A commentary vpon the Epistles of Saint Paul to Philemon, and to the Hebrewes together with a compendious explication of the second and third Epistles of Saint Iohn. By VVilliam Iones of East Bergholt in Suffolke, Dr. in Divinity, and sometimes one of the fellowes of the foundation of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge.

VERSE 27.

BVt on the contrary side:

Hee doth not say, the present judgement of GOD shall light on them, but that which is a mervailous torture to their conscience, a fearefull and continuall expectation of it, being assured it will one day come upon them: as a condemned man lookes eve∣ry houre to dye.

The godly stand in a joyfull expectation of CHRIST his comming, and wish for it. Come Lord Iesu, come quickly: but the ex∣pectation of his comming strikes a continuall terrour to the wicked, which is as a racke to them in the meane season. The devils believe there is a God, and tremble: so these apostats believe there is a day of judgement, and quake at the recordation of it.

And the Zeale or fervency of fire: goe ye cursed into everlasting fire.

Fire is terrible: therefore the paines of hell are described by it.

Fire is devouring: it devoures an whole towne. This is a devou∣ring fire, it shall alwayes be a devouring of them, and yet never fully devoure them: they shall ever be burning, and never burned.

Whom? them that are opposite to Christ, that wage battle against him: open and professed enemies, set on the other side against Christ; yet under a kind of pretext and colour, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth import, inverting to themselves some colourable reason, why they should doe so.

This is that which hee said, Heb. 6. They are a reprobate earth, whose end is to be burned.

Here it is evident to us all, that there is a day of judgement. There is a lake burning with fire and brimstone. The wicked would not looke for that which is not: they looke, and that with feare and horrour, for the judgment to come. Felix trembled: therefore there is a judgement. The thieves would not be afraid of the Assizes, if there were no judgement. The very devils, and all the wicked know

there is a judgement to come. Why art thou come to torment us before the time? they knew there was a time when they shold be tormented: but they complained, that CHRIST with his holy presence tormen∣ted them before the time. Therefore let us all after a godly manner feare this judgement. As for them that thinke there is no judgement, they are worse than the Devill, 2 Thes. 1.8. There is a violent fire that shall devoure the adversaries: an unquenchable fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels. Doe not imagine, that ignis gehennae is ignis fatuus. It is said of the Sodomites, that they suffer the vengeance of eter∣nall fire. God hath appointed a day wherein hee will judge the world in righteousnesse: and wee must all appeare before the judgement seat of CHRIST. Therefore let us often thinke upon it, and let it be as a bridle to restraine us from sinne. Whether I eate or drinke, said Ie∣rome, mee thinkes the trumpet soundeth in my ears, surgite mortui, venite ad judicium. Even now, when wee are eating and drinking, making merry at the Nativitie of our Blessed SAVIOUR, even now, when wee are in the middest of all our mirth and Christ∣masse games, let us remember there is a judgement: and let us live here, that wee may stand without trembling before the Sonne of man at the latter day.

The very conscience of a man doth tell him at one time or other, whether hee will or no, that there is a day of judgement. Why are men vexed in their soules when they have sinned, when they have committed such sinnes as the Law cannot take hold off, as oppressi∣on and wrongs offered to their brethren, secret adulteries, &c. Why are they grieved for these, and can find no rest in them, if there were not a judgment to come?