Doct. That it is the duty and property of God's children to look for Christ's second coming to judgment.
There are two choice scriptures that do describe the communion of the church with Christ, and the dispensations of Christ to the church, and they both conclude with a desire of his coming. In the Canticles, where the church's communion with Christ is described, this is the last, the swan-like note which the church sings, ' Come, Lord ! ' And so in the Revelations, where God"s providences to the church are described, this is the last note, the swan-like song, ' Even so, come Lord Jesus.' Compare Cant. viii. 14 with Rev. xxii. 20. In the former it is said. Cant. viii. 14, ' Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.' Christ is not slack, but the church's affections are very strong and vehement ; all the seeming delay is occasioned by the earnestness of our desire. A harlot would have her husband defer his coming ; but the church, like a chaste spouse, thinks he can never come soon enough. Those that go a-whoring after the world neither desire Christ's coming nor love his appearing ; but those that are faithful (as the spouse is to Christ) this is the desire of their souls, ' Make haste, my beloved.' So Rev. xxii. 20, Christ saith, ' Surely I come quickly ; ' and the church, like a quick echo, takes the words out of Christ's mouth, ' Even so, come Lord Jesus.' There is the same spirit in the church that was in Christ ; the spirit of the head is in all his members, and therefore they speak the same thing, and long for the same thing. Christ speaks in a way proper to himself, ' Surely I come ; ' and the church speaks in a
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way proper to lierself, ' Even so, come Lord Jesus.' He by way of promise, and we by way of supplication. Christ's voice and the church's voice are unisons. Here is his proclamation, ' Surely, I come ; ' and here is the church's acclamation, ' Even so, come Lord Jesus.' Christ says, ' I come,' as desiring our company ; the church says, ' Lord, come,' as desiring his company. And thus we are taught to pray in the Lord's prayer, ' Thy kingdom come,' that we may always keep those desires afoot, that Christ's kingdom, in the whole flux, from the beginning to the last period, may come. The day of judgment is the most imperial act of Christ's kingly office, and therefore we do not only pray for the besrinnings here, but also for the consummation hereafter. And marK we that live in the latter ages of the world have an advantage of the church in the primitive time. It was the solemn prayer of the church heretofore (as Tertullian showeth us), pro mora finis, for the delay of Christ's coming, that his designs and decrees might be accomplished in the world, that the kingdom of grace might be spread far and near. And we that live in the dregs of time pray for the hastening of Christ's coming, for the embracing of our great and glorious hopes, that the name of God may be no longer dishonoured, that the kingdom of sin, Satan, and antichrist, may have an end. They expected the revela- tion of antichrist, and we liis destruction. Thus the saints are described to be those that look for a Saviour : Phil. iii. 20, ' For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.' Paul speaks in his own name, and in the name of all that were like himself, ' We look,' &c. The saints here are a company of expectants, always waiting for the good hour of their pre- ferment when Christ will come, that he may conduct them to everlast- ing glory. And they not only looked for it, but longed for it ; and therefore it is said, 'they love his appearing,' 2 Tim. iv. 8. It is notable Paul doth not mention there other marks and characters ; not for me only, but all that believe and faithfully serve and obey Christ ; but he describes them by this, which is an essential character of the saints, for it notes the disposition of their hearts, ' Not for me only, but for all those that love his appearing.'
There are several reasons may be given why this is the duty and property of the children of God still to look for Christ's glorious appear- ing. Look upon their temper, their relation, their privileges, and the profit they gain by this expectation.
] . Look upon the temper of the saints. Within them there is the Spirit, faith, love and hope, and all these put them upon this desire. There is the Spirit : Eev. xxii. 17, ' The Spirit and the bride' (that is, the Spirit in the bride) ' say, Come,' The Holy Ghost breeds and stirs up desires, and begets those holy motions in their hearts, and the church answereth his motions. This is a disposition above nature, carnal nature saith. Stay ; but the Spirit saith. Come, If it might go by voices in the world, whether Christ should come or no, do you think carnal men would give their vote this way for Christ's coming ? The voice of corrupt nature is, Depart : Job xxii. 14, ' Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways ; ' that is the language of tlieir hearts. Carnal men are of the mind of the devil. When Christ wrought a miracle in casting out a