SERM. not revealed. And thus I have done with the first CLXXXIII. " Of xxx thing, namely, the uncertainty of the time of the general judgment, as to all, but God only. " that day and hour knoweth none, no not the an" gels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but "the FATHER." I proceed now to the Second thing, which I mainly intended, viz. that the confideration of the uncertainty of the time should make us very careful to be always prepared for it. "Take ye heed, watch and pray; for ye "know not when the time is." In which words we have, First, a general caution; " take ye heed." Look to it, that ye be not furprized and overtaken by that time. The time being fo uncertain, they were always in danger. Secondly, more particular directions how they should demean themselves in this cafe. And our SAVIOUR directs to two things, vigilancy and prayer; " watch and pray." Thirdly, there is a reason added to enforce this care and diligence, from the uncertainty of the time as to us : " for ye know not when the time is." From whence I shall observe by the way, the great goodness of God to us, and his fingular care of us. That as he is gracious and merciful to us, in giving us the knowledge of those things which are neceffary and useful for us to know; so no less in keeping us ignorant of other things, which are not only not neceffary for us to know, but which it would be very much to our harm and prejudice, to have the knowledge of them communicated to us. GOD hath acquainted us with whatever is necessary to direct and excite us to our duty; but he hath purpofely posely concealed from us those things which might SERM. tend to make us flothful and careless, negligent and LxxxI. remiss in it. He hath not acquainted us with the secrets of his decrees and providence; but hath reserved these in his own power; because it would be really to our disadvantage to have the knowledge of them. If we knew all events before-hand, and how and when all things would happen, we should be too much concerned about fome things, and too little about others; and therefore God hath, in great wisdom and goodness, afforded us the knowledge of those things which are most proper and useful for us, whereby we may be instructed in our duty, and encouraged and stirred up to it. Job xxviii. 28. "Unto man he faith, the fear of the Lord, that " is wisdom; and to depart from evil, is understand ing." This is the knowledge which is fit for us, and which no man is destitute of, but by his own fault, and gross neglect of himself. So that God is very good to us, both in revealing some things to us, and in hiding other things from us; particularly those things which we are speaking of, concerning the time of the end of the world, and the judgment of the great day. Which did men certainly know to be so far off, as it really was in our SAVIOUR's time, and may perhaps now be, it would very much abate the force and awe of it upon the minds of men; for then men would think themselves fafe, till death should remove them out of the world. But when, for any thing we know, the general judgment of the world may overtake us the next moment; this confideration gives a great deal of weight to all the rest, and is apt to strike a particular terror into men. SERM. men. What man would not be afraid to offend, if CLXXXIII. he did not know but that the next moment he should be brought to his trial, before a fevere and impartial judge? So that for this reason, Gon hath in great kindness to us concealed this matter from us, and like a wife and good father, instead of gratifying our curiosity, hath confulted our real benefit and advantage. Besides this, that it is always useful to the world to be kept in awe by the continual danger and terror of an approaching judgment, there seems to have been a more particular reason why our SAVIOUR would have the disciples and first christians ignorant of this thing; for which reason he dif-coursed so to them concerning it, as that they might rather apprehend, that the end of all things was at hand, and might probably happen in their time. And thus it seems his disciples understood his speech concerning St. John, as if " he should not die till " our Lord came to judgment." And the apostles, in feveral of their exhortations, seem to urge chriftians from this very confideration, of the nearness of the general judgment. So St. Paul, Phil. iv. 5. "Let your moderation be known to all men; "the LORD is at hand." And the author to the Hebrews, chap. x. 25. encourageth christians to constancy in their profession upon the fame account, "not forsaking the affembling yourselves together, 66 as the manner of some is; but exhorting one ano"ther, and so much the more, because the day ap" proacheth." So likewise St. James, chap. v. 9. "Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be " condemned: behold, the judge standeth at the door." And St. Peter tells us, that several impious men fcoffed ? scoffed at them upon this account, as if the apostles SERM. had been deceivers in this matter, and therefore faid, CLXXXIII, " where is the promife of his coming?" as it were upbraiding them, for putting men in a vain expectation of it. And it was no inconvenience at all, that the apostles and first christians had this apprehenfion of the nearness of that time; for no confideration could be more forcible to keep them stedfast in their profefsion, and to fortify them against sufferings, than a perfuafion of the approach of that day, wherein those who fuffered for CHRIST should be so gloriously rewarded; and those who for fear of suffering fell off from him, should be so terribly punish'd. And nothing could be more proper and powerful, to wean their affections from the love of this world, and to make them willing to part with any thing in it, than to apprehend that there would shortly be an end of it, and then all the enjoyments of it would signify nothing. So that their ignorance in this mat.. ter was, by the providence of God, admirably fitted for the animating and encouraging of chriftians to a great zeal and conftancy in the profession of their faith, and in the propagating of it, as think ing they had but a little while to do this great work in. And it will be in all ages to the end of the world, a good argument to men to vigilancy and constant preparation; because if they be remiss and careless, the great judge of the world may "come in a day " that they think not of, and at an hour when they " are not aware." But to return to the particulars I propounded to speak to from the words. First, 1 SERM. I. Vigilancy, which is a large duty, and comprehends under it the whole care of a christian life; all that watchfulness and preparation which we ought to use, that we be not furprized by that terrible day; that we be not found in such a condition, as slothful and negligent servants used to be in, when their lord comes fuddenly upon them, and finds all things in confufion and disorder. And to this our SAVIOUR alludes feveral times in his exhortations to watchfulness: Luke xii. 35, 36. "Let your loins be girded " about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves "like unto men that wait for their LORD. Blessed "are those servants, whom the LORD when he " comes shall find watching." And, ver. 40. " Be 66 ye therefore ready also; for the Son of man " cometh at an hour when ye think not." So that this watchfulness implies a continual care of our lives and actions, that we be always in fuch a posture as we would be willing the great judge of the world should take us in, doing those things which we should not be ashamed to own, if he should come fuddenly upon us, and fummon us before his tribunal; and avoiding those things which would be matter of shame and confufion to us at his appearance. Luke xxi. 34, 35, 36. where our SAVIOUR giveth |