The Christians Defense Against the Fears of Death, Chapter 18
CHAP. 18.
The Sixth Conſolation againſt the Fears of Death, is the Aſcention of Jeſus Chriſt into Heaven, and his ſitting at the Right Hand of God.
IT is a great joy and comfort indeed, to behold a cruel and a proud Enemy overcome and diſarmed, and our ſelves freed, by that means, from the heavy yoke of his unſufferable Tyranny; but our joy would be turned into grief, and our comfort into ſadneſs, if we did but perceive at the ſame time the Author of our Freedome, choked with his own Blood, and breathing out the laſt gaſp, at the moment of his Victory, that our Sanctification might be entire, and our joy perfect; ſuch a Friend to our welfare, ſhould continue afterwards alive, and receive the Honors and Rewards due to him, for ſuch an expreſſion of his Valor and Kindneſs to us. There is no Enemy more cruel and more terrible, then Death, we have beheld it diſarmed upon the Croſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and perfectly vanquiſhed and ſubdued by his glorious Reſurrection. But if with the eye of our Faith, we look a little higher, to behold the glorious Aſcenſion of our Divine Saviour, we ſhall ſee this ſame Death bound to his Triumphing Charriot, and we ſhall ſee this glorious Redeemer exalted above the higheſt Heavens, and ſitting gloriouſly at the Right hand of God; we ſhall ſee him inveſted in an almighty Power, worſhipped by all the Creatures; we ſhall ſee him commanding, not only the Angels of Light, and the celeſtial Spirits that are about his Magnificent Throne, but commanding alſo over this World, over Death, the Devils, and Hell. Becauſe he hath been obedient unto Death, yea, to the ignominious Death of the Croſs, God hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name, which is above every Name, that at the Name of Jeſus, every knee ſhould bow, of things in Heaven, in Earth, and under the Earth, Phil. 4. and that every Tongue ſhould confeſs, that Jeſus Chriſt is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Every Souldier doth not always bear a part in the Triumph of their General, and all the Subjects do not taſt of their Princes happineſs, but as we are the Brethren of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Members of his Miſtical Body, we have a ſhare in his Triumph, and in the glory of his Empire, therefore the Apoſtle St. Paul informs us, that our Life, that is to ſay, our glory and eternal Felicity is hid with Chriſt in God: in another place, he tells us, in expreſs words, That God who is rich in Mercy, hath made us ſit in Heavenly places with Jeſus Chriſt.
This glorious Saviour is gone to take poſſeſſion of the Kingdom of Heaven, not only for himſelf, but alſo in our names, and for us, therefore he informs the Holy Apoſtles, and all true believers, That in his Fathers Houſe there are many Manſions, I am going to prepare a place there for you. In the ſame manner he ſpeaks in that admirable Prayer, in the which he conſecrates himſelf to God, for the great Work of our Redemption, Father I will that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my Glory which thou haſt given me. For the ſame reaſon, St. Paul tells us, in his Epiſtle to the Hebrews, for our comfort, Heb. 6. that Chriſt is gone into Heaven as our forerunner.
The High Prieſt of the Jews did enter into the earthly Sanctuary, to preſent himſelf before God for the people, Heb. 9. Thus our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is gone into the Heavenly Sanctuary, to appear for us in the preſence of God. The High Prieſt of the Jews, did bear upon his Breaſt and Shoulders, the Names of the 12 Tribes of Iſrael, but Jeſus Chriſt hath graven us upon his Heart, according to the Prayer of the Spouſe in the Canticles, Can. 8. Set me as a Seal upon thine Heart, as a Seal upon thine Arm, for Love is ſtrong as Death. The High Prieſt of the Jews, did caſt off the Names of the Twelve Tribes with his Robes; But neither Death nor Life, nor things preſent, nor things to come, ſhall ever ſeparate us from the love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 8.
The Roy… Diademe that was put upon Eſthers Head, never c…ſed her to forget her People and Parentage, ſhe was m…g…ly grieved for her Hamans Conſpiray, and the Decree which he had cauſed King Ahaſuerus to Sign and … with his Signet. I may likewiſe ſay, that the Glory unto which our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is now raiſed, can never make him forget the People that he hath redeemed with his Blood. He is not unmindful of Satans plots, nor of the Sentence of Doom pronounced againſt us, by the great Monarch of the World, and confirmed with his great Seal. His glorious Head may be Crowned with the R…inbow, but his merciful Heart is inflamed with Love for us. He thinks it no diſgrace, to acknowledge us for his Brethren, and to pray God for us upon his glorious Throne, where thouſand millions wait upon him, and ten thouſand thouſands Worſhip him. He is able to Save, to the full, all ſuch as draw near to God through him, for he lives always to intercede for us. If the Father hath always granted him his Requeſt; when he was in his greateſt abaſement, can we imagine, that his Interceſſion will be fruitleſs now, that he is aſcended up to the higheſt Glory?
From the Chariot of his Triumph he beholds all our Encounters, and our ſtruglings with Death, he ſees all the Enemies that Aſſault us, and all the Dangers unto which we are expoſed. He is acquainted with the deep Malice and the crafty Deſigns of the Enemies of our Salvation. He perceives all the Darts that they let flie againſt us; therefore he covers us with his Shield, and will not ſuffer us to yield to Temptation. He fulfills his Vertue in our Infirmities, and makes us more then Conquerors; he hath an eye alwayes upon his Flock, he holds his Sheep all in his hand, and none is able to pluck them from thence.
When he was upon Earth in his Agony, at this word that dropt out of his Mouth, I am he, John 10. his Enemie… fell backward, and when he was in Deaths Priſon, he conſtrained it to obey him, and ſhall he not now that he is exalted up to the higheſt Heavens, in the glory of his Triumph, have the ſame power and command over Death, the World, and Hell? When he walked upon the Waters, he cried to his Apoſtles, It is I, be not affraid, John 6. how much rather may he ſpeak unto us in this manner, now that he ſits upon the Throne that can never be moved. Chriſtian Soul, who trembles at the approaches of Death, imagine that the Lord Jeſus Crowned with Glory, calls to thee from Heaven, fear not, for I call thee, and hold out unto thee my Arms, I that am thy Saviour and Redeemer, who have ſatisfied for all thy ſins with my Blood, and who have redeemed thee from the Curſe of the Law and eternal Damnation. I have diſarmed Gods Juſtice, vanquiſhed Hell, broken the Serpents Head, and ſwallowed up Death into Victory. I have purchaſed for thee the Glories of Heaven, and the Delights of Paradice. I have trampled upon the World, and all its powers. I am Worſhipped by all the Church triumphing in Heaven, and by Legions of holy Angels that fly about my Throne. I will therefore ſend ſome of them to guard thee, and when thou ſhalt leave the Body where thou liveſt as a Sttranger, they ſhall bring up thy Soul into this glorious abode of Immortality, whether I am come to prepare a place for thee.
Without doubt, if the Author of our hope is fixed in the vaile that is in Heaven, where Jeſus Chriſt is gone in as our forerunner, we ſhall not apprehend the moſt contrary and boiſterous ſtorms raiſed againſt us, by the Prince of the powers of the Aire, who works with efficacy in the Children of Rebellion; we ſhall tred under foot all the billows of this troubleſome Sea, and through theſe ſwelling waves, we ſhall march ſafe to our Divine Jeſus. If at any time we begin to ſink, and that our Soul is frighted, this almighty Lord, who hath not only delivered himſelf, but is the Saviour and Deliverer of his Church, will ſpeak unto us, as to his Apoſtle, O Man of little Faith why didſt thou doubt, knoweſt thou not that I command the Winds, that I can ſtill the Waves, and drive from thee the Tempeſt? knowſt thou not that I have in my hands, the Keys of Hell and of Death? When a perſon is to go to a place of reſt and happineſs, and that he cannot paſs to it, but through a painful and thorny paſſage, he marcheth with reſolution and courage, when a friend of his is gone before, and ſtretcheth out unto him his hand to help him. Now it is not poſſible to attain to the glories of Heaven, and the joys of Paradiſe, but through the paſſage of Death, a paſſage very uneaſie and grievous to our preſent ſeeming; But Jeſus Chriſt who loves us with an eternal Love, hath gone through this paſſage before us, he is paſt from this World to the Father, he is gone to his God, and to our God: And that we might go to him, he hath ſent the Light of his holy Word to direct us, John 2. he vouchſafes unto us his Staff and his Rod, to comfort us, Pſ. 23. and ſtretcheth out the right hand of his Almighty power, to cauſe us to paſs from Death to Life, where I am, ſaith he, there ſhall alſo my Servant be, Joh. 12.
When the Apoſtles went up to Jeruſalem, and Jeſus went before them, Mark 9. they were terrified and frighted, but we that go up to the Heavenly Jeruſalem, and tred upon the footſteps of this mighty Saviour; ought to be full of boldneſs and Chriſtian confidence.
This great God and Saviour Reigns in Heaven, he Commands in the Earth, the Sea and the Deep, therefore we may Dye without Fear, and with an holy Joy. For who would not rejoyce to enter into the Glorious Palace of Immortality, where we ſhould ſee, not only the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoſtles, Martyrs, the holy and bleſſed Virgin, with all the Saints of Paradice, but we ſhall ſee face to face our great God and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, whom ſo many Kings and Prophets have deſired to ſee and hear? While we remain in theſe Bodies, we are abſent from the Lord, therefore we rather deſire to be abſent from the Body, and to be with Chriſt; this Conſideration cauſeth the holy Apoſtle to confeſs. That his deſire was to depart and to be with Chriſt which was far better for him, Phil. 11.
The Queen of Sheba left her Kingdom, and came from a corner of the Earth to ſee King Solomon, who was but a Type of Chriſt, and who had but a little of his wiſdom and glory; and is there any Treaſure on Earth, any Honour in this Age, or pleaſure in this Life, that might hinder us from going to ſee our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt? When he was in his Infancy, the Shepherds left their Flocks and made haſt towards Bethlehem to look upon him, the wiſe Men came from the Eaſt to adore him▪ and if he were yet on Earth, we ſhould undertake a tedious Pilgrimage to the ends of the World, and part with our deareſt enjoyments to ſee him. But the little Village of Bethlehem, is nothing in compariſon of the celeſtial Jeruſalem, and what is the ſight of the Lord Jeſus in ſwadling Cloathes, lying in a Manger, and in the Arms of his Bleſſed Mother, in compariſon of the ſight of a Chriſt cloathed with Light, Crowned with Glory, and ſitting at the right hand of God the Father, upon a Magnificent Throne, Worſhiped by all the Angels and the glorified Spirits. The Father of the Faithful was tranſported with Joy, when he ſaw in Spirit the day of the Lord; and the Spouſe in the Canticles was exceeding glad, when ſhe heard him knocking at her door; and old Simon was raviſhed above meaſure, when he held Chriſt in his Arms, how much more ſhall we be tranſported and raviſhed into admiration and Joy, when we ſhall look upon him as he is now in the higheſt Glory, and raiſed to the moſt magificent Eſtate, when we ſhall enjoy him never to leave him again. When St. Stephen beheld the Heavens open, and Jeſus Chriſt ſitting at the right hand of God the Father, his face became radiant as that of an Angel. Therefore how luminous and ſhining ſhall our Countenances be, when we ſhall be entered into theſe places of Light, and when we ſhall behold with open face this …ieſſed Redeemer for ever.
When old Jacob heard that Joſeph was alive and Reigning … Egypt, whom he had ſo tenderly loved, and for whom he had ſhed ſo many tears, he was moſt paſſionately …eſirous to ſee again this dear Son, and to behold his glor…, It is enough ſaith he, Joſeph is yet alive, I will go and ſee him before I dye, Gen. 45. And what think you believing Souls, when you underſtand that your true Joſ…ph, whom you heartily love, Lives and Raigns above in …e…ven, and that he is there Worſhipped, by all the glorified Spirits; do not you earneſtly deſire to ſee his Face, and …o behold his Divin Glory and Happineſs? This old Father was weak and feeble through Age, and oppreſſed with Grief, but his Spirit did revive when he ſaw the Wagons that Joſeph h…d ſent to fetch him; and you my Chriſtian Brethren, when old Age and Sickneſs have weakened your bodies, and grief and diſpleaſure have undermined your Hearts, do not you feel your ſelves revive, when Death draws near, and you perceive with the eye of Faith, the Horſes and Charriots which Chriſt hath ſent ot carry you away to the Paradice of his Glory?
Seeing that Joſeph received his Father and Brethren with Tears of Joy, and all the Houſe of Pharoah rung with outward expreſſions of gladneſs, with what Joy, with what kindneſs and love will Chriſt embrace us, and what Joy will there be in Heaven at our arrival? it is not to be expreſſed but with the Tongues of Angels. Joſeph fed his Father and his Brethren, but he never yielded up unto them any part of his Glory: Whereas our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who excells Joſeph as much in Power and Glory, as in Love and Mercy, ſhall not only feed us with the Bread of his Kingdome, and give us to Drink of the Rivers of his Pleaſures, but he will alſo impart unto us, ſome of his Glory and Magnificence, as he promiſed to his Apoſtles, I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, Luke 22. To him that overcometh, will I grant to ſit with me in my Throne, even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my Father in his Throne, be thou faithfull untill Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life, Rev. 3. Joſephs Brethren notwithſtanding his Glory and Power, became afterward Slaves, but Jeſus Chriſt will place upon our Head a Crown of pure Gold. Joſeph could never defend his Brethren from Death, they all Died one after another, and he alſo in his time yielded up the Ghoſt; But Jeſus Chriſt who is Riſen from the Dead, Dyeth no more, Death hath no more Dominion over him, ſo that he lives for ever and ever, and will cauſe us all to become Immortal. Therefore inſtead of deſiring as Jacob, to Live to go down into Egypt, to ſee his Son Joſeph, we ſhould earneſtly deſire to Dye, that we might aſcend up into Heaven, there to behold our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, our Father and Redeemer. When Jacob embraced again his wonderful and beloved Child, in the exceeding tranſport of his Joy and Love, he burſt forth into this kind of Language, Let me now Dye, now that I have ſeen again thy Face, and that thou art alive. On the contrary, when we ſhall embrace Chriſt in his Glory, when we ſhould behold his Divine Countenance, we ſhall ſpeak in another manner, my Lord and my God, ſeeing that I now look upon thee alive, and Raigning in Heaven, I ſhall live alſo and Raign with thee for ever and ever. Amen.
A Prayer and Meditation for a believing Soul, who ſtrengthens it ſelf againſt the Fears of Death, by conſidering the glorious Aſcention of Jeſus Chriſt into Heaven, and his ſitting at the right hand of God.
O Holy and Divine Saviour, I have often looked upon thy generous Behaviour and glorious Victories, to ſtrengthen my ſelf againſt all apprehenſions of Death, but if thou wilt render my joy, moſt perfect and accompliſhed, give me Grace to Meditate upon thy Divine Triumph. As thou haſt engaged in many Encounters for my ſake, and haſt vouchſafed unto me a ſhare in thy Victory, grant me alſo a ſhare in thy glorious Aſcention and Triumph. As thou haſt ſuffered for my Sins, and art riſen again for my Juſtification; thou art alſo aſcended up into Heaven, to prepare a place for me; thou art willing that I ſhould be admitted into thy Noble and Divine Palace, that I ſhould be where thou art, that I may behold thy Glory which thou haſt enjoyed with God the Father, before the Creation of the World. O ſweet and Merciful Lord, what cauſe have I to fear to go to Heaven, ſeeing that thou art there ſeated in the higheſt Glory and Felicity, and that thou ſtretcheſt out thy merciful hand to receive and admit me. Have not I good reaſon to expect to be glorified in thy Kingdom, ſeeing that thou thy ſelf doſt beſtow upon thoſe that ſerve thee, the Immortal Crowns and Scepters. O great God and Saviour, thy Throne is ſurrounded with Glory and Splendor, nevertheleſs, I will draw near unto it with boldneſs, for it is a Throne of Love, and a Throne of Mercy, unto which every penitent Sinner may come. Round about this glorious Throne, I ſee a Rainbow of an Emerald colour, that certifies me, that thy Covenant is everlaſting. When thy Glory and Majeſty did increaſe, thy Love for me did not leſſen, and thy compaſſion and goodneſs were always the ſame. Thou art the ſame yeſterday and to day, and thou ſhalt always be the ſame for ever. Thou haſt been pleaſed for my Salvation to lye in a Manger, and to be nailed to a Croſs. Thou haſt given thy Soul for my Ranſome, and haſt ſpilt thy precious Blood, to waſh and cleanſe me from my Sins, and to make me a way, that I might enter into thine holy Sanctuary. In the midſt of all that Glory and Light, with which thou art now cloathed, thou haſt not thought it a ſcorn to acknowledge me for thy Brether, and for a Member of thy Myſtical Body. It is for my ſake, that thou appeareſt before thine Heavenly Father, it is for me that thou offereſt up unto him Prayers and Supplications. O wonderful Lord, it is in thy power to give unto me the things which thou haſt merited by thy Sufferings, and which thou deſireſt for me by thy Prayers and Interceſſion, for all power is given unto thee in Heaven and in Earth. O Soveraign Monarch of the whole World, haſt not thou given unto us this great and gracious promiſe, When I ſhall be lifted up from the Earth, I ſhall draw all Men after me; And is it not for us, that thou haſt prayed in this excellent manner, Father, I will that they alſo whom thou h…ſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me. Seeing therefore that thou haſt left this wretched Earth, to go and Raign above in Heaven, take unto thee my Soul, O wonderful Redeemer, and deliver it from this valley of Tears and Miſery, cauſe it to underſtand at the time of its departure, thoſe words of joy and eternal comfort, Verily I ſay unto thee, this day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradice. Lord Jeſus draw me with the cords of thy Mercy and Grace, and I ſhad run after thee. And ſeeing that I muſt of neceſſity paſs through Death to come to thee the Prince of Life and Immortality, give me Grace to conſider it in the ſame manner as the Prophet Elias did the Fiery Charriots that carried him up to Heaven, or as Jacob did the Waggon that carried him into Egypt, to his Son that did Raign there; this holy Father in a tranſport of joy, cried out, let me ſee my Son Joſeph again, and then let me Dye. But when I ſhall be raviſhed with an unſpeakable and glorious joy, I ſhall ſpeak in another manner. Let me Dye that I may behold my true Joſeph, the Soul of my Soul, the light of Life, the Author of my Glory and Happineſs. O ſweet Jeſus, I ſhall freely and willingly leave this wretched and craſie dwelling, to enter into thy heavenly Palace, to behold thy Glory and Magnificence, O King of Kings and Lord of Lords, when ſhall I hear that Divine Wiſdom that drops from thy Lips, and when ſhall I ſee thee ſitting upon the Throne of thy Glorious Majeſty, where a thouſand thouſands wait upon thee, and ten millions Worſhip thee. When ſhall I enter into the Glorious Company of the Saints and Bleſſed Spirits, that Sing forth thy Praiſes, and caſt at thy feet their moſt precious Crowns. O glorious Monarch, that art now in thy Kingdome, enjoying a perfect happineſs, forget not thy poor Servant, be not unmindful of thy S…n or Daughter, who am now overwhelmed with the ſorrows of this miſerable life, and the anguiſh of Death. Let not the Songs of the holy Angels, and applauſes of all the glorified Spirits, hinder thee from liſtning to my Sighs and Groans. O Almighty and merciful Lord, look upon me with the eyes of thy Love, and reach unto me thine helping hand. Send unto me thine Angels of Light, to receive my Soul, and pr…tect me from the Angels of Darkneſs that endeav…r to deſtroy me, and to drag me headlong into Hell. Let Some of th…ſe glorious Spirits that wait for thine orders, and fly at thy command, deliver me from Death, and carry me upon their wings into thy Boſome. I ſee the Heavens open, and Jeſus Chriſt ſitting at the right hand of God the Father, Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit. Amen.