The Last Judgment, To the reader 2
TO THE READER.
IT was Paul's excellency that He looked not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen. The unſeen things of the world to come are the only great things, compared with which, all that is in this world is but a trifle. But ſuch is the natural dulneſs of ſinfull men, and ſo much do we hang upon preſent ſenſe, that all ſorts of means prove too little to realize to us theſe future unſeen things, and to get our Hearts …ffected with them. What Chriſt ſaid to them, may be ſaid … us …; Hereafter ſhall ye ſee the Son of Man ſitting on the right hand of Power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven: But becauſe we do not ſee Him now, becauſe we do not now hear the laſt Trumpet ſound, nor feel our ſelves appearing before the Judg in viſible glory on his Throne; How many do go up and down the world as if ſuch a thing ſhould never be? How do men walk in the wayes of their heart, and in the prejem ſight of their eyes, as if they had never heard …r known, that for all theſe things God will b…ing them into judgment! Yea which of us have not need to learn this principle of the Oracles of God (for this is one of the firſt and ma…n principles Heb. 6.1, 2.) viz. Eternal Iudgment. Hence all manner of helps this way are but needfull, and every help herein ſhould be highly prized.
And it is obſervable, that Divine Providence hath ſo diſpoſed, that two or three Treatiſes ſhould be publiſhed among us looking this way; Mr. Shepard on the Parable of the Virgins. Mr. Wiggleſworth's Poem. And now this preſent Treatiſe.as intimating that We in this wilderneſs, where worldly cares and pleaſures are apt to overcharge us, have more then ordinary need of that warning, to take heed of forgetting this great Day of our Lords ſecond Coming, and to Watch and Pray alwayes in preparation thereunto.
Chriſt himſelf when here on Earth, ſaw meet to inſiſt largely and particularly upon this Subject, as in the Scripture handled in the enſuing Sermons, and other places, doth appear. The Laſt Day is a word that was often in Chriſts own Mouth, Iohn 6.39, 40, 54, &c. And ſo thoſe Holy men of God, that have had moſt of the Spirit of Chriſt in them, have been much in meditation upon, and in calling others to mind this great Truth of the Judgment to come. Paul ſcarce paſſeth any one Epiſtle without expreſſe mentioning ſomewhat of it: ſee Rom. 2.5. and 14 10. 1 Cor. 4.3, 5. 2 Cor. 5.10. Eph. 5.30 Philip. 16, 10. and 2.16. and 3.20, 21 Coloſ. 3.4. 1 Theſ 3.13. and 4.16, 17. 2 Theſ. 1.7,-10. 1 Tim. 6.14, 15. 2 Tim. 4.1, 8. Titus 2.13. Heb. 9.27, 28. And the ſame may be ſaid of the other Apoſtles: See Iames 5.3, 7, 8, 9 1 Pet. 1.7. and 4.5. and 5.4. 2 Pet. 2.9. and 3.4,-12. 1 Iohn 3.2. and 4.17. Iude 6, 14, 15, 24.
Neither were it difficult to make out the like Obſervation concerning the Lords Choiceſt Servants in the Ordinary Miniſtry, both Ancient and Moderne, whoſe Mindes and Mouthes have been full of this Truth.
The Reverend Author of theſe enſueing Sermont, according to the precious meaſure of the Grace and Spirit of Chriſt beſtowed upon him, being one that lives as much in another world, as moſt that are alive in this, hath here given us a t…ſte of his holy Meditations upon this ſubject, which will be very acceptable to the intell…gent and ſerious Reader. The Notes are ſhort, and conciſe, as being but the heads of what was prepared for preaching, without the leaſt thought of ever publiſhing any of them. And the Authors preſent pai…full infirmity of body, ſuffereth not any reviſall or inlargement thereof. But the Reader will find this advantage, to have much in a little room, and to le eaſily furniſhed with variety of matter worthy of meditation, for want of which many times men read much and digeſt little. Diekion in Epiſtbefore the ſecond part of Expoſ. of the PſalmsIt is a good ſaying of one, that the Reading of many diverſe heads without ſome interlaced meditations, is like eating of Marrow without bread. But he that ſhall take time to Pauſe upon what he reads (eſpecially where great Truths are but in a few words hinted at) with intermixed meditations and ejaculations ſuitable to the ma…ter in hand, ſhall find ſuch Truths conciſely delivered, to be like marrow and fatneſs, whereof a little goes far, and does feed and nouriſh much. And as the Lord giveth Variety of Gifts and wayes both in Preaching and Writing (wherein the manifold Wiſdome and Grace of God is not a little ſeen) ſo they are all for profit, and there is ſome ſingular excellency and uſe to be obſerved in each of them. Neither will the Reader find this ſubject and the Truths pointed to in this Scripture, any where ſo particularly and diſtinctly opened and applyed as in the following Sermons.
The Lord who hath guided and inclined the Heart of this holy and now aged Servant of his, out of Love to Chriſt and to the Souls of men, to permit the publiſhing of theſe his Labours, Bleſſe them to the good of many; that when he ſhall have put off this Tabernacle, theſe things may be had in remembrance to help on others after him ſo to run the ſame race of Faith and Love, as they may obtain the ſame prize and crown of Eternal glory at the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt with all his Saints: In whom we are
The Friends and Servants of all that love Him in ſincerity.
John Wilſon Senior.
Jonathan Mitchell.