Christs Certain and Sudden Appearance to Judgment, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
LAstly to conclude, I shall speak a word both to Sinners and Believers.
Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear to judgment? let me then in his name perswade you to three things.
1. Believe that Christ will appear, mingle the Doctrine you have heard or read, with faith; you have had evident proofs of it, believe the thing.
Sinners believe that Christ will come to judge and condemn you, if you be found in your sins, did you believe it effectually, you would quickly become Saints.
Believers labour for more faith in this truth, did you believe▪ it more strongly, you would live at a higher rate.
2. Consider that Christ will appear; meditate on this thing, let it dwell in your thoughts, let it lie down with you at night, and arise with you in the morning, let it sit down with you at Table, and walk with you abroad; think often of the antecedents of Christs coming, the judgment it self and the consequents thereof, and get a deep impression of the last Judgment upon your spirits.
Sinners, consider how the wicked will be judged, think how they will be accused and condemned, think of the dreadful sentence, and the execution thereof in Hell, and then think that you are in the number of those that are in such danger, unless you speedily secure your selves, by making your peace.
Believers, consider how the Saints will be judged, think how Christ will acquit them, and invite them to take possession, and then will give them possession of Heaven; and then think that you are in the number of these blessed ones, which shall be made thus happy.
3. Prepare for the appearance of Christ to judgment, and that you may be prepared, as a conclusion to this Doctrine, take these directions.
1. Be diligent, that yee may be found of him in peace, it is the advice of the Apostle, after his discourse of the coming of the Lord, and the glorious things of that day. Wherefore beloved, seeing that yee look for such things, be diligent, that yee may be found of him in peace. 2 Pet. 3. 14.
1. Make your peace with God; sinners God is your enemy, make your peace with him; you have offended him by your sins, and his justice must be satisfied, O labour to ge… an interest in the satisfaction of Christ, that your sins may be pardoned, and God may be reconciled; lay hold on Christ by faith, as yet you may be welcome to him, hereafter, it will be too late. Believers, make sure of a pardon, you cannot be too sure in a thing of such concernment.
2. Diligently endeavour…after peace in your consciences; sinners, get the wounds which fin hath made there, healed with the blood of Christ; Believers, take heed of making any breaches there, maintain peace within, when you have obtained it.
3. Diligently follow after peace one with another, take heed of hatred, variance, emulations, wraths, strifes, seditions, envyings, divisions, clamours, evil-speakings, back-bitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults; and follow after those things which make for peace, as love, joy, humbleness of minde, meekness, long-suffering, patience, and the like, that you may be found of the Lord in peace.
2. Give diligence, that yee may be found of the Lord, without spot, and blameless, as the Apostle doth advise in the same 14. vers. And read ver. 11 Seeing all these things shall be dissolved, what manne… of Persons ought yee to be, in all holy conversatio… and godliness. Get the spots of sin washed of… not only the guilt of sin removed, but also the de…filement; labour to be holy in all manner of con…versation, to be blameless and harmless, the Chil…dren of God without rebuke, in the midst of crooked and perverse Generation; Take heed … the sins of the times and places wherein you live joyn not with them in their sins, least you share … their Plagues at the last day. Let your conversa…tion be as becometh the Gospel; let your action be …qu…ed by the Word, as those which must giv… an account, and receive a reward according … your works.
3. Sit loose from the World, let not your hear… be over-charged with the cares of this life, n… filled with the love of the World, and that da… overtake you at unawares, Luke 21. 34. Remem…ber that riches will not profit you in the day … wrath, that the fashion of this World passeth … way, and you are passing away, and therefo… live here as strangers and so…journers.
4. Lay up your treasure in Heaven, Matth. … 20. And get your affections set upon things abov… Col. 3. 2. And then the appearance of Jesus Chr… will be joyful to you, because he will give … poffession of Heaven.
5. Be ready to do and suffer whatever the Lo… calls you unto; patiently continue in well-doin… for in due time yee shall reap; be stedfast and … movable, alwaies abounding in the work of … Lord, because your labour shall not be in vain … the Lord: Gal. 6, 9. I Cor. 15. 58. And what ever afflictions yee suffer for Christ, they are light and momentany, but the glory which Christ will give, is weighty and eternal. 2 Cor. 4. 17.
6. Give Christ your hearts, let him have the highest room, give him your whole heart, let him have the choicest and chiefest of your affections; and then he will give you his Kingdome, and such expressions of his love will he make unto you at his appearance, as now you have not thoughts to conceive.
7. Maintain communion with Christ in his Ordinances; prize Ordinances upon this account, because Christ doth walk there; and improve Ordinances for this end, that you may meet with Christ; …est not in the out-side and carnal part of Ordinances, but seek after Christ in them until you finde …im, and labour to grow into acquaintance with Christ, and to keep fellowship with him; and …hen when he doth appear, he will know you again …nd own you, and receive you to live with him …or ever.
8. Stand up for the honour of Christ in the World, …onfess him before Men, and he will confess you …efore his Father in Heaven, Matth. 10. 32. Be …ot ashamed to profess your selves his Disciples, …nd to own his waies and truths, when they are …ost contemned and despised by the ungodly …orld, because if you be, he will be ashamed of …ou when he cometh in his Glory. Mark. 8. 38.
9. Improve your Talents for the use of the Lord, …ho hath entrusted you with them: All of you have …alents, lay them not up in a Napkin, but lay …em out in the service of the Lord; whatever …ifts or graces you have, put them forth to usury, …at you may give an account with joy to your Lord, when he shall come to call you to an account.
10. Stand upon your Watch; when our Saviour had foretold his Disciples of his coming, he exhorts them, and all to watch, Mark 13. 37. What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch. Watch against sin; watch your senses, which are the inlets of sin; watch your hearts, from whence are the issues of sin; watch, take heed of sleeping in sin, least you lose your Garm…nts, and be found naked.
11. Be frequent and fervent in Prayer, our Saviour joyns these duties together in his exho…tation of his Disciples: Luke 21. 36. Watch▪ yee therefore, and pray alwayes, that yee may be counted worthy to escape all these things, which shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. Pray without ceasing, pray without fainting, be often upon your knees, and be earnest with the Lord, that he would prepare you for this day, that he would deliver you from that dreadful wrath which shall be revealed when Christ doth appear, and which you have deserved for your sins: and pray that he would give you those qualifications, as may embolden you at the last day to hold up your heads with confidence; that he would keep you without spot, and blameless until the coming of the Lord.
12. And lastly, Look for the appearance of the Lord; look with an eye of hope, labour to abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and let this hope be an Anchor fastned within the Vail, to stay your sinking hearts in the midst of those fierce stormes, which do or may beat upon you in the World; and look with an eye of desire; look and long for Christs appearance; dart up your wishes often to Heaven▪ O when shall we see the Heavens opened, and behold our Lord in his Glory? When shall we hear the Trumpet sound and be gathered by the Angels from all the quarters of the Earth? When shall we put off this dust and corruption, and be cloathed with robes of immortality? When will the Lord Jesus come down, and show us his glory, and receive us to himself, that where he is, there we may be also? Christ hath spoken from Heaven to Earth, Surely I come quickly▪ let there be an eccho back from Earth to Heaven in your desires to this voice: Amen, even so come Lord Iesus, come quickly
I shall conclude all with the words of the Apost…e Iude▪ vers 24, 25. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceed…ng joy, To the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and Majesty, dominion and power, now and ever. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Vincent, Christs Certain and Sudden Appearance to Judgment (1667)