Christ's certain and sudden appearance to judgment. By Thomas Vincent, sometime Minister of Maudlins…

8. Christ […] be an inexorable Judge. None is now more •a••e to be entreated as a Saviour: whosoever comes unto him may be welcome to him: he hath promised in […] wise to cast out such. Joh. 6. 37. The most rebellious •••ers may find entertainment with Jesus Christ now: and prevail with him to procure pardon, and peace, and salvation, upon their repentance of their sins: but when •he is come down from Heaven to judge the world, he will be inexorable: No prayers or entreaties: no tears or arguments will in the least move him to take any pit•y on such as shall then be found in their sins. When the Wicked at the day of judgment shall have their eyes opened to behold the Lord Jesus Christ in his Glory and Majesty in such excellency & ••••ing beauty: then one smile of his countenance will •e ⟨p. 57⟩really accounted of more worth than the whole World, & to •e made like to such a Person, and to dwell for ever in his love and joy, they will then clearly see to be unconceivably beyond all the enjoyment of the Creatures in their fullest delights: and to be thrust out of his presence, they will account their chiefest misery; then they will have other apprehensions of Hells Torments, when they are just ready to be cast into the burning Lake: when they are awakened in the morning of the Resurrection, and are brought to Christs Bar, and they perceive how near they are to execution, and great distress▪ will be upon them, when they look about them, and all refuge fails, and they see no way for them to escape: If now with their cries & supplications they might prevail with the Judge for some commiseration, if they had but the least •opes of moving his Bowels, and pacifying his anger, and obtaining the favour of admission into the Inheritance of the •aints: O how will they all fall down upon their knees before him with the lowest submission and rverence how would they cry and weep, entreat and beseech? how would they kiss his feet, wash them with their tears, & wipe them with their hairs? how earnest and importunate would they be with him for a Pardon, if importunity would prevail? If there were but one promise left in the whole Book of God for them, which might possibly bring unto them some relief: how greedily would they all catch at it, and humbly woe the Lord for mercy! No, […] the Judge will be then inexorable: they m cry, but it will be to no purpose: