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3. LET us desire after Jesus, carrying on this work of man's Salvation at his second coming. It is true, many shrink at the thoughts of death and judgment; and 'tis an high pitch to desire the dissolution of our selves, and of this world; the best Christians are compounded of flesh and spirit, and if the spirit long to be in Heaven, yet the Flesh is loath to leave this Earth. Speak out of my soul, thou prayest daily,
Come Lord Jesus, let thy Kingdome come; but is not the Flesh afraid, lest God should hear thy Prayers? Oh that we could loath our loathness in that respect! oh that we could long for this second coming of Christ to Judgment! And Christians, this is at∣tainable, or otherwise I should not perswade you to it.* 1.1 I am in a strait (said Paul) between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ which is far better: And this is the voice of the desolate Bride, Come; for the spirit of Christ within her saith come, The Spirit and the Bride say come. Yea, the whole Creation saith come,* 1.2 Waiting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God; and not onely they, but our selves also which have the first-fruits, of the Spirit, even we our selves groan within our selves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body. Oh that we could groan! oh that we could come up to this high pitch, even to sigh out, not our breath, but our spirits! even to groan out, not some vapours, but our hearts.
I know it is suitable to flesh and blood to tremble at the thoughts of judgment; When Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and of Judgment to come, Felix trembled.* 1.3 Weak Christians as well as Heathens may have many terrible fancies and notions of that day: Oh to think of a time, When there shall be a great earthquake,* 1.4 when the Sun shall become black as jet, and the Moon red as blood, when the Stars of heaven shall fall, and when the heavens themselves shall depart as a scroll; when the Trumpet shall sound, that will shake the Earth, and every Mountain and Island shall be moved out of their places; when the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and every bonds-man, and every free-man shall hide themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the Mountains, and shall say to the rocks and to the mountains, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? Will it not be terrible? if the people were so afraid when the Lord came without such attendants to give the Law up∣on Mount Sinai; certainly much more terrible must such a coming in this manner be, when he shall come like a revenging judge to take an account of the world for the keeping, or for the breaking of that Law.
In this respect, I wonder not at some weak Christians, that cry out, O Lord thou knowest, that I have not desired this woful day; A wise Jew was wont to say, from a deep foresight of terror of this day, The Messiah will come, but Lord let me not live to see his coming. Now to conquer this fear, and to abate such slavish terror in such souls; oh that they would consider it in the whole notion of it, not onely as it shall be a day of blackness, and of terror, but as it shall also be a day of rest and of release. Some are apt to take it up in the half notion of it, they look on it only as a day of judg∣ment, and a day of condemnation, and so they fly from it as from a Serpent; but if they would take it up again, and look on the other side, the Serpent would be turned into a Rod. The day which will be so dreadful to the ungodly, and the beginning of their misery, it will be as joyful to the Saints, and the beginning of their glory.
But in what respect is this day of Christ so desirable a day? I answer, in these par∣ticulars—
1. It is a day of refreshing. Here the Saints work in a furnace; his fire is in Zion,* 1.5 and his furnace in Jerusalem; but Christ in his second coming (when all the world shall be on fire) shall fan wind (as I may say) on his Saints to cool them; to the wicked it is an hot day, a day of everlasting burnings; but to the Saints it is a day of cooling, quickning, reviving, and refreshing.
2. It is a day of restoring of all things.* 1.6 Every creature is now in it's work-day dres∣sed, all defiled with sin, but at that day there shall be a restitution of all things; all the disorders and ruins which sin hath brought into the world shall then be repaired, and man himself whose sin is the cause of all, shall then be restored to his original glory.
3. It is a day of the manifestation of the Sons of God.* 1.7 Then shall it be known who are true Saints, and who are Reprobates; here we live inconfusion, and in our most re∣fined Churches (if we have none scandalous) yet we may have many hypocrites, and we cannot discern them; but in that day it shall be known who are the Lords, and who are not; the hypocrite shall then be unmantled, and the Sons of God shall shine and glitter as the Sun, that all may run and read, These are God's Elect, these are the Sons and Daughters of the Almighty.
* 1.84. It is the day of adoption, and of the redemption of our bodyes. It is the day of our Sonship and deliverance; I deny not but that the Saints are adopted and redeemed be∣fore this day; but this adoption and redemption is not consummate, nor declared before Christ come again to judgment, then it is that he takes his Saints home to his house, and all the Angels and Men of the World shall understand the love wherewith he loves them; then shall Christ say, These are my sons whom I have redeemed, and as I have set them free, so now shall they live and reign with me for ever and ever.
5. It is The day of Christ's coming. He was here not long since travailing about the Earth, and about our business; which done, he went away to Heaven upon a special er∣rand for his Saints; and there now he is to intercede for them, to attend the court, to be their Advocate, and to agitate the business of their souls; and withal th••re now he is to take up lodgings for them, and to prepare them mansions for eternity: And no sooner shall he have dispatcht his business there, but he will come for earth again; he will bow the Heavens and come down to give a report of his transactions there; hath he not left us a letter to that effect,* 1.9 I will come again, and receive you to my self, that where I am, there you may be also. O why are his Chariots so long a coming? why tarry the wheels of his Chariots?
* 1.106. It is the day of Christs revealing. Christ to many of his Saints here is hidden and withdrawn; it is true, he may be in them, yea, certainly he is in them by his spirit, but no man knows it, no nor themselves neither, which makes them cry, O where is he whom my soul loveth; but at this day of Christ's revealing, all curtains shall be drawn aside, Christ shall be unhid, and the Saints shall see him face to face, they shall never lose him more; for without any intermission they shall stare, and gaze, and be ever looking unto Jesus.
* 1.117. It is the day of Christ's bright and glorious appearing. When he was upon the Earth he appeared in our dress, many then saw him, who then said of him, There is no beau∣ty in him that we should desire him: Oh it was a sad sight to see him crowned with thorns and scourged with whips, and nailed to the cross? but in his next appearing we shall see him in his best attire, arrayed in white, attended with the retinue of glory, riding in his Chariot of light, and smiling upon all his Saints. Now is not this desirable? The Apostle tells us of the Saints,* 1.12 Looking for the glorious appearing of the great God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ; therefore surely they desire it.
* 1.138. It is the day of Christs joy. Then he shall see of the travail of his soul, and he shall be satisfied. Now what is the travail of his soul? is it not the perfection of his redeemed ones? oh when Christ seeth this, when he seeth his spouse as without spot, or wrinkle; then shall be fulfilled that prophesie,* 1.14 As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, so shall thy God rejoyce over thee: look how the joy of a Bridgroom is over his Bride upon the wedding-day, (surely then if ever) all is love and joy; so is Christ's joy over his Saints at the last day; then begins that joy that never, never shall have end, there shall be no moment of time wherein Christ will not rejoyce over his Saints for ever after.
9. It is the day of Christs perfection. Christ as Mediator is not fully perfect till all his members be in glory united to him: As an head that wants an arm, or hand, or leg, we say is lame; so it is a kind of mistical lameness that Christ our head hath not with him all his members; the Saints are little pieces of mystical Christ, and it shall not be well till Christ gather in his arms, and thighs, and pull them nearer to himself in glory: and is not this desirable to see the Lord Jesus Christ as Head of the Church in his perfecti∣on? to see the Son of righteousness with every beam united to him? O desirable day!
* 1.1510. It is Christ's Wedding-day, or the Marriage day of the Lamb. The Saints are be∣trothed to Christ when first they believe in Christ, that is Christ's word, I will betroth thee unto me,* 1.16 and thou art my sister, my spouse, not my Wife; thou art not yet married, onely contracted here: but at that day the marriage of the Lamb will be compleat, and then will the voyce be heard;* 1.17 Let us be glad and rejoyce, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her self ready. O the joy that Christ, and Saints, and Angels, and all that belong to Heaven will make at this marriage! Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb. One of the seven Angels that came to John in visions,* 1.18 talked with him, saying, Come hither, and I will shew thee the Bride, the Lambs Wife. If the espoused Virgin be willing to be married, how is it that we cry not, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly?
* 1.1911. It is Christ's day of presenting his Saints unto his Father; he delivers up the King∣dom to God, even the Father. Then shall he take his Bride by the hand and bring her to
his house, and present her in all state and solemnity to the Father. Is not this a desi∣rable day? surely Christ rejoyceth, and his very heart even springs again to present his Church unto his Father, Father here behold my Bride that I have marryed unto my self. It is true, a Child may sometimes marry such a one, as he may be ashamed to think of bringing to his Fathers house; but how mean and sinful soever we are of our selves, when once we are marryed unto Christ, he will not think it any dishonour, no not before his Father, that he hath such a bride, Father (will he say) lo here all my Saints of all that thou hast given me, I have lost none, but the children of perdition, these are mine, dear∣ly bought, thou knowest the price, O welcome them to glory.
12. It is the day of Christ's glory. What glorious descriptions have we in scripture of Christs coming to Judgment? The Son of man shall come from heaven with power and great glory; and the work no sooner done,* 1.20 but he shall return again into Heaven with power and great glory. Not to mention the essential glory of Christ, O the glory of Christ as Mediator; all the glory that Ahashuerus could put upon his favourites was no∣thing to this spiritual and heavenly glory, which the Father will put upon the Son; it is a glory above all the glories that ever were, or ever shall be; it is an eternal glory; not but that Christ shall at last give up his Kingdom to his Father; he shall no more dis∣charge the acts of an Advocate, or intercessor for us in heaven, onely the glory of this shall alwayes continue; it shall to all eternity be recorded that he was the Mediator, and that he is the Saviour that hath brought us to life and immortality, and upon this ground the tongues of all the Saints shall be imployed to all eternity to celebrate this glory. This will be their everlasting Song, Ʋnto him that loved us,* 1.21 and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen. Now is not this a desirable thing? do we believe there is such a thing as Christ's mediatory glory, and Christ's essential glory? as Christ's humane glory, and Christ's divine glory? and have we no desires to behold this glory? surely Christ himself desired it of God, he would have his Saints with him where he is, that they might behold his glory; and shall not we desire it, whom it most con∣cerns? O the sweet temper of the spouse when she cryed out,* 1.22 Make haste my beloved and be thou like a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the mountains of spices!
Come now, and run over these particulars; surely every one is motive enough to desire this day; it is a day of refreshing, a day of restoring, a day of manifestation of the sons of God, a day of adoption, and of the redemption of our bodyes; a day of Christs coming, of Christ's revealing, of Christ's appearing, of Christ's joy, of Christ's per∣fection, of Christ's Wedding, of Christ's presenting of his Saints, of Christ's glory; what are we not yet in a longing frame? the wife of youth that wants her husband for some years, and expects that he should return from over Sea-lands, she is often on the shore, her very heart loves the wind that should bring him home; every Ship in view, that is but a drawing near the shore, is her new joy, and new reviving hopes, she asks of every passenger, O saw you my husband? what is he a doing? when will he come? is he not yet Shipped, and ready for a return? souls truly related to the Lord Jesus Christ should methinks long no less; O what desire should the Spirit and the Bride have to hear when Christ shall say to his Angels, Make you ready for the journey, let us go down and di∣vide the skies, and bow the Heavens; I'le gather my prisoners of hope unto me, I cannot want my Rachel, and her weeping Children any longer, behold I come quickly to judge the Nations? Methinks every spouse of Christ should love the quarter of the sky, that be∣ing rent asunder should yield unto her husband; methinks she should love that part of the heavens, where Christ puts through his glorious hand, and comes riding on the Rain-bow and Clouds to receive her to himself. I conclude this with the conclusion of the Bible, He that testifieth these things, saith surely I come quickly, Amen. Even so,* 1.23 come Lord Jesus.
Phil. 1.2••.
Rev. 12.17. Rom. 8 21, 23.
Acts 24.25.
Rev. 6.12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Acts 3.19. Isa. 31.9.
Acts. 3.21.
Rom. 8.19.
Rom. 8.23.
John 14.3.
2 Thes. 1.7.
Colos. 3.4.
Tit. 2.13.
Isa. 53.11.
Isa. 62.5.
Hos. 2.18.
Cant. 4.10.
Rev. 19.7.
Rev. 21 9.
1 Cor. 5.24.
Math. 24.30.
Rev. 1.5, 6.
Cant. 8.14.
Rev. 22.20.