2. Powerfully to administer the mediatorial kingdom.
[1.] For the comfort of the elect, and to see the fruits of his purchase accomplished to them : Eph. iv. 10, ' The same also that ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things ; ' that is, supply his people with a large and plentiful measure of the gifts and graces of his Spirit. His presence there is far more beneficial to us than if he were here upon earth ; yea, not only beneficial, but necessary, as being the means to apply his merits, and confer the mercies purchased by his sacrifice.
[2.j For the destruction of his enemies: Ps. ex. 1, ' The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool ; ' Heb. x. 12, 13, ' But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sin, for ever sat down at the right hand of God ; from hence-
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forth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.' His person is in heaven above molestation and abuse ; his reign and government is opposed in the world, but by degrees it gets ground upon opposition.
Second point. That at the end of time Christ will come from heaven and judge the world. Keason saith he may come ; faith, that he shall come. Keason saith he may come ; these principles are evident, that man is God's creature, and therefore his subject ; that man hath failed in his subjection to his creator and lord ; that, having failed, the holy God may justly call him to an account. Of this man is sorely afraid : Rom. i. 32, 'Who knowing the judgment of God, that they that do such things are worthy of death,' &c. ; for reason telleth us that God, who is our creator, is also our governor ; and if our governor, then he is our judge ; and as such man feareth him. Now this judgment is put into the hands of Christ, who is our lawgiver, who gave us this healing law for the reparation of mankind, and to set them in joint again that they may live unto God. And the lawgiver is the judge ; and that he hath a right to be lawgiver and judge. God hath justified his call, in that he raised him from the dead: Acts xvii. 31, 'Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteous- ness, by the man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance to all men, in that he raised him from the dead.' Faith saith that he will come. What shall I say ? Angels foretold it : Acts i. 10, 11, ' And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? this same Jesus that is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.' The devils tremble at it : Mat. viii. 29, ' And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God ? art thou come hither to tor- ment us before the time ? ' The saints departed long for it : ' How long, Lord, holy and true ? ' Rev. vi. 10. The prophets proclaimed it ; from Enoch downward it hath ever been kept up in the church : Jude 14, 15, ' And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed, and all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.' And the apostles inculcated it everywhere ; yea, above all, our Lord hath assured us of it : John xiv. 2, 3, ' In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you : and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself ; that where I am, there ye may be also.' And he hath instituted the Lord's supper to keep up the remembrance and expectation of it : 1 Cor. xi. 26, ' For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come.'
But doth the apostle refer to so long a while, and not rather speak of our coming up to him, which is nearer at hand, than his coming down to us, which is so far off?
1. Not to infringe the doctrine of the saints' happiness as soon as they die, for we presently receive the salvation of the soul, but lest any should doubt of it, on this occasion let us clear that. The soul return-
160 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. XVI.
eth to God : Eccles. xii. 7, ' The spirit shall return to God that gave it,' It is with Christ : Phil. i. 23, ' I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better ; ' 1 To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise,' Luke xxiii. 43 ; as the wicked are in hell : 1 Peter iii. 19, ' The spirits in prison.' So the ' spirits of just men are made perfect,' Heb. xii. 24. As soon as ' we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord,' 2 Cor. v. 8. The ' beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom,' Luke xvi. 22 ; Luke xx. 37, 38, ' Now, that the dead are raised, Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living ; for all live unto God.' All things, both in heaven and in earth, are said to be reconciled to God by Christ, Col. i. 20, the uni- versality of the elect, whether already glorified or yet upon earth. It cannot be meant of angels ; tliey were never reconciled, because never any breach between God and them.