The Clouds in Which Christ Comes

Doctrine.

THe words of my Text being thus opened, do again wrap up their full sense in this Doctrine:

The Eminent Thing of the World, is The Comming of our Lord Jesus into the world.

This Doctrine empties it Self by these Four Heades.

• 1. The Comming of Christ.
• 2. The Clouds in which He Comes.
• 3. The Clearnesse of His Appearance when He is come.
• 4. The Sweetness Flowing from His Presence.

1. Head.

The Comming of Christ. This is Two-fold; The 1 ^st . The 2d. Comming.

1. The First Comming of our Lord Jesus is Carnal. This was then, when he took Flesh of the Virgin Mary. Now He was made Inferior to Angels, Hebr. 2.9. Now he was made Flesh, John 1.14. Now he was laid so low, as to be capable of all the Temp •• tions, the most bitter, the most balefull, that can come from Devils, or fall on Man; yet without sin: Hebr. 4.14. This First Comming was our Savior's Humiliation, to Frailty, Guilt, Shame, Horrour, Death. The Mystery now was, The Highest God making Himself the Lowest of Things; Flesh, Dust, The Deepest Darkness. Thus the First was the Last.

2. The Second Comming of our Savior is Spiritual. It is Spiritual in Two Respects:

• 1. His Person.
• 2. His Appearance.

1. Person. The Person of our Blessed Savior in his Second Comming is altogether Spiritual and Divine. Such as the Person of our Jesus was at His Ascension, such is it in His Second Approach to Men. What is that Person in which our Savior sits at the Top of His Ascent? You shall read, Eph. 4.10. He that Descended is the same, that Ascended far above All Heavens. This Ascent doth not so much import a Change of Place, as of Person and Proportion. When the Lord Jesus was gone up above these Heavens, which we see, then He was above all Change of Place. The Heavens, which we do not see; the Invisible Part of this Creation is fettered with the Chaine of Time, but not imprisoned too by a Confinement or Circumscription of Place. Our Lord ascended, not so much by a Local Motion, as a Spiritual Mutation, and Exaltation of His Person. As Earth heightened unto a Flame, changeth not its Place only, but Form and Figure: So the Person of our Savior was raised to a Greatness, a Glory vastly differing from, and surmounting Any Image, All Images of Things visible or invisible in this Creation. So 'tis fitly expressed, Hebr. 7.29. He was made Higher than the Heavens. He was Heigthned to a Splendour, Enlarged to a Capacity and Compass above the Brightest, beyond the Widest Heavens.

Thus we see Negatively, what the State of our Savior's Person was, when He was once Ascended. It was no more Like to anything in Earth below, or Heaven above: It was Remote from All Created Forms of Things, Transcending All: Far above All Heavens.

Our Savior Himself will teach us, what the Positive State of His Person now was, by his Prayer for it: John 17.5. And now, O Father, glorify me with Thy Self, with that Glory, which I had with Thee before the World was. Our Lord prays, (and His Prayer is both a Prophesy, and the Performance begun) that His Divine Nature may be both the Center and Circle to His Humanity, inwardly enlivening, outwardly clothing and fashioning it; that his Man-hood may be after his Death, at His Ascension, in that same Image, and Appearance, in which the God-head was to it self, before anything else was.

Saint Paul points out to us that, as Perfect, which our Savior prays for: Colos. 2.9. In whom the Fullness of the God-head dwells Bodily. The whole Man-hood of Christ, Body, as well as Soul, was so far enlarged, so far Spiritualized, as to take in, and hold forth the God-head Fully. It was heightened to Both, the Fullness and Form of God.

But, we must take heed, that we do not misunderstand this, and while we strive to have a Distinct View of our Savior in Glory, confound Him, and our Selves. To this purpose we must use the help of a Two-fold Distinction:

The Person of our Savior is exalted to this Glory, not by the Annihilation or Swallowing up of the Humanity into the Divinity: but by the Union and Communion of Both Natures in One Person.

Neither doth this Glory come upon our Head and Husband, by a Confusion of God and Man, the Creator and the Creature; but by a Free Complyance of God with Man, a Full Conformity of Man to God, the Creature to the Creator. The Glorification of the Humanity by the Divinity is no Confusion, but a Communion ; no Annihilation, but a Transfiguration.

Such was the Person of our Savior at His Ascension; Such is He, when again He Descends upon us, at His Second Comming. So Himself witnesseth, Mark 8.38. When He Commeth in the Glory of His Father. The Angel so fore-told the God-like manner of our Savior, Comming the Second Time, Act. 1.11. This same Jesus, which ye see taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come, as ye have seen Him go into Heaven. Behold, how your Master ascends, and as he ascends, he puts off his Earthly Appearance, grows Invisible, and vanishes into the Glory of God: So, in the same Divine manner, in the same Glory, Invisible to Mortall Eyes, He shall come again to you. Such, as He is now, at His Entrance into Heaven; such shall He be at his Re-entrance into the World.

Christ at his First Comming was a God in the form of an Earthly Man, of a Worm, the Lowest of Men: at his Second Comming He is a Man, a Worm, the lowest of Men in the Form of God. And now the Last is First.

This is the Spirituality of our Savior's Comming in the First Respect, in His Person.

2. Appearance. Our Lord comes the Second Time into the World, not so much by Change of Place, as of Appearance. Ephes. 1.10. Saint Paul speaks of he Father and of Christ, That in the Dispensation of the Fullness of Time, he might gather together in One, All Things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on Earth, even in Him. The Dispensation of the Fullness of Time, is the Discovery of Eternity, which gathers up into One undivided State, All Times, Past, Present, To Come; and is therefore called the Fullness of Time, which is the Shadow to this Body. This Dispensation began at Christ's Ascension, and was then perfected in His Person. Now was our Lord fully Glorified. Now He saw All Things in the Beatifical Vision, in the God-head, after a manner, as unchangeable, as God. Nothing passed away, nothing was to Come. From the Heighth of Heaven above, to the Depth of the Earth, and the Creature below, He possesseth All Things, in One Glory, even in Himself. To Him then there is now no more Roome for Ascent, or Descent, for Change of Time or Place. What then is His Second Comming? 'It is His Shining forth upon the rest of the Creatures; that, as He comprehends Himself and All Things in God: So They may comprehend All Things, and Themselves in Him. Our Savior speaks this plainly, Mat. 24.27. For as the Lightning cometh out of the East, and shineth unto the West, even so shall also the Comming of the Son of Man be.

Saint Paul calls it an Appearance, Colos. 3.4. Your Life is hid with Christ in God: When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall we appear with Him in Glory. The Person of Christ is taken into the Glory of God. This is invisible, not to it self, nor anything like it self, but to Eyes of Flesh. Thus Our Savior is Hid, as God is, by the Greatness of the Glory. In His Second Comming, He is as the Brightness of the God-head breaking forth upon the World; discovering itself, as a New Root of Immortality below the Natural Root of each Creature; and clothing upon each Appearance with a New Appearance of Glory. Thus the Comming of Christ is an Enlargement of Himself from the same Center, yet not to Himself, but others.

So Saint Paul calls this Comming, A Revelation from Heaven, 2 Thes. 1.7. And to you, who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven. In this sense Saint Peter speaks, Act. 3.20, 21. And He shall send Jesus Christ, &c. whom the Heavens must receive, till the restitution of All Things. When our Lord Ascended, He was raised above all Heavens into God; from thence immediately He goes on shining forth, and dispensing the Glory of God through the Heavens, the Invisible part of this Creation, Angels and Spirits of Men. Within this Limit He contains his Beams till the Last Day. Then He shall Enlarge His Circuite to take in the Visible and Bodily Part of Things, when They also shall be Restored, and Return into that Glory, and Divinity, out of which They fell.

There is One Thing more to be observed, before we pass from this Head. The Second Comming of Christ is Graduall. As the Sun, when it is gone from us to the utmost Point of Heaven South-ward, immediately Returnes: So our Savior began His Comming again into the World at His Ascension, so soon, as He had reaehit the furthest Point of Distance from the Creature, in the Heigths of the Creator. We read Heb. 1.6. And again, when He bringeth His First-begotten Son into the World, He saith; Let all the Angels of God Worship Him. Thus it is read in the English Translation. But, as a late Learned Critick hath observed, it runs Thus in the Greek: When He (that is, the Father) bringeth His First-begotten Son again into the World, &c. This place thus read, manifestly joins together the Ascension of our Lord, and His Comming the Second time into the World. For when was it that Proclamation was made among the Angels to Worship Jesus Christ? Was it not then, when He Ascended, and sat down at the Right Hand of God? So it is clearly seen Philip. 2. 9 t 10. Wherefore God also hath Highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name above every Name; That at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow. So soon as our King is entered into the Divine Glory, and hath there received the Ointment of the God-head, immediately He comes forth, and begins to show Himself in a Progress of Glory thorough the Creatures, to receive their Fealty and Homage.

Revel. 6.2. The Coronation of Christ, and his Comming forth in a Spiritual Beauty are conjoin'd by Saint John, who there begins his Prophetick Story, and makes this the opening of the First Seal on the Book, I saw, and behold a White Horse, and He that sat on Him had a Bow, and a Crown was given Him, and He went forth Conquering and to Conquer. The Book is the Image of God, the Seven Seals the Natural Forms of Things. The Opening of the Seals by the Lamb, His Comming forth in the Spirit.

I will finish this Head with that place of Scripture, 1 Cor. 15.45. The First Man Adam was made a Living Soul: the Last Man was made a Quickening Spirit. Our Blessed Lord in his Second Appearance comes into the World, as a Soul comes down into the Body. The Soul comes down upon the Body, clothing it with a new Shape, Life, and Luster. So Jesus Christ descends upon the World, to Comprehend, to Act it, to Appeare in it, to Gather it up into One Spirit of Beauty and Immortality, in Himself.

So shall the Heavenly Man sprout forth thorough the Earth, as an Universal Paradise; sending forth all Earthly Forms, as Revived Plants, by a New Growth, out of Himself. Then shall All Without the Circle of this Spiritual Person, this Quickening Spirit be Death and Hell; a Hell for Dogs and Devils; each foul, false, and fiery Spirit.

I have now passed through the First Head: The Comming of Christ.

2. Head.

The Clouds, in which Christ comes. These Clouds are of Four Sorts:

• 1. Darkness.
• 2. Tempests.
• 3. Worldly Changes.
• 4. Angels.

1. Clouds of Darkness. Clouds are used in This Sense, as the Springs and Seats of Darkness. So they furnish out and set off the Comming of Christ as God, into the World. Psal. 97.2. Clouds and Darkness are round about Him.

A Two-fold Darkness surrounds our Savior's Person, as He flides down in a Glory upon the Earth.

• 1. From His own Will.
• 2. From the World.

1. Darkness, From His own Will. David in the 18. Psalm is confessed by All, to speak of His own Deliverances Literally, but of Christ's Last Comming Mystically and Prophetically: ver. 11. He made Darkness His Secret Place: His Pavilion round about Him were Dark Waters, Thick Clouds of the Sky. The Prince in the Poet wrapped about with a Thick and Darke Air, entered into Carthage, passed thorough the Court into the presence of the Queen, there stood in the midst of them unperceived, while they speak of Him, as absent, Lament him as lost; till the Fire purified it self into a Clearnesse. So the Great Prince of Peace and Spirits, as He comes forth, casts a Cloud about Him; so He comes on upon us; so He encompasseth us, is still in Motion. Yet still we speak of Him, as far above and beyond the Starry Sky, and of His Comming, as at a Great Distance. But, Behold! He is already in the midst of us; He breaks forth on our Right hand, and on our Left, like a Flame, round about us; and we perceive Him not.

2. Darkness, From the World. 1 Thes. 5.2. The Day of the Lord cometh as a Thief in the Night. 'It is the interposal of the Earth's shadow between the Sun and our Eyes, that makes Night. The Devil benights Man-kind, by interposing this shadowie world between their Savior and their Souls. In this Night he rocks them into a Sleep, by a perpetual Motion of vanities. In this Sleep he deludes them with Dreams of Reason, Counterfeit Images of Truth. Now in this Night, Sleep, and Dream the Day of Christ's appearance, appears not, but as a Fancy or Dotage. All things seem to continue as they were from the Beginning. Where, say they, is the Promise of His Comming? They discern no Dawning of it.

All the Powers and Spirits of Darkness hate the Light; and Christ, because He comes as the Light, to increase and inflame their Darkness. They therefore Strive to raise Mists upon this Rising Glory, that they may stain it, if they cannot stop its Course. So the Progress of Christ is to the greatest part of Men, like the Motion of the Sun in a Winter day, when 'tis hard to perceive the Day-break, or distinguish between Day and Night. This is the First sort of Clouds, Dark Ones.

2. Clouds of Tempests. Clouds are the Womb in which Tempests are bred, and the Cradle in which they are rockit. No Painter, no Poet, no Writer Holy or Profane hath anything anywhere so Direfull, so Tragicall, as is the Description of our Savior's second Comming in the Scriptures. Can you cast your eye on the eighteenth Psalm and not tremble? when you see there, the Earth Shaking and Trembling: v. 7. a Fire Devouring v. 8. The Heavens bowing Down-ward: v. 9. Thick Clouds darkening the Sky; Thunders, Lightnings, Hail-stones flying through the Air; The Foundations of the world below discovered. v. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Thus the Mighry God, our Jesus descends.

Again, Psa: 97. Hills Melting, The Earth Trembling, Lightnings flashing thorough the Air, and being its only Light, Dark Clouds environing all: This is the Scene of Things; This the State in which Christ comes forth.

Behold Habakkuk with quivering Lips, trembling joints, bones mouldering into dust, when he had only a Prophetick Representation of our Savior's second Appearance. All the Dreadfull things that attended the Presence of God, in Egypt, at the Red Sea, on Mount Sinai, thorough the wilderness, are made but Types, but shadows of this Terrible March of the Capteine of the Lord's Hosts, Christ in the Spirit, thorough all Flesh. Habak. 3.

A wise Jew was wont to say from a Deep fore-sight of the Blackness of this Day: The Messias will come, but Lord let not me live to see His Comming.

The Comming of our Savior in the Spirit, is for the Full Dissolution of all Flesh. 'It is no wonder then if every step he takes, as he comes along, strike earthquakes, pestilences, wars, desolations thorough the Earth. This is the second sort of Clouds, Tempestuous Ones.

3. Clouds of Worldly Changes. The Finest Piece of this Creation, Natural Flesh of Christ Himself, is called, A Vail, Heb. 10.11. A Living way through the veil his Flesh. Well may we then call all other Fleshly Things, Vailes and Clouds, Gen. 1.2. The Creation in its first Principles is Figured out to us, as a Dark and Deep Sea. Each particular Creature is as a Cloud raised out of this Sea of Darkness, over-cast with Light and Images. When the Temple was finishit, which was an Earthly Palace shadowing out Heaven, filed with all Excellencyes, as Pictures of Heavenly Glories; then Solomon saith to God, 1 Kin. 8.12. Thou dwellest in Thick Darkness : Signifying, that the Brightest Beauties of Nature are True Clouds.

In the midst of this Darkness our Savior passeth on; upon the backs of these Clouds he comes riding along. Behind the visible Forms of things He hides Himself, and steals in upon us ere we be aware. All Their Motions are His Approaches. Mat. 24. The Disciples ask their Master, What should be the signs of His Comming? He relates by way of Prophesy the whole story of the World, Public in Nations, Particular in Families, Private in single Persons, From His death, to that of the whole World: And so He answers their Question, teaching them, that as all Creatures are the Print of his Feet, so their whole Conduct is the Motion of His Feet, Their Commotions His Commings on upon them.

As the Whale moveth himself under the Waters, the Billows rise and roll, the Deep boils like a Pot. Before our Savior's time Lucifer was the Leviathan, that made the Sea to seeth about him, like a Pot of Ointment. Now our Lord Jesus sports Himself in these Waters. He makes his way under them, and as he moves, The Deepes of Men's Spirits, Counsels, Common-wealths, boil, the whole Frame of Things reel and roll themselves into violent Concussions, like Waves of the Sea.

This is the third sort of Clouds, Rowling Ones.

4. Clouds of Angels, My Text saith, Christ comes with Clouds. Saint Paul saith, 2 Thes. 1.7. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels. Our Lord Jesus tells us, Mat. 26.64. Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting at the Right Hand of Power, and coming in the Clouds of Heaven. He speaks of the same thing, Mark 8.50. In this Phrase; When He cometh in the Glory of his Father, with the Holy Angels. These Parallel places make those expressions seem Parallel: Angels, Clouds.

The Prophet discourseth of all sorts of Meteors, Psa. 104.3, 4. The upper Waters, Clouds, Winds, Spirits, or Blasts, Flames of Fire. This is interpreted expressly of Angels, Heb. 1.7. And of Angels He saith, He hath made His Angels Spirits, His Ministers a Flame of Fire. These are the Waters in which the Chambers of God are; the Clouds which are His Chariot; the Winged Winds, on which He rides; the Flames, in which He Comes.

Saint Paul joins these Two, Angels and Flames, at the Comming of Christ, 2 Thes. 1.7, 8. The Lord shall be revealed from Heaven, with His Mighty Angels, And with Flaming Fire. The Flame of Fire is Heat working it self into Light. This is the Immediate Image and Instrument of Angels in this visible World, thorough this they appear and work. All the Appearances of God under the Law were by Angels. All the Appearances of Angels were by Flames, or Light. The Angel went up from Manoah in a Flame: Iud. 30.20. He appeared to Moses in a Flame: Exod. 3.2. The Angels came down upon the sacrifices in a Flame. The Lord Jesus shall come in a Flame of Angels.

The Glory of God in Christ, as he comes the second time, breaks forth upon the Angels. In these He Flames out upon the Bodily Part of Things, as Fire dissolving them in their own shapes, and resolving and raising them into Angelical Forms. These are the Heavenly Flames of Glory, in which Saints are Blessed; the Fire of Hell, in which Evil men are tormented; Angelical Forms.

In this sense Jesus Christ tells us, Luke 17.22. that Lazarus being dead, was carried by Angels into Abraham's Bosom. That Glory of God, which is called Abraham's Bosom, (a Type of the Fathers Bosom,) was revealed in the Angels, in them it over-shadowed Lazarus, withdrawing Him out of this Present State, and gathering Him up unto these Spirits, which are the Fathers of the Earthly Man.

Accordingly we read, Mark 13.27. He shall send forth His Angels, and gather His Elect from the Four Winds. This shall be the Resurrectin of the Body, when this visible Image and life, which was as wind, breathed forth by God from the Bosom of those Angelical Flames, shall by their opening themselves upon it, be again taken in to God, in these Spiritual Chambers.

In the same sense Angels are called the Chariots of God: Psa. 68.17. The Chariots of the Lord are Twenty Thousand, even Thousands of Angels. The second Comming of Christ is not on Foot, as a Servant: The Image of the First Adam in a visible shape. 'It is as of a Prince in his chariot; The Image of God in the Angelical Being. Cant. 3.8. Solomon's Chariot had Pillars of silver, Covering of Purple, Bottom Gold, in the midst, Love, for the Daughters of Jerusalem. Divine Glory the Foundation, Divine Love the Center in that Foundation; Pillars of Silver, Angelical Beauties and strengths; the Covering of Purple, the Glorious Humanity of Christ in Royal State Comprehending all. This is the Chariot which the Lord Jesus hath prepared for His Spouse. This is the Form in which He rides forth at his second Comming thorough the Whole Creation, taking up to Him the Daughters of Jerusalem, both in Soul and Body, at their several Seasons.

As Angels are the Chariots of Fire, in which the Lord rides forth the second Time: So are they the Horses of Fire on which He rides. Revel. 6. As the Seals are opened, A Man comes forth on Horse-back, The Man is the Image of God, the Lord Jesus, who comes forth in every various form, as in a several Dresse for several Designes. The Horse is the Particular Form of Invisible Glory, the Angel on which He is Mounted.

I will make an end of this Discourse with that Place, Mark 8.1. Where Christ speaking of his Comming, joins these Two, the Glory of the Father and the Holy Angels: As the Man on the Horse, He shall come in the Glory of His Father, and the Holy Angels. In our Savior's Person, as He comes in the Spirit, the Glory of the God-head shall be, as a Sea ; the Angelical Glories, as Ships on this Sea : All Forms of Things in this visible State, shall be taken off the Earth of their own Grosse and Dul Principles, into these Mysterious Ships, in which they shall be carried on still further and further into the Ocean of the God-head.

I have now described those Clouds in which Christ comes, which was the second Head.

3. Head.

The clearness of Christ's Appearance. Every Eye shall see Him. There is a Two-fold Eyes,

• 1 ^st . The Inward.
• 2. The Outward Eye.

1 ^st . The Inward Eye shall see Christ. Saint Paul speaks of this, Ephes. 1.18. The Eye of your understanding being Enlightened. The Eye of the understanding is the Inward Eye. This also is Two-fold.

• 1 ^st . A Natural.
• 2. A Divine Eye.

The Natural Eye is that of Reason, which is always open in all Men, so far as they are Men. The Divine Eye is for many years, many ages, quite shut up in the Soul ever since the Creation, until the Regeneration.

This Eye is a Divine Principle or Faculty of seeing Things; the Supreame Power of Knowing, as God Knows and is Known. Saint John speaks of this Eye, 1 John, 3.2. When He appears, we shall be like Him, For we shall see Him as He is. The Proper Light and Object of This Eye is Jesus Christ in the Spirit, as He is the Brightness and Image of the God-head.

As a Sun-beam beating with a strong Light upon the Natural Eye; So shall the Lord Jesus awaken this Eye in Man, by setting Himself in it. And now how clear, how sweet, how satisfactory must this sight be? 'It is a Fit Union of an Object Suitable to a Proportion'd Power or Faculty, that gives Satisfaction and Certainty. Here the Divine Eye is the Faculty, the Supreame Image is the Object, the Union is the Spirit of Unity. Each Image, each Eye, each Sight is not so much as a Dream, Shadow, Glance to This, where the Eye of Heaven, and the Beauty of Heaven possess each other in One Spirit.

2. The Outward Eye shall see Christ. Now the Inward Powers of the Soul are unrighteously detained, as by an Imprisonment, or Burial in the Exterior Senses. But when Christ comes, the Outward Man with His Faculties and Senses shall be taken in by the Intellectuall and Spiritual Man, as the Tabernacle was into the Temple. So Both shall see the same Glory, by the same Light.

Saint Paul tells us, 1 Thes. 4.16. The Lord Himself shall descend with a Shout, with the voice of an Arch-Angel, with the Trump of God. The Lord Jesus shall fill the Angels with the Discoveries of the God-head, as Trumpets with a Loud Blast, or Triumphant Flourish. Thorow them this Double noise, the Shout of Divine Appearances, the Voice of Angelical Gloryes, shall come rushing like a Mighty Wind upon the Dead Saints, and awaken their Bodies into the same Harmony, as they had done before, their souls. So Both shall be a Treasure of Divinity in an Angels vessel.

To this agrees that of Jesus Christ: Mark 12.25. They shall be as the Angels in Heaven : Speaking of the Resurrection, which is the Comming of Christ to the Body. Then shall our Bodies be in our Souls, as a Less Angel in a Greater. Christ as He comes transfigures Both into Angelical shapes, so pours forth Himself into Both, and Both enjoy the Clearnesse of His Appearance.

4. Head.

The Sweetness that flows from Christ's Appearance. And all the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn over Him. Sweet Tears upon a Sweet Subject! Christ, when he shines out, pierceth the Hearts of Men with the Golden-headed Arrow of Love, and Loving Griefe, by a Four-fold Discovery.

1 ^st . Of the Eternal Relation between Christ and the Soul. Christ comes and All the Saints with Thee. Hos. 4.5. When Thou appearest, then thou Discoverest All His Saints in Thine Hand, in thine Heart, Deut. 33.3. Thou showest thyself, O King of Saints, as the Everlasting Father, the Father which hath sent forth All Generations from the midst of his own Tender Bowels. This is the First Discovery.

2. Of the Eternal Affection in Christ to the Soul. Divines say, that the wounds shall appear in the Glorified. Body of Christ, when He Appears. 'It is true, that he opens His Bosom, and shows those Wounds of Love which he had there from Eternity; and those Wounds too, which He received on the Cross, as they are Glorifyed in His Eternal Love.

3. Of the Emptynesse and Eternal loss of those Things, for which we undervalued our Savior.

4. Of the excess and Eternity of Glory, which we shall see coming forth upon us in the Person of Christ.

As at the Discovery of Joseph, He and his Brethren fell upon the Neck of each other and wept: So will this Discovery in the Appearances of Christ, bring a sweet Confusion upon the Spirits of Men: Then shall a Man fall at the feet of His Savior, and weeping say, O my Jesus! Thou art my Father, Brother, Husband, Self. While there were other Things, I loved other Things more than Thee. Now they are Everlastingly gone, and have left me alone: Yet now thou ownest me. See, as thou breakest forth, thou drownest my sins and me in a Flood of Glory in thy Self. O my Jesus! Thou breakest my Heart.

I have now passed thorough the Doctrinal Part of the Point, distinguished into Four Heads.

The Application.

1. For Humiliation. I shall first present you with a Preparative, to the Use, and then put into your Hands the Use it self.

1. The Preparative. Worthy Patriots, I shall humbly undertake to be a Remembrancer to your Piety and Prudence in a Two-fold Consideration, for a Preparative.

The First Consideration is this: 'It is now many years since our Fasts and our Fights have been mutually interwoven. Yet, what Profit have we of the One? what Peace from the Other? what end of either? Still we fast, still we fight, if not in Camps, yet more dangerously in Counsels. Our ship is filed with waves, more still pressing in, ready to sink it: So that we may cry, O God! carest thou not, that we perish in the midst of all our Prayres, Praises, Fasts, and Holy Feasts?

Now you are met again to fast and pray: Now put on your Tenderest Bowels of pity and affection. So look upon this poor Kingdom, which hath wrapped up in it your Countrymen, your Kinred, all your Dearest and sweetest Relations: Nay, that which to you sure should be, more than all These; the Glory of your God. See it trembling and hovering between A Heaven of Reformation, all good Angels and Men striving to raise it up thither, and A Hell of Ruin, the weight of all Devils, and bad Men hanging upon it, to sink it down thither.

Let this sight melt you, Let it move you to call up all your strength this once; to cry mightily to God. Who Knows, what this One Day may do to Cross the fears, to Crown the hopes and toil of many years, if it please the Eternal Spirit, to blow right and strong upon your Spirits, this One Day.

Six days the Army of Israel compassed Jericho ; yet still It stood. On the seventh Day they compassed it seven Times; at the seventh Time, the Priests blew with the Trumpets, and the people gave a Mighty shout, and the walls of Jericho fell down flat to the Ground. This is the First Consideration.

The second Consideration is this. No tears prevail with God, but such as are wept over Jesus Christ. All the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn over Him. If Jesus Christ be not the Flame in our Breast, that melts our Hearts; if He be not the Object, that draws forth our Tears, though we weep Blood, our Blood will be, but as Water spilled upon the Ground.

If we grieve, and not in Christ, our Griefe is Hypocrisy, or at best but Formality. If we grieve, and not for Christ, our Griefe is Idolatry. What makes the Discourses of men mutually understood and moving? 'It is the union of Men in One Universal Spirit of Reason. What makes Colours, Sounds understood and moving, in the Eye or Eare? 'It is the union of Sense and Sensible Things, in One Common Spirit or Principle of Sense.

If you will touch the Heart of God with your Prayers and Sorrowes, it must be by a union between Him and you, in One Universal, Common Person, the Lord Jesus, God-Man.

Jacob obtained not the Blessing by Prayers and Tears alone. But as He prayed and wept, He held fast in His Arms the Angel of the Covenant. Then shall the Day break upon us, and we become as Princes with God, when we pray, and with our Jesus in our Arms; when we weep upon the Bosom of our Jesus.

If then you have any Sense of the utmost good or ill of this Kingdom, first your Parent, now your Fosterchild : If you have any Sense of your own Safeties, your Souls, your immortality, anything; Send up a strong and secret groan, which God may hear, and say within you: O! that the Lord Jesus, that All-quickening Spirit would descend into our Spirits, and become a Spring of Divine sorrows there! Then should our Tears be as His Blood. O! that the Lord Jesus the Highest Image of Love and Beauty, the most profaned and persecuted, would set Himself before our eyes! Then should we know, Why, and How to weep: then should we weep indeed.

If our Dear Savior would make his Arms our Cross, that we might from thence offer our Broken Hearts in Sacrifice to the Father; then would our God smell a sweet Savour of Rest in us, and at length give us Rest in Himself. This is the second Consideration in the Preparative.

2. The Use. This is A Humiliation from a Three-fold Ground.

• 1. Insensiblenesse in our Spirits of our Savior's Approach.
• 2. Unsuitablenesse in our Counsels to the Course of His Comming.
• 3. Enmity in our Affections to the Intent of His Comming.

1st. Ground, Insensiblenesse. Is not the Comming of Christ that by which God designs to make Himself Admired among His Saints? as Saint Paul testifies, 2 Thes. 1.10. When He shall come to be Glorified in His Saints, and Admired, &c. Is not this that at which All the Angels of God bow themselves and worship? Heb. 1.6. When He bringeth His First-begotten Again into the world, He saith, Let All the Angels of God worship Him. Is not this the Grand Wheel which moves All, the Centrall Motion, which carries about Persons, Kingdoms, the whole Creation? Heb. 1.7. When Christ comes the second Time, God saith of the Angels, He hath made His Angels Spirits, His Ministers a Flame of Fire. All Angelical or Elementary Instruments of Motion, are but His Ministers, propagating His Motions thorough the world. Can This be thus, and we Ignorant or Insensible of This Comming of Christ, without the Highest sin against God, the Kingdom, our own safeties?

Let us then endeavor to apply this use to ourselves more properly and powerfully, by a Three-fold Enquiry concerning this first Ground of Humiliation.

Have we seen Jesus Christ as he Comes among the Angels? 1 Tim. 3.16. Saint Paul tells us now, This is the Greatest Mystery of Godliness: God manifested in the Flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels: Behold! Jesus Christ, as God puts forth Himself in the Form of Flesh, of the Creature, and over-spreads that Form or Flesh with the Glory and Spirit of the God-head. Thus He shines forth already upon the One Half of Things, the Invisible Part: He already is risen upon the Angels, as Stars, at once gathering them up into His Divine Light, and riding forth upon their Beams. So each Star now carries forth a Sun along with it: Each Angel, the Son of man and God.

Saint Paul tells us, Colos. 2.10. that Christ is the Head of All Principality and Power. Our Lord Jesus clothed with the Glory of His Father, hath united Himself to the Acting Principles, and Ruling Powers of this Creation. Now He Flames forth thorough these invisible Fires into all Courts, Campes, or Counsels, into every Frame of things. Now He flies abroad upon the Backs of these Cherubims, and the Wings of these Winds into the Breast of each Man, into the Bosom of each Creature.

We read, Colos. 2.15. Having spoiled Principalities and Powers, He made a Shew of them Openly, Triumphing over Them. See the Lord Jesus binding Evil Spirits, the Powers of This world in straiter Chaines of Darkness, leading them Captives at the Taile of His Chariot, making them His Slaves, to Serve Him for Executioners, as the Mutes do the Great Turk; to rain down Snares, Tempests, Fire and Brimstone on His Enemies.

Have you seen the Lord thus mounted on His Horses of Fire? Like the Sun, like a Champion coming forth to run His Race from one end of Things to the Other? Are you come to this Mount Zion, where the Mediator appears with God in the midst of His innumerable Angels?

If you be Strangers to such Sights, then Mourn. For you are yet at Mount Sinai in the midst of Clouds and Stormes. You are still in a Wilderness full of Fiery Serpents, where every Step you take may be to a Death. As you Mourn, Pray: Sweet Jesus Shine; Sweet Jesus Come thou, as the Day-spring from on High upon us; Change the Appearance, Open to us this New Frame of Angels Glories, covering the World like Clouds, and thy Glories raised on These.

Have you Seen the Lord Jesus Comming in the Spirits of Men on Earth? This is the 2. Step of our Savior's Descent from the Bosom of the Father. We are taught, Luke 17.20, 21. that, The Kingdom of God cometh not with Observation. For the Kingdom of God is within You. The Glory of the Father, in which Christ Comes, is the Kingdom of God. This is not obvious to Sence or Reason grounded upon Sence. For it comes not their way, from without. It bubbles up from an inward Spring, like Life. From within it Enlarges it Self, as Circles from the Center, the Out-most being Last.

This is the Method, by which our Savior comes Spiritually into the world. First the Godhead opens it Self upon the Human Nature of Christ, making that the First-fruits of the whole Creation. Colos. 1.18. Secondly, the Lord Jesus with this over-spreading Glory comes down upon the Angels, making them, the First-fruits of Spirits. The Third Step, which He takes, is through the Angels into the Souls of Mortall Men. In these He plants Himself, as a Throne Circled in with the various Beauties of Angels, like the diverse-Coloured Rain-bow, Revel. 4.3. Thus these become the First-fruits of Men, Rom. 8.23. The Fourth Remove is upon the Bodies of the Saints, that they may be the First-fruits of Bodies. The Last is the Passing of the Lord Jesus from the Bodies of the Saints into the whole Frame of Visible Things; as a Flame still taking hold of Neighbouring Fuell, Still Catching and Infolding it self thorough All Things. By these Degrees the Lord Descends in Glorious State, and as He Descends, Transfigures all Things into the Same Glory.

The Comming of Christ is Compared to the Day, 1 Thes. 5.5. Ye are Children of the Day. And so 2 Pet. 1.1. Till the Day dawn. The Lord Jesus, as He riseth like a Sun upon the World, first diffuseth Himself through the Sky of the Angelical Nature: Then falls, as a Glory, upon the Tops of the Mountains, the Higher Parts of the Earth, the Souls of Men: From thence He slides down into Plaines and Lower Valleies, The Bodily Part of Things.

Unhappy He! That Sees not the Comming of Christ into His own Soul. What is it, which He Sees not? He Sees not the Sweetness in His Savior's Eyes; A Forgiving ; A Melting ; A Molding ; A Ravishing Sweetness: A Sweetness, that freely Forgives the blackest, and most Trecherous Hearts: A Sweetness, that kindly Melts, the hardest and most untamed Hearts: A Sweetness, that gently Molds into a Spouse-like frame, the roughest Hearts: A Sweetness, that ravisheth the most despairing Hearts into an Extasie of Supreame, immortal joys.

Vnhappy he, that sees not the coming of Christ into the souls of men! What is it, which He sees not? He sees not the Tabernacle of God among men; the Distance lessening between Heaven and Earth; the Glory of the Godhead growing to a Fuller Tide, and winning upon the World, as the Sea eating in upon the Land. He cannot discern the Times and their Changes, How, or Why they are; the Fatality of Persons and Kingdoms, their Periods. For these Flourish and Fall, as they Fall in with, Fall off from, or Fall foul upon the Comming of Christ. He is the Cornerstone, 1 Pet. 2.6. Mat. 21.24. Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken: on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.

Is it Day-break yet in our souls? Do we see how it grows Lighter and Lighter in the Souls of Men? If we do not perceive those Streakes and Flakes of Light, which multiply upon the spirits of men, pointing out the near Approach of our long-looked-for Sun; Let us clothe ourselves with shame, and confess, We are Physicians of no value. We have not seen that Beam, which is in our own Eye, not suffering us to discern Day-light. But as we are Blind, so let us be Beggers too. And, as that Blind Beggar in the Gospel, let us sit by the way, in which Christ comes; and as we hear the noise of his passing by, let us cry aloud, Thou Son of David, King of Spirits, have mercy on us: Lord Jesus! that we also may receive our sight: that our Fleece may not be dry, while it rains on the rest of the earth; that our Souls may not be in the Dark, while Glory flows in upon other Spirits.

Do you see your Savior, as He comes in the Visible Part of Things? Mat. 24.8. The Lord Jesus discoursing of His Comming, having before spoken of Wars, Famines, Pestilences, Earthquakes; tells us in this Verse: All these are the Beginning of Sorrowes. 'It is in Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Beginning of Pangs. The Commotions and Strife in This visible Frame are the Pangs and Throes, by which It labors to bring forth Christ in the Spirit.

Psal. 97.4, 5. You may read the Manner and Discovery of this Approaching Glory. His Lightnings enlightened the World: The Earth Saw and Trembled. The Hills melted like Wax, at the Presence of the Lord; at the Presence of the Lord of the Whole Earth. Nations, Kingdoms, Nature, the Elements feel the Approach of Jesus Christ, and receive the Impression of His Presence increasing upon them. How unnatural then are we, if we be insensible of it! how Worthy to be cast forth from the Nature of Things into the Outermost Darkness!

Seas of Common-wealths and Counsels roll and roar. Mountains of Worldly Greatness melt away. Rocks of Human Strength after the firmest Combinations and Consolidations cleave asunder. Do we not yet perceive the Lord Jesus? The Earth & Hearts quake. Pestilences are kindled. A Smoke of Obscurity, Vncertainty and Confusion flies over the Face of Things A Fire Burnes. Do we not yet feel our Savior? His Enlightnings Enlighten the whole Earth. Extraordinary Passages of Providence, little less than Miracles to confirm the Presence of Christ in the midst of us: High and Heavenly Truths publishing themselves, even as the Brightness of His Comming: These frequent Flashings forth of His Glory, are the Enlightnings, with which He Enlightens the Earth. Do we not yet See Jesus Christ?

Heb. 1.2. The Holy Ghost begins to speak of the 2 ^d . Comming of Christ, v. 6. He goes on discoursing of the Same Thing to the 12. Verse. There He saith to Him: As a Vesture, thou shalt fold them up, (meaning, Heaven and Earth) and They shall be Changed. Suppose a Man by Miracle, Borne and Grown up in One Midnight. Day now begins to come on: This Man to whom All Things were almost alike before; now perceives Barren Shores, Hanging Cliffes, Devouring Seas on one Hand; on another, Pleasant Fields, Faire Buildings, a Peacefull Country. As the Light increaseth, the Face of these Things still Changeth, Presenting Fresh Horrours, and fuller Beauties. Would not this Man Amazedly Wonder, whence these Forms of Things should grow round about Him, with such Sodainnesse and Change? till He looked upward, and Saw the Light of Heaven, as It goes on in it's Course, visiting the Earth, and thus Changing it as a Garment.

Who is not Amazed to See the Changes that are made in the Garment of This Earth? One Day we see it, as a Field Flourishing with fair Hopes; another Day, that Field vanishit, and in its Place, as a City on Fire, or a Sea of Blood. He that now discerns not the Light of Heaven, the Brightness of the Godhead, which is Christ Comming upon us, and thus Changing us; what manner of Night is He in? Sure a Night, as Black, as the Shadow of Death.

The Night is a Season for Heavinesse. You that See not the Lord Jesus, how He comes up, upon the Earth, and Invades it with His Troops, as the Prophet speaks: Habak. 3. Sit down in Heavinesse, Sensible of that Night which Surrounds You. But as you Sit, Watch, as the Watch-men, for the Morning.

This second Comming of Christ, is, as the days of Noah. The Lord Jesus in the Spirit shall be both Ark and Flood: An Ark to those which are taken into Christ, 〈◊〉 them high above all miseries towards Heaven: 〈…〉 carrying away insensible Persons, and Scorners 〈…〉 Woe.

This is the First Ground of Humiliation, Insensiblenesse.

Unsuitablenesse in our Counsels to the Course of Christ's Comming. The Comming of Christ calls for Two Things.

• 1 ^st . A Respect to Christ in all our Counsels.
• 2. A Resignation to Christ for the Conduct of Those Counsels.

1. A Respect to Christ in Counsaile. Ezekiel saw The Glory of God: Ezek. 1. This Glory was the Spiritual Frame of our Savior's Divine Comming upon His Chariot composed of Living Creatures and Wheels: Angels Spiritualized, Bodies Angelized. In this vision He saw the State of Jerusalem, and accordingly forewarned the Jews.

As the shadow went back upon the Dial of Ahaz, so Hezekiah's life was set back from Death. The Person of our Lord Jesus is the Diall of Time, as the Godhead is in the Course of it's Glory advances or withdraws upon this Diall: So it points out the Rise or Ruin of Persons and Things.

We read, Revel. 1. That God gave to Christ the Revelation of Things by a Light of Glory, in His own Person; to this end, that He might show to His Servants, what will quickly Be. Our Lord Jesus is that Word of God, which is to be, the Man of our Counsels. On Him we are to look, in Him to see, what should be ; by seeing God in His own Forms: what shall be, by seeing God in All Forms of the Creature.

This is Reason, say the Heathen. A Connection of Things Past, with those which are Present, a Derivation of Things to come out of Both, for Discovery and Direction. This is a Dark Shadow of Christ. He is the Reason of a Christian, who unites and represents by a Perfect Light, all Three States of Things, calling Himself by this Three-fold Name; He that is, He that was, He that is to Come.

2. A Resignation to Christ for Conduct. This is the second Thing, which Christ calls for in His second Comming. I am Alpha and Omega saith the Lord, He that is, He that was, He that is to Come, the Almighty, the All-comprehending: Revel : 1.8. The Spiritual Comming of Christ, is the great Tide of Things; this way the fullness of the God-head pours forth it self from Sea to Sea, from the Beginning to the End of Things, Both in Himself. Happy is He, who puts Himself into the Current of this stream; swiftly, smoothly, safely shall He be carried along upon it to His End.

There is Mention of a Wheel, Prov. 20.26. The King shall bring the Wheel upon the Wicked. Saint James speaks of the Wheel of the Creation: James 3.6. For so 'tis in Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Our Lord Jesus comes on as the Great Wheel of Things, reposing in it self, and rolling on with it self, those, who are taken up unto it: But bringing it self over those which fall out of it, and breaking them in pieces.

There are two Things which express an unsuitableness in our Counsels to the Comming of Christ.

1 ^st . The Directing our Paths by a Human Prudence.

2. The Designing an Earthly Power for the Pursuit.

1 ^st . Unsuitablenesse: The Directing our Paths by a Human Prudence. The Israelites in the wilderness made a Golden Calf for their Guide, after the Example of the Egyptians, who worshipped an Ox for their Chief God. For this Moses, say they, we know not what is become of Him. What was the success? They were forced to embitter their Drink with the Powder of this Calf.

Have any of you been thus tempted, to make the Calf of Human-Policy your Counselor, because this is the God of Nations? or to think; We know not what This Jesus, or His Comming in The Spirit mean? Shall we trust ourselves, and the Kingdom to a name, an airy Fancy? If you have been thus tempted, I hope your own Piety and Prudence will prompt you to grind this Calf to Powder by a Penitent Contrition, and make it bitter to your Spirits, by a Kindly Remorse.

I humbly commend to you one story at large recorded: 1 Sam. 13. Samuel promised Saul to come at a Day, He delayed. Saul feared the Philistines coming upon Him with a Mighty Body; the Dividing of the People from Him: He grows weary of Samuel's stay, and forceth Himself to sacrifice. If you have so fallen, so forced yourselves, for such reasons, to sacrifice, to establish a worship without the Divine Appearances, because they have been delayed: O repent and fear, lest Samuel's message to Saul, be to you also: Now is the Kingdom divided from you, this way, by which you thought to confirm it to you.

Let us at last be Converted, and become as Little children, learning what that Means, To Obey is better than Sacrifice, and to Hearken, than the fat of Rams. To Hearken for the Breathings and whispers of the Lord Jesus; to Obey the Breakings in of the God-head upon us, is more than All Burnt-offerings, or our Best Performances.

2. Unsuitablenesse. The Designing an Earthly Power for Pursuite of our Counsels. When Israel looked round about upon the Interests, Inclinations, Employments, Sufficiencies of Neighbor-nations: When Israel reflected upon her own Constitution, Strength, Numbers: Had Israel Peace? When Jehoshaphat join'd his ships with those of the King of Israel, were not His ships broken in pieces? Thou shalt destroy all them, that go a whoring from Thee: 'It is good for me to draw near to the Lord, saith the Holy Man: Psal. 73.50. The Earthly Image is the Strumpet, Human Prudence the Eyes of this Harlot, which are as snares; Human Power the Hands, which are Nets and Bands. He that is allured and caught by these, is upon the Brink of a Deep Pit, if not already sinking in it.

Gen. 9.17. Mention is made of a Serpent that biteth the Heels of the Horse, so that His Rider falls backward. The Policy of Man is a Serpent, Power is the Horse on which He rides. Take heed of making these your Trust or Triumph. If you do, your own Policy will bite the Heels of your Power, and disorder that: Your own Power disordered will cast you to the Ground, and then oppress you with its own weight.

I pass now from the second Ground of Enmity to the Third.

3. Ground.

Enmity in our Affections to the Intents of our Savior's Comming. The Intents of our Savior's Comming are Two:

• 1 ^st . To Consume the Flesh.
• 2. To Call us into the Spirit.

1 ^st . Intent of Christ's Comming; To Consume the Flesh. Revel. 6. When our Jesus rides foremost upon a White-Horse, he is followed by a Red, Black, Pale Horse, bringing on War, Famine, Death. These are His Troops, with which He comes up upon the Nations, and invades the Earth.

In the Progress of this Mighty King, as He goes on Conquering; An Earth-quake shakes All Things, the Sun becomes Black, the Moon as Blood; Stars fall like untimely figs; Heaven passeth away as a Scroll rolled together, v. 12.13.14. Thus all Fleshly strengths faint, Gloryes fade at the presence of the Lord. The most Spiritual Appearances of God thorough Flesh are darkened and dis-appear: The brightest of Fleshly Forms, The fairest letter of the Highest Mysteries, become seeds of War, and sink in blood: Men like Stars, most Eminent for Height, Luster, Influence, fall thick to the Ground, like untimely figs, preventing their Maturity by their Ruin: The most Flourishing Common-wealths, the Fairest Churches, like Heavens, roll themselves into Confusion. Thus Christ comes in Flaming Fire to all Flesh.

2. Intent of Christ's Comming, is, to Call us into the Spirit. 2 Thes. 2.1. Paul speaks of The Comming of Christ, and our Gathering together unto Him. As the Horses of Fire, and Chariots of Fire came down from Heaven to take Elijah up into them: So the Lord Jesus descends in the Glory of the Spirit, that He may raise us above the world, riding with Him on the Circuits of the same Glory. If I go away, saith Christ, I will come again, and take you to be there where I am.

Every Fleshly thing, is a veil between us and Divinity. All our Conversation in the Flesh, is an Alienation from God, a Descent towards the Depths of Darkness below.

The Lord Jesus comes forth in the Spirit, consuming the veil of Flesh, like Fire. Then we enjoy the same Appearances, perform the same actions in a Divine Life. While the Spirit is our Element, God comes forth in us in all our Acts: God comes forth before us in all our Objects.

There is a Two-fold Enmity in our affections towards this Two-fold Intent of Christ in His Comming.

• 1. An Adhesion to the Flesh.
• 2. An Aversenesse from the Spirit.

1 ^st . The First Enmity is an Adhesion to the Life of Flesh. Our souls cleave to the Flesh-pots: Our Spirits are drawn down into a land of Bondage, and detained there, by the Rank scent of Garlike and Onions. We are very unwilling to travel thorough a wilderness, though it be unto a Land flowing with Milk and Honey.

We are like Lot, we know not how to leave this Sodom of the Flesh, till we be drawn forth by the Hand of Angels. Then we are still like Lot's wife when we are come forth from the City of this World, casting a longing look back upon it in the midst of its Flames. But if we be like her in her fault, let us be so too in the Consequence of it. She was changed into a Pillar of salt. So may we as in answer to the Type, if we bring forth a Spirit of Remorse and Fire, like salt, to consume the Fleshly, Corrupting Part; that the Divine Part may be preserved untainted to Eternity.

2. The second Enmity is an Aversenesse from the Spirit. Jesus Christ promised His Disciples the Effusion of the Spirit, at the Disappearance of His Flesh. He spake to them of Divine Powers, Lights, Gloryes, Joyes, of the Highest Company and Contents which should come, when His Spirit came. Yet the Disciples were sad, and as dead men still, when their Savior spake of His Death. The Spirit appeared to them a Miserable Comforter and Comfort, when they were no more to have a gross sight of their Jesus in Flesh. He was as None to them, when He was to be Only in the Spirit.

When Peter felt Himself born up alone by the working waves, he fears, faints, and begins to sink, though he have the Call of Christ to carry him on, and Christ Himself in his Eye to infuse Spirits into him. This is an Example for us: When we called by God, begin to feel the Foundations of the Earth, and the Seeming-firm Land of Sense withdrawing from us, when we are now Lanching forth into the Sea of the God-head; we no sooner feel ourselves left upon the waters of the Spirit, to be sustained by them, but Immediately we sink ourselves by our fears and unbelief.

Let us then now weep, that we have refused the All-quickening Spirit, which is our Jesus, as if there were no Life in this Spirit, or no Light in this Life, as if God were a wilderness, and the Building of God had no Foundation or Fairenesse in it. Let us now return weeping and say, We have feared to commit our loves, hopes, and joys to Thee, O meek, O Mighty Jesus! But all our Springs are in Thee, those that feed our outward senses, our inward Faculties, with Streames of Life, Truth, Strength and Pleasures. Thou art our only Husband, the Image of all Loves, and Lovelinesse to us, the Best Image of ourselves. Come thou down upon us, appear in thine Invisible glories, and make our souls, ere they are aware, like the Chariots of Aminadab.

Thus I have concluded the First Use for Humiliation.

For Caution. Take heed of making any Opposition against the Comming of the Lord Jesus.

I shall begin this use with an humble profession, that my desire is to have everything which I speak understood, as proceeding from him, who would fain speak, and live in a Continuall sense of the Doubtfull Dimnesse of that Light of Reason, which twinkles in his breast; as also of the want of oil to feed the Flame of the Spirit to any Height or Constancy. I do therefore only present, what passeth from me, submitting all ever to any Brighter Light in whatsoever Candle-stick it shine. My care shall be, especially in the subject of this use, while I am in this Twi-light, to avoid Particular Conclusions, and Peremptory Determinations.

I shall in these Termes set before you these Two Cautions.

• 1. Take heed how you Judge, or Confine the Comming of Christ.
• 2. Take heed how you furiously oppose anything, that pretends to the Advancement of Christ in His Comming.

1. Caution. Take heed how you Judge or Confine the Comming of Christ, and that for Two Reasons.

• 1. He comes as a Spirit.
• 2. He comes in the Darke.

1. Reason. Christ comes as a Spirit. Who can foreknow, or set the ways of a Spirit? who can comprehend a Spirit in any outward Form? Is it not free to All, and from All? When Christ was risen, he sometimes put on those shapes, in which he had formerly lived, or died; as to Thomas : Sometimes he clothed Himself with strange shapes; sometimes uncloth'd Himself of All. For now He was raised into the Spirit, in which as in a Divine Ward-robe he comprehended All shapes, to put Himself forth in them, or to put them under His Feet at pleasure.

Saint Paul thus reasons: Colos. 2.20. If ye be dead in Christ, why as living in the Flesh, are ye subject to Ordinances which perish in the using? But this Reasoning is much more strong: If Christ be Risen from the dead, why do we subject Him to Ordinances, as if He were still living in the Flesh, or rather, as if He were not come in • he Flesh, who is the Lord of All Fleshly Rites?

Forms are sweet Helps, but too severe Lord's over our Faith. They may be Ornaments to our Face and Neck, serving the Beauty of Christ's Appearances to us, and His union with us. But then they must be of Gold or Precious stone, taken out of the Mine or Treasury of the Spirit. So worn, they may become the Heirs at age, the Spirit-born Princes. But if they be of Iron or Brasse, laid upon our Feet and Hands; that is, Grosse in Fleshly Darkness, binding up the Activity and Motion of our Spirits towards God; then are they sad Marks of the Bond-woman's Children.

The Body is esteemed a Prison or Grave to the Soul; because it tyes the Soul up into One Particular Appearance, suffering it not to enlarge it self to any other, but as they are reflected in This Glass. When the Eternal Spirit is fast'ned, and proportioned to any One Form of Things, is it not now imprisoned or buried? It was a seasonable and High Contemplation, that of Solomon at the Consecration of the Temple: The Heavens, & Heavens of Heavens cannot hold thee, How much less this House, which I have made? When we Consecrate, or converse with any Ordinance or Peculiar way of worship; let us then remember, that our Object is the Person of Jesus Christ, that Wisdom of God, whose way is more untrac'd than the Eagle, whose extent is wider than the Earth. The Heavens of Heavens cannot take in All of Him, to Containe or Confine Him; much less any One Ordinance in this world, or Fleshly Fashion.

'It is in vain to attempt to shut up Christ in any Thing. Though you kill Him, that you may keep Him safe; though you lay Him in a Grave hewn out of a Rock in a Garden, a Frame contrived with greatest strength and Beauty; though you set the Seal of Authority upon it, and a guard about it; yet Christ will rise with an Earth-quake and appear to His Disciples.

2. Reason. Christ Comes in the Darke. The Lord darkens His own Appearances, who then shall Determine the way of Christ's Comming to us, when He makes it His Design to obscure it? Why do we Condemne the Discoveries of Christ for being above our Reach, beyond our Measure and Light, when 'tis His Plot and will, to Come in Clouds?

If the Light of the world please, as He breaks forth, to hold the eyes of the wisest Men, and Holiest Disciples, that they shall not discern Him, though He walk in the midst of them; Let Us bear our Blindness, and not lay the fault on Heaven, calling Day, Night ; or censuring the Light, for being Dark.

Jesus Christ tells Peter, What I do, thou knowest not, but thou shalt know hereafter. John. 13.6. Our Savior puts forth Himself to Men in Many Appearances, of which they are uncapable, to lie as seeds in their Spirits, and perhaps after many years grow into distinct Fruits in their understanding, and ripe Fruits in their Affections. Then they know that a Prophet hath been among them: That the Highest Appearances of God have been plain before their Eyes, when they have least imagined it.

The Wiseman that spake in Parables and Proverbs tells Prov. 25.2. 'It is the Glory of God, to conceal a Thing ( the Word in Hebrew) and of Kings to search out the matter, (the Word.) God makes it His Design in this World, to bring forth the Eternal word, the Brightest Image of Himself, so as that we Seeing Him shall not See Him. But then it pertains to the Kingdom of Christ, as the proper Glory of that, to comprehend this Dark World, and make it understood by it's Light. Take heed then how you judge the Comming of Christ by the Day-light of this world, seeing 'tis His Glory to come in the Night.

The Devil too labors to Darken the Comming of Christ. Sweetest and Clearest Spirits in which the Bride-groome comes forth most Beautifully, are by Him clogged and clouded with the Disguise of Faction, Sedition, Licentiousness, and Atheism: as in Paul, and Christ Himself. The most Heavenly Truths, which are, as the lookings forth of this King of Glory, are by him presented to the World in the most deformed Appearances of Hellish Blasphemies.

As the Devil hath his Arrows which fly in the Dark; so hath Christ: His Comming in the Spirit, is an Arrow, that flies in the Dark at Noon-day; Woe be to him, that stands in its way, it will pierce his Liver. Our Savior speaks it of Himself: If the Good man knew, at what hour the Thief would come, he would watch, and not suffer his house to be broke open. If you know the Time and way in which Christ will certainly come, you might define that, and confine Him. But now fear to be mistaken, because of that place of Scripture: The stone, which the Builders refused, is become the Head of the Corner: Psal. 118.22. The stone which the Builders refused, is become the Head of the Corner. O ye Builders! Take heed, what stone ye refuse. O ye Men! Take heed of stumbling at that Stone which the Builders refuse, lest your Buildings and Selves be broken upon it, but That grow up into a Building of Glory, which can never be broken or shaken. Thus much for the First Caution.

Take heed how you furiously oppose anything, that pretends to an Appearance of Christ. Habakkuk speaks of Christ in the Spirit: C. 3. v. 4. His Brightness was as the Light: Horns were in His Hand, and there was the Hiding of Power. All the Spiritual Discoverys of Christ are as Hands of Light, by which He puts forth Himself, and takes hold of the world. The Invisible Spirit, the Presence of the Godhead in it's Two-fold Piercing Principle of Love and Wrath; These are the Horns in the Hands. Take heed how you resist these Hands, when they are stretched forth, lest you rush upon the Horns. If you launch forth with fury upon any stream of Spirits or Opinions, and strike upon the Power of the God-head, lying hid like a Rock in those waters; how great will the wrack and Ruin of your Souls be?

I will close this use with the Story of Balaam. He went forth upon his Ass to curse the Children of Israel, having first obtained full leave from God for it, as he thought; His Ass gives back, crusheth his foot against the wall. He is enraged: Yet if his Ass had gone on, he had been slain. For an Angel stood with a Drawn Sword in his way. I intend no particular Application, but only a general Allusion. Balaam is fleshly Man, that hath the visions of God in the Fleshly Image. The Ass, the External Power of Nature and the Creature, on which he rides. When you go forth against any, that call themselves Israel, and think yourselves most clearly sent from the mouth or face of God: yet if then your Ass retreat, fall back, Rush upon the walls of Difficulties; take heed of putting him on too fiercely: Let it fairly warn you to fear: Perhaps the Power of Nature and the Creature, sees the Lord Jesus Comming forth, with the Sword of His Spirit Brandish'd in his Hand. If it should go on, it might carry you into an Absolute Ruin. Take heed then of being furious against anything that pretends to be an Appearance of Christ.

For Consolation. When first you pleased to call me to this, I thought thus with my self: What can I say more then hath been said? To what end shall I speak? or, Have we anymore Hopes yet in our Breasts? We have bled and wept, wept and bled again for many years. Still we weep, and some fear lest we bleed again with greater danger. As Jacob complained of Laban; so is it with us, Our wages, our Hopes have been changed now these ten times. Our Hopes and our Savior's have devoured each other, as Pharaoh's Lean Kine did the Fat; yet as They, are still Lean. What do we cry to a sleeping God, or a God at a great Distance from us, as in a journey? or Are our Services in the Church, our Sacrifices in the Field no more to the living God, than the Gashes which Baal's Priests make upon their own Flesh?

While I was thus discouraged in mine own Spirit, I was refreshit with a Two-fold Comfort, with which I shall now endeavor to comfort you.

• 1. The Way of Christ is in the Dark.
• 2. The way of Christ is among the Angels.

1. The Way of Christ is in the Dark. Then may our King be come a good way on in His Travels of Love and Glory towards us, though we yet discern him not. We know not how Near he may be to us, how full of Life and Sweetness before us, ready now to discover Himself, when we are weeping for His Absence, and complaining that some-body hath carried Him away: as Mary complained to Himself in the likeness of a Gardener.

The Sun in a Mist or Fog steals on upon the World unperceiv'd; at last he breaks forth, and we wonder to see him so far advanced towards High-noon. So doth our Spiritual Sun still keep his pace behind the Clouds, still mounting higher and higher. When He shall discover, we shall be amazed to see, that he hath made so great a March in so short a Time: We shall wonder how he hath stolen Himself, and so much of Heaven unawares into the midst of us. Then shall a man say: How is a Goodly plant of Glory grown up to Heaven out of the Earth, in one short Night of Trouble?

Jesus Christ is not Slack in His Comming : 2 Pet. 3.9. Christ saith: I go to prepare a place for you. As a Rich Pillar or Stately work is often veiled, till it be quite finishit; and then presented at once in its full beauty: So the Lord stays from Appearing, that he may make ready a Glory Prepar'd for us: when his work is Perfect, then will he disclose it, and we with Admiration shall acknowledge, that the Lord hath not been slack in His Comming; but hath made a great Approach to Men in a Little space of Time.

When God brought back our Captivity, as Rivers in the South, then were we as Men that Dream'd: saith the Psalmist. When our God shall take off the veil from that Glory, which He is fashioning in the midst of us; then shall we be as in a Dream. It will be hard to believe, that such a Changed, so new an Appearance of Things in so short a time can be Real, and not Imaginary or Phantastick.

Ezek. 1.4: Out of the North came a Whirl-wind, out of the Whirl-wind a Cloud and Fire, out of the Cloud and Fire, the Colour of Amber, out of that Four living Creatures and Four Wheels, the Chariot in which the Son of Man was seated on a Throne : v. 26.

Who can tell, what Glory shall from Heaven visit the Earth, when those Clouds, which now are upon us, shall open themselves? In this Whirl-wind, Clouds, Fire, Jesus Christ with a Traine of Gloryes hath been all along descending, and at last He shall alight amidst us. Then shall the Whirl-wind, Clouds, and Fire be in a Moment dismissed forever at His Appearance.

2. Comfort. The way of Christ is among the Angels. He comes with His H • lie Angels. Open then your eyes, and see each good Man, Counsail, Interest with its Angel, each Angel with His Jesus; a Million of Angels in every One, surrounding his Person.

Job 38.22. We read of Treasures of Snow and Hail. As Angels are the Chariots of Christ; so they are His Chambers and Treasuries. In the Sweetest season, God can on a sudden bring forth from the Bosom of an Angel roaring Tempests, which lay there ready prepared. When Storms are most violent, God sends forth an Angel, at whose Appearance a Pleasant serenity shall immediately smile upon the face of Things, when we are sad, and see nothing abroad but Dark Clouds coming after the Rain, and Showers of Blood: Yet then our Angels in the midst of us, those Invisible Chambers, may be heapit full of rich Blessings, which they can pour forth upon us, more suddenly then we can think it.

Angels are the wombs of the God-Head in this Creation, Job 38.21. When all outward things seem barren of Hope, those wombs may be Teeming, and Big with joys for us.

These are the Chariots of Israel, and Horses thereof. In the Head of these is Jesus Christ, the Captain of the Lord's Host. Each of These is an Host, nay a Legion of Armies, nay a Fountain. For in Scripture they are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Principles or Springs of the world.

Let no face of Things dismay us. Is one Army broken? the Angel of the Lord Jesus is a Fountain of forces, which can pour forth a continued store of fresh Armies, if you need them? Do we lose our friends, Men of best Wisdom, Courage, and Integrity taken off the Stage, or off their Excellencies? The Angel that hath the Charge of this, can unexpectedly disclose a new stock of worth, and Race of Men. Are our Enemies Politick or Potent? yet we may sleep secure. For the Holy Angels full of Eyes and Wings are planted round about them, as a Guard upon them. One Angel lies at the bottom of their Hearts, as a Mine, ready to spring itself upon their Counsels, when they are now ripe. Another Angel wraps himself about the Foundation of their force, as a Fire, ready at His appointed Time to devour it and them.

Angels are the unities of Things in the Creature. Though the water of a River be continually passing away, yet the River is still the same, because 'tis fed from One Spring. There is One Angel of our Armies, One of our Counsels, One for Strength, One for Wisdowe, One for Prosperity, in which Jesus Christ comes forth among us. Our Counsels may be scattered, our Armies broken; yet we shall have the same Strength, the same Army: For both are fed from the same Unity, their proper Angel.

Revel. 1.1. Christ tells Saint John, The Golden Candlesticks are the Churches. c. 2. v. 5. He threatens the Angel of the Church to remove the Candlestick. The Candlestick of Gold is the Church in the Spirit, which is ever Entire, ever Pure. As this Candlestick is drawn into Heaven, so a Company of Men on Earth lose the Beauty, Unity, and name of a Church. When this Candlestick is again let down into the Flesh, and set upon the Earth: The Church is the same again in Integrity and Glory. Thus the Unity, Strength, Interests of Good Men are comprised in their Angel. This is the Candlestick, in which they always shine. When their Light seems lost in the greatest storms; 'tis but the Candlestick, Removed: Jesus Christ can return that into its place in a Moment, and so restore your Day.

Jesus Christ sends forth His Angels to gather His Saints from the four Winds, at the resurrection. When the Body of a Saint crumbles and scatters into Dust; Every Dust lies gathered up into the Bosom of some Holy Angel. There all the Single Dusts are comprehended in one Form of a Glorious Body. In This Form the Angel brings them forth at the Call of Christ: This is the Resurrection of the Body. This is as true of each Piece of Life and Death in our Persons or Affaires while yet we are on Earth. When our Happiness, Hopes, and Hearts are ground into the smallest Dust; They then lie Compact, and complete in their Angelical Chamber; on a sudden, as at the Blast of an Angels Trumpet, or Glance of an Angels Eye, can Jesus Christ give our Dead Hopes a Glorious Resurrection out of their Dust.

Let us then in the midst of our Sorrows sing, The Lord Raignes: Let the Earth be glad. The Lord Comes. Clouds are upon us, but Angels ride upon those Clouds, and the Lord Jesus upon those Angels. Open your Eyes, see the King, as He comes in Glorious State. If Elisha saw Elijah, as he ascended, he was to have the spirit of his Master doubled upon him. If we see our Savior as He descends in a Divine Glory; we shall be clothed with His Spirit, and His Mantle: Inward Beauties, Outward Prosperities, falling fresh from the Person of Christ on us, as He comes down upon us.

Let us then spread our own Garments, our Earthly Powers, Policies, or Prosperities, in His way, under His feet. And as He passeth along, let us cry aloud in our songs: Hosanna, Hosanna, Save now: Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord: Hosanna; Now Save us.