The grounds why the church desires the coming of Chiist are manifold.
1. First of all, look but to the present condition of things in this world, the state of things, the scandals that are in the church. There will be a desire in the church that all scandals and offences may be removed, as it is in the gospel, ' Christ will come and take away all that offend.'
2. Look again to the state of the church here, it is but a persecuted, afflicted estate, nay, those that should countenance the poor church, how roughly is the poor church used ofttimes of those ! Those that should encourage the chm'ch, their rugged and rough usage stirs up this desire in the church, when those that should be most encom-agemeut are ofttimes the greatest discouragement.
3. Then again the church hath antichrist to oppose it, and false hrethrenin it, false persons that hang in their affections to the world. And however they make a show, yet their minds are carried to pomp and to a false reh- gion, because they are besotted with a proud carnal disposition, which they prefer before the simplicity of the gospel ; vain persons in the bosom of the church, that know not what the glory of the church is.
4. Then again, if we regard even the weakness of the church itself, it breeds a desire of Christ's coming ; for, alas ! there is but a weak sight in men ; and variety of sight where there is weakness, breeds variety of judg- ment ; and where there is variety of judgment, there will be jealousies even among good persons ; and these are irksome to the Spirit of God in any that love the sweet peace and concord of Christians, that are contracted to Christ. This will not be avoided in this world. Only those that are wise and strongest in grace, they will be the greatest peace-makers, and bear with the weak in this kind.
5. Then again, while we are in this world, there is not the best thing hut Satan will put his foot and claw in, except grace overpower him. The magistracy and ministry, alas ! how are they many times profaned and abused by Satan and corrupt-hearted men, that know not how to manage them graciously and fruitfully ? The magistracy that is for good, it is turned oft- times for grievance, as if all the world were made for them, and they to do nothing but to have others idolise them. And then for the ministry, those that should be teachers of others, many times discourage those that they should cherish ; and as the prophet complains in this time of the false pro- phets, they discourage those that they should encourage, and strengthen the bands of the wicked, and grieve those that God doth not grieve by their false carriage, taking contrary ways to God's Spirit. They grieve those that they should cherish and comfort, and strengthen the hearts of those that they should take down, by flattery and false appHcations. This will
540 THE church's echo.
be to the end of the world, notwithstanding the excellent ordinance of God, by which God works his own good ends. While the world stands there will be a taint upon God's ordinance till Christ come, and then all that gi-ieve and ofiend shall be taken away. There shall be no sun nor moon then, for the Lamb will do all. There shall be no magistracy nor ministry then, ' God will be all in all,' 1 Cor. xv. 28.
And so for all conditions. There is no condition nor nothing that is good in the world, but Satan labours to bring a vanity upon it, and the corrupt heart of man is prone to yield to him ; this will be to the end of the world. Therefore we should not be over much offended, to see things carried otherwise than we would have them. Why should we wish for that condition that will never be in this world ? Wish we may, but we must wish it in its own time. It will be hereafter. Let us labour that it may be so then, and bear with all here as patiently as we can.
6. Again, take the best Christians of all, in themselves, in their own particulars. Alas ! what a conflicting Life hath a Christian with his own heart ! Sometimes, in general, he can see truths very clear, but, in a par- ticular, some passion or other, of anger or revenge, &c., it clouds his judg- ment, that he cannot see what is to be done, what is best. The reason is, the imperfection of the work of mortification, hinders him in his passages and business, that he cannot clearly decide of what is best at this time. St Paul complains of this, that he ' co^(Id not do the good that he looidd, and that he did the ill that he would not,' Rom. vii. 21. There are none but they carry some of these dregs with them in this world, that hinders them in their designs and determinations. Only those that have the power of God's Spirit in a greater portion than the rest, they get more victory over these things, and can more clearly see anything than others. Yet notwith- standing, all have some impediment this way, even the best.