Opened and Applied. Nuw we lhall finde that the Scripture fpeaks of a fixfold coming of Chrilt, that as all our deliverances are bur lhadows of our great and lafl: deliverance ; fo Chri[ls coming now is but a lhadow of his great and !aft comino. · " Firft, Chrilt is faid to come to his people, when he comes ro he;;r rheir prayers, Lu/z,r8.8. ~nd the Lord argues ltrongly? !'Vill an unjull Judge arife at nighr, ro help a wtdow a ftranger, .when lhe 15 tmporrunare ~ and\vjll nor rhe Lord hear his eleCl:and chofen? yrtwhen he comes, fha/1 h~ jiude f.<ith? i.e. fuch prayers of faith as ihall continue ; oh no ! bur foon apt robe weary before th.: rime comes. SECT. II. ObjeCl:.BUt if they c:afe, how d• they fray nighttrnd da; ~ .Anfw.t. Becauferheydo fofora nme, . . 2 • When rhey ceafe, rhen rhey are ringing in Gods ears; fo char !er rhe prayers of rhe eleCl: for any mercy be once olferecf and prefenred as incenfe before rhe Lord, rhe Lord will nor be worfe than an unjult Judge, never ro come ro his people. Secondly, Chri!t is faid to come ro fulfil ~is promifes; for fometimes the Lord keeps his people exceedingl110rr, and g1veshis people anfwers to their Prayer in particular promifes (you find it fo) Pfal.S5.8,9. I will hear wlw rhe Lcrd will fay, for he will {peak_ peace t• his people, that fo they may live by faith, and glory more in rhe Lord then in rhemfelves ; yer be will come, though ir be very long, Heb.to,<6,;6. Ye have need of pattence, th"t ye mf'.} receive the promrfe; J'or yet a little while, &c. We think it lo;1g, yer it will be fo. Thirdly, Chri!t is faid to come to his people when he fpeaks peace, and breaks the clouds of fears and troubles, and lhines upon his people ; for while rhe Lord is angry, and hides his face, rhat a man is beyond fight of the face and love of God , now God and Chri[l is faid ro be gone ; fo then, when be returns ro fpeak IX=ace, now he is faid to come, as that Martyr fa id, He is come, ZIICh.r .I 6;17.! am rttllrned to JerHf;;lem, with >nJ mercies, and the .l,ord will yet comfort Zion; for when the Lord forfakes his people for f~venty years,and t<kes away all hisOrdinances,tbe external vi6ble figns of his prefence,one would thin!r he would never come, yer rbeLord \\ill come and com>ort his p~ople, lfa.6r .2. God bathrent and anointed him, and the Spirit hath filled him, and, he is as willing himfelf to co:nfort them that mourn, nay when they have rhe fpi•- rit of heavinefs; ancl when iris done, Chrift is come ; then that i§ a coming of Chri!t. Fourthly, There is a coming of Cbrif:h' hen he comes in more full meafure of his Spirit to his pt;ople,and rh at in his Ordinan~c5; fN there is a flare and time of Chri!tianiry, wherein a man is carnal anc;l blind, and the Image of Cbri!t darkly lla01pt upon rhe foul, and is excecdin'g weak; now the Lord is faid to come when he cloth rbis, joh.r4.~8. I TPill Jte you agai,, and I will n•t leave ;ou comfortlt(?, Orrbans alone Without any one ro take care for you; now though it be long before die Lord do come h~re ; yet COJne he will, when rhe foul thinks it impoffible, and tberhing incredible; Behold thy god, thy King commeth ' · Ifa. 40- 9· with 2j. He fh111l come !ikf th~ rdn Hp on the fleece of wool. . Fifthly, ChriG is faid ro come when he comes to defl:roy and root out rho enemie~ of his Churcb,wberher outward cnemi1=s or i11ward enemies,Jj..t.z6.21. \ . ' No~ • 37
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