Christs Certain and Sudden Appearance to Judgment, Title page – Table of contents
CHRIST'S Certain and sudden Appearance TO JUDGMENT.
By Thomas Vincent, sometime Minister of Maudlins Milstreet, London.
Heb. 10. 37.
For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.
LONDON, Printed for George Calvert, and are to be sold at the Bible in Iewen-street. 1667.
TO THE Citizens of London.
YOu have heard God's Terrible Voice in the City, expressing it self in the late dreadful desolating Judgments of Plague, and Fire; the sound of which hath gone forth, not only into every corner of the Land, but I believe also by this time, unto the farthest end of the World. Give me leave to sound another Trumpet in your ears, and to forewarn you of a ten thousand times more dreadful Judgment, I mean the last and general Judgment of the whole World, at the second appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will most certainly and very quickly be revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire to take vengeance upon all them which shall be found ungodly on that Day.
Could I have certainly foretold the many thousands, that sell by the Plague, in the year 1665, of their so neer approaching death, surely they would have endeavoured to prepare, that the sting and fear of death might have been removed; could I have foretold the Citizens of London of the many thousand Houses which should fall by the Fire, in the year 1666, surely they would have endeavoured to prevent the Fire, or at least have removed all their goods before-hand; but these things could not be foreseen, and therefore as the Judgments were unexpected, so they took the most unprovided: But I can certainly foretell you from God, who cannot lie, of the future … Judgment, by the Lord Jesus Christ at the last day, which is the subject of this ensuing Treatise: And when you have warnings hereof out of the Word of Truth, and awakening motives to prepare, by dreadful temporal Judgments, you should neglect to do it, and after all be found unprovided at the appearance of Christ; as your sin will be the greater and more inexcusable, so your dread will be the greater at the sight of your Judge (whom those very eyes which read these lines, will behold ere long coming in the Clouds) and your punishment will be the more intollerable: But if the Lord encline your hearts to follow the directions and counsels of his Word to prepare for this great and notable day, you shall lift up your heads with joy, when the greatest part of the World shall be filled with terrour and confusion, and when the Lord Jesus doth appear, you also shall appear with him in glory. The design of these sheets is to set forth the glorious appearance of Christ, with the certainty and suddenness thereof, that sinners might be awakened to repent, and believers might be comforted with the hopes of it, and all might be in a readiness for the day, which is so sure, and near; which that you may be, and that my endeavours may be blessed for your help herein, is the prayer of an earnest wellwisher to your souls.
Thomas Vincent.
The Contents.
chapter 1 Introduction.
2. Doctrines.
Doct. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear.
Doct. 2. That there is an earnest desire and longing in the Church after Christs appearance. pag. 1, 2.
1. Concerning Christs appearance.
1. In the Flesh. p. 2, 3, 4.
chapter 2 2. In glory, where concerning
1. The manner of his appearance. p. 5.
1. With great Power.
1. Over Death. p. 6.
2. Over Men and Devils. p. 7, 8.
2. With great glory. p. 8, 9.
1. He will be attended with a glorious retinue of Angels. p. 10. 11.
chapter 3 2. He will come with a glorious brightness, and great noise. 9. 12, 13, 14.
2. The end of Christs appearance and transactions of that day. p. 15.
1 He will raise the dead, p, 16, to 19
2 He will gather all Nations before his judgment Seat, p, 19
3 He will separate the righteous from the wicked, p, 20, 21
4. He will open the Books,
1. Of Gods remembrance p. 22. to 27.
2. Of Mens consciences: p: 27:
3 Of the Law: p: 28
4 Of the Gospel, p, 28, 29
5 Of life, p, 30,
5. He will judge both the righteous and wicked. p. 30 Where
1. Concerning their particular Iudgment.
2. Concerning the execution of their sentence pronounced p. 30.
chapter 5 1 Concerning the Iudgment of the righteous.
1 The immediate Antecedents are
1 Their Resurrection, p, 31, 32
2 Their meeting with the Angels, p, 33
3 Their meeting one with another, p, 34
4 Their being caught up together into the air, p, 35
5 Their meeting with the Lord, p, 36, to 40
chapter 6 2 The Iudgment it self, p, 40
1 He wil take an account of them, p, 41
1 Of their graces, p, 42
2 Of the improvement of their talents, ibid.
3 Of their works of mercy, p, 43
4 Of their afflictions, p, 44
2 He will pronounce the Sentence upon them, p, 44, 45
chapter 7 2 Concerning the Iudgment of the wicked
1 The immediate antecedents are
1 Their resurrection and meeting of body and soul, p, 46, to 50
2 Their meeting with Devils, p, 50, 51
3 Their meeting one with another, p, 52
4 Their seeing the righteous caught up to meet the Lord, p, 53, to 61
5 Their seeing the Lord Iesus Christ coming to judge them, p, 59, to 64
6 Their seeing the Iudgment of the righteous, p, 64
chapter 8 2 The Iudgment it: self, & here concerning
1 The Iudge in 8 properties, p, 64, to 72
2 The Assessors, p, 73
3 The Malefactors, p, 74, 75
4 The crimes, p, 76, 77
5 The accusers
1 God, p 78, 79
2 Men
good
Minist. p, 80 to 83
godly friends, p, 83 to 87
bad
3 Devils, ibid.
4 Their own consciences, p, 87
6 The conviction, where twenty sorts of sinners are called forth and convicted by the Iudge from p. 87, to 115
7 The sentence, p, 116, 117
chapter 9 2 Concerning the execution of the sentence pronounced upon both righteous and wicked in judgment. 118
1. The execution of the sentence on the wicked.
1. Of the wicked going away
1. From whom, viz.
1. Christ, ibid.
2. Saints, 119
2. From what, ibid.
3. Six vexing considerations in their going away, from p. 120, to p. 130
2. Of the wickeds going into punishment.
1. Of the punishment they shall go into, p, 131
1. The Inflicter. p. 132, 133
2. The Subject. Soul, p, 134 Body, p. 135
3. The properties.
1. Universal.
2. Extream.
3. Continual.
4. Remediless.
5. Eternal. p. 136. to 142
chapter 10 2. Of their entrance into this punishment, p. 143, 144
2. The execution of the sentence on the righteous, p. 145
1. Of the righteous going away.
1. From whom, viz.
Devils, p. 146
Wicked, p. 147
2. From what, ibid.
3. Three sweet considerations in their going away; from p. 147. to 152
2. Of the righteous going into eternal life.
1. Of the eternal life they shall go into, or their happiness.
1. Subjectively.
body, 153, to 157
soul, 158, to 160
2. Objectively, 161
3. Formally, 162 to 166
2. Of their entring into eternal life, p. 167
chapter 11 2. Concerning the certainty of Christs appearance, proved by 3. Arguments, where concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, and the Resurrection, &c. from p. 168. to 206
chapter 12 3. Concerning the speediness and suddenness of Christs coming, where is a Description of the Old Worlds drowning, and Sodom's burning, applied, &c. from p. 207. to 224
chapter 13 4. The Application.
1. More generall, from 225, to 229
2. More particularly.
1. To sinners
1. To discover them, from p. 230, to 234
2. To awaken them, from p. 235 to 246
3. To exhort them, from p. 247 to 263
chapter 14 2. To believers
1 For the trial of them from p. 264 to 269
2. For the comforting of them, from p. 270, to 28…
chapter 15 3. To both sinners and believers to perswade them
1. To believe.
2. To consider.
3. To prepare; where twelv… Duties requisite in order … preparation. From 283. … the end.
Christ's certain and sudden Appearance to Judgment.
Revel. 22. 20.
Surely I come quickly. Amen, Even so come Lord Iesus.
CHAP. I.
THe last words of a Dear friend are usually most remarked, and best remembred, especially when they speak great affection: these are the last words of Jesus Christ, the best friend that the children of men ever had; which he sends his Angel from Heaven, after he had been some yeers in glory with the Father, to speak in his Name unto his Churches upon the earth. v. 16. I Iesus have sent mine Angel to testifie these things in the Churches: and of all the things which he testifieth by his Angel, this is the last and the sweetest in the Text, Surely I come quickly. Which words of Promise comming down from Heaven, and expressing so much Love to the Church, are followed with … Eccho, and resound of the Churches earnest desire, Amen. Even so come Lord Iesus, &c.
Hence observe,
Doct. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear.
Doct. 2. That there is an earnest desire and longing in the Church after Christs appearance.
D. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear.
Here I shall speak,
1. Concerning Christ's appearance.
2. Show that he will certainly appear.
3. Show that he will quickly appear.
4. And lastly, Apply,
1. Concerning Christs appearance. There is a twofold appearance of Christ, which the Scripture makes mention of.
1. In the Flesh.
2. In Glory.