The Glorious Epiphany with the Devout Christians Love, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The certainty of this APPEARING of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
TO prove that there will certainly be ſuch an APPEARING of our Lord, as will ſurpaſs even the Glory wherein the Apoſtles ſaw him on the Holy Mount (which St. Luke plainly ſhews was a figure of it, ix. Luk. 26, 27, 28.) I might alledge all thoſe Arguments which aſſure us there will be a day wherein God will judge the World in righteouſneſs; and that the Lord Jeſus is ordained to be the Perſon by whom he will judge it. Which is as much as to ſay, that all thoſe Arguments which prove him to be the Son of God, might be employed to this purpoſe; for in that Name is included (as I have ſhewn in former Treatiſes) His power and authority to be the Judge of the World. This the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghoſt, and the other WITNESSES on Earth, as well as thoſe in Heaven, teſtifie to be an undoubted Truth; and therefore I might from every one of their mouths demonſtrate, that He ſhall appear again in ſuch a manner as I have deſcribed. For all Judges, much more the ſupreme Judge of all, ever aſcend their Tribunals in Robes of State, and royally attended; as thoſe that repreſent the Majeſty for whom they judge.
But it would be too tedious to follow that Method, and it is not needful I ſhould lead you ſo far about to bring you and this Truth together. There is one place in the writings of the Apoſtle St. Paul, which if well expounded and underſtood, will be ſufficient to perſwade us, we do not abuſe our ſelves with vain expectations of this Appearing. And therefore with the explication of that (which contains divers Arguments to eſtabliſh us in this belief) I ſhall content my ſelf, without having recourſe to every one of thoſe WITNESSES. And I ſhall the rather confine my ſelf to it, becauſe I ſhall illuſtrate a very conſiderable portion of Gods Holy Book (which upon all occaſions we ought to deſign to make perſpicuous) while I endeavour to give ſatisfactory reaſons, that our Lord Jeſus will appear again, and in ſo glorious a manner as hath been related.
It is in his former Epiſtle to this very Perſon, his beloved Son Timothy, Chap. vj. where he charges him (v. 13, 14.) to keep the Commandment he had given him without the leaſt violation of it, until the APPEARING of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. That is, till his coming from Heaven, with all the glorious train of Angels to recompenſe men according to their works. Now that Timothy might be fully perſwaded there would be ſuch a bleſſed time, and to be more ready and cheerful in his obedience to this exhortation, the Apoſtle aſſures him that this is no ſuch ſpectacle as is formed meerly in the imagination: but which God the Poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth will really exhibit in his time. So the words are (v. 15, 16.) Which (Appearing) in his times He ſhall ſhew, who is the bleſſed and only Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: who only hath Immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen nor can ſee.
Where we are firſt to obſerve well thoſe words which begin this deſcription of Him who will ſhew our Lord Chriſt in ſuch excellent Glory, foreign, in his times (we render it), or rather in the proper ſeaſons for it. That is, in the time or ſeaſon which God in his unſearchable Wiſdom hath appointed. From which phraſe three things offer themſelves to our conſideration.
Firſt, That the time, indeed, of this APPEARING is not revealed and made known to us. We muſt be content to be ignorant of it; for it is kept as a ſecret in his own breaſt, and it becomes not us to determine the ſeaſon which he hath reſerved to himſelf. Some great men, it is true, have adventured upon it; and Saint Hilary, *Canon xvij. in Matth.for inſtance, hath delivered his opinion, that the Transfiguration of our Lord, Six days after he had ſpoken of his coming in his Kingdom (xvij. Mat. 1.) prefigured the Honour of the Coeleſtial Kingdom, (as his words are) after the World had continued ſix thouſand years. But this and the current fancy among many in ancient times, that becauſe the World was ſix days in making it ſhould laſt juſt ſix thouſand years, had no better foundation than thoſe miſapplied words of St. Peter 2. iij. 8. That one day with the Lord is as a thouſand years. And therefore it is deſervedly cenſured by St. Auguſtine (upon xc. Pſal. 4.) as a preſumption reprehended by our Lord himſelf, when he told his Apoſtles, (i. Act. 7.) It is not for you to know the times or the ſeaſons, which the Father hath put in his own power. And yet there have been thoſe who would needs be medling and conclude this from no better reaſon than the Tranſlation of Enoch, who was the ſeventh from Adam. And there is one of great note in theſe later times (to name no more) who hath been ſo bold as from a ſlighter ground to conjecture the time of the Coming of our Lord. Who having ſaid in iv. Luk. 19. that according to Iſaiah's Prophecy he was come to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, or to proclaim a Jubilee to the World, Cuſanus thence concluded that for every year of our Saviours life, the Church ſhould continue a Jubilee, that is fifty years. And therefore he riſing again in the 34th. year of his Age, the Church ſhould have its bleſſed Reſurrection when the 34th. Jubilee was paſt: That is, after the year 1700. before the year 1734. which he endeavours to make more probable from the ſimilitude of the flood, which our Saviour, he obſerves, uſes when he ſpeaks of his coming: Fancying that as from the firſt Adam to the deſtruction of the World by water, there paſſed according to Philo juſt 34. Jubilees; ſo there ſhall be the like number of years from the ſecond Adam to the conſumption of it by fire. There are ſeveral other little fancies whereby he ſtudies to ſtrengthen this conceit: But I ſhall not mention them, becauſe as St. Auſtin hath rightly pronounced again in another place, Epiſt. LXXVIII.from that ſaying of our Saviour before mentioned, it is better to confeſs our Ignorance, than to profeſs a falſe knowledge. And this we have reaſon to think is no better, becauſe ſuch ſupputations of the times, as he ſpeaks, that we may know when will be the end of the World, and the coming of the Lord, ſeem to be nothing elſe but a deſire to know that which he himſelf hath ſaid, the Father hath reſerved only to himſelf. Which words our Saviour did not ſpeak, becauſe he was ignorant of the time about which the Apoſtles enquired, but (as Oecumenius well notes) becauſe it would contribute nothing to their ſalvation to be acquainted with it. And it is the office of an excellent Maſter to teach, foreign, &c. not what the Scholars deſire, but what it is profitable for them to learn. This was the only reaſon he denied to ſatisfie them; for he himſelf knew very well the times and ſeaſons, as the ſame Writer adds, becauſe, All that the Father hath is the Sons alſo. Now,
We are to conſider (in the ſecond place) that God the Father hath determined and ſet down a time for this appearing of his Son Jeſus, though he hath not thought fit to have us acquainted with it. It is not the leſs certain, becauſe he hath not revealed when it will be; ſince he hath fore-appointed in his own ſecret counſel, a ſeaſon proper for this buſineſs. This ought to give no ſmall ſtrength to our Faith and Hope; for we are wont always to make the ſurer account of a thing, and look for it the more confidently; when we know there is a time limited and prefixed for its performance.
The Apoſtle indeed ſuppoſes (which is the third thing) that many Ages might paſs before this appointed time arrived; but yet it will not fail to come at laſt. The Phraſe being in the Plural number *foreign, times., ſeems naturally to denote a long time hence. And if we obſerve the uſe of the very ſame phraſe in another place of this Epiſtle, Chap. ij. v. 6. (where he ſaith our Saviour gave himſelf a ranſome for all; a teſtimony foreign, in due ſeaſon, as we there tranſlate it) we cannot well allow it any other meaning in this. For there it ſignifies that our Lord at laſt did give a moſt memorable teſtimony of the exceeding great Grace of God, though ſeveral Ages were paſſed by (ſince the firſt promiſe made of his coming) before he appeared in fleſh to die for us: And therefore here in all reaſon it muſt be conceived to denote the revolution of ſeveral Ages more, from that firſt coming of his till the ſecond Appearing in aſtoniſhing Glory; as Oecumenius juſtly calls it.
How many Ages we cannot tell; and ſome of thoſe who thought heretofore they could tell, committed ſo groſs an error in their account, that it hath taught poſterity to be more cautious in determining any thing about it. They I mean who fancied the World ſhould continue juſt ſix thouſand years, following the Computation of the Greek Tranſlators of the Bible, brought this period to an end many Ages ago. Lactantius for inſtance tells us (and it is above thirteen hundred years ſince he died) that poſt breve tempus *L. VII. Divin. Inſtit. C. 14., after a ſhort time they expected the concluſion of all things. And although they varied in their account, and could not agree in the exact ſumme of the years that were ſtill to come, yet Omnis expectatio non ampliùs, quàm ducentorum videtur annorum *Ib. Cap. 25., in this they ſeemed all to conſent that they would not exceed two hundred years. But St. Ambroſe lived to confute theſe conjectures; and ſaith that according to his reckoning this period of ſix thouſand years was out in his days. And ſhould we follow the Computation of the Hebrews, perhaps we ſhould not come nearer to the mark if we ſtill depended on ſuch expectations: but after theſe ſix thouſand years are indeed expired, there may be a great number for any thing we know ſtill to come before the end of all things. Which notwithſtanding ſhould be no diſcouragement to us, as long as it is ſure and certain He will come: the time being ſet, and He who hath prefixed it being ſo qualified, that no doubt He will ſhow our Saviour in all his Glory, foreign *Theophylact. and Oecumenius., in the moſt convenient and peculiar ſeaſon, which is ſet apart and deſtin'd for it. For as there was a fulneſs of time (iv. Gal. 4.) when it was reſolved our Saviour ſhould firſt appear, after they had waited many Ages for him: ſo there is no doubt the like time ſet for his laſt appearing, and the conſummation of all things; though it may be long before it be fulfilled. He who ſo faithfully performed His promiſe of the one, will never fail us in the other; becauſe He remains the ſame Almighty and Unchangeable Lord and Governour of all things; whoſe will none can reſiſt, and whoſe purpoſe none can fruſtrate or divert, but it ſhall certainly foreign, (as St. Chryſoſtome expounds it) in due ſeaſon take effect.
And that is the chief thing I intend here to note; the deſcription of the Perſon, who will exhibit and ſhew Chriſt Jeſus again to the World in the moſt magnificent Glory; viz. God the Father Almighty. Six of whoſe Attributes or Properties are here mentioned by the Apoſtle to confirm this Faith in Timothy, and to work it in us; that He will not fail in his times to bring our Saviour again out of his holy place, and make Him appear in ſuch a manner as they preached.
The grounds of their preaching it was that (firſt of all) our Saviour had made them a ſolemn promiſe before He left them, that He would return and take them up to the ſame place whither He was going, xiv. Joh. 2, 3. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto my ſelf, that where I am there you may be alſo. And (2.) the Holy Angels likewiſe had added their Teſtimony ſince He went to Heaven, to the truth of this promiſe. For as they were looking after Him when they ſaw Him aſcend, two of them ſtood by them and ſaid, This ſame Jeſus which you ſaw taken up into Heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner as ye have ſeen him going into Heaven, i. Act. 11. And (3.) after this the Holy Ghoſt came, which was the fulfilling of a promiſe ſomething like to this, xvi. Joh. 16. A little while and ye ſhall ſee me, and again a little while and ye ſhall not ſee me, becauſe I go to my Father. This was the Deputy of our Saviour (as Tertullian ſpeaks) and the teſtimony of his Preſence; by whom he viſited them, and came again to ſee them (v. 22.) according to his word: And the other promiſes they concluded would be as certainly made good as this was. But (laſtly) St. Paul had a greater reaſon ſtill to preach this, becauſe he had received an expreſs warrant and command from our Lord Chriſt himſelf, ſince He went to the Throne of his Glory, to declare that He would come again in all that pomp and royal Majeſty which the Apoſtle deſcribes in 1 Theſſ. iv. 16, 17. For what he there delivers about this matter, He aſſures the Theſſalonians was foreign, by the word of the Lord. Other things (as Theophylact notes) he ſpake by the Holy Ghoſt, but this he learnt from Chriſt Himſelf, and heard from his own mouth. Either when our Lord firſt appeared to him and gave him a Commiſſion to preach what he had ſeen; or at ſome other time when He further appeared unto him, (xxvi. Act. 16, 17, &c.) or elſe, as Oecumenius *foreign, &c.conjectures, when he was caught up into the third Heavens, and into Paradiſe; where he heard many things which he was not permitted, or could not utter; though thus far he was able to inform us, that the glory wherein our Lord reigned would one day be viſibly revealed.
Now ſee upon what ſolid reaſons and ſure foundations the Apoſtle perſwades Timothy to believe that God the Father will perform this promiſe of our Lord and Saviour; whom it is apparent He ſent, and hath therefore highly exalted, becauſe he never ſaid nor did any thing but what He commanded Him.
I. Firſt, He tells him that there will no doubt be ſuch a glorious appearing of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe He who will ſhew him in his ſplendor is foreign, The BLESSED One. As much as to ſay, ſo full a Good, that He wants nothing at all to compleat and perfect his Happineſs. And therefore (1.) cannot be tempted out of any envy (with which none but penurious beings are capable to be infected) to deny us this exceeding great favour. But rather (2.) will be moved by his plenitude and his bountiful nature to communicate it to us, according to our Saviours promiſe. Eſpecially (3.) ſince He hath already advanced him to the higheſt bliſs and happineſs; and can ſo eaſily without any damage to himſelf, make all others bleſſed, who are faithful to him. And (4.) is unchangeable alſo (which Theodoret *foreign, &c.thinks is included in this word) both in his nature and in his purpoſe; becauſe being moſt bleſſed in himſelf, He cannot alter for any thing that is better.
They that have but a little may be loth to give; and they who have any defect may be unwilling that any ſhould approach too nigh their Greatneſs: For wanting ſomething themſelves they may be beſt pleaſed when they ſee that others do ſo too; and they may find that convenience in breaking, which they could not have done in keeping their word. But He that wants nothing, nor is lyable to any diminution of what he hath (being in full perfect poſſeſſion of all happineſs, pleaſure and bliſs) can never be unwilling to impart good things to others; nor deſirous they ſhould be leſs happy, than their natures are capable to be; nor tempted to go back with his word, when he hath engaged himſelf to do them good. No, rather quite contrary; He takes a pleaſure in filling others out of his exuberant goodneſs, and cannot be inclined to be more forward to make very gracious Promiſes than he is to make them good to thoſe who patiently expect the performance.
Thus we cannot but believe when we reflect upon his Bleſſedneſs. Eſpecially when we conſider withal that he is foreign, (which is the ſecond thing.)
II. The only POTENTATE. This ſignifies His abſolute Power, as the other did his good-will, to make ſuch a publick ſhow of Jeſus Chriſt, attended with the pomp of all the Heavenly Hoſt, to judg the World. Which power of his, is denoted by that word [only] to be independent, originally inherent in himſelf, and not derived from any other: for which cauſe there can be no defect in it, nor can it ever grow leſs than it is.
There are ſeveral other Potentates, it's true, both in Heaven and in Earth; but whatſoever power, might, or authority there is in them, it is derived intirely from him, as the ſource and fountain of it. They have nothing but what ſprings out of him, and holds of him; who the Apoſtle therefore pronounces hath the Empire or ſupream Authority over the World alone to himſelf; becauſe whatſoever others have, it is not natural but arbitrary and at pleaſure; his eſſential and of himſelf. It hath no higher cauſe, and therefore is inſeparable from him; and can never be either wholly deſtroyed, or in the leaſt impair'd and weakned. No, He continues always as He ever was, the Rock of our ſtrength, and of our Salvation: (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, lxij. Pſal.) on whom our Souls may build a moſt ſure hope; which ſtands on ſuch a bottom as no power whatſoever can ſhake. For He being ſo very great, ſo abſolute a Potentate, there wants nothing but his own will to the effecting any thing (even ſo great a thing as this, the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt), and of that we are ſecured by the foregoing conſideration, that He is the BLESSED.
III. To which the Apoſtle further adds that He is KING of KINGS, and LORD of LORDS; whereby we are to underſtand the Dominion, which by His ſupream Power and Authority He exerciſes over the whole World, over Angels of higheſt degree, and Men of greateſt rank, as well as over other inferior Creatures. They are all ſo much below him, and ſo perfectly ſubject to his pleaſure, that the ſtrongeſt and moſt mighty oppoſers that can be imagined, have no power to do any thing to hinder this glorious appearance. A force like that of the Perſian, Aſſyrian, and Egyptian Kings, (who were all wont to ſpeak in this lofty ſtile) is not ſo conſiderable to him as ſo many flyes would be to them: No, nor if we ſhould ſuppoſe a power that could claim a juſt title to the Government of the Univerſe; would it be able to withſtand the will of Him to whom alone this great Name of KING of KINGS doth properly appertain. Nay more than this, ſhould all the Hoſts of Heaven combine together in a confederacy to join with all the forces on Earth, aſſembled in one body under their ſeveral Princes and Chieftains, they could not by all their reſiſtance defeat his Decree which he hath paſſed for the Coming of our Lord.
And yet we are not to make any ſuch ſuppoſal, becauſe they all obey his Commandment, and are obedient to the voice of his Word. And as for thoſe Creatures (be they never ſuch Principalities and Powers in high places, vi. Epheſ. 12.) which will not now obey Him, they ſhall not be able at that time to gain-ſay his Soveraign will: But they ſhall attend, whether they will or no, upon this Royal Perſon, Chriſt Jeſus. The good Angels, thoſe Coeleſtial Lords, (whether Thrones or Dominions, or whatever other name of authority there is above) and all inferior Governours, the Gods upon Earth, (Emperours, Kings, Princes, and Judges of the World) together with thoſe evil Angels who are called the Rulers of the darkneſs of this World; they ſhall all appear either with or before our Saviour; according as the GREAT KING ſhall appoint, who hath promiſed to ſhow him; for He is the ſupream Lord and Ruler of them all.
IV. And ſuch a ſupereminent King (as the Apoſtle goes on) is He who ONLY HATH IMMORTALITY: that is, lives for ever to make good what he hath promiſed, which cannot be ſaid of any but of himſelf. Earthly Kings are as weak and mortal as their ſubjects: And ſo all their promiſes (though they intend never ſo ſeriouſly to perform them, and have power for the preſent to do it) may fail and come to nought, becauſe they themſelves may fail and return unto their duſt. And in that very day, ſaith the Pſal. cxlvi. 4. their thoughts periſh; that is, all their deſigns, counſels and purpoſes, with all the promiſes and great hopes that depend upon them, die together with thoſe that made them. But that Great King, the Lord of Lords, who hath immortality, and who only hath it; that is, of Himſelf, and not from any ones gift and favour (being the Lord as I ſaid of Angels as well as of our ſpirits, which foreign, &c. have not Immortality, but partake of it, by the grace of Him who alone by nature is immortal *Theophylact and Oecumenius.) He I ſay may be confided in and relyed upon: Becauſe, He neither wanting power, nor being ſubject to death or alteration, none of his counſels and purpoſes can be defeated. No promiſe of His can fall to the ground in proceſs of time; becauſe He lives then in all ſucceeding Ages, as much as He did at that moment when He paſſed it.
And beſides this, it is very conſiderable, that having immortality of Himſelf, (which the Apoſtle means as I noted juſt now, when he ſaith He only hath it) He can grant this benefit to us, even to our Bodies, as he hath done to the Angels, and to our bleſſed Lord and Saviour. Who ſaith concerning himſelf, i. Rev. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead, (i.e. am alive from the dead) and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; (i.e. there is nothing more certain) and have the keys of hell and of death. Power, that is, to open the graves of others, and promote them to Immortality with my ſelf.
And there is no reaſon to fear leſt our Saviour ſhould not come and appear to do this; though it may be a great way off, and many Centuries of years have paſſed ſince He gave us his word for it: Becauſe God the Father Almighty, the bleſſed and only Potentate, who authorized Him to make this promiſe, and hath ſince that raiſed him from the dead, is immortal, and hath an indefectible life in himſelf, of his own nature. His will, as I have ſaid, doth not alter, and his power cannot be impaired, or ſuffer any decay; and therefore He can and will continue and perpetuate the Kingdom He hath given to our bleſſed Mediator Chriſt Jeſus; and keep him in full power and authority till that great day: And when the fulneſs of time is come, bring Him again upon the ſtage of the World (if I may ſo ſpeak) and ſhew Him openly as the great Lord of all; whom He hath honoured already with his own high title of KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS, xix. Revel. 16. All this is as eaſie for Him to do, as it was at firſt to raiſe him out of his grave, and then advance him to the Throne of his Glory; where he now ſits at the right hand of the Majeſty on high.
And there is the greater reaſon to believe that He will both perpetuate the Kingdom of Chriſt to the worlds end, and conclude it with the glorious exaltation of all his ſubjects, when he ſhall appear again; (it being no more difficult than it was to carry him to heaven) becauſe as the Apoſtle further notes:
V. HE DWELLS IN LIGHT INACCESSIBLE; which no man, that is, can enter into, or approach. This ſignifies the inconceivable brightneſs of the Divine Majeſty; both as to His Eſſence which cannot by us be comprehended; and as to the place where He more eminently manifeſts Himſelf in an amazing ſplendor. He is the Great King who lives above in the higheſt Heavens, as in His Palace; where he repreſents Himſelf in a Glory ſo ſhining and dazeling (called in Scripture his Majeſty) that it is not for ſuch as we (till there be a marvellous change wrought in us) to come nigh it.
Nor is it ſo beſeeming that He ſhould deſcend Himſelf from thence in that moſt Glorious MAJESTY to judg the World, and to transform all thoſe who ſhall be accounted worthy to obtain that better world, and the reſurrection from the dead. And therefore we may be confident our Bleſſed Saviour, who long ago was ordained to be the perſon, will, according to his word, come as His Commiſſioner to do it in his ſtead. It is not ſo agreeable to His ſtate and greatneſs (if I may ſo expreſs it) to come Himſelf out of His Orb of Light to fetch us to his houſe and dwelling-place: But ſince He hath appointed a day of recompences, we may be ſure He will ſend his Son in the glory of the Father, as he tells us, ix. Luk. 26. (that is, in a Majeſty like that I now ſpake of) and in the glory of his holy Angels, (who uſe to attend him) to meet us and conduct us ſafely thither.
Or we may conceive of this expreſſion, after this manner: GOD (the Father, that is, the Son and the Holy Ghoſt) is in that high and holy place, the Sanctuary above; into which no man hath yet entred, ſave only the great High-Prieſt of our Salvation, the Lord Jeſus. And yet GOD hath made us a promiſe by him, before He went to heaven, that we alſo ſhall live with Him, and be there where He is. From whence we may conclude, that this great High-Prieſt will certainly come in his Royal Majeſty, out of that place into which He is gone; to bleſs us, by bringing us to that region of Light and Glory, which He himſelf only as yet inherits; and which is not any way acceſſible, but only by his means. In whoſe power, we may be ſatisfied, it is to promote us thither, being in ſuch favour with the Divine Majeſty, and ſitting at His right hand: who inhabits, or poſſeſſes this glorious place, as His own proper Dwelling, and therefore can diſpoſe of a Manſion in it, to whom He pleaſes.
VI. And indeed the Apoſtle bids us remember, (which is the laſt thing) that no man hath SEEN GOD, nor CAN SEE HIM; is capable, that is, to be in his glorious preſence. Which ſignifies partly the ſame with the former; and alſo may ſuggeſt among other things the faithfulneſs of Him, who hath promiſed to ſhow us this Appearing of Chriſt Jeſus; of GOD, that is, the Father Almighty. Who we ſee here plainly is the perſon of whom the Apoſtle hath, all this time, been ſpeaking (as St. Ambroſe and St. Chryſoſtome alſo, if his gloſs be well weighed, underſtand him) not of our Saviour: who hath been ſeen already and ſhall be ſeen again at his ſecond appearing. And you know, He hath promiſed to the pure in heart that they ſhall SEE GOD, v. Mat. 8. A favour which in this ſtate no man hath enjoyed or can enjoy, as St. Paul here tells us. It is not for ſuch as we to ſee God; and therefore there muſt be a time, when, according to his faithful promiſe, Chriſt Jeſus ſhall appear again; to change us, and put us in ſuch a condition, that He may bring us to that ſight of Him, which no man in this World can have.
Either we muſt remain for ever without the ſight of Him; (and then God would not be true, who hath ſaid by His Son that we ſhall ſee him) or we muſt be carried up from hence unto His heavenly Palace; and then our Lord muſt appear to fit us for it, and make us capable of ſuch a bleſſedneſs, and to tranſport us thither.
For how we ſhould otherways be conveyed to a place ſo much above us, but by the coming of our Lord, to lift us up, and promote us to it, we cannot underſtand: Since this is the way that He hath deſcribed; and our Lord Jeſus is to have the honour of doing all the good to his faithful ſervants, which GOD in his infinite goodneſs deſigns to beſtow upon them.
This I take to be intimated in theſe words [Whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee] which declare ſtill more fully than was ſaid before, the ſuper-eminent excellence and perfection of the Divine Nature, and the aſtoniſhing brightneſs of his Majeſty. Which, whilſt we are here, we cannot reach, or attain any conſiderable ſight of; and therefore Chriſt Jeſus, who hath promiſed we ſhall ſee Him, will appear again to fit us for converſation with Him.
And indeed, ſince God hath already fulfilled his promiſe of the firſt appearance of His Son; and ſent Him, born of a Woman, to bring the glad tydings of Salvation to us (by which he did, in one ſenſe, make us ſee God; that is, underſtand His Mind, Counſels and Will, i. Joh. 18.): and ſince another promiſe likewiſe of his coming to deſtroy his Crucifiers (when every eye, he ſaith, ſhould ſee him, i. Rev. 8. that is, his power and glory at Gods right hand, ſhould be abundantly thereby manifeſted to the world) is punctually and exactly made good: What reaſon have we to doubt of the certainty of his other appearing, which is ſtill behind; when we ſhall behold him perſonally preſent with us, to bring us nearer into the very preſence of God?
We have the ſame word paſſed for it, which they had for the other: he hath the ſame Will, the ſame Power, the ſame Empire and Soveraign Dominion; And therefore why ſhould we not have the ſame confidence, and expect it with as much and full aſſurance, as Holy men in old times waited for the firſt Conſolation of Iſrael, or pious Chriſtians waited for deliverance from their Adverſaries?
There is ſo little cauſe that our Faith ſhould think it ſelf leſs aſſured than theirs, that we may rather look for this ſecond appearing of our Lord and Saviour, with much greater confidence than they could do for the firſt: Becauſe we have the advantage of ſeeing all thoſe old Prophecies which foretold his Manifeſtation in our fleſh, actually fulfilled; and the Lord hath ſhown ſince that, how upright He is, and that there is no unrighteouſneſs in Him. We may depend not only (as the Apoſtle hath here told us) upon His Goodneſs and perfect Happineſs, upon his Power, upon his abſolute Dominion over all Creatures whatſoever, upon his Immortality, upon his tranſcendent Glory and Majeſty, and upon his Faithfulneſs and Truth: but I may add, upon the evident Demonſtrations he hath already given in the moſt remarkable inſtances, that His Mercies are ſure; and that he keepeth Truth for ever, xiii. Acts 34. cxlvi. Pſal. 6.
For this Bleſſed and only Potentate, this King of kings, and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen or can ſee, hath done great things for us already, whereof we are glad. He hath ſent his Son after good men had long expected Him; He ſent Him to do for them more than they expected (1 Cor. ij. 9.); He raiſed him up out of his Grave, and made him Lord of all; He hath given him power to raiſe up us to eternal life (as appears by the gift of the Holy Ghoſt, which wrought in his Apoſtles, and enabled them to raiſe the dead, and do many other wonders); His Judgments alſo have already been made manifeſt; Revel. vi. 10. xi. 15. xv. 4.He hath in part avenged the blood of his ſervants, and the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. And therefore we may with a ſtedfaſt Faith look for another appearing of our Saviour, when he will come in perſon to exerciſe this power himſelf (wherewith we ſee he is inveſted) ſo far, as to change our vile body, that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious body (which then he will ſhow to the world) according to the working whereby he is able even to ſubdue all things unto himſelf, iii. Phil. 20, 21.