The Glorious Epiphany with the Devout Christians Love, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Reaſons for our Love to this Appearing, drawn from the reſpect we ought to have to our Lord himſelf.
AS for the firſt of theſe, the affection that is due to our bleſſed Saviour, it ought to be ſtrong, you will eaſily confeſs, that death it ſelf ſhould not be an equal match for it: That which conquers all things, ſhould it ſelf be conquered by this; and the king of terrors ſhould yield all his force, and yield himſelf a Captive to the love of the King of Love.
For ſince there is ſo great a power in hearty and unfeigned love, to beget love in thoſe to whom it is expreſſed; and ſince the love whereby our Lord attracts our affection, doth ſo vaſtly exceed all other: it is a prodigious obſtinacy or negligence that the dulleſt and heavieſt ſouls are not drawn by ſo big a Loadſtone.
Do we not feel, as I have ſaid elſewhere, ſome motions of kindneſs in our hearts for the moſt contemptible creatures; when they conſtantly fawn upon us, and follow us, and lye down by us, and will by no means leave us, but take our part if any body aſſault us? Are we not much pleaſed with this affection they have to us, and concerned for their ſafety, and ready to reward them with tokens of our love to them? We muſt be infidels then, or very inconſiderate and regardleſs of our bleſſed Saviour; or elſe find our hearts put into the greateſt paſſion, when we read and ſeriouſly weigh the ſtrange expreſſions, which our Saviour hath made, of the moſt endearing love to us.
When we remember Low he neglected himſelf, to ſerve us; how he indured hunger and thirſt, that we might be ſatisfied; how he gave the people the very bread out of his mouth, and forgot to feed himſelf, that he might nouriſh them; when we ſee how he addreſſes himſelf unto us; how he wooes and courts us (to ſpeak in our own language) with the greateſt kindneſs to come to him; how ſolicitous he is for our happineſs; how he ſighed for us; how he groaned in ſpirit to ſee men ſo obſtinate; how he ſweat; how he bled; how he gave his very life for us; and was content to be expoſed to the greateſt ſhame, rather than we ſhould periſh; what heart can be ſo inſenſible as not to be mightily affected with it, and to think of returning back his love, and that in ſome proportion to the wonderful greatneſs of it?
But then, alas! it muſt be confeſſed that, we find, when our paſſion is ſtirred up, and our hearts begin to burn within us, we have little or nothing there, that is worthy of him. A preſent we would fain make to him, but have none fit to be offered to ſo great a Majeſty. Nay, ſo void many times and empty are our hearts, of all that is good, that we may well be aſhamed to let him ſee them. Our thoughts are ſo dull, and the reſentments we have of his kindneſs ſo feeble and weak, that we our ſelves in whom they are, can ſcarce feel them. And at the beſt our affections are ſo ſmall and ſo ſhort, that we cannot but bluſh to come furniſhed with no better oblation to him.
What ſhall we do in this caſe? How ſhall we behave our ſelves with ſome due regard to his incomprehenſible love? Love him we muſt; but love him as he is worthy, and as we would, we are not able. We cannot chooſe but bring him our hearts, and yet we are ſenſible they are not worth the bringing.
We ſhall find our ſelves naturally inclined, in theſe circumſtances, to do juſt as a grateful Poor man doth; who being unable himſelf to requite a Friends courteſies, rejoyces to hear that ſo very great a Perſon will take that care upon him. Or as the Divine Pſalmiſt doth, who finding his own thoughts too ſhort and low, calls upon the Angels, who excel in ſtrength, to ſet forth the praiſes of him, whoſe name is highly exalted above all bleſſing and praiſe. That is, ſince we our ſelves cannot requite the benefits our Lord hath done us, nor worthily magnifie his goodneſs towards us; we ought in all reaſon to be exceeding deſirous that God, the Father of glory (as St. Paul calls him) would be pleaſed to reward his love, and make his praiſe glorious. Since there is nothing here whereby we can conſiderably honour him; we muſt needs wiſh the day would come, when the Bleſſed and only Potentate will ſhow the reſpect he bears unto him.
As it is a joy to think that he is gone to the Father and there is recompenſed for his ſufferings: ſo it is a matter of greater gladneſs, if we have any love for him, to remember that at his appearing (which he, who is able, will in due time ſhow) he ſhall ſtill be more magnified. This therefore all ſerious Chriſtians cannot but much deſire to ſee. For this they cannot but long extreamly; and call with earneſt expectation for the coming of that joyful day. That, ſince they cannot laud and praiſe him enough now, the whole world may then be gathered together, in one general aſſembly, all Angels, and all Men, and with joynt conſent bow themſelves before him, and humbly acknowledge him to be the LORD OF ALL.
And here I ſhall take the liberty, for the clearer underſtanding of this, to give a diſtinct account, in a few conſiderations, of that which, we may juſtly conceive, will accrue to our bleſſed Saviour by his glorious Appearing.
I.
And firſt of all, there is no doubt but, at his ſecond appearing, our Lord will be publickly honoured; and thereby have an amends made him, for the open ſhame and the publick diſgrace, to which he was here expoſed. No Varlet was ever uſed ſo baſely, as the world treated him; when he firſt came to viſit us in much humility. No man was ever the ſubject of ſo much ſcorn, of ſo many ſorrows, and of ſo great pains as he endured. Would it not then be acceptable to you, to ſee his honour every where vindicated; his credit, as I may ſay, repaired; and his glory made no leſs notorious, than his reproaches were?
Who would not wiſh to ſee that ſweet face (which by rude hands was ſo contemptuouſly blinded and buffeted) appear in an unveiled brightneſs; looking with the faireſt, the moſt beautiful and gracious eyes upon us? How is it poſſible to refrain from deſiring to ſee that countenance which was ſpit upon, and all beſpawled by the filthy mouths of wicked men; ſhining with rayes brighter than the Sun, and gliſtring in the Glory and Majeſty of God the Father? Are you not impatient to behold that Head, which was inviron'd with Thorns, ſhow it ſelf with a royal Crown upon it? Would you not fain ſee him as much admired, as he was deſpiſed; as highly praiſed and extolled, as he was vilely mockt and flouted?
O that I might behold that time arrive (is every devout lover of the Lord Jeſus apt to ſay) O that I might be bleſſed with a ſight of that Glory and Honour, wherewith, we believe, thou art already crowned! Thou waſt ſorely wounded and groſly abuſed, O dear Saviour, by thoſe whom thou cameſt to heal and to ſave. They barbarouſly ſmote and beſmeared thy holy face; they nailed thee to a Croſs; they pierced thy hands and thy feet; they thruſt a ſpear into thy ſide and left thee all in gore; they condemned thee as the fouleſt Malefactor; and crucified thy Name and Reputation, as well as thy ſelf. And, which is worſe, how have thine own followers grieved thee, and pricked thy very heart, by their baſe ingratitude to thee; who waſt pleaſed to be thus vilely uſed for their ſake?
And what reparation, are the beſt among us able to make thee? What does it amount unto, that ſuch poor wretches as we can do for thee? How mean and inconſiderable is all the honour and all the praiſe that we, little and worthleſs things, can pretend to give thee?
O thou God of love, thou Father of mercies, we muſt addreſs our deſires to thee; and beſeech thee, that thou wouldſt be pleaſed to do it for us. Thou, who art the Bleſſed and only Potentate; who haſt already appointed him to be heir of all things; who haſt given him a more excellent inheritance than the Angels; and when thou broughteſt him into the world, didſt command them all to worſhip him; finiſh I beſeech thee, according to the riches of thy glory, the recompenſes thou haſt begun to make him. Let me and all men elſe ſee how Thou loveſt him, and what honour thou haſt conferred on him.
Behold how this ſoul ſighs out its deſires to thee, that thou wouldſt vouchſafe to haſten his Appearing; and to ſhow him to the world in the glory which thou haſt given him. Let us all behold him as highly exalted, as he was lowly depreſſed and abaſed. Let us SEE HIM AS HE IS, the Prince of Life, the King of Glory. O perfect that which concerneth him. Let him come, and receive our univerſal acknowledgements. Let all Kings fall down before him, and all nations ſerve him. Let them all call him bleſſed, and Heaven and Earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.
II.
They may well pray after this manner, and ſpeak of his perfecting, that which is begun; becauſe (ſecondly) till the day of his glorious appearing, it is moſt certain, his conqueſts will not be compleated over all his enemies. The very greateſt of them will remain unſubdued, till he come then to tread them under his feet. Which cannot but diſpoſe us to love that time above all other; becauſe it will make him perfectly victorious.
He is ſat down, ſaith the Apoſtle, at Gods right hand (x. Heb. 12, 13.) from thenceforth EXPECTING till his enemies be made his footſtool. Though he be highly advanced, that is, above all creatures, yet all his enemies do not preſently fall down before him: but he muſt ſtay ſometime before, not only all the adverſe Empires on earth ſubmit themſelves to him but, the Principalities alſo in the Air, and Death it ſelf; which is the laſt enemy, ſaith St. Paul, which ſhall be deſtroyed, and put under his feet. He rules and reigns indeed; but ſtill he hath many oppoſers of his Kingdom. He waits likewiſe for their utter ſubverſion and looks for their total ruine; but ſtill they ſpoil and commit many waſtes within his territories. The Devil tyrannizes and rages in a number of places; and Death (as I muſt ſhow anon) devours all.
How can we chooſe then, but wait for that, of which he himſelf is in expectation? Where is our love to him, if we can ceaſe to wiſh that all thoſe foes who deſpiſe or refuſe his Government, were perfectly brought in ſubjection to him? Is there any thing more deſireable, to thoſe who pray ſeriouſly his Kingdom may come, than to ſee thoſe put under his feet, who now proudly trample upon his ſoveraign Authority? What more joyful ſight can there be to them, than to behold the Devil, who now inſults ſo inſolently in his Dominions, deſpoiled of all his power; and thruſt down into the eternal Priſons and Chains of Darkneſs, to which he is reſerved? To ſay nothing yet, of the glory it will be to him, to overcome Death it ſelf, to which even all his ſubjects are forced at preſent to ſubmit.
O bleſſed Saviour (ſhould all Chriſtian ſouls ſay, with one conſent) it afflicts us to hear thine enemies roar in the midſt of thy Congregation; to ſee them thus triumph and ſet up their banners. And far more grievous it is to think, that we have ever been in the number of them; and given the leaſt countenance and ſupport to this helliſh Kingdom. The remembrance of it is bitter to us, that there was a time (wretches that we were) when we were drawn aſide to joyn our ſelves to this wicked faction; and abett the Apoſtate ſpirits in their rebellion againſt thee, their ſoveraign Creator.
But bleſſed be thy Goodneſs, thou haſt overcome our diſobedient hearts; and reſtored us to an happy accord with thee. We thank thee for it with all our ſouls; and wiſh we might likewiſe ſee all Nations fall down before thee and worſhip thee. What a joy would it be to ſee all the kingdoms of the earth, become the kingdoms of thee, O Chriſt? What greater pleaſure can our hearts deſire? which are not able to expreſs the ſatisfaction it would give them, to behold the kingdom of darkneſs, which is ſhaken already, falling flat upon the ground.
Overturn it, overturn it, O thou moſt Mighty, utterly overturn it. O come, and do that which we endeavour but cannot do. Come, and let us ſee thee vindicate thy ſelf, from the affronts of all thine inſolent enemies. Let us ſee all the Legions of Evil-Spirits, haled as Captives at the wheels of thy triumphant Chariot. Let us ſee all the Powers of the Air flying away at thy preſence, to hide themſelves in the pit of Hell for ever.
O thou who haſt ſubdued us unto thee, ſubdue them likewiſe and bring them under thee. Thou who didſt wreſt us out of their hands, wreſt from them all their power, and leave them none to get any more into their hands. As thou haſt conquered; ſo we would gladly ſee thee triumph. As thou haſt overcome; ſo we would fain ſee thee carried in magnificent and royal ſtate, as the moſt victorious LORD OF HOSTS.
Haſte thee therefore, O ſweet Saviour, to receive our Ovations. Come, that all the world may give thee, the acclamations which thou deſerveſt. Why is thy Chariot ſo long in coming? Why ſtay the wheels of thy Chariot? O that it would pleaſe thee to come, while our ſouls are peeping out of their windows to look for thee: while they call, and cry, and ſigh after thee: while they are full charged, with ſhouts and praiſes to beſtow upon thee.
III.
There is very great reaſon, you cannot but ſee, that they ſhould be thus deſirous of his appearing; becauſe, it is manifeſt by what hath been now ſaid, it will bring along with it ſome addition of Glory to our Deareſt Lord.
If we had a Friend who was elected to be a King, ſhould we not often call for the day that would place him on his Throne? Or if he were ſeated there, but had ſome rebellious Subjects ſtill in arms, in a corner of his Country; ſhould we not be in ſome pain, till we ſaw his conquering banners return with their ſpoils? Or if that were done, and a time then prefixt for a ſolemn meeting of all the Eſtates of his Realm, in the midſt of which he intended to ſit himſelf with the greateſt Pomp; ſhould we not think it long till we ſaw him ſhine there, and receive the homage of ſo many illuſtrious Perſons?
Tell your ſelves then, with what ardors you ſhould wait for the coming of your Lord. Who, though he be now Crowned, yet doth not for the preſent ſee all his enemies ſudued; nor appears, as yet, in the grand aſſembly not only of the Angels and mighty men, but of all people whatſoever, who ſhall be gathered before his Majeſty.
It is true indeed, he being inthroned in the Heavens, ſits there in royal Honour and Glory. But St. Luke tells us (as you heard before ix. 26.) that he will appear in the end of the world, not only in his own glory, but in the glory of his Father alſo: As if that were ſomething more, than what he hath already received at his right hand. That is, he will come from thence to judge the quick and the dead. Which will be an exceeding great glory, ſuch an high honour as was never conferred upon any perſon whatſoever; to have all judgement committed unto him, and ſuſtain the very place of the Supreme Lord and Governour of the World, to whom Men and Angels are accountable for their actions. This is a thing that is ſtill behind: and there are, it ſeems, ſome royal Majeſtick robes belonging to this high Office, which he hath not yet put on.
O how much ſhould we deſire to have Him clothed with them? How earneſtly ſhould we look, to behold him decked with that Majeſty, and arrayed in his moſt glorious attire? It ſhould not be enough to us, to believe that he reigns; but we ſhould long to ſee the laſt exerciſe, and the greateſt proof of his Kingly Authority: which is to judge the world in righteouſneſs, and to reward all men according to their works.
O God, ſhould every true Chriſtian ſay, who, according to thy faithful word, haſt glorified thy Son Jeſus, and committed all Judgement to him; haſten the day, when thou wilt complete the glory thou haſt given him, and gather all nations before him. Cloath him in the Glorious Robes of thy Majeſty; and let him appear in his Meridian brightneſs. Send him forth of thy Sanctuary; and let him outſhine the Sun in his ſtrength.
O that he would ſhine forth, and ſhoot his rayes as far as this earth. Let them not be confined to the higheſt Heavens; but let the air and theſe inferiour regions be all gilded with the ſplendor of his beams.
O bleſſed Jeſus, that we might behold thy light breaking out, to baniſh all this ſmoak and diſperſe theſe vapours, wherein we are incloſed. Let the Troops of thy holy Angels come, and expel thoſe evil Spirits which have poſſeſſed themſelves of theſe aerial places. Let thy glorious throne be ſet there, where they have ſo long ruled.
Ariſe, and ſhow thy ſelf, O thou Judge of the World. Let them all know that they are ſubject to thy tribunal. And ſentence them to their proper habitations; that after thy appearing they may diſappear, and never break looſe to infeſt or trouble us any more.
Then will thy faithful ſervants ſhout aloud for joy, and triumph in thy praiſe. They will ſing a new Song before thy Throne, and magnifie thee in ſome ſuch words as theſe.
Who in the Heavens can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the Sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? lxxxix. Pſal. 6. xv. Rev. 3, 4.Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; juſt and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints. Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name? For thou only art holy: All Nations are come to worſhip before thee; for thy judgements are made manifeſt.
IV.
And upon this account we ſhould be the more deſirous to ſee that great day; becauſe till then he will want the glory of having us and all his faithful Subjects, attend upon him in his heavenly Kingdom. It is a very ſmall glory indeed, you may be apt to think, that he can receive from ſuch poor things as we are. Who muſt acknowledge that we are unworthy, utterly unworthy of the favour to approach unto him; and if we ſhould be ſo vain as to think otherwiſe, deſerve to be baniſhed for ever from his bleſſed preſence. But when we remember how great his love is, and what he hath promiſed to do for us, we muſt likewiſe confeſs, to the glory of his Grace, that he can and will raiſe us ſo much above our ſelves; that it ſhall be an honour to him to have ſuch ſubjects, who by his Almighty Power are ſo nobly preferred. The magnificence and greatneſs of his Kingdom, will appear in the greatneſs and ſplendor of all his Friends and followers. It ſhall be ſeen in them, what he is, and how highly God the Father hath exalted him; whom he gave him to be the head over all things to the Church: which is his body, i. Epheſ. 22, 23.the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all.
Certain it is he cannot be perfect (as he is the Head of the Church) without all his members. In which regard ſeveral, both of the Greek and Latine Fathers, *V.S. Chryſ. Oecumenium, S. Hieron.think that his Body, the Church, is called his FULNESS; becauſe he will not be abſolutely compleated and conſummated, till all his members be knit together in one body, and joyned to him, in ſuch a glory as is befitting thoſe that are ſo nearly related to him: who is able to communicate to them out of his fulneſs, what excellencies he pleaſes. This, ſays St. Chryſoſtom, is the hope of our calling; (which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of before) the riches of the glory of the inheritance; the exceeding greatneſs of his power to us-ward who believe.
For whom he hath ſuch an affection, and loves us with ſo great tenderneſs; that he doth not think himſelf intirely happy, unleſs we be promoted to be with him where he is, and to reign with him for ever. So much is his heart ſet upon our advancement, that he accounts himſelf to be but in part glorious; till we be numbred among his Saints in glory everlaſting.
Then will he ſhine in greater ſplendor and majeſty than ever; according to thoſe words of St. Paul in another place, 2 Theſſ. i. 10. where he ſaith, He ſhall come to be GLORIFIED in his Saints, and to be ADMIRED in all them that believe. For firſt of all (as Oecumenius hath collected the ſenſe of the ancient Fathers about this buſineſs) it will be a glory to him, that he hath ſo many Saints, to whom he will diſtribute his goods, and make illuſtrious with him. For as his riches, ſaith he, is our ſalvation, ſo it will be a glory to him. And ſecondly, He will be glorified alſo by his Saints, when they ſhall behold him ſitting foreign, &c. in his Fathers Glory, the God and the Judge of all. And thirdly, We may add that the Saints will procure him glory from the ſpiritual powers, when they ſhall ſee what a recompenſe of reward he hath vouchſafed to his ſervants. Who as they ſhall give occaſion to his being glorified, ſo to his being admired alſo: becauſe it will be a moſt wonderful and amazing ſight to ſee thoſe, who were thought ſo vile and abject in this preſent life that they were perſecuted and murdered, accounted worthy then of ſuch and ſo great good things as he will beſtow upon them.
And truly, as our Lord will be thus magnified and admired at that day; ſo this ought now to be very wonderful in our eyes. Who have little conſideration, if we be not exceedingly in love with his appearing; when ſelf-love ſo ſtrongly inclines and prompts our affection to it. Can we find in our hearts to turn away our eyes from that, or ceaſe to long for it with ardent deſire; which Nature it ſelf calls for, as the greateſt Good? Here our own intereſt combines with his, to make us wiſh for that bleſſed day; which ſhall make him more illuſtrious, by the brightneſs of our glory. Here two great Seas meet and run into one; to make our ſouls ſwell and riſe up in bigger expectations of his happineſs.
Come, ſhould your heart and mine ſay, come, O bleſſed Jeſus; and at once make us and thy ſelf intirely glorious. Ariſe, O thou Sun of Righteouſneſs, and ſhed thy beams ſo plentifully upon us, that we may ſhine with thee, as the Sun in the Kingdom of the Father.
Great are the things which are ſpoken of thy coming; when the exceeding greatneſs of thy power ſhall appear, to us-ward who believe. O come, and compleat thine own fulneſs; by filling us, out of thine exuberant Goodneſs, with all the bleſſings of thine heavenly Inheritance. Do not want that happineſs any longer; which will make us happy too, together with thee. Delay not to put on thoſe Kingly Robes; wherein when thou appeareſt, we ſhall be promoted to reign as Kings with thee for ever.
How will our raviſht ſpirits then rejoyce, in that great ſalvation! How will they triumph, to ſee every knee bow to thine exalted Name! Nay, to ſee thee admired in us; cxlviij. Pſal. 14.when thou ſhall exalt the honour of thy people, the praiſe of all thy Saints.
O come, that the greatneſs of thy Glory and Majeſty may appear in thy Saints; and thy wonderful power and love in all thoſe that believe.
And till thou comeſt, lot all thy Saints be joyful in glory. cxlix. 4, 5.Let them ſing aloud in perfect quiet and repoſe. Yea, let the high praiſes of our God be in their mouth; who hath given us hope of victory over all our enemies. Let them never ceaſe to praiſe him; who takes pleaſure in his people, and will beautifie them with his Salvation.
Praiſe him, who hath promiſed to come, and viſit us in greater love than ever. praiſe him who is the head over all things to the Church; and will prefent it to himſelf a glorious Church, v. Eph. 27.not having ſpot or wrinkle or any ſuch thing. Let his name be alway engraven upon our hearts; who hath comforted us with the bleſſed hope, of ſeeing him in all his glory. Let the memory of his tranſcendent love be ever moſt dear unto us; who intends to lift us up, to ſit with him in Heavenly places. Let us never forget to rejoyce in his holy Name; with whom we expect to rejoyce in the higheſt happineſs of endleſs Life.
And, O bleſſed Jeſus, that we may be ſo happy now, as to long for that day, on thy account, as well as our own. May it delight us to think, how thou wilt be admired and highly praiſed, in our exaltation. Make us ſo much in love with thee, as to deſire to ſee our ſelves raiſed unto honour; becauſe it will make thee alſo appear in greater glory.