§ 3. O, Fellow Christians, what a day will that be, when we, who have been kept prisoners by sin, by sinners, by the grave, shall be fetched out by the Lord himself? It will not be such a coming as his first was, in poverty and contempt, to be spit upon, and buffeted, and crucified again. He will not come, O careless world! to be slighted and neglected by you any more. Yet that coming wanted not its glory. If _the heavenly host_, for the celebration of his nativity, must _praise God_;[75] with what shoutings will angels and saints _at that day_ proclaim _glory to God, peace and good will towards men_? If a star must lead men from remote parts of the world _to come to worship_ a child in a manger;[76] how will the glory of his next appearing constrain all the world to acknowledge his sovereignty? If, _riding on an ass_, he enter Jerusalem with hosannas,[77] with what peace and glory will he come toward the New Jerusalem? If, when he was in _the form of a servant_,[78] they cry out, _What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?_[79] What will they say, when _they shall see him coming in his glory_, and the heavens and the earth obey him? _Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn._[80] To think and speak of that day with horror, doth well beseem the impenitent sinner, but ill the believing saint. Shall the wicked behold him and cry, "Yonder is he whose blood we neglected, whose grace we resisted, whose counsels we refused, whose government we cast off!" And shall not the saints, with inconceivable gladness, cry, "Yonder is he whose blood redeemed us, whose Spirit cleansed us, whose law did govern us, in whom we trusted, and he hath not deceived our trust; for whom we long waited, and now we see we have not waited in vain! O cursed corruption! that would have had us turn to the world, and present things, and say, _Why should we wait for the Lord any longer?_[81] Now we see, _Blessed are all they that wait for him_."[82] And now, Christians, should we not put up that petition heartily, _Thy kingdom come? The Spirit and the bride say come: And let him that heareth_, and readeth, _say, Come_. Our Lord himself says, _Surely I come quickly. Amen, even so come, Lord Jesus._[83]
[Footnote 75] Luke ii, 13, 14.
[Footnote 76] Matthew ii, 2.
[Footnote 77] Matthew xxi, 5-9.
[Footnote 78] Philippians ii, 7.
[Footnote 79] Matthew viii, 27.
[Footnote 80] Matthew xxiv, 30.
[Footnote 81] 2 Kings vi, 33.
[Footnote 82] Isaiah xxx, 18.
[Footnote 83] Revelation xxii, 17, 20.