A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

1. There is that great Noise of the Voice of the Lord, that begets a Terror in the World, which is ministerially managed by an Arch-Angel, though the Power and Success be of God. That great Noise startles the Dead in their Graves, and summons all the World to appear before Christ's Tribunal. There's much spoken of this in Scripture; 1 Thess. 4.16. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Arch-Angel, and with the Trump of God. Matth. 24.31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather together his Elect, from the four Winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. Some expound this Trumpet Analogically, some Literally. Analogically; some think it only signifies the Power and Virtue of Christ, by which all the Dead are awakened out of their Sleep, and forced to appear before his Tribunal; and they say it is therefore expressed by a Trumpet, because the solemn Assemblies of Israel were wont to be summoned by the sound of a Trumpet. But why may we not take it Literally, for the audible sound of a Trumpet? Look as at the giving the Law, the Voice of the Trumpet was exceeding loud; so such an audible Voice, like the Voice of a Trumpet is there, when Christ comes to Judgment, to require an Account of the performance of the Law; which is, as it were, a terrible Summons to all the World, and a near Sign of his coming. Look as at his first coming, Christ had his Fore-runner and Harbinger, John the Baptist, the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness, The Kingdom of God is at hand; so at his second coming Christ hath his Fore-runner, an Arch-Angel, that shall sound a Trumpet, which maketh his Coming glorious, because it shall awaken and startle all the World. This Sound shall be heard all the World over by the Dead; as the Prophet speaks, Ezek. 37.7, 8. of a noise and clattering among the Bones, and Bone ran to Bone, and then they were clothed with Flesh and Sinews: so such a noise shall there be among the Bones when Christ comes to Judgment. Here in the Church God speaks in a stiller Voice, but it is not regarded: He speaks by his Angels and Messengers, they sound the Trumpet to the Spiritual Battle; they pipe, but few dance, till by his mighty Power he raiseth Sinners from the Dead. So at the last Day God hath his Messengers;