5 3 g. Faith's Fccho, or, of thefe that profefs themfelves Chriftians,to fay,comeLord Jefus,till they be on their death-beds, and till they be fcarce able to (peak or breath out a word ; they never fay come Lord Jefus, till they know not what to do with themfelves, till they cati enjoytheirlufts, and the World, and their fins no longer; they cannot tell how td bequeath themfelves longer to the fervice offin and unrighteoufitefs, till then they never call after theLordJefus to come to them : andwhen theydo, it is not out of loveand affeCtion to Chrift, but out offelf- love to help.them otit of the hands of death,that is too ftrong for them ; and to fetch themout of that mifery,they'arc too weak tofuftain. Therefore they call LordJefas, but (as I faid) it is far from the love of him intheir hearts ; for were thefe mento liveover their livesagain, and to" be reftored to health again, itwould be the lair breathof their lives ftül to call the Lord Jefus. My Brethren,where thefethingsare (and wefind them too gerieral,every man that looks into his own heart,may findhimfelf in fome meafure touched therein)certain- ly it cannot be that this fame lively defire ofa Chriftian canbe there, and shale per- font can have little comfort in thémfelves, they have few arguments to prove them- felves Eles ofGod, having theSpirit ofGod, os to be thofethathear the promifes with faith, or thofe thatthirft after Chrift ; there is no argument in them that they are Chrilts, becaufe they long not, and delire after him. But therefore in the fecond place, finte thisdelire isfo rare ; let ustry our felves a little, even thole that profefs better things, and hope well that they are indeed the SpoufeofChrift. Let us try and fearch our felves whether this expe&ation he with us orno, that we may find comfortinour State, and in our union andconjun&ion with Chrift. For trial of thisPoint, firft we muff know that a neceffary attendant and compani- on of this expeftation ofChrift, and waiting for him ; isuighing, and longing, and a vehement delire after him. It is no flight, no fuperficial delire, but an inward vehement deGre, a fghingandpanting after Chrift,as thofe that fee the needofhim. And therefore as the Wifeman faith, hope deferred, pains theheart : the godly de- fires ofthe foul, bring pains to the foul for wantof Chrift in the abfenceofChrift. IIróv. t;. t,. And as the Apolite expreffeth it in Rom. the S. wefigh in our felves (faith he) wait- ing for theRedemption ofour bodies. We f,gh in our felves, a3men that are lick, or in pain, or oppreft with a heavy burden, ugh out their forrows andgriefs ; fo the godly foul muff labour to findthis expeftation, in the fishing, longing, earneft de- firing after Chrift ; we ugh inour Calves, faith the Apoftle, this is an argumçntof true lovetoChrift indeed, whenwe earneftly defire him -in his bfcncc. As a true faithful Spoufe enjoyethnot herfelf when the enjoycth not her Husband ; fo it is with theSpoufe ofChrift, therefore theApoftle in the z Thef. j. g, joynetlt them together, The Cord Oralyour hearts into the love of Godand into the patient wait- ing for of Cbriff. As if he fhouId fay, there can beno loveofChrift, if there be no waiting for Chrift, and according to the vehemencyof your love,. will be the vehemency ofyour fighingand longing afterhim. That's the firft attendant of this expeftation whereby we may examine our felves. t_4 fecondattendant is, a comfortablefweet joy in the foul,afruitof the fpirit,taot a'fruit of preftimption, or oftheffefh, but a fruit of thefpirit, asthe Apoftle faith, Rom. 5. r. Being juflifieá byfaith, we rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God: where there is an earncft and certain-expeáation of Chrift (faith giving affurance tothe foul ofChriftsreturn forthe happinefsof it) it rcjoyceth under thehope,the heart refolveth it feltinto joy,becaufe irlhall enjoyChrift.That whichthe dpoltle i Pet. r. s. Saint `Peter faith, confirmeth this notably, whom (faithhe)-havingnotfeen, andyet we lovehim, and rejoyce with joyunfßeakableandólorious. Do we find this joy in our hearts ? this heavenly joy ? that which (hall beper- feaed in theprcfeiice and foilfruitionofChrift? Butalas! where!hall we find this joy' in the World? Men joy inCorn,and Wine, and Oyl,. in the enereafing oftheir Money,and'Stocks,andEffateá whereis the joythe heart is refolvedinto, to con- fiderand rememberthe returnofChrift to the full and perfe&t happinefs of the foul? Certainly ( thybrethren ) this is a rare grateupon-theearth ; and yet whereh is nor
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