Light for Them that Sit in Darkness, Book · Demonstration 8
The Eight Demonstration.
IN the next place; That Jesus Christ by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for Sinners, and obtained Eternal Redemption for them, is evident; Because we are exhorted to wait for, and to expect the full and glorious Enjoyment of that Eternal Redemption, at the second Coming of the Lord from Heaven: Let your loins be girded about, and your Lights burning, and you your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord, that when he cometh and knocketh, ye may open unto him immediately, Luk. 12. 35, 36.
Jesus Christ hath obtained by his Blood Eternal Redemption for us, and hath taken it up now in the Heavens▪ is (as I have shewed) preparing for us there Everlasting Mansions of rest; and then he will come again for us. This Coming is intended in this Text, and this Coming we are exhorted to wait for: and that I may more fully shew the Truth of this Demonstration, observe these following Texts.
1. It is said, he shall chuse our Inheritance for us. He shall chuse our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved, Selah. God is gone up with a Shout, &c. Psal. 47. 4, 5.
These latter words intend the Ascension of Jesus Christ: His Ascension, when he had upon the Cross made reconciliation for iniquity; his Ascension into the Heavens to prepare our Mansions of Glory for us. For, our Inheritance is in the Heavens; our House, our Hope, our Mansion-House, and our incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance is in Heaven, 2 Cor. 1. 2. Col. 1. 5, 6. Joh. 14. 1, 2. 1 Pet, 1. 3, 4, 5.
This is called the Eternal Inheritance, of which we that are called, have received the Promise already, Heb. 9. 14, 15.
This Inheritance, I say, he is gone to chuse for us in the Heavens, because by his Blood he obtained it for us, Heb. 9. 12. and this we are commanded to wait for: but how ridiculous, yea, how great a cheat would this be, had he not by his Blood obtained it for us.
2. We wait for his Son from Heaven, whom he raised from the dead even Jesus Christ, which delivered us from the Wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1. 10. He delivered us by his Blood, and obtained the Kingdom of Heaven for us, and hath promised that he would go and prepare our places, and come again and fetch us thither. And if I go and prepare a Place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also, Joh. 14. 3. This then is the Cause that we wait for him, we look for the reward of the Inheritance at his Coming, who have served the Lord Christ in this World.
3. For our conversation is in Heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, Phil. 3. 20. We look for him to come, yet as a Saviour; a Saviour he was at his first Coming, and a Saviour he will be at his second Coming. At his first Coming, he bought and paid for us; at his Second Coming, he will fetch us to himself. At his first Coming, he gave us promise of the Kingdom; at his second Coming, he will give us possession of the Kingdom. At his first Coming, he also shewed us how we should be, by his own Transfiguration; at his second Coming, he will change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body, Phil. 3. 21.
4. Hence therefore it is, that his Coming is called, our blessed Hope. Looking for the Blessed Hope, and glorious Appearing of the Great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, Tit. 2. 13. A Blessed Hope indeed, if he hath bought our Persons with his Blood, and an Eternal Inheritance for us in the Heavens: A blessed Hope indeed, if also at his Coming we be certainly carried thither. No marvel then if Saints be bid to wait for it, and if Saints themselves long for it. But what a disappointment would these waiting Believers have, should all their expectations be rewarded with a Fable? and the result of their Blessed Hope can amount to no more, if our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, either denieth to come, or coming, bringeth not with him the HOPE, the blessed HOPE that is laid up for us in Heaven: Whereof we have certainly been informed by the Word of the Truth of the Gospel, Col. 1. 5, 6.
5. For Christ was once offered to bear the Sin of many, and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second Time, without sin unto Salvation, Heb. 9. 28. Here we have it promised that he shall come, that he shall appear the second time, but not with sin, as he did before, to wit, with, and in the Sin of his People when he bare them in his own Body; but now without sin, for he before did put them away by the Sacrifice of himself. Now then let the Saints look for him, not to die for the purchasing of their persons by Blood, but to bring to THEM, and to bring them also to that Salvation, that before, when he died, he obtained of God for them by his Death.
These things are to be expected therefore, by them that believe in, and love Jesus Christ, and that from faith and love serve him in this world; they are to be expected by them, being obtained for them by Jesus Christ: And he shall give the Crown, saith Paul, not only to me, but to them that love his Appearing, 2 Tim. 4. 8, 9.
Now forasmuch as this Inheritance in the Heavens is the Price, Purchase, and Reward of his Blood; how evidently doth it appear, that he hath paid full price to God for Sinners? Would God else have given him the Heaven to dispose of to us that believe, and would he else have told us so! Yea, and what comfort could we have to look for his Coming, and Kingdom, and Glory, as the Fruits of his Death; if his Death had not for that purpose been sufficiently efficacious. O! the Sufferings of Christ, and the Glory that shall follow, 1 Pet. 1. 11.