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whole admiring family of God, that all things have wrought together for their spiritual improvement and eternal felicity. This shall be the day of solemn triumph, the grand jubilee, upon the finishing of all God's works from the creation of the world, upon which ensues the resignation of the Mediator's kingdom. For although Christ shall continue through eternity to be the head of his church, yet the present manner of his administration shall then cease. He shall then deliver up the kingdom to the Father, that God, or the undivided Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, may be all in all. This fact is distinctly asserted (1 Cor. xv. 24-28.) "Then cometh the end," saith the Apostle, "when Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith that all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all."

Thus you have heard how Christ's second coming shall complete the salvation of his people, and increase that happiness at the resurrection which commenced at their new birth; and which, though greatly improved by the release of the soul from the earthly tabernacle, was not carried to its full perfection at death.-The manner of our Lord's appearance, when he comes upon this gra cious design, is the

Third particular in the text, which comes now to be considered. “He shall appear the second time, without

sin, unto salvation." When in the fulness of time God sent forth his Son into this world, although he was absolutely pure and spotless in himself, yet then he "bare the sins of many;" and "he who knew no sin, was made sin for us." Appearing in the likeness of sinful flesh, he was numbered with transgressors, and treated as if he had been the worst of criminals: But by his sufferings and death, having fully expiated the guilt of sin, he obtained a public and legal discharge, by being released from the prison of the grave, and "set at the right hand of God in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come." When, therefore, he cometh again, he shall appear "without sin," without that guilt which was charged upon him, while he sustained the character of Surety, and stood in the place of sinful man.

He shall likewise appear without any of the effects of sin, such as pain, poverty, reproach, or infirmity of any kind. It shall not be such an appearance as his first was, when he "made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant," and submitted to all the indignities attending that mean condition. He will not come to be buffetted and scourged, and spit upon, and crowned with thorns. He will not come, O careless and ungrateful sinners! to be despised and rejected in all his gracious offers. No; he shall come in the clouds, with great power and glory; he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels; he shall appear in all the splendour of Zion's King, arrayed with that glory which he had with the Father before the world was. Then shall the reproach of the cross be wiped off, and all his sufferings fully recompensed. In this humble state, he was attended by twelve poor and illiterate

men; but then shall he come with "ten thousands of his saints, and all the holy angels with him." He was introduced to his public ministry by the "voice of one crying in the wilderness;" but then shall his approach be announced by the "voice of the archangel and the trump of God." And he who on Mount Calvary was lifted up on the cross between two thieves, shall then ascend his "great white throne, high and lifted up;" from whence, with unerring wisdom, and almighty power, he shall separate the righteous from the wicked, adjudging the one to everlasting life, and the other to endless misery.

Thus shall he appear, when he "comes the second time, without sin, unto salvation." And ought not the prospect of this to have a mighty influence upon us in the mean time? "Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also who pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." How great will be the confusion of ungodly men, when they see that Jesus, whose grace they despised, coming to fix their everlasting state. The multitude that came determined to apprehend him in the days of his flesh, went backward, and fell to the ground, when, with an air of majesty, he only pronounced these few words, “I am he." And if the Lamb's voice was so terrible, how dreadful will he appear when he roareth as a lion? If his voice shook the earth when he published the law from Mount Sinai, how must it shake the hearts of his enemies, when he pronounceth the sentence of the law, and dooms to those punishments which the law hath awarded?

But the prospect of this appearance is no less comfortable to believers, than it is terrible to the ungodly. Then shall his own people lift up their heads, and be

hold his glory with exceeding joy. His coming shall be to them the dawning of an everlasting day. They know that he brings salvation with him, the full harvest of that light and gladness which were sown for them in time. He comes to wipe away all tears from their eyes, to complete their victory over death and hell, and to put their whole persons, souls and bodies, in full possession of that heavenly inheritance," which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

If it is comfortable at present to hear of him, to think of his love, to commemorate his death, and to behold his beauty in the ordinances of his grace; what must it be to see him in all the glory of his exalted state? When a dear relation, who hath been long absent in a far country, returns to his kindred and friends, how do all concerned hasten to meet him, and to express their joy at his arrival? And will not the saints then rejoice at the coming of their Saviour? With what transports of gladness will they cry out, Behold, yonder he comes! He whose blood hath redeemed, and whose Spirit hath sanctified us. Yonder he comes in whom we trusted, and for whom we have long waited; and now we see that he hath not deceived us, and that he hath not made us wait in vain. "Even so come, Lord Jesus."-And this leads me to the

Fourth and last particular in the text, which is the character of those to whom this second appearance of our Lord shall be comfortable. They are such as "look for him." This short but significant description may be considered as including,

1st, A firm belief of this event. One who looks for it in the sense of the Apostle's words, is as thoroughly persuaded of its certainty, as he is that the sun, which sets to-night, shall rise again to-morrow. His faith is

built on the surest foundation, the word and promise of his Saviour himself; and, therefore, his heart is impressed with Christ's second appearance as much, at least as really, as if he already saw him coming in the clouds of heaven. But,

2dly, The expression denotes the love and desire of this event. The saints take pleasure in the prospect of it, and accordingly are described by the apostle Paul, (2 Tim. iv. 8.) by this very circumstance. They are such as "love his appearing." If the saints under the old dispensation longed for the manifestation of our Lord in the flesh, how much more ought we to long for that more glorious appearance which he shall make in the end of the world. The Atheist rejects this doctrine altogether; the profane scoffer says, "Where is the promise of his coming?" Carnal sinners are afraid of it, when alarmed with the rebukes of conscience; as when Paul preached of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled. But to the godly it is not matter of terror, but of delight. Nay, they would even hasten its approach, if it were in their power. A believer, when his heart is right, will say, like the mother of Sisera, when she cried through the lattice, "Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarry the wheels of his chariot?" At the same time,

3dly, This expression imports a patient waiting for his appearance, in spite of all discouragements. Love makes the believer to long; but faith enables patiently to wait for his Lord's coming. What though he dwells in an unkind world, wounded with sharp afflictions, harassed with temptations, and oppressed with a body of sin and death? Yet all this notwithstanding, he still looks and waits with patience and resignation. He knows that the second coming of his Lord will abun

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