[1.] Faith is the ground of this looking ; because we believe the pro- mise, therefore we determine that ' he that shall come will come, and will not tarry,' Heb. x. 37. Faith seeth the certainty of Christ's day afar off, for it is ' the evidence of things not seen ; ' as Rebecca espied Isaac at a great distance. It looketh upon Christ as if he were on his way, and maketh the believer stand ready to meet him and welcome him. In the eye of faith it is sure and near, and as so apprehended worketh on the soul.
[2.] Love. The saints love Christ though they never saw him. They have heard much of him, felt much of him, tasted much of him, and therefore love his appearing, long for his coming : Cant. viii. 14, 1 Make haste, my beloved, and be like the young hart or roe upon the mountains of spices.' Christ is not slack, but the church's affections are strong. They have a love to Christ himself, who at his appearing is to be glorified. They have a love to the church in general, which is that day to be adorned as a bride for her husband, and fully to be freed from all sins and troubles; love to themselves and their own happiness, which is that day fully to be perfected : Rev. xxii. 20, Christ saith, ' I come ; ' and the church, like a quick echo, saith, ' Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.' It taketh the word out of Christ's mouth. Christ's voice and the church's voice are unisons. Christ speaketh in a way proper to him, in a way of promise; and the church speaketh in a way proper to her, in a way of prayer. This is her last suit, 'Even so, come.' You will say, This is the desire of the church in general ; but doth every believer so desire it ?
Ans. The part followeth the reason of the whole, and the same spirit is in all the faithful. ' The Spirit and the bride say, Come.' The Holy Ghost breedeth this desire. The meanest and weakest, that tremble at their unpreparedness, have some inclination that way. Can a man desire that Christ should come into his heart, and not come to judgment ? There may be a drowsiness and indisposition, but no total extinction of the desire of meeting with Christ.
[3.] Hope. Because we believe it and we desire it, therefore we expect it. Only in the looking of hope you may discern contrary affections ; as first, there is both rejoicing and groaning. Rejoicing : Rom. v. 3, 'We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' Groaning : 2 Cor. v. 2, ' In this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven ; ' ver. 4, ' We that are in this taber-
164 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SlCR. XVI.
nacle groan, being burdened.' They rejoice, being under hope, groan because they have not yet attained. We rejoice because the estate to come is so excellent, and we groan because the estate present is so miser- able. We rejoice because certain ; we groan because we are yet con- flicting with difficulties, and are but making out of our claim and title. Once more, there is a desiring and yet a waiting, and hope is described by both. By desiring, . which showeth our esteem of the benefit, and earnestness to enjoy it ; by waiting or tarrying the Lord's leisure : both are consistent : ' Waiting for and hasting to the com- ing of the Lord,' 2 Peter iii. 12 ; irpocrSoKcovTes teal ajrevhovTes, contrary words, but coming from the same grace. We render it, ' hastening unto the coming,' but it is only (nrevhovTas rrjv irapov- a-'iav, ' hastening the coming.' Hope would fain enjoy, yet there is a time for labours, difficulties, and troubles. The hope exciteth both the longing expectation and the patient waiting: 1 Thes. i. 3, ' Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope ; ' Rom. viii. 25, ' If we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.' The time seemeth long, but the reward is sure, therefore we must wait God's leisure. In short, there are desires which quicken us to use all means to attain it ; there is patience to wait God's leisure while we are exercised with difficulties ; therefore the saints are described to be such ' as wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus,' 1 Cor. i. 7 ; 1 Thes. i. 10. It is made the end of our conversation ; we desire, yet wait our time to enjoy the glorious blessings which God hath promised.
II. Why this should draw up the believer's thoughts to heaven and heavenly things.
1. Because Christ is in heaven, and therefore we must be heavenly. He is our adamant or loadstone : Col. iii. 12, ' If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.' Members must not be severed from their head. The love which christians bear to Christ should be such, that their affections should be set on the place where he is, and the things which are in it, and flow from it and tend to it. All this should be dear to a christian ; and so it enforceth a heavenly conversation. Love is an affection of union : it desireth to be with the party loved ; there- fore love to Christ is not satisfied with the present estate, it would be with Christ, and in that state and place where it may have most union with him.