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

Death hath a Commission from God to pull you out of your habitations and drag your bodies into its Prison, and this enemy is upon the way and hath you all in pursuit, and how near he is come to your Doors you do not know; his arrows are flying about your ears, and you will be smitten sooner or later either when you are younger or elder, no•e can escape his stroke; •ow time is wasting, your Glass is running, and ere long you will be expiring your last breath and these bodies which you are clothing and feeding and providing for every day, will lie a dying & be carried by your mourning friends, to your Graves; And as certain as Death, so certain will your Resurrection be at Christs coming▪ Christ hath received a Commission from God to judge the World, and he will come down from Heaven with the Keys of Death and Hell, and open the Doors, where you shall have your ⟨p. 180⟩lodging, and bring you forth to judgment; I must awake on that day if I fall a sleep into my Grave before; and arise, and give an account of my self, and the souls committed to my charge unto my Lord and Master; and you m•st awake also, and give an account of your selves and actions, unto this glorious Judge: your lives then will be reviewed, your actions will be examined, and it will be known then what you have been doing ever since you came into the World, how you have spent your time; how you have improved the seasons and means of grace; then it will appear who are Christs sh••• and who the Goats, however they now flock together sometimes in one Company; who are wise, and who the foolish Virgins, however now all have Lamps shining; then it will be known who have been wise unto salvation, who have made their peace with God in the way who have furnished their hearts with grace laid up their treasure in Heaven, & improved their talents for their Masters use upon the Earth, and who have foolishly slipped and sinned away the Harvest, and day of grace, neglecting Christ and the things which belonged to their peace and happiness, unt•ll••hey were hid from their eyes, who have been hypocrites and unbelievers▪ and served divers lusts, instead of serving the Lord of life and glory; and all ungodly sinners will be found out and punished: