without a Light to direct him I dare not walk without thy Word turn into any Way and Course but such as this guides me into and shines on me in So he shows that God's Testimonies were his Counsellors ver 24. He alludes unto the Customs of Kings who have their Counsellors ever ready to assist them in their great and arduous Affairs q. d. As Kings have their Counsellors so have I too thy Testimonies they are the Men of my Counsel in all my Matters I go to them and consult with them I hear what they say and of them I take Direction Why thus Sirs if you would be in readiness for an opening Day let the Word of God be a Lamp to your Feet and let his Testimonies be the Men of your Counsel e're you entertain or take in Thoughts before you send out any Words or set upon any Actions go to this Word with them and hear what it hath to say of this Thought that Word of those Works and let it be your utmost endeavour as far as is possible to put nothing into those Books which shall be opened but what this Book now open warrants and allows If such and such an Action Way or Practice will not stand before the Word let it not stand in your Lives this is the Way to see a comfortable opening at last Si hunc librum Conscientiae recte vis scribere scribe eum secundum exemplar libri vitae Liber vitae est Christus c. If you will write the Book of Conscience aright write it according to the Book of Life the Book of Life is Christ Let the profession of your Faith be conformable to the Rule of his Doctrine and in your Life imitate the Life of Christ Every one that doeth Evil hateth Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved John 3.20 They cannot abide to be tried by Scripture-Rules they dare not put their Doing to be tried by the Book of God but this will make foul work for an opening Day If your Ways cannot stand before the Word now never think that they shall stand before it another Day The Word that now condemns Drunkenness will then condemn it the Word that condemns Oaths and Lies now will condemn them at that Day The Sentence at this great Opening shall not be another or different Sentence but only a Manifestation Confirmation of that which is now passed in the Word upon Men and their Actions O if we would but make it our Care to follow this one Direction and write nothing in those Books which are to be opened but what we take out of the Book which is now open and set before us as our Exemplar and Copy putting nothing on record there but what we find allowed here then what manner of Persons should we be and how far otherwise would the Books be found at this great Opening than most must find them 4. Reckon often with your selves call your selves frequently to account be much in self-examining self-judging Exercises I have read of one who would ask himself three Questions every Night 1. What Evil hast thou healed to Day 2. What Corruption hast thou stood against to Day 3. Wherein or in what art thou bettered now this Day is gone Why on this manner Sirs be often dealing with your selves lay the Word and your own Hearts the Word and your own Ways together at the end of every Day When you have gone over a Day in the World go over it again between the Word and your own Souls and seriously renew your Repentance and Self-accusations You say Often reckoning keeps long Friends O reckon oft with God and your own Souls for if we would judg our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 Our self-accusations would prevent Satan's Accusations against us He is the Accuser of the Brethren and will have many things to charge us with but when a Man accuses and humbles himself Satan is prevented tho he come in with this and the other complaint God will say as it were Why Satan this Man hath accused himself before thou camest thou art here with this now but he was here with it and mourned over it as soon as it was done the same Day and he hath been oft at my Feet about it with Sorrow in his Heart and Tears in his Eyes yea this would not only prevent Satan's Accusations but the Judgment of God Judicio poenitentiali evacuatur judicium poenale Amas If we would judg our selves with a Penitential the Penal Judgment would be prevented Says David Psal 32.5 I acknowledged my Sin unto thee and mine Iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my Sin The Spouse privy to her own Infirmities called her self black Cant. 1.5 but Christ calls her fair If we will condemn our selves God will justify us if we put out our Tears that come from a right Spring into his Bottel he will not seal up our Iniquities for which those Tears were shed in a Bag. 5. Make it your great study and care to have and keep Conscience your Friend this is now your constant Companion and goes whither you go this will be a thousand Witnesses yea and a Judg in your own Bosom at that Day Exercise your self as Paul to have always a Conscience void of Offence toward God and toward Men Acts 24.16 Labour to have such a Conscience as may speak well of thee when thou comest to Judgment In die judicii plus valebit Conscientia pura quam marsupla plena Bern. In the Day of Judgment a good Conscience will be better than a full Purse for which many Men wound and wrong and waste their own Consciences This will in that Day be no better than Mire in the Streets but to have a good Conscience go with us to the Bar and witness for us there will be something As you would stand in the Judgment look to this in all your Ways and be often listening to hear what it says to you and of you It 's said of Apelles the famous Painter that when he had finished a Draught he would usually expose it to view and lie behind it that he might hear what others said of it Why on this manner bring all your Actions to the view of Conscience and hear what this going by a right Rule and rightly informed says of them for if our Heart condemn us God is greater than our Heart and knoweth all things 1 John 3.20 This is but the Deputy-Judg and if this condemn the great and supreme Judg will not absolve Art thou forced now to neglect and disregard to silence and slight nay to wound and resist thy Conscience would it stop thee and thou wilt not be stopped Why alas the Day is coming when this Conscience will surely condemn thee and God who is greater than Conscience will condemn thee Sirs if you would have Conscience your Friend
where-ever you are whatever you do let this Opening be in your Eye and upon your Thoughts Think on this when you go to Prayer This Prayer my Preparation for it my Frame Carriage and Ends in it must all be opened another day Think on this when you go to hear this Sermon every Truth and Duty laid before me herein will meet me again at the opening of the Books Think on this when you have to do with others to buy or sell or transact any Affairs about this Life with them These Actions I now do and all the Circumstances thereof will be found in the Books at the last Day Think on this when Temptations come on you and are in their Power if now I yield I give place to the Devil and lay Sin at my door and it will abide in the Books till they open and all come out And so in all other Cases carry this along with you in your Thoughts Pray read hear buy sell eat and drink and do all that ever you do as remembring this Remember this Opening of the Books Christians and let the Remembrance of it 1. Be a Remedy against Sin a Preservative against Iniquity in these sinful sinning times wherein Iniquity abounds It 's the Remedy that Solomon prescribes to young Men Eccles 11.9 and there is much Weight in it if Persons would but lay it to Heart Remember Sirs when you are ready to turn into any Act or Way of Sin and let no Secrecy no hope of hiding it from Neighbours Friends or the whole World incourage you to venture on it for choose how you may now cover it the Books will open it Let no seeming Littleness of any Sin draw you to make light of it for there is none so little but there will be room enough found for it in the Books The Tradesman hath not only a room in his Books for Pounds Shillings and Pence but also for Half-pence and Farthings and will not leave out one but put it in its place So be sure God hath a room in his Books for your least Sins which will cost says one either the Blood of Christ or your own Ruine er'e they be wiped out O remember that Sin goes out of your Thoughts out of your Words out of your Works and Ways into these Books that are ready to be opened before all the World Watch therefore Temptations watch carefully against Sin against the Occasions of Sin and Appearance of Evil. 2. Let the Remembrance of this Day invite you to Repentance Paul urges this as a forcible and pressing Motive to this Duty and tells us that upon this Account God commands Men every where to repent Acts 17.30 31. Art thou an impenitent Sinner one who hast been and art backwards to the Thoughts of Repentance be forward in Thoughts of this O think what thou hast in the Books already how many things and foul things are on Record against thee how many Oaths that thou hast sworn how many Lies that thou hast told how many vain and idle Words that thou hast spoken and how many sinful and unlawful Deeds that thou hast done Take but up these Thoughts and they 'l convince thee of the need of Repentance they 'l induce thee to the Practice of it The Books must be opened how sad will it be if they open on thee in an impenitent State Art thou one who hast laid the Foundation of Repentance from dead Works May not this be a mighty Motive to thee to keep on building every day upon that Foundation Thou renewest thy Sins every day is there not then Cause every day to renew thy Repentance Surely Sirs if you think of this Opening and how you are sinning it may be enough to make you say as Tertullian said of himself Nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae that he was born for nothing but to repent Saints should not put more Sins in God's Book than they put Tears in his Bottle 3. Let it put you upon the Mortification of your Corruptions and travelling after Deliverance from this Body of Sin If your Sins be found alive at the opening of the Books you must die If they be not then dead then your Life goes for them for if ye live after the Flesh ye shall die Rom. 8 13. And may not this put you on this Study We find that when Nebuchadnezzar had erected a golden Image with this Commination That whosoever would not fall down and worship it should be cast alive into a firy Furnace Dan. 3. that this took such Impression on all that heard it that there were none except three or four which did not presently fall down unto it the Thoughts of a firy Furnace made them do any thing God hath kindled a Fire that shall never be quenched and when the Books open all that have not thrown down their Corruptions their Pride Passions and Worldliness shall be thrown into it without Exception And may not the Thoughts of this be enough to set us upon throwing our Lusts down before us It is said of the Roman Cato that for a long time he never declared his Opinion about any Matter in the Senate but he would still close with this Expression Methinks Carthage should be destroyed This sat much on his Spirits So truly if we look at this Opening methinks this should be on our Hearts whatsoever else we think or do that our Corruptions should be destroyed the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts mortify'd 4. Let it quicken and engage you to Sincerity in your Professions Actions Ends Aims and all that you do or say The Welch have a Proverb That it is hard to know three things an Oak a Day and a Man An Oak for the privy Wind and Shakes that may be within when it seems fair without A Day for the Variableness of Weather and Accidents A Man for his hollow Hypocrisy Why truly now it's hardly known who is a Hypocrite and who sincere who is really for God and Godliness and who in Shew and Pretence only One that is a Sheep without may be a Sow within But Sirs make sure to be what you seem to be to do what you seem to do to do that with your Heart that you do with your Hand Let this Opening be an Antidote against Hypocrisy carnal and corrupt Ends in Religion and Profession Harbour not an unsound Heart under fair Pretences corrupt Ends under specious Performances or a made Religion in the Life without Truth in the inward Parts For the very Hearts must be ripp'd up and laid open at this Day which will unmask and make naked all the Jehu's and Judasses in the World the most close and wily Hypocrites that ever were under Heaven In our Life-time we have been judged by our selves and others with our Clothes on then we shall all be judged naked all Vizards shall be laid aside O remember remember this Opening and let it quicken you to Sincerity Luther tells us of one Arsenius who made
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
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
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