Chap. 2. SeCt. 4· Book VI. 615 ----- ---- believers ar~ not onely in a poflurolooking for the. coming of Jefus Chrill:, but 0 lfo, as it were, going forth to meet Jefus Chril1: with burning Lan;ps. Lmhercould fay~ That ~lmh. 6.w. he IMS no true Chriflian, neitherrould he trulyr~Cite theLords prayer,that wzth all hu heart dcftrednotthudayof the coming of Chriff. Jt_lS true, that whether we wtll or no, that day wm come, but in the Lord's prayer Chnll: bath taught usto pray that God would accelerate and haften the day of Ius glonous commg, ·thy Kwgdom come, ( '· e. ) the Kingdom of glory at the judgment, as well as the Kingdom of grace in the Church. It is true that the day of the Lord ts a ternble day, the Heavens, and Earth, and Sea, and· Air fJJ all be all on a bone-fire, and burn to notlling; mvcrthdcfs we according to hu promife look,.for new heavens, and anew earth; we that have laid hold upon God, and laid hold on him by the right handle, accordingtohupromifcs, we look for this day of tbe Lord, we lookfor it, and haftcn unto ~t, we ~re gl~d it is fo near, and we do what we can to have it nearer, with an holy kmd of tmpattence we beg of the Lord, C•me ·Lurd {eji1, co"'e quickJy. This was Ptml's character, We ~{_now that the whole creation Rom.6.22,23. groaneth, and travelleth in pain together until now; and not onely they, bm our [elves ~lfo, whiCh have the firft-fruits of the Spirit, M;mwe our[elves groan within our{elves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemptiM of our bodies: God's children, fuch as have the firf!-fruits of the Spirit, the beginnings of true foving grace in them, they conftamly look and long for rhe day of full deliverance, or of the coming of Chrift. This the Apoftle infianceth in his Corimhians, Ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of 1 Cor. I. 7· our Lord fefus Chriff; and in like manner he writes to his Philippians, Our converfation I' hi!. 3· 2o. u in kea'lJm, from whence alfo welookfor the Saviour, the Lord 7efusChriff: And toTitus Tit. 2 • 13 • himfelf he writes .the fame things, We look..for that blejfcd hope, and the gloriottS appear~ ing of.the great God, and our Saviour Je(us Chriff. Now Chriflians lay this character to heart, do you long, pant, and look for this glorious:and fecond coming of Cbria? have you any fucb wifhes, and fayings of heart and mind as thefe are ; Oh that Chriff wo~ld appear! oh that Chriff would now break_ the heavens, and come to judgment ! oh that Jcouldfee him in the Cloud, andonhuThrone! oh that his enemies were rHined, my Jinsfubdued, my foul faved, that !might ferve him withomwearinefs,forever And ever! Surely if rhefe elongations of foul be in yott, it is a comfortable evidence that your !lopes arc found, and that Chrift Will come to receive you to himfelf, and ro bring you to glory. 3. Ifwe love Chrifi'sappearing,then will he appear on o.ur fide. Henceforth there u 2 Tim. 4 • 2 • lai.d upfor me a crown ofrighteoufnefs;which the Lord, the righteom [udge, jhallgive me at thatday, and not to me onely, but unto shem alfo that luve hi< appearing. A true Chriftian lovesChrifb's appearing in ordinances, and in all tire means of grace_, how much more · in his own perfon? But how fhoujd we.Jovc that we fee not? 0 yes! there's a kind of an Idea of Chrift, and of his gloiious ~ppearing .in every fandified foul, and in that refped we love him though we cannot fee him, Vfbo,baving not feen je love, faith the ApoI Per. I. s. file; and fo your love and faith at the appearing of[eflu Cbriff fhall be found unte praife, Verfc 7• ..nd hono,.r, andglory. Th9fe that have not feen Cbrift, and yet love the Idea· of his · light, even the)' !hall appear at the appearing of Chrifl in praife, and honour, and glory. Is nor the crown laid up for them that love the appearing of Chril!? is it not align of a good caufe to love a day of hearing? furely the love of Chrifl's coming cannot confifl without fome alftirance th~t a foul !hall fiand upright in the judgment. He that hatb not a confidence in his.caufe, loves nor· the coming of the Judge ; no guilty prifoner loves the Sellions or loves the] udges prefence; it is the cry of reprobares, 0 ye ReY 6 6 mounta.ns, and 0 ye rockf fall on m, and hide m from the face of him that jitteth tm t~e · · 1 • Throne. Bur as for Chri tl: and his Saints , 0 the mutual loves, and mutual longings in _ t,heir brefts! _The Jail: words th~t Chrift fpeaks in tpe Bible (and ~mongfl us Iaft words make deepeflnnprct!ions) are, S1mly I come quic"Jy . and the lafl anfwer that ismade in our behalt, is, .Amen, even fc cowe Lord jtfi:.~. I kno;, this Character is near the former, and thetefore I !hall pafs it over. 4· If our works be _good, then will he reward u~ according to our works. At that great ·?•Y thls Will berhe trtal, works? or no works? Then will he fay to them on his right Mar;h. 25•33· 11and, Come ye blrjfcd of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, for f "'"'an 34>35•36 • htmgred, andye ,gave me meat; I"'"' thirfty and yegave me drink_; f IVM a ftraager and yetook_me i11, n"~cd•ndJ'< clom hcd rr.e, I WM ftck. and ye 'l!iJited me, I IVM in prifon, and ye ~ame 11mo me. Here were VJ.orks, upon which followed the rewards of Heaven, for thefe went IntO e::r.".:llife. l know. works are not. meritorious, and yet they are evi- Yerfc 41< Y y y dences ;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=