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God with joy, and rest in our love, and joy in him with singing.

§ 15. Alas! my fearful heart scarce dares proceed. -Methinks I hear the Almighty's voice saying to me, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge!"(n) But pardon thy servant, O Lord, I have not pried into unrevealed things. I bewail that my apprehensions are so dull, my thoughts so mean, my affections so stupid, and my expressions so low, and unbeseeming such a glory. I have only heard by the hearing of the ear: oh, let thy servant see thee, and possess these joys; and then shall I have more suitable conceptions, and shall give thee fuller glory; I shall abhor my present self, and disclaim and renounce all these imperfections. "I have uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.(0) Yet I believed, and therefore have I spoken."(p) What, Lord, canst thou expect from dust, but levity? or from corruption, but defilement? Though the weakness and irreverence be the fruit of my own corruption, yet the fire is from thine altar, and the work of thy commanding. I looked not unto thy ark, nor put forth my hand unto it, without thee. Wash away these stains also in the blood of the Lamb! Imperfect, or none, must be my service here. O take thy Son's excuse, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is

weak."(q)

(n) Job xxxvii. 2.
(p) 2 Cor. iv. 13.

(0) Job xlii. 3, 5, 6.
(9) Matt. xxvi. 41.

CHAP. II.

The great Preparatives to the Saint's Rest.

§ 1. The happiness of Christians in having a way open into Paradise. There are four things which principally prepare the way to enter into it: § 2, 3. particularly, (1.) The glorious appearing of Christ; § 4. (2.) The general resurrection; § 5-8. (3.) The last judgment; § 9, 10. and (4.) The Saint's coronation; § 11. Transition to the subject of the next chapter.

§ 1. THE passage of paradise is not now so blocked up, as when the law and curse reigned. Wherefore finding, beloved Christians," a new and living way consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, the flesh of Christ, by which we may with boldness enter into the holiest, I shall draw near with fuller assurance."(r) And finding the flaming sword removed, shall look again into the paradise of our God. And because I know that this is no forbidden fruit, and withal that it is good for food, and pleasant to the spiritual eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one truly wise and happy; I shall, through the assistance of the Spirit, take and eat thereof myself, and give to you according to my power, that you may eat. The porch of this temple is exceeding glorious, and the gate of it is called Beautiful. Here are four things, as the four corners of this porch.-Here is the most glorious coming and appearance of the Son of God;--that great work of Jesus Christ in raising our bodies from the dust, and uniting them again to the soul;-the public and solemn process at their judgment, where they shall first themselves be acquitted and justified, and then with Christ judge the world;-together with their solemn coronation, and receiving the kingdom.

§ 2. 1. The most glorious coming and appearance of the Son of God may well be reckoned in his

(r) Heb. x. 19, 20, 22.

people's glory. For their sake he came into the world, suffered, died, rose, ascended, and for their sake it is that he will return. To this end will Christ come again to receive his people unto himself, that where he is there they may be also.(s) The bridegroom's departure was not upon divorce. He did not leave us with a purpose to return no more. He hath left pledges enough to assure us to the contrary. We have his word, his many promises, his sacraments, which shew forth his death till he come;(t) and his Spirit, to direct, sanctify, and comfort, till he return. We have frequent tokens of love from him, to show us, he forgets not his promise, nor us. We daily behold the forerunners of his coming, foretold by himself. We see the fig-tree putteth forth leaves, and therefore know that summer is nigh.(u) Though the riotous world say, My Lord delayeth his coming ;(w) yet let the saints lift up their heads, for their redemption draweth nigh.(x) Alas, fellow christians, what should we do if our Lord should not return! What a case are we here left in! What! leave us in the midst of wolves,(y) and among lions, (2) a generation of vipers, (a) and here forget us? Did he buy us so dear, and then leave us sinning, suffering, groaning, dying daily, and will he come no more to us? It cannot be.-This is like our unkind dealing with Christ, who, when we feel ourselves warm in the world, care not for coming to him: but this is not like Christ's dealing with us. He that would come to suffer, will surely come to triumph. He that would come to purchase, will surely come to possess. Where else were all our hopes? What were become of our faith, our prayers, our tears, and our waiting? What were all the patience of the saints worth to them? Were we not left of all men most miserable?(b) Christians, hath Christ made us forsake all the world, and be forsaken of all the world? to hate all, and be hated of all? and all this for him,

(s) John xiv. 3.
(w) Matt. xxiv. 48.
(2) Psalm lvii. 4.

(1) Cor. ix. 26.
(a) Luke xxi. 28.
(a) Matt. iii. 7.
E

(u) Matt. xxiv. 30.
(y) Matt. x. 16.
(b) 1 Cor. xv. 19.

that we might have him instead of all? And will he, think you, after all this, forget us, and forsake us himself? Far be such a thought from our hearts! But why stayed not he with his people while he was here? Why, was not the work on earth done? Must he not take possession of glory in our behalf? Must he not intercede with the Father, plead his sufferings, be filled with the Spirit, to send forth, receive authority, and subdue his enemies? Our abode here is short. If he had stayed on earth, what would it have been to enjoy for him a few days, and then die? He hath more in heaven to dwell among; even the spirits of many generations. He will have us live by faith, and not by sight.

§ 3. O fellow christians, what a day will that be, when we, who have been kept prisoners by sin, by sinners, by the grave, shall be fetched out by the Lord himself! It will not be such a coming as his first was, in poverty and contempt, to be spit upon, and buffeted, and crucified again. He will not come, O careless world! to be slighted and neglected by you any more. Yet that coming wanted not its glory. If the heavenly host, for the celebration of his nativity, inust praise God,(c) with what shouting will angels and saints at that day proclaim, Glory to God, peace and goodwill towards men! If a star must lead inen from remote parts of the world to come to worship a child in a manger (d) how will the glory of his next appearance constrain all the world to acknowledge his sovereignty! If, riding on an ass, (e) he enter Jerusalem with hosannas; with what peace and glory will he come toward the new Jerusalem! If, when he was in the form of a servant,(f) they cry out, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"(g) what will they say, when they shall see him coming in his glory, and the heavens and the earth obey him! "Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn."(h) To think and speak of that day with horror, doth well become the impenitent sinner, but ill the believing saint.

(c) Luke ii. 13, 14. (f) Phil. ü. 7.

(d) Matt. ii. 2.
(g) Matt, viii. 27.

(e) Matt. xxi. 5-9 () Matt. xxiv. 30.

Shall the wicked behold him and cry, "Yonder is he, whose blood we neglected, whose grace we resisted, whose counsels we refused, whose government we cast off?" And shall not the saints, with inconceivable gladness, cry, "Yonder is he, whose blood redeemed us, whose Spirit cleansed us, whose law did govern us, in whom we trusted, and he hath not deceived our trust; for whom we long waited, and now we see we have not waited in vain? O cursed corruption, that would have had us turn to the world and present things, and say, Why should we wait for the Lord any longer?") Now we see "blessed are all they that wait for him."(k)-And now, Christians, should we not put up that petition heartily, "Thy kingdom come?" The Spirit and the Bride say, Come; and let him that heareth and readeth say, Come. Our Lord himself says, Surely I come quickly. Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus.()

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§ 4. (2) Another thing that leads to paradise is, that great work of Jesus Christ, in raising our bodies from the dust, and uniting them again unto the soul. A wonderful effect of infinite power and love! Yea, wonderful indeed, says unbelief, if it be true. What! shall all these scattered bones and dust become a man? -Let me with reverence plead for God, for that power whereby I hope to arise. What beareth the massy body of the earth? What limits the vast ocean of the waters? Whence is that constant ebbing and flowing of the tides? How many times bigger than all the earth is the sun, that glorious body of light? Is it not as easy to raise the dead, as to make heaven and earth, and all of nothing?-Look not on the dead bones, and dust, and difficulty, but at the promise. Contentedly commit these carcases to a prison, that shall not long contain them. Let us lie down in peace, and take our rest: it will not be an everlasting night, nor endless sleep. If unclothing be the thing thou fearest, it is that thou mayest have better clothing.(m) If to be turned out of doors be the thing thou fearest

(2) 2 Kings vi. 33.
(2) Rev. xx. 17, 20

(k) Isa. xxx. 18. (m) 2 Cor. v. 4

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