Chap. V. Of Eternal Judgment. God to retompenfe tribal~ttkJII to them that trouble you, and to you 1vho are trouble~ rejl with m, 2 The/[ 6. 7· Now there is a dayc?ming when thePcrfccutors !lnll be pumfh'd, and the Saints be rewarded for all thetr Suffermgs, and the drfinbutton of Rccompcnces !hall be in the prefence of the World, for the glory of Divine Jufiice. For the difiin&.ron that is made between Men at Death is private and particular, and not fufficient for the honour of God's Government. But at the !aft Day all Men that have lived in feveral fuccellion> ~:O~esg~a~o~i:~~ell~~t J ~~~: t~~~ei,' ;~leh':ne~;~~;;J\~ngu;;i~);'~f;:v~~~o~~v~:~~e~~icl~~ Travcrfe, to prevent the difl:urbance in the worl<ing, and the difcovery of the " 1ork till brought to fuch perfeaion as will furprife with wonder thofc that fee 1t: So God is pleafed to cover his Proceedings fora time; but in the lafi Day there wrll be fuch a revel~tton_ of the righteou< judgment of God, Rom. 2. 7· that thofc who now doubt, or complam of hts Jufiice, !hall admire and adore it. 3· The belief of this Do£hinc, as it vindicates Divine Providence, fo 'tis powerful ro comfort the Saints under Pcrfecutions for Righteoufnefs fake; efpcctally when Innocence is wounded with Oanderous Darts, and Calumnies are JOined with Cruelties, reprefeming them as worthy of publici< Hatred. It was one of the fubtile Artifices of 'Jtdian the Apofl:ate, to mingle the Images of the Heathen Gods with thofe of the Emperors, that tbe doing reverence (as the Chrifiians w_c~e commanded)_ to all together, mrght imply a dereliction and rcnouncmg of then· RehgiOn, and thctr Stmpl.tctty feeJJl_ Imptety : or tf, Jealous of flipping from their Profellion, they refufed to do tt, they mrght fcem to deny the e~prcllions of Honour due to their Emperors, and be reputed to fuller not as Chnfl:ian Martyrs, but as Rebels. But the believing confideration ofGod's righteous Judgment will make them de~pife the Ccnfurcs _and Reproaches of .mahcwus Adver_lanes. f!Vith me, faith che Apofllc, tt if a very [mall thmg that I fhould be )ltdged by mam ;uJ..~ ment; he that judgeth me is the Lor'd, 1. Cor. 4· S· 1 he fever~ft Cenfurc was of no n~orc weJ!?ht, compar'd with the approbatton of .God, than tl\e !t!lhtefl Feather that Rys m the Atr, put in the Scales againfl: the Globe of ~he Earth. _1 he aiTuran:-e. of a nght~o.us Ca~fc, and a !nrer Judicerri ~;~~~:~~~!~1gRe;r~~a~~~e~~~efc~~d~J~~~di:::uJt~~~~:~a~i~~~:i~d'c~l~~~/s 1~ft~tcf{~~~~ ~~1:~ f~~~~~~;:~- the Sea is tempcA:uous without. And this will fortify Believers to bear with an invin~ible ~~ere' niCi cauCourae;e all che Violence that is offered to them !or their fidelity to God. All the Wrongs bm '"'m:.,.. and InJuries they endure, !hall be redrefi Wlth mfimte advantage. The extremcfl: Evtls to which they arc expofed for Chrifi, are like the Chariots of Ftrc fent from God, not to confume but c?nduct EltM in triumph into the highefi Heaven.. Go? will give them pre. fent Support, mward Confolatrons, and a future Crown. 1 here IS an appointed day when opprelfed Innocence fl1all obtam the noble!! Vrctory, and cltfgraced Godlinef~ the mofi publick and highcfl Honour. The faith of {inc~re Chrifhans jball be f ound to pratfo and glory, 1 Pet. 1. 7· They may fuffer under the 1 yranny of Trme, but fl1all reign in the Kingdom of Eternity. The belief of this, when firmly radicated in the Heart, is fo powerful as to make them glory m the fbarpeft Trsbttlattons, and JOyfull y triumph over Satan,with his perverted malig_nant ~or1d. C:antando Y«f1!fitt~r Anguis. . ll~t alas, the Sin, and agreat part of the trouble of the Samts, anfes from their weakncfs of Faith, and nor patient waiting for the Day of the Lord. When heavy Perfecutio•s and great DiflreiTes are continued by the refi!cfs Adverfaries1 they areapt, through impatience and inflability of Mind, to be full of forrowful Complamts that God delays thetr parttcular Delrve;-ance. And as fometimes the Clock outruns the Motion of the Sun, that is the true Mcafure of Time; fo their hafl:r defires prevent the Eternal Counfel of his Will •. that has determin'd the period of the Mtfcnes ofhrs People, and of the profpenty of the Wrcked 111 the fittcfl time. And that he fufpends his glorious Coming to judg the World in Righteoufnefs, difccuragcth weaker Chriil:ians, and makes them ready to faint in the day of adverjity. B11t the Lord u not Jl.<ck in performing hi; prom(e, .:U men count Jlackne[s, 2 Pet. j. 9· T here is not the Jeall rea(on to quefiion his Fidelity and Power, or to fufpect his Love and Remembrance of his People. And as the Stars of Heaven enlighten the Earth,bYt the Candles on Earth cannot enlighten the Heavens: fo ~he Wifdom ofGod's Counfel and Providence !!Jould direct us patiently to expeCl: hts appomted Trme, but our ghmmenng Rcafon cannot dtrect him. 4· The ferious belief of future Judgment is the mofi eflectual rcfiraint from fecret Sins. ~en are apt to c~courage the£!1felvei in evil up~:m the account of Secrecy; 'ris the ufual tmder of Temptations: If folttude and filence, rf the darkncfs of the night, or any difgurfes may conceal then· Wrckedaefs from humane Eyes, they arc bold and fecure as to God. The Pfalmifi declares what is the inward principle that acts them what is the language of their Hearts: All the workers of iniquity boaJI themjilves; they foy, The Lord fhall not fie, 11est~er fb·~~l:eGod•f'JacobregA<rdit1 Pfal•94• ),6, But 0 the brutifh folly of Men,
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