A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

There are two choice Scriptures that do describe the Communion of the Church with Christ, and the Dispensations of Christ to the Church; and they both conclude with a Desire of his Coming. In the Canticles, where the Churches Communion with Christ is described, this is the last, the Swan-like Note which the Church sings, Come, Lord! And so in the Revelations, where God's Providences to the Church are described, this is the last Note, the Swan-like Song, Even so, come Lord Jesus! Compare Cant. 8.14. with Rev. 22.20. In the former it is said, Cant. 8.14. Make haste my Beloved, and be thou like to a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices. Christ is not slack, but the Church's Affections are very strong and vehement; all the seeming Delay is occasioned by the Earnestness of our Desire. A Harlot would have her Husband defer his Coming; but the Church, like a chaste Spouse, thinks he can never come soon enough. Those that go a Whoring after the World, neither desire Christ's Coming, nor love his Appearing; but those that are faithful (as the Spouse is to Christ) this is the Desire of their Souls, Make haste, my Beloved! So Rev. 22.20. Christ saith, Surely I come quickly: and the Church, like a quick Echo, takes the Words out of Christ's Mouth; Even so, come Lord Jesus! There is the same Spirit in the Church that was in Christ, the Spirit of the Head is in all his Members, and therefore they speak the same thing, and long for the same thing. Christ speaks in a way proper to himself; Surely I come: and the Church speaks in a way proper to her self; Even so, come Lord Jesus! He by way of Promise, and we by way of Supplication; Christ's Voice and the Church's Voice are Unisons: Here is his Proclamation, Surely, I come: and here is the Churches Acclamation; Even so, come Lord Jesus! Christ says, I come, as desiring our Company; the Church says, Lord, come, as desiring his Company. And thus we are taught to pray in the Lord's Prayer, Thy Kingdom come; that we may always keep those Desires a•oot, that Christ's Kingdom in the whole Flux, from the Beginning to the last Period, may come. The Day of Judgment is the most Imperial Act of Christ's Kingly Office; and therefore we do not only pray for the Beginnings here, but also for the Consummation hereafter.