Ver. 5, 6. xxvth Chapter of St. MATTHEW. 3 to him. The end of time and all things in it, are near to every particular per - fon ; Chrift and we are to meet fhortly ; it fhould be our care to r meet him by true -and ferious Repentance; that we may meet him with. Joy. We are frail Creatures, and within a very little while Death will fummon us to appear be- fore the Lord, and when you dye, you are fpeedily to come to your Tryal : Now are all things ready ? (I.) Is Chrift your Bridegroom ? was there ever a folemn Covenant (truck be -. tween you and him, as Hofeá 3. 3. by renouncing all other Husbands, and giving up your felves to do his will ? (a.) Are your Lamps burning, your Graces kept in exercife, and fhining forth to the Lords glory ? Are you in a conftant and continual readinëfs to have imme- diate Communion with Chrift, or to fet Sail into the World to come. It fhould be a chearful thing to you to depart hence, Phil. í. 23. (3.) Have you Oyl in your Yeffels ; fuch a deep and powerful work as will keep up this affeEtion ? Are thefe things in you, and abound in you, 2 Pei. 1. 8, 9,1o, I t ? What haft thou that others have not, that fhall never fee Gods face ? Can you fay as Chrift, 'Yoh. 17.4. I have glorified thee upon Earth, I have finifhed the work thou haft riven me. to do ? Have you been adding one Grace to another, fo that now you.liave nothing to do, but to wait for the Crowning of all. III. We fhould Improve ic as to Chrifts general Coming: If it be fo, that the Bridegroom will certainly come, but at his own time, I. Then be not of the Number of thofe Scoffers and Mockers that either deny or doubt of his coming. The molt pare of men expe& no fuch matter ; the Pro- phane feofr at it, and would fain (hake off this bridle and reftraint upon their Lufts, 2 Pet. 3.3. Therefore take heed of the whifpers of Atheifm, which would tempt us to twin unto the World and prefent things, and give over our hopes. Moft mens Faith about the eternal Recompenfes is but pretended, at bell but too cold and fpeculative ; an Opinion rather than a found Belief, as appeareth by the little fruit and effe& it bath upon them ; for if we had fuch a belief' of them as we have of other things, we fhould be other manner of Perfons, in all Noly Con - verfation and Godlinefi. Two things are to be wondred at, viz. That any man fhould doubt of the Chriftian Faith, that is acquainted with it ; and that having embra- ced it, fhould live finfully and carelefly. Therefore believe it as if you faw it, Rev. 20. 12. I faw the dead, &c. . 2. Take heed of apprehending it as a thing afar ojf ; look upon it as fúre and near, to haften your Preparation. Ir cannot be loth to the end of Time : If we compare the remainder with what is paff, and the Whole with Eternity, Pfa: 90.4. A thoufandyears in thy fight, are but as yefterday when 'tis path ; al 'cis nothing to the true meafure of things. He that than come will come,.nnd: will r : There- fore we fhould have more quick and lively thoughts and appreheon about it, fuch as will awaken us out of our fecurity. 3. Take heed of a cold and ineffettud thinking of it. There is a certain titkp. appointed, and when -that appointed time is`come, he will certainly appear, there,. fore look for it and long for ir. The Saints .are defçribed by their looking fop. it, Titus 2. 13. Looking for the bleffed hope: Phil. 3. zo. From whence we look for a S viour : and Heb. 9. 28. A&ual expeEtation enliveneth all our a&ions. Rehecha efpi -.E ed Ifaac a great way off Faith and Hope ftandeth ready to embrace him. And alto by their longing for it, 2 Tim. 4.8. Revel. 22. 17. Come Lord Yefus, come quick ly. Long for it for Chris fake, and your own fakes :. For Cbrifls fke, his luxe- reft is concerned in it, that the glory of his Perfon may be cleared. His firm coming was obfcure ; but now he will come in great fplendor, accompanied with his holy Hoffis, ten thoufands of Saints and Angels, t Pet. 4. 13. Tkitt when his glory fbal be revealed, ye may be glad with exceeding joy. His Juftice wilt then be demonftrated, AEts 17. 3 t. He bath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in Righteoufnefs : And 2 Thef. i. 6, 7. Tis a righteous thing with God to retompenfe tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled, refit with ut, when the Lord 7efus Chrift fball be revealed with his mighty Angels. And long for it for your own fake; 'tis a day of the manifeftation of the Sons of God, Rom. 8. 09. Then you (hall receive your reward to. the full, 1 Pet. e. 13. Hope to the end, for the Grace that is to be brought to you at the Rez elation of'ef es Chrift. Then is the fulleft manifeftation of the Love of God : Now we are preffed with the remain- ders
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