But there is a ' day' appointed for it.
By a ' day ' we are not to understand the time measured by the course of the sun in twenty-four hours, but in the Scripture meaning, a day is a set time of mercy or judgment. As there was a solemn day, ' the fulness of time,' Gal. iv. 4, for the working of the first redemption, so there is a solemn time set for the second redemption, when all the children of God shall be gathered ; those that lie in the dust shall be raised and for ever glorified. It is the day of all days ; that day that by way of excellency is called ' that day,'t in the Scriptures, and ' the day of the Lord,' Mat. xii. 8 — the day that we should think of every day, especially in sick- ness, and trouble, and crosses, and molestations, from the wicked world, and in sense of the remainders of corruption. There is a day of re- demption to come that will make amends for all. The frequent tiioughts of that day would comfort us, and keep us from shrinking in any affliction and trouble ; it would move us to a carriage and conversation answerable to our hopes, and also it would help to fit us, it would infuse a desire of qualification to be prepared for that great daj'.
But how httle of our time is spent in thoughts this way ! If we could oft think of the day of redemption, our lives would be otherwise, both in regard of gracious as also of comfortable carriage. Should we be discon- solate at every loss and cross, at sicknesses and the thought of death, when ■we shall be turned into our first principle, the earth, if we did think of the day of redemption, when all shall be restored again, all the decays of nature,
* Cf. ante, pp. 61, seq., on the phrase. — G.
t Cf. Mat. vii. 22 ; xxiv. 36 ; 1 Thes. v. 4, et alibi.— G.
440 A FOUNTAIN SEALED.
and the image of God bo perfectly stamped ? The tliou<:(lit of this would make us go willingly to our graves, knowing that all this is but a prepara- tion for the great ' day of redemption,' The llrst day of redemption, when Christ came to redeem our souls, and to give us title to heaven, it was in the expectation of all good people before Christ. They are said ' to wait for the consolation of Israel,' Luke ii. 25, That was the character to know those blessed people by. And what should be the distinguishing character of gracious souls now, but to bo sucli as wait for the coming of Christ ? How oft in the epistles of St Paul is it ? ' There is a crown of righteous- ness for me, and for all that wait for the appearing of Christ,' 2 Tim. iv. 8.
There was a year of jubilee among the Jews every fifty years. Then all that were in bondage were set at liberty. So at this blessed jubilee, this glorious day of redemption, all that are in bondage of death and under corruption shall be set at everlasting liberty. No question but the poor servants that were vexed with hard masters, they thought of the jubilee ; and those that had their possessions took away, they thought of the jubilee, the day of recovering all. So let us oft think of this everlasting jubilee, when we shall recover all that we lost, for ever to keep it, and never to lose it again as we did in the first creation. Let us oft think of this day. It will infuse vigour and strength into all our conversation. Indeed, to the ungodly, it is not a day of redemption, but a ' day of judgment,' and the * revelation of the just wrath of God,' when their sins shall be laid open, and receive a sentence answerable.
Alas ! there is such a deal of atheism in the world — and the seeds of it in the best, unless it be wrought out daily — that we forget the God of ven- geance and the day of vengeance. Would men go on in sins against con- science if they thought of this last day ? It is impossible. Such courses come from this abominable root of atheism and unbelief; for had they but a slight faith, it would be eflectual to alter their course in some measure. Therefore the Scripture gives them the name of fools, though they would be thought to be the only wise men. ' The fool hath said in his heart. There is no God,' Ps. siv. 1. And what follows ? ' Corrupt are they, and abominable.' The cause of all is, the fool hath said in his heart. He will needs force it upon his heart that there is no God, hell, nor heaven, nor judgment. Thence come abominable courses.
Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, u-Jierehy ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
From the consideration of all that hath been formerly spoken of, the sealing of the Spirit to the day of redemption, there ariseth these four conclusions :
First, That we may attain unto a knowledge that we are in that state of grace.