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all therefore follow that Advice that our Saviour gives us upon this very Occafion, Let us take heed to ourselves, left at any time Luke 11. our Hearts be overcharged with Surfeitings 34. and Drunkenness, and the inordinate Cares of this Life, and fo that Day come upon us

unawares.

Let us watch and pray always, v.36. that we may be accounted worthy to escape all thofe Things that fhall come to pass, and to fland before the Son of Man.

2. The fecond Particular which the Scripture acquaints us with concerning the general Judgment, is this; That the Earth fhall then be fet on fire, and that in the moft terrible Manner imaginable. Whether this general Conflagration will happen upon Chrift's coming to Judgment, or rather will be the laft Tranfaction of the Judgment, the Scripture doth not declare. But that there fhall be fuch a Conflagration, and that this Fire fhall be for the everlafting Punishment both of the Devil and wicked Men, who will all be tumbled down into these lower Regions, which will then be a perfect Lake or Sea of Fire (as Rev. 19. the Scripture expreffeth it) is beyond all Doubt. To this Purpose let us obferve what the Apostle fays, The Lord Jefus fhall 2 Theff. be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire, to take Vengeance of them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrit.

But

20.

1.7.

But more exprefly this Conflagration of the World is taught us in the 2d Epistle of c.3.v.6,7. St. Peter, where the Apoftle tells us, that as the World which was of old perished by an univerfal Deluge of Water, fo the Heavens and the Earth which are now, are kept in Store, referved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly Men. From whence it is plain, that at the Day of Judgment this World shall be set on fire, and that Fire fhall be for the Punishment of ungodly Men. Furthermore, in the Verfes following, he adds to the fame Purpofe, The Day of the Lord fhall come as a Thief in the Night, in which the Heavens fball pass away with a great Noife, and the Elements fhall melt with fervent Heat; the Earth alfo, and the Works that are therein, fhall be burnt up.

V. IO.

If any one be at a Lofs to conceive how the Heavens fhould be fet on fire as well as the Earth, as St. Peter three times in this Chapter affirms they fhall be, the Difficulty will be removed by confidering that the Heavens here spoken of, are not those Heavens in which the Stars are, (in which Signification we commonly ufe that Word) but the fublunary Heavens, viz. those lower Regions of the Air, wherein are the Clouds and Vapours and other Meteors, which are here called the Elements, and in which Senfe the Heavens are frequently taken in holy Scripture. Now thefe Heavens, toge

ther

ther with all that is in them, fhall at that
Day pass away with a crackling Noife of
Fire, and the Earth, and all the Things
in it, fhall be put in Flames. David tells PC 11. 6.
us, that upon the Wicked God fball rain
Fire and Brimftone, and an horrible Tempeft;
this fhall be the Portion of their Cup. And
our Saviour intimates the fame, when he
tells us, as in the Day when Lot went out Luke 17.
of Sodom, it rained Fire and Brimftone from
Heaven, and deftroyed them all; fo shall it
be in the Day when the Son of Man is re-
vealed.

29, 30.

And now who can exprefs the Horror and Confufion that fhall be at that Day? Who can fancy fo fad and difmal a Face of Things, as fhall then be all the World over? Could we imagine ourselves to be prefent, when the whole Frame of Nature is upon the Point of Diffolution, and the whole World in Flames about our Ears, with what Terror and Amazement should we be filled? How would our Hearts fail us, and our Foints be loofed, and our Knees fmite Dan. 5.6. against each other, unless we were fure we were in the Number of those who should be wafted up to meet the Bridegroom with Comfort? Oh, what will then become of all impenitent Sinners! What will become of all worldly, fenfual, ambitious, voluptuous Men, who fet up their Reft in this World, and mind nothing but their Eafe, and the Gratification of their Appetites, or VOL. VI. the

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the Pursuit of their fecular Interefts! When they shall fee all that they loved, all that they admired, all that they delighted in, gone, irrecoverably gone in a Moment! Laftly, What will become of all those bold profane Perfons, who entertained all Difcourses of a future Judgment only with Scoffs and Derifion! Oh, how will they find themselves abufed, and fee, to their great Amazement, what they would never Pf.58.11. before believe, that there is a Reward for the Righteous, that there is indeed a God that judgeth the Earth!

But I pass on to the third Particular that the Scripture acquaints us with, as to this Day of Judgment, and that is this:

3. That when Christ shall come to judge the World, there fhall then be a visible Throne or Tribunal erected in the Air, whereon he shall in Perfon fit as the Judge, attended with an infinite Multitude of the Heavenly Hoft. This is told us over and over again in the New Teftament. Thus Matt. 25. Our Saviour tells us, When the Son of Man 31. fhall come in his Glory, and all the Angels of God with him, then shall be fit upon the Throne of his Glory. And St. John, in his Vifions of the general Judgment, tells us, that he faw Thrones, and they fat upon them, that is, the Angels and Saints did; and Judgment was given unto them. And be1 fides thefe Thrones, he saw a great_white

Rev. 20.4.

Throne,

Throne, viz. a Throne of Light exceedingly magnificent and glorious; and he faw him that fat upon it, that is, our Lord Jefus ; and fo terrible was his Majefty, that, as he there tells us, the Heaven and Earth did fly away before his Face.

10.

10.

Furthermore, this Throne of Chrift is exprefly called his Tribunal or Judgment Seat, as when the Apoftle tells us, that we Rom. 14. must all appear before the Judgment Seat of 2 Cor. 5. Chrift. Now that this Throne, this Judgment Seat shall be fixed in the Air, and the general Affize to be there held, which is another Thing I mentioned under this Particular, is clear from that Paffage of St. Paul, where he faith, The Lord fhall defcend Theff. 4. from Heaven with a Shout; and then, both16, 17. thofe that are raised from the dead, and thofe that are alive and remain, fhall be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air.

Oh now, who can exprefs, or who can conceive the exceeding Glory of this Majeftick Appearance of our Lord Jefus, when he fhall defcend from Heaven with mighty Shouts and Acclamations, with the Trumpet of God, with an innumerable Company of glorious Angels, and shall seat himself upon his magnificent Throne, encircled with all those blissful Sons of Light! How will it furprize the best of Men! But oh, how will it confound the Wicked and Ungodly! If the Appearance of God upon Mount Sinai, with

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