A Discourse of Christs Second Coming, Title page – Dedication
A DISCOURSE OF Chriſt's Second Coming, AND The Purging of his Kingdom. In Two SERMONS on
Matth. xiii. 41.
Th… Son of Man ſhall ſend forth his Angels, and ſhall gather out of his Kingdom all things that …ffe…d, and them that work Iniqui…y.
By SAMƲEL TOMLYNS, A. M. Preacher of the Goſpel at Marleborough.
LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide, near Mercer's Chapel, 1695.
FOR MY Much Honoured Friend Sir William Aſhurſt, Knight; Alderman of the City of LONDON.
YOU were lately ſo ſignally Inſtrumental in Reforming the Manners of the City of London in your late Mayoralty, that I have thought it proper to dedicate to you this ſmall Treatiſe concerning Chriſt's purging and cleanſing his Kingdom from all ſcandalous Perſons and Workers of Iniquity. It is a great Reproach to Chriſtianity that ſo many pretend to it, that enervate in Principles, contradict and ſubvert its great Deſigns. How uncomely is it to be Clay Members, under a Golden Head; for carnal Creatures to claim Relation to a ſpiritual and heavenly King? God promiſes to lay all Sion's Borders with pleaſant Stones, Iſa. 54.12. Sanctius in his Commentary conceives, the Holy Ghoſt alludes to thoſe Stones that did divide and diſtinguiſh one Man's Land from another, in a common Field: And ſo this great Truth it taught by this Promiſe, That the Church and its true and genuine Children ſhould be diſtinguiſhed from the reſt of the world, not by ordinary and common things, but by pleaſant and precious Stones. It is the precious and ſaving Knowledge of God in Chriſt, precious Faith in him, a precious Divine Nature received from him, that puts a difference between the Church and the World. Notin… and Speculative Knowledge, a cold and barren Profeſ…es, a Form of Godlineſs, a Name to live, a Lamp of Pr…eſion, are low and mean things to diſtinguiſh between t… Church and the World. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt will … ly appear, and ſit on the Throne of his Glory: it … then brand Perſons with eternal Infamy and Ignominy, … be diſowned as no Members, to be diſclaimed as no S… jects of Jeſus Chriſt, to be plucked up as Tares; to be … away as droſs, caſt away as bad Fiſh, and winnowed any as Chaff, to be found ſuch as have lied to Jeſus Chri… and have woefully cheated and deceived their own S… It concerns us therefore to look well to it, that we experience the Fellowſhip of Chriſt's Sufferings, and know … power of his Reſurrection, Phil. 3.10. Theſe are … i… portant and moſt neceſſary things, to have our Luſts killed, and our Souls quickned; Rom. 6.5, 6. Col. 3.1. Rom. 6.13. 1 Pet. 2.24.to have our Old Man nailed to the Croſs of Chriſt, the the Body of Sin may be deſtroy'd, that a may no more ſerve Sin, and to be pl…d in the likeneſs of Chriſt's Reſurrection…, ſo that we riſe with him, yield our ſelve to God as thoſe that are alive from the dead, live … Righteouſneſs, and ſeek the things that are above; ſ… Chriſt will recognize us as his Members, and acknowledge us as his Subjects, and we ſhall not be turned out of the Houſe of God, but ſtay and abide in it for ever, and when others burn with the Tares in the Furnace, we ſeal ſhine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of our Father. If this ſmall Treatiſe may contribute any thing to your ſpiritual Good, and eternal Salvation, it will be very greatful and acceptable to
June 1…th. 1695. Your Affectionate, And Humble Servant; Samuel Tomlyns.