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

4. Then Believers would be yet in their sins; their sins would ⟨p. 158⟩remain un•ardoned; because satisfaction to Gods justice would not have been completed, had the bonds of death still held our Saviour.

4. Then Believers would be yet in their sins; their sins would ⟨p. 158⟩remain un•ardoned; because satisfaction to Gods justice would not have been compleated, had the bonds of death still held our Saviour.

5. Then they which were fallen asleep in Christ would be perished in regard of their bodies, like the beasts when they die; because if Christ were not risen, it would be impossible that they should ever rise any more.

6. Then believers should have hope only in this life; because if Christ were not risen and ascended into Heaven, to prepare room for them there, they could not have any good-grounded hope of ever being received into that place; and by consequence it would follow, that believers, the best of men, upon the earth, would be the most miserable men of all others, because they are exposed to so many sufferings for the sake of Jesus Christ: If they had hope only in this life, they would be most miserable in regard of sorrow, (though not in regard of sin) for their hopes of future glory do support and comfort them under all their afflictions; if they should loose their hopes, they would loose their comforts, and be of all others the most forlorn and sorrowful; it would break their hearts, and bring them to despair. Certainly then Christ is risen, and as certainly shall the dead be raised.