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That they are mortal Secondly Accountable Creatures It is the indispensible Statute-Law of Heaven that never will be repealed or dispensed withal Heb. 9.27 Death is a Debt which all Men owe and how soon the great Creditor may exact it none can tell We are all here as Tenants at Will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
Silver is cankered and the Rust thereof shall be a Witness against you and shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire This will be brought as an Evidence of your Covetousness and will beget in you such stinging Reflections as shall gnaw upon you with Anguish and Torment Ver. 4. And behold the Hire of your Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the Cries of them which have reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth One observes that the same word in the Hebrew signifies both a Wedg of Gold and a Tongue and some say that Achan's Wedg had the shape of a Tongue Surely Gold Wealth Estates ill got will have many Tongues and cry aloud at the great Day of opening the Books Then the corrupt Judg will hear of his Bribes and perverting Justice then the unjust Lawyers Estate will cry against him then the Possessions of Oppressing Landlords will declare that they were got by wracking poor Tenants then 't will be the Language of the full Bags of idle Ministers that they were fill'd by starving immortal Souls then the Treasures of Covetous Mammonists will acknowledg themselves to be the Products of Usury Oppression c. 6. The Book of the Talents wherewith Men are intrusted shall be opened at this opening Day and these when opened will bring to light all the Days Means Advantages and Opportunities of Grace that Men have had all the Truths and Duties that have been preached to and pressed on them what Pains have been taken and how much done that they might be saved One observes that God is very curious in Scripture to record the Time how long his faithful Servants lived on Earth and says he among other Reasons this is not the least sc to convince us that he intends to reckon with those who lived with them for every Year yea Day and Hour they had them amongst 'em they shall know they had a Prophet a Husband a Parent a Master that was Godly and that they had them so long and God will know of them what Use they made of them Gurn. Christ Arm. Part 2. Pag. 262. Another observes that the Year and Month and Day when the Word of the Lord came to the Prophets stands upon record in Sacred Writ as Ezek. 1.1 2. to teach us that all our Betrustments with all their Circumstances are now recorded and will at this Day be made manifest Then will be declared the Year the Month the Day when such a Sermon was preached such a Truth urged when such a Minister was sent with the Lord's Message among you In this opening Day Ministers will open their Mouths We preached so long to you Sabbaths and Sermons will speak We were continued so long to you Prayers will witness that they were put up for you so often to the Throne of Grace Truths now imprisoned shall then speak yea the Dust shaken off from the Feet of those Ministers you despise and will not hear shall speak against you Mat. 6.11 Thirdly The Books shall then be opened whereby all things shall be examined try'd and judged As in earthly Courts when Matters of Fact are opened and proved then the Statutes are also produced and Sentence is past on such Matters according to the determination of the Law So at the great Tribunal when the Books of Record the Books of Evidence and Proof are opened then shall also be opened the Law whereby Matters shall be finally adjudicated and this is the Holy Scripture The Holy Bible being the Law-Book of the great King is now the Rule of our Lives and shall be the Rule of Judgment at the opening Day Christ himself who is the Judg tells us John 12.48 The Word that I have spoken the same shall judg him at the last Day This the Apostle Paul witnesses Rom. 2.16 In the Day when God shall judg the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Who shall judg God What shall he judg The Secrets of Men not only their outward Actions which are manifest to all but their most hidden Sins and secret Duties their inward Purposes Designs and Aims By whom By Jesus Christ By what Rule According to my Gospel the Gospel committed to and preached by me Men shall be judged according to their Works their Works by this Word The final Sentence passed at this Day shall be but a more solemn and manifest Declaration of that Judgment which the Lord hath in his Written Law already passed upon Men that which is now said shall then be done Now the word says He that believeth on him shall have everlasting Life John 3.16 Then Believers shall be crown'd with a Crown of Life Now the word says That the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 That the Wicked shall be turned into Hell Look what Sentence this Law now passes on thee the same will Christ pronounce in this Day for this is the Book that must be opened and which he will proceed by in giving Judgment Thus you see what Books are to be opened II. The next thing to be considered is what the opening of the Books implies and it doth denote 1. A manifestation of Mens Works that they shall come to Light While a Book is shut we are ignorant what is in it but when it 's open every one may see and know what 's therein writ So many of Mens Works both Good and Bad are like a clasped or sealed Book secret and unknown but in this Day they shall be like a Book open legible to every one 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore judg nothing before the Time come until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of Darkness and will manifest the Counsels of the Heart When the Lord comes he will make great Discoveries and bring to light things that are now Secret Some Mens Sins says the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.24 25. are open before hand going before to Judgment and some Men they follow after Likewise also the good Works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid Tho these Verses are taken to have another meaning yet I may as some make this Gloss on them i. e. Some Mens Sins are open notorious appear to all now in this Life they shew their Sin as Sodom and some Mens Sins they are kept secret to the Day of Judgment there 's no noise heard no notice taken of them in the World but these follow after to be opened at this Day Likewise the good Works of some are evident cannot be denied and they that are otherwise cannot be hid i. e. those good things in the Saints that are not manifest but are either concealed by themselves or mistaken and misrepresented by others shall come to light secret Duties shall come abroad wronged Innocence and Integrity shall be cleared This is the first thing this opening imports sc a discovery of Mens Doings a
all the Passages of their Lives manifested O what Heaps as I may say will there be here of Oaths there of Lies there of idle Words there of Frauds Sabbaths profaned Sermons slighted and of numberless Sins of all sorts that Sinners have laid at their own Doors and died impenitent in Yea what will many be found when the Books are opened who have said well seemed well done many things and after all gone out of this World with the Applause of Men Surely many who can now say much speak of God and breathe out Good will then be found others than at present they are taken to be Secret Hypocrisy secret Worldliness secret Estrangedness from the Truth and Power of Godliness will then be found where now there 's little Suspicion of them O that you would think of this and see that you be indeed Nathaniels There is in the Life of Bruno Author of the Carthusian Friars a Relation of a great Doctor and his Fellow-Professor a Man highly reputed in those times both for Piety and Learning who being dead when they brought him to the Church to be buried as they were about the Funeral-Rites the dead Corps suddenly sat up upon the Bier and cried out Justo Dei judicio accusatus sum I am accused by the righteous Judgment of God at which the People ran away amazed The next Day they came again to inter the Corps and as they were about the Service it rose again and cried with a lamentable Voice Justo Dei judicio judicatus sum I am judged by the righteous Judgment of God The third Day almost all the City came together and again it rose up and with a doleful Noise cry'd Justo Dei judicio condemnatus sum I am condemn'd by the righteous Judgment of God That this was true I shall not assert but certainly when the opening Day comes many will be found in this case many that have died in great Repute for Piety and Holiness will then stand accused judged and condemned Many a Face of Wickedness will then be unmasked that hath been covered with a Vail of Dissimulation many an unsound Heart will come out that hath been cloaked under specious Performances many a glorious Professor will then be found a gilded Sepulchre Sirs look to and see that you be altogether Christians for these Books will open all and open that which will exclude many from the Kingdom of Heaven who have been great Preachers great Professors that have known much done much gone far and been well thought of by all round about them 6. That it will then be in vain for Men to seek a Cover for their Sins Our first Parents had no sooner sinned but they were for hiding it and this is natural to us their Poserity Job 24.15 The Eye of the Adulterer waiteth for the Twilight saying No Eye shall see me When David that good Man had faln into the foul Sin of Uncleanness you cannot if you read the History 2 Sam. 11. be ignorant what Means he us'd to hide it This is very usual therefore says Job ch 31.33 If I covered my Transgression as Adam i. e. say some as our first Father did seeking to cloak his Transgression or as Adam i. e. say others as Man as Man uses to do or after the manner of Men. But alas this is a most vain Practice for Sin cannot be covered from the Eye of God now For there is no Darkness neither Shadow of Death where the Workers of Iniquity may hide themselves Job 34.22 for he setteth their Iniquities before him their secret Sins in the Light of his Countenance Psal 90.8 Nor shall they at last be hid from Men and Angels This will be one special Work and End of this Opening to bring all Secrets to Light to manifest the Counsels of the Heart Of all Sins these shall not be covered it 's a Day appointed for the opening of these therefore says the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.5 Judg nothing before the Time until the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of Darkness Why will God then judg them The Meaning is not that God exempts them from the Punishment of earthly Magistrates reserving them wholly to his own Judgment but 't is because such Sins are commonly so secretly committed that the Magistrate cannot or so lightly looked on that he will not punish them therefore God will at that day judg both those things which have now been wrong judged and those which have not been judged at all It 's vain then to expect your Sins shall be covered let not Hopes of Secrecy embolden you to meddle with Iniquity This opening will open Secrets and these will bring most Shame on you and do most harm to you There have been many strange Discoveries of secret Wickedness in the World 'T is storied of one Bessus that having killed his Father he was so pursued with a guilty Conscience that he thought the Swallows as they flew about in their chattering said Bessus hath killed his Father whereupon he confessed the Fact 7. That Shame shall come upon Sinners at this day Dan. 12.2 What the Lord speaks of Niniveh that will he do to all the Sons and Daughters of Wickedness at this day Nahum 3.5 6. He will discover their Skirts upon their Face and will shew the Nations their Nakedness and the Kingdoms their Shame he will cast abominable Filth upon them and make them vile and will set them as a gazing Stock O think of this Opening and what Shame it will lay on you who go on in your Iniquities Alas were many of our Doings discovered now to a small Assembly of People how could we face them surely it would make many to look with Faces like Death How will it be then in this great Day when all must be brought forth not in a Corner before a handful but in an open Place before a World 8. The Terror and Astonishment that shall at this day fall upon Sinners As it 's said of the Morning that it is to secret Sinners even as the Shadow of Death Job 24.17 So I may say this Opening will be to them as the Terrors of the Shadow of Death They shall not only as the Thief be ashamed when he is found but they shall be made a very Magormissabib As the King of Babylon when he saw the Hand-writing on the Wall Dan. 5.5 6. So they when they shall see the Books opened and what they have writtten in them their Countenances will be changed and their Thoughts troubled O Sirs it cannot now be conceived what Horror will then fall on ungodly Men. Have you ever seen poor Malefactors going with Death in their Faces to the Bar where they knew that Capital Crimes would be charged on and undeniably proved against them The Sight of these poor pale trembling dispirited Creatures was nothing to that which shall be seen at this opening of the Books When poor Sinners are come to this to have all laid open
an opening Day coming wherein all these things must be opened again and accounted for Consider it art thou an intemperate Person living in Excess and following strong Drink Or a customary Swearer filling thy Mouth with Cursing or Bitterness Art thou a filthy Adulterer or Fornicator commiting Folly and sinning against thy own Body Art thou a griping Oppressor who inrichest thy self by making a Gain of the Necessity or Simplicity of others and bringing the Spoil of the Poor into thy House Art thou a fraudulent Person reaching at all thou canst come by be it by Right or Wrong never standing to make use of Oaths and Lies sinful Subtilties and secret Tricks in thy Trade or sleights in thy Dealings so that thou mayst but hook in something thereby to thy self Or art thou a Man or Woman living in the Practice of any other manifest and open or secret and hidden Sin and Ungodliness this Truth comes with astonishing Tidings to thee Consider it you that are of this sort of Persons either you are Atheists or Mad wholly beside your selves Are you not Atheists do you indeed believe this that there will be an opening of the Books and that such an opening as will lay all open Then surely you are distracted for how can it otherwise be How is it possible that Men believing such a Day as this if not beside themselves should live so profanely since thereby they prepare themselves to be then unavoidably and eternally destroyed Can this be imagined to be the Work of any but distracted Persons certainly it cannot How wise soever you may be in your own Eyes or in the Eyes of others like your selves yet these are the Ways of Men void of Understanding Therefore knowing the Terrors of the Lord how tremendous this Judgment will be and what a terrible Time it will be with the Ungodly I would earnestly beseech and beg of you to take these things into your serious Thoughts that you may think of repenting and turning to God To excite you to this consider 1. God hath revealed his Wrath from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men in his Threatnings back'd with many sad Examples in all Cases which are exposed to your view and left for your Warning You are plainly told that God will by no means clear the Guilty Exod. 34.7 That the foolish i. e. wicked Persons shall not stand in his sight Psal 5.5 That destruction is to the Wicked Job 31.3 That the Wicked shall be turned into Hell Psal 9.17 That the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 The Angels that kept not their first state are reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day The old World did for Sin suffer a Deluge for this Sodom and Gomorrah were reduced to Ashes Israel were overthrown in the Wilderness and many such sad Instances there are set forth to those who after should live ungodly and written for our Admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come Sirs there 's no way of Iniquity but you may find a word of Wo and Wrath revealed from Heaven against it you cannot open your Bibles now but you are ready if you had Eyes to see and Ears to hear to lighten and thunder Terror in your very Faces 2. That all your Ungodliness and Unrighteousness against which God hath revealed his Wrath from Heaven is this Day book'd up and on Record Have you now been Drunkards Fornicators Oppressors Worldlings for many Days The Sins you have committed as such are in the Books as you have kept sinning God and Conscience have kept writing not one of all your evil Deeds tho never so little or secret hath escaped but all are writ and so writ that no Time can ever wear or wash them out 3. That you are bound over to an opening Day and must certainly and unavoidably come to it There is a Day appointed in the which God will judg the World Acts 1â— 30 31. At this Day you must appear there will be no escaping 2 Cor. 5.10 Kings and Potentates of the Earth who can now best shift off Matters shall then weary themselves with vain Cries to the Rocks for shelter from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6.15 16 17. All must appear at this great Audit and grand Assizes 4. That you must meet there all your Doings in the Books and find them fairly written in this opening Day And O Sirs what a fearful Meeting what a lamentable Sight will this be when all your Abominations of many Days Weeks Months and Years shall appear all together at once to you This will be an appalling sight It 's said Gen. 44.12 13. that when Joseph's Cup was found in Benjamin's Sack the Patriarchs rent their Clothes they were astonished amazed and struck with Confusion If this did put them into such a Posture O what rending of Hearts will there be at this Day among Sinners when their Sacks the Bags where their Transgressions are sealed up and their Iniquities sewed are opened O Sirs it will be another thing to meet your Sins than now it is they will then appear to you as so many Ghosts You converse with living Men without fear it never once troubles you to meet them in the Way or in the Market or to sit with them in the House But if a Company of Dead Men should come out of their Graves meet you in the Way and pursue you would not this affright and put you to a great Consternation Why the Sins that you now commit in the Way and Market at your Bed and Board will then meet you as so many dead Men and be terrible to purpose O remember this Sin Sin will be another thing when you meet it again in the Books than now it is in your Eyes There will be more difference with respect to it 'tween now and then than there is 'tween meeting a living Man you are well acquainted and intimate with and meeting a Spirit in the likeness of a dead Man Alas Soul all the sweetness that thou canst have in thy Sin if thou mightst live in it a thousand Years is not able to recompense thee for the Horror that this sight will put thy Soul into nay if thou didst but see one Sin now as thou shalt then see all thou wouldst not choose to continue in Sin for the gaining of ten thousand Worlds 5. That you must have all that is in these Books all your Deeds of Darkness and Works of Iniquity laid fully open before God Angels and Men as you cannot hide your selves so you cannot hide any of your Sins I would have you consider this Day there will be no hiding of Wickedness No question but as Men will be for crying to the Mountains and Rocks to hide themselves so they will be seeking where to hide their Sins that they may not come to light A cruel Cain will then
a great Profession was a Man of eminent Parts praying and discoursing to Admiration when he came to his sick Bed his Friends that visited him expected to hear some great Matters from him and told him that sure he could not but enjoy much Comfort who had been so eminent for the Profession and Practice of Godliness But he answered that he had not that Comfort they thought he had for he found it now with his Soul not according to what Man judgeth but according to the Judgment God passed upon him and God said he judgeth righteous Judgment Thus at this great opening Day it will be with us not according to what we have only seem'd to be or what others have conceiv'd of us but according to what the great God really finds and all will signify nothing if he find not Truth within 5. Let it put you upon serious Endeavours to be entire and perfect in all Points and Parts of Religion to fill up your Christian Profession in every part O Sirs be not partial in your Obedience in with one out with another Duty careful in some things careless in others But make Conscience of every known Duty indulge not any one known Sin tho you fail in every part of your Work yet neglect not any part of it Say not of any Duty as Naaman In this Lord pardon thy Servant 2 Kings 5.18 Excuse me Lord in this Neglect in this Omission in this dispensing with my Duty in this indulging of my Sin I say omit not any part of Duty for the Books must be opened and when these are open what hath been wanting will appear where our Profession hath not been filled up the Gaps and Chasms will be found such an one was forward to publick Duties but was a prayerless Person and had a prayerless Family such an one was much for Duties of the first Table but little for Duties of the second The Books will open Omissions as well as Commissions and God as one says will judg you and may condemn you for what you have not done Not doing is Damning as well as sinful Doing You find in that solemn Process Mat. 25.42 43. that what mention is there made is of Omissions for not doing He does not say you robbed me you persecuted me you put me in Prison but ye gave me not Meat when I was hungry ye did not take me in when I was a Stranger nor visit me when in Prison And this their not doing what they should have done was their undoing and brought Damnation on them Lavater in his Book of walking Spirits relates a Story concerning Severinus a renowned and famous Man in the times he lived in who appeared when he was dead and confessed that he was grievously punish'd because he had not said over his Canonical Hours in due time and distinctly but had hudled them up in haste This is but a Fiction yet certainly Sirs there are many now in Hell for Omissions 6. Let it induce you to Exactness in all your Works and Ways not only to make Conscience of every Duty but to study to be exact therein This Opening may excite to pursue Solomon's Counsel Whatsoever thy Hand findeth to do do it with thy Might i. e. to bring all thy Skill and lay out all thy Strength in the doing of it One drawing the Picture of Alexander while there was a Scar on his Face drew him with his Finger upon the Scar to cover it And Apelles painted another half-faced to cover the want of an Eye But Sirs there are no such Draughts of Persons or Actions in these Books there 's no drawing of Persons with Fingers upon Scars to cover them no drawing of Actions half-faced to conceal Defects and Obliquities in them They are all drawn fully as they are in themselves thy formal Duties will not be found half-faced to conceal the Formality of them thy cold Performances will not be found half-faced to cover their Coldness nor thy uneven walking with Fingers upon the uncomely Haltings therein to hide them O methinks the Thoughts of this should be a mighty Help against the too common Loosness of Christians in their Spirits and Conversations against the careless cold remiss and heartless Performance of Holy Duties 7. Let it be a Spur to Diligence to Unweariedness in the Way and abounding in the Work of the Lord. When Cornelius was praying an Angel was sent from Heaven to him with this Message Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God Acts 10.4 So Christians I am sent with this Message to you to tell you that your Prayers and Alms all your Works of Piety and Charity go up to Heaven and are put on Record in the Books that shall be open at the great Day and may not this be a great Motive to present Diligence and Fruitfulness Consider you shall meet all your layings out for God in the Books your Tears Prayers Doings Sufferings and Reproaches for Christ shall be found when these open There is a Book of Remembrance Mal. 3.16 Christ will remember the feeding of him in his Famishing the clothing of him in his Naked the harbouring of him in his out-cast Members Mat. 25.34 c. A Cup of cold Water shall not be forgotten Mat. 10.42 You shall at this Opening meet all your Layings out for Christ and you shall also then meet the Reward of them all It will be an Opening wherein the Judg will give Reward unto his Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and to them that fear his Name small and great Rev. 11.18 God will render to every one according to their Deeds to them who by patient Continuance in Well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal Life Rom. 2.6 7. Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord for as much as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord 1. Cor. 15.58 8. Above all let it put you to clear and evidence your Title to and Interest in Christ This was Paul's great Ambition to win Christ and to be found in him Phil. 3.8 9. O let it be your endeavour Bellarmine tells us of a University where those who were to proceed Doctor had certain hard Questions given them to resolve and four and twenty Hours allow'd them to study for their Answer and according to the Resolution they gave they were either to receive their Degree with Honour or to be sent away with Shame Sirs when the Books are opened this will be the great Question to be resolved sc Whose are you To whom do you belong What Evidences can you show What Proofs can you bring of your Title to Christ And according to the Resolution you give of this you must stand or fall for ever O therefore study this Question now and see whether those things you now bring as Demonstrations of your Acquaintance with Christ and Evidences of your Interest in him be such as
Angels for their Companions what Weeping and Wailing will there be among them 5. If we look at the Consequents of this Opening these are very dreadful for this Opening will be immediately followed 1st With an Eternal Opening 1. Of Conscience which will cause restless and endless Terror Horror and Torment 2. Of the bottomless Pit and Lake of Fire where they shall be for ever tormented with everlasting Punishment Mat. 25.46 2ly An everlasting shutting 1. Out of the Presence of God and Kingdom of Heaven 2. In Darkness and under Damnation Now if any say how may we get into such a readiness for this great Opening of the Books as that they may not open to our Shame Confusion and Condemnation Why if you would be ready so as that when the Books open Heaven may not shut and Hell open on you to all Eternity then 1. Be often thinking on this opening Day spend some time every Day in serious Thoughts of this great Day I have before pressed this as a Duty incumbent upon all and now urge it as a Direction for those who would be ready at this Day Wouldst thou be prepared then let this Day be ever in thy Eye by serious Meditation this will be a good help unto thee in several Respects as have been before shown O therefore carry carry this Opening ever in thine Eye When thou openest a Book to read or seest another open one let it put thee in mind of this Opening of the Books When thou seest the Morning opening after a dark Night and bring many things to light that lay covered with Darkness let it put thee on thinking what an Opening there will be in the Morning of the Resurrection and final Judgment how things will then come out When thou seest the Day shutting think what a shutting this great Day will have When thou art undressing thy self and putting off thy Clothes think what a Day this will be when thou and all the Sons of Men must be strip'd and laid open before the World of Angels and Men. When thou hearest of strange discoveries of Thefts Murders and Whoredoms let it mind thee of this Opening that will open all the hidden things of Darkness from the beginning of the World to the end thereof let every thing be thus a Remembrancer to thee of this and set afoot in thee some Thoughts about it I have read of one of the Antients noted for his singular Piety and eminent Holiness who being asked what Books he made his Companions and used most he answered that it was his Practice every Day to read over a Book that had three Leaves one Red a second Black a third White Liber cujus tria folia rubrum nigrum candidum In the Red he used to read and meditate on the bloody Passion of Christ in the Black the Darkness and Damnation of Hell in the White the Light and Glory of Heaven whereby he gained more in the way of practical Godliness than by any other study I would here add a fourth Leaf to this Book viz. This opening Day and commend the reading of it to every one that would be then ready 2. Watch and Pray This is our Saviour's Direction that he prescribes in this Case Luke 21.36 In the foregoing Verses you have 1. Our Saviour's description of this Day 2. His admonition to his Disciples not to be taken unawares and unready ver 34. 3. The Reason of this Admonition For as a Snare shall it come on them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth Ver. 35. It shall come suddenly and take them unready And then 4. In these words you have his means of prevention prescribed and they are two Watch and Pray Would you not be taken unready Watch exercise your selves in a universal Carefulness over your Hearts and Ways over the Wiles and Ways of Satan over the stirrings and motions of Corruptions in your selves the Occasions and Advantages of Sin in the World that you fall not into Snares And to Watchfulness join Prayer that great safeguarding Duty Watch and Pray Pray and Watch that ye may be accounted worthy Never think that you can be ready at this Day if now in your Day you live at large if you make no matter what Company you walk with what Temptations you run into what Sins you lay at your Door if you 'll be false with God in your Profession unjust with Men in your Dealings if you 'll Drink and Swear and Profane the Lord's Day no no this work will not do I tell you Sirs it will not do Wo to you if any of you put it to this venture and say as alas the Practices of too many say aloud either this shall do or I 'll be undone for then you are sure to be undone for ever If you would have this Day find you ready let to day and to morrow and the next Day find you Praying and Watching find you with your Loins girt and your Lights burning as Servants that wait for their Lord. We read of four Beasts Rev. 4.6 8. that were full of Eyes both before and behind and within Why thus as these had not one but many Eyes so you must be full of Eyes there must be Eyes looking forward observing ever what we have before us what we enter on or put our Hand to and there must be Eyes looking backwards ever reflecting on past Actions on what we have done that we may spy and correct our Errors and there must be Eyes looking inward watching over that cunning deceitful Piece the Heart and the workings thereof They that would be ready at this Day must Watch and Pray at their Day 3. Make the Word of God the Rule of your Conversation in the World This must be the Rule of Judgment then let it be the Rule of your Life now you must be judged by this Book at the great Opening if you would then stand live by it now in your Day This is another thing I would leave with you by way of Direction O take it up You see there must be a great Opening Men must be judged according to their Works and their Works according to the Word so that if you would be ready live now according to this Book and learn to walk according to this Rule in all your Ways and Actions keep an Eye on this We find that the four Beasts Rev. 4.8 had each of them six Wings about him and they were full of Eyes within Wings are for Motion Eyes for guidance and direction in that Motion so that this Phrase imports that their Motion was not blind and lawless but regular and orderly Why thus we must have Eyes under our Wings i. e. our Actions and Motions must be ordered guided and directed by the Light of the Word says David Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path q. d. I am as one in the dark who dare not walk nor stir a step from his Station
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
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
manifestation of their Works this shall be done by the opening of the Books of Record 2. A Testification of the Works manifested that they shall not only come abroad but also be so fully evidenced and clearly prov'd that no Man shall be able to deny any part thereof Sometimes in Mens Courts the Prisoner at the Bar denies the Matter of Fact that he is charged with pleads not Guilty and stands upon his own Justification but when Witnesses come in one after another and depose plainly positively punctually and directly against him bringing undeniable Evidence then he is forced to confess Thus now many are ready to deny their Deeds of Darkness ay but so many Witnesses shall come in at this Day and with such Evidence as will force Confessions O Sirs the Secrets of Sinners shall be so fully witnessed attested and proved that they shall confess and the Saints that have been slandered aspers'd defam'd and wronged shall have their Innocence so fully evidenced that the World shall see it and be satisfied This is a second thing this opening implies viz. That all Matters shall be found and fully made out as they are in themselves with their several Circumstances which will be done by the opening of the Books whereby all things shall be discovered 3. A Determination or Judgment to be passed on the Works of Men thus manifested and made out that there shall be a final determining and definitive Sentence passed on them This is another thing this opening is an opening to pass Sentence as Judges after full Trial open and read the Sentence out of a Book an opening to absolve or condemn therefore it follows immediately in the Words the Dead were judged that is Sentence was passed on them III. You have seen what Books shall be opened and what the opening of them implies the next Inquiry may be this About whom must they be opened To this I say they shall be opened about all Men Universally the whole Off-spring descending from Adam by ordinary Generation without Exception This will appear 1. From the Universality of Scripture-Assertions in this present Case The Scripture speaking of this brings in 1. All Men. Rom. 14.10 We shall all stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ Ver. 11. For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall confess to God What doth the Apostle hence infer Ver. 12. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God 2 Cor 5.10 2. All Nations Mat. 25.32 Before him shall be gathered all Nations not a few Persons but whole Nations not a few Nations but all Nations 3. All the World Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a Day at which he will judg the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath ordained Observe here is a Day appointed the End for which it was appointed sc to judg the Object of this Judgment the World the whole World whosoever is of the World shall come to this opening Day 2. From the special Distribution the Scriptures make in this Case distributing the Parties that are to come to this opening 1. Into Quick and Dead therefore Christ is stiled Judg of Quick and Dead Acts 10.42 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Into great and small Rev. 20.12 the King and the Beggar the Rich and the Poor the Old and the Young they that have been so high that they have judged others and they that have been so low that their Judgment hath been taken away 3. Into Good and Bad Eccles 3.16 17. Solomon there reports what he saw practised in the Place of Justice and Judgment sc he saw their publick Injustice the Good oppressed the Bad exalted Upon which he communicates his Thoughts or that which was his Comfort against these unjust unequal dealings of Men and it was this that God would have a Day of judging all Men and all things over again I said in my Heart I comforted my self in this God shall judg the Righteous and the Wicked for there is a Time there where why with God before his Tribunal for every Purpose and for every Work Ver. 17. Thus God shall judg the Righteous with a Judgment of Discussion and Approbation the Wicked with a Judgment of Discussion and Condemnation the Persons that must come to this opening are thus distinguished Now all Men come under one of these Ranks either they are Great or Small Good or Bad therefore all shall be judged IV. Now you have seen about whom the next thing to be considered is about what they are to be opened what things they are that the Books shall discover evidence and determine when opened These are the Actions of Men the Works Words and Thoughts of Men. Take for this but these two Scriptures The one is Eccles 12.14 where the things to be brought to Judgment are described 1. Generally every Work none shall escape be pretermitted or passed by each one shall come in its Place for there is a Time for every Work 2. Particularly in regard 1. Of their manner every open Work shall come in none of these shall escape no not an idle Word Mat. 12.36 Every secret Work the Secrets of Men shall God then judg by Jesus Christ Rom. 2.16 2. Of their Matter every good Work shall come in the Feeding of Christ in his Hungry the Clothing of him in his Naked the Harboring him in his Desolate the Visiting him in his Sick Members and every Evil Work not an ungodly Word nor hard Speech shall pass Jude 14 15. The other is 2 Cor. 5.10 For 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. The things to be brought in are the things done in the Body which is to be understood not exclusively as if external Actions only should appear but extensively as including every thing we do while in the Flesh whether internal even the naked Thoughts or external Words and Actions Omnia omnino opera quae fiunt dum vivimus in corpore sive interius nudis cogitationibus sive exterius verbis factis peragantur Tho I desire as much as I may to decline Matters of Controversy yet here comes in a Query that I cannot well pass over in Silence it is this viz. Whether the Sins of the Saints shall be laid open and manifested at this Day or whether the Books when opened shall open the Sins of the People of God as well as the Sins of the Wicked It is a Question agitated among the Learned some maintain the Affirmative and say they shall be made known others are for the Negative and say they shall not be manifested I 'll only premise these three or four things and with Submission give my Thoughts about it in short The Sins of the Godly shall not be opened 1. To their Condemnation our Saviour himself says Joh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he
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