CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Hence as the Scripture when it speaketh of a future thing, useth the present tense, to show the certainty of it, as the learned instance in many places; so should the faith of a godly man turn the future tense into the present, and what God saith he will do, to take as done already.

Hence as the Scripture when it speaketh of a future thing, useth the present tense, to shew the certainty of it, as the learned instance in many places; so should the faith of a godly man turn the future tense into the present, and what God saith he will do, to take as done already.

Lastly, There is the comminatory or threatening part. Here is Mount Ebal, as well as Mount Gerizim. The Scripture hath it's sting as well as honey. In this ⟨p. 393⟩Ark there is the Rod as well as Manna; Christ hath not only a Sceptre of grace, but a Rod of iron; and those threatenings are far above the terrors of the most cruel men that ever lived; for it's not only a threatening of bodily miseries, but of hell, of eternal wrath and vengeance on the soul, as well as the body, which no earthly man can do. Therefore whatsoever the word of God hath said against an evil man, let him look for it, as if he were already under that doom. Is not Judas here called a son of perdition, yea is he not said to be perished in the present tense, because of the certainty of it? Doth not the Scripture say, He that believeth not, is condemned even already? Joh. 3.8. As when God at first threatened Adam, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die; This was made good, though Adam did not actually die at that time, because he was put into a state of death, and every moment that sentence might be inflicted on him. Thus it is with every wicked man, whatsoever curse, whatsoever vengeance is denounced against thee, this night, this day, this moment it may be fulfilled on thee.