The Coming of Christ Compared to the Coming of a Thief in the Night

    THE COMING OF CHRIST COMPARED TO THE COMING OF A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

    "But you yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so comefh as a thief in the night." 1Th 5:2.

    THERE are various opinions concerning the day of the Lord, or coming of Christ, spoken of, Mt 24; Lu 21; 2Pe 3:9-10; and in this text But if the scope of the text be but carefully considered, it will clearly appear, that the coming of Christ here spoken of, is his coining, at the last day to judgment, when the dead shall be raised. Read the latter part of the fourth chapter, &c.

    Why the day of the Lord is compared to the coming of a thief in the night, will appear by the following parallel.

    METAPHOR

    I. The coming of a thief in the night, is with a design to circumvent an unwatchful house, to take his prey.

    PARALLEL

    I. The coming of Christ, or day of the Lord will be with design to circumvent the care less professors, who sleep in a sinful secure state, as if there were no God to fear, no Jesus Christ to look for, no heaven to be sought, no hell to be avoided; to such he will come, and seize them for his prey, to cut them asunder, and appoint them their portion with unbelievers and reprobates.

    METAPHOR

    II. A Thief comes provided for his purpose, with a resolution to fight, and instruments to make way to his design, keys to unlock doors, bars to break them open, or the like.

    PARALLEL

    II. Even so will the Lord Jesus Christ, at his second coming, be provided for his purpose, with fire and sword to accomplish his design, which is to make a desolation in the earth: "For by fire and sword shall the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. He shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flames of fire," &c. 2Th 1:7-8.

    METAPHOR

    III. A Thief comes at a time when all is still, and people are least thoughtful of danger, but are careless, at ease, even asleep upon their beds, thinking themselves secure, until they are invaded, and their goods taken away.

    PARALLEL

    III. The day of the Lord will come, when all is still, and the world least thoughtful of danger, but are careless, eating, and drinking, and marrying, and sleeping, till the heavens rend asunder, the archangel utter his voice, and the Judge himself come upon them: "But as the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of man be," Mt 24:37.

    METAPHOR

    IV. The coming of a Thief into a house puts the careless family into a great fright, when they see themselves surprised and cannot tell how to help it.

    PARALLEL

    IV. The day of the Lord will in like manner put the sleepy generation (that shall then be into a great and dismal fright, when they see themselves on a sudden surprised, but know no way of escape: men starting, women quaking, beasts crying, but none to help them. "Then will they say to the rocks and mountains, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" Re 6:16-17.

    METAPHOR

    V. The approach of a Thief in the night makes the poor amazed family forget all their former pleasures and enjoyments, and expect no more than their lives for a prey, and glad would they be of them too.

    PARALLEL

    V. The coming of the day of the Lord will make the world much amazed, and forget all their former pleasures and enjoyments, as if they had never been, and would gladly accept of their lives for a prey, to be extinguished, or cease to be; but, alas! it is in vain, nothing but hell and eternal burnings remain for them, where they shall be always dying, yet never die.

    METAPHOR

    VI. At the coming of a thief in the night, execution is oftentimes done, to the ruin of the people where he comes.

    PARALLEL

    VI. By the coming of the day of the Lord there will be such execution done, as will be to the utter ruin and un-doing of wicked men, who shall be stripped of all they have formerly set their hearts upon, and would now give the whole world, were it in their possession, for so much grace as would help them to heaven, and save them from the dreadful judgment, Mt 25:8.

    SIMILE

    I. A Thief comes with a wicked intent, to gratify his wicked will unrighteously.

    DISPARITY

    I. The Lord cometh with a good intent, to fulfil his Father's will, to save his people from their troubles, and to render justice to God's enemies.

    SIMILE

    II. A Thief's coming may be prevented.

    DISPARITY

    II. But the coming of the day of the Lord cannot be prevented: "The day of the Lord will come, in which," &c., 2Pe 3:10.

    SIMILE

    III. The Coming of a Thief is but to a few, and the damage he does is but to a few families.

    DISPARITY

    III. The coming of the day of the Lord, and the dismal effects of it will be to all the wicked: "The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly," &c., Jude 1:14-15.

    INFERENCES.

    1. Reproof. 2. Caution. 3. Exhortation.

    (1.) Reproof to ungodly men; that there should be such a day to come, and notice given of such a thing, and they so heedless and careless about it.

    (2.) Caution to the godly, to take heed, and carefully mind the counsel of Christ, and warnings of his servants, unto such a due watchfulness, as may prevent the danger of being found sleeping, and so the day come upon them unawares, Mr 13:35-37; Lu 21:34,36.

    (3.) Exhortation to all, both good and bad, to make ready, for only they that shall be found ready will go in with him to the marriage-chamber; the door will be shut against all others, whether professors or profane: "Be ye therefore ready, for at an hour you think not of the Son of Man cometh," Mt 25:10, and Mt 24:44.