N00341:135
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without…
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without delaying. Also, the exceeding danger of men's deferring their repentance. : Together with a discourse about the day of judgement. And on several other subjects. / By Increase Mather teacher of a church at Boston in N. England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by R.P. for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1686
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Quest. 3. Why must there be a day of Judgment?
Quest. 3. Why must there be a day of Iudgment?
ANSW. 1. Reas. That so the glory of the Divine Attributes may be cleared and vindicated. To vindicate the HOLINESS of GOD Because He is patient and long-suffering sinners conclude that He is not so ⟨p. 80⟩Holy as he is, that he does not hate Sin with such an infinite hatred and indignation as indeed He does: Therefore the Lord will have a day of Judgement that so all men might […] that He is glorious in Holiness, Psa•. 50.21. And to clear the Justice of God; •reat sinners do sometimes prosper in the world. But therefore a day of Judgment must come wherein God will bring them forth and deal with them for all their wickedness. Job. 21.7. Wherefore do the wicked live, yea become mighty in power? Ver. 30, The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth in the day of wrath. If they escape punishment here, they shall have the greater punishment in the day of judgement, which is called the day of wrath. So will the Justice of God be cleared for ever. Hence it is called a day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God. Rom. 2.5. q. d. The Righteousness of God is not yet clearly revealed, but it shall be at that day. Then also will the Truth and Faithfulness of God be vindicated. There are many Threatenings in the Word of God against wicked men, and many Promises to the Righteous. The Sum and Scope of the whole Bible is declared in those few words, I•ai. 3.10, 11. Say to the righteous, that it shall be well with him; Woe to the wicked it ⟨p. 81⟩shall be ill with him. whenas for the present we see it not so: As to outward concerns it goeth well with the wicked, and ill with the Righteous. Should good men hae nothing but what they receive in this world, they would many times be of all men the most miserable.