In these views " Christ is so precious to those who believe in him," that they " account all things but loss and dung in comparison of the knowledge of himx."]
It will not be unprofitable to consider, II. In what manner we are to " wait for" him —
In the precise sense in which this expression is used in the text, we can now only wait for his coming to judge the world. But there is a spiritual advent to the soul, which every believer is entitled to expect: for, as Christ said to his Disciples, " I will not leave you comfortless; / will come unto you1 ; so he says to every obedient follower, " I will come unto you, and make my abode with you2." This advent therefore we are entitled to expect : and we should wait for it,
1. In a renunciation of all other comforters —
[The ungodly, in their troubles, go, like the Jews of old, to the creature for help and comfort a: the worldling, to his business; the voluptuary, to his indulgences; the man of gaiety, to his sports; and the formalist, to his duties. They all " forsake the fountain of living waters, and hew out to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water b." But we must go to Him, who invites the weary and heavy- laden, and gives them assurances of restc. The language of our hearts must be, " Lord, to whom shall we god? Whom have we in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that we desire besides theee." " None else shall save us; for in thee, even in thee alone, the fatherless findeth mercy f."]
2. In a firm persuasion of his all-sufficiency — [We shall in vain hope for comfort in Christ, if we doubt
either his power or his willingness to save us. " If our faith be wavering, we shall receive nothing of the Lordg." We should not therefore come to Christ, saying, " Lord, if thou canst do any thing for us, interpose and help ush;" but, " Lord, I know that with thee all things are possible1:" thy blood can cleanse from the deepest guilt k; thy grace can vanquish the most deep-rooted lusts1; and one glimpse of thy countenance can turn all my sorrows into joy™. " Having thee, though possessed of nothing else, I possess all things"."
x Phil. iii. 8. y John xiv. 18. z John xiv. 21—23.
a Hos. v. 13. b Jer. ii. 13. c Matt. xi. 28.
d John vi. 68. e Ps. lxxiii. 25. f Hos. xiv. 3.
s Jam. i. 6, 7. h Mark ix. 22. « Job xlii. 2.
k 1 John i. 7. Isai. i. 18. > 2 Cor. xii. 9.
m Ps. iv. 6. and xlii. 11. n 2 Cor. vi. 10.
s 2