Lecture 2 · 2 Thessalonians 1:6–9

THE SECOND LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

IN the first part of this chapter, ye haue heard (brethren) next after the saluatation a preface, wherein he rejoyces together with them, for that increase and grouth of the graces of God in them, namelie, of their Faith, Loue and Charitie. In rejoycing with them he giues God the thankes and all the glorie of whatsoeuer grace they had receyued. We entered the last day in the second parte, which containes a consolation: For these Thessalonians sustained affliction and trouble for the faith of Christ, therefore the Apostle confortes them. We heard the first argument of comfort he ministred to them, was from the just judgment of God. Your troubles and afflictions ye suffer are all sure tokens, that, Iesus Christ will come one day and judge this world justlie: Among all the assurances of the latter judgement ths is one. The trouble that the godlie suffers in this world. In the affliction and trouble of the godly, ye may see (as it were, in a mirror) the Lord comming to judge the world, when we see an innocent man troubled, we may gather our conclusion, there must follow of necessity a day of count and reckning: it cannot be, that the just Lord will suffer vnjust dealing to passe away vnpunished. Then, in the second argument he drawes nearer to them, and sets downe the end of this just judgment that shall be, the end shall be for their well: For, when the Lord shall come to judge the world, they shall be counted worthy of that kingdom, the kingdome of Heauen, for the which they suffered. Worthie, not in themselues (for, all the affliction vnder Heauen will not make a man worthy of Heauen,) but, worthy, in the righteous merites of Christ, where-with one day we shall be clad, and for his worthinesse and merite shall be adjudged to life euerlasting

Now in the beginning of this text, he proues, that the day of judgment they shall be adjudged to lyfe euerlasiting and glory. He takes his argument from the nature of that Iudge. It is a iust thing, sayes he, to God, to recompence tribulation to them vvho troubles you. As if he had said, the Iudge is just, yea, by nature he is justice it selfe, and therefore, the judgement must be just, and in his just judgement he must adjudge you to life, and he must render to euery man his due; being just, he must render to them who hes afflicted you, affliction againe. And to you vvho are afflicted, he must tender rest, euen, as he renders to vs: For, I in my owne person haue beene afflicted aswell as ye haue beene, and I am assured, he will render rest to me, and so also will he to you: there is the meaning of the words. Then ye see, brethren, here, he grounds their deliuerance in that latter judgment vpon the just nature of God: ye may see our life euerlasting vnto the which we shall be adjudged in the day of judgment leanes on a solide foundation, euen the most just nature of the Iudge; all the world is not able to shake it, if thou can shake God, then thou may shake our life euerlasting. Seuer justice from him, and seuer life from his owne, both are alyke; do the one, if thou may do the other. And so, brethren, ye see where-vpon the assurance of your faith and hope of life euerlasting is grounded, it is grounded vpon an insight of the nature of God, vpon a knowledge of him, what he is in his owne nature, that he is just, he is righteousnesse it selfe, knowing then that he is just, seeing, as it were, at the least in some measure in God, and in his nature that he is just, I take assurance that that just God shall adjudge me to life, I make this more generall: all assurance, all hope of any grace we haue to receiue at the hands of God, what euer it be, must proceede from an insight and knowledge of the nature of God; how can I or any man looke for any good at the handes of him vvho is not knovvne to me? hovv shall I assure my selfe I shall get any good from him, I know not? Therefore, the man or woman who would haue faith in God, or hope of lyfe, or any good at his hands, must seeke to pearce in to the deepnesse of the infinite nature of God, so farre as can be, to knowe him in his justice, wisdome, power, mercy, and in all these infinite properties in his nature; then knowing him in these infinite thinges, he must assure himselfe of such and such graces at his hands; I know him to be powerfull, therefore, with his power he will deliuer me; I know him to be mercifull, in his mercy I am assured he wil show mercy on me; I know him to be wise, therefore I am assured he will deale wisely with me, he that is skilfull and the God of order will deale skilfully with me. Then, ye see, that, faith will neuer be builded vpon a scroofe and superficiall thing. The world thinks it ynough, to know, there is a God, to know his name and no more. No, thy hart cannot be builded on a scroofe. It is impossible to any to haue that solide and assured faith in God and that hope of lyfe, except they haue a solide knowledge, in some measure, of his nature and of his properties. And that bodie that preases not to pearce in to the deepnesse of God; cannot haue that Spirit of God: for, in the first Epistle to the Corinth. chap. 2. vers. 10. it is said, The spirit of God searches, and what? in to the infinit deepnesse of God, and there he lets thee see Gods minde towardes thee. So, that, if any be indewed with that searching Spirit of God, of necessitie that Spirit must conuoy their eyes, in some measure, in to the secreetes of God, to the deepnesse of that infinite nature: It is a wonderfull sight that a true and solide faith hes in God. It will peace in to the infinite nature of God, and builde on that infinite nature the solide ground of faith. I speake this that ye may seeke to knowe the nature of God.

Yet to the wordes. It is a righteous thing vvith God, not to men, but, to God. The meaning of the Apostle is, What euer seemes right in the eye of man, this is righteous in the eye of God, to render to euery man his due. Now the Lord forbid, that our life or death euerlasting hang vpon that that seemes just and vnjust to man. Lord forbid, that Heauen or Hell hang at mans girdle, or depended on his judgement, I assure you, many would goe to Hell from hand. As God in nature is a just Iudge, euen so, man by nature a wrangous and vnjust judge: Let him be giuen ouer to himselfe, hee shall neuer judges one whit of that which is just, Differēce betvvene the iudgment of God, and of men. at the least, he shall neuer judge sincerelie of that worke. I shall tell you the differences between the judgement of God and man shortlie. Man when he judges is oft-tymes so blinded, that he sees not the thing that is just: for, he will take vp the thing that is vnjust to be just, and the thing that is just to be vnjust. Then againe, supponing by the light of the minde he see the thing that is just, yet there is such a peruersnesse in his will and affection, that, in spyte of the light of the mynde he will peruert justice; that thing he knowes to be just he will call it vnjust. And the thing he knowes to be vnjust he will call it just. But it is not so with God: for, first, he by that infinite judgement in him sees that thing that is just to be just, nothing can begyle him, at the verie first looke he vvill knovve that vvhich is just. And then againe, vvhen he sees it to be just, there is such an vprightnesse in him that he vvill decerne it to be just. Then, brethren, it is vvell vvith vs that our lyfe and death dependes not on men, vpon their judgement, their speaking, it is vvell vvith vs that our saluation and condemnation depends not on their blind and corrupt affection, but on him that sees euery thing, as it is, and judges justlie. There is the ground of our saluation.

Novv to goe forvvarde. The effect of his justice, vvhat is it? The just Iudge sitting in his judgement seate he renders to euerie man their ovvne, his justice standes in distribution: He renders to the troublers, by the saw called Lex talionis, euen such thing as they did, to wit, trouble. But to the godly he giues rest, joy and comfort for euer. What should he render to the afflicters but affliction. To the troublers but tribulation againe. So what euer man does, he gettes the lyke repayed to him againe in his hand: God readers infinite trouble to the afflicters of the godlie. afflictes he, he shall be afflicted: trouble he? he shall be troubled, if all the world had said the contrare. Indeed it is true, brethren, the affliction that he receiues, albeit it be alyke in qualitie: (for affliction is euer like affliction) yet looke to the quantitie of that trouble the troublers shall receyue, It is incomparable, in quantitie: for, in quantitie it shall be infinite. All that which they may do to the godly is but finit and hes and end: But that affliction where-with they shall be repayed home againe is infinite. And therefore read the Rom. chap. 2. vers. 8. 9. where Paul telles of that rendring alike at that great day, he cannot get words sufficiently to expresse their affliction. They shall get indignation, then wraith, they shall be opprest with tribulation & anguish, and shall be casten in the presse of affliction. Whereto should we speake of this? Can any words expresse it? No, all the words of the Angels of Heauen and men in the earth cannot expresse the affliction they shall be afflicted with in that day. Indeed, the afflictions: the godly sustaines here may be suffered, but the affliction the wicked shall suffer at that day shal be intolerable. Now ye may say, how can this stand with Gods justice, to repay a thing infinite for a finite thing; to render infinite affliction for finite affliction; to render the paines of Hell for a short temporall paine? I answer. God in repaying wrong to them that hes done wrong, lookes not so much to the wrong that one man does to another, as to the wrong done to his owne Majesty that is infinite. Thou oppressest thy neighbour, thou troublest a brother. The Lord when he commes to judge, he looks not so much to the wrong thou hast done to thy neighbour, or to thy brother, as to the wrong done to himselfe: He respects the wrong done to him who is infinite, and therefore, thou shalt be repayed with an infinite paine. This is Gods justice. Then againe. Neuer a man that did wrong. and that hes tane pleasure to do wrong, did euer the wrong, nor was able to doe so great wrong, as he would haue done, if he had gotten his will fulfilled in doing wrong, there would neuer be an end of his wrong: If the trouber had his vvill in troubling, no end of his trouble: If the murtherer had his vvill in murthering his bloodie svvord vvould neuer be put vp, but he vvould euer be murthering, he vvould be euer oppressing. And therefore, God in his judgment lookes not so much to the thing thou doest, to the stroke of thy hand, to the word of thy mouth, as he looks to the thoght and will of thy mynde. It hes no end of euill. The Lord for thy endlesse euill vvill in hart, vvill render thee an endlesse paine. This much for the first rendering.

The second rendring is the rendring to the godly according to Gods justice. What renders God to the godly? Not as he did to the wicked, affliction for affliction, trouble for trouble; but by the contrare, vvhere they vvere afflicted, lying tread dovvne in the presse of affliction, then the Lord shall louse their bondes, and take the oppressours and vvrap them in the same bondes, and tread them vnder his feete. So, the second sort of rendering, God renders infinite glory, to the godly afflicted. is rendering not alyke to alyke, but a thing that is vnlyke, rendering to the afflicted relaxation for euer. Brethren, there is no comparison betvveene the afflictions of the godlie, and that vvhich the Lord shall render to them for their affliction. That vvhich the godlie suffers is but a meane and small thing. It is not vvorthie to be spoken of, to be rent on the Raoks, to be burnt quick, for the name of Iesus, is not vvorthie to be spoken of in respect of that wonderfull glorie we shall possesse. The Apostle in that second chap. to the Romans, 10. verse, cannot get words to expresse their glory which they shall enjoy at that latter day. Honour and glory, that passes all the ignominie that can be in the world a thousand stages, immortalitie, thou shalt neuer die againe, lyfe, and lyfe that is without end, peace and joy euerlasting. There is no comparison. In the 2. Corinth. chap. 4. verse 17. Paul calles the afflictions of the godlie, the momentaneall lightnesse of affliction: they are first light, then their afflictions lastes but for a moment. Yet, sayes he, they shall vvorke to you an euerlasting vveight of glorie, and glorie that is excellentlie excellent: he cannot get vvordes to expresse it. The glorie is in quantitie a vveight, in tyme it is euerlasting; in dignitie it is excellentlie excellent. Whereto shall I speake it? All the tongues that is in Heauen and earth is not able to expresse that glorie as it is vvorthie to be spoken of: For, in the 1. Epist. to the Corinth. chap. 2. verse 7. it is said, These thinges hes not entered in the hart of man that the Lord hes prepared for them that loue him. And who are they, if not they who suffers for him? This much for the rendring both to the one and the other according to the just nature of God.

Now in the end he addes to this word, vvith vs. He shall render relaxation to you and to me also. I am troubled as you are. And therefore I hope for the same deliuerance and relaxation that I promise to you. Promise nothing to the people, but the thing thou thinkest to get a parte of thy selfe. Promise no resurrection, except thou thinkest to get a parte thereof. But the thing I marke is this. I see all grace and glorie is in a societie vvith the Saintes: resurrection, lyfe euerlasting is vvith the godlie: For as there is a communion vvith the Saintes in afflictiones 1. Peter chap. 5. verse 9. so there is a communion with the Saintes in rest, in grace and glorie. Ephes. chap. 3. verse 14. 1. Thessa. chap. 3. verse 13. And this thing we may take vp euer in this Apostle, he speakes of no grace but euer together vvith the Saintes, all is in one conjunction. Let none therefore prease to come to Heauen but in this conjunction. Thou wilt leape from the Church, but I assure thee leape as thou wilt, and think to come to Heauen without that societie, thou shalt neuer come to Heauen, thou shalt neuer get relaxation but in this society. Thinke it no small matter to be of the number of the godly: thou shalt neuer be glorified in that latter day, if thou be not one of that nomber. Then marke another thing. He sayes, they shall get relaxation with him. Then it followes that he was afflicted with them. Who gettes rest? but they who are troubled. Who will come to Heauen? None but they who for Christs sake on the earth hes suffered some affliction, either within or without. No, look not that a man will come sleeping to Heauen. Heauen is a relaxation out of bondes; who can be lowsed, but they who haue bene bound? This may learne vs to take in patience to be bound, to be euill spoken of, and to suffer either one thing or other for the hope of that lyfe euerlasting.

Novv to goe forvvarde in the text follovving, ye haue a short but a pithie description of the Lord Iesus comming to judgement to render and repay. When shall this rendring be? When shall affliction be rendered to the afflicters, and relaxation to the bound and troubled? When our Lord Iesus Christ shall come to iudge the vvorld. Not till then. There is the dyet nothing but patience vntill then. Thou art ouer sudden. Thou would haue the Lord rendering to thee rest, and to thy enemie trouble at the first moment. Thou would haue him to put thee in Heauen at the first hand, and thy enemies in Hell at an instant. No, byde, till the tyme of the manifestation come. Tyme of rendring. Then, the tyme of rendering is the tyme of manifestation of light, it is the day of light, of such a light as was neuer in the world: for, while Christ come, all is hid: Heauen is hid. Hell is hid: Right is hid, wrong is hid; damnation is hid; saluation is hid; lyfe hid, death hid; godlie men is hid; reprobate men hid; all hid, till Christ come to judgment. 1. Iohn chap 3. verse 2. When Christ shall come he shall be first reuealed from Heauen, an infinite light shall come from Heauen accompanying that glorious Majestie. Then Hell shall be seene, Heauen shall be seene faire and broad, lyfe shall be seene, death shall be seene, all shall appeare then as they are. So, byde still a whyle, and byde in patience, thou who would haue relaxation, and thy bondes shall be loused in patience; byde, till that tyme. Thou that would see afflicters afflictedly, still in patience: for, in that moment when thou shal see the Lord comming from Heauen, thou shalt see an end of all these thinges such rendring as euer thou would haue desyred. So nothing but patience.

Now, marke the style the Lord gettes in this reuelation and comming. He is called, The Lord. A style of glorie, a name of power. So the Lord in his comming and manifestation shall be manifested lyke a Lord, and in a surpassing power ouer quick and dead. Rom. chap. 14. verse 9. He died and rose againe, that he might be Lord both of the quick and the dead. Then againe he is called Iesus, that is, a Sauiour, as he shall be manifested at that day as a Lord; so shall he be manifested as a sweete Sauior Iesus, to the just and godly of this world. So, then, his appearance shall be as a Lord and Sauior, to the comfort of his elect and as a Lord in power, to the destruction of the wicked.

Now, to goe forward, (I shall not be curious, but shall open onely the wordes.) The Lords comming and reuealing himselfe as Lord, and as Iesus the Sauior is descriued and set out in an high glorie: Christ shal come frō heauen. His reuelation shall first be from the Heauen. That word Heauen is not put in lightly. He is reuealled not from the earth, or from any low part: No Monarchs that euer reuealled themselues in the world came downe yet from Heauen: The Lords reuelation when he shall show himselfe to the world shal be from the Heauen: The Heauen now is a vaile casten in betweene our eyes and the Lord. So that we cannot see him, but at that day the Lord of glorie shall break downe throgh the vaile and come down to the aire to be seene by vs. Now if ye wil aske what an Heauen this is? Paul 4. chap. to the Ephes. vers. 9. 10. saies he was caried to an heauen aboue al these heauens which we see. And therefore these Heauens from the which the Lord shal appeare, is a place aboue: He shall break throgh all these Heauens while he offer himself to be seene in the clouds. Then this comming from Heauen lets vs see he shall come to his in glory. The greater glorie, the greater comfort to vs, the greater discomfort to the wicked, the greater feare and trembling to the reprobate. Take heed to this ye who takes pleasure in sin, what feare and terror shall ouertake you in that day. So this is the first part.

Now in the next wordes he is deseryued from his companie that shall conuoy him. Angelles shal accōpany Iesus, in his cōming. The Lord in his second comming he shal not come his alone; in the first comming he came in the world basely, like a poore man accompanied with no glorious traine. The Lord was made poore that thou should be made rich; the Lord took vpon him ignominy that thou shold get glory. Now in the second comming he shall be gloriously accompanied. No neuer Monarch was so accompanied when they came to their kingdom as the Lord Iesus shal. They shal wōder that he going in his first comming in the world so poorely should haue such glory. The first company he shal come with shall be Angels, the gloriousest creatures that euer was, not one or two, but millions of Angels, principalities and powers. Iude sayes 14. vers. the Lord [shall] come vvith thoulands of his Saints. And I say as I think, there shall not be an Angell in Heauen, but all shall come with Iesus. And what shall be then habite? They shall come like an armie al as it were, in armes. Men who are in their armour in their harnes they appeare most glorious to the world. So all the Angels shall come as an army armed with power; and therefore it is said, Angels of his povver, terrible to the wicked, because they shall be enarmed against them; comfortable to the godly, for they come for their defence. The Angels in their owne nature are strong, by their creation potent; they are principalities, powers by vertue of their own nature. But the word would import more. They shall not onely be strong with their owne power, but, they shall come enarmed with the power of Christ, with an exceeding and extraordinary kinde of power, such a power, that they were neuer sene in before, in such a majesty as neuer was seene of before, and al to the glory of that glorious Lord Iesus, who is Lord and judge blessed for euer. An earthly king when he is in his greatest glory is but accompanied with selie infirme creatures who hes little strength. But, the Lord Iesus, who is King of kings shall be accompanied at his comming with Angels of such an infinite strength, that the deuill and all the world shall not be able to withstand any one of them.

Now, to goe forward, the next companie that shall be with him shall be creatures, something inferior, Not so glorious as the Angels, Flaming fyre shall accōpany Christ. but, very glorious, a flamming fire, a fire with a great flame; and therefore, fire that shall cast downe from it exceeding great heat and light to the world. Ye will aske, what fire will this be? I will not be curious heerein: but, I think, that, that fyre that shall be at that day shall be that same naturall element, that the Lord created, when he made the rest of the creatures. This appeares very vvell, of Peter, in his second Epistle, chap. 3. vers. 6. 7. When he sayes, the first world was destroyed by vvater, and the second vvorld shall be destroyed vvith fyre. Certainely, as the first vvorld vvas destroyed by a naturall vvater; so, shall the second vvorld be destroyed by a naturall fyre. This fyre shall then appeare in such a glorie, quantitie, and light, as it vvas neuer of before: because it is imployed in the seruice of a most glorious Lord. Would ye knovve vvhat shall be the vse of this glorious fyre? Read. 2. Epist. of Peter chap. 3. This fire going before him shall burne, first, the heauens; then, it shall come to the elements, and melt them all vvith heat. It shal next come to the earth and shall burne vp the earth and all the works. Would ye know what shall come after? There shall be a new heauen and a new earth. And so, this fire shall serue for the purifying and burning of the drosse of the creatures: for, all the creatures, the Heauen, the Earth, the Sunne, the Moone, hes drawen on a corruption, through our sinnes. But, is there no other vse of this fire? This fire shall also in the Lords justice be a fire to deuoure the aduersaries. Heb. chap 10. verse 27 to burne the reprobate for eeuer. And therefore, vaine man, who takes pleasure in thy sinnes, let the memorie of this flamming fire terrifie thee, that, in tyme, thou may repent. Now, this much for that glorious companie, where-with the Lord Iesus shall be accompanied in that glorious comming.

Now, come to the effects, in the next words. When he is come from the Heauen accompanied with the glorious Angels and flamming fire, certainely, he will not come for nothing: Kings in the earth may flit their campes for nothing; but, the King of glorie will not doe so. Now, the effect, in one word, is, rendering, repaying, recompencing; the judgement is, in rendering to euery one, his owne due: In rendering, first he beginnes at the godles and wicked after his comming in such a glorie. He shall render the wicked, that, which is due to them, that is, vengeance. To whom? To them, that knovv not God on this earth, to them, that obeyed not the Gospell of the Lord Iesus. Marke it. The Lord keepe vs from the causes of this rendering. There shall be none, that knew not God, Faith accōpanied vvith a troup of graces. and obeyed not the voyce of Christ in the Gospell, but vengence shall ouertake them in that glorious appearing of that judge in the world. These are the two great faultes and sinnes, that shall procure, in the day of judgement, vengence, from Iesus Christ. Now, as there are two thinges, that procures this vengence, so, there are two things, that brings life at that great appearance of the Lord Iesus Christ. The first, is, the knowledge of God. The next, is, the knowledge of his Sonne the Lord Iesus Christ. Iohn chap. 17. verse 3. This is lyfe euerlasting, to know thee to be the onely God, and whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ knowe these two, knowe God, knowe Christ in his Gospell, then vengence shall not ouertake thee. Then, by the plaine contrare. There are two grounds and causes of death and damnation. The misknowing of God, and the misknowing of Iesus heere vttered in his Gospell, and these two are [inseparablie conjoyned to] gether. Then, brethren, in one word, Let not the Iew be bold to say, he knowes God, when he knowes not his Son; all the knowledge a man can haue of God, when he knowes not his Sonne, is nothing: for, God the Father cannot be knowne, but in his Son Iesus Christ, and without the knowledge of God in his Son, there is no saluation from judgement. The Son is the Image of God, and God will be knowne in him. Heb. chap. 1. verse 3. He is the brightnesse of his glory, and the ingraued forme of his person. So, that there can be no sight of God, but in the face of Christ the man. Ioyne these two together, know God know the Son, know the Son that thou may know the Father; for, no sight of the Father, but, in the Son.

This further wold be marked. When he speaks of obedience to Christ. He sayes not, they that obeyed not the Lord Iesus, but, he sayes, They vvho obeyed not the Gospell of the Lord Iesus. This is spoken, to the commendation of the Gospell, and of the preaching of it, and this base ministry which men esteemes so litle of. Looke how he rankes this Gospell and the preaching of it with Christ himselfe. He counts them that obey the Gospell, to obey Christ, and he counts them, who are rebellious to the Gospell, to be rebels to Christ. And therefore say I, boast as thou wilt, of Christ, and of the knowledge of him, if thou despise this Gospel, and this base ministry, vengence shall light on thee: Thou wilt say, thou knowest Christ and in the meane time, there wil be nothing in thy hart, but, a contempt of the Gospel & of the preachers of the Gospell. But, boast as thou wilt, of the knowledge of Christ; thou shalt finde, if thou be impenitent in this pointe, vengeance shall light on thee. Rebels to the Gospell and preaching thereof, in earth, rebels to Christ, in the Heauen. Think not, when thou hungerst the Gospell out of the land, by drawing away in thy clookes all the thing the Gospel should be sustained on, that, thou knowest God and Iesus Christ. What matter of the hungring of the bodies of men, in respect of the Gospell. When thou closest the mouth of men, so, that, for hunger, they are not able to preach, say not, thou knowest Christ and loues the Gospell, thou liest falslie. Whē throgh thy gredines thou art an hinderer to the ministrie, whom the Lord thrusts out, to be dispensators of the foode to the soules of men, thou hungerst the Gospell. When thou doest this, say not, thou louest Christ. Thou wilt say in that great day, Lord, where saw we thee hungring, where saw we thee naked, &c. But, the Lord then shall say, What euer thou did to the Ministers of the Gospell, thou did it to me, thou stayed the planting and progresse of the Gospell, throgh thy auarice. O sacrilegious Abbot, Bishop, and Priour, and the rest of that rable, and ô ye rauening woolfes, that deuoures the teinds, to the prejudice of the plantation of this ministry and Gospel, to the hungring of innumerable soules. Look to this matter and tak vp your selues, that the Lord meete you not in vengence, looke to this at this tyme, and with draw not the moyen whereby this Gospell may be propagated in the world. I speak no more of this matter. One day will show the trueth of these things.

Yet, ere I leaue the words. Marke, further. He is speaking of the godlie, that were persecuted, and he brings in the Lord Iesus rendring, and yet, he sayes not, he shall render vengence to them, that afflicted and troubled the godlie, he speaks not of them, that were afflicted. But, he sayes, to them, vvho obeyed not the Gospell of the Lord Iesus. So, he touches the groundes: persecution and troubling of the saints rises euer on this ground, rebellion to God, rebellion to Christ, no persecuter, but a rebell to God, a contemner of the Gospel of Christ, be is a contemner of God and Christ. And in the meane-tyme, with this, he comforts the persecuted Thessalonians, they shall not escape trouble, who hes troubled you, because the Lord hes his entrest. And therefore, assure thee, if there were no other thing, but, this rebelling against God and Christ, of necessitie, vengence must follow. Trouble euer rises of misknowledge of God. What matter of men, in afflicting men, they rebell against God, and that rebelling shall not escape punishment.

Now, in the next words, he commes more particularly to the vengence. To scanse of these thinges ouer far, it is but vaine curiositie. Therefore, it is expedient, in these things, to hold fast the plaine words, that we alter not to the one side, nor, to the other. Curious spirites hes spoken much of this matter without any grounds. It might haue bene asked, What can this vengence be? He answers, and calles it a perdition. Then, he cals it, euerlasting perdition, and wrack of the creature. There are sundry sorts of vengences, all vengences are not the vtter wrack of the creature: for, many men after punishment will get vp their heads againe and come throgh, but, after this punishment, vtter wrack and perdition shall follow. A beast, when it dies and is feld, it is wracked; but, looke the nature of this wrack, it shall be euerlasting, a wrack without an end, a death without a death, a death that shall neuer haue an end, ay dying and neuer dead. So first, it shall be perdition and an vtter wrack, and then, neuer shall haue an end. The houling and vtter cry of the reprobat in Hell, ô how dolorous is it? But, what matter of the extremity of it, if it had an end; but, alas, extremity without end of pain, how dolorous is it? Many wil neuer know this, till they be shot in Hel: Heauen and Hel is thoght mocking: Many wil neuer know, there is an Hel, vntil they feele it in experience. The Lord waken vs, that once we may think of this. Alas, there is such a stupiditie in the hart of man, that he can neuer beleue this. So, there the vengence, a perdition, and an endlesse perdition.

Now, in one word. He resolues this particular vengence in the own grounds; there is, first, a perdition; then, an eternity of perdition. In the next words, he lets you see the groundes, first, of perdition, and then, of the eternitie thereof. As to the perdition it selfe, He sayes, it commes from the face of God. The wicked shall not see so soone the face of Iesus Christ the Iudge at that day, but, as soone they shall melt away, as the waxe at the fire; and as ye see the matter of melting is in the waxe it self; so, the matter of the melting of the wicked shall be in themselues. But, what matter, if it had an end. And therefore, next, he layes downe the ground of eternitie taine from the glory of the power of the infinite Iudge. The power of the glorious Iudge is eternall, infinit and endles; the power of man hes an end. He is a mighty monarch to day; but, to morrow euanishes; his power lasts not. But, the power of the lord Iesus shal neuer hauean end; and from once he begin to put the finger of his power on the soule of the wicked, they shall neuer be free of vengence. It is a terrible thing to fall in the hands of an angry God; from once he grip thee, his hand shal neuer louse, his power indures euer, and therefore shall thy paine indure euer. So, ye that will thinke, an endlesse paine cannot be, lift vp your eyes and consider the eternitie of his power and infinitnes of God, and then ye may see the great and euerlasting vengence that he hes to be powred on the wicked, and great and euerlasting mercy on them that pertaines to him in Christ. The Lord giue vs eyes to see it, euen for his Christs sake. To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be praise for euer.

AMEN.