuous and vital, but his preſence ſhall be fixed; he ſhall abide with the Saints, that they may for ever behold him. Oh if there was ſuch running after Chriſt in this world, ſome getting on hills, and others on trees, that they might behold him, when he paſſed by, what will the ſight of Chriſt in Heaven be, when he ſhall be alwayes in the eye of his Saints, and never out of ſight, when they ſhall be alwayes viewing of him, and be alwayes ſatisfied with that view? nor only will he be conſpicuous, vital, fixed, but his very preſence ſhall transform; They ſhall ſee his face,—and they ſhall reign for ever and ever. O the influence of this ſight!Revel. 22.4, 5. it is of ſuch a transforming Nature, that to ſee the King will make Kings; this viſion of glory amounts unto a fruition of glory, if ever thou art a ſpectator of Chriſt, thou art ſure to be a partaker of Chriſt in all his glory. I ſhall be ſatisfied, Pſal. 17.15. 1 John 3.2.when I awake with thy likeneſs. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be, but we know that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him; why ſo? for we ſhall ſee him as he is. And no wonder, for if the imperfect beholding of his glory in the glaſs of his Goſpel, change the ſoul into the ſame image from glory to glory; how much more ſhall the full view of his glory in Heaven transform both the ſouls and bodies of his Saints into a fulneſs of glory?1 Cor. 13.12. Here then is the top of Heaven; here is the All in all; here is the ſatisfaction of ſouls to the very uttermoſt; if Chriſts glory in his transfiguration was ſo ſatisfactory to Peter, as that he deſired his ſight of it might never have end, or interruption; O it is good to be here, let us here build Tabernacles; and yet Peter was onelyonly a ſpectator of this glory, for he had himſelf no ſhare in it; O then what infinite ſatisfaction mayſt thou expect in the beholding of Chriſt's Glory in Heaven, which will be accompanyed with an everlaſting enjoyment? the luſture of his glory will be diffuſed unto all, ſo that ſome ſhall enjoy the glory of the Sun, others of the Moon, and others of the Stars. O my ſoul, if thou art but a Star there, yet if thou art filled with that light that comes from the Sun of righteouſneſs, it is enough. O remember! oh conſider! oh never forget this Looking unto Jeſus! as it is thy duty on Earth, ſo it is thy priviledge and higheſt happineſs in Heaven for ever and ever.