Three Sermons, Sermon 2
THE BELIEVERS CONSOLATION, In the Remembrance of his Heavenly Manſion prepared for him by CHRIST.
BEING THE SECOND SERMON: AND Preached on the LORDS-DAY, MARCH XXIX. 1663.
John 14.3.
And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to my ſelf, that where I am, there you may be alſo.
THis Verſe, and the former, holds forth a double Conſolation, to ſupport the Diſciples againſt the ſuffering which they were to conflict with, either In the way of Truth, or For the way of Truth. This Verſe holds forth the ſecond Argument of Conſolation; the former you have in the ſecond Verſe: it is taken from the Place they were to be taken to after Death. And this Argument in this Verſe is taken from the Company they ſhall have in that place; and that is his Perſonal Preſence, his full and clear Preſence: Where I am, there you ſhall be alſo.
Now this Argument of Conſolation is deſcribed, 1. From the Scope of Chriſt in preparing ſuch a place for them; and it was, that he and they might be there together: I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be alſo. 2. It is declared from the Time when they muſt expect their being taken to Chriſt; and that is, when he comes again: I will come again, and receive you to my ſelf. 3. It is declared from the Efficient of it, the Undertaker of this; and that is Himſelf: I will come again, and receive you to my ſelf.
To open the words thus reſolved.
1. Touching the Preſence of Chriſt and Believers together [That where I am, there you may be alſo] you muſt underſtand this (of his Preſence emphatically ſo called) of his Preſence in the place of Bleſſedneſs: In thy Preſence is fulneſs of joy, Pſal. 16.11. There is a double Preſence of Chriſt, but he means here his Preſence in Glory, where we ſhall ſee him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. I ſaid, this Argument of their Conſolation was declared from the Scope of it; I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be alſo: it was one great end of his being a Fore-runner. Secondly, he ſhould fail of his Fidelity and Ability, if there ſhould be a diſappointment.
2. From the Time [When I come again] Chriſts coming is either his laſt Coming or his coming by Death. Of his laſt coming you reade 1 Theſſ. 4.18. Of his coming by Death, you reade Luke 23.43. To day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradice. Now the Soul goes to Chriſt, when He comes to us by Death: at his laſt coming both Soul and Body ſhall be together with him.
3. This Argument of Conſolation is deſcribed by the Efficient of it, or Undertaker, [I will receive you to my ſelf] We may doubt how our Souls, when we dye, ſhall come to Heaven: why, ſaith Chriſt, I will come, and receive you to my ſelf. They therefore ſay properly, when they dye, that ſay, Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, Pſal. 31.5. it is a proper ſaying ſo to ſpeaks, Acts 7.59. Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit. It is a bleſſed thing to commit our Souls by Faith to Chriſt, when they go out of the Body. He comes by the miniſtry of his Angels, or otherwiſe as he pleaſe: I will come again, and receive you to my ſelf. You may remember the words of Steven, he dying, called upon God, and ſaid, Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit: we receive Chriſt, and we receive the Spirit of Chriſt; Now to as many as received him, to them gave he power, &c. Joh. 1.12. Chriſt receives our Spirits (then:) If we receive his Spirit now, he will receive our Spirits then; I will receive you to my ſelf.
Doct. That the effectual Remembrance, that at Death Chriſt will receive our Souls unto Himſelf, is a Soveraign Preſervative to quiet our Souls throughout all the Sufferings we meet with, either In the way of Truth, and For the way of Truth, during this life.
You ſhall finde in Iob 19.25. ſaith he, I know that my Redeemer liveth: He might ſay, I know my Eſtate is gone, and I ſee that my Friends are gone, and my Children be gone, and my Health and Strength is gone, and the Grave is ready for me; but what ſtayes Iobs heart now? I know that my Redeemer lives. This is a living truth for a dying man; I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he ſhall ſtand in the latter day upon the earth, and I ſhall ſee him, &c. This was now In the way of Truth, for you cannot ſay that Iob was perſecuted For the way of Truth. But you ſhall finde in a way of ſuffering for the way of Truth, Phil. 1.23. I deſire to be diſſolved, and to be with Chriſt: Having paſſed through many troubles, I would be out of the body, and freed from the body of death; I deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt. 2 Cor. 5.8. We are confident, and willing rather to be abſent from the body, and preſent with the Lord. You muſt either be abſent from the body, or abſent from the Lord; it is an hard thing to be abſent from the body, but not comparatively: We deſire rather to be abſent from the body, and preſent with the Lord: We ſhall meet the Lord, and ſhall ever be with the Lord. What is the uſe of this, 1 Theſſ. 4 18. Comfort one another with theſe words? what are theſe Comforts? They are nothing but Promiſes; Promiſes rightly applied, theſe are the Comforts of the holy Ghoſt: they hold forth more good, then the affliction doth evil. If you would comfort one another, bring out the Promiſe, that is comfortable and ſeaſonable. Comfort one another: with what? with theſe words; for in them the Comforter doth come and apply comfort.
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe hereby we are made fit for this reſt, fit to be with Chriſt; that is, by our trouble, & by this remembrance. Mixing this remembrance with our trouble, doth fit us for this place. 2 Cor. 5.5. He that worketh us to the ſelf-ſame thing, is God: For what thing? for our heavenly houſe, our houſe not made with hands: he that fits us for theſe things, is God. And thus doth he fit us by trouble, by theſe matters of groaning that do paſs over us from day to day. This ſhould be a great incouragement; There is a place prepared for you, but remember you muſt be fit for your place: you are not fit for your place, in that you are meerly Regenerate, but you muſt paſs through ſuch a meaſure of Obedience both active and paſſive that is appointed for you, that by this means you may be meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light. The place is fit for us already, but we are not fit for it as ſoon as we are Regenerate: 2 Cor. 5. he doth there inſtance in the troubles of the body, the grief of the outward man: we are burthened with our body, but all this while a fitting for our place. If you belong to God, he is working you to the ſelf-ſame thing; be your trouble this or that (the Cholick, Palſie, Stone, or whatever) he is working us for the ſelf-ſame thing: This is a great matter in our troubles, to conſider that God by them is fitting us for our place in Heaven.
Reaſ. 2. From the Quality of the Undertaker, that hath undertaken the reception of our Souls to himſelf; I will come, and receive you to my ſelf. If it be ſo, let us that ſuffer according to the will of God (1 Pet. 4.19.) commit the keeping of our Souls to him: you may boldly do it, he ſends a fiery Chariot for Elijah; likely it was an Angel, He makes his Angels spirits, his Miniſters a flame of fire, Heb. 1.7. Chriſt hath his way to carry your Souls to Heaven: you do not believe what a condition your Souls will be in, as ſoon as ever they are out of the body: do but think what a meeting here is; but we believe not theſe things. As Chriſt, when he ſent to his Diſciples to comfort them, (Luke 24.11.) they thought they were tale tales: ſo when we hear of theſe things; we look at them but as idle tale; but, ſaith Chriſt, I will come, and receive you to my ſelf.
Reaſ. 3. Taken from the Perſon we ſhall be with, namely, Chriſt. Phil. 1.23. You ſhall be with Chriſt, which is beſt of all, or which is farre better: There is no better Houſe then this Manſion, there is no better Preſence then his Preſence; therefore well might he ſay, It is beſt of all, or farre better.
Inſtruction 1. Learn from hence, that the moſt and the greateſt Communion that we have with Chriſt in this life, ſtill leaves us in a condition of abſence from Chriſt, compared with that Communion we ſhall have with him after death: So faith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.8. We are willing to be abſent from the body, and preſent with the Lord; ver. 6. for while we are at home in the body, we are abſent from the Lord: It is a place of abſence from the Lord, that is, compared with what we ſhall have after death. If you think of Paul, Who did enjoy Chriſt more then Paul did? Did not Paul enjoy Church-communion? Yes; but notwithſtanding this was a place of abſence from the Lord, compared with the ſociety that by death he ſhould be in. Was not Paul acquainted with any godly men? you know what he ſaith of Timothy; but yet (ſaith he) I am abſent from mine own people. The word that is here tranſlated [Abſent] ſignifies Abſence from his own people: he loved Timothy well, but he thinks the Spirits of juſt men made perfect, exceed the Spirit of Timothy: Here is no Companion that is like the Company there; here is no Communion will ſatisfie here. Where moſt of Chriſt is, it is beſt, but yet it is abſence comparatively; We are abſent from the Lord.
Inſtr. 2. The New man (the Believer) is never at reſt till he is with Chriſt in his Manſion-houſe. If you never finde any ſuch thing in you, but that, if you might have your deſire, you would be here alwayes, believe it you have not this New man in you: this New man never is at reſt, till it comes to Chriſt. It is true, there is weakneſs in the beſt, and unbelief-may prevail too-too much, but I ſpeak of this new Nature that is in theſe, and reigns in theſe that are Regenerate. You know how it is with thoſe that love one another: after that Jacob knew what was become of Joſeph, there was no ſtaying of Jacob; Let me go and ſee him before I dye, Gen. 45.28. What was the reaſon of it? there was an intire love one unto another. You know how it is with thoſe that do indeed love one another, that have been long abſent one from another, they cannot reſt until they meet: Was there any did ever love another, as the New man loves Chriſt? The New man loves him with a divine love, the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a moſt vehement flame, Cant. 8.6. There are ſome on earth that do long after Chriſt; there are thoſe on earth that do deſire after Heaven: and do any love another, as Jeſus Chriſt loves the New man? There muſt be a meeting between theſe two Lovers; I will come, and receive you to my ſelf. Mark how John concludes the Revelations, Chap. 22. ver. 21. Behold I come, ſaith Chriſt: He that-teſtifieth of theſe things, ſaith, I come; Amen, even ſo come Lord Ieſus. Here is a longing to be with Chriſt. In any of your quaeries concerning Chriſt, you are never at reſt rill you come to Heaven: it is the proper Being of the Sun to be in motion; this New man is a divine man, and his motion is ſtill unto, and after Chriſt.
Inſtruction 3. The death of the Believer, it is a reception of the Soul by Chriſt Jeſus. Chriſt receiving of our Soules at Death, is an incouragement to ſtrengthen us againſt the fear of Death. Are you affraid of going to your Manſion houſe? are you affraid of going to Chriſt? Mark what the Apoſtle ſaith, Phil. 1.23. I deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt. The Greek word is a Marriners Phraſe, and ſignifies as much as to ſet ſayle from the ſhore: I deſire my time were come to be looſed; that I might go to my Manſion. There are three Cords or Bonds that do Intangle us, the looſing from which doth ſweeten Death to us: 1. The Bond of the Croſs; I deſire to be diſſolved, and looſed from the afflictions and miſeries of this preſent life: This is in it's place a lawful thing to deſire in Gods time. 2. There is a Bond of Corruption, the body of Death; this I deſire to be looſed from: O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this Death! Rom. 7.24. There are pangs in the Beſt; But if you have the new man in you, you cannot bear them: There is Vain-glory there, and there is Impatience there, and there is Envy there, and Unſpiritualneſs, which the Believer cannot bear; I deſire therefore to be looſed from the Body. It is ſaid of one,*Mezentius. that he would bind a dead Corpſe to a living man, and ſo he would torture them. This new man is boudn to a dead Corps: there is no part of the Underſtanding, Will, or Affections, throughout the whole man, but this dead Corpſe is there. 3. There is the Cord of our abſence from Chriſt: that he expreſſeth, as if it did in an eſpecial manner move with him to be with Coriſt, which is the beſt of all. Simeon ſpeaking of death, Lord, now letteſt thou thy Servant depart in peace, Luk. 2.29. as if he ſhould ſay, Give me my diſmiſſion (as we uſe to ſpeak, from one Church to another: ſo here) from a Society Militant, to a Society Triumphant: So you ſee here he calls it but a diſmiſſion; it came to paſs when the time was come that he ſhould be received up, Luk. 9.51. relating to his death: if you did but think that this were the great buſineſs when you dye, namely, the receiving of your Soules, you would not be troubled: you cannot give up your Soules into better hands. … 5.24. you ſhall there finde it is called a paſſage from one Room to another, he is paſſed from death to life: it is like a paſſing from one room into another. Look at death as in the Curſe, and what more terrible? But look at it in the Promiſe, and it hath another kind of aſpect. 1 Cor. 15.43. you ſee there it is compared to ſowing; it is ſown in weakneſs, it is raiſed in power. This is now with relation to the body, it is but ſowing of it, it ſhall riſe again, and that with advantage: you are not affraid of ſowing your ſeed, that will bring a glad harveſt. It is a going from thoſe that are not our own people to thoſe that are our own people, 2 Cor. 5.6, 8. it may be you have a friend here, but it is not an ordinary thing to meet with a Jonathan here. It is but a going from them who are not our people, whom we cannot ſo fully cloſe with; nay you cannot cloſe with your own ſouls fully, while here; but you are going from thoſe who are not your people, to thoſe who are your people, where you ſhall find perfect cloſing with this new man; you are come to the spirits of juſt men made perfect. Would you ſee what Peter ſaith concerning death, 2 Pet. 1.14. I muſt put off my tabernacle: it is a ſtrange Phraſe, he makes no more of it, then for Elijah to put off his mantle. What a thing was it for Elijah to let his mantle fall, he gets him up into his Chariot and lets go his mantle: I ſpeak this, that you may ſee what expreſſions the Scripture gives concerning death: O let my laſt end be like his! I tell you it is a lovely thing, Let me dye the death of the Righteous, let my laſt end be like his: I tell you there is another good in their laſt end, that the unbeleiver is not aware of. It is but a going out of one place to another. I have done with this, when I have minded you of that place, 1 Theſ. 4.14. They ſleep, and they ſleep in Jeſus: They alſo that ſleep in Jeſus ſhall God bring with him: you ſee two bodies lye by the wall and they look both alike, but (believe it) they are not both alike in the Promiſe; if one be a Believer, and the other an Unbeliever, one is gone to this Manſion place, the other not.
Inſtr. 4. The preſence of Jeſus is the place of bleſſedneſs: So ſaith Chriſt here, I will take you to my ſelf, and you ſhall be where I am. We ſhall ſee him, we ſhall be inlightned by him, we ſhall be ſatisfied in him, and bleſſed with him.
1. We ſhall ſee him: 1 Ioh. 3.2. We ſhall ſee him as he is.
2. We ſhall ſee him, ſo as to be inligtned by him. Pſal. 36.9. In thy Light we ſhall ſee light: They are marvellous Lights, that are in the place of Bleſſedneſs.
3. We ſhall be ſatisfied in him. Pſal. 17.15. As for me, when I awake I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſs. A ſatisfaction there will be at our Diſſolution, though more fully at the Reſurrection.
4. We ſhall be Bleſſed with him. Bleſſed are the pure in heart, (Mat. 5.8.) for they ſhall ſee God. Then you that hear me, look to your hearts, for it is not whether you are rich or poor; but, Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God. But what is it to ſee God? I ſhall ſee my Redeemer, ſaith Iob: and that is true, the eyes of our bodies may ſee the body of Chriſt; but you ſhall ſee God, you ſhall ſee him face to face, you ſhall ſee him as he it. I tell you the ſoul of man is never at reſt till it ſees God. Some ſhall never ſee God & therfore never be at reſt; There is no peace, no reſt to the wicked, Iſa. 57.21. ſaith my God. But now the ſoul it reſts when it comes to ſee God: He is ſuch an Object, as nothing without him will ſatisfie our Souls: may be they may be pleaſed, as children with a Rattle, for a while here, but not ſatisfied without him; therefore know it, theſe Souls of ours are more worth then we are apt to think of, prize them how you will.
Unto the ſeeing of God (to ſpeak plainly) there are three things that are required:
1. There is required an Object.
2. There is required the Purifying and Perfecting of the Ʋnderſtanding.
3. There is required the Light of Glory, which may enable the Soul to ſee that Object. Now
1. The Object is God, we ſhall ſee him: I ſhall ſee God, Job 19.26. not onelyonly ſee his Redeemer, but I ſhall ſee God: whatever might be the meaning of Iob, yet we ſhall ſee him as he is, 1 Job. 3.2. We ſhall ſee him face to face, 1 Cor. 13.12. It is true, we cannot ſee infinitely, our capacities cannot be made infinite; yet we may ſee him that is Infinite, we may ſee him apprehenſively, though not comprehenſively; yet we ſhall ſee him ſo as to fill the Soul, though not ſee him ſo as to comprehend him, but we ſhall apprehend ſo much of him as we are capable.
2. There is the Perfecting and Purifying of the Ʋnderſtanding: that muſt be purified from all Ignorance, Sin, and Darkneſs, and Miſtake.
3. There is the Light which God doth communicate of Glory: As we have here the Light of Grace, ſo there is the Light of Glory, which enables a Soul to ſee him according to the Viſion of Glory. But what do we ſee in the ſeeing of God? We ſee his Being, or Eſſence; as the Object is united to the Faculty relatively, not formally. We ſhall ſee the Attributes of God, they which are in Heaven, you ſhall ſee what they are making mention of, Rev. 4. Holineſs, Almightineſs, Eternity: You know not what Omnipotency is now, but then you ſhall know it more; you know not Perfect Holineſs now, but then you ſhall know it more: and we ſhall ſee the Trinity; He that hath ſeen me, (Iohn 14.9.) hath ſeen the Father: And we ſhall ſee Chriſt, that Perſon that is God and Man. And for the Counſell of God, we ſhall ſee it: it ſhall be an open Book, ſo far as concerns our happineſs. Now when the Soul comes to this, you will have no further need of enquiry, [What God is?] or [What Chriſt is?] you will never be ſatisfied till then, you will never love God perfectly till then, and you will never reſt in him here, as you will then: you ſhall come to underſtand that then [Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God.]
Exhort. 1. It is abundantly to incourage every Chriſtian to conſtancy in the profeſſion of the truth, notwithſtanding all the ſuffering we may meet with, either in the way of truth, or for the way of truth. This is that which John makes uſe of, 1 Iohn 3.2. We ſhall ſee him as he is; and, He that hath this hope to ſee God, purifieth himſelf, even as he is pure, ver. 3. Do you ſay you have hope to ſee God? this is a very purifying meditation. Can you endure any impurity, and yet maintain this hope in you to ſee Chriſt? Acts 24.15, 16. mark there how it did work with him; And have hope towards God, which themſelves alſo allow: I have hope that I ſhall ſee God, and that there is ſuch a truth as the reſurrection; herein do I exerciſe my ſelf, to have alwayes a Conſcience void of offence, both towards God and towards Man: they that are falſe to his truth, they ſhall not ſee him, that dye without Repentance of it: herein do I labour to keep alwayes a Conſcience clear both towards God and man, that this may not hinder me from a ſight of this Manſion: 2 Cor. 5.8, 9. ſpeaking to the ſame purpoſe, We deſire to be with the Lord: wherefore we labour, that whether preſent or abſent, we may be accepted of him. Thus you ſee what this meditation doth call for: this makes a man or woman of a labouring ſpirit, it calls for adherence to the truth: And more particularly, conſider then what it is to be a Chriſtian in earneſt, to be ſuch a Chriſtian as walks in that way, wherein they walk that have the Promiſe to go to Chriſt, when their Soules go out of the body; theſe are ſuch as the eleven were, not ſuch as Iudas was; he went the other way, he went to his own place. You muſt be ſuch Chriſtians as the Apoſtles were, that is, ſuch as do continue with Chriſt in the profeſſion of his truth, that you, may be Conquerours in holding on in your Profeſſion.
2. Conſider what you muſt expect while you are in your way; you muſt expect ſuch troubles, as nothing will quiet you, but the exerciſe of Faith in Chirſt Jeſus. Your hearts they will be aſſaulted, but let not your hearts be troubled: the Truth it will cauſe trouble to you, though you think of carrying of it never ſo inoffenſively, and amiably among men. Chriſt, by all his good carriage, could not reconcile thoſe that hated the truth: Hence thoſe that profeſs the truth, let them not think ſtrange if they meet with trouble. Then (Acts 9.31.) had the Churches reſt: Other places have reſt very frequently; but for the Churches, thoſe that profeſs the Truth to have reſt, is a ſpecial favour of God.
3. Your troubles here, while you carry it with a Chriſtian Spirit, they ſhall fit you for this bleſſed eſtate; as it is ſaid 2 Cor. 5.5. [He that worketh us to the ſelf-ſame thing.] You may think God means evil to you, when you meet with affliction and trouble; but, provided you are In the way of Truth, or be it For the way of Truth, that which God ayms at, is to fit you for your Manſion-place. Chriſt would fit us to be in the body, and he would fit us to go out of the body; He works us to the ſelf-ſame thing. If you have a ſtrong body, he would fit you for that body to walk with him in that body. Saith Caleb, Joſh. 14.11. I have as ſtrong a body, as in the day that Moſes ſent me. Now as it is a great matter to have ſuch a body, ſo it is a great matter to walk with God in ſuch a body: if you have an healthful body, he would ſit you to walk with him in that body, that you may know how to poſſeſs your veſſel in ſanctification and honour: not that your body ſhould be the ſlave of filthy luſts. Suppoſe you have a ſickly body, 2 Cor. 4.16. Our outward man decayes, but our inward man is renewed day by day: and he worketh us to the ſelf-ſame thing, by fitting us to go out of the body; Acts 20.24. that I may finiſh my courſe with joy, and the Miniſtry that I have received.
4. Concurre with God in this ſcope of his Providence to you; he is fitting of you to walk with God. If he fit you to go out of the body, or to be in the body, cloſe with him, as the Patient cloſeth with the Phyſician; interpret the Changes that are upon you, of one nature or of another, interpret them as diſpenſations whereby God works to fit you to be with him in the body, or to go to him when you go out of the body. Let us work together with him; I did it to humble them, Deut. 8.16. then cloſe with him, and ſay, This is his end; and for that end joyn with him. You ſhall finde more trouble then reſt, while you are In the way, you ſhall finde more reſt then trouble, when you are at the end of your way. You that are lovers of truth, more then of the pleaſures of Sin, you ſhall finde more trouble then reſt while you are in the way; but when you are out of the body, you ſhall have full reſt without any trouble: you ſhall have Truth enough, and Peace enough. That which is hard to gain now, is Union in the Truth; but then you ſhall have Union enough, and Truth enough: you ſhall finde Chriſt making good that truth to you, that He will come, and receive you to himſelf. When Noah put forth his hand, and received the Dove into the Ark, it was a welcome eaſe: ſo will it be to your Souls when they have been wearied with ſo many troubles, and Chriſt Jeſus ſhall come, and receive you to himſelf, when your Souls go out of the body; for otherwiſe the Devil will be ready to receive them, and to carry them to Hell. Whither went Dives Soul when it went out of his body? you that are now in Pleaſures, whither went Dives Soul? it is not ſaid he was an Adulterer, or a Drunkard; but he was a man of Pleaſures, [In thy life time thou hadſt thy good things, Luke 16.25.] But what became of his Soul when it went out of the body? And being in Hell, he lift up his eyes in torments, &c. ver. 23. Gen. 46. when Joſeph received Jacob, and his Brethren, after ſo long an abſence, judge what a contentment there was: Jacob fell upon Joſephs neck, and Joſeph fell upon Iacobs neck: but their embraces are not to be mentioned with the embraces of Chriſt and the Soul. Do good, that when you dye, the good you have done may receive you into everlaſting habitations. Your works ſhall follow you. It was the ſpeech of one*Ambroſe., I have not ſo lived, as that I am aſhamed to live any longer; nor am I afraid to dye. Labour ſo to live, as you may be uſeful in the body, and ſo as you may not be aſhamed to go out of the body, but may ſay as Iohn did, who was an old man, and a Diſciple, I come quickly: Even ſo, come Lord Ieſus, come quickly.