Loving Christ's Appearing.
THE following article from the "Prophetic Times," speaks for itself. Reader, does the thought of the Master's return touch a responsive chord in your heart? To love the second coming of her Lord has ever been characteristic of the true Church. This is the test of her fidelity. Without this grace all her professions are vain and false. "The times of our whole hope," said Tertullian, "cannot be placed before the coming of Christ." Hence he exclaimed, "Our desires pant after the end of this age, the passing away of the world at the great day of God." "He shall quickly come and not tarry," wrote the apostolical Clement. "His Son shall come and abolish the wicked one," exultingly exclaimed Barnabas. And Ignatius wrote of Christ, "Expect Him who is above all time." And Polycarp indignantly denounced as the first-born of Satan, all who denied our Lord's second coming to judgment. "Let us ever in anxiety and cautiousness," says Cyprian, "be awaiting the sudden advent of the Lord." "We are looking for Christ," writes Cyril. Jerome used to say that it seemed to him as if the trumpet of the last day was always sounding in his ears the awful summons, "Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment." Augustine testifies that Christ's coming and kingdom "is what we look and pray for." And Massillon may speak for them all when he affirms of the first Christians, they deem it "one step in apostasy, not to sigh after this return." The great reformers constantly consoled themselves in the exercise of an ardent love for that day. The Scriptures, testified Tyndale, "warn us to look for Christ's coming every hour." "Long for the coming of the Lord Jesus," wrote the martyr, John Bradford. Piscator said, "The advent of the Lord is to be looked for with perpetual vigilance, especially by ministers." "Let us," said Latimer, "have a desire that this day may come quickly; let us hasten God forward." "Let us," said Ridley, "cry in our hearts, unto our Saviour Christ, Come, Lord Jesus, come." "We know that He shall return, and that with expedition," exclaimed John Knox. "There is one consolation," wrote Luther in the heat of his great conflict; "that is, the day of judgment is close at hand." And again, he exclaims, as though in agony, "May the Lord come at once." Holding in his hand a necklace of white agates, he said, "I would readily eat up this necklace to-day for the judgment to come to-morrow." Melanchthon (testifies Elliot) thought it became Christians to dwell much and earnestly on our Lord's second coming. "All the godly, with sighs unspeakable, wish for the coming of the judge in glory," wrote Henry Bullinger. And Brightman wrote of Christ's coming, "The faithful, through hope of the future marriage, leap for joy, and greatly desire that day." Cradock on Rev. xxii, 17, says, concerning the word "Come," in this verse, that it all relates to Christ's advent, and declares the Holy Spirit in the whole Catholic church, "All together wish and long for His second coming." The eloquent Milton, of our Lord's advent exclaims, "Come forth out of the royal churches, O Prince of all the kings of the earth." "Would it not rejoice your hearts," inquires Richard Baxter, "if you were sure to live to see the coming of the Lord? Would it not be the greatest joy that you could desire?" And he adds, "It would be the joyfulest tidings to me in the world. Hasten, O Lord, this blessed day. Alas! fellow-Christians, what should we do if our Lord should not return?" "Oh, why are his chariot-wheels so long in coming?" wrote Joseph Alleine. "Though the time be very short, yet love and longing make it very tedious," Samuel Rutherford exclaimed. "Oh, that He who feedeth among the lilies would cry to his heavenly trumpeters, 'Make ready, let us go down and fold together the four corners of the world, and marry the Bride.'" Thomas Vincent said, "This is the last and the sweetest in the text. Behold I come quickly." Bunyan calls the great day of God "a blessed and desirable time." "Come, Lord Jesus! thus beats the pulse of the Church," wrote Matthew Henry. "What comes from Heaven in a promise should be sent back to Heaven in a prayer—Come, Lord Jesus." "The servants of Christ," said Increase Mather, "ought not to have a servile fear of the great day of judgment, but rather to long and pray for it." "Let this illustrious day come with all its horrors," exclaims Doddridge. "We shall go from the ruins of a dissolving world to the new heavens and new earth, wherein righteousness forever dwells." On 2 Pet. iii, 12, John Wesley thus comments: "Hastening on as it were by your earnest desires and fervent prayers the coming of the day of God." Charles Wesley sang—
> "The Church in her militant state
> Is weary and cannot forbear;
> The saints in an agony wait
> To see him again in the air." And Dr. Watts—
> "How long, dear Saviour, oh, how long
> Shall this glad hour delay?
> Fly swifter round, ye wheels of time,
> And bring the welcome day." Gentle reader, do you love Christ's appearing?