570-1622.

REV. xx. 11.--_And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on
it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away._

The security of all flesh is wonderous great, for there is a fearful sleep
fallen both upon the good and the evil. The foolish virgins are sound
asleep, and the wise are asleep also. And suppose the Lord be at the door,
and the hour of judgment at hand, and the seventh angel ready to blow the
last trumpet, when time shall be no more; yet it is scarcely one of a
thousand, yea, one of ten thousand, is to be found that is prepared, and
busying themselves to meet the Lord, who is making speed to come in the
clouds: and how soon that fire shall break forth, which shall kindle the
heavens above your head, and the earth under your feet, and shall set all
on fire; how soon the trumpet shall blow, and the shout shall cry, "Rise,
Dead, and come to judgment," is only known to God, and to no mortal man.
Will ye not then be wakened till this trumpet waken you? And will none of
you take pains to look over the leaves of your conscience, and read what
sins are written there, since ye came into the world, before that day of
doom come upon you? O that ye knew that eternity, and that terror of the
day of the Lord, when the heavens above you, and the earth beneath you,
shall not be able to stand before the face of him that sits on the throne!
Therefore I hope the Lord has made choice to me of this text, at this
time, to give you warning before the judgment come. Ye know the watchman
that the Lord takes from among the people, that he sets over the city or
house to credit to them, "If ye see the sword and pestilence coming, and
warn them not, the blood of them that perish under the judgment for lack
of warning, will be required at his hand," that is, the watchman's;
therefore it is time for me to be making warning to you, and, in the
measure of strength that God will give me, I am to make warning not of a
temporal judgment, but of an everlasting judgment that is coming on, (God
waken you and warn you in time!) that when ye shall see the Judge sit on
his throne, your hearts may not tremble at his awful countenance, having
gotten your souls washed in his blood. But, to come to the purpose, there
are many visions in this book, and there are many things done here, that
the Son shews to his servant John. He shews him first the present state of
the Church at that time in the world, under the name of seven s