AS the Church of God, be­ing the wea­kest and the most shift­lesse part of mankind, is [Page 2] never without trouble in this world; so God would never have it to be without comfort. And therefore, God reveales unto Christ in this Booke, and Christ unto the Angel, and the Angel unto Iohn, things to come, from the Ascension of Christ unto his second comming; that so, in all conditions of the Church, the Church might have recourse unto this Booke, to see what the issue of all would be. This is their comfort, that howsoever things may be carryed in this world in a seeming confusion, in a cloud, and in a Mysterie; yet in con­clusion, all shall end well on the Churches side: [Page 3] their trouble, shall end in Peace; their abasement, in Glory; and their conflict, in a Crowne. This we may see here verified. This Re­velation doth end in the de­scription of the glorious condition of the Church. In the two last Chapters (as I take it) the Evange­list Saint Iohn sets downe the glorious estate of the Church of God, even in this world; yet so, as it shall end and be consum­mate in perfect glory, in the world to come. For, the soule of a Christian, like Noahs Dove, cannot rest in any glory here, till it returne to the Arke, till it come to the enjoyment of perfect glory, and have [Page 4] blissefull communion with Christ for ever and ever in Heaven. And therefore, Christ doth terminate and end the sweetnesse of his Promises, in Heaven, and at his last comming; and the Church likewise stret­cheth and rayseth up her desires to that. Howsoever there shall be glorious times and things here; yet these are but as the first fruits to the whole Har­vest, and as a drop unto the Ocean. Therefore, when you reade of a glorious e­state of the Church to be here upon Earth, your mindes must have recourse to the upshot and consum­mation of all, in Heaven; Ierusalem, which is from [Page 5] above, must lead us to Ieru­salem which is above.

Now, because that mans unbeleeving heart is too prone to thinke, that these things are too good to be true, and too great to be performed, seeing such an immeasurable dispropor­tion betweene his owne unworthinesse, and the ex­cellencie of the things promised; hereupon the mercie of our blessed Sa­viour is such, that he con­firmes this his second glo­rious comming, by all kind of Witnesses that may be: Here is the Angel, Verse 6. Christ himselfe, Verse 7. The Spouse, and the Spirit in the Spouse, Verse 17. And Christ himselfe a­gaine [Page 6] in the words before the Text; Behold, I come quickly: then you have the Spouses answer; Amen, even so come Lord Iesus. Beloved, Faith is a super­naturall thing: it hath no friend within us; it hath no helpe, no cause in the world, except God him­selfe: therefore, it hath need of all confirmation. God knowes us, and our needs, better then we doe our selves; and you see, he useth confirmation, to helpe our unbeleefe. And besides the Witnesses, the thing it selfe is repeated againe and againe three or foure times in this Chap­ter, Vers. 7, 12, 20. Behold, I come quickly; And, behold, [Page 7] I come quickly; and, Surely, I come quickly. By every re­petition, Christ seekes to gaine upon our mis-giving soules. Behold, I come. Now because our spirit is excee­ding short, and we are rea­die to crie out, as it is in the fixt of this Booke; How long, Lord, holy and Rev. 6. 10. true? How long? Why he answers; Behold, I come quickly. You shall also finde in the Prophesies of the Old Testament, the same Promises delivered and repeated againe and againe, because of our un­beleefe; which ariseth from an inward guilt, that cleaves to our Conscien­ces; because we are subject to failings, and are not so [Page 8] strict as we should be. But such are the yerning bow­els of our blessed Saviour, that it grieves him to see his tender Church affli­cted and troubled in mind: therefore he helpes all that he can.

Observe then, I beseech you, in the words the sweet Note. entercourse that is be­tweene Christ, and his Spouse: Christ promiseth againe and againe, Behold, I come quickly; and the Church saith, Come: A­men; Even so, come Lord Iesus. There is no enter­course in the world so sweet, as is that betweene Christ, and his Church. But wee will come unto the wordes themselves; [Page 9] Amen, Even so, come Lord Iesus.

In these wordes, you have, first, the assent of the Church; secondly, the consent: her assent, to the Truth; her consent, to the goodnesse of the Truth. Amen; It is so: Nay, A­men; It shall be so: Nay, Amen; Be it so; or, Let it be so: There is a wish­ing included in it; All these are wrought by the Spirit: The Spirit con­vinceth us both of the Truth, and of the good­nesse of the Truth. And besides that, in the next wordes, the same Spirit stirres up a desire, and prayer; Even so, come Lord Iesus. Holy desires, are [Page 10] turned into fervent pray­ers.

Amen is a short word, but marvelously pregnant; Note. full of sense, full of spirit. It is a word that seales all the Truths of God, that seales every particular Pro­mise of God. And it is never likely to arise in the soule, unlesse there be first an Almightie power from Heaven, to seize on the powers of the soule, to subdue them, and make it say, Amen. There is such an inward rising of the heart, and an innate rebellion a­gainst the blessed Truth of God, that unlesse God by his strong Arme bring the heart downe, it never will nor can say, Amen.

[Page 11] But now the heart will not be pent in, or restray­ned; Note. the Spirit is an en­larging thing: and there­fore, besides Amen, (though Amen includes that which followes) the Spirit breaks forth, and saith; Amen, Even so come Lord Iesus.

A little of Amen.

Christ is said, in the be­ginning of this Booke, to be Amen, the true and faith­full Witnesse, Revel. 3. 14. Rev. 3. 14. And all the Promises are said, in Christ Iesus, to be Yea, and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. 2 Cor. 1. 20. that is, they are made for his sake, and performed for his sake: They are made in him, and for him; and they are performed in him, and for him. And when [Page 12] AMEN, that is, Christ himselfe, shall say his A­men to any thing; is it so much for us, to give our Amen?

The point I meane to rayse out of this word A­men, is this:

That the hearts of the Chil­dren of God are plyable to Doct. 1. Divine Truths, to yeeld to the whole Word of God, especially to the good Word of God, viz. the Promises; and of all Pro­mises, to the Promise of Pro­mises, the second comming of Christ.

They say Amen to that; and that, for these Rea­sons.

Because there is a suta­blenesse of disposition, and Reas. 1. a kind of connaturalnesse [Page 13] betweene a sanctified heart and sanctified Truths, be­tweene an holy heart and holy things: insomuch, that if an holy Truth, never heard of before, be heard by an holy heart, it will yeeld present assent; for his heart is subdued so, that he hath an Amen for it presently.

There is a sweet relish Reas. 2. in all Divine Truths, and sutable to the sweetnesse in them; there is a spiritu­all taste, which the Spirit of God puts into the soule of his children. Though there be never so much sweetnesse in things, if there be not a sutable taste, there is no relish in them. Therefore, the Spirit of [Page 14] God in his children works a taste of the sweetnesse that is in the Word of God. And that is a maine ground why they say Amen, especially to comfortable Truths.

Againe, when the soule is once contracted unto Reas. 3. God, it hath no will of its owne, but it yeelds up his will to Gods will. The Spouse hath no will of her owne, but her Husbands will is her will. So, if Christ say, Amen, I come quickly; the Spouse of Christ saith Amen too.

God deales with his children likewise by way Reas. 4. of a covenant, and a con­tract. And above all other covenants, the covenant of [Page 15] a contract, is the sweetest covenant. Now in it, there must be a consent on our part: and therefore it is, that the Spirit alwayes stirres up an Amen on our parts too. When he saith, Amen, it shall be so; then the soule saith, Amen, Lord, let it be so. As in civill Marriage, there is a con­tract; so here, in the spi­rituall: and seeing there is a contract, there is also an assent to the second comming of Christ; the contracted Spouse must needes say Amen, to the Marriage-day.

Lastly, the Spirit of God Reas. 5. in the hearts of his chil­dren stirres up in them this Amen, as a seale of their [Page 16] effectuall calling. If you should aske me, what ef­fectuall calling is; I an­swer, It is nothing else but the hearts Eccho, and an­swer to Gods speech. God calls, and we answer. This is by S. Peter called, The 1 Pet. 3. 21. answer of a good Conscience. There must be in the soule the answer of a good Con­science, to all Divine Truths. Doest thou be­leeve? I doe beleeve. Doest thou repent? I doe repent. Seeke ye my face. Thy face, Lord, will I seeke. Returne Psal. 27. 8. Ier. 3. 22. ye back-sliding children, and I will heale your back-sli­dings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Unlesse there be thus the answer of a good [Page 17] Conscience, there is no ef­fectuall calling. Our cal­ling is then effectuall, when the Spirit stirres up in the heart an answer unto it. Therefore you see, there must needes be an Amen wrought in the hearts of the children of God.

Beloved, if this be so, I Vse. beseech you, let us begge of God, if we finde any stubbornnesse or reniten­cie in our soules to Divine Truths, the performance of the covenant of grace. Lord, thou hast promised fleshy and sensible hearts, tender and yeelding af­fections; oh, now grant them, and worke them.

For, beloved, this you Note. must know; howsoever [Page 18] God deales with us by way of covenant, yet when he comes to performe the co­venant, hee workes in a manner our part and his owne too. In effect, hee makes a Testament, and not a covenant. In a Te­stament we bequeath, we doe not covenant and con­dition. So, that though God deales with his peo­ple by way of covenant, (as, if you repent, if you beleeve, if you obey) yet he gives by way of Testa­ment the grace that he be­stowes. Therefore begge of God, that as he requires this condition, that wee should assent and be ply­able unto his Word; so that he would make his [Page 19] covenant a Testament and a Will; I meane, that he would effectually worke it, and make us to doe it. This should be our desire of God. And so much the rather; first, because God Mot. 1. honours us by it, in having our consent. Is not this a great honour to us, that he will not performe things without our consent? For indeed, hee will not ac­complish the worke of our everlasting salvation, with­out it. But then, if we set our Seales to Gods Seale, and we consent once, we even binde God himselfe: when he seales to us, and we to him, we binde God Almightie; and by that power of Faith, subdue [Page 20] Hell, and all our opposite enemies. When we seale to the Truth of God, and cry Amen, it is a word that fills Heaven and Earth; there is not a joyfuller word in the world, then when whole Congregati­ons can say and shout A­men. When God sayes A­men in Heaven, if we pre­sently can say Amen to his Truth upon Earth, he will say Amen to our Salvati­on. Thus God honours us by it, when hee comes for our consent: Wee Mot. 2. honour God againe, by our sealing to his Truth. Faith is that, which seales to Gods Truth; and A­men, is the very voyce of Faith.

[Page 21] It is a pittifull thing, Vse 2. Reproofe of two sorts. but common in the world, that GOD should have no more credit with us. Poore distressed Soules will say Amen to the Lyes of their owne hearts; and presumptuous persons will say Amen to a Lyar, to a Murtherer, to an Enemie, to Satan: but God hath so little credit with us, that if hee command, wee will not say Amen; if hee pro mise, wee have no Amen for him; if hee threaten, wee blesse our selves, say­ing, Wee shall doe well enough; Wee shall have Deut. 29. 19. peace, though wee walke after the imagination of our owne hearts, adding drunkennesse unto thirst. When the Spi­rit [Page 22] of God sayth, Hee will stirre up a fire in his anger, Deut. 32. 22. and his wrath shall burne un­to the lowest Hell, against all such as goe on in their sinfull courses; yet they will flatter themselves. Well (beloved) wee may shake off Gods Word in the Ministerie, as pro­phane persons doe; but, when God comes in the execution of his Threat­nings, then his wrath shall burne to Hell, and not be quenched. Who can a­void or abide that dread­full Sentence; Goe ye cur­sed Matth. 25. 41. into everlasting fire, pre­pared for the Devill and his Angels? Gods words are not as Winde: Indeed, they are such a Winde, as [Page 23] will blow downe all im­penitent sinners to Hell. Wee must have a Legall Amen to the Threatnings of God, as well as an E­vangelicall Amen to the sweet Promises. S. Iohn here, by the Spirit of God saith Amen to the Promi­ses of the time to come; to wit, for the confusion of Antichrist, for the con­version of the Iewes, and for the glorious times to come, though he sees no evidence thereof, for the present; and so must we to all Divine Truths.

But wee have another 2 kind and companie of men that must be taxed, that have indeed an Amen, and a Seale, but it is to a blank: [Page 24] They are presumptuous persons, and such (which is worse) as will have God to say Amen to their cour­ses. They will be naught, and sinfull, and then studie and strive to bring Gods Word to stand bent to their bow; and so in their lying conceit, make God say Amen to their Lusts. They account it not suffi­cient to have their will, but they will have God to be of their mind too; and they will alwayes get some dau­bers, that shall say, Goe on, and prosper. An Ahab will alwayes have his false Pro­phets. What a wicked thing is this, that wee should make an Idoll of God, and transforme him [Page 25] into the likenesse of Satan, his Enemie? To make him like that, which he hates most? We will continue in our sinfull courses, and make as though we had the Word of God for us; and, oh, we have the judge­ment of such, and such: and thus boulster up our selves, by building upon such sandie foundations. When wee should bring up our soules, and resigne them to God, and his Spi­rit; wee will bring God downe to our bent, and make him to say this and that, agreeable to our car­nall reason and corrupt af­fections.

But I must not enlarge my selfe in this. In a word [Page 26] therefore, to conclude this point: As there is a sweet harmonie in Gods Truth, so let there be a harmonie in our hearts thereunto. Gods Truth alwayes a­grees with it selfe; oh, let our hearts agree with it. When we heare a Threat­ning, a Precept, or a Pro­mise, oh, let us say Amen. It is the sweetest harmo­nie in the world, when we can bring our hearts to close with God and his Word, with his Spirit and Truth, when we can be de­livered into that forme of Doctrine, which is delivered Rom. 6. 17. unto us.

But now I goe on: Even so come Lord Iesus. Wee come from the assent unto [Page 27] the consent; yeelding unto that which Christ said, as true and good. We come unto the desire and prayer of the Church; Even so come Lord Iesus.

Amen is an Hebrew word; Note. and it is still retained, to shew the consent of the Christian Church with the Iewish, both with that which was before, and with that which shall be afterward. And it is ex­pressed and opened here, by a word following; Yea, or, Even so, come Lord Iesus. You see the Church de­sires, and out of her desire prayes, Come Lord Iesus.

Now this desire of the Church, shewes the gra­cious disposition of the [Page 28] Church. These desires, are the breathings and moti­ons of the Spirit in the soule, tending to further union. Even as motion tends to rest, so desires tend to the uniting unto the thing desired. The Churches desires here, are the immediate issue of the soule, and therefore undis­sembled; and they shew the true character of a Christian soule. We may dissemble words and acti­ons, but we cannot dissem­ble our desires and affecti­ons: we may paint fire, but we cannot paint heat. Therefore, God judgeth us more by our desires and affections, then by our words and actions.

[Page 29] Now you may know, that our desires are holy and good, if so be that they be heavenly; for, then it is a signe that they come downe from Heaven: even as a Spring will arise and ascend as high as the Spring Head, whence it comes. If our desires rise to Heaven (as the Chur­ches here doe) then it is a signe they come downe from Heaven. Our desires are as a streame; which I will shew you, by prosecu­ting that metaphor, and allusion, in sundry particu­lars.

A good Streame hath a good Spring; so must our desires. The Spring of the Churches desires here, is [Page 30] Love; shee loves Christ, and therefore desires him to come quickly.

A Streame, you know, 2 carryes all before it; so our desires are an holy Streame, issuing from a good Spring, and carrying all before them. They are efficacious; not a meere velleitie, as they say, a bare wishing and woulding.

A Streame, if it be stop­ped, will swell till it breake 3 downe all opposition, and carry all before it; so let a good desire be stopt, and it will swell more and more, and grow bigger and big­ger, till it makes way for it selfe.

A Streame is restlesse, and incessant, till it meet 4 [Page 31] with the Ocean, and emp­tie it selfe into the Sea; so, true and holy desires be restlesse, and alwayes in motion. They are not like a standing Poole, that rests; but they are in mo­tion still, till they have emptied themselves into the boundlesse and bot­tomelesse Ocean of end­lesse pleasure.

As true Streames that 5 arise from a Fountaine, doe waxe bigger and bigger, the neerer they come to the Ocean, because other Rivers joyne with them, and so they take advantage and augmentation by o­ther streames that run into them: so, if our desires be true, they are growing de­sires; [Page 32] they encrease bigger and bigger still, till they come to Heaven.

At length, we see the 6 Streames emptie them­selves into the Sea; they are swallowed up there, where they have a more constant being, then in themselves, namely, of the Ocean, the true element and proper place of all wa­ters: and so our desires, if they be holy, as they are restlesse and growing, so at last they emptie them­selves into Christ, and joynes with God and hap­pinesse for the time to come: for, there is a greater happinesse for the soules of men, in God, in Christ, and in Heaven, then there [Page 33] is in themselves; and there they are swallowed up.

Lastly, we may trie our 7 desires by this. Vapours in a low place, doe shew that there is a Spring there: you know, that the Springs are there, where there are most Vapours constantly; so, where there be brea­things of the soule upward (as there is here of the Church) surely, there is a Spring of Love, that yeelds these Vapours, and whence these desires flow.

But I come more parti­cularly unto this particular desire of the Church, Come Lord Iesus. I shall make way by some propositions which I shall praemise, be­fore I come to the maine [Page 34] thing which I shall stand upon at this time.

First, we must take it for granted;

That there will be a second glorious comming of Christ, Obser. 1. that will be farre more glori­ous then the former.

The best times and things are to come for Christians, every way; every day they rise, they are neerer to their happi­nesse.

Againe, we must know this;

That a Christian, if he hath true Faith in the times to Obser. 2. come, he will have answera­ble desires, and correspondent prayers.

For (beloved) there is alwayes an harmonie be­tweene [Page 35] the heart and the braine, betweene the un­derstanding, and the will and affections: What we assent to as true, and con­sent to as good, that we shall both desire and pray for. Therefore, if you know there will be a glorious comming of Christ, and if you assent to it, that the best times are yet to come, surely, there will be this prayer too. There is alway a sweet agreement and har­monie betweene a sound convinced knowledge and gracious affections. Hence it is, that in Scripture what we doe not wish and affect, we are said, not to know. We see not things in their proper light, when wee [Page 36] know and affect them not; but we have received them onely by tradition, & from others. But when we see proper things with a pro­per light, spirituall things with a spirituall light; then there will be alwayes pray­ers & desires accordingly. As the Church here, after Amen, Even so, there is the desire; Come Lord Iesus, there is her prayer.

And therefore, we may know whether our know­ledge be spirituall, or not, by this, if the heart be sub­dued to yeeld unto it: O­therwise, the heart will swell when it comes to pe­tition, and to particular Truths; what? shall I yeeld to this? No: I have heard [Page 37] of this by the hearing of the eare, but I know not whether it be true, or not; I have heard much talke of the Scriptures: but when the Scripture comes to crosse a man in this or that particular lust; then if his knowledge be not spiritu­all, his heart will rise and swell against it, and begin to call into question, and doubt; yea, and to thinke it folly, and a base thing, for a man to yeeld to it: I am sure of my pleasures, I am sure of my profits, but I am not sure whether this be true, or no: And thus the heart of an Atheist comes to stand out, because his knowledge is not spiritu­all. But if it be, then it [Page 38] carryes an assent to it, with it, and a desire drawne into a prayer.

Againe, you must know this, before we come unto the maine point;

That a gracious heart tur­neth promises into desires and Obser. 3. prayers.

The Promise was, I come quickly: Here Faith claspes about the Promise, as a Vine about the Elme, and saith, Come Lord Iesw; Faith puts the Promise into suit presently: Christ had no sooner said, I come quickly; but the Spirit of Faith saith, Nay, come Lord Iesus. But then we must be sure, that we have a Promise out of the Word of God; Faith hath no Amen for the [Page 39] word of a man, or for any thing else, but the Word of God: and when it fa­stens upon that, as it doth here, you see it turnes it in­to a holy desire and prayer, Come Lord Iesus. Beloved, wee beleeve not the Pro­mises as wee should doe, else wee would doe so. Wee have rich, exceeding 2 Pet. 1. 4. great and precious Promises; but where is our rich, ex­ceeding great and precious Faith, to lay hold upon them, and to turne them presently into suites, de­sires, and prayers? Thus if wee would doe, wee should binde God with his owne Word; hee cannot denie himselfe, or falsifie his Truth.

[Page 40] You see againe, That the more assured one is of any Obser. 4 thing, the more effectually it will make him to pray.

An Atheisticall heart would say thus: Such a thing will be; Christ will come, whether I pray, or no; what need I pray then? Nay, therefore pray, be­cause he will come. I come quickly: Therefore, Even so come Lord Iesus. Christ himselfe was fully assu­red, that his Father would grant him all that he pray­ed for; I know that thou Ioh. 11. 42. hearest me alwayes, saith he: yet you see what an hea­venly prayer he makes, Iohn 17. Nay, God bids him doe it; Aske of me, and I Psal. 2. 8. will give thee the Heathen [Page 41] for thine inheritance, &c. Christ himselfe must aske, before God will give him the uttermost parts of the Earth for his possession. So Ezek. 36. where you have the Covenant of Grace it selfe, with many Promises attending it; to all which, it is added, Vers. 37. Yet for all these things, will I be enquired of by the House of Israel, saith the Lord. Though hee had made great Promises to his Church, yet he must be prayed to, for the perfor­mance of them. He will have things received as fruits of our prayer, as well as of his Promise and pro­vidence. We cannot be so thankefull for things that [Page 42] come onely as fruits of his providence, as when wee looke upon them as fruits of our prayers. David was a King, of prayers; but Saul came by providence onely, and by the peoples importunitie: whether was the more blessed?

Oh then (my brethren) though wee be never so much assured of things to come, yet let us joyne prayer thereto: for, the assurance of the end, will stirre us up to the carefull use of the meanes. None are so carefull of the latter, as they who are most assu­red of the former; witnesse the Church here.

The next thing I shall premise, as making way for [Page 43] that, that I meane more fully to speake of, is this:

That Gods Promises have Obser. 5. graduall performances.

They are made good, by degrees. God goes by ma­ny steps to the perfor­mance of his great Promi­ses: As here, the Promise of Christs second glori­ous comming, hath many degrees to the accom­plishment thereof. So, God promises a new Hea­ven, Isa. 66. 22. and a new Earth: That was one degree of the per­formance hereof, when the Iewes came out of Capti­vitie. It had a second de­gree of performance, when Christ came in the flesh: Then all things were new; there was a new Priest, a [Page 44] new Sabbath, a new Nati­on. So, when the Gentiles were called, and came in, it had a third gra'duall per­formance. When the Iewes shall be called, when there shall be a resurrection from Rom. 11. 15. the dead, as it were, then all things shall be new; that was a fourth. And the last and full performance shall be, when all things shall be new indeed, that is, when there shall be a new Heaven, and a new Earth. So this Promise here, Come Lord Iesus, it hath a latitude and bredth of performance: Come Lord into our hearts first, and set up thy King­dome and Scepter there; subdue all therein unto thy selfe, throw downe all [Page 45] lusts, thrust out Satan, take thine owne interest in us.

And then, come into thy Church, as you have it, Mark. 9. 1. There is a powerfull comming of Christ, in the Gospel; therein, the Kingdome of God comes with Power: Come thus in the Ministe­rie of thy Word. When Christ was bodily ascen­ded up into Heaven, hee came spiritually in his Or­dinances. And thus come thou by thy Spirit.

And then, come to blast Antichrist, and to con­sume that Man of Sinne; 2 Thess. 2. 3. and so make way for the other degree of thy com­ming: Come in the ful­nesse [Page 46] of the Gentiles, come in the conversion of thy people of the Iewes, that their Riches may be an en­crease of our Riches, that there may be golden times indeed; as surely then they will be.

And then, because there is a certaine number of the Elect of God, which must bee accomplished, and fulfilled; and Christ will delay his last com­ming, till that be done: Therefore, Come and ac­complish the number of thine Elect; as you have it, Revel. 6. 11. And white Robes were given to everie one of them, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, [Page 47] untill their fellow servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. They must stay, till the rest come in: As they that have invited a companie of Strangers to a Feast, doe stay till the last be come; so there will not be a glorious comming of Christ, untill all the Elect be gathered into one Body. And then shall be the Comming of all Commings; which is the glorious comming of Christ, to take us to him­selfe, and to make us sit with him, to judge the 1 Cor. 6. 2. World, as so many Kings and Judges of the World, and to be with him for [Page 48] ever. As the Apostle saith, Then shall we be ever with the Lord. And that is a 1 Thess 4. 17, 18. comfort indeed. As hee addes there; Wherefore comfort one another with these words. And so you see the graduall performance thereof.

Now I come unto the last, and that which I meane most to stand up­on, being a blessed Truth, most suteable to this oc­casion.

That as it is the dutie, so it is the disposition of a gra­cious Obser. 6 heart, to aesire the glori­ous comming of Christ Iesus; and to desire all his other commings in way and order to this, as they make way for his last comming.

[Page 49] In the unfoulding of this, I shall shew you the grounds and reasons why the Church doth so; and then make some tryals, whether we doe so or no; and then give you some few directions to help us therein. Why doth the Church desire so much this second and glorious comming of Christ?

Because the Church is Reason 1. in want till that time, and the ground of all desire is want. Wee want our bo­dies, wee want many of our friends, &c. But then there shall be a supply of all.

Because our life is hid Reason 2. with Christ in God; and when Christ, who is our life, shall [Page 50] appeare, then shall wee also appeare with him in Glory. Col. 3. 3, 4. Our glorious head is there already; when he shall be revealed, then our glory shall be re­vealed, for Hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all those that doe believe.

In regard of Christ him­selfe: Christ is in some Reas. 3. sort imperfect till the lat­ter day, till his second comming: for the mysti­call body of Christ is his fulnesse; Christ is our ful­nesse, and wee are his ful­nesse: now Christs ful­nesse is made up, when all the members of his mysti­cal body are gathered and united together: the head [Page 51] and the members make but one naturall body; so Christ and the Church but one mysticall. 1 Cor. 12. 12. As the body is one, 1 Cor. 12. 12 and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one bo­dy, so also is Christ. Hence it is that the Saints are called, the glory of Christ, Christ in this sense is not 2 Cor. 8. 23. fully glorious therefore till that time. The church desires therfore that Christ may bee glorious in him­selfe, & glorious in them, that hee may come to bee glorious in his Saints. 2 Thes. 1. 10. Reas. 4. Mat. 6. 21

Because, where the trea­sure is, there will the heart be also; now where is the Churches treasure but in [Page 52] Christ? Our spirits are su­pernaturall, and carried to the best of Spirits; and who is the best of spirits but Christ himselfe?

Because the members Reason 5. are carried to union with the head. The happinesse of the Soule is in union with the fountaine of hap­pinesse; and the neerer the fountaine of happinesse, the more happy: what is it that makes the blessed body of Christ more hap­py, then all the Angels and men, but because it is hypostatically united to the second Person of the Trinity, and so to the fountaine of the God-head? the neerer to God, the happier, the fuller of [Page 53] grace and glory; because he is the God of all grace and glory; therefore the neerer to Christ, the more happy. Now after the re­surrection we shall be nea­rer both in soule and bo­dy; wee may see this by the contrary. What is it that makes Hell so horri­ble? because there is an utter and eternall separa­tion from the chiefest and choicest good, God him­selfe. Here the wicked men of the world have the presence of God in the creatures; they taste the sweetnesse of Gods goodnesse in them; but in Hell they shall have none to all eternity, there shal be an utter separation [Page 54] betweene Christ and them. But now the joyning to God, the fountaine of all good, in Heaven, makes Heaven to bee Heaven in­deed: if Christ was not there, Heaven would bee no Heaven; therfore Paul saith, I desire to be dissolved, Phil. 1. 21. and to bee with Christ: and so the Church here, Come LORD JESUS: then we shall be neare, not in soul onely, but also in body and soule, and in both we shall be for ever joyned to the fountaine of all good. It is that which the Church desires here: and in the Canticles, what is it that the Church prayes for in the beginning? Let him kisse me with the kisses of his Cant. 1. 2. [Page 55] lips, &c. There she desires the first comming of Christ: but you have it af­terwards in the conclusion of the booke, make haste Cant. 8. 14. my beloved, and be thou like to the young Hart or Roe, up­on the mountaine of Spices. Such is the disposition of the Church, that before Christ was come, good people were knowne by the desire of his comming. And therefore it was the description of holy men, that they waited for the con­solation of Israel. Oh Lord Luke 2. 25. come quickly, come in the flesh. But now the first comming is past, they desire as much his second comming, and therefore they are described in the [Page 56] Epistle of Saint Paul, to be such as love and long for the appearing of Christ; a Crowne of Righteousnesse is laid up for all those that love his appearance. Therefore if 2 Tim. 4. 8. wee had the Spirit of the Church, we would Eccho to Christ, when he saith I come quickly, and say, make haste my beloved, &c. As the Church saith in the latter end of the Canti­cles.

Beloved, doe but com­pare the glory of that Reason 6. time, with the glory which we have here; and and that wil shew another Reason. I will shew it by way of comparison a lit­tle, why the Church should bee desirous of the second [Page 57] comming of Christ.

If the good things that we have by grace here, are such, as eye hath not seene, or eare heard, neither have 1 Cor. 29. entred into the heart of man to consider of, (for the place is meant of grace especi­ally, that is the naturall, and immediate meaning) how transcendantly then unutterable, and unconcei­vable are those things that are reserved against that time? If the first fruits are so sweet, what is the full Rom. 8. 23 harvest? If the earnest bee Eph. 1. 14. so comfortable, what is the whole bargaine? If 2 Cor. 5. 5. this Ioy be unspeakeable and full of Glory, and this peace, 1 Pet. 1. 8. passe all understanding, what Phil 4. [...]. will the fulnesse of Ioy, peace Psi. 16. 11. [Page 58] and pleasures which are at Gods right hand for ever­more, and which shall bee then, doe?

If the Angels wonder at the wisedome of God, in the governement of his Church here, in the mid­dest of confusion, how shall they bee put into a new and greater wonder­ment, when they shall see Christ glorious in his Saints. 2 Thes. 1. 10.

If when Christ was born in his abasement, they sang, Glory to God on high, peace on earth, good will to­wards Luke 2. 14. men, how joyful will those blessed spirits bee, when Christ and all his members, shall be joyned together in one body in Heaven?

[Page 59] If Abraham rejoyced to foresee, by the eye of Ioh. 8. 59. Faith, the first comming of Christ in the flesh, how should we joy by Faith to see the second comming of Christ? If Iohn Baptist leaped in the wombe for Luke 1. 44. joy, at the presence of Ma­ry, the Mother of our Lord, how will our hearts dance when we shall see the Lord himselfe in the great glo­ry and Majesty of Hea­ven?

If Peter was so ravished with a little droppe and Math. 17. 4 glimpse of Heaven, when hee saw the transfigurati­on of Christ in the mount, so that hee even lost and forgac himselfe, and wist not what he said; how shall [Page 60] we be affected, think you, when wee shall see Christ, not in his transfiguration, but in his glorification for ever?

If old Simeon, when he saw Christ in his infancy, Luk. 2. 29. embraced him in his arms and said, Now Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have seene thy salvation: How shall wee bee transported with joy and admiration, to see Christ, not in his swadling cloathes, nor in his infan­cy, but in heaven, all glo­rious?

If the sight of Christ in his Ordinances, in his 2 Cor. 3. 18. Word and Sacraments, doth so affect a Christians [Page 61] heart, as to transforme him into the Image of them; what will it doe to see Christ face to face, without these Glasses? 1 Cor. 13. 12

If the promises doe so quicken us, as you have it in the Psalmes, Thy word hath quickned mee; what Psal. 119. will the full performance of them doe?

If the communion of Saints here, be so sweet, 1 Ioh. 1. 3. even an Heaven upon earth; what will it bee, when all the blessed soules that have bin from the be­ginning of the World; un­to the end, shall be all to­gether, and they altoge­ther freed from all cor­ruptions and infirmities, what a blessed sight will [Page 62] that be?

If so bee that things prepared by men, bee so glorious, as the temple of Solomon was, what is that glory which was pre­pared before the World was, and is in preparing still for the Church?

If rest from labour bee so sweet, what is the glori­ous liberty of the Sonnes of God? A little liberty from Rom. 8. 21. corruption, a little free­dome and enlargement of Spirit here, how sweet is that? when we are set at liberty to serve God, when we have the liberty of the Spirit, to goe boldly to God, and to the Throne Heb. 4. 16. of Grace, how pleasant is that? But, oh the liberty [Page 63] of glory! that is true li­berty indeed. Beloved, these things deserve and desire admiration, rather then expression; therefore I leave them to your won­dering, and admiring, ra­ther then I wil study long to expresse them. Oh yee blessed soules, stand still a little, and consider by the eye of Faith, these glorious things and times to come. You see then by this, the Church hath great reason to say, Come Lord Iesus.

Besides, do but consider the estate of the Church Reas. 7. here in this world: even at the best, while wee are pre­sent 2 Cor. 5. 6 in the body, we are absent from the Lord. But for the [Page 64] most part, the Church is in this world, as Daniel in the Lions den, as sheepe in the midst of ravening wolves, as a Ship in the midst of the waves, and as a Lily among thornes. All the birds of prey doe seize on the poore Tur­tle-Dove of Chrict, and they beare a speciall and implacable malice against Gods Church and Chil­dren. Yea oftentimes, those that professe religi­on in the forme of it, doe let out the h [...]art blood of it in deed, and deny the power thereof. Wee see it hath bin for ever since Christs comming, and it will bee so to the end of the World. Satan abu­seth [Page 65] the great Ordinances of God, and makes them serviceable to his owne ends, so that there is no­thing free from Sathans defilement, no, not the best Ordinances of God. We see how boisterously and roughly the poore church of God is handled. Are there not oftentimes in the Church within it selfe, prejudices, surmi­ses, jealousies, one against another, that the compa­ny of one another is not so sweet, and delightfull? And Woe to the world because of offences. Are there not Mat. 18. 7. scandals and offences in the Church, that hinders the comfort of it, and ma­ny times do cause the fal­ling [Page 66] out of those, that are otherwise truly good? So that in regard of Christi­ans themselves, there is not such a sweet compla­cency and delight one in another, as there should be; and as there shall bee then. Where there is a different sight, and a dif­ferent light, there will be different judgements, and affections. Now al Chri­stians in this life, have both a different light and sight; one sees things cleerer than another, and so their judgements dif­fer a little, and therefore their affections too: those promises of the Lion and Isai. 11. 6. the Lambe, dwelling to­gether, shall not exactly [Page 67] bee performed untill this his second comming; but there shall be something of the Lion, and of the Wolfe, in the best Chri­stians: but then it shall be fully satisfied, then all Woolvish and Lionish dispositions shall be sub­dued, then there shall bee no infirmity in others to displease us, nor any in us, to give distaste to them; but then we shall have an eternall communion to­gether. Therfore is there not in regard of our selves, good reason for Christi­ans to say, Amen, even so come Lord Iesus? Then in regard of every one in his own particular: doth not every one finde that true [Page 68] in himselfe, that Paul saith of himselfe, that we car­ry about with us a body of sin, and a body of death? our Rom. 7. 24 corruptions that we carry about with us, are like a dead body tied unto a li­ving body, now what an odious and loathsome thing is it for a man to carry about with him a dead body? Thus we doe, and the more wee grow in grace, the more noysome it will bee to us: for the more we grow in grace, the more life wee have, and therefore the more Anti­pathy against sinne. The more wee grow in grace, the more light wee have to discerne the bad; and the more will our love to [Page 69] grace encrease; now the more light, and life, and love, the more shall wee bee annoyed, carrying a­bout with us, this body of sinne, and the thorne in 2 Cor. 127. the flesh. Some corrupti­ons are as grievous to us as a Thorne, that rends the flesh. And this is the disposition of the best in this life. Therefore in re­gard of the Church, and the enemies of it, in re­gard of our selves, and e­very particular Christian, in regard of their con­flicting, and afflicted con­dition, have wee not cause to say, Amen, come Lord Iesus? Thus wee see the grounds, which the Church hath to say so.

[Page 70] Let us now come to the second point, to try whe­ther wee can indeed ex­presse this desire, that the spirit of God makes. (For it is onely the Spirit in the Spouse that saith, Come Lord Iesus.) Let us see whether the Spirit sayes so in us.

We shall not say much: it may be knowne by that which hath bin said in the beginning, and it is evi­dent also besides: there­fore in a word or two.

Let us try our selves by this: what benefit have we Tryal 1. by the first comming of Christ, by his death, and the shedding of his blood? Doth that par­don our sinnes? Are our [Page 71] Consciences besprinkled by that from dead workes, to Heb. 9. 14. serve the everliving God? Are our hearts set at liber­ty to goe to the Throne of grace? Have we thus any benefit by his first com­ming? Then wee cannot but with a long and long­ing expectation looke for his second.

But on the contrary, he that hath no good by the first, cannot truely desire nor comfortably expect the second comming of Christ: for why? the se­cond comming is but to make good what is begun here. The first is to re­deeme our soules, the second is to glorifie our bodies: If our soules bee [Page 72] not redeemed, never look for the redemption of our bo­dies. The first and second Rom. 8. 23. comming of Christ, are of so neere connexion, that oftentimes they are com­prised together, as the re­generation of our soules, & the regeneration of our bodies, the Adoption of our soules, and the Adop­tion of our bodies, the re­demption of our soules, and the Redemption of our bodies; to shew, that wheresoever there is the true redemption and A­doption of the Soule, there the Redemption and Adoption of the body will follow, and an expe­ctation thereof also: Christ will be redemption to us [Page 73] when he hath bin redemp­tion to our foules first, in the assurance of the par­don of our sinnes. Looke then to that first.

If we desire the second Tryal 2. comming of Christ, wee will prepare for it. If a man sayes, he desires to goe to some great person, and yet never thinks of a­ny preparation for it, it is but a pretended desire, if hee doth not put on his best cloathes, and fit him­selfe for it, as Ioseph did for Pharoh: so if a man hope for this comming of Gon. 41. 14. Christ, he will purifie him­selfe for it, even as hee is 1 Ioh. 3. 3. pure. He will not appeare in his foule cloathes, but will put off the old man, and Eph. 4. 22, 24. [Page 74] put on the new. He will fit himselfe as the Bride, for the comming of the Bride­groome. Beloved if the thoughts of Christs second comming, bee not effica­tious to worke in the soule, a great care to fit and prepare for it, it is but a false conceit and ly­ing fancy, it is no holy desire: examine it by this: Whether your heats bee Tryal 3. the Kingdome of Christ, whether hee rule in your hearts here: Do we think to rule with him in Hea­ven, in his Kingdome, if wee will not yeeld up our Hearts to bee his King­dome upon earth? No, he will come into our hearts, before wee shall come to [Page 75] him, he will come to rule in us here, before we shall ever thinke to come to rule with him in heaven. Therefore all they that stand out against the Or­dinances of God, and will live in sinne against their knowledge and consci­ence, doe they spend any thoughts or wishes on Christs second comming? He will come indeed, but it will be a day of darknesse and gloominesse unto them. Ioel. 2. 2. Such persons cannot say, Come Lord Iesus, come quick­ly, but, Mountaines come, and Rocks come, come quick­ly: Rev. 6. 16. Fall upon us and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth upon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe. [Page 76] Nothing will be more ter­rible to such, then that Day: Fire is the most comfortable thing, and the most terrible: and so God is most comforta­ble to his, and yet most terrible to such, that doe not prepare for his com­ming. Who amongst us, Isa 33. 14. (saith the Prophet) shall dwell winh the devouring fire? Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Who shall appeare before Christ? To them then that live in their sinnes, in this glorious light of the Gospel, there is a most terrible threatning, even from the comming of Christ. If any man love not the LORD JESUS, when 1 Cor. 16. 22. [Page 77] he is discovered cleerely in the Gospell, Let him be Anathema, Maranatha, which is a more terrible curse then any is in the Law. As the greatest bles­sings are from the com­ming of Christ; so from the same is the most terri­ble threatning. There is not such a terrible curse in all the Scriptures againe, as that is in the Corinthians. So that, The Lord shall come 2 Thess. 1. in flaming fire, rendering ven­geance to all them that know him not, and that obey not the Gospel: therefore take heed of this.

Try it againe by holy Tryal 4 exercises. They that desire indeed the comming of Christ they exercise them­selves [Page 78] much in holinesse: they exercise themselves in the beginning of Hea­ven here upon earth, in reading and hearing the Word, in the communion of Saints, in praying, and acquainting them­selves with God, &c. In what else shall we be em­ployed, when we come to Heaven? There shall bee the perfection of these graces, and exercises be­gun here upon earth. Ma­ny a prophane wretches heart swells when he coms to prayer, or any divine ex­ercise; hee is proudly brought up, and his heart is not subdued to holy ex­ercises here. Heaven will not brooke such, and such [Page 79] will not brooke Heaven. There is nothing but praising God continually. now if you will not endure these holy exercises here, what should you doe in Heaven? Therefore let us not deceive our own souls, I beseech you. If we say this truly, Come Lord Iesus, undoubtedly it will have an influence into our lives, it will stirre up all graces in the soule; as Faith, to lay hold upon it; hope, to expect it; love, to embrace it; patience, to endure any thing for it; heavenly­mindednesse, to fit and prepare for it; faithful­nesse in our callings, that wee may make up our ac­coūts before that time, &c. [Page 80] There is not a grace of the spirit, but it is stirred up and quickned thereby. Therfore be not deceived: It is impossible that wee should have dead and dull and cold hearts, and yet believe this, that there is such a glorious time to come, undoubtedly it wil inspire and cause strength and comfort in all our suf­ferings, and in all our do­ings, if our hearts doe thinke with the Spirit, and thought of Faith, of this glorious appearing of Christ: therfore we should shame our selves: what? can I heare of these things, and bee no more affected with them then I am? thus we should complane of the [Page 81] deadnesse and dulnesse of our hearts, and labour to worke our hearts to an ad­miration of the excellen­cies that shall be revealed then.

But I goe on, and come in the last place to some few directions, how wee should come to frame our selves to this, to bee able to utter this desire and prayer.

Labour to bee reconci­led Direct. 1. to God. Maintaine and preserve thy peace and reconciliation with God, and then all things will be reconciled unto us, that are betweene us and the second comming of Christ. Nay, all shall be ours; life ours, death ours, devil ours, [Page 82] to help us to heaven: when we are at peace with God, Iob. 5. 23. all shall be at peace with Hos. 2. 18. us; and then we may have comfortable thoughts of that day; then wee can thinke of death and not be troubled; of hell and Godswrath, and not bee disquieted. Therefore a­bove all, let us get the as­surance of the grand point of justification, of being clothed with the righte­ousnesse of Christ; Let us be sure to bee found in that, and appeare in it, to understand that point wel. Saint Paul was wonder­full carefull hereof. He de­sires to have it as a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith, and to be found in [Page 83] him, not having his owne righ­teousnesse, &c. As if hee Phil. 3. 9. were tender, to touch upon Christs glory. If wee be cloathed with the Gar­ments of Christs righte­ousnesse, wee may goe through the wrath of God: for, that alone is wrath-proofe; that will pacifie God, and pacifie the Conscience too. It is a righteousnesse of Gods owne providing, and ac­cepting. Be sure that you understand it well; that you appeare not in your owne, but in his: and then may you thinke of that day with comfort.

If wee would thinke of the blessed times that are Direct. 2. to come with comfort, [Page 84] then let us labour to grow in the New creature; to be more and more filled with the fulnesse of God; to strive to have more of Christ in us still: The more wee have of Christ in us, the more shall wee desire his comming to us. Let us desire and labour to have all the corners of the heart filled up with the Spirit of Christ; our un­derstandings, with know­ledge; our affections, with love and delight; and our wills, with obedience. The Scripture calls it, being Eph. 3. 19. filled with all the fullnesse of God. Now, the more wee enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, by growth in grace here, the fitter shall [Page 85] wee be for it, and the more shall wee desire it. The more suteablenesse there is betweene us and Heaven, and the glorious conditi­on to come, the more shall wee long after it, and re­joyce in the thoughts of it.

Be sure to doe what you Direct. 3. doe quickly, and through­ly. Satan is so wise, that hee knowes his time is but short; and therefore layes about him with great Rev. 12. 12. wrath and furie. Oh, let us be so wise, as to know that our time is but short! God himselfe tells us, that it is so. Our time is a lit­tle 1 Cor. 7. 29. spot of time, cut out betweene two Eternities; before, and after: then, [Page 86] let us doe our worke quickly. Wee may bee suddenly surprized, before wee be aware: and, as the Tree falleth, so it lyes; as a man lives, so hee dies; as Death leaves us, so Judgement, and the se­cond comming of Christ, shall finde us. Wee should therefore (as the Apostle saith) worke out our owne salvation with feare, and Phil. 2. 12. trembling. Manie men, when they come to die, are troubled about this: Oh, I have not done so; I should have done this and that, and have not; but I have done amisse, I have not throughly re­pented; something is not done, that should have [Page 87] beene; I have not made mine Evidences sound, I have not made my Calling 2 Pet. 1. 10. and Election sure: Oh, my Conscience is troubled, and my soule cannot finde that peace in God, &c. Oh, doe you take warning by them, and now worke out your salvation with feare, and trembling: and that upon this ground, be­cause the time is short, and uncertaine. Beloved, it is a great errour in us; wee thinke of reaping, as soone as wee begin to sowe; nay, wee begin to sowe then, when wee should reape: Then wee begin to thinke of God, and goodnesse, when wee lye a dying: That should [Page 88] be a time of reaping the comfort of all our former life, and to thinke of the time to come, with joy. Oh, what a comfortable thing would it be, if wee can with S. Paul, looke backward, and say; I have fought the good fight, I have 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. finished my course, I have kept the Faith? &c. Hee lookes backe with com­fort, and therefore hee lookes forward with com­fort too: From henceforth there is layd up for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse, which the Lord, the righ­teous Iudge, shall give me at that day, &c. When a Christian man hath done the will of God, and lookes back-ward, and [Page 89] saith: I had a Race to runne, and I have runne it; I had a Faith to keepe, and I have kept it; I had a fight to fight, and I have fought it: and then lookes forward, and sees a Crowne of eternall Glory before his eyes; what a comfort and ravishing joy will this affoord? Whether hee lookes backward, or for­ward, all is glorious. But if wee be carelesse, and negligent, and will not worke out our salvation; then wee cannot with He­zekiah, looke backe with comfort, and say to God: Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth and uprightnesse of heart, and have done that which [Page 90] was right in thy sight: Nei­ther can wee with S. Paul, looke forward with any comfort. Beloved, Hea­ven is a pure place, and requires a great deale of puritie in those that come thither: And Christ is holy, and glorious. There­fore, wee must set no mea­sure and pitch to any ho­linesse in this life; but grow still more and more heavenly, till wee come to Heaven. Therefore, the Apostle sets it downe by way of wonderment, in the last of S. Peter: See­ing all these things shall be 2 Pet. 3. 11. dissolved, saith hee: What saith hee to that? He can­not tell what to say; there­fore hee sayes nothing in [Page 91] particular, but in generall; what manner of persons ought wee to be, in all holy conver­sation and godlinesse? Some men will set a measure and stint to themselves; and if any goe beyond their measure, then they are such and such, curious, nice, and precise, &c. Why? what measure of holinesse should be set to them, that looke for the second com­ming of Christ? What manner of persons ought wee to be? Hee cannot tell what to say in particu­lar; and therefore leaveth it to admiration. Wee must not then set up our staffe, and put any measure to any perfection here in this world; but still grow [Page 92] in grace and godlinesse, looking for and hasting unto the comming of the Day of the Lord.

Let us take all advan­tages, Direct. 4. to helpe us in this desire and prayer for the se­cond comming of Christ, from all the crosses of this life, and from all the busi­nesses of Satan. Satan was shut out of Paradise, but hee is still creeping into the Paradise of the Church. But in Heaven, hee shall never come. Hee was once there, and was cast downe from thence, never to come there a­gaine. But in the Church hee is alwayes stirring. Hee is never so bound up, but hee hath some mis­chiefe [Page 93] to doe. Now, let the consideration of Satan and his instruments, that are alwayes some way or other molesting of the Church, and are as thornes in their sides, stirre us up to desire the second com­ming of Christ. So, from all particular losses and crosses let us helpe our selves. If wee have lost a friend, let us fill our hearts with comfort from the se­cond comming of Christ; and from the consideration of that, that then the time will come, when all friends shall meet together. Doe wee leave any thing in this world behind us? wee shall meet with better there; better friends, a better [Page 94] place, better imployment; all better. Therefore, let us take advantage from every thing, to help forward that desire. In a word, I beseech you (because there be many things that might be spo­ken to this purpose) let it be your maine care, to fit your selves for that time. It is a time of longing here, while wee live. It is the time between the Con­tract and the Marriage; let us labour to be fitted and prepared for that time.

But you shall have many a good soule crie out; Oh, Obiect. I am not so desirous of the comming of Christ, as I ought.

True; it may be so, be­cause of thy wants, because Answ. [Page 95] thou hast not prepared thy selfe, because thou art not spirituall, because thou art not mortified. This ariseth further, as from other cau­ses, so from this. Thou art ignorant of the Covenant of Grace, that God is thy Father, and that hee hath bound himselfe as a Father to pardon the sinnes of his children. Therefore, if thy sinnes be but infirmities, that thou strivest against, thou mayest be comforted. Marke what the Apostle saith; Wee our selves, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even wee our selve, doe Rom. 8. 23. groane within our selves, wai­ting for the adoption, even the redemption of our bodies. If wee labour against our cor­ruptions, [Page 96] it should be so farre from hindering our desire of Christs com­ming, that wee should de­sire it the rather, because wee labour under them; for then wee shall be fully rid of them. Labour to understand the Covenant of Grace more fully. Christ is a Mediatour and Intercessour; for whom? for perfect men? no; but for them that unwillingly runne into debt with God every day. Therefore wee say, in the Lords Prayer; Give us this day our dayly Matth 6. 11, 12. bread, and forgive us our debts, &c. The ignorance of Evangelicall points makes us so cold, so dead and dull, as we are oftentimes.

[Page 97] But you will say; I de­sire Object. to live still. Those that desire the second com­ming of Christ, desire that he would come and fetch them out of the World, when they have done their worke. May not I doe so?

Yes, you may; but it Answ. must be with a reservation, that you may bring to Heaven as many as you can, that you may get fur­ther evidence of your sal­vation: and so in other respects, you may desire to live, so it may be that God may honour himselfe by our lives. But simply, and as the thing is in it selfe, we ought to be of S. Pauls mind, to desire to Phil. 1. 23. [Page 98] be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is farre bet­ter.

Therefore, when the time of our dissolution comes, wee are to be wil­ling to resigne up our soules unto God, not one­ly patiently, but cheere­fully. For why? The day of death is a day of Iubile, a day of Coronation, a day of Marriage, a day of Harvest, a day of Tri­umph. Wee are to bee ashamed of the dispro­portion of our desires to earthly things, and to hea­venly. Is the Labourer loth to thinke of a Sab­bath, or a day of Rest? Is a Souldier loth to thinke of a day of Victorie, and [Page 99] Triumph? Is a contracted person loth to thinke of the day of Marriage? or a King, of the day of his Coronation? They are all desirous of these things; and why should not wee be of that time, when all these things shall indeed and really be performed? All those things are but shadowes, and scarce that, of things to come; and yet how earnestly desirous are men of them? Have not wee then just cause to take occasion, to shame and blame our selves, for the disproportion of our desires to earthly and hea­venly things?

But now, when wee have finished our worke; when [Page 100] God hath beene served by us, in our generations; as it was said of David, that Act. 13. 36. bee served God in his owne generation, by the will of God; and after that, fell on sleepe: then God will take off our desire, of living any longer; then hee will make us even willing to die. As Saint Paul, in the last Epistle that ever hee made, when hee had runne his race, and fought his fight, and finished his course; then, nothing but a Crowne: Henceforth there 2 Tim. 4. 8. is layd up for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse, &c. And in the same Chapter af­terward; The Lord shall Vers. 18. deliver me from every evill worke, and preserve me unto [Page 101] his heavenly Kingdome. So saith Christ: I have glo­rified thee on the Earth, I Iob. 17. 45. have finished the worke which thou gavest me to doe; and now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine owne selfe. So, when the Children of God have an Item from the Spirit of God, that they have done all that God would have them for to doe, then they will be most willing to goe hence. In the meane time, they must Heb. 12. 1▪ run with patience the race that is set before them; they must fight the fight that God hath pitched for them, and keepe the Faith, they must be willing to doe all that God would have them, in an humble submission [Page 102] to his will: But when they have done all, then their hearts will be enlarged, to desire the comming of Christ; that hee would come, and call them home.

So then, this doubt is sufficiently answered. In a word, I will end with this.

When you finde your hearts dull, and cold, and unactive to good, then fetch fire from hence, to inflame them; from the se­cond comming of Christ, from the love of God in Christ, from the love of his appearance. Oh, rouze up and quicken your hearts with such considerations: Doe you conflict with any [Page 103] enemies, either without or within? Remember what the Apostle saith; Fight the good fight of Faith, lay 1 Tim. 6. 12. hold on eternall life. What is the way, to fight the good fight of Faith? why, lay hold on eternall life; that will make a man fight indeed.

Are you in any dis­consolate condition? If you be, see what the A­postle Paul saith to the The ssalonians; Wherefore, 1 Thess. 4. 18 comfort yee one another with these words: With what words? Why, wee shall be ever with the Lord. Oh, these words will comfort indeed. Consider, when you have lost your friends, your estate, or any thing, [Page 104] it shall be all fully made up there: Doe you, as it were, make it up before­hand, with comforts of a higher nature. They bee things that will comfort indeed.

And so when you finde your selves dull in doing the worke of the Lord, thinke upon the second comming of Christ, and that hee will not then come emptie-handed, but hee will bring his reward Rev. 22. 12. with him. Consider what Saint Paul said to Timo­thie: I charge thee there­fore 2 Tim 4. 1. before God, and the Lord Iesus Christ, who shall judge the quicke and dead at his appearing, and his Kingdome, &c. The holy [Page 105] Apostle had no greater a conjuration, to move Ti­mothie to be diligent, and to quicken him in his Mi­nisterie, then by the com­ming of our Lord Jesus. So let us stirre up our selves, and comfort our selves hereby.

Beloved, the Soule is never in such a tune, as when the thoughts of these glorious Times have raysed the Affections to the highest pitch, and pegge; then the Soule is never uncomfortable; and so long as it is so affe­cted, it cannot sinne: for wee loose our frame, wee let downe the Soule in base desires, wee let loose our thoughts from closing [Page 106] with Christ, and with the time to come, when wee sinne: when wee let them loose, then they sinke downe to earthly things; and that is the cause of all sinne, and of all dis­comfort.

So long then, as wee keepe our hearts in a bles­sed frame of Faith, and in a love of the appearing of Christ, they are impreg­nable; Satan cannot come betweene us and our Faith: but hee labours to loosen our Faith and Love, and to distract us with the bu­sinesses of the World, that wee shall have very seldome thoughts of these things. Alas, that wee who are borne againe to an 1 Pet. 1. 4. [Page 107] Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Hea­ven for us, should have so little and so light thoughts of our Inheri­tance!

If a man were to goe a Journey by Sea a yeare hence, hee would be thin king every day upon his Journey, what hee should have to carry with him, and what will doe him good when hee comes there. Wee have all of us a long Journey to goe, from Earth to Heaven; and wee should be thin­king of it every day in the yeare.

But wee have a compa­nie of men in the World, [Page 108] all whose happinesse is, in putting off all thoughts in that kind; in defer­ring the day of their death, and putting the evill day farre away from them; not thinking upon them: that so they may drowne themselves in pleasure, and voluptuousnesse. Ah! what a pittifull case hath Satan and our owne sin­full dispositions brought us unto; that wee should place our happinesse, safe­tie, and comfort, in put­ting off the thoughts of death? in going on pre­sumptuously in sinne, and never thinking upon that great Day? Alas! they cannot thinke of it, but as Felix did; who, when [Page 109] hee heard Paul dispute Act. 24. 25. and reason of Righteous­nesse, and Temperance, and Iudgement to come, trem­bled.

Why, let, Felix trem­ble, and let the World tremble; but let every Christian, that hath made his peace with God, re­joice. Even as poore Birds doe sing, when the Spring time is returned againe; for it warmes them, and puts life and spirit into them, and they enter­taine the light and heat of the Sunne with sing­ing and melodie: so let us, in our thoughts, enter­taine Christs comming with joy and comfort, having made our peace [Page 110] substantially and solidely with God. Let us looke up, and lift up our heads with joy, for our Re­demption draweth nigh, Luke 21. 28.