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Show 2. Memb. Signs of Chrifl' J c~ming. forehand. For the figns of that I !hall refer you to our Saviotrrs own words, who profdfedly gives the figns ofit, Math. 24. Mar. 13. Lui<; 21 • where you will find thefe given by Chrill as Stgns. r. Plenty of StdHcerr,faying, here is Chrill, there is Chrill; Math. 24·4• • . 2. Great commotion/ in the world and other Judgments of God- Famines, Pellilences, Earth-quakes in divers pla.ces. ' 3· AboHndint, ofinquity,and decay of Religion, v. 12·. 4· Grtat Stcurity ofSinnert, v. 37, 38. S· A_Jteratio~r in ihe courfe ofNature, v. 29. Thefc and others you. will find .m the forementioned Text which when you fee ( fatth our Savtour ) know that the end is near. But of that day and hfur k._noweth no man, no not the Angels in Heaven but the father onry.---~ut I have been teo long in opening the tirll thing in the Propofitton. I !hall fpeak a word or two to· the third and wind up the other in the Applic~tion. ' . .It is the d~ty ofGodJ people fo behold Cbrifts coming. I !hall opm tt 111 thte<!-thmgs; · I. It is t~eir duty to behol~ it with an tJt of obfirvation, to oo• ferve the Scnptures, the Promtfes and Prophefies of it, Dan. 9• 2 • I Daniel Hnderftood by Book.f the numbtr of the year J•whereoj the Lord had fpokfn, God hath therefore in his word recorded his mind rhat we might urdcrfiand it; whatfoever is written is written for our inllru~ion.> ·It is•tne preface of the .Revolatiom, Chap. 1 • 3• Blrffid 11 he tltat read,th,~nd they that hear tlie words ofthi! PtophefY, <tnd kfep thofetbmt;l whtch are wrote therein. . . 2. It i~ thei: duty ~o behold it with an eye of Faith. The obJefr of thts eye IS:t~e.fure Word of God, and it cannot look a jot bey:ord that •. It tSI Qut duty lixedly ·to believe, Chrill wrll come .torc!fcuq his people; that he .will come to comfort· qoicken and dlrengthe? his peoples Souls; that be will come to judgment ; but ·that he wtll come, _by this or that rime, in this or that y'ear, this is not matter of Fa11h, becaufe this is not revealed in the word of God. 3· It is their duty to behold it with an eye of Hope; the Soul ufeth tl~ e eye no.t only to beh~ld a precious thing, but to look out for a thmg_ that ts ~atter ofexpeebtion; and Hope is our duty as well as Fanh : Faith affures us the thing Hope waiteth for tho accompliih~ent of it, Pfol. 42. II. Why ;,t thou caft down, 0 my . SoHI l (faith David) bopeftill in God. I ' Sigm ofChrijt's coming. I tah the term behold to contain all thef< things: Now you !hall find thi> termBtbold and equivalent terms to it,or4inarily prefixed to Cbrifls comiwg, Rev. I6. 15. Behold. I come as a Thuf,Jlev. 22, 7· Beheld I come quickly, Rev.2 t. 3. Behold I m•kt all things new, Rev. 1.7 .Behold be comrth with Clouds .Luk. >I. 28 .Look. up,and lift 11p your HeadJ,for your rrdempti.ut dr'>'tletb nigh; with many 01her fuch Texts which I forbear to mention. I have t1othing to do but in a word to apply it. . . . Vfe. Is it our duty to behold Chrij/J COINmg. Let us then fulfill 11; let us look out, and in the time of our beloveds ablence, by this Spiritual eye fee him coming, skipping upon the Mountains and leaping upon the Hills; let us' bdieve and wJit,and obferve. Search the Scriptures for the promifes, believe them when we lind them, wait for the fulfilling of them, diligently obferve pa!fages of Providence tending to it.r. I will ufe an argument in the cafe. 2. give fome particular directions. The Argument I !hall ufe is from the Advantage of o11r bdJUiding: a double or trebble advantage I !hall mention. I. It ,will be an advant<ge to our Faith; I mean to the exercife of our dependance upon God. Faith 9f a!fent io thF Propolition, prepares the Soul for faith of affiance and dependenc~. The I[raelitn affenting t0 the truth of the Propofition which Mofes brought them, that God would deliver them, prepared them to depend upon God : So in all cafes. 3 .It will be an advantage to ourPatience.In a time of1emptationt, Patience is a Chrillians great duty, Jamn •·4 Now this beholding Chrtfts coming doth naturally caufe patience in the Servants of God under their !harp trials o(afltifrion; mark how the Apollle therclore preffeth patience upon this very accouot, 7ames S·7 ,8.Be patintttherefore, 'Brtthre"· 11uto the comi11g "of our Lort! Behold, the husbandman waitetb f or the prtciot~s fmtt of the ea, tiJ; and hath ·long patience f or it, &c. Be you alfo patient; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 3· It will be an advantage to your comfort, Luk.2 t.28. Lift up your heads for the day ofyo~<r redemptiolt draweth 11igb. This is fo plain it needeth no explicati-cn. 4· Lallly, It will be an •dva11tage to your Holille[s, 1 Pet. 4· 7• But the end of .u things is at band,be yo~< Jaber and watch : fee P~il. 4• 5. Let your moderatiM be k._nown Hnto all mett, for the Lord iJ at .band. Be coreful in nothing, &c. fo Rom. 1 3• 12, The day tJ at F f hand, |