2 TlIES. III. 5] THE SEVENTH SERMON". 249
[3.] There is the icorJdng paUence; which is a going on witli our self-denying obedience, how tedious soever it be to the flesh. Thus we are told, the good ground bringeth forth fruit ' with patience.' They were hasty to have present satisfaction, or else grew weary of religion, and turned aside to worldly things. So the heirs of the pro- mises are described, Eom. ii. 7, to be those that ' continued with patience in well-doing.' And to the church of Ephesus God saith, Rev. ii. 2, 'I know thy works, thy labour, and thy patience.' Reli- gion is not an idle and sluggish profession, the work of it is carried on by diligence and faithfulness. Lusts are not easily mortified ; neither do graces produce their perfect work with a httle perfunctory care. Much labour and serious diligence is required of us, we have many things to conflict withal, there is the burden of a wearisome body, the seducing flesh, unruly passions, disordered thoughts, a dark mind, dead aflections, and sometimes the misery of a troubled conscience that we conflict withal : and therefore we need much patience, that we may not faint, but be accepted of the Lord at his comin?. Well, then, to live in this constant and patient expectation of Christ is the perpetual necessary duty of all those that love him.
II. The connection and atfinity between it and the love of God; for if a man love Go<.l, he will wait for the coming of Christ. The one is inferred out of the other, ' The L<jrd direct your hearts to the love of God, and the patient waiting for Christ.'
1. They that love God level all their thoughts and desires to this, that God may be enjoyed, that God may be glorified.
[1.] That he may be enjoyed in the fullest manner and measure they are capable of Xow this full enjoyment is the fruit of Christ's coming ; ' then we shall be ever with the Lord,' 1 Thes. iv. 17 ; 'When Christ shall appear, we shall see him as he is, and be like him ;' that is, like him in holiness, and like him in happiness. Our vision will make a transformation. The desire of union, which is so intrinsic to love, is never satisfied till then. Here we have a little of God in the midst of sin and misery. Sin straitens our capacity from receiving more ; and Gotl sees fit to exercise us with misery, only aftording us an intermixture of heavenly comfort. But our full joy is reserved to the day of Christ's appearing.
[2.] They that love God desire also that God may be glorified, that his truth may be vindicated, his love and justice demonstrated. His truth is vindicated because his threatenings and promises are all accom- plished : sin will no more be had in honour, nor pride and sensuality bear sway. Love to the saints will be seen in their full reward, and his justice demonstrated on the wicked in their full punishment. All matters of faith shall then become matters of sense ; and what is now propounded to be believed shall be felt, and God shall be glorified in all.
2. The saints love Christ as Mediator ; we love him now though we see him not : 1 Peter i. 8, ' Whom having not seen, we love ; and believing in him, rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.' But desire to see him, as our surest and best friend. We have heard much of him, felt much of him, and tasted much of him, but wo desire to see him, especially when he shall appear in all his glory:
2r)0 THE SEVENTH SERMON [2 TlIES. III. T).
Milt. XXV. 31, ' Tlie Son of man shall come in liis glory, and all liis anj^^L-Ls with him.' All clouds about his ])i'rson shall vanish, he shall appear to be what he is, the Saviour and judj^e of the world.
3. They have a love for the church ; for the church in p:eneral shall at that day be adorned as a bride for her husband, and fully freed from all sin and trouble. It is no more eclipsed by its lamentable imperfections, corruption of worship, division of sects, or the persecu- tions of the world, nor polluted by the distempers of its diseased mem- bers : all is then holy and j^lorious. Christ will present it as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, Eph. v. 27.
4. They love themselves in God ; and their own happiness is then fully to be perfected. All the desires and hopes of believers are then satisfied. They that are now scorned and persecuted shall have the reward of their love to God, be i)erfectly loved by him. A gladsome day it will be with God's peo})le. 2 Thes. i. 10, it is said, ' Christ shall be admired in the saints, and glorified in all them that believe.' Glorified, not actively, but objectively. l*oor creatures, that are newly crept out of the dust and rottenness, shall have so much glory put upon them, that the angels themselves shall stand wondering what Christ means to do for them. And then for all their labour they shall have rest, they shall rest from their labours ; that is, all their trouble- some work shall be over, for their pain and sorrow they shall have delight, 1 Peter iv. 12. For their shame they shall have glory put upon them both in body and soul. Our Lord Christ despised the shame for the glory set before him, Heb. xii. 2.