Vet. 5, 6. xxv'h Chapter or St. MATTHEW. 3 was, Prov. 8. 31. who delighted to condrfe with his people in hirmane shape before his Incarnation, who took pleafure o Upend his time bufily amongft them, and to dwell with them in the days of hiri:fh, Joli. 9. 45. In fhort, he that had a mind of returning before he went away, certainly lie will once more leave Hea- ven for their fakes. When he hath done his work there, he will return, and bring his people along with him to Glory, and the full fruition of the Promifes. He will flay no longer than our affairs do require, ;f oh. 14. 3: Ç3.] The AffePions of his Saints to him, which Chrift will fatisfie. There are many that never faw him, and yet believed in him, and loved him heartily : a Pet. t. 8. In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unfpeakable and full of Glory : And íoh#no. 20. Becaufe thou haft feen me, thou haft believed ; bleffed are they that have not feen me,. and yet have believed. Their Faith is not mifplaced, they !hall find him filch a one as was to be believed, loved and obeyed. Now to grati- fy their delres, Chrift will appear and thew himfelf. With theft eyes jhmll I fee my Redeemer ! The Children of God cannot look to Heaven, but they remember they have a Saviour to come from thence : Phil. 3. 20. For our Converfation i; in Heaven; from whence alfo we look for the Saviour, the Lord 7efu Chrtft. Paul fpeak- erhin his own name, and in the name of all thofe like himfelf. And Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride fay, Come, The Holy Gholt breedeth the defre, and the Church anfwereth the motion. Nature faith not, Come, but Stay Rill. If it might go by voices, whether Chrtft Mould come or no, would carnal men give their votes this way ? The voice of corrupt nature is, Depart, Jpb 22. 14. Carnal men are of the mind of the Devil ; ,Art thou come to torment us before oar time ?' Mat. 8. But the Spirit in the Bride raifeth there delires. Now would Chtïft dif- appoint there defires which he bath railed in the Hearts of his Children, and let. them a longing, and a looking, and a groaning for that which fhall never be.? It cannot be imagined. [4.] From the Conflitution of the Church. He hath difpenfed gifts and graces there, and left Ordinances there ; and he will come, and require an account of things during his abfence, how we have improved our Talents, Mat. 25. 31. how things have been managed in his houfe, 1 Tim. 6. 54. I(eet, my Commandments with- out rebuke, till the appearing of the Lord Yefua Chr. Çhrift is now removed from us, retired within the Curtains of the Heavens ; but he will come again. t Cor 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Ye/us Chrift, let him be Anathema Maranatha; that is, turfed till the Lord come., [5.] From his Promife. We have This Word in pawn. 'Tis an ancient Promife made long ago, 7ude 15. Behold the Lord comerh; and bath been received in all ages by the Lords Meffengers ; Mofes, and David, and Solómon, and Daniel, and ;fob, and Zechariah, and Malachi ; ,and revived by C hrift at his departure, yoh. 14. 3, by the Angel, A. 1.11. And the Apoftles every where put us in mind of Chrifts coming. Now we may reafon thus ; Fidelis Deus in omnibus, in ultimo non defici- et; God bath ever flood to, his word, many intervenient Providences, yet Pro mifes Rill accnmplifhed : not one word of God bath failed. Every one that bath had experience of God, may make that acknowledgment that 7ofhua did, jof. 23. 14. Behold, this day I am going the way of all the Earth, and ye know in all your hearts and in all your fouls, that not one thing bath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God fpake concerning you : As unlikely things have come to pals, that have been foretold in the Word. Were the old Believers deceived, that expeEt- ed his coming in the flefh? Surely God never meant to deceive us. He will come again. If it were not fo, I would have told you, Joh. 14. 3. Chrifts deed and per- formance never gave his word the lye. [61 His Promife is folemnly confirmed. 1. By an outward fgn and memorial. .2 Cor. Tr. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do ¡ben' forth the Lords death until he come. God knew he had to do with diftru([ful Creatures, therefore left a' Monument to keep the promife a -foot in the Church, and to revive our hopes. Would Chrift inftitute an Ordinance for the folemn remembrance of his 'appearing, if he meant no more to come at Us ? 2. By a Real Pledge, his Spirit dwelling in us. He is gone to Heaven, to pre- pare Heaven for us, and hath left his Sprit with us to prepare us for Heaven. He !lath left his Spirit in the Church, and doth give out frequent Tokens of F 2 Love,
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