[3.] The apostle might speak so, as comparing time with eternity : Ps. xc. 4, ' A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday, when it is past, and as a watch in the night ;' 2 Peter iii. 8, ' One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.' The longest time to eternity is but as a drop lost and spilt in the ocean ; and all the tediousness of the present life is but like one rainy day to an everlasting sunshine : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' Though troubles are lengthened as long as our lives are, yet they are but a moment in respect of eternity ; we reckon by time, and not by eternity, and therefore these expressions may seem strange to us,
[4,] The apostle speaks this to particular men, whose abode in the world is not very long. Eternity and the judgment is at hand, though Christ tarry long till the church be coin])leted, and the elect be gathered : 2 Peter iii. 9, ' The Lord is not slack concerning his i)ro- mise, as some men count .slackness.' Now, what is long, and what is afar off to the whole church, considered in several successions of ages, it is short to particular persons. Death soon puts an end to their con- flict, and then their triumph ensues. And so Christ is ready to judge
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at all times, though the world be not ready to be judged. The coming of Christ is uncertain, and hidden for this very purpose, that men in all ages might be quickened to faithfulness and watchfulness, and make that preparation which is necessary. Now, therefore, it concerns the messengers of God to bind men's duty upon them, by showing the nearness of it in all the fore-mentioned considerations, that they might be always ready ; for so we find our Lord himself pressing it : Luke xii. 40, ' Be ye therefore ready, for the Son cometh at an hour when ye think not ;' Mat. xxiv. 42, ' Watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord cometh.' He may come in a moment ; our duty is unquestionable, but the time of his coming is uncertain. And to please ourselves with the thoughts of a delay, is a mighty deadening thing, and quencheth our duty ; yea, it is an enticement to all evil ; Mat. xxiv. 48, the wicked servant took liberty to beat his fellow-servants because of his lord's delay. We are bid to be sober and watchful, and always to be looking for the coming of the Lord.
2. The seducers had little reason to pervert this speech to the coun- tenance of their hypothesis or supposition, and therefore the apostle had very good reason to be zealous in the confutation of this hypo- thesis of the seducers, who maintained that Christ would come in that ago.
[1.] To inquire after the time is curiosity : Acts i. 7, 'It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put into his own power.' Those things which God hath reserved to himself, for us to inquire after is sinful. It is a great evil to pry into our Master's secrets, when we have so many revealed truths to busy our minds about. We take it to be a piece of ill-manners to pry into that which is purposely concealed ; as to break up a secret letter and the like. The practising of known duties would prevent this curiosity. These things tend not to our profit and edification.
[2.] Much more was it a sin to fix the time ; it was an arrogant pre- sumption : Mat. xxiv. 36, ' For of that day and hourknowethno man ; no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.' The peremptory time of the day of judgment God keeps to himself, and it is arrogance for any to define it and set a time, when God has resolved to keep it secret.
[3.] The fixing of that time did a great deal of hurt.
(1.) For the present it drew away their minds from their calling, because they expected a sudden coming of the Lord. Ill impressions either destroy or weaken necessary duties.
(2..) The least error doth gratify Satan and the interest of his king- dom, for he is the father of lies.
(3.) It might shake their faith in other things when their credulity was disproved by the event ; the gospel might be brought into con- tempt when their error only was confuted ; as many men, who have been peremptory in fixing times, afterwards have thrown off their religion.
(4.) It showed a diseased mind, that they were sick of questions ; as the apostle speaks, 1 Tim. vi. 4, ' Doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy/ &c., when they had so much whole- some food to feed upon.
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(5.) It did but engender strife among Christians, begat wranglings and disputes in the cliurcli : 1 Tim. vi. 4, ' He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting (or sick) about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railing, evil surmisings.'