The Absolute Necessity of Spiritual Husbandry, Discourse 1
2 Theſ. 1.7, 8.
And to you who are troubled, reſt with us, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels,
In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
IN theſe two Verſes, there are ſeveral weighty Truths, 1. A Benefit that will be beſtowed on Suffering Chriſtians, God will render Reſt to thoſe that are Troubled. And Paul applies this ſweet Truth to himſelf; he puts in for a ſhare, and claims an Intereſt in it, Reſt with us. 2. We have the Time when this Benefit ſhall be beſtowed; it is when the Lord Jeſus ſhall be Revealed from Heaven. The full Deliverance of the Oppreſſed Saints, is Suſpended till the Revelation of Chriſt; he ſhall then do Right to the Oppreſſed, and execute Vengeance on the Oppreſſors: It is but reaſonable, that the Reſt of the Members ſhould depend on the Reſt of their Head, Pſal. 45.3, 4. Chriſt is now deſired to gird his Sword on his Thigh, and to ride proſperouſly on the word of Truth and Righteouſneſs. And Chriſt is ſet forth by one riding on a white Horſe, with a Bow in his Hand, and he went forth Conquering, and to Conquer. The Church is compared to the Horſes in Pharaoh's Chariot, Cant. 1.9. becauſe by her Miniſters ſhe draws the Spiritual and Victorious Chariot of Chriſt through the World. Though Chriſt hath a Reſt, as to his Perſon, in Heaven, and is above the reach and rage of his Enemies, yet he is contending with, and fighting againſt his Enemies: He is winning the Hearts of his Elect, and gathering them into his Kingdom; and he is breaking his Enemies to pieces, and putting them under his Feet, 1 Cor. 15.25, 26. but at laſt Chriſt will perfect, and finiſh his Work. He will appear as a Glorious and Triumphant Conqueror, as one that hath won the Field, and gained the Day: He will ſit on the Throne of his Glory, Matt. 25.31. This implies a perfect Reſt; he ſhall fight, and make War no more, his People ſhall enter into his Palace, Pſal. 45.14, 15. and ſit down with him in his Throne, Pet. 3.21. and his Enemies ſhall be adjudged to Tormenting Fire, and be ſhut up in an Eternal Priſon. 3. We have the Company that ſhall wait on Chriſt at his Appearing; he ſhall come with his mighty Angels. 4. We have the terrible manner of his Appearance, it ſhall be in flaming Fire. Chriſt is perfectly Holy and Righteous; he can appear in flaming Fire, yet not be hurt by it, or ſuffer any thing from it. This Fire will be hurtful to Chriſt's Enemies, but harmleſs to himſelf. He that appeared at firſt as the Day ſpring from on high, comfortably to direct ſtraying Souls into the way of Peace: He that ariſes to thoſe, that fear God's Name, as a Sun of Righteouſneſs, with healing under his wings, Mal. 4.2. will now be revealed in flaming Fire, to puniſh obſtinate Rebels. They that have refuſed, and rejected Chriſt as a refining fire, Mal. 3.2, 3. ſhall now, to their coſt, feel him to be a conſuming fire. He that once appeared incompaſſed with beams of Love, ſhall now a ſecond time appear ſurrounded with flames of Wrath. 5. We have the end of Chriſt's Revelation, or why he will appear; it is to render Vengeance. It is in the Greek, foreign, giving Vengeance. O how dreadful and terrible a Gift is this! He that is God's Almoner, to diſtribute God's Alms of Mercy to poor penitent begging Sinners, will have no other Gift to beſtow on impenitent, and unbelieving Souls, but Vengeance. It is ſaid vengeance belongeth to me, and I will recompence, Heb. 10.30. Though to the Penitents and Believing, it is ſaid, To the Lord belongeth Mercy, yet, as to obſtinate Sinners, Vengeance belongs to God. Puniſhment is a juſt Debt belonging to the Wicked, therefore it is ſaid that God will repay Fury to his Adverſaries, Iſ. 59.18. he will render his Anger with Fury, and his Rebukes with Flames of Fire, Iſ. 66.15. Paul charges Chriſtians to render to all their one, Rom. 13.7. ſo Chriſt will render to hardened Sinners their due. Sinners owe God glory, to be raiſed out of their Miſery and Eternal Torments: They will ſtill be making Reſtitution, yet never will be able to make Satisfaction to God: they will to Eternity be in debt to God, there will ſtill be an Arrear of Wrath, a Debt of Vengeance due to them; and this Vengeance will come immediately from God and Chriſt. From God's angry frowning Face, 2 Theſ. 2.8. from his puniſhing Hand, Heb. 10.31. his angry breath will blow up the Fire that ſhall torment them, Iſaiah 30: laſt. The weighty Feet of Chriſt, as fine Braſs, will bruiſe and cruſh Sinners as Grapes of Galls, as bitter Cluſters, when he ſhall tread the Wine-Preſs of the Fierceneſs and Wrath of Almighty God, Revel. 1.15. Rev. 14.15. 6. On whom ſhall this Vengeance be Executed? It is on thoſe that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus. This is an extenſive comprehenſive Vengeance, it will reach the whole corrupt and unregenerate World. It is ſaid that the Gentiles knew not God, 1 Theſ. 4.5. and there are too many in the Viſible Church that do hate Knowledge, Prov. 1.29. and that through deceit, do refuſe to know God, Jer. 9.6. leſt Light ſhould diſcover their Deformity, awaken their Conſciences, diſturb their Carnal Peace, obſtruct and imbitter their Senſual Pleaſures, and Carnal Delights; therefore Chriſt Taxes and Cenſures the whole Unconverted World as guilty of Ignorance, O Righteous Father, the World hath not known thee, John 17.25. Thoſe that obey not the Goſpel, ſhall be the Objects of Chriſt's Wrath, the Subjects of his Vengeance, where the Light of the Goſpel hath ſhined, where the Hands of Wiſdom have been ſtretched out; where Men have been beſeeched to be reconciled to God, have been wooed to be Eſpouſed to Chriſt, but yet have cloſed their Eyes againſt the Light, Matth. 13.15. and have ſtopped their Ears againſt the Call of the great Shepherd, and the Voice of the Bleſſed Bridegroom; theſe ſhall have the heavieſt Puniſhment, and the hotteſt Hell.