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Show Ho'll' Chrift i1 coming. r: Firlt, Although the Lord Chrllt may be abfent from theSou/ J of his people for a time, withdrawing the confolatory influ· ences of his gtace, and the gradual manifeltations ofhis quickning and llrengthening pre fence from their Souls: yet he will again come and comfort, and quicken and firengthen them. 2. Secondly, Though the Lord Chrifi may be abfent from theAQembliu of his people, and for a time deprive them of his Ordinances, and their more publick liberties; yet he will come again and make his Sion the puife of the whole Earth. 3: Thirdl_y, Th~ugh the Lord.Chrifi may with~ raw the proteltton of h1s ProVIdence from hts people, and g1ve them into th~ir Enemie~ ~ands, or other wife grievoufiy affiiCI: them, yet he w11l com< agamm ways pf mercy, and relieve them. 4· Fourthly, Though the Lord Chrifi be perfonally ( Iince his Afcenlion to Heaven) abfent from his people; yet he will come again in perfon, if not befote the day of Judgment (as fame think ) yet mofi certainly at that day which he hath appointed to Judge the world. But fecondly; The Doctrine faith he is comin~, whi,~ doth not only imply a certain futurity, viz. That he Will certamly come, but a fud.den futurity that he will fiJOrtfy come: and that brmgeth me to the fecond Quefiion.. · How and in what fenfe it is true, that Cbrift i4 co,ing l That any Soul may fay not only, I how bt wiU come, but behold hr com· etb. May not God be long abfent from the Souls of his people a?d from the Alfemblies of his people ? May he not for-a long ume leave them in outward miferies and a fRictions? May it not yet be a great while before he cometh to judg the woild ·and to give his Saints according to their works? ' I _anf ':"er, In Gods Eye the time i1 very {h·orl. A thoufand years are r_n h1s fight but as one day, faith the Pfalmifl ; ever fince Chnfi afcended into Heaven, God hath looked upon him as com· ing. again to Judgment: God calls our years, and ages, but a rllhlie, a day, an hour, a moment. But though this be a truth yet this brings but an imperfelt comfort to the people of God. ' 2.- Secondly, In the Eye of fl•ith he is corning; Faith calfeth the things that are not as if they were: it makes things prefenl that are .• great way off, f or he that believeth mak!s not haft e. The Beh.ever cyeth the Promifc, and feeth the certainty of it, and fpea~s of~he thing that is to be done as if it were already done; and m th1s fenfe the Spoufa of Chril\ faith, Behold 1 bt. cometh, though How chrifl is comi1tg. rhou~?,h he will not prefently be with tht ro. 'l· T hirdly, Chri{t if coming bef ore.he be f~tUy come; the Spouf( faith no more than, Behold '" cometh. , Chrill is then faid ro b-~ come whw be if fuPy retur>ted to bis people, that they have the infi «wces of bir gr4ce, in a> fu11 a manner as ever , his Ordinancu in as free a m .. umer af ever, the coNring of bi1 Provide;zce in as g rea[ a lat itude as ever, and {0 br cn~e t·o J~dgment ; when he !hall break the Hea\lens, and com~ down with the Arch-Angel, and with the found of a T rumpet, &c. A'nd now he may be faid to be coming as he in any degrees nlanifdleth hisgoodnefs in order to th, fe ends. Thus when the Soul hath fate in a midnight-darknefs,and feen no light, and be5ins to !ee but a little day again , to fee l ight a! a crevice, a little peace, a littJe comfov, Chrijl ir <oming to it. when the Alfemblies of Gods peopfe ha:ve been,wholly de· prived of the Ordinances of God and the liberties of them; and God brings them fome litde breothings, fome little refrefhing, a< God often gave his people under the.ten Pc~f~cutions; Chritt is coming, though not it may. be fully,come. When Chrlfl in the difpe~fations of his Providence in this world, falls upon wicked and ungodly men, and judgeth them by terrl b!e'judgmeots even in this life, and doth good to his pcopl.c. · He is coming as a King and as a Judg though the fuller exe.rcife of his Judicature, be reftrved unto the great Day, when he will more eminently determine who are his, and who are not. And in this fenfe it is molt certainly true, and every Church, and every Soul may fay, h• it coming : not only concltlde that he jhaU come, ·and wiU·.come, but alfo that he will not tarry. Though in our eyes ·thJ: time of a Souls deferrion, of his peoples a!RiCI:ions, and his not appearing for his Church may be very long; yet it !hall be 01ort itideed, compared with Eternity; yea and the time of their midnight-dark..· •efs Jb•U not be lo>tg. They may be long before they !hall be flllly refiored to their former mjoymmts of God: but they !hall not be long in great e:<trrmities, but !hall fee fame appearances of God to and for them, which !hall confirm them that the Lord will come ; ,1 they !hall hear the noifeofhls Chariots,and fomethingofthenoife of his feet, even before they fee his face ; and they fully !hall not be long before they fhafl in this fenfe be able to fay, Behold he com· eth. " Thus you have the fenfe of the Propolition ':, I proceed. to the third thiAg. •; H•rv doth this appe111r that Chrift i~ cqming, a'!d that be wiP (hart· Qu. 3• {II CiJmel 1. It |