To THE SAINT'S REST. 33 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 depar- ture 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 skew 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 shew 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 firth her leaves, and there- fore know that summer is nigh.(u) Though the riotous world say, illy 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,(z) a generation of vipers,(a) and here for- get us ?Did he buy us so dear, and then leave us sin- ning, suffering, groaning, dying daily, and will he come no more to us? It cannot be. This is like our un- kind dealing with Christ, who, when we feel our- selves 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 mi- serable ?(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. (t) Cor. ix. 26. (u) Matt. xxiv. 30. (w) Matt. xxiv. 48. (x) Luke xxi. 28. (y) Matt. x. 16. (z) Psalm lvii. 4. (a) Matt. iii. 7. (b) 1 Cor. xv. 19. 2 E
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=