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aspect, and in what sign, what degree, and what hour every one is in, every hour of the day: the opposition likewise of the sun and moon, and the head and tail of the dragon. And because the night darkens not the sun, nor the day the moon, or other planets, therefore their courses are here exactly seen at all times. The sixth thing, is a circle wherein are the two signs of the moon's rising and falling; at two several hollow places it is seen at what state she is ; and her age is declared by an index, which is wholly turned about once in every month. The seventh thing, are four little bells, whereon the quarters of the bour are struck; at the first quarter comes forth a little boy, and strikes the first bell with an apple, and so goes and stays at the fourth bell, until the next quarter; then comes a lusty youth, and he with a dart strikes two bells, and succeeds into the place of the child; at the third comes forth a man in arms, with a halberd in his hands, and strikes three bells, he succeeds into the place of the young man; at the fourth quarter, comes an old man with a staff, having a crook at the end, and he with much ado, being old, strikes the four bells, and stands at the fourth quarter until the next quarter: immediately to strike the clock, comes death, in the room above the other, for this is the eighth thing: and this understand, that at each quarter he comes forth, to catch each of those former ages away with him; but at a contrary side, in the same room where he is, comes forth Christ, aud drives him in: but when the last quarter is heard, Christ gives him leave to go to the bell which is in the midst, and so he strikes with his bone, according to the hour; and he stands at the bell, as the old man doth at his quarter-bell, till the next quarter, and then they goin both together. The ninth and last thing in this right line, is the tower at the top of the work, wherein is a noble, pleasant chime, which goes at three, seven, and eleven o'clock, each time a different tune; and at Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide, a thanksgiving unto Christ: and when this chime has done, the cock (which stands on the top of the tower, on the north side of the main work) having stretched out his neck, shook his comb, and clapped his wings twice, crows twice; and this he doth so shrill and naturally, as would make any man wonder and if they choose, who attended the clock, they can make him crow more times. In this tower, are conveyed all the instruments of those motions, which are in the foresaid things.

A description of the Day of Judgment, the Coming of Christ, and of the General Conflagration.

CERTAINLY there is nothing in the whole course of nature, or

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of human affairs, so great and so extraordinary, as the two last scenes of them, the coming of our Saviour, and the burning of the world. If we could draw in our minds the picture of these, in true and lively colours, we should scarce be able to attend to any thing else, or ever to divert our imagination from these two objects: for what can more affect us, than the greatest glory that ever was visible upon earth, and at the same time, the greatest terror; a God descending at the head of an army of angels, and a burning world under his feet?

These are things truly above expression, and not only so, but so different and remote from our ordinary thoughts and conceptions, that he that comes nearest to a true description of them, shall be looked upon as the most extravagant. 'Tis our unhappiness, to be so much used to little trifling things in this life, that when any thing great is represented to us, it appears fantastical, an idea made by some contemplative or melancholy person. I will not venture therefore, without premising some grounds, out of Scripture, to say any thing concerning this glorious appearance. The coming of our Saviour, being wholly out of the way of natural causes, it is reasonable, we should take all the directions we can from Scripture, that we may give a more fitting and just account of the sacred pomp.

I need not quote those parts of Scripture, that prove the Second Coming of our Saviour in general, or his return to the earth again, at the end of the world, Matt. xxiv. 30, 31, Acts i. 11, and iii. 20, 21; Apoc. i. 6, Heb. ix. 28. No christian can doubt of this, it is so often repeated in the sacred writings; but the manner and circumstances of his coming, or of his appearance, are the things we now enquire into. And, in the first place, we may observe, that the Scripture tells us, our Saviour will come in flaming fire, and with an host of mighty angels; so says St. Paul to the Thessalonians. "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." In 'the second place, our Saviour says, Matt. xvi. 27, "The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels." From which two places we may learn, first, that the appearance of our Saviour will be with flames of fire. Secondly, with an host of angels. Thirdly, in the glory of his Father: By which glory of the Father, I think it understood, that throne of glory, represented by Daniel for the Aucient of days. For our Saviour speaks here to the Jews, and probably in a way intelligibly to them; and the glory of the Father, which they were most likely to understand, would be either the glory wherein God appeared at Mount Sinai, upon the giving of the law, whereof the apostle speaks largely to the Her

brews, chap. xii. 18-21; or that which Daniel represents him in, at the day of judgment, and this latter being more proper to the subject of our Saviour's discourse, it is more likely, this ex pression refers to it. Give me leave, therefore to set down that description of the Father upon his throne, from the prophet Daniel vii. 9, " And I beheld till the thrones were set,* and the Ancients of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head, like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels like the burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him, thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him." With this throne of the glory of the Father, let us, if you please, compare the throne of the Son of God as it was seen by St. John in the Apocalyse, chap. iv. 2, &c. " And immediately I was in the spirit, and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And there was a rainbow round about the throne, in appearance like to an emerald. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices, &c. and before the throne was a sea of glass like unto crystal."

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In the representations, you have some beams of the glory of the Father and of the Son, which may be partly a direction to us, in conceiving the lustre of our Saviour's appearance. Let us further observe, if you please, how external nature will be affected at the sight of God, or of his approaching glory. The Scripture often takes notice of this, and in terms very high and eloquent. The Psalmist seems to have loved that subject above others to set out the greatness of the day of the Lord, and the consternation of all nature at that time. He throws about his thunder and lightning, makes the hills to melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, and the very foundations of the earth to tremble, as you may see in the 18th Psalm, and the 97th, and 104, and several others which are too long to be here inserted. So the prophet Habakkuk, in his prophetic prayer, chap. iii, hath many ejaculations to the like purpose. And the prophet Nahum says, "The mountains quake at him, and the earth is burnt up at his presence: yea, the world and all that dwell therein."

But more particularly, as to the face of nature, just before the coming of our Saviour, that may be best collected from the signs of his coming. Those all meeting together, help to prepare and make ready a theatre, fit for an angry God to come down upon. The countenance of the heavens will be dark and gloomy; and a veil drawn over the face of the Sun. The earth in a disposition every where to break into open flames. The

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