and the same And what is there more efficacious to improve such an holy friendship with God than serious expectations of the coming of our Lord Oh! how ambitious wil such be to have one and the same Mind Wil Affection and Conversation with Christ Paul was one of the best friends Christ ever had on earth and wherein lay his friendship chiefly but in conformitie to the death and life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 4.10 11. Always bearing about in the bodie the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our bodie c. Paul was couformable as wel to the death as to the life of Christ As Christ died for sin so he died to sin And as Christ lived to God so Paul in his mesure Christ was his great exemplar both in regard of active and passive obedience Christs exemple was not only the Rule but also Reason of his obedience The love of Christ to him and his love to Christ prevailed on him to live the life of Jesus The end of his suffering for and obedience to Christ was to manifest the life of Christ And what did wind up his Spirit to such a divine friendship and conformitie unto Christ but serious thoughts of his second coming So John tels us 1 Joh. 3.2 3. that every one who hath hopes of being found at last day a friend of Christ purifieth himself as he is pure And Paul informes us Tit. 2.11 12. That the Grace of God teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and Godly in this present World i. e. in short that we should demonstrate our friendship to Christ by manifesting the life of Christ And then he addes the ground of al v. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ 2. Another part of friendship with Christ consistes in an holy Ambition to please him A true friend makes it his businesse to please and content his friend so Believers to please Christ And herein much of the Spirit of Godlinesse doth consist What is al pietie but a studious emulation and endeavor to please God Hence among the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Godly man was one that had a care to please the Gods Such also they stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophiles a friend of God Thus Enoch is said Heb. 11.5 to please God and what made him thus ambitious to please God but fiducial expectations of the coming of our Lord of which we find mention Jude 14. Such a Court-like ambition had Paul to please Christ 2 Cor. 5.9 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore i. e. because we have this Confidence and desire of being present with our Lord who is our best friend therefore we labor Si nificanter â— surpavit hoc votabulan quo soreasis quaedam ambitio hâ—norum propriè sig â—ificatur Bâ—za 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have a certain courtlike ambition and holy emulation of pleasing Christ Thence he addes v. 10. For we must al appear before the jugement seat of Christ Oh! what a prevalent argument was this to worke up Pauls spirit to an holy emulation of pleasing Christ Thus also Peter in the words following our text 2 Pet. 3.14 wherefore beloved seing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Here he brings in the looking for the coming of the day of God as a strong argument inducing them to an holy emulation and contention after al manner of gracious qualities for the pleasing of Christ their friend 3. Another part of Godly friendship with Christ consists in importunate desires and endeavors to serve him It s a great saying of a serious Jansenist S. Cyran One of the most principal rules for solid devotion is that we let not passe the least occasion for serving God If there be any vacuum or emty space in our lives the Devil wil be sure to fil it up and so obstruct our friendship with Christ What more obsequious and officious than friendship and who are more industrious and unwearied in the service of Christ than such friends of his who dayly expect his second coming Thence that parabolic exhortation of our Lord Luk. 19.13 Luke 19.13 And he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them occupie ' til I come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 employ al your thoughts vigor and activitie in my service and why til I come This is brought in as an argument or motive to engage them more effectually in his service A soul that lives much in the expectation of Christs coming wil spend as much time and strength as he can in the service of Christ but as little as he can in the service of sin Thus also it was with the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.7 So that ye come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Their waiting for the coming of our Lord is brought in by Paul as that which has a very efficacious causal Influence on the improvement of their gifts in order to the service of Christ And what made Paul so vigorous and laborious in the service of Christ but daily expectations of his returne So 1 Thes 2.19 For what is our hope our joy our crown of rejoycing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming That which made Paul so unwearied in his service for Christ among the Thessalonians was an eye fixed on the coming of Christ and the Crown he should then receive for al his labors Such thoughts make us do much in a little time for Christ 4. Lastly a main part of our friendship with Christ consists in an affectionate complacential remembrance of him in his absence and doth not the formal spirit hereof consist in looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God Are not they most mindful of him who daily expect his second coming Was not this one main intent of our Lord in the Institution of his last supper that we might thereby keep alive the memorial of him 1 Cor. 11.25 26. Thus 1 Cor. 11.25 This do ye as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me Friends at parting are wont to leave remembrances each of other so Christ left his last Supper as a love-remembrance with his friends Thence it follows 26. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drinke this cup ye do shew the Lords death ' til he come The coming of Christ and the expectation thereof is that which gives life to our remembrance of him The thoughts of Christs returne give a fresh lustre and sweetnesse to al love-tokens 15. Solid and deep expectations of our Lords coming have a particular and powerful Influence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
it affects Now there is a twofold nearnesse under which we are to look for the coming of the day of God First the nearnesse of its approche to us and Secondly the nearnesse of our approche to it 1. We are to look for the coming of the day of God in the nearnesse of its Approche to us This has ever been the great sin of the secure world that men look on the coming of the day of God as a thing remote Yea our Apostle Peter foretold that this would be the great sin of these last days so in some few verses before our Text 2 Pet. 3.3 4. knowing this first that there shal come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promisse of his coming c. And this prodigious piece of Atheisme which Peter presageth would befal these last days seems to have given the original occasion of the following discourse touching the second coming of our Lord Yea and that which is yet more remarquable is this that the nearer the day approcheth the more remote secure sinners by their unbelief make it to be Thence Peter dwels much on this argument that the day of Christs coming is near So v. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promisse Again v. 11. Seing al these things shal be Greek are dissolved c. He speakes in the present tense to shew the nearnesse of this day So that to look for the coming of the day of God is to look on it as near to us Thus Paul Phil. 4.5 The Lord is at hand And Hebr. 10.37 For yet a little while and he that shal come wil come and wil not tarrie The like Jam. 5.9 Behold the Judge standeth at the dore And if those primitive Saints looked on the coming of the day of God as near how much nearer then ought we to look on it Oh! with what swift wings doth it post towards us How soon wil winged time rush hinto Eternitie The last words that ever Christ spake or wil speak to the end of the world in a way of Gospel Administration were to assure us that he would come quickly Rev. 22.20 He which testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen This Amen is a seal for ratification and confirmation to assure us that our Lord wil quickly come Lo do not the Heavens begin to open and make way for the coming of the Lord of Glorie May we not by a spiritual eye of faith see him coming in the clouds May not a gracious heart hear the last Trumpe ringing in its ears Is not that fire already kindled which ere long wil turne the whole globe of Heaven and Earth into flames Is not the Judge of quick and dead at the dore And ought we not then to look on the coming of the day of God as near 2 We are to look on the coming of the day of God as near in regard of our approche to it by Death Though the coming of this day should be never so remote in regard of the last jugement yet it is most certain that our approche to it by death is most near Alas who knows how soon any of us may behold our particular day of jugement staring us in the face Do we not al begin to die assoon as we begin to live Is not death as essential to us as life What is our present life but a coming into and going out of this world What is this present earthly Tabernacle we live in but our Inne our Hospital our Leper-house How soon wil a little time eat us out of our possession Doth it not then nearly concerne us to look dayly for death And is not this a main part of our looking for the coming of the day of God This was Pauls frame Phil. 1.23 Phil. 1.23 For I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better To depart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contains various emphatic notions proper to the sense It signifies 1. To loosen or relinquish our chains as prisoners 2. To depart from our Inne to our home 3. To weigh anchor and set sail 4. To loosen the cords of our Tents as Soldiers 5. To be resolved into our first elements as bodies corrupted So that Pauls longing desire was to depart from his bodie as his prison his Inne his Tent c. And why That he might be with Christ This made him so willing to be dissolved that so he might be taken into a more intimate union with his Lord for whose coming he so much looked He looked on the dissolution of his bodie to be but the conjunction of his soul with Christ Death was in his eye but a dore to life He knew death would take nothing from him but his prison his chain his clog his shame his sting his poison his burden his miserie This made him to look for the day of death as the day of his espousals and coronation So that it 's evident to look for the coming of the day of God implies our looking for death which is a great approche thereto And may we not take up this as a general observation that none have more lively expectations of the coming of their Lord than those who have most fresh and affectionate expectations of death And on the contrary do not they alwayes put far from them the coming of the day of God who put far from them thoughts of death such an essential and intimate connexion is there between these two Ah! think how soon your breath wil grow cold your eye strings break your soul stand trembling at the dores of your lips and take flight at the windows of your eyes and then you cannot but look for the coming of your Lord. Doth not the frailtie of life specially in these days engage us to look for death And are any more fit to live than those who think most of and prepare for dying Should we not whiles on earth so live as alwaies dying that so we may when death comes live alwayes with our Lord Is not life and death the same thing to him that daily lives in the expectation of and preparation for death Oh! then why should we not ever live in the expectation of death which wil join our soul and Christ together 2. Another Adjunct of the coming of the day of God is its Vnexpectednesse This is fully expressed 2 Pet. 3.10 But the day of the Lord wil come as a thief in the night We al know the coming of a thief is unexpected yea the nearer he is the lesse usually he is expected Such wil be the coming of our Lord as he himself informes us Luke 12.39 40. If the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched Be ye therefore ready also For the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not We find this exemplified in the parable of the Virgins Mat.
which shal be reveled at his second coming is most efficacious to keep the soul in love to God What is al our love to God but the Reflection of his love to us And hence the more the love of God to us is apprehended is not our Love to God the more increased And whâ—n do we apprehend more of the love of God than when we most intently look on the mercie of our Lord at his second coming What more naturally breeds love than the contemplation of the thing beloved And do not al our beloved objects lie wrapt up in the mercie of our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Platonic at his second coming what better preservative can there be of our first love the love of our espousals than to have the second coming of Christ always in our eye Did not our wanton hearts forget Christ our absent husband and his returne were it possible that they could gad abroad so much after other lovers as now they do No No Expectation of Christs second coming would dash out of countenance al adulterous thoughts and wanton dalliances with the Idols of time It would maintain in us pure virgin chast love towards Christ and that upon this ground because it knows that al those that love not our Lord Jesus lie under the most dreadful curse that ever was Thus 1 Cor. 16.22 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha i. e. let him be accursed til the Lord come to pronounce his last doom This curse as we before hinted alludes to the great and terrible excommunication of the Jewish Church which began with the first words of Enochs prophesic so famous among them and mentioned Jude 14 15. The Lord cometh And the Apostles sense seems this That whosoever loves not our Lord Jesus Christ shal be obnoxious to al the Plagues and Miserie denounced by Enoch against ungodly sinners The very apprehensions of this dreadful curse has kept many a poor believer in the Love of Christ What! saith the believing soul are al that love not our Lord under a Maranatha must they indeed remain accursed til our Lord come and thence for ever O! then farewel al other lovers what doest thou mean O my soul by entertaining beloved Idols is not the judge at the dore Must I not give an account for al adulterous glances on this alluring world The soul that always eyes the coming of his Lord carries his picture in its bosome thence is dayly inflamed with love to him as lovers are wont 3. Believing views of Christs second coming worke in the soul an holy fear of God which is another main branch of Godlinesse So in the old Testament the whole of Godlinesse and divine worship is oft exprest by fear And its certain nothing breeds a more reverential fear and awe of God than deep lively expectations of the second coming of our Lord. This seems contained in our Lords exhortation Mat. 10.28 And fear not them which kil the bodie but are not able to kil the soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both bodie and soul in hel As if he had said Alas what mean you by being so solicitous and fearful about your present life ought you not rather to fear your Lord who at his second coming wil destroy both bodie and soul of wicked men This also seems to be the import of Pauls Admonition 2 Cor. 5.11 2 Cor. 5.11 knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men The terror of the Lord i. e. when we must appear before his jugement fear We persuade men To what why to an holy fear and awe of God The proper affection suited to things terrible is fear and oh what an holy fear of God doth the expectation of that terrible day worke in Believers Were it possible that men could be so regardlesse and fearlesse of God as they are had they but the coming of the day of God more frequent and lively in their eye 4. Spiritual sights of the coming of our Lord have a Soverain influence for the calling off our hearts from al inordinate regard to and love of this present world And oh how much of the power of Godlinesse consists herein Doth not a principal part of the divine life consist in our spiritual death unto and alienation from this dirty world may we count him a Godly man who is drowned head and ears in the cares and concerns of this life Surely true pietie brings a man to a general privation of the goods he doth possesse that so Christ may be al in al. He is the true Godly man who amidst al the comforts of this life admires loves and enjoys nothing greatly but God And oh how much doth a real sight of the coming of our Lord in al his glorie darken the glorie of this fading world and deaden the heart unto it What more effectual to draw off the heart from this lower world than our dayly drawing nigh in thoughts and affections to the coming of the day of God He that looks for a crown at the coming of our Lord wil contemne al the shadows of this lower world Such as are much taken up in the contemplation of that coming world wil not think themselves obliged to give this present temting world one good look or act of love hope and friendship Thus 2 Pet. 3.11 2 Pet. 3.11 Seing then that al these things shal be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be c. As if he had said wil our Lord indeed ere long come to judge the world and shal al the beautie Glorie and excellence of this sensible world be involved in that universal conflagration ought we not then to have our hearts crucified to al these inferior goods suppose a Citizen of London should be assured that within a few days his house should be involved in flames would he thinke ye be at any great charge to adorne or beautifie his house or lay up his choisest treasures and goods therein Would he not rather entertain himself dayly with thoughts of removing elsewhere Just such is our case are we not assured that ere long this visible world wil be in flames about our ears ought we not then to cal off our Affections from it and look out for a Citie which hath foundations Surely this was Abraham's practice Heb. 11.9 10. as we are told Heb. 11.9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promisse as in a strange Countrey dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut illi quorun vitè vagas plaustra trabuat donos Grot. In tabernacles or moveable houses such as had no firme foundation but were drawen on wheeles here or there as the owners pleased But why did Abraham Isaac and Jacob dwel in tabernacles had they not a promisse of and thence a right unto Canaan where they dwelt
And might they not by virtue of this promisse and right granted have built houses and remained there as those whose posteritie were to possesse the same Yes but yet they chose rather to dwel in tabernacles as those that looked for a better habitation and possession than Canaan could afford them So it follows v. 10. For he looked for a Citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God He dwelt in Tabernacles that had no foundation because he looked for a Citie which hath foundations whose maker and builder is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies an Architect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Builder No Citie would please Abraham but such as was both invented and builded by God He had a promisse of Canaan but that would not satisfie his Spirit he stil dwels in tabernacles nothing would content him but a Citie of Gods founding and finishing In short Abraham had an eye on the coming of the day of God and the Celestial Canaan then to be possessed and this made him sojourne in the terrestrial Canaan promissed to him and his seed as in a strange Countrey He looked for a Citie that hath foundations and that made him dwel in tabernacles without foundation even in the promissed land where he had right to build For they that possesse land have right to build Qui solum possident ibi aedificant ibi â—anâ—â—t Grot. 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. and live there But Abraham was not so fond of Canaan because he had a better Countrey in his Eye Thus also Paul 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. He layeth down this for a principle The time is short i. e. ere our Lord come and dissolve the world into universal flames And what doth he conclude hence It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none c. i.e. that amidst al our temporal comforts the heart be crucified to them Whiles our persons are in the World and our hands make use of it our hearts must be dead to it Suppose God should give us a promisse and grant of this whole world as he did of Canaan to Abraham we ought stil to use it as he did Canaan looking upon our selves as strangers and pilgrims because we look for a Citie that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Alas to expect happinesse in the creature what is it but to search for the fountain in the stream Surely he that dayly expects the coming of his Lord wil not expect much from or delight much in lower goods Such thoughts ungod this world and unmasque al its Idols 5. Another essential part of Godlinesse consisteth in the mortification of sin The life of Godlinesse lies much in the death of sin When Lust is in its vigor and force Godlinesse is in its consumtion and decay The power of lust may consist with the forme of Godlinesse but not with the power thereof He is a Godly man indeed who takes more delight in subduing his lusts than sinners do in gratifying and fulfilling of them If the life of any sin be dear unto thee the life of Godlinesse wil soon wither and languish starve lust and you nourish pietie Hence among the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I havor a Godly man is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saint Now what more efficacious for the mortification of sin than a lively expectation of the coming of our Lord Thus in our Text What manner of persons ought ye to be O! what mortified spirits ought ye to have What a deadly feud and Antipathie should ye have against sin How ought ye to keep your hearts at the greatest distance that may be from sin What a violent Bent against sin should your hearts be principled with And why because you look for the coming of the day of God Oh! what a Soverain Influence has the serious expectation of that great day for the carrying on the worke of mortification And how so because the Saints are then to appear with Christ and therefore ought to be holy as he is holy Thus Paul argues Col. 3.4 Colos 3.4 When Christ who is our life shal appear then shal ye also appear with him in glorie What consequence doth he draw thence v. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the Earth Fornication c. As if he had said Wil not Christ who is your life ere long appear and must you not then appear with him in glorie and how is it possible you should appear with him in glorie unlesse you be like him Can there be any Communion betwixt light and darknesse God and Belial ought ye not then to bid farewel to al your earthly members Fie for shame what mean you to lie wallowing in sensual lusts when as your Lord is so near The like we find 1 Joh. 3.2 we know 1 Joh. 3.2 3. that when he shal appear we shal be like him for we shal see him as he is This is an infallible argument that we shal be like him because we shal see him as he is For none but the pure in heart shal see God Mat. 5.8 And what doth the Apostle collect hence v. 3. and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure As if he had said Must we indeed be like our Lord when he appears Is there no vision or fruition of him unlesse we be like unto him Oh! what a binding argument is this to every man that hath this hope in him to purifie himself as he is pure why saith such a soul must I indeed appear with my Lord and be like unto him if ever I hope to enjoy him O! what mean I then to let mine heart swarme with such noisome lusts What doest thou mean O my soul by giving entertainment to such vain filthy thoughts Is this suitable to thy principles to harbor and nourish corrupt Affections which thirst after the heart-bloud of thy Lord Fie upon it how comes it to passe that such venimous Snakes and Serpents loge in thee Is not my Lord at the dore And must thou not be like him if ever thou hope to enjoy him How much then is it unbecoming thy state profession relation condition and engagements to entertain any Idol-lust in thine heart So forcible are the serious expectations of our coming Lord to stab and let out the heart-blood of sin 6. Another part of Godlinesse consists in the resisting of Tentations whether from Satan the World or our own hearts There is scarce any thing in this lower world but Satan knows how to make use thereof as an instrument to temt us thereby Satan is not the creator of his tentations but takes his mater from those whom he temts or some circumstance which environs them Yea how oft doth Satans tentation take its rise and occasion from that which is materially agreable to the wil of God As winds that enter in by little cranies are usually most dangerous so Satans
tentations that enter in by smal occasions Oh! how many great Acts of sin have followed on smal tentations what a secret Intelligence hath Satan with the soul by tentations But now serious thoughts of the coming of our Lord have a forcible efficace to dash out of countenance al tentations For every tentation hath its force and taking power from the seeming goodnesse thereof take off its masque and it soon loseth its force And what more effectual to take off the seeming goodnesse of any tentation than lively expectations of our Lords approche The wise man tels us Prov. 14.27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death i. e. an holy fear and awe of God upon the soul is most efficacious to keep the soul from al tentations And what more powerful to keep the soul under such an awe and dread of the holy God than serious expectations of the coming of our Lord The like Prov. 16.6 By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil A soul that lives under an awful dread of that great day dares not entertain secret dalliances and correspondences with Tentations These or such like are the Soliloquies of such an awakened soul Is the coming of the day of God near must I ere long appear before his jugement seat O then away tentation away farewel al eye-pleasing delights farewel Adieu al ye Bastard Gods adieu al your sweet odors are but soul-ensnaring deceits al your flesh-pleasing delices are salted with the curse of Heaven your seeming felicities are but real miseries I owe no suit or service to you no love no confidence no friendship I must not I dare not I cannot entertain longer correspondence with you Lo my Lord he standeth at the dore I wait for him every moment Behold he comes he comes he wil not tarry how may I then yield to your ensnaring allurements Oh! what a prevalent influence have such thoughts as these to put a bar to the most heart-bewitching tentation Thence Paul Ephes 6.13 Eph. 6.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done al to stand There is no part of this spiritual Armor after mentioned v. 14 15 16. but receives force from the coming of the day of God what means having your loins girt about with truth but a prepared posture to meet your Lord Why must you have your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace but in order to your hastening to the coming of the day of God And whence hath the shield of faith wherewith ye shal be able to quench al the fiery darts of the wicked its strength but from our approching Lord So that if you would be able to withstand in the evil day of tentation and after al assaults to stand as conquerors you must ever keep in your eye the coming of the day of God This shield of faith wil quench al the ficry or poisoned darts of Satan O! how triumphant is the crosse of Christ in the hearts of believers over Satan and al his flesh-pleasing tentations so long as they have their eyes fixed on the approches of their Lord What more efficacious to blunt the edge and point of tentation than such contemplations of that glorious day 7. Fiducial expectation of the coming of our Lord has a soverain influence on Sinceritie which is a vital part of Godlinesse Indeed the life of Godlinesse springeth from the spirit of sinceritie and thence according to the mesure of our sinceritie such wil be the mesure of our Godlinesse Sinceritie makes the lowest actions of a Godly man higher in Gods estime than the highest and most glorious actions of rotten-hearted professors He is indeed the Godly man that really and prevalently intendes what he pretendes to be that is loyal to God in Affection as wel as in expression that not only assentes to Christ in jugement but also consentes to him in heart that makes use of the bloud of Christ not only to heal a wounded Conscience but also to kil lust in the heart finally who is never satisfied ' til he arrive to such a plenitude or Bent of wil towards God as al hypocrites come short of This is the Godly man the Scripture describeth And oh What a prevalent Influence hath the serious expectation of Christs second coming on this piece of Godlinesse We find this exemplified in Paul who gives us a confession of his faith Act. 24.15 16. Act. 24.15 and have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shal be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust As if he had said For my part if you wil have the sum of my faith and hope it is this I believe and wait for the coming of the Son of God to jugement And what doth he collect hence v. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God Propter hoc i. e. Propter ban◠fiducian Grot. and towards men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this i. e. by reason of this confidence Oh! saith Paul how doth the real belief and hope of this great day strongly oblige and bind my Conscience to al manner of gracious exercices that hereby I may keep always a Conscience void of Offence toward God and men Now wherein doth a Conscience void of offence toward God chiefly consist Surely in that character of Zacharie and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 And they were both righteous before God walking in al the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse There is a vast difference between being righteous before God and being such before men oft such as seem most righteous in the eyes of men are most unrighteous in the eye of God But now Paul's main worke was to have a conscience void of offence or to appear righteous before God i. e. to be found sincere and blamelesse at the last great day And Oh! what a forcible Influence had the lively thoughts of the coming of his Lord hereon Phil. 1.10 Thus Philip. 1.10 That ye may be sincere and without offence ' til the day of Christ The day of Christ is here brought in not only as the terme but also as a motive and inducement to provoke men unto sinceritie To thinke that we must al ere long appear before the Jugement seat of Christ in our own colors nakedly as we are that there wil be no varnishing or guilding over of a rotten heart in that great day what a mortal wound would such thoughts as these give to our hypocrisie Oh! how wil al mens borrowed colors and paint be then melted away What a number of painted vizards and desguised masques of false hearts wil then be cast into the fire Paul tels us 1 Cor. 3.13 The fire shal trie every mans worke of what sort it is And surely the lively fore-thoughts of that fiery trial would
to receive Active good is better than passive Yea ordinarily they receive most good from God who do most good to others That which we communly cal Charitie or Almes is termed by the Hebrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justice to teach us that relieving others in need is not a thing arbitrary but 〈◊〉 debt or piece of justice and hence the faithful discharge of this so necessary a dutie makeâ— Christians to shine excedingly in al holy conversation And what more effectual tâ— make Christians compassionate and large-hearted towards others than deep expectations of our Lords second coming This lieâ— couched in the parable of the unjust steward 〈◊〉 whence our Lord concludes Luke 16.9 10 c. And I say unto you make to your selveâ— friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse c. A soul that waits for the coming of hiâ— Lord wil not let Christ his Interest or people want what he has to give If Christianâ— lived under daily and fresh views of their Lords approche what effusions of mutuâ—â— Charitie and Liberalitie would there be iâ— Churches how large-hearted and open-harded would Christians be in giving What 〈◊〉 sympathising would there be with others in miserie But so much for the second Question CHAP. IV. Whence it is that the looking for and hastening unto the coming of the Day of God hath such an efficacious Influence on al sorts of persons to raise them up to al manner of holy Conversation and Godlinesse SECT 1. What there is in Christ the Object which renders the looking for his second coming so Influential WE now procede to the Connexion of the parts of our proposition contained in 3 Q. Whence it is that the looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God hath such an efficacious Influence on al sorts of persons to raise them up to al manner of holy conversation and Godlinesse This Question takes in the Demonstration of our proposition from its causes and effects We may resolve it into these three parts 1. What there is in Christ the supreme object 2. What there is in sinners and Saints who are the subject 3. What there is in the effects of Christs coming which renders our looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God so influential on al sorts of persons to raise them up to al manner of holy conversation and Godlinesse 1 Q. What there is in Christ the supreme object that renders our looking for and hascening to his second coming so influential on al sorts of persons to raise them up to al manner of holy Conversation and Godlinesse We shal not here consider Christ in his Absolute Perfections and Excellences which are indeed infinite and transcendent but only in his Relative as he is Mediator Now the Relations of Christ as Mediator are either General such as refer both to Sinners and Saints or Special and peculiar to Saints only In both these regards our looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God is very Influential c. 1. If we consider Christ under his general Mediatorie relation as to Saints and Sinners the looking for and hastening to his second coming must needs be very influential c. We shal here only consider Christs general Mediatorie Relation to Saints and Sinners as he is the Supreme Judge of both the consideration whereof renders our looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God very Influential on al sorts of persons to raise them up to al manner of holy Conversation and Godlinesse That al Jugement is commited to Christ by the Father is evident from several prophetic Characters of Christs coming to judge to the world in the old Testament So Psal 96.10 he shal judge the people righteously The like Psal 98.9 For he cometh to judge the earth c. with varietie of other Scriptures which mention the last jugement For the understanding of which we have this general rule given by Jackson and other learned men That al those places of Scripture in the Old Testament which intimate either a new manner of Gods governing the World or a beginning of his reign over al Nations or of being made Lord and King or of coming to judge the earth must be understood of Christ as God-man who by virtue of his death and Resurrection became Lord of althings and so judge of quick and dead by a peculiar Title and personal right This is more fully expressed by our Lord himself who in his Sermons and discourses with the Jews did but expound and comment on thoses text of Scriptures which he had before uttered by the mouths of his Prophets Thus John 5.22 For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed al jugement to the Son So Act. 10.42 And he commanded us to Preach unto the people and to testifie that it is he who was ordained of God to be judge of the quick and dead Thus 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shal judge the quick and the dead at his appearing The like 1 Pet. 4.5 Now al mankind standing in this relation to Christ as their supreme Judge it cannot be but that the serious looking for and hastening to the second coming of Christ must needs have a soverain Influence on mens hearts and lives At present Christs Mediatorie Kingdome and Glorie lies veiled and darkened but at Christs second coming there wil a visible glorie and Majestie attend his Throne of Jugement the consideration whereof cannot but startle and overawe the stoutest sinners when under the apprehensions thereof Oh! what tremblements of spirit what violent rendings and horrors of Conscience have many awakened sinners whiles under lively apprehensions of Christs second coming to judge the world What made Cain Judas Felix with other debauched sinners so much to tremble under the sense of their sin but the consideration of Christs coming to judge the world There are two particulars in Christs final Jugement the consideration of which render our looking for and hastening to that great day very influential 1. The day of Jugement wil be a day of manifestation al the secret hidden things of darkenesse wil then be brought to light And Oh! what a powerful consideration is this to influence the hearts and lives of such as daily expect the coming of our Lord What made the promulgation of the Law on Mount Sinai so terrible Exod. 19 16 17 18. Exod. 19.16 17 18. but that it was a day of manifestation Yea we are told Heb. 12.21 And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I excedingly fear and quake And whence sprang this great pannic fear which surprised Moses and the rest of the Jews at the delivery of the Law but from the sense they had of their own sinful and miserable state upon the manifestation the Law gave them Hence Jackson makes the Terrors on Mount Sinai types of those terrors which shal surprise sinners at the last jugement O! then
day of God Do not most mens lives speak what contradictions they are to their profession 4. This also teacheth us How much it is below the spirit and profession of a Christian to terminate and bound his Thoughts Desires and Hopes by things of Time Alas how soon wil time eat us out of this poor Cottage we now inhabit in What folie is it to make our Inne our home our Hospital our Paradise What shal we be the poorer at the coming of our Lord for the want of those worme-eaten Gods those masqued Idols those glittering nothings which the degenerate Sons of Adam do now so much Idolise Doth not our great Lord instruct us that the way to Heaven is narrow and the gate strait yea That it is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God Mat. 19.24 The Camel hath a bunched back and therefore cannot easily enter into a strait gate O! how impossible is it for Professors to enter into the strait gate of Heaven with any bunch of times Idols Believe it beloved Idols and we can never go to Heaven together there is no room for such false Gods How comes it to passe then that we are so unwilling to part with our burdens why should we dote on the Gods of time what a shame is it for us to take up with any thing short of our Lord O! what a great kindnesse and rich favor is it for our Lord to snatch from us any eye-pleasing Idols which hinder our looking for and hastening to his second coming 5. Infer likewise hence That the grand difference between sincere Christians and secret Hypocrites consists in the regard they both have to the coming of the Day of God How far have many close Hypocrites gone in the knowlege profession and practice of Christianitie What a broad and dazling light has there shone on their minds what deep convictions of sin yea and wounds of Conscience for sin have they layen under Have not some also had many affectionate workings of heart towards Christ his Ordinances ways people yea and his crosse also And O! what a seeming conformitie have they given to the Laws of Christ And yet after al this â—o how soon have al their Convictions Affections and seeming Godlinesse sunke down into an earthly worldly Spirit or at best into a mere emty secure formal profession And whence springs the bitter root of such a prodigious Apostasie but from this that they never had a real spiritual single pure fixed eye of faith to look for the coming of the day of God Is not this fully exemplified in the foolish Virgins who are generally thought to refer to these last days So Mat. 25.3 They that were foolish took their â—ampes and took no oyl with them May we â—ot wel understand by oyl an eye of faith which enlightens the soul and enables it to look for and hasten to the coming of its Lord It s true the Wise Virgins as wel as the Foolish had their slumbering fits while the Bridegroom tarried as v. 5. but yet they had eyes in their heads they had the Oyl of a Divine habitual faith which kept them under an habitual Vigilance albeit they wanted actual for some time And herein the meanest believer excels the most shining hypocrite that notwithstanding some short slumbers he may be overtaken with yet he stil has an habitual radical eye of faith which more or lesse has regard to the coming of the day of God Whereas the most glorious hypocrite has no Oyl in his Vessel no saving habitual light and therefore he lies in a dead sleep without any fiducial regard to the coming of the day of God 6. This instructs us also That then and only then the Crosse of Christ triumphes in the hearts of Believers over sin Satan and the World when the soul is brought unto this Divine Life of faith always to look for and hasten to the coming of the day of God What was it that made our great Lord even on the Crosse to triumph over the Crosse but the prevision of his Victorie over Death by Death itself So in like manner what makes the Crosse of Christ triumphant in the hearts of Believers but their faith looking through al their sufferings to the coming of the Day of God and the complete Victorie they shal then obtain over al enemies and crosses O! how much pleasure and how little pain have they in fighting against Sin and Tentation who daily expect and hope for the coming of their Lord what makes the Lambes followers overcome by dying but the fiducial hopes they have of their Lords Approche How comes it to passe that the Saints rejoice in their povertie and are poor in their Riches but that they by faith do behold their coming Lord Doth not the Believer who looks for the Approche of his Lord look on al his evils as passing and on al his good things hoped for as coming towards him And O! what a triumphe doth the Crosse of Christ gain hereby in his heart What an happinesse is it to him to be unhappy for a little time that so he may be happy for ever with his Lord What Riches is it to him to be poor for a little time How much Libertie doth he find in the slaverie of Time What a little Heaven doth he find stamped on his temporary Hel How many blessings on the curses of men and why but because he expects the coming of his Lord 7. Lastly Hence learne how greatly it does concerne us al to entertain our hearts continually with such serious thoughts and lively expectations of Christs second coming It has been in part discovered what influence such thoughts have upon our present and everlasting condition O! then how should this provoke us al to keep up such serious fresh and lively thoughts of Christs second coming Alas what is it that makes the most of men so sotishly ignorant of God so sensual and brutish in their enjoyments so carelesse and regardlesse of Heaven and Glorie so secure and supine under al the threatnings of the Law Hel and everlasting displeasure Is it not this that men put far from them the evil day they never have a serious thought of the second coming of Christ to jugement Surely sirs would we but be serious in the consideration of this great day what a strange alteration should we find in mens lives would the voluptuous glutton in the midst of al his dainties but take up a serious thought of Christs second coming how soon would he turne his feasting into fasting and prayer would the swinish drunkard in the midst of al his caresses seriously consider that the Lord is coming and wil ere long cal him to jugement for al his bruitish wickednesse surely every draught he drinkes would be but as gal and wormewood to his taste So for the profane Swearer and Blasphemer of the name of God would he but
for the coming of our Lord. 2. Examine whether you are prepared to meet the Lord when he comes Suppose you should this night hear the crie Behold the Bridegroom cometh are you ready to enter into the wedding chamber Have you the Wedding garment of Faith and Holinesse Do you stand with your loins girt and your lamps burning ever ready to entertain your Lord How stands it with you in point of Assurance and wel-grounded evidences as to your eternal state Can you look Christ in the face with confidence when he comes Are you sure your sins are pardoned and your persons accepted Dare you look death in the face without change of countenance when ever it comes Remember the Lord hath taken al other cares on himself that so we might care for nothing but to prepare for our Lords approche Examine whether this be your care 3. Examine wel both your Notions and Practice of Godlinesse Count nothing Godlinesse but what wil bear the fiery trial at the coming of our Lord let there not be a loose pin in the main parts of your Christianitie Thinke oft whither you are going and where you shal loge at night and this wil make you exceding accurate and curious both in your notions and practice of Godlinesse 4. Here is mater of conviction rebuke and shame both to secure sinners and Saints who mind not the coming of the day of God 1. Here is mater of conviction and confusion to carnal secure sinners such as Peter prophesieth of 2 Pet. 3.3 4. Who walk after their own lusts saying where is the promisse of his coming I fear there are too many who pretend much friendship to Christ and yet seldome or never think of his returne I shal therefore take libertie to reason the case with such Thou thinkest peradventure it may be long enough ere Christ come if he come at al Mean while thou art resolved to take thy fil of thy lusts Very good Ay but what grounds hast thou to thinke it wil be long ere Christ come Doth not the Scripture tel thee in expresse termes the Judge standeth at the dore Jam. 5.9 and darest thou contemne plain Scripture doest thou consider whose word it is thou doest contemne whose threats thou thinkest scorne of Canst thou not believe he is so near at hand Why yet believe that he wil surely come first or last and then cal thee to an account for al thine evil deeds I say do but believe this and I question not but it wil make thine heart to ake Ay but possibly thou mayst presume to find favor with him in that day Why not What sinner canst thou expect to find favor in his eyes at last day and yet despise and reject al proffers of his Grace in this day of salvation spit in his face and prefer a few sensual delights before him Oh! what a foolish soul-deluding presumtion is this It s true our great Lord is exceding merciful pure Grace al love But is he not also as just and righteous Is it not a righteous thing with him to recompense tribulation to carnal secure sinners and what wouldst thou have him unrighteous that he may shew mercie to thee Ah! what a sad contemplation is this for awakened sinners to thinke that God must either be unrighteous or al their foolish hopes of mercie must perish And let me tel thee sinner the mercie and Free-grace of God wil be so far from favorising of thee in that great day if thou continuest in thy sin as that it wil prove a stinging aggravation of thy miserie Oh! what a dreadful worme wil this breed in thy Conscience to be spurned into hel by a foot of Mercie and Grace Do not thy hopes yet fail thee Is not thine heart yet pained and rent at the thoughts of thy Lords coming to Jugement Doest thou not as it were see the Lord of Glorie coming in Chariots of flaming fire to take vengeance on carnal secure sinners Methinkes that voice should be ever ringing in thine ears Lo Yonder yonder comes the Judge of the whole Earth What meanest thou sinner by plodding how thou mayst keep thy lusts and yet escape future wrath How long wilt thou procede to harden thy wicked heart to thine own destruction by putting far off the evil day Assure thy self the day of the Lord is never the farther off for thy thinking it is so but this advantage it wil have by the putting of it far off it wil surprise thee unawares And what wil become of al thy fond hopes and groundlesse presumtions how wil al thy cruel self-flatteries end in everlasting horror confusion disappointment and despair 2. Here is mater of conviction and shame even to Believers to thinke how little the most of them have their thoughts fixed on the second coming of their Lord. Alas how little are your expectations of that great day raised How coldly and faintly do your Affections worke towards that good time Ah Sirs are there such glorious things to be reveled then and hath the forethoughts hereof so much influence upon al manner of holy Conversation and Godlinesse How comes it to passe then that Believers have their hearts no more bent towards this great day How comes it to passe that their Affections are not carried out more to meet their approching Lord Is it not strange that Christians should be so seldome and so low in the thoughts of this glorious day Alas where can we spend our meditations better than to meet our Lord where can the Spouse better employ her thoughts and affections than with her absent Husband Who should look towards the coming of their friend their Savior if not Believers As for the secure world no wonder if they endeavor to stifle al thoughts of their Lords approche sithat it wil be a black day to them But as for believers O! what a joyful time wil it be to them Wil it not be the time of their complete redemtion their mariage-day Should not their thoughts therefore be always musing on this day How should their hearts leap for joy at the very reports of it But is it thus with them Are not al too much strangers to this day And oh what an hainous sin is it for believers not to look for this great day 1. How much do such sin against the many intimate relations they bear to Christ Is it possible that the member should forget its Head Was it ever known that the affectionate faithful Spouse forgat her absent husband Is it not then strange unkindnesse that the members of Christ should put far from them the coming of their Head and Lord 2. What a strange violence do such offer to al the principles of the New Creature Is there any thing more injurious to the divine nature than not to mind the approche of Christ Doth not this greatly provoke and grieve the Spirit of Adoption How is faith opprest and kept under hereby What a check and contradiction is this to al Divine
Affections 3. For Believers not to mind the coming of their Lord is a sin against the strongest and deepest obligations Doth not this oppose al our Covenants Resolutions Experiences Ordinances yea the bloud and heart of our dying and exalted Savior Was not this one main end of the death and exaltation of Christ that believers might live always in the expectation of him 4. What a World of other sins are maintained by our not looking for our Lords approche What more prevalent to feed Idol-lusts How is Conscience cast into fits of spiritual slumber hereby as Mat. 25.5 What a world of sloath deadnesse and formalitie is nourished hereby How much Instabilitie confusion and distraction of spirit is caused hereby 5. Yea how cruel and injurious are such to their own souls What a sting and poison doth this put into every affliction How doth it embitter the sweetest mercies Yea doth it not open a dore to al tentations and leave men shiftlesse under the greatest difficulties 5. Let us then al be exhorted henceforth daily to look for and hasten unto the coming of our Lord. And to provoke our hearts hereto let these following motives be duely considered by us 1. Is not that great day our time of Rest and do not al mind their Rest specially after hard labor and a tiresome journey would not al fain be at home when night comes What is this world but our Wildernesse 2. Consider the nearnesse of your Relation and the manifold engagements you stand in unto Christ Are you not maried unto Christ and doth not the law of mariage require that you daily expect the coming of your absent husband Remember you are not maried to the clay-Gods of time but to Christ who has laid infinite obligations on you daily to expect his returne 3. Consider also Christs Regard and Affection towards you Though his Bodie be in the supreme Heaven yet is not his eye of pitie and care yea and his heart with you Doth he not long for you and wil you not also long for him 4. Remember also what Influence this looking for your approching Lord hath on your heart and ways O! What Vigor and Strength doth it infuse into al that you do or suffer How much is the heart hereby fortified against al tentations and difficulties This wil be wings and spurs to the soul in every dutie The more you eye your home the more active wil you be in your way 5. Is not this likewise your Glorie and triumphe to turne your back on althings of time and daily to look for and hasten to the coming of your Lord Are you not hereby advanced into the highest forme of Christians yea taken up into the very spirit and life of Heaven Have you not hereby a beginning of Heaven a stampe of Glorie on your hearts and lives 6. Remember that al you do for your souls without a regard to the coming of the day of God is nothing You neither mind nor affect nor act any thing to purpose longer than you mind your Lords approche What is al your Religion without this but a dreaming sleepy loitering formalitie Al your Actions and passions for God which refer not to this day are lost 7. To look for and hasten unto the coming of your Lord puts you into a state of Libertie and freedome it makes you free-borne Citizens of Heaven as Phil. 3.20 Whereas al others are chained to the Idols of time prisoners to their lusts of servile ignoble spirits Nothing brings so much Amplitude and Libertie of heart and ways as daily looking for that great Day 8. Remember the judge standeth at the dore you are on the brink of Eternitie and dare you sleep or loiter when the judge is so near Is it not prodigious folie to lie dreaming on the precipice of Eternitie If you look not for the coming of your Lord is it not a black marque that wrath and jugement look for you Have you not sufficient cause to question your Interest in Christ if you altogether neglect and disregard his second coming 9. Know that your choisest comforts peace hopes Graces with the whole of the Divine Life depend greatly on your looking for and hastening unto the coming of your Lord. Christ wil never honor you with much peace joy and Grace if you wil not honor him with looking for and hastening unto his second coming 10. Future Blessednesse is entailed on our present looking for and hastening unto the coming of our Lord. Thus Heb. 9.28 And to them that look for him shal he appear the second time without sin unto salvation So that you see Christ wil appear to none in a way of salvation but such as look for him 11. Doth not the whole Creation excepting the secure sleepy world look for the coming of our Lord as Rom. 8.19 20 21. and wil you not do the same 12. Lastly To be altogether unmindful of your Lords approche argues a lifelesse senselesse heart Is not the expectation of your Lords approche your safest sweetest richest noblest life Oh! then what a sad death is it to be deprived either in part or in whole of that which is your highest life To be dead to Christ and his second coming which brings eternal life what a miserable death is this Is not al life dead and gone if your looking for your Lords returne be dead and gone To give a few Directions for our better looking for and hastening unto the coming of our Lord. 1. Make the promisse the mesure of thine expectations and let thy spirit be unsatisfied til thou hast got some assurance of an interest in the good things promissed at the coming of thy Lord. As the promisse alone can give being to thy faith and hopes so the Assurance of an interest in the things promissed gives life and vigor to thy looking for and hastening unto the coming of thy Lord. Thou canst not hope for the coming of thy Lord without a promisse neither wilt thou hasten towards it without some persuasion of an Interest in the things promissed Leave not soul-concernes under any hazards or peradventures Rest not satisfied in any condition ' til you are sure you can look Christ in the face when he comes without fear or shame In order hereto cast up your accounts daily and never be satisfied without some assurance your sins are pardoned 2. Be ever parting with the Idols of time Let no false God or Image of Jealousie loge in your heart Remember the Lord usually conveigheth his most deadly poison through the sweet wine of prosperitie O! how many by having their eyes dazled with the glorie of this world have lost the sight of their Lords approche How soon are our eyes misted and hearts bewitched with the golden pleasures of that heart-inveigling Idol the World Oh! at what a distance ought we to keep from the wals of this Pest-house what have we to do with this dirty Idol which the degenerate Sons of Adam Worship and adore 3.
Let your Thoughts and Affections ever worke according to the Dignitie of those objects you expect at the coming of your Lord and your Relation to them Hast thou a clear apprehension of thy Lords approche and some Assurance of an Interest in him O! then how should thy Love by al manner of vehement exercices both of desire hope Joy and satisfaction move towards thy Lord Or doest thou behold the coming of thy Lord but want a prevalent assurance of an Interest in him what an holy awe and filial fear of thy Lord what hatred and Indignation against sin oughtest thou to have 4. Make frequent suppositions of thy Lords Approche and thinke what thoughts thou wilt then have of things Remember with what swift wings time posteth away and Eternitie hastens towards thee Make such suppositions as these What if this night I should hear the midnight-crie Behold the bridegroom cometh how am I prepared to meet my Lord Can I look him with confidence in the face Wil my soul then be able to passe the fiery trial without being consumed 5. Do nothing but what thou wouldest do if the Lord were come This wil give thee much confidence in looking for the coming of thy Lord. They who mesure al their Actions by that day wil not care how soon it come Such as keep their spirits in an absolute submission to the Divine wil both as to doing and suffering are in the fittest posture to entertain their Lord. The reason why the most of men are so averse from looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God is the Irregularitie of their Actions which they know wil not bear the trial of that day 6. Contend daily with invincible Resolution and violent efforts towards the coming of the Day of God Go forward in the strength of the Lord with invincible courage and vigorous activitie to meet your Lord and remember what difficulties you meet with in your way wil be made up in the enjoyments that follow Alas what is it that keeps our souls at such a distance from the coming of the Day of God but the Formalitie and Dâ—â—dnesse of our Spirits in our race Is theâ—e much deadnesse in thine heart whereby thou art hindred in thy race And is there not much life in Christ to quicken thee then adhere to him draw from him of his fulnesse Grace for Grace that thou mayst run with speed the race set before thee Dread a loitering formal spirit as much as Hel. 7. Muse and consider much on the glorious effects which follow the coming of the day of God Remember that thy present thirsty desires wil then be turned into a love of Fruition and complacence How soon wil the Saints present tears be changed into eternal joys O! what an excellent thing is Heaven Doth it not as much or much more excede our present apprehensions as our present apprehensions excede our present enjoyments What are al present enjoyments whether spiritual or temporal but shadows in comparison of those celestial enjoyments Yea al we here enjoy is scarce a picture of that glorious state O! what a blessed day wil that be when the Saints shal leave though not their Natures yet al their imperfections both natural and sinful When al their Spiritual Darknesses Errors and Douts shal end in the beatific Vision of God as he is face to face When al their Rebellions of heart shal end in a perfect conformitie and subjection to the Divine Wil When al their unlawful passions and exorbitant Affections shal end in a regular harmonie and motion when al their Deadnesses in Duties shal end in the most vigorous and lively exercices of al manner of Graces When al their convulsions and terrors of Conscience shal end in complete assurance of Gods Love when al their Distances and Estrangements from God shal end in perfect Union and communion with God When al their troubles disgusts and dissatisfactions in this world shal end in perfect Rest and Satisfaction O! what a glorious blessed Day wil this be How would the serious and lively views hereof by faith fixe the heart in looking for and hastening to the coming of the Day of God 8. Familiarise thoughts of death unto thy soul and never rest satisfied ' til thou hast brought thine heart to a wel-grounded chearful willingnesse to be dissolved None look for and hasten to the coming of their Lord so much as they who daily wait for their change O! how welcome is death when it comes to those who daily look for it Who live better lives than they who continually thinke of death What more effectually engageth men to die unto althings of time than daily expectations of Death They who look for the dreadful hour of Death and Jugement how much do they despise al the dreadful things of this life Remember that death comes not the sooner for your expectation of it But the more you look for it the better prepared you wil be to entertain it when it comes You wil die out of choice not merely from necessitie I shal conclude with a great saying of that holy man Mr. John Rowe p. 124. of his life when he drew near to death why said he should we not be willing to die Christ came from Heaven to Earth to free us from sin and miserie and why should not we be willing to go from Earth to Heaven to be freed from sin and miserie FINIS Books Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock Senior and Junior at the first Shop in Popes-Head-Alley at the three Bibles Who sells all sorts of Divinity-Books c. to Chapmen or others TWelve Books lately published by Mr. Thomas Brooks late Preacher of the Gospel at Magarets New Fish-street 1. Precious Remedies against Satans devices Or Salve for Believers and Unbelievers sores being a companion for those that are in Christ or out of Christ that slight or neglect Ordinances under a pretence of living above them that are growing in Spirituals or decaving that are tempted or deserted afflicted or opposed that have assurance or want it on 2 Cor. 2.11 2. Heaven on Earth Or a serious Discourse touching a well-grounded Assurance of mans everlasting happinesse and blessednesse discovering the nature of assurance the possibility of attaining it the Causes Springs and degrees of it with the resolution of several weighty Questions on the 8. of the Romans 32 33 34 verses 3. The unsearchable Riches of Christ Or Meat for strong Men and Milk for Babes 〈…〉 two and twenty Sermons from Ephes