Chap | Chriſtians ;, © / p Jeſs our Saviour MEAans che Set of Men that were at that Time in the World : Thoſe who were at that Time living ſhould nor all dyc until all theſe things ſhall be fulfilled ;, all rhat he had ſpoken with reference fo the Deſtruetion of Jeruſalem; and indeed the moſt of choſe Signs which our Saviour gave, were Signs common horh ro the Deſtruction of Feruſalem, and the laſt Judgment, abating only Chriſt's Perſonal Coming in the Clouds, with Power and Glory. So thar conſidering, char the Deſtrution of Feru- ſom was Within leſs than forty Years after our Saviour's ſpeak- *1s chefſe Words, 1o many as lived to the expiration of thar Number of Years, muft fee the far greater parc of theſe Things actually fulfilled, as Signs of the Deſtruftion of Jeruſalem; and flfilling, as Signs of rhe End of the World. | Heaven and Earth ſhall pafs away, but my Wards ſhall not paſs away. | By this Expreſ- fon our Saviour confirmeth the Truth of what he had 1aid, afluring choſe ro whom he ſpake, That altho' there ſhould be a Change of the Heavens, and rhe Earth, 2 Pet.3. 10,12,13. which Men commonly look upon as the moſt ſtable , and abiding things, yer che Truch of avhar he had ſaid ſhould nor fail.
26 But of that day and hour knoweth no .-. man, no, not the angels of heaven , * but my
Father only.
Mark addeth, chap. 31. 32. Neither the Son, but the Father, [ Of +h:t Day and Hour, | chat is, the particular Time when the /ea- wons and the Earth ſhall paſs away, as he had before ſaid, or when the End of the World ſhall be, which was one of the Que- fins propounded ro him by his Diſciples, v. 3. { knoweth n Man, no meer Man ; nor have Men any reaſon to be troubled at ir; tor jris a piece of Knowledge, which the Father hach referved into his own Power, and his own Pleaſure, from the Anzels, who con- cinually behold his Face ; nay I my felf as Man know it nor. Nor is ir more abſurd, or derogaring trom the Perte&ion of Chriſt, tan for to ſay, chat Chriſt as Man, was not Omnipotent, or Omni- ſcient, &c. By the way, this gives a grear Check ro the Curioſity of Men's Inquiries atrter the particular Time, or Year when the World ſhall have an End, or the Day of Judgment begin,
or be.
27 But as the days of Noe were, fo alſo {hall the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood, Ger.r. 5. * they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entred
pico the ark, : 29 And knew not until the flood came and took
them all away ; fo ſhall alfo the coming of the Son
of man be.
Luke hath much the ſame, chap.17.26,27. where he alſo faith, It ſhall be as in days of Lot; but I ſhall configer whar he faith, which ſeemeth ſpoken ar another time, and upon anorher occa- ſion, when 1 come to his Seventeenth Chapter. Two things our Saviour ſeemerh here co teach us: 1. That Chris coming to the laft Judgment will be ſudden, and not lookt for; upon which account, his Coming is compared in Scripture to rhe coming of a Thief, v. 43, 44+ 2 Pet.3. 10, Rev. 6.15, 2. That it will be in a time of great Security , and Debauchery , ſuch was the time of Noah,
Gen. 6. 3, 4y 5e
17. 40 * Then ſhall two be in the field, the one ſhall | be raken, and rhe other left. |
41 Two women ſhall be grinding at the mill, the the one {hall be taken, and the other left.
Some refer this ro the Coming of Chriſt in his Kingdom of Grace; ſome to his Coming 1n rhe w of Judgment; 1t 1s true of both thoſe Cominigs. God ſhews the Freeneſs of his Grace much in the Converfion of Sinners, and makes Diſcriminations of which we can give no Actount , as he tells us, Luk. 4. 25, 26, 27,28, Bur it ſeemeth here racher ro be underſtood of that Separation which Chriſt ſhall make at the Day of Judgment, of the Sheep from the Goats, the Eleft trom the Reprobates 3 for of that Coming cur Saviour ſeemeth to be ſpeaking , both in the preceding, and in the following Words.
ip: 42 *Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your lord doth come.
ki2 43 *But know this, That if the good man of the 8 houſe had known in what watch the thief would
- come, he would have watched, and would not have
8.10, ,
þ;. uttered his houſe to be broken up.
bis 44 Therefore be ye aiio ready : for in ſuch an hour as you think nor, the Son of man cometh.
Mark faith, Tabe you heed, i711 «::{ Pray, for you know not when
the time is, chap. 13. 33. What our Lord here meaneth by Watching is exfily garhered , as well by what wenr betore, where our Saviour had been ſpeaking of the Security and Luxury of the O!d World, as by whar followerh, v. 44. where he bidderh them be always ready; and therefore Luke, ch.21. 34. expounds rhis mus: And take heed to your ſelves, le at any time your Hearts be Ter-charged with Surfeiting, and Drunhenneſs, and Cares of this Life, and ſo that Day come upon you at unawares ; Fir as 4 ſnare ſhall it "ame on all them that dwell on the f.ce of the whole Erith. Watch you therefore and Pray,that you may be cccounted worthy to ejzape all theſe ings that ſhall come to paſs, and to ftand before the Sin of Man. Our Saviour in theſe Verſes, from the Incercainty of the parti- caar Time when che Day of Judgment thall be, prefiezcth upon lis Diſciples a Sob:7, Heavenly and Holy Lifez intimating , thar
[]
wi, ; G : » ich a Life only , they can make themiſclves ready tor the
S M ATTHE W.
- others the whole Generation of the Fews; bur doubr- | ſhall appear in his Power and Glory. He preſſerh this from hat
which common Prudence would teach any Houſholder : viz. It he knew in what Watch of the Night a Thicf would come, tc watch, and not ſuffer his Houſe to be broken open ; thar is, in what cime of the Night, ( for the Fews divided the Nighe inco the Fir8t, Second, Third, and Fourth Watch, as the Romans divided ic for Relief of their Military Guards.) Now (faith our Saviour) you, knowing that here will come ſuch a time, and not cerrainly knowing at what time, ſtand concerned to be always Watching and Praying.
45 Who then is a faithful and wiſe ſervant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his houſhold, to give them meat in due ſeaſon
46 Bleſſed zs that ſervant, whom his lord when he cometh, ſhall find fo doing.
him ruler over all his goods.