Book II. CHRIST's CoMING cOMPARED TO THAT oF A THIEF, &c. 465 of Chrirt here fpoken of, is his Coming at the lafr Day to J udgmenr, when the Dead lhall be raifed. Read the latter Part of the fourth Chapter, &c. Why the Day of the Lord is compared to the Coming of a Thief in the Night, will appear by the following Parallel. SIMILE. I. THE Coming of a Thief in the Night, is with a De– lian to circumvent an unwatchful Houfe, to take his Prey. PARALLEL. I. 1""'HE Coming ofChri(\, or Day of the Lord, will be with Defign to circumvent the care• lefs Profetrors, who Oeep in a linful fe:ure State, os if there were no God to fear, no J efus Chri£1: to look for, no Heaven to be fought, no Hell to be avoided; to fuch he will come, and feize them for his Prey, to cut them afunder, a11d appoint them their Portion with Unbe/ie•1;ers and Reprobates.· 1!. A Thief comes provided for 11. Even fo will the Lord Jefus Chri£1:, at his his Purpofe, with a Refolmion to fr·cond Coming, be provided for his Purpofe, with fight, 2ndln!l:ruments to make way Fire and Sword to accomplilh his Defign, whiclt tohisDefign,Keys tounlockDoors, is to make aDefolation in the Earth: For by Fire Bars to break them open,orthe like. and Swordjhall the Lord plead with all Flejh, and the Slain of the Lordjhnll be many. He jhall be re– vealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in Flames of Fire, &c. 2 'l'heff i. 7• B. Ill. AThief comes at a Time JII. The Day of the Lord will come, when all when all. is ll:ill, and People are is fiill, and the World lea{\ thoughtful of Danger, leaf\ thoughtful ofDanger, but are but are carelefs, eating, and drinking, and marrying, carelefs, at eafe, even aOeep upon and Oeeping; rill the Heavens rend afunder, the their Beds, thinking themfdvcs feArchangel utter his Voice, and the Judge himfelf cure, until they are invaded, and come upon them: But as the Days ofNoah were,j1 their Goods taken away. Jhalt the Coming of the Son ofMan be,Matt. xxiv. 37• IV. The Coming of a Thiefinto IV. The Day of the Lord will in like manner aHoufepurs the carelefsFamily input the Oeepy Generation (that !hall then be) in– ~o a great Fright, when they fee to a great and difmal Fright, when they lee them– themfelves furprized, and cannot !elves on a fuddeu furprized, but know no way of roll how to help it. Efcape: Men !l:artiug, Women quaking, Beafrs crying, but none to help them. '1hen, will they Jay to the Rocks and Mountains, Fall on us, and hide us'from the Face of him thatfit– teth on the Throne, andfrom the Wrath of the Lamb; for the great Day of his Wrath is come, and who jha/1 be able to .ftand? Rev. vi. 16, 17. V. The Approach of a Thief in V. The Coming of the Day of the Lord will the Niaht, makes the poor amazed make the World much amazed, and forget all Family" forget all their former their former Pleafures and Enjoyments, as if they Pleafures and·Enjoyments, and exbad never been, and would gladly accept of their peC1: no more than their Lives for Lives for a prey, or to be extinguilhed, or ceafe a prey, and glad would they be to be ; bur alas I it is in vain, norhina bur Hell of them too. and eternal Burnings remaiu for them, ~here they VI. At the Coming of • Thief in the Night Execution is oftemimes done, to the Ruin of the People where he com.es. lhall be always dying, yet never die. VI. By the Coming of the Day of the Lord, there will be fuch Execution done, as will be ro the utter Ruin. and Un-doing of wicked Men, who f11all be !l:rrpped of all they have formerly · fer their Hearts upon, and would now give the whole World, were It m their Polfeffion, for lo much Grace as would help them ro Heaven, and fave them from the dreadful Judgment, Nlatt. xxv. 8. SIMILE. I. A Thief comes with a wicked Intent, to gratify his wick– ed Will unrigbteouOy. II. A Thief's Coming may be prevented. D IS PAR IT Y. I. THE Lord cometh with a good Intent, to fulfil his Father's Will, to fave his Peo– ple from their Troubles, and to render J uftice to God's Enemies. 11. But the Coming of the Day of the Lord cannot be prevented : "''he Day of the Lord will rome, ia wbich, &c. 2 Pet. iit 10. 6 C ll!. Tl c
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