A Spiritual Antidote Against Sinful Contagion, Treatise 1 · Duty 16 – Duty 18
DUTY XVI.
LOok for the coming of your Lord. He is at the Look for the coming of Christ.door, be ready and prepared; he will come certainly, he will come quickly, he will come personally, he will come gloriously, he will come terribly to the wicked, and comfortably to the godly.
First, Christ will come certainly, and the certainty How Christ will come.of his coming is bottomed upon unalterable grounds, which you should perswade your self firmly of, as a great provocation to an holy life, viz.
1. The immutability of Gods purpose and decree. Five Grounds of the certainty of Christs coming.Christs second coming is concluded of in Heaven. Acts 17. 31. He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. As sure as Christ is risen from the dead, so surely shall he come again: And God hath determined it, and his counsel must stand.
2. The infallibility of his promise. All Gods promises are, Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. Men might fail of their promises, but God will not fail of fulfilling his. Matth. 26. 64. Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven. Joh. 14. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and take you to my self; that where I am, there you may be also.
3. The certainty of his Mercy towards his people.
4. The impartiality of his Justice towards his enemies. Both those you have in 2 Thes. 1. 4, 5, 6, 7.
5. The necessity of clearing of Providence. Now many of Gods providences are dark and obscure; but when Christ comes, we shall see the reason of them: Therefore it is called, The day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Rom. 2. 5.
Secondly, Christ will come suddenly, and to many unexpectedly; and to such, his coming will be very unwelcome, 1 Thes. 5. 2, 3, 4.
Thirdly, Christ will come personally. The very same Jesus that ascended up into glory, will come again. 1 Thes. 4. 6. Acts 1. 11. When God delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt, he sent Moses; but when Christ would deliver his people from sin and Hell, he came himself. And as he came himself to purchase Heaven for us, so he will come himself, and put us into the full and perfect possession of it.
Fourthly, Christ will come gloriously. At his first coming he lay in a Manger; at his second coming he will sit upon the Clouds: At his first coming he came as a Servant, but at his second as the King of Glory. At his first coming he came with the imputation of sin upon him, but at his second he shall come without sin (imputed) unto the salvation of Gods elect, Heb. 9. 28. At his first coming he was judged by men, at his second he shall be the Judge of all men; at his first coming he had but mean attendance; at his second, all the Angels in Heaven shall wait upon him.
Fifthly, Christ will come terribly to all final, impenitent, and unbelieving persons. Many things will strike wonderful terror to the ungodly;
1. The consideration of the Person that comes. Eight things shewing the terribleness of Christs coming to the wicked.It is that Christ whom they did vilifie and disesteem, in preferring the World, and Sin, and Self, before him. When they shall lift up their eyes, and see him, and say, Yonder now comes that Christ that was offered to us to be our Saviour, but we would have none of him. Yonder comes he that did beseech us by his Ministers, and did strive with us by his Spirit, to take him for our Lord; which, if we had done, he would now have been our Saviour; but that we did not, that we would not do: Therefore now shall they wail, because of him; and desire Rocks to fall upon them, to hide them from the presence of the Lamb, that doth now come against them as a Lyon, Revel. 7. & 6. 15, 16, 17.
2. The consideration of the attendants that shall come with him; the holy Angels, many in number, and mighty in power, 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8.
3. The consideration of the separation from the godly. Now they are weary of their company, then they shall have none of it: Now it is their sin that they are weary of it, then it shall be their punishment to be separated from them. The Goats and the Sheep shall then be divided, Matth. 25. 32.
4. The consideration of the Books that then shall be produced; the Book of the Scripture, which now they will not take as their rule to walk by; the Book of Gods Knowledge, in which he recordeth all their sins: the Book of their own Conscience, by which they shall condemn themselves according to the Book of Gods Knowledge, for their not walking according to the Book of Gods Word, Revel. 20. 12.
5. The consideration of the Dreadful Doom that shall then pass upon their guilty Souls; every word of which, will make their ears to tingle, and their hearts to ake. Oh that they would now consider it, and get from under the dreadfulness of it! Oh that such would sometimes read their sentence, recorded Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. They now say to Christ, Depart from us; and Christ will then say to them, Depart from me. Oh Lord! whither must they go, that must depart from thee? that is, from Mercy, from Happiness; and yet must not be blest before they go, but must go with curses upon their heads: But it must not be into some place of Rest and Joy, but into fire; and where they shall have no better company, then Devils and damned Fiends. This will be terrible.
6. The consideration of the expectants, that is, the Devils waiting for their commission to drag them from the Bar of God, to eternal flames, when they are condemned to the place of execution. Oh foolish sinners, that will please and gratifie the Devil now, that will torment them hereafter! Is this the wages for their service? Did you serve him so heartily, and doth he now torment you so severely? Would it not have been better for you, if you had received Christ into your hearts, that would have saved you? But it is too late.
7. The consideration of the names of the day of Christs coming, will make them tremble: It is called,
First, The Day of Wrath. Now is the day of his patience and forbearance, but that the day of wrath, Revel. 6. 16, 17.
Secondly, The notable day of the Lord; it will be the most notable day that ever came; it will be notable for many things. Never such a noted day, especially for justice to the wicked, Acts 2. 20.
Thirdly, The day of damnation; the day of great damnation. Every day is a day of damnation to some Soul or other, that depart this life in their sins; but the day of Christs coming, is the day of the great damnation, when all the innumerable sinners shall be damned together, 2 Pet. 3. 7.
8. The things that shall then be produced against them, and laid to their charge, shall make this a terrible day unto the wicked. All their abominations, their open sins, their drunkenness, and oaths, and prophanation of Sabbaths, their secret sins what they did in hidden places, shall then be published before Angels, Men, and Devils. Oh what cause have you to bless God, that you are none of these, in all the burdens you groan under in this life! Let this revive you, when Christ comes, you shall not be condemned. Though now you may fear the Plague, yet to allay those fears, think of your exemption from this great condemnation at the day of Christ: That though you might fall by the Plague with them into the Grave, yet you shall not fall with them into Hell.
Sixthly, Christ coming will be comfortable to the godly. Christs Disciples did sorrow when he went, but they shall rejoyce when he comes again; the parting of friends causeth sorrow, but their meeting causeth joy. Oh solace your Souls with the thoughts, that Christ will come again. Tell me
1. Can you think who it is that will come, Six things make Christs coming, comfortable to the godly.and not rejoyce? Is it not that Christ that died for you? Is it not that Christ that bled, and was crucified for you? Is it not that Lord, in whom you have believed, whom you have obeyed? is it not your Redeemer? Your Elder Brother, your Husband, your King, your Friend? Oh can you think of the coming of an earthly friend after his long absence, and rejoyce; and not when you think of the coming of the best friend that you ever had?
2. Can you think of the attendants that come along with him, and not rejoyce? Those Angels that have rejoyced at your conversion, will surely then rejoyce at your perfect salvation. Those Angels that now God chargeth with you, to keep you from the Plague, Psal. 91. 10, 11, 12. shall then gather you with the rest of Gods elect, and set you in the presence of your Lord. Those Angels that are now Ministring Spirits for your good in this World, shall take care for you at the end thereof.
3. Can you think of the sentence of absolution, that your loving Lord will openly pronounce, and not rejoyce? It is questioned by some, Whether the sins of Gods people shall be mentioned at the day of Judgment? But I am sure they shall be pardoned. Of that, there is no question. Oh the reading of that sentence, is now sweet unto my Soul; it is of greater worth then thousands of Gold and Silver: Take your Bible and seriously view, and think, What now you read, you shall hear one day from the mouth of your Lord. Matth. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit a Kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the World. Oh blessed words! Oh reviving sentence! Oh what food is here to feed upon! The words are plain, but full of comfort. Lord, who can do otherwise then rejoyce, to whom thou shalt hereafter call to come unto thee: Thou callest me now to come unto thee, and thou wilt call me hereafter to come unto thee. Oh Friend! do you obey Christs call now, and you shall have his invitation hereafter unto glory. Do you now cry to Christ, to come into your heart, and he will call to you to come into his Kingdom: Then he will pronounce you blessed, though now the world might account you miserable and unhappy. And will this be a Word without a thing? Must you not be blessed indeed? When you shall inherit a Kingdom? a heavenly, everlasting, holy Kingdom?
4. Can you think of the compleatness of the glory that then you shall have, and not rejoyce? Your Soul shall have possession of this Kingdom at your Dissolution; but not your Body, till the Resurrection. But what this happiness will be, I cannot tell, nor no man else; so saith the Apostle, 1 Joh. 3. 2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be; onelyonly we know when he appears, we shall be like him. Like him? Oh who would not be like him now in grace and holiness, that he may be like him then in happiness and glory?
5. Can you read the name this day is called by, and not rejoyce? Why it is called the day of refreshing, Acts 3. 19. The very name doth tell you what that day will be to Believing Souls. You have now tiersome and wearisome days, but that will be a refreshing day unto you: You have had some refreshing times upon the Earth. A Sabbath day hath been a refreshing day unto your Soul; but then you shall have such refreshments you never did experience before, in such measure and degree.
6. Can you think of the priviledges of that day, and not rejoyce? then shall your sincerity be manifested, though now you might be censured for Hypocrisie, 1 Cor. 4. 3, 4. Now you are full of spots and sins, incident to Gods Children; but then without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, Ephes. 5. 27. Then you shall be approved by God, Christ, Angels, and Saints; then you shall be fully rewarded; your enemies, sin, Satan, perfectly subdued. Oh look, wait, long for the coming of your Lord. Read Tit. 2. 15. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Phil. 3. 20, 21. Revel. 22. 20.
DUTY XVII.
BE much in the meditation of the life to come, Meditation, especially of Heaven.and the glory that shall be revealed at the coming of Christ. Often think how sure Heaven is unto Believers; how near it is to dying Believers. For ought you know, that do believe, you may be in Heaven before to morrow. Oh what will it be, for to be freed from all
1. Afflictions from God.What we shall be freed from in Heaven.
2. Molestations from Men.
3. Temptations by the Divel.
4. Inclination to Sin.
5. Possibility of Sinning.
6. All doubts and fears, or complaints of Gods withdrawing. Oh what will it be to have commounion with God! That shall be
First, Immediate without the help of Ministers What enjoyment of God we shall have in Heaven.and Ordinances.
Secondly, Uninterrupted, or without intermission: No heats and colds in Heaven.
Thirdly, Perfect; to have your heart as full of God, as you can contain; to do nothing else, but love God, and delight in him; to see Christ, and the Prophets, and Apostles, and your Friends with whom you prayed and suffered with upon the Earth.
DUTY XVIII.
BE much in Fastings and Prayers in the Communion Solemn Humiliation.of the Saints. Extraordinary judgments call aloud for us to cry aloud to God. Bring your Bucket to quench this fire of Gods wrath that is kindled, which waxeth hotter and hotter every week. Have you added to the sins, and will you not add to the tears that are shed? Will you not stand or lie betwixt the living and the dead, that the Plague may be staid? Let these things move your hearts to engage in this work.
1. Shall we sin extraordinarily, and shall we Seven Arguments to solemn Fasting and Prayer.not fast and pray extraordinarily? We have committed mighty sins, Amos 5. 12. Now let us send up a mighty cry to God in fervent Prayer: The cry of our sins hath reached unto Heaven, and shall not the cry of our Prayers?
2. Shall God punish us with extraordinary judgments, as the Plague is, and shall we not pray and fast extraordinarily? when we feel the smart of Gods Rod, it is a seasonably time for such duties.
3. Do not visited Families cry aloud to you, to pray with extraordinary Prayer unto God? Methinks the language of many Families that are sick, where God is making breach upon breach, is. Oh you that are well, pray to God for us. How many do bespeak your Prayers, and will you fail them?
4. Do you not pray for your own security, when you pray for the common good of the City, and the Kingdom? Is not your welfare wrapped up in the welfare thereof? Will not you your self be in less danger, if the Plague should stay?
5. What will you do for dying men, if you will not pray mightily for them? Do you see men dying by thousands, and will you not pray to save their lives? You cannot do less for them, and yet you cannot do more for them.
6. Doth not the Publick Authority command you to fast and pray, and will not you do it? Do not your lawful Magistrates, call upon you to this duty, and will you then neglect it?
7. Have you not more leisure for this duty then formerly? In time of health your hands were full of trading; but is it so now? The less time your Trade takes up, the more improve time in extraordinary Prayer.