2. Long for it. The faithful, love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4. 8. This is the great day which they long to see, that they may meet with their beloved, and see him in all his Glory and Royalty. They have heard much of Christ and tasted much of Christ, and they love him much, but yet they have not seen him; they know him by hearsay, and by spiritual experience, but never saw his person, whom having not seen you love, &c. They have seen his picture crucified before your eyes, Gal. 3. 1. beholding at in a glass the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 18. therefore they cannot be satisfied till this day cometh abou•; Oh when shall it once be, the spirit in the Bride saith come▪ Rev. 22 17. Nature saith not come, but tarry still; if it might go by voices, whether Christ should come, yea, or no, carnal man would never give their voice this way. The language of corrupt Nature is, depart, Job 22. 14. ⟨p. 319⟩Carnal Men are of the Devils mind, art thou come to torment us before our time? Matth. 8. they cannot endure to hear of it, but come, Oh come, saith Grace: this day we have cause to long, for not only upon Christs account but our own; 'tis the day of our perfection as well as Christs royalty: now every thing tendeth to its perfect state, so doth a Christian, then there is perfect holiness and perfect freedom: we never find Christ a Saviour to the uttermost till then, to the glorified spirits; he is but a Saviour in part, some fruit of sin is continued upon the body; but then body and soul are united and perfectly glorified to enjoy God in Heaven: Christ then cometh to make an end of what he had begun; he first came to redeem our souls, and then our bodies from corruption, the body is a captive in the grave, when the soul is set at liberty; 'tis held under the power of death till that day: the Butler was not afraid to go before Pharaoh, because Joseph told him he should be set at liberty, lift up your heads, 'tis a day of redemption, Luk. 17. 28. Christ cometh to loosen the bands and shackles of death, to think and speak of that day with horror, doth ill become him that looketh for such great privileges.
2. Long for it. The faithful, love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4. 8. This is the great day which they long to see, that they may meet with their beloved, and see him in all his Glory and Royalty. They have heard much of Christ and tasted much of Christ, and they love him much, but yet they have not seen him; they know him by hearsay, and by spiritual experience, but never saw his person, whom having not seen you love, &c. They have seen his picture crucified before your eyes, Gal. 3. 1. beholding at in a glass the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 18. therefore they cannot be satisfied till this day cometh abou•; Oh when shall it once be, the spirit in the Bride saith come▪ Rev. 22 17. Nature saith not come, but tarry still; if it might go by voices, whether Christ should come, yea, or no, carnal man would never give their voice this way. The language of corrupt Nature is, depart, Job 22. 14. ⟨p. 319⟩Carnal Men are of the Divels mind, art thou come to torment us before our time? Matth. 8. they cannot endure to hear of it, but come, Oh come, saith Grace: this day we have cause to long, for not only upon Christs account but our own; 'tis the day of our perfection as well as Christs royalty: now every thing tendeth to its perfect state, so doth a Christian, then there is perfect holiness and perfect freedom: we never find Christ a Saviour to the uttermost till then, to the glorified spirits; he is but a Saviour in part, some fruit of sin is continued upon the body; but then body and soul are united and perfectly glorified to enjoy God in Heaven: Christ then cometh to make an end of what he had begun; he first came to redeem our souls, and then our bodies from corruption, the body is a captive in the grave, when the soul is set at liberty; 'tis held under the power of death till that day: the Butler was not afraid to go before Pharaoh, because Joseph told him he should be set at liberty, lift up your heads, 'tis a day of redemption, Luk. 17. 28. Christ cometh to loosen the bands and shackles of death, to think and speak of that day with horror, doth ill become him that looketh for such great priviledges.
