rayed so long and often, and should not the poor
followers, indigent beggars, be all in supplication? The Christian should
name himself as David did, "I gave myself to prayer." Many a man sits down
to his employment and prays not much, because he hath gifts and abilities.
But so did not Christ, who was able to save, yet he prayed and went about
the Father's work with dependence upon him. And O that ministers would
seek all from heaven immediately, and people seek it from heaven also!
Think ye that the Spirit will take twice a-day for praying always, and set
times for watching thereunto? No, no, we think there is little of this
practised in this generation.

Now we come to the reason that is added in the text, "the end of all
things is at hand;" that is, the day of the Lord is at hand. Christ Jesus,
who was once here offered for sins, shall again appear without sin, unto
salvation, unto them who look and wait for his appearance; and he shall
put an end to all these things, either to themselves, by consuming them,
or to the use of them. All that ye now dote upon is perishing, and it is
not far hence that ye shall see the world in a flame, and all that ye
spend your spirits on; and Jesus Christ shall bring salvation to his own
saints, therefore be sober and watch. But how is it that the end is said
to be at hand? Are not many generations passed since this word was spoken?
It is almost two thousand years since, and yet Peter spake of it, and
Christ spake of this day, as at hand. Sure it must be nearer us now than
it was then. The day of the Lord is at hand: I. Because if we would count
years as God doth, we would call the world but of one week's standing, for
God counts a thousand years as but one day, 2 Pet. iii. 8, 9. The world
thinks he is slack concerning his promise, and asks, "Where is the promise
of his coming?" But believers, think not ye so, reckon years according to
the duration of the Ancient of days, and by faith see the Lord's day at
your hand, as it were to-morrow still. But, II. It is not without special
reason that the New Testament speaks of all the time from Christ's coming
to the end, as the last time, as it were but one age or generation
immediately preceding the great day, as if the day of judgment were to be,
or this generation of the earth would pass. It is of great use to us,
because the Lord would have believers in the last age of the world come to
some great pitch of mortification and deadness to the