Use 1. It showeth what they are who wish that it may never come. Some would be glad in their hearts to hear such news, that Christ's coming would never be ; it is their burden and torment to think of it ; as Felix trembled when he heard of judgment to come. These men have the spirit of the devil in them ; if they had the Spirit of God in them, would it be so ? surely no. A carnal man cannot say the Lord's prayer, for he is afraid he shall be heard. Optas ut veniat, quern times ne adveniat ? saith Austin. How canst thou say, Thy Kingdom come, when thou art afraid lest God should come ?
TJse 2. To press us to this earnest looking. Christ looketh, he is not slack : 2 Peter iii. 9, ' The Lord is not slack concerning his pro- mise.' If all things were ready, he would come presently. Before he came in the flesh, his delights were with us : Prov. vih. 31, 'Kejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth, and my delights were with the sons of men.' And he longeth now he is in heaven : Piev. xxii. 12, ' Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me.' The angels expect it ; they would not"^be found liars, they told us of it : Acts i. 11, ' Tins same Jesus that is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.' The saints groan, ' How long, 0 Lord ? how long ? ' Devils tremble at the thought of it : Mat. viii. 29, ' Art thou come hither to torment us before the time ? ' The creatures expect it in their kind : Piom. viii. 19, 'For the earnest ex- pectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.' All things by a natural instinct are carried to their perfection. Evil men cannot endure to think of it, as Felix trembled at the thoughts of judgment to come. Let not the saints stand out, but expect it earnestly. How much was the first coming of Christ wished for and desired ! Abraham rejoiced at the thoughts of it : John viii. 5Q, ' Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad.' Kings and prophets desired to see these things : Luke x. 24, ' For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them,' Old Simeon, Luke ii. 25, ' was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel ;' yet then he was a child in the cradle, now in glory riding on the clouds, then he came in the similitude of sinful flesh : Kom. viii. 3, ' God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh ; ' but now he shall appear without sin : Heb. ix. 28, ' Unto them that look for him shall he ap- pear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.' This earnest look- ing implieth strong faith, longing desires, frequent thoughts.
1. Strong faitL Reason saith it may be, faith saith it shall be.
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Divine justice must have a solemn triumph ; conscience is afraid of it. Our reward may be delayed, but it cannot stand with the justice of God that it should be abolished and taken away. There is confusion in the world. Dives flowed with ease and plenty when Lazarus was rough-cast with sores. We need to be awed with shame as well as fear. Faith saith he will come ; we have his word for it ; as unlikely things have come to pass that have been foretold. Were the old believers deceived that expected his coming in the flesh ? That a few fishermen should preach the gospel to all nations ? this is already done. Christ is contracted with us now, he will come to marry us ; he went not away upon discontent. He that loved us so as to come from heaven to earth to take our nature, will he not come in glory ? We have of his Spirit, and we enjoy his ordinances as a memorial till he comes, and we have many love-tokens sent us as a pledge that he will come.
2. Longing desires. Our hearts shoukl even spring and leap within us when we hear of Christ's coming. Thus the believers of the old testament, how did they rejoice to hear of a Messiah to come : John viii. 56, ' Your father Abraliam rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad.' Abraham rejoiced to think that a son should come of his loins in whom all the world should be blessed : Heb. xi. 13, ' These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them.' How did the patriarchs hug the promises ! Oh, sweet promise ! this will yield a Messiah, a Christ to the world.
3. There should be frequent thoughts of his coming, as if you always heard the trumpet. Every time thou lookest to heaven, think, I have a Christ there, a rich jewel kept safe ; and whenever you see the clouds, think of Christ's coming and going. These clouds were chariots by which Christ went triumphing into heaven, and in like manner he will come again : Dan. vi. 10, ' Daniel went into his house, and his windows being opened towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks unto his God.' Daniel had reason to look towards the temple, though ruined, because of the promise of God to his people that prayed towards the temple ; so now and then we should look up to heaven ; there is Christ above within the heavens. We are called often to lift up our hearts to God, and our eyes to heaven, from whence we look for a saviour ; there is our treasure and our Jesus.