Secondly, Jesus Christ the Judge, descending from heaven into the air, (1 Thess. iv. 16, 17) shall come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, Matth. xxiv. 30. This his coming will be a mighty surprise to the world, which will be found in deep security: foolish virgins sleeping, and the wise slumbering. There will then be much luxury and debauchery in the world, little sobriety and watchfulness; a great throng of business, but a great scarcity of faith and holiness. As it was in the days of Noah, so also shall it be in days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark: and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot: they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded.—Even thus shall it be in the day, when the Son of man is revealed. Luke xvii. 26, 27, 28, 30. The coming of the Judge will surprise some at markets, buying and selling; others at table, eating and drinking, and making merry: others busy with their new plantings; some building new houses; nay, some's wedding-day will be their own, and the world's judgment-day. But the Judge cometh! the markets are marred; the buyer throws away what he has bought; the seller casts down his money: they are raised from the table, and their mirth is extinguished in a moment; tho' the tree be set in the earth, the gardener may not stay to cast the earth about it; the workmen throw away their tools, when the house is half built, and the owner regards it no more; the bridegroom, bride, and guests must leave the wedding-feast, and appear before the tribunal: for, Behold he •••eth with clouds, and every eye shall see him, Rev. i. 7. He shall come most gloriously: for he will come ⟨p. 272⟩in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels, Mark viii. 38. When he came in the flesh, to die for sinners, he laid aside the robes of his glory, and was despised and rejected of men: but when he comes again, to judge the world, such shall be his visible glory and majesty, that it shall cast an eternal veil over all earthly glory, and fill his greatest enemies with fear and dread. Never had prince, or potentate in the world, such a glorious train, as will accompany this Judge: all the holy angels shall come with him, for his honour and service.
Secondly, Jesus Christ the Judge, descending from heaven into the air, (1 Thess. iv. 16, 17) shall come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, Matth. xxiv. 30. This his coming will be a mighty surprize to the world, which will be found in deep security: fool•sh virgins sleeping, and the wise slumbering. There will then be much luxury and debauchery in the world, little sobriety and watchfulness; a great throng of business, but a great scarcity of faith and holiness. As it was in the days of Noah, so also shall it be in days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark: and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot: they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded.—Even thus shall it be in the day, when the Son of man is revealed. Luke xvii. 26, 27, 28, 30. The coming of the Judge will surprise some at markets, buying and selling; others at table, eating and drinking, and making merry: others busy with their new plantings; some building new houses; nay, some's wedding-day will be their own, and the world's judgment-day. But the Judge cometh! the markets are marred; the buyer throws away what he has bought; the seller casts down his money: they are raised from the table, and their mirth is extinguished in a moment; tho' the tree be set in the earth, the gardner may not stay to cast the earth about it; the workmen throw away their tools, when the house is half built, and the owner regards it no more; the bridegroom, bride, and guests must leave the wedding-feast, and appear before the tribunal: for, Behold he •••eth with clouds, and every eye shall see him, Rev. i. 7. He shall come most gloriously: for he will come ⟨p. 272⟩in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels, Mark viii. 38. When he came in the flesh, to die for sinners, he laid aside the robes of his glory, and was despised and rejected of men: but when he comes again, to judge the world, such shall be his visible glory and majesty, that it shall cast an eternal vail over all earthly glory, and fill his greatest enemies with fear and dread. Never had prince, or potentate in the world, such a glorious train, as will accompany this Judge: all the holy angels shall come with him, for his honour and service.
