`I'heylpproach ofthe 9odof Recompencer. 2,55 call every one ofus to account for our wayes, Our words and a&ions, but where it ç the prpmife of his coming ? for all things continue alike from the beginning ofthe; Creation. Miferable men! that wouldbeperfwaded that the dayofJudgment fhould never come, becanfe it wasdeferred : but fuch jefFina, and mocking, and fcoflng at this great and terrible day heretofore tiled, and indeed now pra&iled in the whole progeny ofunbelievers, it maybe an argument to us, that it (hall not be deferred ; for foiaithSaint Petal, i Tbef. 5. q. when they /hall fay, peace, peace, and-fitfiy, then deftruëtionfhallcomc on them,as travel on awoman with chdd,and they /hall notefcape. But Saint Peter anfivcrs there fcoffersthatasked,1hero Le the promife ofhis coming: begives them two anfwers ; Theone invert 8. the other verf. y. In the eighth verf. he faith Chrift defers not long to come to judgement, for faith he, one day with the Lord is as a thoufand years, &c. alludingto Pfal. yo. 4. Rthoufand years in thyfight, are but as yefterday, fince theypaf: ao a watch in the Ptal. pa._ night. As if he frould "fay ? were it poffible for a man to live a thoufand years ; yet thole thoufandyears in rcfpe& ofGod, as foon as they arc paft, they are as one day in refpc& ofmen : nay, they are bùt as a watch of the night ; that is,but as three hours. The old Jewes they divided thenight into four Watches, and ap- pointed to eachWatch threehours; as may appear by comparing of thefe places of Scripture together, 114at.14.z4. Num.r4.25.. Luke 12.38. So then the words bear this cxpofttion, that a thoufandyears in relpeel of Gad, are but as ane day ; nay, stat.14. 24. but as a watch ofthe night; thatis, but as throehours. It dothplainly thew to us, Nutitb.t4. :,. that Saint Peter meant not to fpeak diftin&ly ofa thoufand years,but of a longtime: Luke ta. it. fo that his meaning is , innumerable years in refpe&of God, are but as one day. Saint Peter might as well have laid z000. or 3000. or t0000. thoufand years rn refpc& of God,are but asoneday. Thus youhave his firft anfwer to thofe fcoffers, that faid, where is thepromifèofhis coming? His fecond anfwer is in theninth veri. where the Apoftle faith, The Lord isnot Jlackconcerninghis promìfe. Where 'is the promife of his coming ? Why, faith the Apaitle, The Lordd notflack, as we accountJtackpefs. For we account them flack that go (lowly about a work, but God is not to to beaccounted flack ; but faith the Apoftle, He is patient towardus, andwouldhavenoneperifh, butFame to repen- tance. Then the flacknefs ofChrifts coming is hispatience,bccaufe he would give us time to repent, and have us prepared before hecone: O ! then beloved, let us not make a mockas others do of this patience,but while we have time,let us take time, that whenhe comes we may be worthy of him. Thus you have the firft he- refte confuted. The fecpnd was quite contrary to this, fet abroach by certainfall teachers, who z. By S. Paul, taught the I heffalonians, that the day ofJudgement was fo near, that it fhould happen. in their, t. Where (by the. way) you may take notice of theexceeding great fubtilty of the Devil, that labours by all means poffible to bring men to one of thefe extreatns. Leither that the day ofJudgement (hall never come, or it tall come in filcha limited time and age. And indeed it is ranked among the opinions of fome, that held that the day ofJudgement fhould be juft 6000 years after the Creation, z000 before the Law, z000 under theLaw, and z000under the Golpe!. But Saint Paul anfwers thefe falfeteachers among the Theffalonians, and all of the 1 the! i. like opinion : therefore toarm them againft their affaults, he bids them for a cer- tainty believe it. z Thef. z. that the day ofjudgement was not at hand. And he gives the reafon, veri.3. For, faith he, that darfhallnotcome,except therebea depart- ing firft, andtbat man offin, thefenofperdition be revealed. But how is it that the Apoftle tellstheThèffalonians, that theday ofJudgement Objeft. was not at hand, feting it is plain in the places before recited, that the endofthe world was at hand,and that now was the lait times,? and Beb,y.z6. Chrift appeared Heb. 9.261 in the endof the world. It was in the endof theworld that Chrift appeared to facri- ñce himfelffor our fins ; how is itthen that he tells the Thefialonians here,that the day of the Lord is not at hand ? Mafter Calvin faith the anfwer is eafie: for, faith he, in refpe&of God it was at .4nfw. hand, butas for us, we muff be continually waiting for it. ButMatter Beza, and N n e /Mock
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