coming to judge the world Titus 1. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Peter 3. 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall bee dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Tim 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for mee a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to mee onely but unto them all that love his appearing A crowne is laid up for mee and not for mee onely but for all them that love his appearing This shews that surely it must bee a Doctrine of great comfort to the elect of God because they so long and look for and love the coming of Jesus Christ Secondly it is a Doctrine of great comfort because Jesus Christ hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect for that time though Christ brings soules to heaven before his coming yet hee doth not compleatly glorifie any of his servants till his coming againe to Judge the world 1 Iohn 3. 2. Beloved now are wee the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what wee shall bee but Wee know that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee like him for we shall see him as hee is and in Colos 3. 4. When Christ who is our Life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory God hath reserved the full glorification of the Elect against the time of his coming 1 Peter 5. 4. And when the chiefe Shepherd shall appear yee shall receive a Crown of Glory that fades not away Frequent Texts of Scripture there are to prove that the reserve that Christ hath of the full glorifying of the Elect it is at the time of his coming to judge the world The third particular is but wherein is the Doctrine of Christs coming again so comfortable to Beleevers there are these foure particulars more especially wherein the Doctrine of Christs coming againe to judge the world is a Doctrine full of comfort to Beleevers First in case of any scandalous aspersion or any unjust imputation which is laid upon them it may serve for great comfort to thee in this case The Apostle gives it you 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 But with with mee it is a very small thing that I should bee judged of you or of mans judgements yea I judge not my owne selfe For I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not hereby justified but hee that judgeth mee is the Lord. Censure me what you will and judge of mee what you please for hee that judgeth mee shall be the Lord therefore it is a small matter that I am judged of you Suppose thou art judged thou art scandalized and thou art aspersed in the world appeale to Jesus Christ in Heaven for hee that judgeth thee is the Lord and this wee finde Christ did 1 Peter 2. 23. who when hee was reviled reviled not againe when hee suffered he threatned not but committed himselfe to him that judgeth righteously When thou art reviled and aspersed and censured doe not revile again doe not censure again but doe as Christ did commit thy cause to Christ that judgeth all things righteously Christ will come to over-judge all things that have been judged amisse Jude 5. To execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Men have hard speeches against many who are upright in the Land it is a comfort then that of Christs coming again one end is to convince men of all their hard speeches and scandalous aspersions Secondly Christs coming again is a Doctrine of comfort in case of all persecution thou undergoest from men for Christ for the Gospell 1 Thess 1. 6 7. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels As if hee should have said you are troubled and persecuted about the Gospel for Christs sake why bee not troubled for Christ is coming from Heaven 1 Peter 4. 13. But rejoyce in asmuch as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his Glory shall bee revealed yee may bee glad also with exceeding joy when Christ comes to be revealed and to judge the world you shall be glad also with exceeding joy that is a second case wherein this Doctrine may bee of comfort Thirdly this Doctrine may serve for comfort in case of any inward accusation of conscience from the apprehension of thine own guiltinesse it may bee thou judgest thy self that thou art a damned undone Creature remember that there is a Judgement to passe on thee besides thy own mistake and misapprehension Christs coming to Judgement should bee a comfort to thee against thine own inward accusation because hee that is thy Jesus is thy Judge hee is thy Advocate to plead thy cause and thy Judge to judge thy cause Suppose thy conscience doth accuse thee and thou judgest thy selfe to Hell yet comfort thy self with this that thy Jesus will afterwards come to judge thee Fourthly Christs coming againe to judge the would it is a Doctrine of comfort in case of oppression in Courts of Judicature What though Might overcometh Right and the usurping hand useth waies of oppression and violence towards you it matters not For Christs coming to judgement shall bee of great comfort to you Ierome saith that Christ shall come to judge things that are not judged in the world and Christ shall come to judge things that are judged amisse in the world Christ shall judge all oppressions and violence which is done by an usurping hand here is matter of comfort that Christ cometh to judge them all over againe an excellent passage which Solomon hath Eccle. 3. 16 17. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity was there I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose for every work That is I saw into Courts of Judicature and I saw wickednesse was there and I looked into the place of righteousnesse and behold iniquity was there then I said in my heart surely God shall judge both the righteous and the wicked if there were no argument in all the Scripture to prove Christs coming again this argument it will evince that Christ shall come to judge the world there must bee a judging over againe there shal bee a generall Judgement because there is so much perverting of judgement here below and thus you have wherein or in what cases the Doctrine of Christs coming may serve for comfort Fourthly To whom will Christs coming bee a comfort
greatly comfort you Object 3 A third Objection is this Surely I have misgiving thoughts that God hath not forgiven me my sin because after I have committed sin I do not discern that my conscience checks me for my sin therefore I may fear if there be no remorse after the commission of sin I may fear that there is no remission This is the strongest Objection to make a man â—â—ar his pardon As I would say nothing to make a deluded wretch to presume so I would keep back nothing that might any way establish a troubled minde thou sayest thou dost fall into sin yet thou hast no check remorse of conscience for sin therefore thou fearest if sin hath no remorse on thy part it hath no remission on Gods part For answer First in the generall know your case is dangerous but yet it is not desperate Answ 1 First it is possible the conscience of a good man may be so disordered through the impetuousnesse of passion and lust that he may think he doth well when he doth ill therefore his conscience never smites him As it was with Paul Act. 26. 9. I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Paul sinned he had his doubts before conversion even as after conversion yet this sin troubled him not he thought he was bound to do many things c. so may thy conscience be so far disordered as to think that thou doest well when thou doest ill Jonah 4. 9. And God said to Jonah doest thou well to be angry for the gourd he said I do well to be angry even unto the death Could Jonahs conscience smite him for his anger when he said he did wel Lord how far wil a godly man go to the very suburbs of hell if God shall let him alone I doe well saith Jonah to be angry even unto death Answ 2 Secondly Thou that makest this Objection take this for thy comfort consider that many pardoned sinners through heedlesnes and in-observancy have not their judgements inlightned to discern sin and if the judgement hath not an eye to see sin the conscience wil never have an hand to smite for sin it is a Proverb What the eye sees not the heart rues not nothing that is unknown can be the object of desire neither can any thing that is unknown be the object of sorrow unknown miseries we weep not for but miseries we know those we mourn for if a mans judgement be not inlightned to see sin he can never mourn for it he may live and dye in a sin that his judgement is not convinced of to be a sin thus the godly in the Old Testament lived in the sin of Polygamie marrying of many wives they knew not it was a sin but they took liberty to take as many wives as they would A godly man that holds an error conscience may never smite him for it because his judgment is mistaken his judgment thinks he holds the truth and therefore conscience cannot smite him for holding an error Answ 3 Thirdly take this by way of answer that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be so farre benummed that a man may continue under the guilt of known sins and conscience never check him for it for a long time this is a further gradation that when he knoweth he sins against God yet I say conscience may be so far benummed that for a season not be tortured and smitten in conscience for his sin David could not be so ignorant of Gods Law that lying with another mans wife was a sin yet David did continue nine moneths at least without remorse for it when Nathan came and reproved him then said he I have sinned I have sinned O beloved if God doth but let a sinners conscience alone though he be a good man yet he may continue for a long time under a known sin and conscience not work remorse or trouble in him And the like instance we have in the sons of Jacob who were not sensible of their sin in selling Joseph untill 20. yeares after they fell into trouble for it in Egypt Answ 4 Fourthly take this for comfort that there is nogodly mans conscience in the world that is alwayes alike in office but sometimes it may be in office sometimes out of office sometimes a roaring gawling awakening conscience and sometimes a stupified a benummed and a â—eared conscience no mans conscience is alwaies alike in office it is sensible at one time and â—eared up another time Pregnant instances David at one time his heart smote him for but the appearance of an evill viz. Cutting off Sauls lap yet at another time his conscience did not smite him for murdering Vriah Again at another time Davids conscience smote him but for vainglory in numbring the people it was onely vainglory that he would please himself in a mustered Army yet at another time Davids conscience did not smite him for adultery O beloved how wil a mans conscience lye asleep not trouble him for an evill if God lets him alone Answ 5 Fifthly a step further It is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may be in so deep a sleep and so much out of office for a while that he may rather put his wits a work to hide his sin then his conscience on work to check him for sin to give you an instance for this plain in the case of David David committed adultery with Bathsheba but he did not put his conscience on work to check him for his sin but he did put his wits on work to hide the sin Four projects David had to hide the sin First He sent for Vriah Bathsheba's husband that so Vriah might come and lye with his wife that so he might hide Davids uncleannesse 2. Sam. 11. Secondly He made Vriah drunk and so thought that surely when he was drunk that drunkennesse would provoke him with a desire to go to his own house Thirdly He did plot Vriah's death that so there might be no clamour on his part for the defilement of his wife Lastly David would have fathered his plot on providence for David himself had plotted the death of Vriah mark Davids project a good man did put his wits on work and made shifts to hide his sin yet all this while did not put conscience on work to check him for his sin O how near the suburbs of hell may a godly man go and yet go to heaven Sixthly This is the furthest step of all take this for thy comfort it is possible that the conscience of a pardoned sinner may not smite him for those very sins that a Heathen man by the light of a naturall conscience may be ashamed of and this is clear in the case of Abraham Gen. 20. 9. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said unto him What hast thou done unto us and what have Loffended thee that thou hast brought on me on my kingdom a great
not depart away from him c. A promise to Solomon I will be his father and he shall be my son but if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with rods And the Psalmist when he quotes this expression referres it to all the godly Psal 89. 31 32. If they break my Statutes and keep not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes It was not onely true of Solomon but it is spoken of all the Church If they commit iniquity I will chastise them with rods See here a Solomon may be chastned with rods if he commits iniquity nay not only one man but all the Church 3. 2. You onely have I known of all the families of the earth therfore I will punish you for all your iniquities If God be severe it is with his own people to make them smart for sin he may spare wicked men and not punish them here because he hath his hell for them hereafter but this shall be all the hell of a godly man and all their punishment I but this is Old Testament and thus the Antinomians take off and evade this Scripture but doth God so in the New Testament Yes in the New Testament Rom. 8. 20 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin He speaks of the beleeving Romans that death on their bodies was because of sin And then the Apostle speaks to the godly Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation or judgement to himselfe not discerning the Lords body For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many sleep Many godly men were sick and weak for their prophaning the Lords Supper and this is under the New Testament that the Apostle saith as approving the righteous judgement of God let not us commit fornication as some of them commited 1 Cor. 10. Let not us fall as they fell and many of them it is probable among the 23 thousand were good men The Apostle approves of Gods Judgement to bee righteous in that Act. Only one objection against this Doth not the Scripture say in Isa 53. That the chastisement of our peace was laid on Christ now if all those chastisments that were due to us for sin were laid on Christ doth not this derogate from Christs sufferings that hee must suffer too doth not this intimate that Christs sufferings were not satisfactory The Answer is easie That when we say we suffer for sin and are punished for sin understand it thus there is a great deal of difference between our suffering for sin and Christs suffering for sin we doe not suffer for sin as Christ did because our punishments for sin are not by way of satisfaction to Divine Justice but onely by way of castigation from Divine Justice when God doth punish a pardoned man with some outward Judgement for sin it is no satisfaction no compensation when the text saith that our chastisements are laid upon Christ the meaning is Christ suffers for sin by way of satisfaction he appealeth Gods wrath he satisfies Gods Justice for the sins that we have done should we lose our bloud for a sin should we give the fruit of our body for the sins of our soule yet this cannot make a compensation for sin therefore it may well consist that God punished Christ for our sins by way of satisfaction to his Justice and may punish us by way of castigation as a father his children Now to ratifie and satisfie your thoughts the more in this that though God doth pardon a sin yet hee will punish for a sin take some reasons for it First Because wicked men that are punished for sin would accuse God of partiality and injustice should he punish them and not his own people for the same sin wicked men would account God partiall but the wicked shall say I see Gods own people are punished in this life more severely then I am the Lord doth it to vindicate the impartiality of his Justice that he will not spare sin where ever finds it A second Reason is Because God doth command Magistrates to execute punishments in this life for sin even upon good men therefore if he commands a Magistrate to punish a good man for his sin surely he doth approve of their punishment Suppose a good man should commit adultery he was to dye for it suppose he should commit murder he was to dye for it if God did command that pâ—â—nall punishment should be inflicted on good men in this life then surely he might doe it much more himself Case 3 The third Case of Conscience is this Whether doth pardon of sin go before faith and repentance or else follow after I doe not speak now of the priority of nature but of the priority of time This is a usefull question There are many Books in Print made by severall Antinomians that plead for this and they say that repentance is not a condition to qualifie the subject to obtain forgivenesse but onely a signe to manifest that sin is forgiven and that a man is pardoned from all eternity that before a man beleeves and repents he is pardoned which is a falshood for to a beleever the Apostle doth confine pardon Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God For sins that are past those sins you have committed and have repented of he gives you pardon for all them He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall fiade mercy and he that doth not so shall not find mercy He that hideth his sin shall not prosper I answer to this query that God doth pardon sin after a man repents and beleeves not before and to give you a proofe for this First I shall give you the grounds from the Scripture then absurdities that would follow if this were not so First from the Scripture Observe that the Scripture doth limit and confine pardon to a repenting state Act. 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sin may be blotted out No blotting out of sin without repentance Repent that your sin may be blotted out Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me So that till thou beest turned from darknesse to light untill thou beest turned from Satan to God thou hast not received forgivenesse of sins mark the antecedent word hee opens their eyes c. therefore God expresly doth tye forgivenesse of sin to repentance and so in Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse There is first a confession this is
sins The Stoicks say all sins are alike and there is no difference It is true in regard of the object all sins are against God yet when you come to beg pardon for sin according as your sins are greatned you are accordingly to behave your selves in seeking for pardon God can pardon great sins as well as small in regard of God there is no difference nor in regard of the merits of Christ but yet in your behaviour in seeking for pardon of sinne you are to make a great difference between the greatnesse and the smallnesse of your evils For consider the scripture makes a difference between sins therefore we must doe so The Scripture compares some sin to Camels and some to Gnats The Scripture compares some sin to beams and some to motes some sins as talents and others but as pence and in Amos there is mention made of mighty sins Amos 5. in John of greater sins Joh. 19. 11. Jesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin It is true every sin deserves hell yet there is more of the punishment of hell inflicted on some sinners then others the reason why I speak of this case is to let you know that as God hath suffered any of you to fall into aggravated and hainous evils so he requires more of you then of other men Consider That God requires of you more humiliation then he requires of other men In the Law you read that if a man toucht the unclean thing he was unclean till evening but if a man bare an unclean thing he was to wash his cloths to shew that the touch of sin requires humiliation but the bearing of a sin in thy bosome thy continuing in sin requires more work then meerly the touch of sin Peter wept bitterly for his deniall he did more for that sin then for an ordinary sin So that you are to consider that though in regard of Christ there is no difference between a great sinne and a small as the red Sea could drown Pharaoh and his host as well as a single man so Christs blood can drown a huge host of sins but yet you must encrease your humiliation on the aggravation of your guilt thus much for the sixth case of Conscience Case 7 The seventh is this What are those great and hainous circumstances that doe greaten sin that so I may see whether I have aggravated my sin or not here are these circumstances which do aggravate and greaten sin Ans 1 First Sinning against the frequent manifestation of Gods love to thy soule this greatly aggravates sin this did aggravate Solomons sin 1 King 11. Solomon was the beloved of the Lord yet he provoked him to anger after he had appeared to him twice Secondly To sinne against the rebukes and checks of thine own Conscience doth greaten sin Jam. 4. 17. Therfore to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin It is sin to another man that doth not know it but to him that knoweth it it is a greater sin this Christ refers to and speaks of Judas that would betray him and yet knew that he was the Son of God What my Disciples to betray me his sin was the greater Conscience is Gods Officer in man it is a greater fault to strike a Constable then an ordinary man out of Office for thee to sin against the rebukes and checks of Conscience aggravates sinne Thirdly To sin against Gods judgements upon other men is an aggravated evill for thee to sin when God hath given thee warning of sin from other mens blood this did aggravate Belshazzars sin Dan. 5. 22. 23. And thou his son O Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this But hast lifted up thy selfe against the Lord of heaven c. Thou that knowest how a man is plagued for his uncleannesse thou that knowest how a man is plagued for riotous living yet thou wilt live riotous and thou wilt live adulterous that thy sin is the greater thou sinnest against the monument of the eie as well as against the warning of the eare Fourthly Sin against Gods judgements upon our selves doth weighten sin this did aggravate Abaz sin 2 Chron. 28. 22. And in the time of his distresse he did trespasse yet more against the Lord. Fifthly To sinne against mercies is an aggravation of sin 2 Sam. 12. I delivered thee out of Sauls hand I gave thee thy Masters house I gave thee the house of Israel and if all this had been too little for thee I would have moreover given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised c. What thou sinne David and hast been loaden with a heap of mercies this greatens thy sin Sixthly It greatens sin when the sinne is immediately against God 1 Sam. 2. 25. If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him If a man sinnes against God O who shall plead for him Seventhly To sin against the motions of Gods spirit aggravates sin when the spirit of God shall in thy Conscience perswade thee that thou wouldst not follow such wicked waies as thou art walking in when the Spirit of God shall come and wooe thee to be reconciled to alter thy course and to walk in better paths when not only the voice of conscience but the motions of Gods Spirit shall be stifled this aggravates sin Hence it is that Scripture in setting out the wronging and withstanding the spirits motion whether to good or from evill doth ascend by gradations sometimes it is called quenching the spirit Quench not the Spirit a higher degree there is a grieving the Spirit when there are frequent acts to withstand divine motions that is a grieving the Spirit And then there is an higher aggravation then this that is resisting the Spirit Act. 7. 51. Ye stiffe necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares yee doe alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye This is caused by pertinaciousnesse in withstanding the spirits motion And then the scripture speaks of vexing the spirit Isa 63. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and fought against them This is not only by one single act but when continually throughout thy course thou hast a wilfull and a gainsaying heart against all the motions of Gods spirit within thee Must not this be a great evill in thee when thou dost quench grieve resist and vex the spirit all these circumstances must needs aggravate and greaten thy sin Eightly Sin is aggravated when thou dost frequently fall into the same sin Ninthly Sin is aggravated when it is done in a way of complacencie that it is not onely acted by thee but loved by thee the acting of a sin is not so much as a loving
peremptory conclusions about this dark and obscure Doctrin of Christs coming to judge the world There are many loose and lavish frolick wits that have bold and adventurous attempts touching the coming of the Lord in determining that which the Scripture determineth not it is not my intent to trouble you with niâ—â—ties but onely to check the frollick and bold attempts of some who goe about to determine that which the Scripture doth no way reveale to which end take heed of these things First take heed of determining the place from whence Christ should come The Papists they are bold thiâ— way they hold you in hand that Christ shall come from the East Therefore our Churches all of them were built East and West and upon that ground that Christ would come from the East the Scripture saith that Christ shall come as lightning from the East but that doth not shew the place from whence hee comes but as Christ shall come as Lightning it notes the visibility of Christs coming and the celerity of Christs coming Lightning it is visible and so shall Christs coming bee all shall see him as yee see Lightning Now this bold attempt hath been the foundation to many Superstitions Opinions it is the reason of bowing and câ—inging towards the East All rose meerely from that ground of Christs coming from the East the Scripture onely saith that hee shall come downe from Heaven and the Lord shall come from Heaven but from what part of the heaven the scripture speaketh not Againe passe not bold conjectures in determining the place where Christ shall come to judge the world many men where the Scripture is silent doe run into many strong conceits to determine that which the Scripture doth not many Books doe determine the place where Christ shall come to judge the world and that is in the Valley of Iehoshaphat and there is one Text which seemes to carry it that way which is in Ioel 3. 12. Let the Heathen bee awaked and come up to the Valley of Iehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about Here they doe conjecture that Christ shall come to the Valley of Iehoshaphat and there hee shall judge all the world and I shall to shew the vanity and wickednesse of these give these five demonstrations First it is not spoken of God the Sonne but of God the father to bee thy judge therefore it cannot have a reference to the last Judgement for Christ judgeth then Secondly their Judgement here onely referres to the Judging of the Heathen round about Now the generall judgement is for the judging of the righteous and the unrighteous Thirdly that it is impossible that the Valley of Iehoshaphat should containe all the men that ever were that are and that shall bee in the world to bee judged therefore it is not profitable that this hath reference to the last Judgement Fourthly the time that this judgement here is spoken of it is limited by the prophet himselfe for compare this verse with the second verse I will also gather all Nations and will bring them downe into the Valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my People and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and parted my Land The time is spoken of when God shall turne againe the captivity of Iudah and Ierusalem then God should judge the Babylonians and those heathen Nations that assisted them for to undo the people of God therfore it refers to some time after the captivity not to the general and last coming of the Sonne of God and thus much for taking off that Text from yeelding patronage to that fond conceit of Christs coming to judge the world in the Valley of Iehoshaphat and the Scripture is farre from giving you the place where Christ shall come to judgement either in the Valley of Iehoshaphat or Mount Olivet out only in the ayre 1 Thess 4. 7. Then wee which are alive and remaine shall bee caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The Scripture doth make no mention of Christs coming upon the Earth at all Take heed of bold attempts and conjectures about the place of Christs judgement Thirdly take heed of bold attempts about the time of Christs judgement there have been them which have shewne abundance of wickednesse in this Gerrard doth confute the folly of such men that do guesse at the time when Christ shall come to judge the world Austin doth make mention of some in his time that held that Christ should come to judge the world a thousand years after his Death but wee have seen their folly and shame for there is more time expired then that Another saith that some held in his time that Christ should come to judge the world 365. yeares after his Death that is a folly likewise for there is more time past then that Luther saith that there were Anabapists which held that in the yeare 1530 Christ should come to judge the world but wee have seen their folly likewise for there is more time past then then that Napier though a learned Nobleman in Scotland hee was too frolick in this way for he doth boldly say that Christ shall come to judge the world in the yeare 1688. But beloved Christs coming to judge the world cannot be determined for Christ would not gratifie his own Apostles to tell them the time when his coming should bee Mat. 24. Hee would not tell them when the end of the word should bee it shews then it is great pride of heart to passe peremptory conjectures upon the period of time Christ did not thinke it meet for to tell his Apostles of the time of his coming 1 Thess 5. 1. But of the times and seasons Brethren yee have no need that I write unto you nay Angels in heaven and Christ himselfe as hee was meere Man could not tell the time Marke 13. 32. But of that day and that houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven neither the Sonne but the Father Mat. 24. 36. But of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heaven but my father onely I onely mention it for this to shew the vanity of our age of those who will undertake to shew the very day when Christ should come Likewise to condemne the former Ages who run to things not revealed I remember what a learned Man saith one that commenteth upon my Text saith hee there is nothing that doth expose the Christian Religion to more contempt then that the Preachers and the hearers of it will run into nice questions and bee peremptory in their resolves of that the Scripture speakes not of And Jews and Gentiles may suspect the whole Gospell because they see Men peremptory about things which are not revealed in the Gospell and shall see their false-hood appearing to all bee not peremptory in
your determinations about the time of Christs coming nor about the place where for neither is revealed in Scripture Christ did deny his Disciples when they asked him where hee should come Luk. 17. 37. And they answered and said where Lord And hee said unto them where the body is thither will the Eagles bee gathered together Christ told them of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the end of the Woâ—ld then said the Disciples but where Lord wilt thou come Christ onely gives them this answer that where the carcasse is thither will the Eagles flee that is where Christ is all the Elect shall bee gathered as Birds of prey flock together after a carcasset o feed upon so that Christ would neither tell the place where nor the time when and this should bee a check and a controle to mens curious pryings about that which the Scripture is silent in Lastly take heed of bold and adventurous conjectures about the manner of Christs coming to judge the World by vaine and carnall corruptions of a temporall Kingdome of Christ Many are very peremptory about it and there bee strange Books at least in their own expressions that they can descry the very maner of his coming that Christ shall come from heaven and dwell a thousand yeares upon the Earth and the Dead shall rise and live in the World but these are such things which the Scripture doth never take notice of I am to handle on this promise of Christ but I will come again A perplexed Quere which is this whether Christ Jesus in promising to his Disciples to come again did meane to come to Reigne upon the Earth here a thousand years or whether it bee to bee meant of Christs last coming to judge the world this Scripture and others are made use of and brought to prove that Christ shall come from heaven in person and live upon the Earth for a whole thousand years they fancy that Jesus Christ when hee shall come to this personall Reigne then hee shall raise all the Martyrs that have lost their Lives in his cause and the Divell shall bee bound up that hee shall tempt Men to sinne no more and wicked Men shall be ty'd up that they shall not persecute the Church of God this is an Antient Opinion and almost since the Apostles dayes Before I shall come to give you my thoughts from the words touching Christs coming as they pretend to Reigne a thousand years upon the Earth I shall shew you the rise of this Opinion First from Eusebius and others they give us the rise of this Opinion from Cerinthus which had it who lived in the time of John This Cerinthus who was a pestiâ—ent Heretick in those times who held that Christ was borne by the conjunction of a man and a woman Christum ex congressu maritali genitum esse and not born by a Virgin and was borne as others are and so must be a sinner Hee was the Man that was the first author from whom this Opinion had any life or being Eusebius saith Papias Bishop of Hieropolis did also hold this Opinion but not in so grosse a way as Cerinthus did but rather spiritually and there was some spice of this in the Apostles for they did dream of a temporal Kingdome therfore they askt Christ when hee was going to Heaven Lord when wilt thou restore the Kingdome unto Israel there was in the time of the Apostle a fancy that Christ must bee an Earthly Monarch and destroy all the Kings of the Earth and all the Enemies of the world and must come here to Rule and Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth it was brought over into Germany and there was taken hold on by John of Leydon in westphalia and handed over to us in England by men of late Now for the confutation First I shall quote expresse Scriptures that Christ shall not come in person out of heaven till his last coming to judge the world Secondly I shall give you some reasons from the Scripture why Christ cannot come out of Heaven Bodily and in person to Reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth Thirdly I shall shew you some absurdities and incongruities that would follow if Christ should come to Reign a thousand yeares upon the Earth First for expresse Scriptures which are four the first scripture Act. 3. 21. Whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began There the Apostle telleth you directly that the Heaven must receive and keep Jesus Christ how long till the restitution of all things The Millenaries hold that the restitution of all things may be at the time of Christ Personall Reigne but I shall shew you that this restitution of all things cannot be til Christs judging the world First there cannot be a totall abolition of sin in the world at the thousand yeares end there shall bee a number of men and wicked during the thousand yeares all things cannot bee restored for sinne bringeth the creature under a curse it is apparent that it cannot bee till Christs last coming to judge the world because other Scriptures tell you that the time of restitution cannot bee till our bodies bee raised from the Dead Rom. 8. 23. And not onely they but our selves also which have the fruits of the spirit even wee our selves groane within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our body That is the creatures doe as it were groane being used by man as an instrument to Gods dishonour so that till the bodies of all the Elect bee redeemed and glorified till that time the creature lies under a curse by reason of mans sinnes and mans abuse And they themselves that plead fâ—r Christs personal reigne a thousand yeares upon the Earth though they doe hold that the martyrs shall bee raised at at that time yet doe not hold that all the Elect shall bee raised at that time therefore the Apostle saith expresly that the Heavens must keepe the person of Christ till the restitution of all things 〈◊〉 the bodies of the Elect come to bee raised from the Dead Again it is apparant from the context in Acts 3. That the restitution of all things can intend no other time then the time of Christs coming to judgement First because it is said that the time here spoken of is when the Jewes were to bee refreshed from the Lords presence vers 19 20 21. Repent yee therefore and bee converted that your sinnes may bee bloted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And hee shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you Whom the Heaven must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began And they cannot bee refreshed by the Lords presence till Christs coming to Judgement and their
the time that the Roman persecution was curbed by Constantine that was a Resurrection and that they reigned with Christ at that time Answ For Answer first in Scripture phrase the word rising doth not carry a reference to the body rising from the Grave onely but of a man rising from a state of affliction and of sinne they are expressed in Scripture by a Resurrection Roman 10. 10 11. Let their Eyes be darkned that they may not see and bow down their back alway I say then have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid but rather through their fall Salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie Isaiah 22. 19. And I will drive thee from thy Station and from thy state shall hee pull thee down The men that are as it were low men in captivity in Babylon they shall rise it doth not referre to the resurrection from the Dead at the last day so a rising from sinne Coloss 2. 12. Buried with him in Baptisme wherein also you are risen with him through the Faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the Dead Wee are risen with Christ not bodily but out of our sinnes Coloss 3. 1. If yee thâ—n bee risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God So that here this is the first Resurrection the meaning is this that those that did escape the rage and cruelty of the ten Persecutions and did come to live in Constantines daies and did all the while of the former Persecutions keep themselves from the Idolatry of the Heathens and Corruptions of Antichrist they are said to have the first Resurrection blessed are they that were raised up by Christ from the sinnes and from the Errours Superstition and Idolatry both of Antichrist and the Heathens I but then it is said they live and reigne with Christ a thousand yeares Beloved that Phrase living and reigning with Christ though some Interpreters reâ—erre it to Heaven yet with Brightman and others I concurre and alâ—o Bernard that it doth denote thus much that those in Successive Ages who enjoyed Liberty in the Christian Religion under Constantine the great who lived to a thousand years and were delivered from former afflictions that kept by Christs Power from the Idolatry of the times and from Antichrist they were said to live with Christ a thousand yeares for they lived to him and depended on him and were not plunged into the wickednesse of the times and thus with consulting of many Authors I finde this to bee the truest account in a few words in defending this Text from giving any foundation to Christs personall reigne for a thousand yeares upon the Earth The second Scripture that they doe urge for Christs personall reign upon the earth for a thousand years is the 2 Peter 3. 7 10 11 12 13. But the Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire untill the day of judgement and â—erdition of ungodly men But the day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the Earth also and the workes that are therein shall bee burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall bee dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to bee in all holy conversation and godlinesse Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall bee dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Neverthelesse wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Here is mention of a coming of Christ wee looke for and hasten to his coming at Christs coming wee looke for a new Earth Now say they to what purpose were there to bee a new Earth if Christ were not to come down on this Earth and the Saints with him for a thousand yeares as the Scripture doth seeme to give warrant for a thousand yeares reigne this Scripture seemes to give warrant that hee shall be on the Earth they say that the righteous shall onely have benefit of Christs personall reign upon the Earth To take off this First marke the scope and the context how this Scripture is brought in and it will something cleare the Text. it is brought in against some Epicurean Principles that some scoffers had taken up in those times ver 3 4. Knowing this first that there shall come in the last daies scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming For since the Eathers â—ell asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation Wee see no change in providence therefore where is the promise of Christs coming they scoffed at Christ that Christ was a contemptible man in this world this is the answer in the 7 vers But the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and Perdition of ungodly men Peter speakes directly that the time of Christs coming which they scoffed at was not the time of the thousand yeares but of the day of judgment therefore this coming here that Peter speaks of cannot be meant of a thousand years before the day of judgement Secondly observe that the day of Perdition of ungodly men they say themselves that Christ doth suffer the wicked of the world to live in the world the thousand yeares though not to rule as they had done Thirdly observe that it is said here that before this new Earth is the world shall bee burnt with Fire the Heavens shall passe away with a noyse c. Now before a thousand yeares there is no such thing as it is before the day of Judgement The burning of that world is reserved against the day of Judgement therefore this coming cannot be referred to Christs personall coming on the earth to reign a thousand years Fourthly it is said here that Christ should come as a Thiefe But the day of the Lord will â—ome as a Thiefe in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noyse c. That Epithet is referred to his coming to judge the world to his last coming and not to any other coming 1 Thess 5. 2. For your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord cometh as a Thiefe in the Night But if Christ should come to reigne upon the Earth then he cometh visible and observable Mat. 33. 44. But know this that if the good man of the house had knowne in what watch the Thiefe would come hee would have watched and would not have suffered his house to bee broken up Therefore be ye also ready for in such an houre as you thinke not the Sonne of man cometh Rovel 16. 15. Behold I come as a Thiefe Blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth
them in the clouds to meete the Lord in the Aire and so shall wee ever bee with the Lord vers 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend with a shout from Heaven c. If it had been Christ in his spirit then it would have been said the Lord by his spirit shall descend But the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven with a shout it notes his personall coming out of Heaven that whereas Jesus Christ had a personall translation and as Christ had a visible Elevation he was in the eyes of his Disciples lifted up so Christ shall bodily descend and come out from Heaven the Lord himselfe c. Therefore it cannot bee the Lord by his spirit Acts 1. 11. Which also said yee men of Galilee why stand yee gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as yee have seen him goe into Heaven The same Jesus that you saw Ascend shall descend so that it cannot bee Christ in his spirit but in his person I onely mention this to confute those that follow the conceit of Origen meerly to make Christs coming to be but a spiritual coming a coming in the hearts of Saints Thirdly his coming it shall be visibly Acts 1. 11. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven That as Christs going up to Heaven bodily was visible so Christs coming out of Heaven shall be visible Mat. 26. 64. Hereafter shall yee see the Sonne of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds Indeed Christ did rise invisibly for no man saw Christ rise from the dead but Christ shall descend visibly you shall see the Sonne of man c. Mat. 24. 30. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory All men shall see the glory of Jesus Christ the wicked shall see him to their Amazement and consternation and the godly shall see him to their joy and consolation Fourthly Christs coming shall bee gloriously and there shall bee many things that shall make the coming of Christ to bee a glorious coming hee shall come in the clouds these glorious bodies shall bee the triumphant and swift Chariots of the sonne of God wherein hee will come to judge the world and his Atendance shall make him glorious Daniel 7. 10. A fiery streame issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the judgement was set and the bookes where opened Jude 14. and Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints And in 2 Thess 1. 7. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels O then behold the clouds to be the Triumphant Chariots of Christ the Innumerable company of Saints and Angels to bee attendants on the person of Christ to come to judge the world and that is the reason that hee is called so glorious Mat. 24. 30. And they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Mat. 16. 27. For the Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels Luk. 9. 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed when hee shall come in his own glory in his Fathers and of the Holy Angels And that is the reason of that Epithet given to Christs coming Titus 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Now beloved Christs coming to have this property or this manner the reason must bee to distinguish his second coming from his first coming to take off the contempt and reproach that was on Jesus Christ in his first coming and he shall come in glory in the second coming First wee read in Scripture that Christs first coming it was in the forme of a servant Phil. 2. 7. But made himselfe of no reputation and tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men Now in the second coming hee comes with that glory and Majesty of a King In the first coming hee had no reasonable creature to attend him at the second coming hee shall have all the Saints and Angels in Heaven to attend him At his first coming hee was swadled with swadling bands but at this second coming he shall be as it were cloathed with the Clouds of Heaven Againe his first coming it was in dishonour and contempt every Traveller had more honour then Jesus Christ for the Inne was for every Traveller but there was no roome for Christ there hee was borne in an out-house but his second coming shall bee in great glory Againe in his first coming Christ representing the persons of the Elect came with sin imputed to him and was the greatest Beggar in the world as Luther saith and the greatest sinner in the world not by way of inherence but by way of imputation therefore Luther calleth him Peccator maximus the greatest sinner Christ incoming into the the world had all the sinnes of the Elect of God imputed to him so hee came as a sinner as an evill person though hee was not so yet hee was looked upon as so But the second time hee shall come without sinne hee shall not have our sinnes by imputation cast on him because when hee comes againe hee shall make a totall Abolition of sinne Therefore there needs no impution of our sinnes upon Jesus Christ Thus you have a fourth way of his coming he shall come Gloriously A fifth way of Christs coming againe is this he shall come terribly In Isaiah 13. 9. Behold the day of the Lord cometh cruell both with wrath and fierce Anger to lay the Land desolate and hee shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it Revel 6. 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall bee able to stand the coming of Jesus Christ it is a terrible coming that is a fifth way of his coming Sixthly and lastly Christ shall come unexpectedly though it is true there shall be immediate warnings of his coming as the powers of Heaven shall be shaken the Sun Moon and Starrs shall bee darkned but that shall bee but a little before his coming but beloved the coming of Christ shall bee when men are not aware of it as in the dayes of Noah men were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage when the flood come and destoyed them so shall the Sonne of man come Christs coming shall then bee to burne all with fire
when men shall bee eating and drinking possessing and adding muck to muck when men are secure and never thinke of Christs coming to burn all with fire then the powers of Heaven shall be shaken and the world be set on fire Hence it is that you read in Scripture in five or six places Christs coming it shall be as a Thiefe in the night a Thiefe will come in the dead time of the Night as Christ said to his Disciples in Luke 21. 34. The coming of Christ it is an unexpected coming thus you have six Particulars of Christs coming Use Now a word of Application Having shewed you how this Doctrine of Christs coming it is a Doctrine of comfort I shall finish this point in shewing you how this Doctrine of Christs coming is a Doctrine of terrour and of dread and to whom It is observeable that the word is not compared onely to Milke and Honey but the word is compared also to Salt which also hath an efficacy to make smart Beloved you have heard the Hony of this Doctrine what great comfort it will afford to Godly men but remember the word is Salt also and it is of a smart efficacy to terrifie and fret the conscience Now the Doctrine of Christs coming it is a terrible Doctrine in these four things To all wicked men Christs coming again it is a terrible Doctrine because first al the secretst sins that ever a wicked man hath committed in this world they shal be made manifest to all I confesse it is a contest among learned men whether the sinnes of good men as well as bad shall not be known and there are strong arguments that all shall be made known but the Scripture is full in this that at the day of Judgement the sinnes that a wicked man hath done in this world shall bee published to all the Saints and Angels in Heaven and all the men that were on Earth It may bee thou goest for an honest man amongst thy Neighbours yet thou lovest thy Neighbours wife and goest in unto her if thou hast been so or thou hast deceived in thy Trade why for all thy secresie here yet then all the world shall know thy deceit and uncleannes it is built upon that Text Luk. 8. 17. For nothing is secret that shall not bee made manifest neither any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come abroad Here a thousand things are hid that men do not know here thou carriest it fairly and squarely in the world that men cannot say black is thine Eye but then they may say shame to thy Face this is dreadfull Secondly Christs coming it shall bee dreadfull in regard of thy Separation from all the Elect of God In Mat. 25. 32. 33. And before him shal be gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his sheepe from the Goates And hee shall set the sheep on his right hand but the Goates on the left Here thou art mingled it may bee thou livest in the same house with a godly man and lyest in the same bed with a godly man but remember a parting time is coming that as the Shepherd parteth the Sheepe from the Goats so doth Christ part the wicked from the godly Thirdly Christs coming againe it is dreadfull to wicked men in regard it shall be the time of the promulgation of thy Sentence A Thiefe in Newgate is a miserable creature a Thiefe at Bar is in a sad condition but a Thiefe when the Sentence of death is past upon him then hee is in a hopelesse condition O thou wicked man at thy dying day thou art a Malefactor but at thy Sentence giving thou art an undone man thou art in a hopelesse condition Fourthly Christs coming it is the time of the reuniting of thy body and soule together and of thy taking possession of Hell when thy body and soule that have been so many hundred yeares parted shall come to meet together and your meeting to bee but a going into Infernall torments this makes the coming of Christ to be a dreadfull coming I but you will say it is true indeed A Felix may tremble when Paul shall Preach to him of Judgement to come but have wee Christians cause of feare Yes you that are Christians in case you bee found under these particulars that I am now naming to you the day of Judgement will be dreadfull to you Christs coming againe to judge the world is not onely a dreadfull Doctrine to a Felix but may make thee a Christian to tremble in these cases First The Doctrine of Christs coming may make men tremble who are guilty of Acts of Oppression and Violence in Courts of Judicature Eccle. 3. 16 17. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of Judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousness that iniquity was there I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time for every purpose and every worke That is to judge every purpose and every worke When God shall come to places of Judgement and places of Judicature and shall say wickednesse is there and shall say bribery is there and the deferring of the cause of the poor is there woe bee to all Oppressions of the poore and grinding their Faces in Courts of Judicature many whereof are Seats of violence and not Courts of Judicature Christ shall come to judge things that men will not judge men will not judge Adulterers but whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Men will not judge men for Heresie but God will judge them Christs coming is dreadfull to all men that live by Oppression and Violence in Courts of judicature Secondly Christs coming to judgement is dreadfull to all them who to save their worldly advantage are ashamed to professe the Gospell of Christ O! Christs coming is a dreadfull time to these In Mark 8. 38. Whosoever therefore shall bee ashamed of mee and of my words in this Adulterous and sinfull Generation of him also shall the Son of man bee ashamed when hee cometh in the glory of his Father with the Holy Angels I pray you marke here are two answers to an Objection in these words First men might say why blessed Jesus who would bee ashamed of thee if Christ were on the Earth wee would never bee ashamed of Christ Therefore Christ addes whosoever is ashamed of mee and of my words though you might not bee ashamed of Christs person yet you might bee ashamed of his words Then men may Object and say why truly if it were a peaceable time a safe time to professe Christ but what when wee live in a wicked place and among a wicked people will not Christ bear with us to hold down our heads a little and to sleep in a whole Skin no saith Christ whosoever shall be ashamed of mee and of my words in this Adulterous and sinfull Generation of him also shall the Sonne of man c.
Let the place bee never so bad thou must not bee ashamed of Jesus Christ and his words if thou beest the Son of man shall bee ashamed of thee when hee comes with the glory of his father Christs coming is dreadfull to all you who are ashamed to professe Iesus Christ in a sinfull and Adulterous age and place wherein you live I shall leave it to you to make Application Thirdly Christs coming to Judgement is dreadfull to all those who spend their dayes in sensuality and ryot Christs coming is terrible to them Luke 21. 34. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Men that live in ryot and excesse and sensuality they doe but pamper their flesh and feed themselves to make themselves a sweeter morsell both for wormes and Devill Christs coming will be a dreadfull time for them Fourthly Christs coming will bee dreadfull to all those who beare not a sincere love to Iesus Christ Wilt thou marke one scripture 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee Anathema Maranatha There is much of Gods mind in this darke expression If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him bee an accursed man that is the meaning of the word Anathema but the other word Maranatha it is a word compounded of two words and it beares this sense Maran signifies a Lord and Atha signifies venit hee comes so then when the Scripture saith hee that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ let him bee an accursed man Let him bee Maran Atha when the Lord Jesus shall come to judge the word let Christ then curse him that doth not love him O then I beseech you thinke this with your selves that all you who doe not beare a sincere love to Jesus Christ when hee comes his coming shall be with a curse a curse to Hell and damnation to all such Fifthly Christs coming will bee dreadfull to all them who doe obstinately refuse subjection and obedience to the Gospell of Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1 7 8. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall bee revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengence on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ Christs coming it wil be in flaming fire to take vengeance on all such Sixthly Christs coming it will be dreadfull to them that doe live and dye raylers against Religion those who scoffe and jeare at godlinesse Christs coming will bee a dreadfull coming to all wicked men Jude 15. To execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him I doe wish it were engraven befere the Eyes of all wicked raylers There is many a rayling Rabshakeh and many a cursing Shimei which hath uttered many a hard speech against the people of God they accuse one man to bee an hypocrite for carrying of a Bible under his Arme another man to bee an hypocrite for shedding a teare in his Sermon O you are the men that Christ will come to execute Judgement upon to convince you of your hard speeches Seventhly to unmercifull men Christs coming is a dreadfull time Iames 2. 13. For hee shall have Iudgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Christs coming to judgement shall bee a time of thy having of judgement without mercy that shewest no mercy In Mat. 25. 41 42 43. Then shall hee say also unto them on the left hand Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divill and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meate I was Thirsty and yee gave mee no Drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke mee not in naked and yee cloathed mee not sick and in Prison and yee visited mee not Austin hath a good glosse upon this Text saith hee If that man shall goe to Hell that will not give another man Bread when hee is an hungry O then to what a hel shal that man go to which takes away Bread from the hungry man And if that man shall go to Hell that will not cloath the naked O then to what a Hel shall that man go to that taketh cloathes off the necessitous mans back And if that man shall goe to Hell that will not visit men that are in Prison O then to what a Hell shall that man goe to that casts godly men into Prison Now beloved I beseech you take heed that you bee not men wanting bowels of mercy towards your distressed Brethren you are to expect judgement without mercy that shew no mercy Eightly to those that live and die in their sinne of uncleannesse and lusts of the flesh Christs coming it will be a dreadfull day to them Therefore you read that God will judge Adulterers hee will judge a Drunkard hee will judge a swearer hee will judge a Sabbath-breaker yet particularly Whoremongers and Adulterers he will judge Heb. 13. 4. But whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge King Henry the 8. was a lascivious Prince and old Latimer sent him a Token a Bible and about the Bible was written whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge it was to terrifie him There is a strange Text 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgement to hee punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse Here is a chiefly for them God will punish every unjust man but God reserves them to the day of Judgement chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse c. Doe I speak to men that may have this chiefly applyed to them O take heed that thou doest not fall under the righteous judgement of God that thou beest not entangled in that sin that will make the Lord judge thee chiefly Ninthly and lastly Christs coming againe is dreadfull to all men who strengthen themselves by popular tumults and insurrections In opposing and destroying of a lawfull Magistracy that have destroyed Judges Rulers Governments it will bee a woefull time to them 2 Pet. 2. 9 10. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of Temptations and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement to bee punished But chiefly them that walke after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse and despise Government Presumptuous are they selfe-willed they are not afraid to speake evill of Dignities Men that under pretence of power and the like shall trample down Rule Government Authority and Dignity the Lord hath another day to judge them that will not bee judged here hee will judge them with a chiefly And thus I have done with the third Doctrine I am now