2 5 6 Chrilt econdAvent, Act. r.7. Signs cf (.hosts com- ing. Ofthtee forts. t. Long be. Tore. The preaching the Gofpel to all the world. Mat. 24. 14 z. The reveal. ing of Anti. thrift z The¡ 2.3. lkellock give another Expoft;ion,which I take tobe more natural to the place: for, fay they , in all thofe places where it teems to be avouched, that the day of theLord it at hand : they underhand the word in the Original, to ftgnifie generally a time drawing neer. As to fay the day of judgement maybe thisday as well as to mor- row, and to morrow as well as this day ; and manydaycs hence as well as now But in that place whet e he faith it is not at hand,they underffand theword precifely, to be meant of a precifc time : fo the Apofllc fpeaks truly,the day ofjudgement is not at hand, fo as that any man can fay, it ihail he this hour, or this day, or this month,or this year,or this age. This is no more but thedoétrine ofChrift ; Ofthat day andhour, nomanknoweth, no not sheAngels in heaven ; no, not Chrifthimfelfas man, bat the Father only. So you fee it is plain and evident, that theday ofJudgement is at hand ; but in what precifc limits of time or age it ¡hall happemit is uncertain. OurSaviour Chrift tells his Apoffles, Ali. 1.7. It t's notforyou to know the times, andfafons, that the Father hashput into his own hands. It is not for you to know thefe times : Then beloved,why fhouldwe have an car to hear,whereGod.hath not a tongue to fpeak? Let itfugiceus toknow that it is at hand, which ifwe makegood ufeot; it will make us wary and watchful, and vigilant over all our wayes ; that we fay not with the evil fervant, Our Mater defers his coming; let us eat-and drink, and beat our fel- low fervants: but betakeour ¡elves to the good fervants duty, towatch. Watch we therefore, we know not the day and hour, when the Son of man cometh. But when he cometh and finds usdoingwell, dealing faithfully, and livingholdy ; hap- py,nay thricehappy ¡hall we be : we ¡hall helure to partakeofthe blefiing ofchore upon mount Gerrazim,we need not fear thecurfe of thofe uponMount Eha1. We need not be afraid of the Thuitdering,and.lightning on Sinai,nor the fire,and tern-, pelt, nor finoakof the furnace, nor of the.found of the Trumpet : for.all ourjoy' fhall bein Sion. But when he comes,ifhe find us living wickedly,dealing unfaithfully,curfed,nay, thrice curled webe,we are fare to partake ofmourning for joy, ofafiaes for beauty, of a rent for a girdle: whatfoever becomes ofour gannents,affuredly our hearts [halt be rent in fonder. Watch we therefore, we know not the day and hour,when the Sonof- manwill come. In the fecond place, that the children of God may be armed, and prepared for his coming, he bath fet down inhis Word, certainfigns which beingeffefted, and' come topats; they may eafilyjudge, that then the day ofredemption draweth nigh. Now theft fignsare of three forts. Some are in refpeft ofus a long time beforehe comes to judgement. A fecond fort are immediatelybefore his coming. The.third, in his coming. Thefrgns that prognofticate his coming long before are theft ; Firft ofall the preaching of the Gofpel to the whole world,wlaich is let down by Chrilt, Mar. 24. 14 The Gofjiel of the kingdome fnaS be preached to the whole world, for a telimony to all Nations ; theso /hall the endbe. Which words ofour SaviourChrift we arenot fo tounderftand,as that the Gofpel Ihould be preached to the whole world at any one time ; for that never was ; nor I think never will be but ifwe fo undcrftand it, that the Gofpel (hall be preached to all. Nations fuccef- ftvely, and at feveral times : then ifwe confider the times frnce the Apoftles, we (hall find that the found.of the Gofpel path gone out to all the Nations of the world; as it u as fpoken by the Prophet: fo that this ftrff fign is already paff, the end cannot be far. The fecond figs is, the revealing of Antichriff, faith the Apoffle, z Thef. z.3. That dayfhallnot come, except there be adeparting,andthat man offn, thefonorper- dition,whieb is Antichrift berevealed. Concerning this Ggn,in the year ofour Lord, 60z. after Chriff ; S. Gregory fcemeth to avouch, that whofoever taketh the name ofuniverfal Bills op, and Paffor of the Church, that was Antichrif. Five yearsafter, Boniface fucceeding him, byPhocas theEmperor, had thetitle ofUniverlal Bifhop of the Church, and over fince, all their fucceflorshave taken that name,fo that it is evident
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