170 Of the `Uncertainty of Vol.II. Now by that Day and Hour, is meant that famous and terrible Timeof the ge- neral Judgment of the World, which St. Peter calls by way of Eminency, the Day ofthe Lord, 2 Pet. 3. ro. The Day of the Lord will come, as a Thief, in the Night; that is, it will furprize Men fuddenly and unexpe&edly, becaufeno Man can tell when it will be; it will (teal upon the World, as a Thiefdoes into a Houle by Night. But of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man, no not the Angers which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, match and pray; for ye know not when the Time is. Having thus cleared all Difficulties concerning the general Meaningof the Text, that it is to be underftood of the Day of Judgment, and not as fome Learned Men have thought, of the Deftrudion of 7erufalem; I (hall now confider the Words more particularly, and they contain in them thefe two Things: Firfi, The Uncertainty of the Day of Judgment, as to us, and all other Creatures. But of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man, no not the Angels of Hea- ven, neither the Son, but the Father. Secondly, That the Confiderationofthe Uncertainty of theTime, fhould make vs very careful to be always prepared for it. Take ye heed, watch and pray ; fore know not when the Time is. I fhall fpeak as briefly as I can to both thefe. Firfl, Our Saviour here declares the Uncertainty of the Time, as to us, and all Creatures, when the general Judgment Ihall be. And to exprefs this the more emphatically, he tells us, r. That God only knows it. Of that Day and Hour, x d` s oLaN,, <, PM é na,s, none knows, but the Father. For though we tranflate it, no Man, yet in the Greek it is more general, none knows but the Father, that is, God only. For the Word Father is feveral Times in the New Teftament not ufed Perfonally, in way of Diftin&ion from the Son, and the Holy Ghofl ; but fighifies the Deity, the Father being Fonr & Principium Deitatis, the Fountain and Principle ofthe Deity. Of that Day and Hour; the Word weo is not here to be taken ftri&ly for the Meafure of Time, commonly call'd an Hour ; this were to make our Saviour's Expreffion very flat, after he had denied that the Day is known, to deny that they know the Hour; for if they do not know theDay, much lefs theHour. Now in thefe kind of Speeches, the Expreffion ought to rife, and that which is moft emphatical ought to be faid in the 1áít Place; fo that it fhould rather have been, they know not the Hour, no nor the Day; but sex here does undoubtedly lignifie the appointed Seafon or Time ; and fo the four Seafons of the Year are by the Greeks call'd zoo ; and in this Senfe the Word is moft certainly ufed by the Evangelift St. john, Ch. 7. 3o. But noMan laid Hands on him, fpeaking of Chrift, becaufe his Hour was not yet come, that is, the Timeappointed for his Suffering; and that which in the Text is called Hour, is in the next Verfe call'd,edo, which fignifies a particular Seafon, or appointed Time. re know not when the Time is, that is, the Time which God bath particularly defigned and appointed for this great Workof judging the World. 2. He excludes from the Knowledgeof it, thofewho weremolt likely to know it, if God had not abfolutely referved it to himfelf. Ofthat Day andHour knows none, no not the Angels, neither the Son. (e.) Not the Angels; which are in Heaven; tho' they be Creatures of fo perfe& a Knowledge, rho' theybe the Minifiers ofGod, and do continually attend upon him, and behold his Faee,and underftand much moreof theWorks of God, and his Providence in regard to the Affairs of theWorld, than we that live here be- low in fo much Error and Ignorance, that dwell in Houfes of Clay, whofe Founda- tions are in the Dufl: Yet the particular Time,whenGod will judge theWorld, he hath referved as a Secret to himfelf, and not communicated it fo much as to the Angels, who are defigned to wait upon the great Judge of the World, and to Make up his Train in that Solemnity. So our Saviour tells us, Math. 25. 3t. that The Son of Man(hall come in his Glory, and all the Holy Angels with him. And fo Iikewife the Apoftle, 2Theff. r. r. that The Lord 7efiss Chr:Jl fhiall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels. g But
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