Thomas Manton · 20 of 60

Thy kingdom come. · Part 4

2. Certain graces which do necessarily issue themselves into this work.

3. Certain experiences they have, which put them upon this longing.

1. There is the Spirit of Christ: ‘The Spirit and the bride saith, Come,’ Rev. xxii. 17. The Holy Ghost breedeth this desire in the church. Nature saith, it is good to be here; but this is a disposition above nature, the Spirit in the bride. The flesh and corrupt nature saith, ‘Depart;’ but the Spirit saith, ‘Come.’ The great work of the Spirit is to bring us and Christ together; he comes from the Father and the Son, to bring us to the Father by the Son. All he doth is to bring Christ and the spouse together; therefore he enkindleth in the hearts of God’s people a strong and earnest desire of his coming.

2. There are graces planted in us; faith, hope, love, zeal. Faith, that is the ground of this desire. Christ saith he comes quickly; and this provokes and draws up the desire to believe Christ will be as good as his word: John xiv. 2, 3, ‘I go to my Father, and will come again to receive you to myself.’ Christ hath ever been plain-hearted with us: he saith, ‘I come;’ and the church saith, ‘Amen,’ in a way of faith, ‘Even so, come.’ If Christ had gone away in discontent, and with a threatening in his mouth that we should never have seen his face more, then we could have had but cold hopes and faint desires; but he parted in love, and left a promise with us. The church and the believing soul saith, I have his word for it: he hath ever been punctual hitherto, and kept his word to a tittle, and hath said, ‘I will come again.’ This upholdeth the hearts of believers during his absence; for they reason thus: What need had Christ to flatter or deceive us, or promise more than he will perform? Would we flatter a worm that we can easily crush? He can strike us dead if we do not please him; he hath been true in all things, and we have ever found him plain-hearted. .Then there is hope planted in the saints. Hope is faith’s handmaid, it looks for that which we believe: faith determines the certainty of the thing, then hope looks for it. This grace was made on purpose that we might reach out to heaven and see if our beloved be coming, that we might expect our full and future happiness. God not only provides a glorious estate for us, but grace to expect it; he works this hope in us that we might look after it: 1 Pet. i. 3, ‘He hath begotten us again unto a lively hope.’ Then there is love in the saints to Christ. This is an affection of union, it desires to be with the party beloved; he desireth to be with us, and we with him. Love awakeneth earnest longings: ‘Oh, come, come! why is his chariot so long a-coming?’ As a loving wife stands upon the shore ready to welcome her expected husband, so doth love in the saints; they desire to be with Christ, therefore, they long for the kingdom of God coming to themselves out of love: Phil. i. 23, ‘I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.’ And upon the same ground they desire the general resurrection of the church. Especially is this inflamed with the thoughts of Christ’s love to us. He hath removed his bodily presence from us, yet he cannot be satisfied until he and we meet again: John xiv. 3, ‘I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also;’ and John xvii. 24, ‘And that you may be there with me, to behold my glory.’ Christ is not satisfied in his glorious estate until we be with him, till he hath our company, and we be beatified with the sight of him. Before his coming in the flesh, he delighted to be with the saints before the world was: Prov. viii. 31. And when the world was made, before his incarnation, he took pleasure to come and appear in the fashion of a man, and converse with his people in human shape. In the days of his flesh, he delighted to spend his time and busy himself among them that are faithful. And when he was to go from us, he did assure us of returning, and cannot be quiet until we be with him. So, reciprocally, and according to our measure, doth love work in us; we cannot be without Christ, therefore we long to be with him.

Then zeal is planted in the saints, and a tenderness for his glory. It is not their interest only which makes them desire his coming, but that the king may sit upon the throne, that Christ may reign in the most perfect manner, that the day of manifestation may come, that all mists and clouds which are upon his person may vanish. The saints that love the glory of God as well as their own salvation, nay, above their own salvation, are longing for that time when Christ shall be seen in all his glory, that he may be dishonoured no more, that sin and opposition may have an end. Here God hath not his perfect glory, neither from us nor from the wicked, neither from angels nor devils: not his perfect glory from us, and therefore the saints long for that time when Christ may be more admired in them; it is the comfort of their souls that God is glorified in their glory, that there will a time come when he shall be admired and glorified in their glory, and when they shall praise him for evermore, without weakness and distraction. And then the wicked, that they may oppose and dishonour him no more, that the whole course of justice may be seen in the history of the world, which shall be produced at the day of judgment; that his power may be seen, when devils and all ungodly men are trodden underfoot, and all offences taken away, and all opposite powers are abolished. First, Christ would zealously affect us to the glory of God: ‘Hallowed be thy name;’ then he would have us pray, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ that our zeal for God’s glory might make us earnest and instant for his kingdom. Then,

3. There are certain experiences that we have here which set us a-longing and groaning for this time: Rom. viii. 23, ‘We which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.’ When they have tasted of the clusters of Canaan, oh, they long to see the land; they long that Jesus, the captain of their salvation, the spiritual Joshua, may lead them into the good land. The church hath here enjoyed Christ in her house: ‘I brought him into my mother’s house,’ Cant. iii. 4. Now they would enjoy him in his own house, have a more plentiful enjoyment of him. Wherefore have we a taste, but to long for a fuller banquet? Why doth God give out such a pittance, but to awaken our desires to look for more? Indeed these beginnings are sweet, and are a wonderful mercy; to hear Christ say in a promise, ‘Come to me, that you may have life.’ But when once they have embraced this, they will be longing for another call, for the great voice to say, ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father,’ &c. When Christ biddeth them welcome into the kingdom of heaven, to the crown of glory; when we can get any joy in the Holy Ghost, a little peace of conscience, any sweet experience of our being cleansed from sin, this is reviving and comfortable. But why is this given, but to set us a-longing for the whole harvest? for this is but the first-fruits. It is sweet now to find pardon of sin, and any comfortable feeling of God’s love in the conscience; to have any doubt resolved, any fear silenced and suppressed; to have a glimpse of the light of God’s countenance, a little elevation of the heart in duty. Now this draws on the soul to long for more; for we begin then to think, What a sweet reviving will it be when we enjoy the full of all these things! If there be but one promise now set home upon our hearts, though here we have only the right, not enjoyment; if we have but our right cleared up to a promise, it is very reviving. God gives us this experience, that we may long to enjoy the thing promised, the full possession of it. When you have gone away feasted with loves at the Lord’s table, thou hast said, One hour’s communion with God is better than all the world. If thy heart was melted a little in duty, if it was affected with godly sorrow for sin, it hath yielded thee more comfort than all the mirth and music which fond worldlings cheer themselves withal, than all their jollity. Now this is but given as a foretaste, as a prelibation, and to awaken our desires after more. In the Lord’s Supper many times we come and drink of that cup which God hath tempered for us; this is but a dark presignification of the ‘new wine we shall drink in our Father’s kingdom,’ Mat. xxvi. 29, and of those eternal comforts we shall have there, and those unmixed joys in the presence of Christ. Therefore, because of the tastes they have had, and those beginnings of glory, their hearts will be more enlarged and drawn out to look for more, and long for that happy time when all this shall be accomplished.

III. There may be arguments taken and drawn from the coming itself, that they long for his coming. Wherefore doth Christ come? what are the ends of it? It is to manifest his love to the saints mainly, as to punish his enemies and glorify his justice.

1. I will mention the first; to gather the saints together, to draw all his scattered people into one holy body and communion: Ps. l. 5, ‘Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.’ Now they are scattered up and down, as God hath service for them to do; one here, another there: they are spread in several places, where they are like two or three berries in the upper most top of the bough. That psalm is generally acknowledged to be spoken of the day of judgment; then they are gathered to meet in one great assembly. The psalmist speaks of ‘the great congregation of the righteous,’ where the ‘sinners shall not stand:’ Ps. i. 5. At that great day when Christ comes, all the saints shall make but one assembly and one congregation. As the wicked shall be bundled together, and the tares cast into unquenchable fire, so all the saints shall be gathered together into one great assembly, and this glads their hearts. Therefore we are not feasted to the full, because we have not all our company; all the guests do not meet together until the day the Son of God comes to bless the elect.

2. He comes to proclaim our pardon, and to pronounce the sentence of our acquittance juridically in court, as judge upon the throne. Our pardon is passed and sealed as to conscience, then he will blot out all our sins; therefore it is said, Acts iii. 19, ‘That your iniquities may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.’ He comes then to comfort and refresh the souls of the saints, by proclaiming their pardon in the ears of all the world. To whomsoever the throne of Christ is terrible, it should not be terrible to the saints: if he comes as a judge to them, he comes to acquit them upon the throne; he means no trouble to them.

3. He comes to crown us. Certainly there is a longing for this day and coming; for what is his work? He comes to crown the saints: 2 Tim. iv. 8, ‘Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.’ Then he comes to put the crown of righteousness upon our heads, and invest us with all the fruits of his purchase; then the godly Christian comes to have his crown: 1 Pet. v. 4, ‘When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory, that fadeth not away.’ He that hath been careful to honour God in his relation, then the great Shepherd comes to put the crown of glory, which fades not away, upon his head.

Are the children of God always in this frame, as to desire his coming? Many tremble at the thoughts of it, and can have no comfort, for want of assurance of God’s love; and many times the saints do not feel such inclinations, and such ardent and strong desires.

I answer:—

1. The meanest saint hath some inclination this way; he cannot but desire Christ should come into his heart and bless him, in turning him from his sins; and that he should come to judgment, since comfort and reward is more naturally embraced than duty. Whoever is begotten to God, is ‘begotten to a lively hope,’ 1 Pet. i. 3; his heart is carried this way, though not with so much strength and lively motions as others are. Yet I grant,

2. Sometimes there may be a drowsiness and indisposition, when their lamps are not burning, when they are grown careless and fallen asleep; as the wise virgins slept, as well as the foolish, by a sluggish security. And the saints may find themselves indisposed, possibly by the remission of their watchfulness; they may contract an indisposition, yet there is a spirit stirring this way, which begins with the new birth, and still continues, though it doth not always alike put forth itself. A wife desires her husband’s coming home, yet it may be all is not in such good order. Now, all Christians desire the coming of Christ; but they are not so watchful, therefore are not so lively. Security brings deadness, until God awakens them by some sharp affliction. The needle that is touched with the loadstone yet may a little be discomposed and turned aside, but it settles again. This is the right posture and frame of a gracious soul, to be thus earnestly bent and carried out after the coming of Christ.

3. I answer again: The church doth really and heartily desire this coming, though they may tremble at some circumstances of it. When we think of this great day, and of the book that shall be opened, and the impartial proceedings, there is some degree of bondage still left in the saints, that doth a little weaken their confidence and boldness. 1 John iv. 18 we are told: ‘Perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment.’ Until our graces are perfect, there is something of fear.

APPLICATION.

Use 1. To reprove those that do not desire the coming of Christ, but put off the thoughts of it. Why? Because it casts a damp upon their fleshly rejoicing; which put far away the day of the Lord, the evil day; it is so to them: Amos vi. 3. They wish it would never come, and would be glad in their hearts to hear such news. Why? For Christ’s coming is their torment and burden; they look upon it as a day of vengeance and an evil day, therefore are loth to entertain the thought of it. Saith Austin, ‘Canst thou pray that the kingdom of God may come, when thou art afraid the kingdom of God should come?’ A carnal man cannot say the Lord’s Prayer without being .afraid; they tremble at the remembrance of it; they are afraid it should be true, and afraid to be heard. If it might go by their voice, Christ should never come. The voice of corrupt nature is, ‘Depart from us; and what can the Almighty do for them?’ Job xxii. 17. Or if they do desire it, it is but in a slight, formal manner; as those in the prophet that would see the day of the Lord, yet they could not bear it: Amos v. 18, ‘Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord; to what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.’ They little consider what they are doing, and what is their danger, when they are making such a prayer to God, ‘Thy kingdom come.’

Use 2. For trial. How are you affected towards the coming of Christ? Are you carried out with such an inclination and bent of heart, as the day of your perfection, and the day of your solemn enjoyment of God, requireth? Is the bent of your heart carried out to things to come? If there be looking, then there would:—

1. Be a preparing. A man that expects and desires the coming of a great person to his house will make all things ready, is careful to furnish himself; when all is sluttish and nasty, and nothing of provision, do you look for your guest? What have you done as to the day of Christ’s coming? Have you judged yourselves? 1 Cor. xi. 31, ‘If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.’ Have you ever seriously passed sentence upon yourselves, according to the law, that you may be found in Christ? Rom. viii. 1, ‘There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ.’ That you may have Christ’s righteousness to bear you out in that day against Christ’s judgment? Are you so as you would be found in him? Do you ‘live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world’? Strict walking is a preparing and providing for this day; you do but provide for terror when you give way to sin: 2 Pet. iii. 10, 11, ‘The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; therefore what manner of persons should ye be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God?’ We should be trimming up our lamps.

2. What kind of entertainment do you give to Christ now? Do you entertain him for the present into your hearts, in his ordinances? A woman that never cares to hear from her husband, doth she long for his coming? Oh, be careful now to get Christ into your hearts!

3. What doth this expectation produce? what revivings in the forethoughts of it? John viii. 56, ‘Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.’ He means the day of his incarnation, the day of his abode in the world. Abraham foresaw, by the eagle eye of his faith, through all mists, clouds, veils, and ceremonies; he got a sight of Christ’s day, and it did him good at heart. Do the apprehensions of it make your hearts spring and leap within you for joy? What groanings longings, what dealing with God about it doth it produce? Rom. viii. 19, ‘For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.’ What support and strength doth it give you against the burdens and sorrows of this present life, to remember Christ will come?

Use 3. To press us to this sweet affection and disposition of the saints. I might mention the profit of it; this longing, looking, and waiting for the coming of Christ, it will make us heavenly in our conversation. Christ is there: where should we converse most but where Christ is? And it makes us faithful in improving our talents: ‘Our Lord will come, and reckon with his servants,’ Luke xix. 15.