us finning, fuffering, groaning, dying daily, and will he come no more to us? It cannot be. This is like our unkind Dealing with Chrift, who, when we feel ourselves warm in the World, care not for coming to him: But this is not like Chrift's Dealing with us. He that would come to fuffer, will furely come to triumph. He that would come to purchase, will furely come to poffefs. Where elfe were all our Hopes? What were become of our Faith, our Prayers, our Tears, and our Waiting? What were all the Patience of the Saints worth to them? Were we not left of all Men moft miferable (k)? Chriftians, hath Chrift made us forfake all the World, and be forfaken of all the World? to hate all, and be hated of all? and all this for him, that we might have him inftead of all? And will he, think you, after all this, forget us, and forfake us himself? Far be fuch a Thought from our Hearts!-But why ftayed he not with his People while he was here? Why? Was not the Work on Earth done? Muft he not take Poffeffion of Glory in our Behalf? Muft he not intercede with the Father, plead his Sufferings, be filled with the Spirit to fend forth, receive Authority, and fubdue his Enemies? Our Abode here is fhort. If he had flayed on Earth, what would it have been to enjoy him for a few Days, and then die? He hath more in Heaven to dwell among; even the Spirits of many Generations. He will have us live by Faith, and not by Sight. $3.0 Fellow Chriftians, what a Day will that be, when we, who have been kept Prifoners by Sin, by Sinners, by the Grave, fhall be fetched out by the Lord himself? It will not be fuch a Coming as his firft was, in Poverty and Contempt, to be fpit upon, and buffeted, and crucified again. He will not come, (k) 1 Cor. xv. 19. C O care O careless World! to be flighted and neglected by you any more. Yet that Coming wanted not its Glory. If the heavenly Hoft, for the Celebration of his Nativity, muft praise God (1); with what Shoutings will Angels and Saints at that Day proclaim Glory to God, Peace and Good-will towards Men? If a Star muft lead Men from remote Parts of the World to come to worship a Child in a Manger (m); how will the Glory of his next Appearing constrain all the World to acknowledge his Sovereignty? If, riding on an Afs, he enter Jerufalem with Hofannas (n); with what Peace and Glory will he come toward the new Jerufalem? If, when he was in the Form of a Servant (o), they cry out, what Manner of Man is this, that even the Winds and the Sea obey him (p)? What will they fay, when they fall fee him coming in his Glory, and the Heavens and the Earth obey him? Then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn (q). To think and fpeak of that Day with Horror, doth well befeem the impenitent Sinner, but ill the believing Saint. Shall the Wicked behold him, and cry, "Yon"der is he whofe Blood we neglected, whofe Grace 66 we refifted, whofe Counfels we refufed, whofe Go"vernment we caft off!" And shall not the Saints, with inconceivable Gladness, cry, "Yonder is he "whofe Blood redeemed us, whofe Spirit cleanfed us, whofe Law did govern us, in whom we trusted, "and he hath not deceived our Truft; for whom we long waited, and now we fee we have not waited, ❝in vain! O curfed Corruption that would have. "had us turn to the World, and prefent Things, and fay, Why Should we wait for the Lord any longer (r)? "Now we fee, Blessed are all they that wait for him (s).” And t (1) Luke ii. 13, 14. (m) Matt. ii. 2. (n) Matt. xxi. 5--9. (9) Matt. xxiv. 30% And now, Chriftians, fhould we not put up that Petition heartily, Thy Kingdom come? The Spirit and the Bride fay, Come: And let him that heareth, and readeth, fay, Come. Our Lord himfelf fays, Surely I come quickly. Amen, even fo, come Lord Jelus (t). $4. (2) Another Thing that leads to Paradife is, that great Work of Jefus Christ, in raising our Bodies. from the Duft, and uniting them again unto the Soul. A wonderful Effect of infinite Power and Love! Yea, wonderful indeed, fays Unbelief, if it be true. What, fhall all these scattered Bones and Duft become a Man? -Let me with Reverence plead for God, for that Power whereby I hope to arife. What beareth the mafiy Body of the Earth? What limits the vaft Ocean of the Waters? Whence is that conftant Ebbing and; Flowing of the Tides? How many Times bigger than all the Earth is the Sun, that glorious Body of Light? Is it not as eafy to raife the Dead, as to make Heaven, and Earth, and all of Nothing? Look not on the dead Bones, and Duft, and Difficulty, but at the Promife. Contentedly commit these. Carcaffes to a Prifon, that fhall not long contain them. Let us lie down in Peace, and take our Reft;" it will not be an everlasting Night, nor endless Sleep. If uncloathing be the Thing thou feareft; it is that thou mayft have better Cloathing (u). If to be turned out of Doors be the Thing thou feareft; remember, that when the earthly Houfe of this Tabernacle is diffolved, thou haft a Building of God, an Houfe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens (w). Lay down chear fully this Lump of Corruption; thou shalt undoubtedly receive it again in Incorruption. Lay down freely. this terreftrial, this natural Body; thou shalt receive it again a celeftial, a fpiritual Body. Tho' thou lay it down with great Difhonour; thou fhalt receive it in Glory. C 2 1) Rev. xxii. 17, 20. (u) 2 Cer. v. 4. (w) 2 Cor. v, 1. Glory. Tho' thou art feparated from it thro' Weaknes; it fhall be raised again in mighty Power. In a Moment, in the Twinkling of an Eye, at the last Trump; for the Trumpet fhall found, and the Dead fhall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed(x). The Dead in Chrift fhall rife first. Then they which are alive and remain, fhall be caught up together with them in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air (y). Triumph now, O Chriftian, in thefe Promifes; thou shalt hortly triumph in their Performance. This is the Day which the Lord will make, we fhall rejoice and be lad in it (z). The Grave, that could not keep our Lord, cannot keep us. He arofe for us, and by the fame Power will caufe us to arife. For if we believe that Jefus died, and rofe again, even fo them alfs which fleep in Jefus, will Ged bring with him (a). Let us never look at the Grave, but let us fee the Refurrection beyond it. Yea, let us be stedfuft, immoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, for afmuch as we know cur Labour is not in vain in the Lord (b). $5. (3) PART of this Prologue to the Saint's Reft, is the publick and folemn Process at their Judgment, where they shall first themselves be acquitted and justified, and then with Christ judge the World. Young and old, of all Eftates and Nations, that ever were from the Creation to that Day, must here come, and receive their Doom. O terrible! O joyful Day! Terrible to thofe that have forgot the Coming of their Lord! Joyful to the Saints, whofe Waiting and Hope was to fee this Day! Then fhall the World behold the Goodness and Severity of God; on them which perish, Severity; but to his chofen, Goodness (c). Every one muft (x) x Cor. xv. 42--44, 52. I Cor. xv. 58, (y) x Theff. iv. 16, 17. muft give an Account of his Stewardship (d). Every Talent of Time, Health, Wit, Mercies, Afflictions, Means, Warnings, muft be reckoned for. The Sins of Youth, those which they had forgotten, and their fecret Sins, fhall all be laid open before Angels and Men. They fhall fee the Lord Jefus, whom they neglected, whofe Word they difobeyed, whofe Minifters they abused, whofe Servants they hated, now fitting to judge them. Their own Confciences shall cry out against them, and call to their Remembrance all their Mifdoings. Which Way will the wretched Sinner look? Who can conceive the terrible Thoughts of his Heart? Now the World cannot help him; his old Companions cannot; the Saints neither can, nor will: Only the Lord Jefus can; but, there is the Mi fery, he will not. Time was, Sinner, when Chrift would, and you would not; now, fain would you, and he will not. All in vain, to cry to the Mountains and Rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the Face of him that fitteth upon the Throne (e); for thou hast the Lord of Mountains and Rocks for thine Enemy, whose Voice they will obey, and not thine. I large thee therefore, before God, and the Lord Jefus Chrifi, who Shall judge the Quick and the Dead, at his Appearing, and his Kingdom (f), that thou fet thyself seriously to ponder on thefe Things. $6. BUT why trembleft thou, O humble gracious Soul? He that would not lofe one Noah in a common Deluge, nor overlook one Lot in Sodom; nay, that could do Nothing till he went forth; will he forget thee at that Day? The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptatims, and to referve the Unjuft unto the Day of Judgment to be punished (g). He knoweth how to make the fame Day the greatest Terror to (d) Luke xvi. 2. (g) 2 Pet. ii. 9. C 3 his |