n his last coming, he shall
not come as a Lamb, but as a Judge, convoyed with all his angels and
saints in heaven; he shall come in flaming fire, kindling the heavens
before him, in melting the elements and earth beneath him; he shall come
with a blast of the trumpet, with the archangel, to gather all people from
the four corners of the earth; and he shall come with a peremptory
sentence, from the which there shall be no appellation, and of which there
shall be no revocation, ever again or again calling; and he shall come
with his reward in his hand, to every man according to his works which he
has done in this world, be they evil, be they good. Now, ye see he has a
throne, he has a throne of grace; as the Apostle to the Hebrews says, "Let
us go boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find
grace in time of need." Now he is sitting on a throne of grace, that we
may receive mercy, and find grace in time of need; and now he holds the
door of mercy open, and lets in every penitent sinner that comes;
therefore I testify unto you, if ye will flee from your sins, if ye will
cast away the works of darkness, if ye will hate and detest all sort of
iniquity, and if thou wilt run to the throne of grace now, I will assure
thee thou shalt find mercy, and grace in the time of need; so now is the
throne of grace and mercy, but afterwards thou shalt see the throne of
glory and justice. Now is the good Shepherd seeking his lost sheep, and
finding them, to drink of the wells of the water of life, and to eat of
the fat things of his own house; but afterwards, such as would not be
gathered of him, he shall bind them hand and foot, and cast them into
outer darkness. Now he pities them that will not come home, as he said to
Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered thee, as
a hen doth her birds under her wings, but thou wouldst not: behold, your
habitation shall be made desolate." So wo to the souls that repine and
refuse to be fetched within the sweet and loving arms of the Son of God,
even those bloody arms which were stretched out upon a tree. Now, discern,
I pray you, betwixt his first coming and his last coming; for now is the
time of grace, and now is the spirit of grace offered, and now is the
throne of grace set up, and now is the rainbow, which is the sign of the
covenant of life, round about the throne, and now the twelve ports of that
new Jerusalem are standing open, that all may come in;