Mat. VI. 10.] the lord's prayer. Ill
these things presently produced upon the stage of the world. So some carry it. I think rather it is to he meant of his personal coming. There are two mystical scriptures which do express all the intercourse which passeth between God and the church in the world, and they are both closed up with a desire of Christ's coming. The Canticles is one, which declareth the communion and intercourse which is between Christ and his church ; and you will find it thus closed up : Cant, viii. 14, ' Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.' And so here, in this book of the Kevelation, where are the like intercourses recorded, it is closed up with this : ' Even so. Lord Jesus, come quickly.' The personal coming, I suppose, is here meant. Now Christ's personal coming, it is but twofold — the first, and the second. The scripture knows of no other coming : Heb. ix. 28, ' He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation.' It is but a fond dream to think of a personal reign before Christ's coming to judgment. They reckon without book that look for any other. There was his first coming, which was to sufier ; his second coming is to reign. The first his gracious, and this his glorious coming. The former is past, and the latter is yet expected.
' I come quickly.' How shall we make good that ?
[1.] In general, Christ's absence from the church is not long. Though you reflect upon the whole flux of time, from his ascension to his second coming, it is but a moment to eternity ; some hundreds of years, that may be easily counted.
[2.] It is no longer than need requires. The high priest, when he "was gotten within the veil, was to tarry there until his ministration was ended, until he had appeared before God, and represented him- self for all the tribes, then he was to come out to bless the people. Jesus Christ tarrieth within the veil but until all the elect be gathered. ' He is not slack,' 2 Pet. iii. 9, but we are hasty. Our times are present with us, but we must leave him to his own time to go and come.
[3.] Christ speaks this of the latter end of the world, and then it will not be long when once he begins to set forth. The old prophecies are accomplishing apace ; and how little preparation soever there seems to be for this work, it comes apace. It is said of the anti- christian state, ' Her plagues shall come upon her in one day:' Rev. xviii. 8. And of the Jews it is said, ' A nation shall be born at once :' Isa. Ixvi. 8. So much for the first j)art.
II. Here is the church's acclamation : ' Amen. So, Lord Jesus, come quickly.' This acclamation is double: —
1. Implicit, and enfolded in the word Amen.
2. Explicit, and unfolded : ' Even so. Lord Jesus, come quickly.'
1. For the implicit acclamation of the church, in the word Amen. The word sometimes is taken nominally : Rev. iii. 14, ' Thus saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness.' He that is Amen, as it is explained there, true and faithful, that will certainly give a being to his promises. Sometimes it is used adverbially, and translated verily. It is either an afi'ectionate desire — ' Let it be,' or a great asseveration — ' It shall be.' It hath in it an affectionate desire : Jer. xxviii. 6, the
112 AN EXPOSITION OF [MaT. VI. 10.
prophet said, 'Amen, the Lord do so, the Lord perform thy words,' ^c. When he had prophesied peace to the people : ' Amen, the Lord perform thy words ;' not to confirm the trutli of his prophecy, but to express his own wish and hearty desire, if it might stand with the will of God. Then it expresseth a firm belief that it shall be done. Thus Christ often saith, ' Amen, verily, verily I say unto you,' by way of strong asseveration. AVell, then, the church expresseth her faith and desire implicitly : Amen, Lord, that it were so ; and surely. Lord, it shall be so ; we believe it, and we desire it with all our hearts.
2. Explicitly : ' Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly.' From this latter clause I might observe many things.
[1.] The sweet and blessed harmony that is between Christ and the church. Christ's voice and the church's voice are unisons. Christ saith, ' I come.' And the church, like a quick echo, takes the word out of Christ's mouth, ' Even so, come.' There is the same Spirit in Christ and in the church ; for it is his Spirit that resides with us. Christ, he speaks in a way proper to him, by way of promise, ' 1 come.' And the church in a way proper to her, by way of prayer, ' Even so, come.'
[2.] I might observe that, in the close of the world, we should most earnestly desire Christ's coming. We have the adv^antage of former times. To us Christ saith, ' I come quickly.' Now the set time almost is come, therefore our pulses should beat more strongly in putting up this request to Christ. Tertullian shows that the primitive Christians did pray pro mora finis, that the end might not come too soon, Clirist having as yet but a small interest in the world, they expecting enlarge- ment upon earth ; but wo have more cause to look for the accomplishment of his kingdom in heaven. They expected the revelation of Antichrist, and we expect the destruction of Antichrist. They, that God might be known in tiie Avorld ; we, that he might be no longer dishonoured in the world. When great promises are near their accomplishment, there is a more lively spirit stirring in the hearts of the saints : Dan. ix. 2, 3, ' I understood by books the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplication.'