Exposition of 2 Thessalonians, Exposition · Chapter 1 · Verse 9
VERS. 9.
Who ſhall be puniſhed with euerlaſting deſtruction from the preſence or face of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power.
SPecification of the vengeance: where are 1. The Hotneſſe of it, deſtruction. 2. The continuance, Euerlaſting. 3. The worker or meane inflicting, the Face of the Lord and the Glory of his power.
1. Deſtruction: vnderſtand, not an aboliſhing of their being. Oh how ſhall they wiſh they had neuer bin, or had bin bruits, or might ceaſe to be, when the day of that vengeance commeth. Rather of their well-being. Non eſt vita vinere, ſed bene viuere. Nor is it worth the name of being, to be miſerable: ſo miſerable, as to liue a dying life, to dye a liuing death.
2. Euerlaſting: their miſerie ſhall hauehave no end. Their worme dieth not; their fire neuer goeth…out: the fire is vnquenchable and euerlasting. Mar. 10.43, 44. Mat. 3.12. & 25.41, 46.
Reaſons, 1. That ſo in endurance, ſith it will not be in weight, there may be proportion betwixt their puniſhment and ſinnes, wherewith they hauehave violated that endleſſe Maieſtie.
2 They ſinned in aeterno ſuo: Its iuſt therefore they ſhould be puniſhed in aeterno Dei.
3 Their deſires to ſinne were infinite, endleſſe: they would liue euer, that they might ſinne euer.
4 Their impenitencie is endleſſe: obſtinacie of will in euill, is one of the ſinfull penalties of the damned.
Ʋſe Millenaries erred through too much pietie, and miſtake of ſome Scriptures; when they promiſed, ſome, to very Pagans and Diuels; others, to impenitent Chriſtians, releaſe from their Hell-torments. But fooles, may I tearme them, or mad men amongſt vsus? who hearing daily, and profeſſing to beleeue, what we teach of extremitie and eternitie of Hell-torments, yet to enioy the momentanie pleaſures of ſinne, willingly depriue themſelues of that eternall hyperbolicall weight of Glorie; yea deſperately plunge body and ſoule into euerlaſting paine. Oh conſider you that forget God; if yeares, as many as there are ſtarres in the skie; millions of yeares, as many as there are ſands by the Sea ſhore, might bring end to the paine, yet there were hope: But when eternitie ſhall be added to extremitie of the Torment, the Recouerie is hopeleſſe: Whom ſhould not theſe terrors pierce?
3 From the preſence of the Lord, &c. At firſt ſound, the words ſeeme to intimate the good, ſuch are depriued of: the preſence of Chriſt, and fruition of his Glorie: and may be conceiued to import that paenam damni, as its called, their loſſe and depriuation of eternall beatitude, which they ſuffer, whoſoeuer know not God, or diſobey the Goſpell. But attentiuely conſidered, rather ſignifie the cauſe, or meane inflicting their vengeance: I he very looke or face of Chriſt: His power, the glorie or excellencie of his power eaſely procures it. yApoc. 6.15, 16Hide vsus, they crie, euen Potentates, from the face of the Lambe: ſo terrible and full of Maieſtie ſhall be his ſecond appearing: with ſuchzSee Pſa 2.9. eaſe, euer with his looke, ſhall they be tumbled downe together into the bottome of Hell.
Vſe.What meanes the inſolencie of the mightie, the guilded Potſheards of the earth, to looke and ſpeake ſo big? why triumph they ouer the Impotent? how dare theya1 Cor. 10.22. prouoke the Lord? Are they ſtronger then he? HaueHave they forgotten who ſaid, hee that is higher then the highest regardeth, and there be higher then they? Eccl. 5.8. You that pride your ſelues in your frowne, and call it your glorie, that multitudes tremble at your preſence; ſuffer the thought to put an appall to your pride, and power, and pompe; that there is a countenance at which Angels tremble; a power, to which Seraphims ſtoope; a preſence ſo maieſticall; a face ſo full of glorie, before which you muſt ſtand to be iudged, whoſe very frowne can caſt bodie and ſoule into hell fire. I ſay as Dauid, tremble and ſinne not, Pſal. 44.