SERM. XLI. largement in another. For it is with the church, as it is with the fea; what it lofes in one place, it gets in another; and fo really lofes nothing. He may fuffer them alfo to diftrefs us in outwards, but that fhall be recompenfed with inward and better mercies; and fo we fhall lofe nothing by that. A footstool you know is useful to him that treads on it, and ferves to lift him up higher; fo fhall Chrift's enemies be to him, and his; albeit they think not fo. What fingular benefits the oppofitions of his enemies, occasion to his people; I have || elsewere discovered, to which I refer my reader; and pass to

Infer. 3 Is Chrift fet down on the right-hand of the Majefty in heaven? O with what awful reverence foould we approach. him in the duties of his worship! Away with light, and low thoughts of Chrift. Away with formal, irreverent, and carelefs frames in praying, hearing, receiving, yea, in conferring and speaking of Chrift. Away with all deadness, and drowsiness in duties; for he is a great King with whom you have to do. A King, to whom the kings of the earth, are but as little bits of clay. Lo the angels cover their faces in his prefence. He is an adorable Majesty.

When John had a vifion of this enthroned king, about fixty years after his afcenfion; fuch was the over-powering glory of Chrift, as the fun when it shineth in its strength; that when he faw him, he fell at his feet as dead, and died it is like he had, if Chrift had not laid his hand on him, and faid, "Fear not, I am "the first and the laft; I am he that liveth, and was dead, " and behold I am alive for evermore," Rev. i. 17, 18. When he appeared to Saul in the way to Damafcus, it was in glory above the glory of the fun, which over-powered him also, and laid him as one dead upon the ground.

But no

O that you did but know, what a glorious Lord you worfhip, and ferve. Who makes the very place of his feet glorious, wherever he comes. Surely He is greatly to be feared in the affembly of his faints, and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him. There is indeed a mappno boldness or free liberty of speech allowed to the faints, Eph. iii. 12. rudeness or irreverance. We may indeed come, as the children of a king come to the father, who is both their awful fovereign, and tender father; which double relation caufes a due mixture of love, and reverence in their hearts, when they come before him. You may be free, but not rude, in his prefence. Though he be your Father, brother, friend; yet the distance betwixt him and you is infinite.

A Saint indeed.

4

Inference 4. If Chrift be fo gloriofly advanced in the highest throne, then none need to reckon themfelves difbonoured, by fuffering the vileft things for his fake †. The very chains and fufferings of Chrift have a glory in them. Hence Mofes "e❝fteemed the very reproaches of Christ greater riches than the "treafures of Egypt," Heb. xi. 26. He faw an excellency in the very worst things of Chrift, his reproaches, and fufferings, as made him leap out of his honours, and riches into them. He did not (as one faith) only endure the reproaches of Christ, but counted them treafures. To be reckoned among his honours and things of value. So Thuanus reports of Ludovicus Marfa❤ cus, a noble knight of France, when he was led with other martyrs, that were bound with cords, to execution; and he for his dignity was not bound, he cried, give me my chain too, let me be a knight of the fame order ‡. Difgrace itfelf is honourable, when it is endured for the Lord of Glory. And furely there is (as one phraseth it) a little paradife, a young heaven, in fufferings for Christ. If there were nothing elfe in it, but that they are endured on his account, it would richly reward all we can endure for him; but if we confider how exceeding kind Chrift is to them, that count it their glory to be abafed for him; that though he be always kind to his people, (yet if we may fo fpeak) he overcometh himfelf in kindness, when they fuffer for him; it would make men in love with his reproaches. Infer. 5. If Chrift fat not down to reft in heaven, till he had finished his work on earth; then it is in vain for us to think of reft, till we have finished our work, as Chrift alfo did his.

How willing are we to find rest here! To dream of that, which Christ never found in this world, nor any ever found before us. O think not of refting, till you have done working and done finning. Your life and your labours must end together. "Write (faith the fpirit) bleffed are the dead that die in the Lord, "for they reft from their labours," Rev. xiv. 13. Here you must have the fweat, and there the sweet. It is too much to have two heavens. Here you must be content to dwell in the tents of Kedar, hereafter you shall be within the curtains of Solomon. Heaven is the place of which it may be truly faid, that there the weary be at reft. O think not of fitting down on this

* It is no difgrace for us to fuffer what Chrift fuffered, nor is it any glory for you to do what Judas did. Hieronym.

† Dr. Manton on Jam, p. 228.

Gur et non me quoque torque donas? Et infignis hujus ordinis militem creas? Thuan, Hift.

fide heaven. There are four things will keep the faints from fitting down on earth, to reft, viz. grace, corruption, devils and wicked men.

First, Grace will not fuffer you to rest here. Its tendencies are beyond this world. It will be looking and longing for the bleffed hope. A gracious perfon takes himself for a pilgrim, feeking a better country, and is always fufpicious of danger in every place and state. It is ftill beating up the sluggish heart with fuch language as that, Mic. ii. 10. "Arife, depart, this "is not thy reft, for it is polluted." Its further tendencies and continual jealoufies, will keep you from fitting long still in this world.

Secondly, Your corruptions will keep you from reft here. They will continually exercife your fpirits, and keep you upon your watch, Saints have their hands filled with work by their own hearts every day. Sometimes to prevent fin; and fometimes to lament it. And always to watch and fear to mortify and kill it. Sin will not long suffer you to be quiet, Rom. vii. 21, 22, 23, 24. And if a bad heart will not break your rest here,

then

Thirdly, There is a bufy devil will do it. He will find you work enough with his temptations, and suggestions, and except, you can fleep quietly in his arms, as the wicked do, there is no reft to be expected. "Your adversary, the devil, goeth about as "a roaring lion, feeking whom he may devour; whom refift," I Pet. v. 8.

Fourthly, Nor will his fervants and inftruments let you be quiet on this fide heaven. Their very name fpeaks their turbulent difpofition." My foul (faith the holy man) is among lions, and "I lie even among them that are fet on fire, even the fons of men, whose teeth are fpears and arrows," Pfal. lvii. 4. - Well then, be content to enter into your reft, as Christ did into his, He fweat, then fat, and fo muft you.

Wherein CHRIST coming to Judgment, being the fourth and last Degree of his Exaltation, is opened and improved.

Acts x. 42. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

HRIST enthroned in the higheft glory in heaven, is there to abide for the effectual and fuccefsful government, both. of the world, and of the church, until the number given him by the Father, before the world was, and purchafed by the blood of the cross, be gathered in; and then cometh the judgment of the great day, which will perfectly feparate the precious from the vile; put the redeemed in full poffeffion of the purchase of his blood in heaven, and " then shall he deliver 66 up the kingdom to his Father, that God may be all in all." This laft act of Chrift, namely, his judging the world, is a fpecial part of his exaltation and honour, bestowed upon him, "because he is the Son of man," John v. 27. In that day shall his glory, as king, and abfolute Lord, fhine forth as the fun when it shineth in its ftrength. O what an honour will it be to the man Chrift Jefus, who stood arraigned and condemned at Pilate's bar, to fit upon the great white throne, furrounded with thousands, and ten thousands of angels! men and devils waiting upon him to receive their final fentence from his mouth. In this will the glory of Chrift's fovereignty and power, be eminently and illuftriously displayed, before angels and men *. And this is that great truth, which he commanded to be preached and teftified to the people; namely, that it is "he which is "ordained of God, to be the Judge of quick and dead."

Wherein we have four things to be diftinctly confidered, viz. The fubject, object, fountain and truth of the fupreme judiciary authority.

Firft, The fubject of it, Chrift, it is he that is ordained to be judge. Judgment is the act of the whole undivided trinity. The Father and Spirit judge, as well as Chrift, in respect of

To the royal dignity, doth belong that power, or authority, by which Chrift is made the judge of all men and angels. Amef.

Med.

P. 117.

SERM. XLII. authority and confent, but it is the act of Christ, in respect of vifible management and execution, and fo it is his per proprietatem, by propriety, the Father having conferred it upon him, as the Son of man; but not his per appropriationem, so as to exclude either the Father or Spirit from their authority, for they judge by him.

Secondly, The object of Chrift's judiciary authority. The quick and dead, (i: e.) all that at his coming do live, or ever had -lived. This is the Object perfonal. All the men and women that ever fprang from Adam; all the apoftate fpirits that fell from heaven, and are referved in chains to the judgment of this great day. And in this personal object, is included the real object, viz. all the actions, both fecret and open, that ever they did, 2 Cor. v. 5. Rom. ii. 16.

Thirdly, the Fountain of this delegated authority, which is God the Father; for he hath ordained Christ to be the Judge, "He is appointed t," as the Son of man, to this honourable of, fice and work. The word notes, a firm establishment of Chrift in that office by his Father. He is now, by right of redempti, on, Lord and King. He enacts laws for government, then he comes to judge of mens obedience and difobedience to his laws.

Fourthly, And lastly, here is the infallible truth, or unque ftionable certainty of all this. "He gave us commandment to "preac hand teftify it to the people." We had it in charge from his own mouth; and dare not hide it. Hence the point of doctrine is plainly this.

Doct. That our Lord Jefus Chrift is ordained by God the Fa ther, to be the Judge of quick and dead.

This truth ftands upon the firm bafis of fcripture authority, You have it from his own hand, John v. 22. " The Father judg "eth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son," viz. in the fenfe before given. And fo the apoftle, Acts xvii. 31. "He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world "in righteoufnefs, by the man whom he hath ordained; where"of he hath given afsurance," &c. And again Rom. ii. 16. “Is

the day when God fhall judge the fecrets of men by Jes "Chrift." Three things will be opened here. Firf, The certainty of a judgment to come. Secondly, The quality and nature of it. Thirdly, That it is a special part of Chrift's exaltation to be appointed Judge in this day.

† Quies. Definitus feu confiitutus.