690 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. III. that,when thefruitburstsforthinalltreesand the fruitful fig-treeabounds,(thatis,when everytongueconfessesGod, eventheJewishpeopleconfessingHim,) we ought to hope forourLord'scoming,in which shallbe gatheredin as at summer the fruitsof the resurrection.Or,when the man ofsinshallclothehimselfin hislightand fickleboastingas itwere the leavesof the synagogue,we must then suppose thejudgment tobe drawingnear. For theLord hastensto rewardfaith,and tobringan end ofsinning. Aug. AUG. But when He says,When ye shallseethesethingstoutsup' come topass,what can we understandbut thosethingswhich were mentionedabove. But among them we read,And then shalltheyseetheSon ofman coming. When thereforethis isseen,the kingdom of God isnotyet,but nigh at hand. Or must we saythatwe arenotto understandallthe things beforementioned,when He says,When ye shallseethese things,Sfc.but onlysome of them ; thisforexample being excepted,And then shallthey see the Son of man. But Matthew would plainlyhave it taken with no exception, forhe says,And so ye,when ye seeallthesethings,among whichistheseeingthecoming oftheSon of man ; in order thatitmay be understoodofthatcoming whereby He now comes in His members as in clouds,or in theChurch asin a greatcloud. TIT.BOST.Or else,He says,thekingdomof God is at hand,meaning thatwhen thesethingsshallbe, notyetshallallthingscome totheirlastend,but theyshall be alreadytendingtowardsit. For theverycoming ofour Lord itself,castingout everyprincipalityand power,isthe preparationforthekingdom ofGod. EUSEB. For asinthis life,when winterdiesaway, and springsucceeds,thesun sending forthitswarm rays cherishesand quickensthe seedshid in the ground,justlayingasidetheirfirstform, and theyoung plantssproutforth,havingput on different shadesof green; so alsothe gloriouscoming of theOnly- begottenof God, illuminatingthe new world withHis quickeningrays,shallbring forthinto lightfrom more excellentbodiesthan beforethe seedsthathave longbeen hiddenin thewholeworld,i.e.thosewho sleepin thedust ofthe earth. And havingvanquisheddeath,He shallreign from henceforththelifeofthe new world.