First, this is justly a wonderful terrible doctrine to wicked men, that heap up wrath against this day of wrath, and by their wilful impenitency provoke this glorious Judge. How can it but be terrible, when the holy Ghost gives warning that the Lord Jesus will then show himself from heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, to render vengeance on all those that know not God, and have not obeyed the Gospel? How can it be but terrible, when wicked men shall be punished with everlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power? How can it but be terrible, when they shall feel their conscience exquisitely griping them, and gnawing upon them, and when they shall see the devils to torment them, and hell to devour them; when they shall see the world burning about them, and the good Angels forcing them away, and all both men and Angels applauding their Judgement, and knowing all their sins: they must not think that the Judge will deal then as he doth now. Now he judgeth them secretly every day, but it is many times insensibly, or with lesser plagues: but then he will most openly pour upon them the full vials of his wrath. Here they are judged that they may be amended, but there their judgement shall be that they may be confounded: for there will be no place of repentance. Deceive not thy self, Christ will not come the second time as he came the first: he came then to be judged, but now to judge; he shall then be seen with terror, that was before looked upon with contempt: he showed his patience in his first coming, but now he will show his power: he appeared then in the form of a servant, but now he will appear in the form of a King, greater then all Kings. Then he professed not to judge any man, but now he proclaimeth he will judge all men. It was commonly thought if any man saw God he should die: alas, alas, how then shall these woeful wretches do that must see him in the unutterable fierceness of his ireful indignation? If the powers of heaven shall be shaken at his pleasure, oh how shall the miserable heart of the guilty sinner be rent into 1000. pieces, with unmedicinable sorrows? If Felix tremble to hear tell of judgement, what will poor Felix do when he must feel judgement, both in the sentence and execution?
First, this is iustly a wonderfull terrible doctrine to wicked men, that heape vp wrath against this day of wrath, and by their wilfull impenitencie prouoke this glorious Iudge. How can it but be terrible, when the holy Ghost giues warning that the Lord Iesus will then shew himselfe from heauen, with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, to render vengeance on all those that know not God, and haue not obeyed the Gospell? How can it bee but terrible, when wicked men shall be punished with euerlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power? How can it but be terrible, when they shall feele their conscience exquisitly griping them, and gnawing vpon them, and when they shall see the deuils to torment them, and hell to deuoure them; when they shall see the world burning about them, and the good Angels forcing them away, and all both men and Angels applauding their Iudgement, and knowing all their sinnes: they must not thinke that the Iudge will deale then as he doth now. Now he iudgeth them secretly euery day, but it is many times insensibly, or with lesser plagues: but then he will most openly poure vpon them the full vials of his wrath. Heere they are iudged that they may be amended, but there their iudgement shall be that they may be confounded: for there will be no place of repentance. Deceiue not thy selfe, Christ will not come the second time as he came the first: hee came then to be iudged, but now to iudge; hee shall then be seene with terror, that was before looked vpon with contempt: hee shewed his patience in his first comming, but now he will shew his power: he appeared then in the forme of a seruant, but now he will appeare in the forme of a King, greater then all Kings. Then hee professed not to iudge any man, but now he proclaimeth hee will iudge all men. It was commonly thought if any man saw God he should die: alas, alas, how then shall these wofull wretches doe that must see him in the vnutterable fiercenes of his irefull indignation? If the powers of heauen shall be shaken at his pleasure, oh how shall the miserable heart of the guiltie sinner be rent into 1000. peeces, with vnmedicinable sorrowes? If Foelix tremble to heare tell of iudgement, what will poore Foelix doe when he must feele iudgement, both in the sentence and execution?
