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Show f Sig~tJ ofC hri_ftJ COflJJitg. tht"' ; could tl1ey live and die comfortably being perf waded, that though Cbrifl was nor yet come ro pu rchafe mans Redem ptwn, yet h< lhou ld comc;t hough the Spirit were not yet poured our, yet it fhould b" poured Qut; and fl ~a ll nor we live and d1c Comtorrabl y, being pcrfwaded God will fave and del tver his Cl~ u rc;, though ou r eyes flnll not lee it, but we like Mojet mull d1e ~n t e W iidfl ncfs I Bur yer in regard we have fo much ~ n b e hef 111 us, let moadd two or th ree Signs of Chri!ls {peedy commg m this lafi ffnfe. t. It it an excellent Sign •if Cbri/t's coming, when bif people accept of tbe Ptenijhment of tbeir i11iquity in bii abfmce. One e~d of Gods wiihdrawing.s, is, that his people may a c~ now le ~g I heir offences; when you fee a people under Gods wHhdrawmgs, humbling rhctnftlves, and lying low before God, as finncrs Juilly puniflJed, and acc< pting the punifhmenr ~:>fth e ir Sin; conclude that · God is not far,olf, you know the promife L evtt. 26. 41.' 43· 2. It is an exct!knt Sign, I hat Chrifl is lOon commg back to his people,when he leaves them nor fo r fomeSpidrual d e bauch~ry, and in the time nibil abjince, they are fou nd keepwg clofe to h~m \ when God leaves a people for a Spiritual/f'horedom, co~ruptmg his Wap and Wor{hip, it is often very long before he agarn comes ro them, rhis was the c:ife of the 'fern; but when God ( as to his Providence) leaves a people, zealous for his Glory, and ~a.l k ing clofely. with him and fearching furth er after his .ways; .'t rs a good Sign, that his great end is try•/ of them-, and 1fln the trme ?f .his withdrawings he finds their hearts !led fall and unmo.veab!e, It is fe!dom long before he returns again uuro them . · Give me an example of any people under Heaven, not eminently ~ e bauchcd and corrupted, as to matter of Doctrine, Worlhip· or Ltfe, who'!' God left long as ro the prefence ofhis eminent Providence. It rs but a crude and fudden Notion and th erefore I fhall only throw it amongfi you to be lludyed :' Thottgh many time~ forJ,Jfer SpiritNal w~ektdneffis , Omif!ions, P~ide, &c. God may wtthdraw. !Jtm[elf for a time from tbe Soulr of hii p.ople ; yet he jil~om font, wtthdrawt him [elf from tl>e af[emblier of hir people any long ti m•,but for jome emtnenfCorr• ptiont, in his Truths alldTYorjhip ,or.for fome emtH<HI Formality and Hypocrijj , and .Apoftacy m Convufatuln. . . . 3. It is an excellent Srgn that Chrift u commg, when hn Mennet are at the big he{!, and hi< people are at the /owef!. God ~ a s ne.ver fo nigh to the Salvation of the!fraelitu,as when Pharaoh was lughefl, . . and 8ig111 Pf chrifis coming. and the people were lo~efr. Ir is written, i11 the Mou11t of the L ora itjhaU be[ee11: It is nearer day when it is midl)ight._ It is -then rime for Love ro work or never ; his enemies then are ripefi for judgment,his people are then fittefi for mercy,and God drives both thde ddigns of judgment and mercy, when he thus cometh to his people. I will add bur one Ihing more. 4· An earnr/f praying Spirit in tht beartr.fGodsprople, is an excellent fign that Chri/! iJ romi1tg, Pfal. ro. ro. God hr fl prepawb the heart,and then he cauj;tb hil ear t• hear; you fee this in that emi. 'f. nent prayer of Daniel, Chap. 9· at the very nick of time, when God was coming, when his Chariots were ready. A might~ Spirit of Prayer pierceth the Heavens, and bringeth God down; it is the wind upon the wings of which he is pleafed to ride. A dead heart to Prayer in Gods people is a Sign that Chlifi is a great way olf. 5· T might add an other,though not fo certain, af!rong CMjidence and expe&ation in Gods people, is a fign that Chrills coming is not far off: It is true rbar for particular times and feafo ns wc_have no partic ular promifcs, and therefore thefe confid ~n ces cannot be a Divine Fai th flriCl ly fo called;· bur there are general promife5enough. Now God often, when he intends to hal\en a mercy,dorh creare extrao1dinary confidences in his people; of which as ro the jnrticulalities, polli bly rhey can give no rea fon, only they i'>ave Hrong lmprellions: Now though fuch ImpreHions ought by no means ro be foundations for Chrill ia ns to a~'t irregJiarly upon, yet rhey are often prefages ofChrifls coming, and may be begot-ten in the Souls of Gods people by himlelf ; by vertue o! that word, P(.l. 2). The Secrets oft he Lord are with them th>t fe.r him, Bur it may be not wi thflandi ng oil! have d id through rhe unbelief that is in Chri!lians heart s, they may be dou bting whether he wi ll come at !a ll or no ; or at lea f\, whether he wi ll come fa fhorr ly or no: T hey fee many hindrances, many dl!Trculties in the W-')',&.:. I fhall therefore help the weak Chrifl ian over rhefe fen li ble blocks in my next exercife where I 01all handle the fecond Pr_o_pofition from the fecond parr of the Tex r, That Cbr.-{f whe11 becometh tohi1 Spo11[e, rviUcome sk,jpping r<po11tht Prep. lvl01mt.•i!u , and leapwg Hf >it 1tf;e litlls. What is meant by Chri hs coming, and in how many feofes he may be laid to be coming, you have heard und er the" fo rmer Oodrlnc ; here 1. ha ve two things to inquire for lne el(piicati cn of rhe point. ' |