his Son into this world, although he was abfolutely pure and spotlefs in himself, yet then he "bare the fins of many;" and "he who "knew no fin, was made fin for us." Appearing in the likeness of finful flesh, he was numbered with tranfgreffors, and treated as if he had been the worft of criminals: But by his fufferings and death, having fully expiated the guilt of fin, he obtained a public and legal discharge, by being released from the prison of the grave, and "fet 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 nam"ed, not only in this world, but also in that "which is to come." When, therefore, he cometh again, he shall appear, "without fin," without that guilt which was charged upon him, while he sustained the character of Surety, and stood in the place of finful man.

He fhall likewise appear without any of the effects of fin, such as pain, poverty, reproach, or infirmity of any kind. It fhall not be fuch an appearance as his first was, when he "made "himself of no reputation, took upon him "the form of a fervant," and fubmitted to all

the indignities attending that mean condition. He will not come to be buffeted and fcourged, and spit upon, and crowned with thorns. He will not come, O careless and ungrateful finners! to be despised and rejected in all his gracious offers. No; he fhall 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 fplendour of Zion's King, arrayed with that glory which he had with the Father before the world was. fhall the reproach of the crofs be wiped off, and all his fufferings fully recompenfed. In his humble ftate, he was attended by twelve poor and illiterate men: but then fhall he come with "ten thousands of his faints, 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 fhall his approach be announced by the "voice

Then

of the archangel and the trump of God." And he who on Mount Calvary was lifted up on the cross between two thieves, fhall then afcend his "great white throne, high and lift"ed up ;" from whence, with unerring wifdom, and almighty power, he shall separate

the

the righteous from the wicked, adjudging the one to everlasting life, and the other to endlefs mifery.

Thus fhall he appear, when he "comes the "fecond time, without fin, unto falvation." 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 alfo who pier

ced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall "wail because of him." How great will be the confufion of ungodly men, when they fee that Jefus, whofe grace they despised, coming to fix their everlasting ftate. 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 yoice was fo terrible, how dreadful will he appear when he roareth as a lion? If his voice fhook the earth when he published the law from Mount Sinai, how muft it shake the hearts of his enemies, when he pronounceth the fentence of the law, and dooms to those punishments which the law hath awarded?

But

But the profpect of this appearance is no lefs comfortable to believers, than it is terrible to the ungodly. Then fhall his own people lift up their heads, and behold his glory with exceeding joy. His coming fhall be to them the dawning of an everlasting day. They know that he brings falvation with him, the full harveft of that light and gladnefs which were fown 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 perfons, fouls and bodies, in full poffeffion of that heavenly inheritance, "which is incorruptible, undefiled, and that ❝fadeth not away."

If it is comfortable at prefent 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 haften to meet him, and to exprefs their joy at his arrival? And will not the faints then rejoice at the coming of their Saviour? With what tranf

ports

ports of gladness will they cry out, Behold, yonder he comes! He whofe blood hath redeemed, and whofe Spirit hath fanctified 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 fo come "Lord Jefus."-And this leads me to the

Fourth and last particular in the text, which is the character of those to whom this fecond -appearance of our Lord fhall be comfortable. They are fuch as "look for him." This fhort, but fignificant description, may be confidered as including,

ift, A firm belief of this event. One who looks for it in the fenfe of the Apostle's words, is as thoroughly perfuaded of its certainty, as he is that the fun, which fets to-night, fhall rife again to-morrow. His faith is built on the fureft foundation, the word and promife of his Saviour himself: and, therefore, his heart is impreffed with Christ's second appearance as much, at least as really, as if he already faw him coming in the clouds of heaven. But, 2dly, The expreffion denotes the love and

defire

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