Christs Certain and Sudden Appearance to Judgment, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
3. THe third thing proved, is to shew that the Lord Iesus Christ will quickly appear, that is, 1. He will come within a short time. 2. He will come suddenly and unexpectedly, when he doth appear.
1. Christ will come quickly, that is, within a short time. Heb. 10. 37. Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. He that shall come will come, there is the certainty of his coming, and yet a little while, he will come, and will not tarry, there is the speediness of his coming. The Lord is at hand, Philip. 4. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh, Iames 5. 8. The Iudge standeth at the door, vers. 9. The end of all things is at hand, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Therefore out dayes are called the last dayes. 2 Tim. 3. 1. And upon us the ends of the world are come, 1 Cor. 10. 11. We live in the end of the World, in the last dayes, in the old age thereof. The World hath as it were three ages, the youth, the middle age, and the old age; the Youth of the World was from the creation to the Flood; the middle age from the Flood to the first coming of Christ; the old Age from the first coming of Christ, to the second coming, the old age and last dayes of the World began in the Apostles time, now many of them are spent, and we are come not only to the declining years, but also to the decrepit age of the World; and if the Lord Jesus Christ were to come shortly in the dayes of the Apostle, much more shortly will he come now, when so many years are past since the Scripture was writ, and these things foretold.
If any should doubt of the certainty of Christs appearance, because the Scripture speaks of the speediness thereof, as if Christ had been in those dayes presently to come, and yet above sixteen hundred yeares are past, since the promise was made.
I answer, that the Apostle Paul who in his first Epistle to the Thessalenians spake of Christs coming, as if it might be in his time, 1 Thess. 4. 16, 17. The Lord himself will descend from Heaven with a sho…t, &c. And the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up in the Clouds, &c. The same Apostle tells the Thessalonians in his second Epistle, Chap. 2. 3. Tha… the day of the Lord should not come, till there was … falling away, and the Man of sin should be revealed, &c. And vers. 7. That there was then a lett to the Revelation of the Man of sin, which was th… Heathenish Romane Empire, which lett was not likely in haste, neither was removed till some hundred of years after; and therefore it is eviden… from that place, that the coming of the Lord was not to be until several ages after the writing of the Scriptures. This may be sufficient to give satisfaction concerning the length of time, since the Scripture tells us that the Lord Jesus would quickly appear.
If any profane Mockers shall scoff at this answer, and say, where is the Promise of his coming? Do not all things remain as they were since the Creation? Do not the Sun, and Moon, and Stars keep their constant course? And what likelihood of the darkning of the Sun, and falling of the Stars, and the passing away of the Heavens with a great noise? Is not the Earth established upon sure foundations, and what likelihood of moving it and burning it, with the works which are upon it? and if Christ would have come so quickly, would not he have been here before now? I answer,
1. That the Apostle Peter foretels, that in the last days such scoffers should arise. 2 Pet. 3. 3, 4.
2. That all things are not as they were from the Creation, for the World in the time of Noah was drowned with the Flood, Noah only excepted, and those which were with him in the Ark; surely there was a great transformation of things in that age, vers. 5, 6.
3. That by the same word of command, whereby the old World was drowned with Water, by the same Word, the World that now is shall be burned with Fire at the day of Iudgment and perdition of the ungodly, vers. 7.
4. That though many hundred years be p…st since the promise, that the Lord would come quickly, yet there is not a failure, in regard of God; for though the time be long, in regard of our account, who are of so short continuance; and time seems tedious to us, because of the miseries of our short life; yet in regard of the eternal God, the time is but short, for in his sight a thousand years is but as one day, and by that account there are not yet two dayes past since the promise. vers. 8.
5. The reason of Gods protracting this appearance of Jesus Christ to Judgment, is for our sakes; it is from his long-suffering to us-ward, that hereby he might lead us unto repentance, vers. 9. The Lord hath a number to be called, some of which may be unborn, others not yet newborn, but scattered amongst the wicked; but when the Elect are all called, and perswaded to repent, and believe, and are gathered into Gods Family, I doubt not but the Lord Jesus Christ will be here immediately. The Lord Jesus surely now will come within a short time; the certain time of his appearance is unknown, Matth. 24. 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no Man, no not the Angels, but the Father only; this is a secret which God hath locked up in his own breast, it is written in the Book of this Decree, and however other things are revealed and unfolded to Men, yet the leaf where this is written is folded up and sealed, so that none can read it; yet surely it cannot be long before the mystery be finished, and Christ be revealed from Heaven; yet a little while and he will be here, he stands at the Door, and the Door will quickly be opened, and then he will make his appearance.
2. The Lord Jesus Christ will come quickly, that is suddenly, and unexpectedly, especially in regard of the ungodly World. The day of the Lord will come as a s…re upon all them that dwell on the face of the whole Earth: L…ke 21. 34, 35. And sudden destruction will then come upon the wicked, as pains on a Woman with Childe: 1 Thess. 5. 3. The Lord will come in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye: 1 Cor. 15. 52. As lightning cometh out of the East, and shineth unto the West, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be: Matth. 24. 27. Further, this coming of the Lord Jesus is set forth in Scripture.
1. By the coming of a Thief in the night, Rev. 16. 15. Behold I come as a Thief: 1 Thess. 5. 2. For your selves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a Thief in the night: 2 Pet. 3. 10. The day of the Lord cometh as a Thief in the night, in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise, &c. The Lord will not come like a Thief, in regard of any wicked purpose and design; but he will come like a Thief, in regard of the suddenness and unexpectedness of his coming. Men do not think of, they do not know of, they are not aware of, they do not desire the coming of Thieves: so the Lord will come at a time, which Men do not know of, when they do not think of it, whe… they are not aware of it; and he will be more unwelcome at his second appearance to the greatest part of the World, than a Thief, who comes suddenly in the night, and breaks in upon their Houses, to steal their goods, and take away their lives; when the Lord Jesus shall suddenly unfold the Doors of Heaven, and come down in his glory, and summon the wicked to Judgment, how will they start, and be affrighted out of their deep sleep of security, and be filled with horrour and amazement!
2. Christs coming is set forth by the coming of a Bridegroom at midnight, in the Parable of the ten Virgins, Matth. 25. 6. At midnight there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go yee forth to meet him. The Virgins were all asleep, the wise as well as the foolish, they did not expect the Bridegroom at that time; the coming of Christ will be sudden and unexpected, as to the particular time unto his own Disciples; yet they will quickly arise, and trim their Lamps, and receive him with joy, when the Lamps of the foolish Virgins, for want of Oile, will go out, and they shall be shut out of the Bride-chamber of Heaven for ever.
3. Christs coming is set forth by the coming of the Flood upon the old World, and Noah's entering into the Ark: Luke 17. 26, 27. And as it was in the dayes of Noah, so shall it be in the dayes of the Son of Man; They did eat, they drank, they married Wives; they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and the Flood came and destroyed them all. The old World was very licentious, and secure in the dayes of Noah; though universal ruines and destruction were so neer, yet it being a thing which was unseen, they did not expect it, nor take any care to prevent it. It is said of Noah, Heb. 11. 7. That by faith being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, he prepared an Ark to the saving of his house: By faith he knew that the Flood would come, when there was no appearance of it, nor possibility, in regard of the ordinary way of the working of second causes; he believed it, because God who could effect it, and who cannot lie, had foretold it; and therefore he prepared, according to Gods direction, this great Vessel, to defend himself and Family, and some living Creatures of every kinde, against the Waters, which he foresaw were coming upon the Earth; but the ungodly World, having no eye of faith, could not discern this unseen thing; it is most likely they heard often of it by Noah, who was a Preacher of righteousness; but they did not believe it, therefore they did not expect it, nor fear it, nor prepare for it: they are, and drank, and slept, and sin'd as if no such thing had been coming upon them: It is likely, when they saw Noah build the Ark, such a large and capacious Vessel, on the dry Land, that they scoffed at him, and accounted him no better than a madman, as we should do a Man that should build a Ship on the top of a Mountain, and expect that Waters should come up thither, and waft it away.
But when the dayes of a hundred and twenty years, which the Lord had appointed the old World to continue, after his threatning of their destruction, were expired; when the decree had brought forth, and the year of Gods recompence was come, and the day of his fierce anger, wherein he sent the Flood upon the Earth, O the terrour and amazement which did surprize the secure sinners of the World at that time! when the Windows of Heaven were opened from above, out of which God looked forth upon sinners, with such a furious countenance, and poured forth his anger in such streames of water; and the Fountains of the great deep were opened from beneath, and the Flood began to arise, and lift up the head, and swell about them; when the Valleys were filled with running Waters, and the Plains were covered, as if they had been a Sea; when this enemy did combine so many Forces together (having a Commission from God to destroy) and strengthned it self on every side, and environed these rebellious sinners round about, and assailed them in every quarter; when not only smaller Cortages were overturned, but also the streames brake in with irresiftible force upon the strongest and greatest edifices; when great Doors were lifted off of their hinges, or broken to pieces, and the Water (like a Thief) climbed in at the Windows, and roaring all about with a hideous noise, pursued those which fled from it, following them up stairs, even to the highest room until it had overtaken them, and devoured them without mercy; think what a hurry and affright the World was in at that time; how every one shifted for himself, if possible, to preserve himself from the fury of this Conqueror; how they forsook the lower grounds, and flocked together to the Hill-Countreys in great haste, leaving their substance behinde them, with a sad heart; how they were drenched with the Rain from Heaven, and wet to the skin as they went along, and scarcely were able to take breath, the stormes was so impetuous about them; and when they perceived the Flood to beset the highest Mountains, (whither some of them were fled, and upon the top of which some of them had climbed, hoping (it may be) that they had got unto an inaccessible place) & that the billows were mounting towards them; & now the whole World seeth their death and ruine to be inevitable, that there was no contending with, no resisting or flying from these armed Waters, which God had sent to execute his vengeance upon them for their sins; we may imagine something of the horrible perplexitie of their mindes: O how did they look one upon another, when such a judgment as this was come upon them, which they never looked for! how did they speak! how did they weep! how did they cry and shreek! what distress was there then upon all Nations, and how did their hearts fail them, and sink within them through fear, when they looked upon the flood that was come upon the earth; when they heard the winds blowing, and waves roaring, and saw no way of escaping? Then they which had heard Noah foretell and threaten them with this judgment, too late believed the truth of his words, which before they did not regard; then they which had seen Noah build the Ark, and had accounted him no better than mad, were convinced of their own folly and madness, that they did not with him take some course for the defence of themselves at this time; then they were perswaded of Noah's wisdome above all others on the earth, and could have wished that they had imitated his wisdom, in building for themselves such another Ark, or that they were with him in his; and possibly some, when the waters were come, and Noah was shut in by God in his Ark, might run to the place and endeavour to clamber into it, and be washed off with the stream.
Thus will it be at the second comming of the Lord Jesus Christ to judgement, his coming will be sudden and unexpected: the wicked of the earth will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage; they will be as sensual and sinful, and as secure withal, as they are at this day; they are told frequently, by the preaching of the word, that the day of judgment is appointed, and that it hastneth greatly; that the Lord Jesus Christ will come, and that he will come quickly; but they want faith to believe it, and therefore they do not expect it, nor fear it, no… prepare for it: It is said, Luke 18. …8. When the Son of man cometh, shall he finde faith on the earth? Some interpret this place as spoken not of Christs second personal coming to judgement; but of his comming in a way of eminent deliverance of his people from the cruelty and oppression of their enemies, which will be so strange and unexpected, because they shall be brought so low, insomuch that there will hardly be faith in any to believe a desiverance. Others interpret this place, as speaking of Christs last appearance to judgment; that the earth will then be generally secure, and that wicked men, and unbelievers, and oppressours of Gods people will abound, and that true believers will be rare, and very hardly to be found: I shall not determine which is the true sense of the place, but sure I am the wicked will be many, and very secure at the day of Christ's appearance; though the wicked be forewarned of this day, yet they do not believe this thing, than which nothing is more certain; the wicked, which are mingled amongst Gods people, think strange that they do not run with them unto the same excess of riot; they looke upon them as no better than fools, and people besides themselves, when they see them deny themselves, sleight the pleasures and profits, and vanities of the world, and are so iollicitous above all other things to prepare an Ark for the saving of their souls, to get an interest in Jesus Christ, typified by the Ark, that under his shelter they may be defended from the storm of Gods wrath, which shall beat upon the head of the wicked at the last day. The wicked do expect Christ's comming no more than the old world did the Flood in the daies of Noah.
But when the time which the Lord hath appointed the world to continue, is expired, and the Angel hath lifted up his hand to Heaven, and sworn by him that liveth for ever and ever, that time shall be no longer; when the mystery of God is finished, and all the things to be done in the world are accomplished, and the day of judgment of old ordained, is now come, and Christ hath received his commission from his Father to summon all to his judgment seat: O the dread that will on that day fall upon the wicked tribes of the earth! when they shall see the heavens opened above, and such a glorious Majesty, with such a glorious Train appear in the air; and when the earth and the graves shall be open beneath, and all the dead bodies of all generations shall be raised and come forth, and some of them shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the clouds, and themselves with the most to be left behind; and when they feel the wrath of God to begin to assaile them like a flood, and to be poured into their souls like water; when they see Christ coming in flaming fire to take vengeance upon them for their sins: O this will be an unexpected and terrible appearance, and so much the more retrible, by how much the less expected: Then they will not endeavour to climb up mountains, but to creep under them to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb, but all to no purpose, no mountain will receive them, for all the mountains, and earth it self, with the heavens, will flee away from the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, when his Throne is set for Judgment, Rev. 20. 11. they will then looke about them, and perceive all refuge to fail them, and no way of escaping for them; then they will with grief remember the warnings which they had of these things, and be vexed at the very heart that they did not take warning; then they will wish for an Ark; and O that they had an interest in Jesus Christ! and they will account believers, whom once they esteemed as fools and mad men, to have been the wisest people upon the earth; and O that they were in their condition! possibly some may endeavour to clamber up into the air with them, when they are ascending to their Lord; but they will have weights sufficient to keep them down. The dread of sinners at the last day, when Christ doth come so suddenly and unexpectedly will be far greater than the dread of the old world in the daies of the Flood.
4. And lastly, to name no more, the suddenness and unexpectedness of Christs coming is set forth by the raining of Fire and Brimstone from Heaven upon Sodom, and Lots going out of that wicked place, Luke 17. 28, 29, 30. Likewise as it was in the daies of Lo…, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded: But the same day that Lot went out of Sodome, it rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven, and destroyed them all: Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man shall be revealed. The Sodomites were notoriously wicked, they were worse than beasts, they would have offered violence, and buggered the very Angels which were sent to Lot; they were generally wicked, there were not so many as ten righteous persons in the place, though righteous Lot dwelt amongst them; it is likely …here was not one righteous person, besides what was in Lots family; and though they were so wicked, and the cry of their sins was gone up …o Heaven, and the Lord was provoked unto so great displeasure by them; yet they are jovial and secure; they did not think in the midst of …heir peace, that sudden destruction was so near; Abraham with his servants had not long before delivered them out of the hand of Chedorlaomer, (against whom they had rebelled) and Amraphel, and the other Kings which had conquered them, and sackt the place; they did not think of a more …urious enemy, who was arming himself against them, even the King of Heaven, against whom they had worse rebelled, and out of whose hands none could deliver them: They ate, and they …rank, they did not think that their flesh, and all …he provisions thereof should so soon be devoured by flames; they bought, and they sold, they did little expect that both money and merchandize should be consumed so suddenly; they planted and they builded, they did not in the least imagine that instead of showers of Rain from Heaven to water their Plants, to make them grow, they should have showers of Fire and Brimstone to burn up their plants, and burn down their houses to the ground. The Sodomites did not in the least look for such a Judgment as this: it is said, Gen. 19. 14. That Lot went out and spake to his sons in law, which had married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out …f this place, for the Lord will destroy this City: but …e seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. His words were unto them like idle tales, which they did not believe, otherwaies they would not have remained in the place until they had been consumed; and if Lot's sons in Law, (who in likelihood were some of the best of the place) did not believe nor expect the judgment, though they were forewarned by their Father; much less did the rest of the Sodomites expect it, that had not before heard of it. This Fire from Heaven was altogether unexpected in Sodom.
But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained Fire and Brimstone upon them, and destroyed them all. The morning was clear, when Lot went forth, and the Sun did shine with a glorious brightness, when he got into Zoar; but then we may imagine that a strange darkness did quickly fill the Heavens, when the Lord came down clothed with vengeance as with a garment, and wrapped in thick clouds of the sky; when the Lord thundered in the Heavens, and the highest gave hi… voice, Hail-stones and coals of fire; when the Lord rained Fire and Brimstone upon the place; Wh… can utter the horrible perpexity of the Sodomite… on that day, under this unthought of, unexpected, sudden, and so dreadful un-heard-of Judgment? when they opened their windows and doors of their houses in the morning, and perceived the fashion of the heavens to be altered and the tempest of Fire and Brimstone to beat … upon them so sorely and suddenly; when the … was strangely converted into fire, and such scalding sulphurious matter enkindled by the brea… of God did fall upon them; when the whol… place was put into flames together, and ever house was set on Fire by this Fire from Heaven when they saw if the… went forth of doors they should be burnt by the fire of Heaven, if they stayed within, they should be burnt by the fire of their houses; when there was such a dreadful burning heat by the Fire, accompanied with such a stinking, noisome, suffocating smoke by the brimstone; when there was a little kinde of Hell in that place both for torment and sin; O the Dread of the Sodomites at that time! then those beasts which would have forced themselves into Lots doors, to commit leudness, and were strucken by the Angels with blindness, when they began to feel the violence of this Fire, and their pampered flesh began to be rosted by these flames, how did they howle like Dogs, how did they roar and yell with anguish and horrour? Then all the sinners of the place, whose sins before went up with such a loud cry into the ears of God, what a loud cry did they send forth out of every house under the sense of their torments? then the sons in law of Lot, who were forewarned, I believe, were above others perplexed and filled with unspeakable vexation, that they did not hearken to the voice of their Father, and remove with him from that place before the Fire came; then they knew he did not mock them, but was in good earnest, and that his words were not idle tales, but the truth of Gods intention, which he was sent to give them notice of: Sodom is now made a fiery Furnace, and all the wicked of the place are consumed together suddenly and unexpectedly.
Even thus will it be in the day when the Son of Man shall be revealed, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to Judgment. The world is very wicked, and the longer it doth continue, the worse it grows; the sins of the wicked world, like the sins of Sodom have gone up with a loud Cry to God; and the Lord hath exercised his patience a long time to lead them unto repentance; and if there had not been some righteous persons on the Earth, the day of Judgment would have been long ago; if there had not been some Lots in Sodom, I mean some Elect Persons in their sins, that are yet to be called, and some as yet un-born, that must be gathered, the World would ere this have been consumed, for the wickedness thereof; there is a measure appointed for the Worlds sins, which will be filled up, and there is a number appointed of chosen Persons, who ere long will be brought in, and so soon as Lot is got into Zoar, God rains Fire and Brimstone on Sodom; and I conceive that so soon as all the Elect Persons are got into Christ, that then Christ will appear to Judgment; and as it was in the dayes of Lot, so will it be on the day of Christs appearance; the wicked of the World will be secure, eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.
The day before Christ cometh will be a merry day with some ungodly sinners, they will be eating and drinking, feasting and carouzing, singing and rejoycing, and putting the evil day far from them, even when it is so very neer; but how will their chear be changed the next morning? how will their singing be turned into howling, and their joy into heaviness and dreadful terrour?
The day before will be a gainfull day, it may be with many in their buying and selling, possibly they may have got a good bargain in their buying, and got good profit in their selling; and it may be a busie day with others in their planting and building, which may fill their time and thoughts with Worldly care and contrivements for many years to come, little thinking that the World is not of a years, nor two dayes standing longer; but O what terrour will seize upon these Worldings the next morning, when Christ doth appear to judge them! and they finde, that whilst they have gained something in the World, which they cannot now keep, and will yield no profit in this day of wrath, that they have lost their souls and happiness for ever, which they cannot regain; that whilst they have been busie about trifles, they have neglected the one thing necessary; then they will wish, that instead of planting Trees in their Ground, they had spent their time in getting grace planted in their hearts; that instead of building Houses for their bodies, they had laid a good foundation for this time, and got a title to the building of God, the House not made with hands, which is durable and eternal.
The day before Christs coming will be a sinning-day with all the wicked, and a day of general security; some will be swearing and cursing, others will be oppressing and grinding the faces of the poor, others will be reproaching and persecuting of Gods people; and the very night before, it may be many wicked Persons may be got together Carding, and Dicing, and Drinking all night unto Drunkenness, and others may be got into the unclean Bed, and there lie in their filthiness, and all will be sleeping in sin and security; but the sound of the last Trumpet will startle and awaken them all; when sinners open their eyes on this morning, and see the Heavens open before them, and the Lord Jesus Christ descend in such glory as hath been described, none can utter what their perplexity will be at that day; and the suddenness of Christs coming will make their horrour the greater; some of them were told of this day of Fire, when the Heavens should pass away with a great noise, and the Elements should melt with fervent heat, and the Earth (with the works therof) should be burnt up, and what course they should take, to escape the vengeance of this day; they were perswaded to leave their sins, to flee from the wrath to come, to hasten out of Sodom, if they would not be consumed in its flames, to get away, and not look back, to flee presently into Zoar, where only they could be hid, to get into the City of refuge, if they would escape the vengeance which did pursue them, which had them upon the chase; they were invited into Gods Family, and into the armes of his mercy; they were invited unto Christ, and to partake of his grace freely; they were told again, and again, if they did go on in the way of sin, that iniquity would be their ruine, that so long as they did abide in a state of impenitency and unbelife, that the wrath of God did abide on them; they were told how sweet: Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ was, and how ready he would be to receive them, if they applyed themselves by faith, with repentance for sin unto him; and they were told how furious and inexorable a Judge he would be, and what vengeance he would take upon them at the last day, if they did not take warning in the day of grace, which they had allowed them; they were told that Hell Fire was very hot and intollerable, and that Heavens pleasures were very sweet, and most desirable, and they were earnestly entreated to fly from the former, and accept of the latter, upon the most reasonable termes, on which they were proffered: But they were like Lot's Sons in Law, they did not believe: Ministers which warned them, seem'd in their eyes, as if they had mocked them, their words seemed like idle tales; whatever haste the Lots made out of Sodom, they would not stir; they did not look after a Zoar to flie unto; they hugged their sins, and would not leave them; they heard of Christ, but they neglected, slighted, refused him; they did not apprehend such need, which they had of a Saviour; they were fearless of future wrath, and careless of the salvation and happiness of their souls. But when Christ doth come down so suddenly and unexpectedly to judge and condemn them, and shall cast them into the Lake, which burns with Fire and Brimstone; then they will remember these things with vexation, far greater than that of Lot's Sons in Law, (when Fire and Brimstone was rained from Heaven upon them) who would not hearken to the counsel of their Father to escape it.