consider 1. That this Opening will come you do but hear of it now but you shall see it hereafter As our Saviour speaks Mat. 26.64 Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right Hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven so may I say Now you see but his poor Ambassadors that preach his Coming but you shall hereafter see him come in a State of Glory to open the Books to judg the Quick and Dead in one Day Sirs it is not a doubtful a disputable Point not a Matter in Controversy among Christians but a Principle owned and acknowledged by all Sides and Perswasions being as fully and clearly revealed as any thing in the Scriptures The Apostle in that one Place Acts 17.31 doth sufficiently and notably set forth this grand Fundamental giving us Account 1st That a Day is set He hath appointed a Day and the Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever Psal 33.11 The Decree is gone the Day is proclaimed it cannot be reversed but must and will most certainly hold 2dly Of the End of this Day appointed viz. to judg 3dly The Object of this Judgment the World 4thly The manner how this Judgment shall be managed in Righteousness there shall be no Corruption in this Administration 5thly The Judg the Man whom he hath ordained i. e. the Lord Jesus Christ God-Man 6thly The Assurance hereof given unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead This is sufficient Testimony to convince all Men. This may be Inducement to the proposed Duty of Preparation there will be an opening Day If it were a Matter only probable if as much might be said against it as for it then Carelesness in preparing for it might be somewhat excusable But this is out of Question 't is beyond all Dispute shall we not then make it our Work to prepare Consider it Sirs God hath issued out a Proclamation and it hath been published again and again in your Hearing wherein he gives you notice of a Day appointed for this end of the Persons that must come to it and that your selves are of this Number shall you not then be most inexcusable if you come to it unready What will you say Will you plead Lord had I ever thought of such a Day as this I would not have done as I have I would have watched and prayed and lived for it all my Days Why alas thy Mouth will be stopped Christ will tell you his Writ was out and this grand Assizes was many a time proclaimed in thy Presence yea the Books shall openly show the Times the Places and Circumstances of its Manifestation to thee O Sirs the End is declared from the beginning and from antient times the things that are not yet done Isa 46.10 All Generations have had fair warning of it and we upon whom the Ends of the World are come want none 2. That the Time of this great Opening is uncertain The Opening is certain but the Time when is unseen There have some indeed undertaken to foretel the Time In the Primitive Days and while the Apostles were yet alive there were some that pretended Revelations or Visions from the Spirit declaring this Day to be then near 2 Thess 2.2 And since many have presumed to foretel the Year whose Predictions Time hath already confuted Aventinus shows that about the Year 1062. the credulous People were so deluded by such ridiculous Predictions that there was a general Expectation of the Great Day of Judgment as then just upon them The furious Anabaptists in Germany in the Year 1530 were so confident that the Last Day should be within that Year that some of them gave their Estates about them to those who would have part reckoning that a little would serve them for so short a time and some of them ran up and down crying to the People with a doleful Noise Repent repent the Day of the Lord is come the Day of the Lord is come There are some who told us that the Year 1675 others that the Year 1680 others that 1688 others that 1695 and some tell us that 1700 will put an end to the World and open the great opening Day But our Saviour Mat. 24.36 Mark 13.32 asserts that it is an unknown Day 1st To all Men to the greatest the wisest the best of Men. No Man whosoever whatsoever can tell when this shall be 2dly To all Angels not only to us poor Men on Earth but also to the glorious Angels in Heaven who see the Face of God continually These tho they must accompany Christ tho they must minister to him in that Day gathering all Nations before him yet of this Day they know not 3dly To the Son of Man himself as Man or according to his humane Nature for here he opposes himself as Man to his Father as God Or the Son of Man knows it not with respect of his Office tho he knew it with respect of his Nature i. e. he was not sent to reveal and make this known to Man in his Ministry Thus you see this Great Day is an unknown Day a Day that shall come upon Men when they think not of it Therefore he illustrates it by the coming of a Thief in the Night Mat. 24.43 of a Bridegroom coming at Midnight ch 25.6 of a Master returning Luke 12.36 37. O this Day will come unawares upon the World and doth not this call upon you to be serious in your Preparation for it May it come this Night the next Morning when we are taking our Rest May we be awaked with this dreadful Sound Arise and come to Judgment or when we rise and are abroad about our Affairs may we see Christ breaking out of Heaven and coming in the Clouds with Power and great Glory Why then we have need to make it our Work to prepare Our Saviour uses this very Motive to perswade to this Duty Mat. 24.44 Luke 12.40 In both these Places you have the Duty I am pressing prescribed Therefore be ye also ready ready to meet the Son of Man ready to come to this opening Day Also the Motive inducing thereto annexed drawn from the Secrecy and Uncertainty of the Time for in such an Hour as you think not the Son of Man cometh They might say Lord but what need is there of all this of getting into and keeping in Readiness will it not be time enough to do this when we see the Day approaching what must we needs do it now Yes now be ready 3. That this opening Day will be a great Day As it will come and its Coming is uncertain so it will be a very great Day when it comes The Apostle stiles it the great and notable Day of the Lord Acts 2.20 Observe it 's the Day of the Lord these are our Days in which we eat and drink marry and give in Marriage and go over great Numbers and Varieties of Actions but this Day will be the Lord's Day the Day that
poor Creatures that would have repented in Dust and Ashes if this Day might have been preached to them as it hath been many a time and by many of my Ambassadors to you 2. That the very Devils themselves tremble at the Thoughts of this great Day They are reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day Jude 6. A Metaphor taken from notorious Malefactors who are kept in close Prison till the Assize where they are to be tried and have Judgment Thus the Devils are reserved to this great Day and they tremble to think of it They believe and tremble i. e. are under a continual Fear and Dread of the great God who will come one Day as they know to Judgment against them This they tremble at the word signifies an extreme Fear shaking and Tumult as is in the Sea when it works and is tempestuous Thus the Thoughts of the Day of Judgment make a Hurry a Roaring even among the Devils they are under dreadful Commotions at the Reflection on this Day because then the Fulness of their Torments are to begin Hence was that Cry What have we to do with thee thou Jesus thou Son of God Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 Austin thinks that when the Devils saw Christ thus come into the World they thought the Day of Judgment which they expected not so soon was just upon them and this Apprehension put them into a mighty Consternation Art thou come to torment us before the time O they were in a fearful Fit upon this And Sirs will you be worse than the Devils not only worse than Pagans but than Devils also Will not that that shakes Hell it self shake and awake your Consciences Shall Devils tremble in Hell at the Thoughts of this Day and poor Sinners on Earth that must be in that Day sorted and sink for ever with them be secure and careless 3. That this Day will make you that are most secure and confident to tremble if it take you in your Sins Pagans have trembled Devils do tremble and you shall tremble The Wicked is reserved to the Day of Destruction they shall be brought forth to the Day of Wrath Job 21.30 2 Pet. 2.9 And O when this Day is come and is upon you there will be Trembling and Shaking amongst you The great Executions of Wrath on wicked Men are reserved to that Day There have been many terrible Plagues upon the World but Sirs the saddest the strangest the most affrighting have been but as Drops to the Showers of this Day Smoakings of God's Wrath to the Fire of this Day The old World was drowned with a very terrible Inundation but there 's a more dreadful Doom abiding for it Sodom was destroyed with a sudden strange Destruction but there 's a more strange Destruction to come on those filthy Sodomites Sodomiti olim perditi iterum perdendi Some of the Antients have said that there are three sorts of Thunderbolts in Heaven the first to warn not to hurt the second to hurt but not to destroy the third to ruine and lay all waste The two first sorts says one God often in this Life dischargeth upon wicked Men but the third and worst is reserved for this Day when all the Artilleries of Heaven shall go off at once when all the Fountains of God's Wrath shall be broken up when the Lord shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and a horrible Tempest upon the Wicked Ps 11.6 O Sirs the Chear will be turned when you see Signs in the Sun when you see the Tribes of the Earth mourn the Heavens passing away with a great Noise the Elements melting with fervent Heat and the Earth with the Works that are therein burnt up I remember I have read of crook-back'd Richard that in that Battel wherein he fell when he saw himself in a helpless Condition he cried out vehemently A Kingdom for a Horse a Kingdom for a Horse Why so Soul when thou art under these Circumstances thou 'lt cry out Riches for a Christ Gold and Silver for a Christ Houses and Land for a Christ a Kingdom if I had it for Christ the World if it were mine for Christ Now give me Christ and Grace and Pardon and take all my Riches Treasures and Pleasures give me give me these now or I am for ever for ever undone I know not what to do whither to go God is against me Conscience against me Satan against me Fellow-Sinners are against me Saints against me Creatures against me the Law and Sin against me Sirs it will come to this with you and when it is once come to this there will be no escaping 2. Shall the Books be opened Then it speaks to the Saints and Servants of God who have made it their Business to remember to live for and be in a Readiness against it look for and comfort your selves with the Hope of this great Opening Day Our Saviour speaking of the Tokens of this Day Luke 21.28 says to his Disciples Look up and lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh q. d. it shall be a good Day to you you shall have no Cause to be dismay'd but may meet it with Comfort It 's observable that this Promise is the last Promise in the Book of God the last Message that Christ in Heaven sends to his Church on Earth before his Coming again Surely I come quickly Rev. 22.20 with which as good News he closes all up and you have its Welcome Amen even so come Lord Jesus O Sirs the Saints have looked for have comforted themselves with the Hopes of this Day Luther said he had rather never have been born than not to be in Expectation of this Day O it is a Day to be expected a Day to be looked and longed for and a Day to be rejoiced in Consider that you may be quickned to look and long for it to incourage and comfort your selves in it 1. That at this great Opening your Sins will be found blotted out Those Sins that you have gone mourning under here that you have been under disquieting Fears about that have cost you many Tears and many waking Hours will then all appear blotted out stand fully cancelled never to be required and what a sweet welcome Sight will this be 2. At this great Opening your Names will be found written in the Lamb's Book of Life Your Names shall be found written in Heaven and you shall fully see that you are the Objects of free special differencing and distinguishing Love reaching from everlasting to everlasting and will not this be a blessed Sight 3. At this Opening the Face of God and Christ shall open on you never to shut in or go under any Cloud again for ever Here the Saints are absent from the Lord and the Lord is absent from them in regard of the Smiles of his Face but then they shall be for ever with him 1 Thess 4.17 4. At this Opening Heaven shall open as an eternal Mansion for you Jesus will open at this Day all his Store-houses the eternal Kingdom the eternal Weight of Glory and the Fulness of Joy that is in the Presence of God shall then open All the unseen things that are prepared for those that love God shall then open 5. At this Day the Righteousness and Holiness of God's Ways towards you will open before you and you shall see a most clear and full Commentary on that Promise All things shall work together for Good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 All your Tears Prayers Sufferings Patience Layings out for God from first to last shall at this Opening be found owned and crowned Wherefore Comfort one another with these Words 1 Thess 4.18 FINIS Errat Page 52. Line 5 6. read but they are
THE BOOKS OPENED Being several DISCOURSES on REV. 20.14 By HENRY PENDLEBURY A. M. late Minister of the Gospel at Rochdale in Lancashire Author of the Plain Representation of Transubstantiation LONDON Printed by J. D. for Ann Vnsworth of Manchester and sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1696. The EPISTLE to the Reader Christian Reader THere are two things which if firmly believed and duly considered would have a great Influence upon Men and Womens Lives viz. First That they are mortal Secondly Accountable Creatures It is the indispensible Statute-Law of Heaven that never will be repealed or dispensed withal Heb. 9.27 Death is a Debt which all Men owe and how soon the great Creditor may exact it none can tell We are all here as Tenants at Will in Cottages of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dust These earthly Tabernacles are continually mouldring down about our Ears do what we can by Food and Physick to patch them up for a little while There is no Man liveth and shall not see Death And Death hath always Judgment attending at the very Heels of it And as the Tree falls so it lies As Death leaves us Judgment will find us And as it is with us when we go out of this World so it will fare with us for ever This short uncertain Life we have here is the only time of Preparation we have for another World Death sets Men on the other side the Water there will be no working there no praying nor repenting and believing and seeking to get our Sins pardoned and an Interest in Christ and a Right to Heaven if this Work be to be done then we shall be undone to all Eternity If we once die in a Christless and graceless Condition we shall perish for being so to all Eternity There will be no Time then to correct former Mistakes At Death we must all appear before an impartial Judg to receive our final conclusive determining Sentence to a fixed eternal unchangeable State of Misery or Happiness in another World And things will then appear quite otherwise than they were stated and did appear here Then all Vizards and Masks will be pluck'd off and naked Breasts will be in fashion What hath been here concealed will then be made manifest what hath been spoken in secret will then be told on the House-top Nothing hid but shall then be made manifest At this opening Day there will be a Manifestation of the Sons of God then all the Sincerity and secret Graces and Holiness of Believers will be openly declared and all those Marks and Evidences of the Truth of Grace which here are often clouded and obscured will evidently appear And all the secret Wickedness and Hypocrisy and False-heartedness of Vnbelievers will then be discovered and laid open And the Apostle lets us know what an Influence the Belief and Consideration of this had upon himself and other Ministers of the Gospel to quicken them to Diligence and Faithfulness in their Ministerial Function 2 Cor. 5.9 10. We must all appear 1st All without Exception High and Low Rich and Poor Young and Old Ministers and People there will be no declining or escaping of it 2dly All in our own Persons without a Proxy there will be no hiring of another to appear for us every one of us must give an Account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 Now the great Design of the worthy Reverend Author in these ensuing Sermons is to quicken and direct Persons to prepare and make ready for this opening Day And herein he shews himself a skilful Workman that needeth not to be ashamed dividing the Word of Truth aright and giving to every one their Portion He doth not put the two-edged Sword of the Spirit into a silken Scabbard and flourish it in the Air but dexterously weilds it that it might reach the Consciences of Men he speaks plainly but pertinently and substantially his Words are not only intelligible but also penetrating And tho these plain Discourses are posthumous and want the polishing that he was able to have given them had he designed them for the Press yet they are genuine copied from his own Notes and you have the truest Character of him in the constant Course of his Preaching amongst his People Some serious Christians that were affected with them themselves have desired to have them printed that others might share in the like Benefit with them And that thy Heart may be warmed as others have been upon the reading of them and thou be quickned and helped in this Preparation for the great opening Day as it was the Design of the Author in preaching of them so it is of others in the publishing them and of none more than of one of the meanest and unworthiest of Christ's Ministers R. S. THE BOOKS Opened REV. xx 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works THE Apostle Paul tells us that we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Of this Judgment to come and which we must all come unto we have a Description in this part of Sacred Writ as it was shewed unto John in a Vision where are set forth 1. The Person of the Judg ver 11. who is described 1. By his Posture Sitting the ordinary Posture of Judges in the Administration of Justice and Judgment and a Token of Dominion and Authority 2. By the Place where he sat a great white Throne Not in a Manger as at his first Coming not on the Ground as when in Flesh he dwelt amongst us nor on a Cross as at his leaving the World but on a great white Throne He that lay in a Manger that stood at Man's Bar falsly accused and wickedly condemned he that hung upon the Tree shall sit supreme Judg Sedebit Judex qui stetit sub Judice What this Throne is or of what it shall be made tho some say the Angels others a glorious Rainbow others a bright Cloud Scripture being silent you must not know of me 3. By his Power and Glory From whose Face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no Place for them At his first Appearance Herod seeking his Life he is forced to fly Mat. 2.14 At his second and glorious Coming Heaven and Earth shall flee away not being able to abide his Majesty and Power 2. The Persons to be judged ver 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God the Dead of all sorts and degrees We must here include those that shall be found alive at this day who shall pass through a Change that shall be to them instead of Death 3. The Form
every Day of Grace and how thou hast spent it every Opportunity of doing and getting Good and how thou hast improv'd it shall come in as new as that which thou didst the last Day or Hour Yea the things that are now gone from thee as Nebuchadnezzar's Dream from him and that thou hast forgotten what they were at such a time in such a Place among such Company forty or fifty Years ago these shall come in and be as livelily presented to thy view as when newly acted O think on this It is a common Saying that Conscience is a thousand Witnesses You carry this Witness in your own Bosoms Nocte diéque suum gestant in pectore testem which when the opening Day comes will proclaim all as on the House-top 3. The Book of Satan's Accusation He is called the Accuser Rev. 12.10 This is one Part of his Business now but he will especially appear to be so when he at the Great Day shall come with his Register wherein he now inserts our Actions There is a Relation of a Demon that appeared at Mascon in France in the House of a godly Minister who there spoke and acted many things among which there are these two remarkable Stories One time the Demon speaking profanely a grave Divine then present religiously rebuked him to whom he answer'd Minister you are very holy and serious in this Company you were not so when singing such a baudy Song in such a Tavern which the Demon rehears'd before the Company This the Divine confess'd he did in his Youth yet when he had forgot it and perhaps that ever he sung it the Devil readily remembers it as if but done that Day The other is of a Lawyer who came out of Curiosity and would urge several Questions which when the Demon had answered he further adds Now Sir I have told you what you demanded I must next tell you what you demand not and then discovered many of his unequal Dealings which made him appear to be a dishonest Man The Devil is a busy Body present at our Tables at our Recreations with us in the Shop in the Market and Field with us in solemn Assemblies with us when engaged in private and secret Duties ever spying and listning to see and hear what we do or say no Place is so secret we cannot act so privately but his piercing Eye will find us out and he hath a sure Memory which will not permit any thing we do to pass in Oblivion he will certainly when this opening Day comes produce such a Catalogue of the Sinners Works as they little think of he will bring his Bill of their Ways as the Patriarchs brought Joseph's Coat to Jacob saying Is not this the Coat of thy Son so is not this Sinners the Coat of your Christian Profession which you have here spotted with Oaths there with Drunkenness in another Place with Uncleanness and all over with variety of Transgressions 4. The Book of Human Testification or Sinners mutual Accusations Now many Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants are leading one another into Temptations Then they shall accuse and witness against each other as our Saviour says in another Case Luke 12.52 53. The Father shall be divided against the Son and the Son against the Father the Mother against the Daughter and the Daughter against the Mother So at this great Day A Man's Foes shall be those of his own Houshold Matth. 10.36 Parents shall rise against their own Children Children shall rise against their Parents then Masters shall witness against their Servants and Servants against their Masters O the Cries the Complaints that will be of Husbands Wives Children Servants of the same House against each other A young Man going to execution desired to speak with his Mother in the Ear but instead of whispering bit off her Ear complaining of her as the promoter of his Death because she did not in his Youth chastise him for his Faults but by her fond Indulgence imboldened him in his Wickedness Thus at the opening Day Children will appear against their Parents Lord these Parents were instrumental to bring me into the World but they were also my Souls Murderers training me up in Ignorance teaching me by their Example to lie swear and steal and suffering me to be vile and profane Parents will at the great Assizes appear against Children Lord this Child was Stubborn Rebellious Untractable Servants shall give Testimony against Masters Lord we were so long in such a Family but never saw any thing of Religion in it we sate down and rose up from our Tables like Brutes we never knew what it was to have the Doors shut in the Evening nor opened in the Morning with the Key of Prayer and reading of the Scriptures Sic sic in Domo propria habeo Accusatores Testes Judices Tortores Bern. Thus thus says one I have in my own House Accusers Witnesses Judges and Tormentors When you are tempted to sin by Relations and Neighbours say as the Man to Joab when reproved for not killing Absalom 2 Sam. 18.11 12 13. There is no Matter hid from the King and thou thy self wouldst have set thy self against me So the King even the King of Kings hath commanded that we abstain from Sin and from the appearance of Evil and if I should break his Command it cannot be hid from his omniscient Eye nay you who now tempt will in the great Day accuse me 5. The Book of the Creature It 's said of the wicked Man Job 20.27 That the Heavens shall reveal his Iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against him All the Creatures shall by their common Testimony disclose his Wickedness Ver. 28. The increase of his House shall depart The Vulgar renders it Apertum erit germen Domus ipsius the Branch of his House shall be opened Upon which Sanctius making these words explicatory of the foregoing Verse thus glosses viz. The Heaven and the Earth shall reveal his Iniquities by discovering whence how and by what means his Branch hath grown his Increase hath come by what Frauds Oaths and Oppression the Furniture of his House was compassed that this came by Lies and that by wronging others Thus tho he mistakes the Text he gives us a Gloss which is in it self solid The Prophet tells us Hab. 2.11 That the Stone shall cry out of the Wall and the Beam out of the Timber shall answer it The very Materials of those stately Palaces or whatever Houses are built by Cheating or possessed by Violence as they call to Heaven for Vengeance being procured by Injustice so they shall unitedly witness against their Erectors or Owners the Stones of such Walls will cry Lord we were laid here by Violence the Beams shall answer We were laid here by Fraud They are not a few who now live in curious Houses that will be dreadful Witnesses against them at this opening Day Says the Apostle James Chap. 5.3 Your Gold and
swept them all away Why even thus shall it be in the Day when the Son of Man is revealed Many had heard of the Flood but when it came few were in any Readiness for it or found any way of Escape from it So many hear of this Day few will be found in Readiness for it and none shall escape it and may not this awake you to Care in this Behalf O many many many will be then unready look to it that you be not of their Number and that the rather because 5. As you are then found so you are sure to fare for ever Christ will take you just as he finds you at that Day The old World was taken unready and there was no Remedy it was too late to think of preparing Arks. The foolish Virgins were found unready and the Door was shut against them So when Christ comes poor Sinners that are found unready shall have no Time to provide in he 'l take them as he finds them without any Delay Some shall be found in the Bed others in the Mill others in the Field Luke 17.34 35 36. and as they are found so they shall be taken If two be in one Bed one a gracious the other a graceless Person they must immediately be sunder'd the one shall be taken to receive a Sentence of Absolution the other left to lie and sink under a Sentence of Damnation The main Scope of this Discourse is to show that there will be no coming off no mending of Matters no making of things either better or worse than they are found at that Day but all Men shall be dealt with as they are found and differently according to their different States O Sirs when it 's come to this that the Books are opened there will then be no further Transaction about Matters of Salvation or Damnation but the Cause will be presently and clearly determined either with or against you Doth it not then concern every one to labour to get into a Readiness for this Day 6. That this Opening will be very dreadful to them that are unready Many will be found unready every one must stand as he is then found and this Day will be terrible to those on whom it comes in this Case We read of three terrible Openings One when the Fountains of the great Deep were broken up and the Windows of Heaven were opened Gen. 7.11 21 22 23. These were opened and never shut till the World was drown'd Another is the opening of the Earth which closed not again till it had inclosed Korah and those that appertained to him with their Houses and Goods in its Womb. The third is the opening of the Cave at Makkedah which ushered in a speedy Destruction to those Kings that were a little before in great Pomp and State Josh 10.22 23. Ay but Sirs this is a more dreadful Opening than any of these and will be more terrible in it self and to them that come to it unprepared than those were When the Windows of Heaven were opened the World was drowned e're they shut again but when the Books are opened the World of ungodly Men shall be damned e're they shut When the Earth opened it shut not again till it had swallowed up Korah and his wicked Accomplices When the Books are opened the Wicked shall sink into Hell before they be closed again When the Cave was opened Joshua took thence the five Kings and caused the Captains of his Men of War to tread on their Necks and afterwards smote them but when the Books shall be opened the Saints shall tread down the Wicked and they shall be as Ashes under their Feet Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God so as the Wicked shall fall Pray think of it it will be more Terrible than can now be expressed or imagined all the Descriptions and Circumstances of it with reference to Men in their Sins are very dreadful As in a word or two to instance this Day will be dreadful unto Sinners if we look 1. At the Judg who is described descending from Heaven with a Shout with the Voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God 1 Thess 4.16 descending with his mighty Angels accompanied with flaming Fire to take Vengeance 2 Thess 1.7 8. Psal 50.3 Mal. 4.1 to tear Psal 50.22 to punish 1 Thess 1.9 These are tremendous Expressions and if it be nothing to hear them it will be something to see them receiving their accomplishment to see Christ descending with a Shout attended with his mighty Angels clothed in Flames of Fire to tear take Vengeance and punish 2. At the Day which is set out on the like terrible manner as a great Day Jude 6. as a great Day of Wrath Rev. 6.17 as the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.5 as the Day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly Men 2 Pet. 3.7 O what appalling Expressions 3. It will be a terrible Day if we look at the poor Sinners who are brought in weeping and wailing at the first opening of this Day Mat. 24.30 Rev. 1.7 O then poor Scoffers who walking after their own Lusts 2 Pet. 3.3 4. say Where is the Promise of his coming shall have their Tune turned They will then turn to their desperate but bootless Shifts When they see him on the Throne they shall cry 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 Rev. 6.16 But this will be a vain Cry vain I say for the Creature cannot hide when the Creator is in pursuit But tho this be in vain they 'll thus cry which shows the Terror that shall then come upon them And if the seeing of the Judg make them thus a Magormissabib what a taking will they be in when the Books are opening to open all their doings before the whole World What a taking will they be in when the Damnator's Sentence is ringing in their Ears when they are sinking together into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone 4. At the Sentence to be passed on them which is Tristissima Horribilissima most Sad and Horrible Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Every word carries a Wo a thousand Woes a World of Woes in it O Sirs to depart to be sent away to depart Cursed under the Load and Weight of Heaven's Curse to depart cursed from Christ the Fountain of Light the Lord of Glory and the River of Pleasures to depart thence into Fire into everlasting Fire Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels this will be a fearful Thing O when poor Creatures see that there is no escaping but now they must go and go with a Curse for their Portion and go from Christ Angels Saints and Heaven and go to dwell in everlasting Fire and have the Devil and his
at that Day give it Content now if you would not have it full of Complaints then study to keep it void of Offence now 6. Lastly above all and without which all is nothing labour to be found in Christ at this great opening Day This was Paul's great Study to win Christ and to be found in him Phil. 3.9 Let it be your great Business to win Christ against this Day to be found in him at that Day I say to be found in Christ i. e. to be washed in his Blood clothed with his Righteousness all lies on this nothing but this will serve at this Opening It 's only Christ's Blood that blots scores and crosses out our Sins it 's only Christ's Merits that satisfy divine Justice for our Iniquities it 's only Christ's Righteousness that covers all our Unrighteousness and is our Righteousness it 's only Christ's Death that sets Matters right between God and Souls interested therein Nothing but Christ's Righteousness will serve for Christ's Judgment O when he comes with his Garments white as Snow and Hair of his Head like the pure Wool Dan. 7.9 and sits on a white Throne Rev. 20.11 there will be no standing for any but such as are arrayed in the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness Out of Christ then and undone for ever but if then you have Christ all shall be well Luther in his Commentary on Genesis prescribes unto tempted Persons one compendious way to withstand all Temptations whatsoever says he Let Satan come any way or the World come any way or the Flesh move any way answer all with these two Words I may not I must not for I am a Christian Why as that is a compendious way of answering all Temptations so this will be a compendious way of answering all Accusers and Accusations at the opening Day and not only compendious but the one and only way viz. I have a Christ As a Believer may answer all present Temptations so may he with this when all is open before the World Angels and Men answer all Accusations of Justice Law Sin Satan and all Accusers It 's called the Answer of a good Conscience A good Conscience is a Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus and this Conscience hath an Answer to make for the Soul We read of the Answer of a good Conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 Now an Answer supposeth a Question an Answer towards God supposeth a Question from him to the Creature Now the Question says one that God is supposed to propound to the poor Creature Gurn. Chr. Arm. Part 2. p. 334. may be conceived to be this What canst thou say who art a Sinner and stands by the Curse of my righteous Law doomed to Death and Damnation why thou shouldst not die the Death pronounced against every Sinner This is the grand Question Now saith he the Soul that hath heard of Christ and hearing of him hath received him by Faith into his Heart is the Person and the only Person that can answer this Question so as to satisfy God or himself Take the Answer as it is formed and fitted for yea put into the Mouth of every Believer by the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Who condemneth Here is the confident Interrogatory of a good Conscience It is Christ that died c. Here 's its comfortable Answer an Answer that none can ever object against Why my Beloved as this is now an Answer beyond Exception so it will be in that great Day If you have but then this Answer of a good Conscience and can say I have a Christ who died for me you shall need to fear no Accusers no Condemnation Even then when the Heavens and the Earth are flying away from the Face of him that sits on the Throne and Multitudes of all Ranks are crying to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and hide them from his Face this Plea will abide the Sight of God and stand before his dreadful Tribunal at the great Day of the Revelation of his righteous Judgment Secondly Particular Exhortation To Sinners To Saints 1. To Sinners Shall the Books be opened Then this speaks to poor secure Sinners who make nothing of this great Opening never mind it nor once think how they shall speed at that Day but say in their Hearts If we may escape till then then let us do as we can we hope we shall shift as well as many more that will be in our own case 'T is to be feared that in these profane Times there are more than a few of these who yet led with Custom come to and set up their Faces in our Congregations If any of you that are come hither this Day be of this sort of Persons such as care not for this great Opening but keep on in your Sins filling up the Books every Day with new Abominations the Lord hath sent me hither this Day to meet you with a Word of Exhortation and knowing the Terror of the Lord what a terrible time it will be I perswade beseech entreat you to entertain it It 's that of the Apostle Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord. This wrought with many at that time ch 4.4 O do no more make light of this Day and the things thereof but repent now and be converted that your Sins may be then blotted out This is the Word that I would leave with you and pray consider that you may not make light of it 1. That Pagans and Heathens have trembled at the Hearing of this Day Acts 24.25 Mark Paul was here preaching and Felix was hearing and as Paul reasoned he trembled he was in a great Consternation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metu perculsus perterritus When the Judgment to come was laid before him his Conscience began to awake and put him into a trembling Posture Now will you be worse than professed Pagans more stupid senseless and fearless than Heathens Shall a Man who never heard of a Day of Judgment before who never was under an Ordinance before as Felix tremble at the preaching of this Judgment and you who have heard hundreds of Sermons make light of it O think of this and what a dreadful thing it will be to have a Felix rise up in the Judgment against you poor Pagans to come in and cry O if we had been forewarned of such a Day as these have been we would never have done as we did Sirs you would take it ill now if one should rank you with Pagans and Heathens O what what will it be to be made speechless by them to have them crying and coming in against you yea to see the Lord himself bringing them against you and saying Lo here are