Mr. Benjamin Alhudl:'s Funeral Sermon. but when done from Carnal Motives, for our own Reputation, our own Interefi: or Pleafure, the Judge will then declare, I have not Jo1md J01fr T11orh fit!/ before me: tho Rev. ;. ,_, never. fo fpecious and glittering in the Eyes and cfteem of Men, tho appearing with a great fhow of Goodnefs, yet without the internal Exercife of gracious AffeCtions that are the Life of Obedience, they arc of no acc0unt in that day. According to the Sincerity, Zeal, and meafure of our good Works, the Reward !ball be: He that, eo,,,.'· [ow1 JParingly, foal! reap fparingly ; and he that jow1 hountifitlly, foal! reap qOJmtifitl!y. This Rul e of Judgment does not in the leatl: imply that there is any defert of the Reward in the bell: Works of Men: the Scripture is moll: exprefs, That Etcmal Lift ;s the Gi ft of God through Jefra Chriji our Lord: The Kingdom of Glory is infinitely more a Gift than a Rewatd. · As the Predeflination of Saints to Life is an AfJ: of Soveraign Mercy; fo the Glorification of them is an AfJ: of equally free MercY', without refpefJ: to any Merit of ours : but the wife and holy Law-giver difpenfes the bleffed Reward according to tbe Tenom of our good Works: and as by the excellence of the Reward he declares what value he fets upon our Obedience; fo by the exaCtnefs of our Obedience we declare what value we fet upon the Reward. The Recompences of ditl:ributive Jutl:ice !hall be according to the evil Works of Men. AIJ Sins with the inhancin?; Circumtl:ances of Guilt fhaJJ be brought to Judg- ;~n;~;i~~e·0!o~~~~~~fl1~tf b~s :ha~~~;~ry~;o~d ih: ~~;r~b;;~nb~t~l[ j~~~il{i{;feif To hht who l-lloweth to do good, and 1oth it ?Jot, to hint it is' a Sin. All Sins of Corn~ jAm. 4• tr• g;:,~~~~c;;t~e£~~':1;; ;:;~ ~f~~~ ;;~1,"~l~ tig~et'~7 :lc~~~~,a~'f'rr~';;,ft;~ ~~~ · of the Night, the Light of a Candle, !hall then be made manifctl: : and all the notorious and infamous Sins, Lafcivioufuefs, Lufts, excefs of Wine, Revelings, Banquetings, • Pet. i· 4• S" · tmd abomi?tllble ldo!a.try, Men JbaU give tt/1. acco1mt of to him, who if ready to judge the fQtick m;d the Dead. Sins o~Thoughts and Words, as well as of AfJ:ions, fi1all then Pe remembred; the vain Tho~tghts that have lodged in the Heart, and every idle word that ha.th been j]!okm by Men, tb~y Jba.U give an account ofin the day of 1~tdg.mmt. The degrees of Punifhment !ball be correfpondent to Mens Sins : How much they have lived delicio~tfly and prejitmptuoufty, fo much Sorrow a1zcj. Torment JbaU be given them. The more rebellious, outragious, and obfiinate Sinners now are, the more fearful Severities !ball be their portion. Thofe who know their Majlerl Will, and do it 110t, jha!J.he heatm with m11.ny Stripes. The Proceedings of that day !hall be tranfafJ:ed by the Son of God in his glorified Humane Nature, and Cui table to the Capacities of Men that the Jutl:ice of his Sentence may be evident : therefore St. John, defcribing the proccfs of the ]all: Judgment, relates, I Jaw the Dead, fmali .and great, fland before God ; and tP~ Books were Rev. 2o. u. Pptmd _; tt~zd the Dead were j1edged out of thofe thing1 that Were rvritt.e.n in the Books, ac- ~ording to their Works. T~1e Records of Confcience !hall then be opened, and all the Sins of Men, even thofe that are now obliterated and forgotten, !hall then appear in [o clear an Imprcffion, with all their Aggravations, that the wicked will be incxcufable to themfelves, and Confcience will fubfcribe their Condemnation. The Judge bimfclf who knows all things will then unfold the Regitl:ers of his Omnifcience, and publifb their Sins before the World. Then jba/1 the King fay, I w,u hffngry, and ye gave me 110 Meat; I w,u thirjly, -a11d ye gave me 110 Dri11k : and by jutl: Analogy we may infer he will charge Sins of all kinds upon the Wicked, of which they have been guilty, that the Righteoufnefs and Reafonablenefs of his Proceedings may appear: he will overcome when he judges, the Condemned !ball have nothing to reply, tl:ruck into Silence and Confufion: the Saints and Angels fhaiJ with Admiration magnify his true and righteous Judgments. The Application. The Doctrine of Chritl:'s fpecdy coming to Judgment, fhould ,be a powerful Incentive to our moll: folemn and ready preparing for it. The Affair is infinitely ferious, 'tis our incomparable Interetl: to fecure the Favour of the Supream Judge: if we are call: in Judgment, our Mifery is irrecoverable. There may be Errors in Humane Judgment, and other days of Trial to review and alter the Sentence ; but the Judgmen t of the Ja(t day is irrevocable. And is it a flight matter to be faved or damn'd for ever. ?. Then the Childrm of thk WorU are ahjol11tely wifir tha11 the Childrm of Light. But
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