how do they rejoice and make towards it so faith beholding through the optic glasse of some promisse good things promissed it doth realise the same and rejoice therein Thence it follows and were persuaded of them i. e. they looked upon them as really existent in the promisse as if they had been in possession Yea he addes and embraced them i. e. they as it were hugged them in their armes and solaced themselves in the embraces of them just as a man doth his intimate friend who has been long absent in a remote Gountrie Such a real view did faith give them of those good things promissed and hoped for And O that we could by faith thus realise the coming of our Lord What lively glorious Ideas what ravishing views should we then have of that day 2. The actual looking for the coming of the day of God implies an evident distinct particular view of that day This also is the worke of faith which is not only the substance of things hoped for but also the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meridian noon-day light which gives the most distinct evident particular view of things The Argument or demonstration which makes the conclusion most distinctly evident O! what a distinct evident view doth faith give of the day of God Faith pierceth thorow the objects it lookes upon and so gives a distinct view of them We find a great promisse Oculo ad oculum videre est cominus evidentissime videre Esa 52.8 For they shal see eye to eye when the Lord shal bring again Sion What is it to see eye to eye To see eye to eye is to see most evidently and distinctly Such must be our looking for the coming of the day of God Such an evident distinct view had the believing Galatians of Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 Gal. 3.1 before whose eyes Christ hath been evidently set forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prius depictus fucrat Beza They had such evident distinct particular views of Christ crucified as if his passion had been acted to the life before their eyes Whence it follows crucified among you How was Christ crucified among them Was he not crucifed at Jerusalem which was many hundred miles from Galatia Yes but yet Christ crucified was so lively represented by Pauls Ministerie to their eye of faith as if he had been crucified among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam qui est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad summun usque pervadit Stephanus Such distinct evident particular believing views should we have of the coming of our Lord. Such Paul tels us the Thessalonians had 1 Thes 5.2 For you your selves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night perfectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly accurately as if the day of the Lord had been drawen to the life in their hearts The more distinct accurate particular notice we have of Christs second coming the more we shal hasten towards it and the more efficacious Influence it wil have on our hearts and lives 3. Actually to look for the coming of the day of God implies also dayly to familiarise that day to have familiar acquaintance constant converse with it in our thoughts None look for this great day as they ought but such as oft visit and familiarly acquaint themselves with it in their Meditations This was Pauls manner of conversation as he himself assures us Phil. 3.20 Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven From whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle in the words precedent speaks of some who minded nothing but earthly things But saith he for our part our conversation is in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our manner of life our commerce our state The word in its primary notion signifies a State or Republic or Citie or Societie of people united together as one bodie governed by the same Laws enjoying the same privileges subject to the same Prince or governours and having among them one and the same forme of Governement But this word being taken from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies to walke or converse as Citizens hence also it is used to signifie a conversation or manner of life We may take in both regards 1. Saith Paul our conversation is in Heaven i. e. Heaven is our Citie our State we are governed by its laws subject to its Prince and under the enjoyment of its privileges 2. Our Conversation is in Heaven i. e. the current of our thoughts Inclinations Affections Actions and Manner of life is in Heaven And why so that he addes from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence is referred by some to the whole mater by others to conversation by others to Heaven The difference is not material The sense seems this And truely it s no wonder that our conversation is in Heaven seing we thence expect the coming of our Lord. Is he not our Savior our life and ought we not to live where our life is where should the member be but where the Head is Wil he not ere long come from Heaven and should we not by al manner of Heavenly thoughts and Aspirations go forth to meet him day by day ought we not every hour to send forth holy ejacultions to meet our Lord Whatever you are about you ought to have the coming of your Lord before your eyes Are you plodding and contriving about your worldly affairs Why be sure you lose not the thoughts of your Lords coming Are you in a journey let the thoughts of your Lords coming be your companion Let your first and last thoughts every day converse with your coming Lord. Entertain your hearts frequently with such sacred Soliloquies as these Methinks I hear the last trumpe ever sounding in mine ears Methinkes I see my Lord Jesus coming in the clouds with ten thousands of his Angels Thus we ought to familiarise the coming of the day of God And that more particularly 1 By holy ejaculations O! what frequent ejaculations ought we to send forth towards the coming of our Lord One saving glance towards this day brings life to the soul But oh what familiar converse have they with this great day who dayly send forth multitudes of ejaculations towards it what an Heavenly conversation is this 2. We must familiarise the coming of the day of God by fixed contemplation on it There must be a dwelling of the thoughts on that day by stated and fixed meditation every day The more our thoughts dwel on this day at stated seasons the more familiar it wil be to us 4. Actually to look for the coming of the day of God implies further dayly to wait for it to stand on our
Let your Thoughts and Affections ever worke according to the Dignitie of those objects you expect at the coming of your Lord and your Relation to them Hast thou a clear apprehension of thy Lords approche and some Assurance of an Interest in him O! then how should thy Love by al manner of vehement exercices both of desire hope Joy and satisfaction move towards thy Lord Or doest thou behold the coming of thy Lord but want a prevalent assurance of an Interest in him what an holy awe and filial fear of thy Lord what hatred and Indignation against sin oughtest thou to have 4. Make frequent suppositions of thy Lords Approche and thinke what thoughts thou wilt then have of things Remember with what swift wings time posteth away and Eternitie hastens towards thee Make such suppositions as these What if this night I should hear the midnight-crie Behold the bridegroom cometh how am I prepared to meet my Lord Can I look him with confidence in the face Wil my soul then be able to passe the fiery trial without being consumed 5. Do nothing but what thou wouldest do if the Lord were come This wil give thee much confidence in looking for the coming of thy Lord. They who mesure al their Actions by that day wil not care how soon it come Such as keep their spirits in an absolute submission to the Divine wil both as to doing and suffering are in the fittest posture to entertain their Lord. The reason why the most of men are so averse from looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God is the Irregularitie of their Actions which they know wil not bear the trial of that day 6. Contend daily with invincible Resolution and violent efforts towards the coming of the Day of God Go forward in the strength of the Lord with invincible courage and vigorous activitie to meet your Lord and remember what difficulties you meet with in your way wil be made up in the enjoyments that follow Alas what is it that keeps our souls at such a distance from the coming of the Day of God but the Formalitie and Dâ—â—dnesse of our Spirits in our race Is theâ—e much deadnesse in thine heart whereby thou art hindred in thy race And is there not much life in Christ to quicken thee then adhere to him draw from him of his fulnesse Grace for Grace that thou mayst run with speed the race set before thee Dread a loitering formal spirit as much as Hel. 7. Muse and consider much on the glorious effects which follow the coming of the day of God Remember that thy present thirsty desires wil then be turned into a love of Fruition and complacence How soon wil the Saints present tears be changed into eternal joys O! what an excellent thing is Heaven Doth it not as much or much more excede our present apprehensions as our present apprehensions excede our present enjoyments What are al present enjoyments whether spiritual or temporal but shadows in comparison of those celestial enjoyments Yea al we here enjoy is scarce a picture of that glorious state O! what a blessed day wil that be when the Saints shal leave though not their Natures yet al their imperfections both natural and sinful When al their Spiritual Darknesses Errors and Douts shal end in the beatific Vision of God as he is face to face When al their Rebellions of heart shal end in a perfect conformitie and subjection to the Divine Wil When al their unlawful passions and exorbitant Affections shal end in a regular harmonie and motion when al their Deadnesses in Duties shal end in the most vigorous and lively exercices of al manner of Graces When al their convulsions and terrors of Conscience shal end in complete assurance of Gods Love when al their Distances and Estrangements from God shal end in perfect Union and communion with God When al their troubles disgusts and dissatisfactions in this world shal end in perfect Rest and Satisfaction O! what a glorious blessed Day wil this be How would the serious and lively views hereof by faith fixe the heart in looking for and hastening to the coming of the Day of God 8. Familiarise thoughts of death unto thy soul and never rest satisfied ' til thou hast brought thine heart to a wel-grounded chearful willingnesse to be dissolved None look for and hasten to the coming of their Lord so much as they who daily wait for their change O! how welcome is death when it comes to those who daily look for it Who live better lives than they who continually thinke of death What more effectually engageth men to die unto althings of time than daily expectations of Death They who look for the dreadful hour of Death and Jugement how much do they despise al the dreadful things of this life Remember that death comes not the sooner for your expectation of it But the more you look for it the better prepared you wil be to entertain it when it comes You wil die out of choice not merely from necessitie I shal conclude with a great saying of that holy man Mr. John Rowe p. 124. of his life when he drew near to death why said he should we not be willing to die Christ came from Heaven to Earth to free us from sin and miserie and why should not we be willing to go from Earth to Heaven to be freed from sin and miserie FINIS Books Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock Senior and Junior at the first Shop in Popes-Head-Alley at the three Bibles Who sells all sorts of Divinity-Books c. to Chapmen or others TWelve Books lately published by Mr. Thomas Brooks late Preacher of the Gospel at Magarets New Fish-street 1. Precious Remedies against Satans devices Or Salve for Believers and Unbelievers sores being a companion for those that are in Christ or out of Christ that slight or neglect Ordinances under a pretence of living above them that are growing in Spirituals or decaving that are tempted or deserted afflicted or opposed that have assurance or want it on 2 Cor. 2.11 2. Heaven on Earth Or a serious Discourse touching a well-grounded Assurance of mans everlasting happinesse and blessednesse discovering the nature of assurance the possibility of attaining it the Causes Springs and degrees of it with the resolution of several weighty Questions on the 8. of the Romans 32 33 34 verses 3. The unsearchable Riches of Christ Or Meat for strong Men and Milk for Babes 〈…〉 two and twenty Sermons from Ephes
waiting for their Lords returne Luke 12.36 And ye your selves like unto men that wait for the Lord when he wil returne from the Wedding c. The like Paul Tit. 2.13 Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erasmus and Schmidius take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a transitive active sense and so render it hastening the coming of the day of God namely by your faith prayers and holy affections But because we never find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken transitively but alwaies neutrally in the New Testament I rather incline with Beza Gerhard and our own Version to take it in the later notion and so by understanding the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which kind of Ellipsis is usual not only in the Scripture but also in profane Authors keep to our own Version And then the sense wil be this We ought not only patiently to wait for but also by vigorous acts of faith passionate desires lively hopes and al manner of holy Conversation to hasten towards the coming of the day of God and that according to the Parable of the Wise Virgins Mat. 25.1 and in imitation of the Spouse Apoc. 22.20 3. We are to consider here the connexion of these words with the foregoing Some take these words Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God as a particular explication of the precedent general exhortation to a holy conversation and Godlinesse But we may look on the connexion as causal and so looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God to be not only a part of but also that which has a causal influence on a holy conversation and Godlinesse Wherein Some refer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to the Day immediately precedent and so suppose it to be put according the hebraic Idiome for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which as v. 10. Thus our Version Others think it may more properly be referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The coming and so render it according to its proper construction by which i. e. by virtue of which coming the whole Universe shal be destroyed Thence it follows The Heavens being on fire shal be dissolved He had said v. 10. The Heavens shal passe away with a great noise But now lest any should imagine that the Heavens should be exemted from those commun flames in which the Universe should be involved he here addes that the Heavens also should come under the general conflagration By Heavens we must understand only the Firmament together with those Celestial bodies placed therein not the supreme Heavens or Heaven of Heavens wherein glorified Angels and Saints shal have their Mansions to al Eternitie Lastly he addes And the Elements shal melt with fervent heat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal melt is a metaphoric notion borrowed from waxe which being put into the fire soon melts so Micah 1.4 and the Mountains shal be molten as Waxe before the fire The like Esa 34.4 and al the Host of Heaven shal be dissolved LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which place is parallel to this melting in the Text and includes a dissolution SECT 2. Observations from the Words THe words thus explicated afford several great Observations Doct. 1 As 1. From that first expression But the Day of the Lord wil come we may Observe That there is a great Day of the Lord coming which wil make the stoutest proudest sinner to stoop and tremble and the most afflicted Saints to rejoice Oh! What a great day wil that be when al the great ones of the Earth shal seek to the Mountains and Rocks to hide them from the wrath of the Lambe So Rev. 6.15 And the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bond-man and every free-man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains 16. And said to the mountains and rocks Fal on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shal be able to stand It s possible this may refer to some coming of Christ for the exaltation of his Kingdome in this World yet we may take it as a lively Image of his last coming to Judge the World Wil it not be also a great day when the Lord shal come to give Relaxation and Rest to his troubled Saints as 2 Thes 1.6 7 When al their burdens either of Persecution Tentation or Sin shal be removed When al their tears shal end in joy al their sighs and groans in Halelujahs al their natural infirmities of bodie in perfect Vigor Agilitie Spiritualitie Incorruption and Glorie al their spiritual Ignorances in a perfect Intuition and Vision of God as he is face to face al their troubles of Conscience in perfect peace al their distempers of wil in perfect subjection to the Divine Wil al their exorbitant Affections in a most regular and harmonious motion towards God al their heart-distractions and spiritual deadnesses in duties in a vigorous active uninterrupted exercice of Grace al Church-divisions in perfect union and communion of Saints Oh! What a great glorious and blessed day will this be Doct. 2 2. From that notion As a thief in the night we may note That the second coming of our Lord wil be most unexpected sudden and destructful to the secure World Oh! What a surprise wil it be to secure sinners to behold the Lord of Glorie coming in the clouds to recompense vengeance to them for al their sinful deeds how soon then wil al their fond presumtions and self-flatteries determine in dreadful despair What terrible awakenings wil then scatter al their present dead sleeps How wil al their foolish hopes and groundlesse confidences vanish into smoke and vapor Yea what sudden endlesse and remedilesse destruction wil surprise both bodie and soul As in the days of Noah the secure World was surprised with a sudden and inevitable deluge and that in the midst of al their sensualitie and securitie so our blessed Lord tels us it shal be at his second coming Luke 17.26 30. And as it was in the days of Noah so shal it be in the days of the Son of man c. Doct. 3 3. From what follows In the which the Heavens shal passe away with a great noise and the Elements shal melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the workes that are therein shal be burned up Observe That at the second coming of our Lord the whole frame of Nature and Art shal be dissolved by general flames By the Frame of Nature and Art I understand al corruptible Bodies both natural and Artificial as now constituted I determine not whether this dissolution shal be total as to substance or only partial as to a refinement of Heaven and Earth Though
25.6 And at midnight there was a crie made Behold the Bridegroom cometh The Bridegrooms coming at midnight argueth that our Lords coming shal be when least expected For men at midnight are usually in their deepest sleep So then to look for the coming of the day of God is to look on it as that which wil come when least expected Oh! what a surprise wil it be to slumbering virgins to hear that midnight crie behold the bridegroom cometh Yea how many wise Virgins wil be found slumbering and so not expecting this great day Is it not therefore the dutie of al to look for the coming of the day of God as that of a chief in the night who cometh when least expected 3. We may consider the coming of the day of God in its Consequents which are various but at present we shal mention only two namely the final Jugement and Eternitie and in this regard 1. To look for the coming of the day of God implies a looking for the last Jugement Oh! what a great day wil that be when sin shal no longer go masqued nor Godlinesse disgraced How wil Grace then shine forth in its own native glorie and beautie How wil al the fuel with which men now feed their lusts be then turned into fuel for Hel-fire and stings of Conscience With what an insatiable hunger and thirst wil the sensual glutton and drunkard be then tormented What a vexatious fire wil burne both bodie and soul of the lascivious unclean wretch Wil not every lust then have its proper torment shal not the secure Conscience then be filled with â—morses and stings How wil the avariciâ—s greedy worldling then perish with want What confusion and shame wil surprise the â—â—oud ambiâ—ious man Wil not then the foolish Christian appear to be wiser than the most â—afty politician Shal not the poor believers â—â—le habit shine more than the rich mans scarâ—â—t and glittering robes Wil not the contemt â—f this World be of more value than al the â—reasures of it Shal not the tears of the peâ—itent soul then bring more comfort than al â—he mirth and joy of this world Wil not an â—â—oly life then give more satisfaction than al â—he licentious humors of this life O! what 〈◊〉 glorious day wil the day of Jugement be How wil althings be set at Rights then Shal â—ot every mans work then be made manifest â—â—s 1 Cor. 3.13 Oh! what a glorious manifestation wil there then be made of al the hidden things of darknesse whether good or bad So 1 Cor. 4 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come who both wil bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and wil make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shal every man have praise of God Here the Apostle cals us off from our present uncharitable censures of things secret to a looking for the coming of the day of God and that righteous jugement which shal then be made of the most hidden things Hence it is evident that a great part of our looking for the coming of the day of God consists in our looking for the day of Jugement which wil follow thereon 2. To look for the coming of the day 〈◊〉 God implies a deep fixed regard to Eternitiâ—â— as an essential consequent thereof Eternitâ—â— indeed is a great word But O! how muâ—â— greater is the thing it self How far shoâ—â— are al our Expressions and Affections of Eternitie Had we right notions of that eternaâ—â— state we should not thinke of it without aâ—â— extasie or rapture But alas alas Eternitiâ—â— is too big for our poor shallow apprehensionsâ— How soon are our short capacities swalloweâ— up when we dive into this infinite Abysse anâ— Ocean of Eternitie And yet without a regard to it we neither thinke nor affect noâ— act any thing as we ought Eternitie gives forme and spirit both to the life of Grace and Glorie We had better never be happy than be happy only for a time If those glorified Saints in Heaven were not assured oâ— an Eternitie to be happie in their happinesse for a time would render them the more miserable in the end Time renders althings little or nothing but Eternitie althings great Eternitie sums up al time in formal Being without succession If thou art one moment happy in Eternitie thou art for ever so Take away ten millions of years from Eternitie and you take away nothing Millions of years make not the least moment of Eternitie Cast but an eye on Eternitie and al the goods and ils of time wil appear to be pure nothings Alas how little difference is there between the ils and goods of this life if we regard Eternitie Yea wil not the crosses and sorrows of this life if sanctified appear to be great blessings and unsanctified blessings great curses to one that has an eye of faith fixed on Eternitie He that looks with a steady â—eye to Eternitie wil count his losses in this life for Christ great gains his sorrows mater of â—oy his reproches his glorie his miseries his blessings yea death it self his dore to life Surely they who have Eternitie in their eye can see nothing in this world agreable or great There is no real happinesse or miserie but what is Eternal Hence al that look for the coming of the day of God must also look for Eternitie For without regard hereto the coming of the day of God wil signifie but little Al our thoughts Intentions Inclinations designes Affections and Actions run into Eternitie and subsist there assoon as they have a being wherefore our main worke is to cast an eye of faith after them and oft to consider what account we shal be able to give of them at the coming of our Lord. Faith is great with Child of Eternitie and the more we live by faith in the expectation of Christs coming the more we wil live in the believing views of Eternitie Oh! how little wil althings of time seem to him who has his eye fixed on things eternal So 2 Cor. 4.18 while we look not at things that are seen but at things that are not seen for the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal A sight of things Eternal darkens al the glorie of things temporal So much for the Object SECT 3. The Gospel the Medium through which we by faith look for the coming of the day of God Also the several Acts of faith in looking for Christs coming 3. ANother requisite in natural Vision oâ— Sight is the medium through which we look Now the Medium through which we look for the coming of the day of God is the Gospel and the Promisses thereof Such is the imperfection of our present state as that we cannot see things Divine but in a glasse and that darkely if compared with the intuitive Vision of Saints glorified So 1 Cor. 13.12 But now we see through a glasse darkely but then face to face
which shal be reveled at his second coming is most efficacious to keep the soul in love to God What is al our love to God but the Reflection of his love to us And hence the more the love of God to us is apprehended is not our Love to God the more increased And whâ—n do we apprehend more of the love of God than when we most intently look on the mercie of our Lord at his second coming What more naturally breeds love than the contemplation of the thing beloved And do not al our beloved objects lie wrapt up in the mercie of our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Platonic at his second coming what better preservative can there be of our first love the love of our espousals than to have the second coming of Christ always in our eye Did not our wanton hearts forget Christ our absent husband and his returne were it possible that they could gad abroad so much after other lovers as now they do No No Expectation of Christs second coming would dash out of countenance al adulterous thoughts and wanton dalliances with the Idols of time It would maintain in us pure virgin chast love towards Christ and that upon this ground because it knows that al those that love not our Lord Jesus lie under the most dreadful curse that ever was Thus 1 Cor. 16.22 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha i. e. let him be accursed til the Lord come to pronounce his last doom This curse as we before hinted alludes to the great and terrible excommunication of the Jewish Church which began with the first words of Enochs prophesic so famous among them and mentioned Jude 14 15. The Lord cometh And the Apostles sense seems this That whosoever loves not our Lord Jesus Christ shal be obnoxious to al the Plagues and Miserie denounced by Enoch against ungodly sinners The very apprehensions of this dreadful curse has kept many a poor believer in the Love of Christ What! saith the believing soul are al that love not our Lord under a Maranatha must they indeed remain accursed til our Lord come and thence for ever O! then farewel al other lovers what doest thou mean O my soul by entertaining beloved Idols is not the judge at the dore Must I not give an account for al adulterous glances on this alluring world The soul that always eyes the coming of his Lord carries his picture in its bosome thence is dayly inflamed with love to him as lovers are wont 3. Believing views of Christs second coming worke in the soul an holy fear of God which is another main branch of Godlinesse So in the old Testament the whole of Godlinesse and divine worship is oft exprest by fear And its certain nothing breeds a more reverential fear and awe of God than deep lively expectations of the second coming of our Lord. This seems contained in our Lords exhortation Mat. 10.28 And fear not them which kil the bodie but are not able to kil the soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both bodie and soul in hel As if he had said Alas what mean you by being so solicitous and fearful about your present life ought you not rather to fear your Lord who at his second coming wil destroy both bodie and soul of wicked men This also seems to be the import of Pauls Admonition 2 Cor. 5.11 2 Cor. 5.11 knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we persuade men The terror of the Lord i. e. when we must appear before his jugement fear We persuade men To what why to an holy fear and awe of God The proper affection suited to things terrible is fear and oh what an holy fear of God doth the expectation of that terrible day worke in Believers Were it possible that men could be so regardlesse and fearlesse of God as they are had they but the coming of the day of God more frequent and lively in their eye 4. Spiritual sights of the coming of our Lord have a Soverain influence for the calling off our hearts from al inordinate regard to and love of this present world And oh how much of the power of Godlinesse consists herein Doth not a principal part of the divine life consist in our spiritual death unto and alienation from this dirty world may we count him a Godly man who is drowned head and ears in the cares and concerns of this life Surely true pietie brings a man to a general privation of the goods he doth possesse that so Christ may be al in al. He is the true Godly man who amidst al the comforts of this life admires loves and enjoys nothing greatly but God And oh how much doth a real sight of the coming of our Lord in al his glorie darken the glorie of this fading world and deaden the heart unto it What more effectual to draw off the heart from this lower world than our dayly drawing nigh in thoughts and affections to the coming of the day of God He that looks for a crown at the coming of our Lord wil contemne al the shadows of this lower world Such as are much taken up in the contemplation of that coming world wil not think themselves obliged to give this present temting world one good look or act of love hope and friendship Thus 2 Pet. 3.11 2 Pet. 3.11 Seing then that al these things shal be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be c. As if he had said wil our Lord indeed ere long come to judge the world and shal al the beautie Glorie and excellence of this sensible world be involved in that universal conflagration ought we not then to have our hearts crucified to al these inferior goods suppose a Citizen of London should be assured that within a few days his house should be involved in flames would he thinke ye be at any great charge to adorne or beautifie his house or lay up his choisest treasures and goods therein Would he not rather entertain himself dayly with thoughts of removing elsewhere Just such is our case are we not assured that ere long this visible world wil be in flames about our ears ought we not then to cal off our Affections from it and look out for a Citie which hath foundations Surely this was Abraham's practice Heb. 11.9 10. as we are told Heb. 11.9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promisse as in a strange Countrey dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promisse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut illi quorun vitè vagas plaustra trabuat donos Grot. In tabernacles or moveable houses such as had no firme foundation but were drawen on wheeles here or there as the owners pleased But why did Abraham Isaac and Jacob dwel in tabernacles had they not a promisse of and thence a right unto Canaan where they dwelt
tentations that enter in by smal occasions Oh! how many great Acts of sin have followed on smal tentations what a secret Intelligence hath Satan with the soul by tentations But now serious thoughts of the coming of our Lord have a forcible efficace to dash out of countenance al tentations For every tentation hath its force and taking power from the seeming goodnesse thereof take off its masque and it soon loseth its force And what more effectual to take off the seeming goodnesse of any tentation than lively expectations of our Lords approche The wise man tels us Prov. 14.27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death i. e. an holy fear and awe of God upon the soul is most efficacious to keep the soul from al tentations And what more powerful to keep the soul under such an awe and dread of the holy God than serious expectations of the coming of our Lord The like Prov. 16.6 By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil A soul that lives under an awful dread of that great day dares not entertain secret dalliances and correspondences with Tentations These or such like are the Soliloquies of such an awakened soul Is the coming of the day of God near must I ere long appear before his jugement seat O then away tentation away farewel al eye-pleasing delights farewel Adieu al ye Bastard Gods adieu al your sweet odors are but soul-ensnaring deceits al your flesh-pleasing delices are salted with the curse of Heaven your seeming felicities are but real miseries I owe no suit or service to you no love no confidence no friendship I must not I dare not I cannot entertain longer correspondence with you Lo my Lord he standeth at the dore I wait for him every moment Behold he comes he comes he wil not tarry how may I then yield to your ensnaring allurements Oh! what a prevalent influence have such thoughts as these to put a bar to the most heart-bewitching tentation Thence Paul Ephes 6.13 Eph. 6.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done al to stand There is no part of this spiritual Armor after mentioned v. 14 15 16. but receives force from the coming of the day of God what means having your loins girt about with truth but a prepared posture to meet your Lord Why must you have your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace but in order to your hastening to the coming of the day of God And whence hath the shield of faith wherewith ye shal be able to quench al the fiery darts of the wicked its strength but from our approching Lord So that if you would be able to withstand in the evil day of tentation and after al assaults to stand as conquerors you must ever keep in your eye the coming of the day of God This shield of faith wil quench al the ficry or poisoned darts of Satan O! how triumphant is the crosse of Christ in the hearts of believers over Satan and al his flesh-pleasing tentations so long as they have their eyes fixed on the approches of their Lord What more efficacious to blunt the edge and point of tentation than such contemplations of that glorious day 7. Fiducial expectation of the coming of our Lord has a soverain influence on Sinceritie which is a vital part of Godlinesse Indeed the life of Godlinesse springeth from the spirit of sinceritie and thence according to the mesure of our sinceritie such wil be the mesure of our Godlinesse Sinceritie makes the lowest actions of a Godly man higher in Gods estime than the highest and most glorious actions of rotten-hearted professors He is indeed the Godly man that really and prevalently intendes what he pretendes to be that is loyal to God in Affection as wel as in expression that not only assentes to Christ in jugement but also consentes to him in heart that makes use of the bloud of Christ not only to heal a wounded Conscience but also to kil lust in the heart finally who is never satisfied ' til he arrive to such a plenitude or Bent of wil towards God as al hypocrites come short of This is the Godly man the Scripture describeth And oh What a prevalent Influence hath the serious expectation of Christs second coming on this piece of Godlinesse We find this exemplified in Paul who gives us a confession of his faith Act. 24.15 16. Act. 24.15 and have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shal be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust As if he had said For my part if you wil have the sum of my faith and hope it is this I believe and wait for the coming of the Son of God to jugement And what doth he collect hence v. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God Propter hoc i. e. Propter ban◠fiducian Grot. and towards men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this i. e. by reason of this confidence Oh! saith Paul how doth the real belief and hope of this great day strongly oblige and bind my Conscience to al manner of gracious exercices that hereby I may keep always a Conscience void of Offence toward God and men Now wherein doth a Conscience void of offence toward God chiefly consist Surely in that character of Zacharie and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 And they were both righteous before God walking in al the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse There is a vast difference between being righteous before God and being such before men oft such as seem most righteous in the eyes of men are most unrighteous in the eye of God But now Paul's main worke was to have a conscience void of offence or to appear righteous before God i. e. to be found sincere and blamelesse at the last great day And Oh! what a forcible Influence had the lively thoughts of the coming of his Lord hereon Phil. 1.10 Thus Philip. 1.10 That ye may be sincere and without offence ' til the day of Christ The day of Christ is here brought in not only as the terme but also as a motive and inducement to provoke men unto sinceritie To thinke that we must al ere long appear before the Jugement seat of Christ in our own colors nakedly as we are that there wil be no varnishing or guilding over of a rotten heart in that great day what a mortal wound would such thoughts as these give to our hypocrisie Oh! how wil al mens borrowed colors and paint be then melted away What a number of painted vizards and desguised masques of false hearts wil then be cast into the fire Paul tels us 1 Cor. 3.13 The fire shal trie every mans worke of what sort it is And surely the lively fore-thoughts of that fiery trial would
what a great and terrible day of manifestation wil that be and how doth the forethoughts hereof affect awakened souls What! say such wil my Lord ere long come to judge the World And must al my secret lusts thoughts and actions be then reveled Oh! what mean I then thus to indulge my self in sin What a fool am I thus to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath This was the sum and conclusion of Solomons Sermon Eccles 12.13 Eccles 12.13 14. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole mater fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole dutie of man Solomon here closeth up his experimental discourse touching the vanitie of the creature with this great conclusion which saith he is the whole dutie of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole man i. e. that which concernes the whole man Ay but what doth he ground his exhortation on That follows v. 14. For God shal bring every worke into jugement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil O! saith Solomon remember that al your secret vanitie pride wantonnesses with other lusts shal be brought into Jugement at the coming of our Lord and this consideration wil strongly oblige you to fear God and keep his commandments Upon the like account the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.5 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come who both wil bring to light the hidden things of darkenesse and wil make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shal every man have praise of God As if he had said Alas how comes it to passe that ye are so censorious in judging me at present Are not things now much in the darke can't you tarrie awhile ' til our supreme Judge come who wil then bring to light al the hidden things of darknesse Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.11 12 13. bids them take heed what materials they built on Christ the foundation because every mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shal declare it c. By day we may understand the day of Christ's coming to judge the world which wil be a great day of Revelation and Manifestation You know a clear discoverie of the fact is a necessary antecedent to a righteous jugement And oh what a discoverie wil there be of the hidden things of darkenesse Wil not then al Gods books and records be brought forth and manifested How clearly wil the book of the Law be understood How manifest wil al the records of Conscience be in that day What a World of secret sins wil the book of Gods omniscience then produce How impossible wil it be for any secret hypocrite to concele his sin in that day At present many refined hypocrites have got the Skil and Art of conceling their secret lusts not only from the world but their own Consciences also There are mysteries of Iniquitie and deeds of darknesse which never yet saw the Sun yea which the sinner himself peradventure is not conscious of Ay but sinner how wilt thou be able to concele thy sin at the revelation of our supreme Judge when he shal come and rip open thine heart and bring to jugement al thy secret sins How wil thine heart be able to bear the brightnesse and heat of that fiery trial at our Lords appearing So also in regard of the Saints that day wil manifest al their secret and hidden things of darknesse both good and evil and oh how much doth the consideration hereof influence their hearts and lives in this day of Grace 2. The consideration of Christs coming to judge the world makes our expectation of his second coming very Influential in as much as that day shal be a day of Recompences and Retributions to every man according to his workes In this world we al have our day of labor and worke every man living has some worke which he designes to finish The righteous they worke in the fire of much tribulation that at last they may find refreshment from the presence of the Lord. The wicked they also work and toyl hard in this their day of time Oh! what drudges are they of Satan and every base lust And as both have their working day so also their day of Recompences at the second coming of our Lord. So Luke 14.14 For thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just i. e. at the coming of the day of God When mens labors end their recompences begin 2 Thes 1.6 7. so here as 2 Thes 1.6 seing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shal be reveled from Heaven with his mighty Angels The Revelation of our Lord from Heaven is the day of recompences because then al men cease from their workes of time Neither is it only a day of recompences in general but also of retribution unto every man according to his workes Thus much is implied in that first notion seing it is a righteous thing with God What is the formal notion of a righteous thing but to render unto every one according to his deserts or what is his own Thence also it follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to recompense The word properly signifies to give unto every one according to what he hath done So that should not God recompense unto every one according to his workes he would not be righteous which to conceive of the holy God is no lesse than blasphemie God who is righteous cannot but recompense to al according to their workes else he would not be God So Esa 3.10 Say ye unto the righteous that it shal be wel with him For they shal eat the fruit of their doings 11. Wo unto the wicked it shal be il with him For the reward of his hands shal be given him Rom. 2 5 6 11. Thus Rom. 2.5 and revelation of the righteous jugement of God v. 6. Who wil render unto every man according to his deeds and he gives the reason of al v. 11. For there is no respect of persons with God He respects the person who in jugement respects somewhat which comes not into Jugement When the external qualities or relations of the person are respected which have not relation to the thing This is here stiled by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respect of persons which the Hebrews cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accepting the face this may be no way imputed to the righteous God Thus also 1 Pet. 1.17 And if ye cal one the father who without respect of persons judgeth according unto every mans worke Personom â—espicere diciâ—ur â—ui in judicio aliud r spicit quam â—uod in Jadiâ—ium venit Grot. 2 Cor. 5.10 This Christ wil do The like Jer. 32.19 Thine eyes are upon al the ways of the Sons of men to give every one according to his ways and according to