A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

II. point: The coming of Christ himself, He comes▪ that is, Christ locally descendeth from the highest heaven, in his manhood, to that part of the world, where the clouds be, there to give judgement upon all mankind quick and dead. Here mark in what manner John propounds his coming: he saith nor, he shall come, but in the present time, he cometh. Whereby he would teach us: First, that this second coming of Christ is as certain, as if it were now present. Secondly, that it is not long to, or far off, but will be quickly. Thirdly, that our duty is, to consider of the coming of Christ, as of a thing present. This Saint John learned, and so should we by his example, for it is a matter of great use. For hence we• are taught, to desire and do that every day, which we would desire and do in the day of judgement, and blessed is he that attaineth hereunto.

II. point: The comming of Christ himselfe, Hee comes▪ that is, Christ locally descendeth from the highest heauen, in his manhood, to that part of the world, where the clouds be, there to giue iudgement vpon all mankind quick and dead. Here marke in what manner Iohn propounds his comming: hee sayth nor, he shall come, but in the present time, hee commeth. Whereby hee would teach vs: First, that this second comming of Christ is as certaine, as if it were now present. Secondly, that it is not long to, or far off, but will be quickly. Thirdly, that our dutie is, to consider of the comming of Christ, as of a thing present. This Saint Iohn learned, and so should wee by his example, for it is a matter of great vse. For hence we• are taught, to desire and doe that euery day, which we would desire and doe in the day of iudgement, and blessed is hee that attaineth hereunto.

Now that we may come to the practise of this duty, we must daily consider of the coming of Christ, not as a thing to be delayed or far off, but as a thing present. We must every day call our selves to a reckoning and account, and persuade our selves this may be the last day; and so shall we carry our selves every day, as we would in the last day. Now we would wish at the day of judgment, that we did repent and believe in Christ: and therefore every day of our life, before the last judgement come, we ought to repent and believe in Christ. If this duty were practised, we should find less corruption, and more grace in our hearts, and less sin, d more obedience in our lives every day than other: but grace is wanting, and sin abounds, because this meditation takes no place in our hearts. Again, in that he saith, He cometh, meaning in respect of his manhood; hence we gather, he is absent from us, in regard of bodily presence; and the heavens must contain him until the day of judgement: But if Christ were always bodily present in the Sacrament, he could not be said to come, but only to manifest himself, being before present. And therefore the opinion of those, which hold the body of Christ to be really the bread, to be in or about the bread of the Sacrament, is most false and frivolous, flat against that article of our Faith, whereby we hold, That he comes from heaven only at the last day, in regard of his manhood.