Chap. 2.] FOR THE SAINTS' REST. 33 men. They shall see the Lord Jesus, whom they ne- glected, whose word they disobeyed, whose ministers they abused, whose servants they hated, now sitting to judge them. Their own consciences shall cry out against them, and call to their remembrance all their misdoings. Which way will the wretched sinner look ? Who can conceive the terrible thoughts of his heart ? Now the world cannot help him ; his old, companions cannot; the saints neither can nor will. Only the Lord Jesus can; but there is the mi- sery, he will not. Time was, sinner, when Christ would, and you would not; now, fain would you, and he will not. All in vain, to cry to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that silted' upon the throne; for thou hast the Lord of mountains and rocks for thine enemy, whose voice they will obey, and not thine. I charge thee, therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his ap- pearing, and his kingdom, that thou set thyself seriously to ponder on these things. But, why tremblest thou, 0 humble, gracious soul ? He that would not lose one Noah in a common deluge, nor *overlook one Lot in Sodom ; nay, that could do no- thing till he went forth; will he forget thee at that day? The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temp- tations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day ofjudgment, to be punished. He knoweth how to make the same day the greatest terror to his foes, and yet the greatest joy to his people. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? Shall the law? The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, bath made them free from the law of sin and death. Or shall conscience ? The Spirit itself bearethwit- ness with their spirit, that they are the children of God. " It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth ?" If our judge condemn us not, who shall ? He that said to the adulterous woman, Hath no man condemned thee ? Neither do I; will say to us, more faithfully than Peter to him, Though all men deny thee, or condemn thee, I will not. Having confessed me before men, thee " will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven." What inexpressible joy, that our dear Lord, who loveth 2-
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