2o8 The ExpèFlation ofChrifls Coming, or, a;ihaL f,tb. nuft live as Saints on earth. But how 7ha11 we do this ? Be often thinking ofthe coming of Chrift : often put this qüeflion to )our fouls ; \What ifChrift lhould now come : If he lhould come now I am in the Church, 'am I hearing the Wotd with that affcEtion tharl ought to hear it with Ifhethouldeóme.now I aril itïmy calling, in my worldly bnfinefs, dö I follow it with a heavenly difpofition as I ought to do ? What if he lhould come now while I amfeafting, lhould he takeme as one feafting with fear left I thould flit againft God in my mirth ? What îf'he lhould Come and take me afleep > have I niade nay peace with God before 1 went tó reft ? Work thefe coalftderations upon thy foul When the Morning cometh, think, it may be Chrift will come and take me away before evening; how all I walk this day, that I may have comfort in the comingofChrift ? When the Evening is come, think, itmay be I (hall Weber fee morning before the great dayoftheItcfurrcction; what now (hall I do, that ifI die innay fleep I may reftin the Lörd,and fo may have comfort in his appearance ? Either this moment , either this minute, fettle thy comfort and peace with Chrift ; or it maybe the nexthour it will be too late. And remember that ifever you will livea holy life,if ever you will have a heavenlycon- verfation on earth , you muff be much , and ferioufly retied in this Meditation flight it nor, pars it not in your thotights as a matter ofdifcourfe, but let it be a working meditation,let it be effeftual to produce,fomewhat in you that may wárni and heat yourhearts, and to let on fire the whole fold; and to purge out the drofs of corruption that remainsin yoti. Thus you fee what it is that the Apoflle here undertakes for himfelf, and for as many as walked as he did : they had' a heavenly Convcrfation , and that which made them have aheavenly converfation, was the looking for the 'coming of Chrife. This was the fruit of theirlooking for the cóming ofChrift, it made them walk in a heavenlyconverfation on earth, There is another frùit of this i by their looking for Chrift, they (hall find hini tobe a Lord andJefus: Welookfor ,the Saviour the Lordfefne: Which word thew- edt, that all that Chrift did for the purchafeofour redemption, hedid it by price; and bypower: He did it byprice, he fatisfied his Fathers)ufeice, and fohe is a Saviour : tYewale ( faiththeApoftl e,) t Thef. t. t o. for his Son from heaven, Whom he railedfrom the dead, even 9efne; whíeb delivered tie from the wrath to come: And by power too, over Sachan : fo he is a Lord, the Lord ofmight. Thou shalt find at the day ofChrifts, that he will both be Saviour and Lord to thee: A Saviourto free thee from fin and condemnation ; ALord,tobellow upon thee hea- ven, and glory with the Saints. This is another benefit ofour looking for Chrifts comingin the manner before fpoken of; we (hall find him then to be a Lord, and Jefus : one that will rave us fromour fins,and one that hathpower to bellowheaven upon us. Wouldeft thouthen have this comfort at that day ? Let him be fo here to thee in this life let him be slay Lord and commander of all thy affeElions, of the whole man, yield obedience now tohis will, and thou fhalt find him a Jefus then. He is not a Jefus, a Saviour, except he beaLordand Commandcralfo: But youfee I can- not ftand to infiftupon this: Theoccafion ofour meeting at this time; is to commit to theEarth she body of our Sifter departed i She hash now the termination and conclufion of all her wait- ing and expe&ation. And after fo long a Waiting, there.remaineth á ficeping in the Grave awhile, when the foul refteth in the hinds of Chrift, and waiteth for that great day, when body and foul (half be joyned together. I perfwademy felt well ofher, that She was oneof the number ofthofe waiters that (hall have joyat the coming of Chrift ; I hadnot muchknowledge Ofher, only I obferved in her ficknéfs a goodpurpofe anddefre ofnew and bettet obedience, and performiná better fervice to Chrift than the haddone, if God flould have (pared her longer. And theexprelfed altoa great delire of Chrifts fecondcoining; á defre that he would receive her to himfelf, andthat thefe dayes offin might be finifhea;
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