XXX sermons lately preached at the parish church of Saint Mary Magdalen Milkstreet, London to which is annexed, A sermon preached at the funerall of George Whitmore, Knight, sometime Lord Mayor of the City / by Anthony Farindon.

The End of his Coming.

And now venturus est, the Lord will come, and you may see the Necessity of his coming in the End of his coming, for qualis Dominus, talis adventus, as his Dominion is, such is his Coming, his King∣dome spirituall, and his coming to punish sinne, and reward Obedi∣ence, to make us either Prisoners in Darkness, or Kings, and Priests to reigne with him, and offer up spirituall Sacrifices for evermore. He comes not to answer the Disciples question, to restore the King∣dom to Israel; for his Kingdome is not such a one, as they dreamt of, nor to place the Mother of Zebedees Children, the one at his right Hand, and the other at his left; nor to bring the Lawyer to his Table to eat bread with him in his Kingdome; These carnall conceits might suite well with the Synagogue, which lookt upon nothing, but the Basket: and yet to bring in this Error, the Jews, as they killed the Prophets, so must they also abolish their Prophecies, which speak plainely of a King of no shape or beauty: * 1.1 of his first coming in lowli∣nesse and poverty; of a Prince of Peace, and not of warr, of the In∣crease of whose Government there shall be no end. Nor doth he come to lead the Chiliast, the Dreamer of a Thousand yeares of Temporall Happiness on Earth, into a Mahometicall Paradise of all Corporall Contentments, That after the Resurrection, the Elect (and even a Reprobate may think, or callhim self so) may reigne with Christ a thousand years in all state and Pomp, and in the Af∣fluence of all those Pleasures which this Lord hath taught them to renounce. A conceit, which ill becomes Christians, who must look for a better, and more enduring substance, who are strangers and Pilgrims, * 1.2 and not Kings on earth, whose Conversation is in heaven, and whose whole life must be a going out of the World; why should we be commanded, and that upon paine of eternall separati∣on from this our Lord, to weane our selves from the World, and every thing in the World, if the same Lord Think these flatteries of our worser part, these pleasures, which we must loath, a fitt and proportionable reward, for the labour of our Faith and Charity, which is done in the Inward man? can he forbid us to touch and Tast these Things, and then glut us with them, because we did not Touch them? and can it now change its Nature, and be made a Recompence of those Virtues, which were as the wings on which we did fly away, and so kept our selves untoucht, unspotted of this Evill. But they urge Scripture for it, and so they soon may, for it is soon misunderstood, & soon misapplyed: It is written they say, in the 20. of the Revel. at the 6. v. that the Saints shall reign with Christ a thousand yeers; shall reign with Christ, is evidence faire enough to raise those spirits which are too high, or rather too low al∣ready 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, no sooner is the word read, but the

crown is on. To let passe the divers interpretations of that place, some making the number to be definite, some to be indefinite; some beginning the thousand yeers with the persecution of Christ, and ending it in Antichrist; others beginning it with the reign of Constantine, when Christianity did most flourish, and ending it at the first rising of the Ottoman Empire: some beginning it at the yeer 73. and drawing it on to conclude in the yeer 1073. when Hildebrand began to Tyrannize in the Church; To let passe these, (since no man is able to reconcile them) we can not but wonder, that so grosse an errour should spread so far in the first and best times of the Church, as to finde entertainment with so many, but lesse wonder that it is reviv'd and foster'd by so ma∣ny in ours, who have lesse learning, but more art to misinter∣pret, and wrest the Scriptures ••o their own Damnation. For what can they finde in this text to make them kings? no more then many of them, can finde in themselves, to make them Saints? And here is no mention of all the Saints, but of Martyrs alone, who were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus, v. 4. But we may say of this book of the Revelation, as Aristotle spake of his books of Physick, that it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that it is pub∣lisht, and not publisht; publisht, but not for every man to fasten what sense he please upon it, though we cannot deny, but some few of latter times (and so few, as but enough to make up a number) have by their multiplicity of reading, and subtil dili∣gence of observation, and by a dextrous comparing those parti∣culars, which are registred in story, with those things which are but darkly revealed; or plainly revealed to Saint John, but not so plain to us,) have raised us such probabilities, that we may look up them with favour, and satisfaction 'till we see some fairer evidence appear, some more happy conjectures brought forth, which may impair, and lessen hat credit which as yet (for ought that hath been seen) they well deserve. But this is not e∣very mans work.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Every mans eye is not so quick, and piercing to see at such di∣stance; and we see, since so many men, have taken the courage, and been bold to play the interpreters of their dark Prophesies, they have shaped out what fancies they please; and instead of un∣folding Revelations, have presented vs with nothing but dreams, as so many divers moralls to one fable, and fo for two witnesses we have a cloud; for one Beast, almost as many as be in the Forrest, and for one Antichrist, every man that displeaseth us. But let men interpret the thousand yeers how they please; Our Saviour calls it an errour, an errour that strikes at the very heart of Christiani∣ty,

which promiseth no riches nor power, nor pleasure, but that which is proportioned to those vertues and spiritual duties, of which it consists. For in the Resurrection neither do they marry Wives, nor are married, we may adde neither are there high nor love, neither rich nor poor, but all are one in Christ Jesus; and his words are plain enough, * 1.3 John 18. my Kingdom is not of this World. I should scarce have vouchsafed to mention an errour so grosse, and which carries absurdity in the very face of it, but that we have seen this monster drest up and brought abroad, and magnified in this latter age, and in our own times, which, as they abound with in∣iquity, so they do with errors, which to study to confute, were to honor them too much, who make their •…•…ual appetite a key to open Revelations, and to please and satisfie that, are well content here to build their Tabernacle, and stay on earth a thousand yeers amongst those pleasing objects, which our Religion bids us to con∣temn, and to be so long absent from that joy and peace, which is past understanding. Their Heaven is, as their vertues are ful of drosse & earth, and but a poor and imperfect resemblance of that which is so indeed; and their conceit as carnal as themselves, which Christia∣nity and even common reason abhors; For look upon them, and you shall behold them full of debate, envy, malice, covetousnesse, ambition, minding earthly things, and so fancy a reward like unto themselves 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, like embraceth like, as mire is more pleasing to swine, then the waters of Jordan: and it is no wonder, to hear them so loud and earnest for riches and pleasure, and a temporal Kingdom, who have so weak a title to, and so little hope of any other.

But God forbid, that our Lord should come, and flesh and blood prescribe the manner, for then in how many several shapes must he appear in? he must come to the covetous and fill his cofers, to the wanton and build him a Seraglio, to the ambitious and crown him; no his advent shal be like himself, he shal come in power, & majesty, in a form answerable to his Laws & Government, and as al things were gatherd together in him, * 1.4 which are in Heaven, and which are in earth, and God hath put all things under his feet, so he shall come unto all, to Angels, to the Creature, to men. And 1. he may well be said to come unto the Angels; For he is the head of all Principa∣litie and Power, * 1.5 & as at his first coming, he confirmed them in their happy estate of obedience (which we beleeve as probable, though we have no plain evidence of Scripture for it) so at his second, he shall more fully shew that to them, that which they desired to look into, * 1.6 (as Saint Peter speaks) give them a clearer vision of God, and increase the joy of the good, as he shall the torments of evil Angels. For if they sang for joy at his Birth, what Hosannas and Hallelujahs will they sound forth, when they attend him with a

shout? if they were so taken with his humility, how will they be ravisht with his Glory, and if there by joy in Heaven for one sinner that repents, how will that joy be exalted when those repentant sinners shall be made like unto the Angels? when they shall be of the same Quire, and sing the same song, glory and honour to him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to this Lord, for Ever∣more?

Secondly, he comes unto the Creatures to redeem them from bondage; for the desire of the Creature is for this day of his com∣ing; * 1.7 for even the whole Creation groaneth with us also, but when he comes they shall be reformed into a better estate; * 1.8 there shall be new Heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousnesse. Now the Creature is subjecta vanitati, subject to vanity; not one∣ly to change, and mutability, but to be instrumental to evil pur∣poses, to rush into the battle with us, to run upon the Angels sword, to be our drudges and our Parasites, to be the hire of a whore, and the price of blood. They groan as it were and travaile in pain under these abuses, and therefore desire to be deliverd, not out of any rational desire, but a natural inclination, which is in e∣very thing to preserve it self, in its best condition. To these Do∣minus veniet, the Lord will come, and his coming is called the consummation of all things, that which makes all things perfect, and restores every thing to its proper, and natural condition. The creature shall have its rest; the earth shall be no more wounded with our plowshares, nor the bowels of it digg'd up with the mattock, there shall be no forbidden fruit to be tasted, no pleasant waters to be stolen; no Manna to surfet on, no Crowns to fight for, no wedge of gold to be a prey, no beauty to be a snare, Dominus veniet, the Lord will come, and deliver his Creature from this bondage, perfect and consummate all, and at once set an end both to the world, and vanity.

Lastly, Dominus venit, the Lord will come to men both good, and evil, he shall come in his glory, * 1.9 and he shall gather all Nations and sepa∣rate the one from another, as a Shepherd divideth his sheep from his goats, and by this make good his Justice, and manifest his providence in the end; for his Justice is that, which when the world is out of order, establisheth the pillars thereof, for sin is an injury to the whole Creation, and inverts that order, which the Wisdom of God had first set up in the World. My Adultery defileth my body, my oppression grindeth the poor, my malice vexes my brother, my craft removes the Land-mark, my particular sins have their particular objects, but they all strike at the vniverse, disturb and violate that order which wisdom it self first esta∣blisht; and therefore the Lord comes to bring every thing back to

its proper place, to make all the wayes of his Providence consonant, and agreeable to themselves; to Crown the Repentant Sinner that recover'd his place, and bind and setter the stubborn and obstinate offendor, who could not be wrought upon by promises, or by Threats to move in his own sphere, Dominus veniet, the Lord will come to shew, what light he can strike out of Darkness, what Har∣mony he can work out of the greatest disorder, what beauty he can raise out of the deformed body of sinne: for sinne is a foul deformi∣ty in Nature, and therefore he comes in judgement to order, and place it there, where it may be forced to serve for the Grace, and Beauty of the whole, where the punishment of sinne may wipe out the disorder of sinne, where every thing is plac'd as it should be, and every man sent 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.10 to his proper place; nec pulchrius in coelo Angelus. quant in Gehennâ Diabolus; Heaven is a fit and proper place for an Angel of light, for the Children of God; and Hell is as fit and proper for the Devil, and his Angels. Now the wayes of men are croo••ed & Intricate, and their Actions carried on with that contrariety, and contradiction, that to quit and help himself out of them and take himself off from that Amazement, * 1.11 Marcion ran dangerously upon the greatest Blasphemy, and brought in two Principles, one of Good, and another of Evill; that is, two Gods, but when he shall come, and lay Judgement to the line, all things will be even and equall; and the Heretick shall see, that there is but one: now all is jarring, discord and confusion, when he comes, he makes an everlasting Harmony; he will draw every thing to its right and proper end, restore Order and beauty to his work, fill up those breaches, which sinne hath made, and manifest his wisedome and Providence, which here are lookt upon, as hidden mysteries; in a word, to make his Glory shine out of Darkness, as he did light, when the earth was without forme; That the Lord may be all in all.

Here in this world, all lyes as in a night, in darkness, in a Chaos or confusion, and we see neither what our selves, nor others are: we see, indeed, as we are seen, see others as they see us, with no other Eyes, but those, which the Prince of this world hath blinded: Our Judgement is not the Result of our Reason, but is rais'd from by, and vile respects: If it be a friend, we are friends to his vice, and study Apologies for it: If it be an enemy, we are Angry with his virtue, and abuse our witts, to disgrace it; If he be in Power; our eyes dazle, and we see a God come downe to us, in the shape of a man, and worship this Meteor, though exhaled, and raised from the dung, with as great Reverence, and Ceremony, as the Persians did the Sunne: what he speaks, is an Oracle, and what he doth is an Example, and the Coward, the Mammonist, or the Beast gives sentence, in stead of the man, which is lost, and buried in these. If

he be small, and of no repute in the world, he is condemned alrea∣dy, though he have reason enough to see the Folly of his Judges, and with pitty can null the Censure which they passe. If he be of our Faction, we call him, as the Manichees did the chiefest of their Sect, one of the Elect; but if his Charity will not suffer him to be of any, we cast him out, and count him a Reprobate. The whole world is a Theatre, or rather a Court of corrupt Judges, which judge themselves & one another, but never judge righteous Judge∣ment: for as we Judge of others, so we do of our selves: Judicio fa∣vor officit, our self-love puts out the eye of our Reason, or rather di∣verts it from that which is good, and imployes it in finding out many Inventions to set up Evill in its place, as the Prophet Esay speaks, wee feed on Ashes, a deceived Heart hath Turned us aside, * 1.12 that we cannot deliver our soul, and say, is there not a lie in our Right Hand. Thus he that sows but sparingly, is Liberall, He that loves the world, is not Covetous; He, whose eyes are full of the Adultress, is chast: He that sets up an Image, and falls down before it, is not an Idolater: he that drinks down blood, as an Oxe doth water, is not a Murderer; He that doth the works of his Father the Devill, is a Saint. * 1.13 Many things we see in the world, most unjustly done, which we call righte∣ousnesse, because no man can commence a suit against us, or call us into question, and we doubt not of Heaven; if we fall not from our cause, or be cast, as they speak, in Westminster Hall: If Omri'•• statutes be kept, we soon perswade our selves, that the power of this Lord will not reach us; and if our names hold faire amongst men, we are too ready to tell our selves, That they are written also in the Book of Life. This is the Judgement of the world; Thus we judge o∣thers; and thus we judge our selves, so byass'd with the Flesh, that for the most, we passe wide of the Truth. Others are not to us, nor are we to our selves, what we are, but the work of our own hands, made up in the world, and with the help of the world; for the wisdome of this world is our Spirit and Genius, that rayses every Thought, dictates all our words, begetteth all our Actions, and by it, as by our God, we live, and move, and have our being. And now, since judgment is thus corrupted in the world, even Justice requires it, Et veniet Dominus, qui malè judicata rejudicabit, the Lord will come, and give judgement against all these crooked and perverse Judgements, and shall lay Righteousness to the Plummet, * 1.14 and with his oreath sweep away the refuge of lyes; and shall judge, and passe ano∣ther manner of sentence upon us, and others, then we doe in this world. Then shall we be told, which we would never believe, though we have had some Grudgings, and whisperings, some half Infor∣mations within us, which the love of this world did soon silence and suppress; Then shall he speake to us in his displeasure, * 1.15 and though we have talk'd of him all the day long tell us we forgot him; If we set up a golden Image, he shall call us Idolaters, though we intended

it not; and when we build up the Sepulchres of the Prophets, and flatter our selves, and accuse our Fore-fathers; tell us we are as great murderers, as they; and thus find us guilty of that which we protest against, and haters of that, which we think we love, and lo∣vers of that, which we think we detest, and take us from behind the bush, from every lurking hole, from all shelter of excuse, take us from our Rock, our Rock of Ayre, on which we were built, and dash our presumptuous Assurance to Nothing. Nor can a sigh, or a groane, or a loud profession, a Fast, or long Prayers corrupt this Lord, or alter his sentence, but he shall judge, as he knows, who knows more of us, then we are willing to take notice of, and is grea∣ter the our Conscience (which we shrink, and dilate at pleasure, and fit to every purpose) and knoweth all things, and shall judge us, not by our Pretence, our Intent, or forc'd Imagination, but secundum Evangelium, according to his Gospel: veniet, he shall come when all is thus out of Order, to set all at Right, and strait again; And this is the end of his coming.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esai. 53.2. Zech. 9.9. Isa, 9.6.
• * 1.2

  Heb. 10.34. Heb. 11.13.
• * 1.3

  Quaedam sic digna revinci, ne gravitate adorentur. Tert. adv. Va∣lentin.
• * 1.4

  Eph. 1.10,22.
• * 1.5

  colos. 2.10.
• * 1.6

  1 Pet. 1.17.
• * 1.7

  Rom. 8.19,22
• * 1.8

  2 Pet. 3.13.
• * 1.9

  Math. 25.31,32.
• * 1.10

  Act. 1.25. Gers.
• * 1.11

  Duos Ponticus deos tanquam duas Symple∣gadas naufra∣gii sui adsert, quem negare non potuit, i.e. creatorem. i. e. nostrum: & quem procare non pote••it. i.e suum. Tert c. 1. adv. Marci∣on.
• * 1.12

  Isa. 44.20.
• * 1.13

  Multa injustè fieri possunt, quae nemo pos∣sit reprehendere Cic. de Finibus. 93.
• * 1.14

  Is. 28.17.
• * 1.15

  Aliud est judi∣cium Christi, aliud anguli Susurrorum. Hier.