846 Mr. Benjamin Afhurfl:'s Funeral Sermon. I will more particularly infifr upon the certain coming of Jefus Chrift in Perfon.to Jud ge the World; and for the ord~rly difcourfe of it, 'tis obfcrvable that a double ~on1ing of Chrif\ is foretold in Scripture: The firfr in a low Condition ; the fecond . m a p:lonous State. The ends of Jus firfr and fecond commg regulate their manher: The MejfiM came at firfr, to be the Mediatour between the righteous God and finful Man, by patient fuffering the moft afflictive Evils; to propitiate the incenfed Jufrice of Heaven againfr us; to reftore us byHumility who fe ll by Pride; To illufrrate hisfignal Love to us, to recommend by the efficacy of his Example, the meek Sufferincr all the tranfient Evils of the World: But the fecond will be t9 perform the !aft Ad of his Regal Office, to determine the eternal States of Angels and Men, and fuitably in the Glory of hi s Deity. The Divine Oracles were never lefs obfcure than in defcribing · ~~~ t,~~ fu~~/:~~~~~r:\~~ ~;et:o~f:r ;a~!~:r~\\:~~[~~et~~~~~ ~ii~~~~~m~~: on, is a convincing vifible Argument they fhall be fulfilled in his Exaltation. Now in regard his lowly Obedience, and forrowful Sufferings, are the Titles to his Trimnph, and the height of his Glory fhall be anfwerable to hi s extream Debafement; I will briefly compare his firfr and fecond Coming. His firfr Coming"'"' i1t the likenefs of Jinjitl Flefb : tho he was exempt from the rebellious Sin of our firfr Parents, and the poifonous Tincture that is derived to their common·Race, being miraculoufly crmceived by the Holy Ghofr, yet he was charged with the Frailties, and expofed to thofe Affiiltions that are the Penalties of Sin. His firfl: reception in the World was fo mean, that if Poverty it felf had a!fum'd a vifible Appea rance, it could not be received more poorly. He was born in a Stable, and died on the Crofs, the humble Poverty of his beginning was not difcordant from his ignominious End : and his Life from his firfr Breath to his lafl: in the World, was a cour fe through Poverty, Difgrace, Injuries, Indignities, and the mort cruel Sufferings. He was made not only lower than the A•igels, but than the lowefl: of rr~1. n. Men : In the Language of his Type, a Worm aml11o Matt. In this poor, weak, and contemptible State, darkned with the Clouds of Sorrows, 0 how unlike to him, Ifa. 6. who appeared in a Celeft:ial Vifion to the Prophet Efay~ fitting upo11 a Thro11e high and lifted up, and the glorious Seraphims in a pofrure of Reverence about him, and in Job. "·4'· an Extafy of Admiration crying, one to another, Holy, holy, boly w the Lord God of Hojh, tbe whole Earth w jitU of hi< Glury. Carnal Eyes could not difcover the Son of God in the Son of Man fo vilified and ,r•.•, ,, ~~~~~·tio~,h~~i~;~~~;a~~:~~1~%!:r~j1f;1/(e~icobi;o~0oj'}(ra~7 ~~~~!~\~"~:his Now to all thofe Steps of our Saviour's depreffion in his firfr coming, are correfpondent the degrees of his Exaltion in his fecond coming. He fhall come the fecond time from the highefr Heaven the true Sanll:uary of Cod, and appear with01tt Sin, have perfectly ·expiated it by his Sufferings on Earth. His firfr coming was in Dijhonour, his feeond ft>aU he in Glory. He came at firfl: on foot, in the form of a Servant, then he fhall come in the/:,'m ofGod, riding on the bright Clouds, and aU the Pf•l. 68 • ' 7 ~~r;.::ht,~~d,tl~;ev1fit;~ J{;igl:1~~fstt~fd:I~~ g~J;y. H~~~al~~~~1:0t~~ ~~o~~:rytl;{ Nails, the Crofs, all the confpiring Infl:ruments of his cruel and difgraceful Sufferings fhall be exchanged for the Enfigns of Majefry: His Sacred Head fi>all be crown'd with Glory, of which the Sun in its Lufl:re is but a dark fhadow ; a Scepter of Rit.hteou{nefs ft>aU he in his hand, he fhall fit on a great white Throne, the Emblem of his unfpotted Holinefs. His firfr coming was in Weaknefs, but l1is fecond fha\1 be in Power. Thus he told M"· ••· 64. his Enemies, Hereafle~· ft>nU ye fee the Son of Man jitti1rg on the right-hand of Power, tmd comi11g in t he Clo11dJ ofHea.vw. His Voice fhall break the ftl ence of the Grave, and all that are in the bowels of the Earth, or the bottom of the Sea, fhall come Job. 18 · 39· ;~;J,h ~~ ,r;J?.~:.~e;7:: ~jDt;;=~tr::.o !i~ ~f~~~~f~r~~;{; ~~f ~;a~geh::. d::;; Ph;J. J· "• Bodies, t hat they may be fofhioned like to hw GloriotH Body. As Gold at firfl: taken out of the Mine, feems but common Earth, but by the refining Fire has a Bri:;htnefs fuperinduced, that it feems rather the product of the Fire, than from the Vem of the Earth from whence it was taken : Thus our Bodies that in their Origi nal are but Eartb; Ji'ont the Earthly Adain; fhall by the Po>ver of the Lord fi'om Hcavm be made heavenly, clothed with a living Luftre and Vil,\Our. He will t hen ~i:~':en:S'£o~~cl tftei~htu:iM~nw;~h ~~~; ~~~;hi;:-;r~:~.tegi~~ ~~~re~~~~~~; srr:; old
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