Ver. i3. xxv'h Chapter of St: MATTHEW. 77 Lord. Repentance is the Souls Return to God in Love : And, Ali. 17. 30, 31. Now he tommandeth all men to repent, becaufe he bath appointed a days in which he will judge the World in righteoufnefs. That day is kept off that we might have time to re- pent, 2 Per. q. So Faith in Chrift, that will unite us to him, or an hearty ta- king him for, our Lord and Saviour, Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriß. Phil. 3. 9. found in him. t John 2.28: And now little Children, abide in him ; that when he ¡hall appear, you may have confidence, and not be afhamed before him at his coming. We muff 'be in Chrift, and abide in Chrijl. To abide in Chri/l, is to perfevere in our adhering to him as our Lord and Saviour, in the profe(fion of his Name, obfervation of his Precepts, recumbency on his Merits, imitation of his Graces, Communion with his Perfon. Certainly he will not cart off thofe who are Members of his Myfical Body, and abide in him by Faith ; nor condemn thofe whom he hath redeemed, and waffled in his Blood, and fanaified by his Spirit. This is our Preparation ; yea, the Scripture doth not only look to our Hearts, but to our Lives, Jam. 2. 5, 2. 3. It muff be a confiant and daily Preparation. You muf not only get ready, but keep ready. Betides Habitual Preparation, there muff be Actual Preparation. We muff every day be more in a readinefs. The Centinel is to watch all hours; Iris death to be taken fleeping, though he hath watched all the night before. We know neither the day nor the hour ; 'Tis in the Text, implying, there mutt be no intermi{iion of our care. What if my Mafier fhould come and find me idle, faid Calvin to his Friends, that demanded of him why he wafted his body in fuch confiant labours. Few are like- minded, that put this queftion to their Souls, Ism /as I would meet with Chri ? We fhould alwayes {land with our Lamps burning, and our Loyns girt,'Luk. Ia. 35. A Chriftian fhould be always as a Ship that hath taken in its Lading, and is prepared and furnifhed with all manner of Tackling, ready to fet Sail, only expefting the good wind to carry him out of the Haven: So fhould we be ready to fet Sail for Eternity, {land at Heaven Gates, be in a perpetual exercife of Faith and Love, and be fittingly prepared to meet our Savi- our. O what a happinefs is it to live fo, that we care not when 'death cometh upon us ; and fo live every day, as if we were prefently to be fummoned before the Tribunal of Chrift. The World thinketh this a foolifh ftriélnefs, becaufe ma- ny dayes go over our heads, and it proved' not fo : But let them mock on ; when they come to Hell they will find this to be the greatef wifdom. A Chriftian will count every day his Taft : Not only his .own neceffïty, but his love, and ear - neft delire of Chrifts Coming, maketlr him look out. (3.) The tall thing in this Watching is, Earnefi expeltation of Chrifts soli Ap- pearance, and the Grace he will bring along with him ; t Pet. t: 15. Gird up the loyns of your minds, and be fober, and hope to the end, for the Grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of fefus Chr,. Our Hearts and Minds fhould be more taken up with the thoughts of his Coming, and the Priviledges we ¡hall have by hint : 'Tis expreffed by looking, longing, waiting ; and Chriftian are often defcribed by thefe ads, Tit. 3.13. Looking for the bief ed hope. Phil. 3. 20, 21. From whence we look for a Saviour, Heb. 10. 27. We fhould ftir up our minds to look for his Coming ; and not only fir up our hopes, but our defires, 2 Tim. 4. 8. To them that love his appearing ; 'cis a lgn and Token that he cometh. with a Bief fing to us : To them he cometh with a Crown of Righteoufnefs. So for waiting, t Cor. a. 7. Te come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord 7efus Chrift. We were converted for this end, to wait for his coming from Heavens t Thef r. to. Now I come to Phew you the Reafons why this Watching is required of us, or to move us to it. Firfi, Confider who it is that biddeth you watch. Chrift himfelf, whom you call Lord and Mafter, who knows the worth and danger of Souls, and bath a tender efteem and value for them. If we did impofe fo frill a Duty upon you, you might take or leave it as it fhall be for your conveniency. In the fir¡ of Proverbs, So- lomon bringeth in Wifdom lifting up her voice, and crying, Prov. I. 26. What to do ? to accept of the Grace offered. The molt then will mifs the feafon ; they {hall never receive advantage by the cry if they negletl it, verf. 26. and verf 28: They (ball call upon me, but I will not anfwer. Many Claufes in thefe Verles do fit- ly agree with the paffages of the Parable : Iteagreeth with the fooáfb Virgins, who loft
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