The Absolute Necessity of Spiritual Husbandry, Discourse 1 · Application 1
USE of Examination. Examine your ſelves under what Notion Chriſt will be Revealed, and come to you at laſt. Whether he will appear as your Friend, or as your Enemy; To your joy or ſorrow: As a loving Bridegroom to receive you to himſelf, John 14.3. Or as an incenſed Judge to Sentence and Caſt you from himſelf, ſaying, Go ye curſed into everlaſting fire, Matt. 25.41.
Will Chriſt come to give you any thing? Will he beſtow a Crown of Righteouſneſs? 2 Tim. 4.18. A Crown of Life, Rev. 2.10. Will he call you to inherit an everlaſting Kingdom? Matt. 25.34. Or will Chriſt come upon you as a Thief in the Night, to impoveriſh, ſpoil, deprive you of all the good things you now poſſeſs and enjoy? Will not your Ciſterns then be broken, your Candles and Lamps be put out? Will not your whole Paradiſe of ſenſual and ſinful delights be lighted and blaſted? Will not Creatures be withdrawn from you, and God himſelf alſo depart? The floor and the Wine-preſs ſhall not feed you, and God himſelf will leave and forſake you, Hoſ. 9.2, 12. Will you not at once be turned out of your Stewardſhip, and alſo be cut off from all hope of the heavenly Inheritance? Will not Chriſt's coming be your utter undoing? Will you not ſuſtain a damage and loſs never to be repaired? For your wooing and buying time will be over; the Spiritual Market will be at an end. Will it not be ſad, when others are rich Heirs, for you to be poor Bankrupts, emptied and ſtript of all valuable and deſirable good for ever? Inquire therefore ſeriouſly and diligently, how it ſtands with you, in relation to Chriſt's coming. Is Jeſus Chriſt Revealed in you, and to you; and is his new Nature formed in you? It is not Fleſh and Blood, but our Father that is in heaven, that muſt reveal Christ to us, Matt. 16.17. he that hath heard, and learned of the Father, comes to the Son. Hath the ſpirit ever glorified Chriſt in your eyes? Is he moſt precious to you? If Chriſt be not Revealed to you while you are on Earth, he cannot be Revealed from Heaven, to your joy and comfort. Have you an underſtanding to know the worth, excellency, and preciouſneſs of Chriſt, ſo that you give your ſelves to him, and are in him? If Chriſt do dwell in your hearts below, you may be aſſured that you ſhall dwell in his Houſe above. Are you related to Chriſt? Are you really his? Gal. 5.24. They that are Chriſts have crucified the fleſh. They that are Chriſts ſhall be made alive at his coming, 1 Cor. 15.23. Is the Match made up between Chriſt and you, by a mutual Spiritual kiſs? Doth Chriſt kiſs you, expreſſing his ſervent love towards you, and ſpeaking powerfully and effectually to you the Doctrine of Grace, the Word of Reconciliation? The Goſpel of Salvation is your own Intereſt in Chriſt's precious Promiſes, ſealed and delivered to you.
2. Do you kiſs Chriſt the Son of God? Pſ. 2.12. Cant. 8.1. When Iſhould find thee without I would kiſs thee. And Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, are ſaid to ſalute, kiſs, or embrace the Promiſes, foreign. Where the mouth of Faith doth meet, with the mouth of Chriſt ſpeaking the Word of Life, and the promiſes of Spiritual Benefits, is perſwaded of them, doth embrace them; then the Soul kiſſes Chriſt. There is alſo a kiſs of Homage, as Samuel kiſſed Saul, acknowledging him as the Lord's Anointed. When we receive the Law from Chriſt's mouth, and profeſs our ſubjection to his Scepter, and obedience to his Laws, then we kiſs Chriſt. 3. Are you willing that Chriſt ſhould come? Do you deſire, long for, and love Chriſt's appearing? The Church ſaith, Make haſte my beloved, Cant. 8.14. When Chriſt ſaid, I come quickly, ſhe adds her Amen; Even ſo come Lord Jeſus, Rev. 22.20. Chriſtians are ſaid not only to look for, but to haſten the coming of the day of God, 2 Pet. 3.12. foreign: that is, by their wiſhings, longings, earneſt deſires. Do you fervently love the appearing of Chriſt, as that which will be exceeding honorable to him, comfortable and beneficial to you? Do you love Chriſt's appearing, as that which will be exceeding glorious to him? For by his voice he ſhall quicken, raiſe, call forth all that are in their Graves, John 5.28. That Chriſt knows all that ever lived, can diſtinguiſh their duſt from the duſt of one another, and from the duſt of the Earth: That he knows all their thoughts, words and actions, remembers them, and will call them to an account for them, 1 Pet. 4.5. Then Chriſt will ſit on the Throne of his glory, and all Nations ſhall be gathered before him, to be judged by by him. This is the perfection of Chriſt's Kingdom, and his higheſt act of Royalty, to ſentence all Men to their eternal ſtate: It is ſaid he ſhall judge the quick and dead at his Appearing and Kingdom. Now is his Kingdom moſt highly magnified and exalted, when the quick and dead muſt be Judged by him.
2. This appearing of Chriſt will be moſt comfortable to his People; he will come to beſtow Crowns, to give Rewards, to divide eternal Portions and Inheritances to them. he comes with the Keys of Hell and Death in his Hand: He hath the Key of Hell to ſhut it, that the Souls of his People may not enter in, elſe the mouth of the bottomleſs Pit, and of the roaring Lion, would gape for them, and ſwallow them up. And Chriſt hath the Key of Death to open the Graves, that the Bodies of Saints may come forth. May not Chriſtians well love the appearing of Chriſt, who hath delivered them from the wrath to come, and as a Captain of Salvation will lead them to glory? Do you long for Chriſt's coming, as that which will be a Harveſt-day, a Marriage-day, and a day of full Redemption? Or are you averſe from Chriſt's coming? Do you not loath and dread the thoughts of it? Is not Chriſt's coming full ſore againſt your Will? There is a vaſt difference between theſe two expreſſions; the breaking up the Houſe, and the opening of the door to Jeſus Chriſt, Luke 12.36. The Houſe of a carnal unbelieving Man is broken through; Chriſt breaks in upon him irreſiſtibly, unavoidably: a force is put upon Sinners. If they could Fetter Chriſt's feet, obſtruct his way, clog and ſtop his Chariot-wheels, Chriſt ſhould never come or be Revealed; but Saints that hang their hopes, and put all their happineſs in Chriſt's Appearing, do readily open the door, and joyfully will come and entertain Chriſt. Do you look for his coming, as a beloved Bridegroom, as a deſired Gueſt? Or do you not mind, or deſire Chriſt's coming, but will be as much ſurprized by it, and aſtoniſhed at it, as at the coming of a Thief, that was not thought of at all?
4. Do you prepare, and make ready for Chriſt's coming? Is all your Week day of life nothing but a preparation for the eternal Sabbath? Are your Loines girded, that you may do the Work of your heavenly Calling? Are your Lamps burning, that you may do your Work skilfully and diligently? Perſevere in it continually. It is ſaid of the good Woman, that her Candle goeth not out by night, Prov. 31.18. Do your Candles continue burning through this dark night of Time? Others have put out their light, and given themſelves up to ſloth and ſleep. It is a great thing to watch, and keep our Garments on and about us, Rev. 16.15. Bleſſed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his Garments. Chriſt may ſuddenly come, and ſurprize Sinners, that they may not have time to put on Spiritual Garments to put on Chriſt, Rom. 13.14. and the new man, Epheſ. 4.24. We are too apt to put off our Coat, Cant. 5.3. to lay aſide a gracious, ſpiritual holy, and heavenly frame, and to give way to ſloth, ſleep, and carnal ſecurity. This Spiritual Garment is ſoon put off, but it is hardly recovered. I have put off my Coat, and how ſhall I put it on? It is highly commendable to have our Lamps burning, when the Candles of others are put out; and it is a Night of groſs and thick darkneſs with them. It is to the Honour of Chriſt the Bridegroom to be expected, waited for, and to be lighted to his Fathers Houſe, with bright and burning Lamps, with Graces active, and in a moſt vigorous and lively Exerciſe. Is this NightLight of Time, as a Paſſoever Night to you? Are your Loins girded? Are your Shoes on your Feet? The Feet of the Church are ſaid to be beautiful with Shoes; ſhe was fit to Journy, to Travel. Are you waiting for God's Call out of the Egypt of this World? Are you fitted, and ready to Travel hence into the Heavenly Canaan? Chriſt ſaith, Come with me my Spouſe, with me from Lebanon: Are you willing and ready to follow Jeſus Chriſt? Are you like Servants, that look for the return of their Lord from the Wedding Feaſt, to have you a way as Gueſts to his Table in his heavenly Kingdom? Luke 22.29, 30. There is much in theſe words, And be you like ſuch as look for the return of your Lord, Luke 12.36. The watchfulneſs, diligence, the conſtant labour, activity and zeal of ſome Chriſtians, doth evidence to themſelves, and demonſtrate to others, that they look for the coming of Chriſt: That they prepare, make ready, ſet all things in order, for their receiving and entertaining of the Lord Jeſus. Their great care and endeavour is, that they may not be found ſleeping and undreſſed; that they may not walk naked, and their ſhame be ſeen for ever, Prov. 16.15. It will be the greateſt reproach, to have had a long time to adorn the Soul allowed to Men, and yet to neglect and trifle it away, and their Souls to be found dead without the life of God, and to be found naked without the Image and Righteouſneſs of God. Do you trim your Lamps, dreſs your Souls, and finiſh the Work which God hath given you to do, and that Chriſt hath appointed you, that you may open to Chriſt immediately, without put offs, or delays, or excuſes, as thoſe that are not ſurprized or unready, as thoſe that would ſtay here no longer, that would have Time end, and Eternity begin? As thoſe that would have ſhadows fly away, and the everlaſting day to dawn? Theſe are great words, that Chriſt will knock for a full entrance into us, and a total poſſeſſion of us; and we muſt open immediately as thoſe that are ready to let Chriſt in, and to go away preſently with him: But are you not rather minding earthly things, ſcattering your ways and affections to unlawful Beloyeds? Do not your thoughts creep on the ground, and your Hearts dwell below? Would you not ſtay in a Natural Body? Would you not continue in, and be contented with a Stewardſhip? Would you not dwell on Earth? Do you not eagerly drive the Chariot of your Trade? Do you not indulge your Carnal Affections, and give the Reins to your Senſual Appetites? So that there is no evidence that you look for Chriſt's Appearing; for you are not like thoſe that wait for the return of Chriſt from Heaven.
3. With what Attendance Jeſus Chriſt will come from Heaven? What Retinue will accompany him? He will be Revealed with his mighty Angels. How much doth the firſt and ſecond coming of Chriſt differ? He came firſt attended with weak Fiſhermen, but now he is ſurrounded and compaſſed with mighty Angels to wait on him. Two things are here obſervable, 1. That the Angels are called Chriſt's Angels. 2. That they are Stiled mighty Angels. 1. The Angels are ſaid to be the Angels of the Lord Jeſus. This is an high Honour to Chriſt, that all the Angels of Heaven are his Angels; He is Captain of God's Militia, and General of all the Hoſts of Heaven. They are Miniſters to attend on him, and his; and Hoſts to fight againſt his, and his Churches enemies. And well they may be called his Angels, for he made them; they were created by him, Col. 1.16, 17. and for him; and by him they do ſubſiſt, and have their Being upheld and continued to them, elſe they would ceaſe to be, and return to nothing. 2. God therefore called the Angels to worſhip his Son made Fleſh, come into the World in our Nature. When he brought the firſt begotten into the World, he ſaith, Let all the Angels of God worſhip him, Heb. 1.6. It may be inquired whether they do not owe the Son of God adoration, on the account of their being graciouſly ſupported, and preſerved in their Integrity. The two Cherubims that figured the Angels, were made out of the Mercy-Seat, as well as ſtood upon it, Exod. 25.18, 19. There are Elect Angels, 1 Tim. 5.21. as well as Elect Men. Herein did the various and manifold Wiſdom of God ſhine, Epheſ. 3.10. in keeping Elect Angels ſtanding, and in raiſing up Elect Men when they are fallen. 3. The Angels Miniſtred to Chriſt, and probably brought him Food, after the Devil had tempted him, taking occaſion from his hunger. And an Angel came from Heaven, and ſtrengthned Chriſt in his Agony, Luke 22.43. 4. Jeſus Chriſt is the Ladder, that joins Earth and Heaven together, and it is on this Ladder the Angels of God aſcend, and deſcend, John 1.51. All Correſpondence, all Commerce, and Communion, between the upper and lower World, is carried on by this Ladder. The Angels deſcend to ſerve the Members of Chriſt, and then aſcend to give an Account of the faithful diſcharge of their Office and Truſt.
2. Theſe Angels are called mighty Angels. And it is a great and mighty Work they are to undertake and execute; there is a multitude of Malefactors to be Arreſted; there are great and mighty Enemies to be Apprehended; there is a great and mighty Harveſt to be cut down, to be reaped, and ſeparated from the Field of the Church: There are Goats to be ſeparated from the Sheep, and bad Fiſh to be taken out from among the good. The Angels ſhall come forth to honour Chriſt, Heaven ſhall be emptied of Angels and Saints, to wait on Chriſt. The Angels, when they come forth, ſhall ſever the Wicked from among the Juſt; the Harveſt is the end of the World, the Wicked are the Tares, and the Reapers are the Angels, Matt. 13.38, 39. Sinful Men and Women are as weak and feeble Tares, they cannot ſtand againſt, or before the Hook of theſe mighty Reapers, they ſhall be eaſily cut, they ſhall quickly fall before a ſharp hook managed by ſuch mighty Arms. The far greateſt part of the World will be found Tares, therefore there needs many mighty Reapers to cut down ſo vaſt a Harveſt; and skill will be requiſite to diſcern and diſtinguiſh ſome of the Tares, ſome cloſe and refined Hipocrites, from the good Corn. 2. They are to bind the Tares faſt in bundles, Matt. 13.30. that they ſhall none of them eſcape. He that had not a Wedding Garment was to be bound hand and foot, Matt. 22.13. His hands were to be bound, that he ſhould not fight or reſiſt; his feet were bound, that he ſhould not fly or run away. 3. Theſe Angels are as mighty Sergeants, to preſent Malefactors to the Judge. As for thoſe mine enemies (ſaith Chriſt) which would not that I ſhould reign over them, bring them before me, Luke 19.27. The Angels are to execute this Order, and fulfil this Command: They are to preſent Criminals at the Bar of the Judge. 4. When Chriſt doth Sentence and Condemn wicked Men, the Angels are ready to execute the Sentence; They gather thoſe that offend and commit iniquity; they pluck out the had Fiſh, and caſt them into a Furnace of unquenchable fire, Matt. 13 40, 50. Chriſt ſaith of his enemies, Let them be ſlain in my preſence, Luke 14.27. Theſe condemned Malefactors may be ſaid to be ſlain by the Angels, when they caſt them into the Furnace; for then all this ſweet, pleaſant, and deſireable Life and Being, is conſumed and gone, thoſe are no better than woful, ſtinking Carkaſſes, that muſt be Food to the Worm that never dies, and fuel to the Fire that never goes out, Iſ. 66.24. 5. The Angels are to gather the Elect: It is ſaid that Chriſt ſhall ſend forth his Angels with a great ſound of a Trumpet, and ſhall gather his Elect from the four Winds, and from one end of Heaven to the other. Obſerve, 1. That the Elect are called Chriſt's Elect, he chuſes as well as the Father; the Lamb hath his Book of Life, Rev. 13.8. Thoſe that the Father gives him, the Names of thoſe he writes down in his Book. Theſe Chriſt chuſes to redeem, reconcile, and ſatisfie for: With the Salvation of theſe he charges himſelf. Theſe he muſt bring to his Fold, and they ſhall hear his voice, John 10.16. Theſe he muſt keep, and loſe none of them, John 17.1.2. The Angels are to gather theſe, as a Spouſe to Chriſt her Husband, Pſ. 45.14, 15. with joy ſhall ſhe be brought in Raiment of Needlework to the King: The Virgins her Companions ſhall be brought, they ſhall enter into the Kings Palace. When Abraham imploy'd his Servant to fetch a Wife out of Padan Aram for Iſaac his Son, he ſaid the Lord God of Heaven ſhould ſend his Angel before his Servant, and he ſhould take thence a Wife for his Son, Gen. 24.7. As an Angel was imploy'd to proſper the Work and Way of Abraham's Servant, and to bring a Wife to Iſaac: ſo the Angels of God ſhall bring, and preſent Chriſt's Wife to him; they ſhall know who are the Elect, find them out, and diſtinguiſh them from others. 2. They ſhall gather the Elect as Members to their Head, as Loyal Subjects to their King, 2 Theſ. 2.1. The Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks of the coming of the Lord Jeſus as a moſt deſirable thing, and the gathering of the Elect to him as a moſt ſweet, and comfortable thing; and the Angels ſhall do this Work to gather Saints to Chriſt.