fire," Amen. Even fo come Lord Jefus," &c. Hence obfervė,

Doct. I. That the Lord Jefus Christ will certainly and quickly appear.

Doct. II. That there is an earnest defire and longing in the church after Chrift's appearance. Doct. I. That the Lord Jefus Chrift will certainly and quickly appear.

Here I fhall fpeak,

1. Concerning Chrift's appearance.
2. Shew that he will certainly appear.
3. Shew that he will quickly appear.
4. And lastly apply it.

1. Concerning Chrift's appearance. There is a two-fold appearance of Chrift which the fcriptures make mention of.

1. In the flesh.

CHAP. II.

2. In glory.

1. THE first appearance of Chrift was in the Hefh, about feventeen hundred years ago, in the land of Judah, unto the people of the Jews, the only then vifible church upon the earth.There it was that the Word was made flesh ; and amongst that people he dwelt for a while, fome of whom beheld his glory, "The glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth." There it was that the eternal Son of God was made man, being conceived mirac ulously by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the

womb of the virgin Mary, tamination of original fin,

without the conwhich ali ordinary

conceptions do introduce; his real mother and fuppofed father were both of the tribe of Ju dah, and of the lineage of David. And he was born in the town of Bethlehem, according to the fcriptures' prediction; who, after he had lived thirty years in obfcurity, was baptized by John Baptift, his forerunner and harbinger; in whose baptifm, when John faw the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God defcending like a dove, lighting upon him, and heard the voice of the excellent glory, faying, "This is my be loved Son in whom I am well pleased;" he gave his teftimony concerning him, that he was the Son of God, and the Lamb of God who taketh away the fins of the world; who, after his own baptifm and temptation, and John's imprisonment, made his appearance more openly unto Ifrael, fhewing forth his glory, not in outward pomp and fplendor, but in a more high, eminent and wonderful manner, altogether divine, exceeding the imitation of an earthly monarch in the world. He fhewed forth the glory of his power, in the miracles which he did work, namely, in opening the eyes of the blind, and ears of the deaf; in loofing the tongue of the dumb, and the bonds of other infirmities; in cleanfing the lepers, and healing other difeafes with a word, in cafting out devils after long poffeffions, in calming the

fea and wind when boisterous and ftormy; in raifing up the dead before and after burial, for fome days, and the like.

He fhewed forth the glory of his knowedge, in looking into the hearts of those which came unto him, being able to perceive their most secret thoughts and imaginations, and needed. not that any should teftify of man, for he knew what was in man.

He fhewed forth the glory of his wisdom in his moft wife anfwers to the enfnaring quef tions of the Pharisees and others, in the moft excellent and heavenly doctrine which he preached, wherein he did not teach his difciples fubtle and empty fpeculations, which the greatest wits in the world have bufied them. felves about; but great foul faving truths: in deed he revealed fo great and deep myfteries, (above the reach of the higheft wit of the greatest scholar, without the teaching of hist Spirit,) which were momentous and needful in order unto practice; but the greatest part of his doctrine was plain and easy.

He fhewed forth the glory of his holiness, in his exact walking, and perfect obedience, unto the law of God, without the leaft deviation of fin. ¡

.

He fhewed forth the glory of his goodness and tenderness towards the children of men, in going about to do them good, and give fuccour to them which were in mifery, cafting out none which came unto him.

Efpecially he fhewed forth the glory of his mercy and infinite love to his own people, in fubmitting to fo low a condition as he lived in for their fakes: in humbling himself and becoming obedient unto death, even the curfed, difgraceful, painful death of the cross, befides the foul miferies which he endured through fenfe of God's wrath due for their fins, that he might fatisfy God's juftice, and deliver them from eternal death and wrath to come, and purchase life and glory from him.

Thus Chirft lived, and thus Chrift died for our fins, according to the fcriptures; and be ing dead, the bonds of death could not hold him, neither did the Holy One fee corruption, but the third day rofe again from the dead, ac cording to the scriptures, and after his refur. rection was seen of Mary Magdalene, of Peter, of James, all the apoftles, of five hundred brethren at once, according to the fcriptures, after forty days was taken up into heaven, and is there in his human nature, at the right hand of the throne of the Majefty in the heavens, making interceffion for his people, where he will abide until the fecond appearance.

Thus concerning Chrift's appearance in the flesh.

CHAP. III.

2. THE fecond appearance of Chrift will be in glory at the last day, when the world shall

come to an end: this is the appearance we are treating of, and therefore I will speak of it more largely, and shew,

1.

The manner of this appearance.

2. The end and transactions at this appear.

ance.

1. Concerning the nature of Chrift's fecond appearance. What tongue of man or angel, is able to fet forth, what heart can conceive the fplendor thereof? Something the fcripture doth reveal, and taking the scripture for my guide, I fhall effay to fpeak fomething of it, see Luke xxi. 87. “Then fhall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory."

1. Chrift at his fecond appearance will come with power, with great glory; he hath all power put into his hands in heaven and on earth now, and doth exercise it more fecretly then he will exercise it more visibly and appar ently in the fight of the whole world; to give inftance,

1. He will come with power over death.-Death hath had great power fince the fall, and is the greatest conqueror in the world: death hath made univerfal conqueft over all the fons and daughters of Adam, Enoch and Elias only excepted, which lived in former generations, and have led them captive, binding their faces in fecret, chaining their hands and their feet, and clapping them up clofe prisoners in the