The Stervards SumYrzòns. Apoftle faith, for this caufe many are weakand ficky among you, and manypeep: a Cor. u. ;o. fome were taken with ficknefs, upon others there was a confirming weaknefs, and others were ffrucken with death, what is the end thatGod propounds in all this? For this reafon, that we fhould judge our [elves, for if we judge our felves , we fhall not be judged of the Lord ; but when we are judged we arechaffnedofthe Lord, that we jhoujdnot be condemnedofthe world. As ifhe fhould fay ; Godnow calleth you to a rekoning in this life, to the end you may prevent that heavy and grievous one that comesáfter this life. Again, when outward áflli&ions prevail not God bath fpiritual aflli&ions to awaken men. Thus David, when he was in a deep flecp offecurity, God'awakned him with a fpiritual judgement : fee his fpeech in the 35 Pfal. when 'kept clofe my 'Plat. 31. 5. fins, my bones were confirmed, and I roaredfor thedifquretnej ofmyfetal ; what fol- lowed? God by this meansbroughthim toconfeffion, I willconfefsmy arenfrefons to the Lord, and thouforgevefi theiniquity ofmy f n. Thus God in this life .calleth men to a'reckoning, fometimes by the preachinw ofthe Word, fometimes by judges tents upon the outward man,or by terrors upon the foul. 'But, if all this prevail not to make a man reckon with himfelf in this life, then a. After this God bath another reckoning after this life, where every man muff give an account, life. and cannot avoid it, and there he muff abide the fentenceof the Judge, that would not prevent it before. s. That there is fuch a Judgement to come it appeareth ; By the Equity of it. Neeeflity od. In refpe& ofe Saints. wicked. Firff (Ì fay) in refpe&of God, there is anecelìîty of it. That his Decree may be fulfilled and executed. He bathappointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteoufnefr. And his counfelfhallBand, andhe will do allhis pleafure. Secondly, it is neceffary, that Gods honour may be vindicated. Now things feem to go in fome confufion and diforder in the world ; good men, the chit- dren of God are not alwayes belt in the place of judgement ; Ihaveteen (faith Solomon) an evil under the Sun , that in the place ofjudgement wickednefs was there, andin the place ofrighteoufnef, that iniquity was there ; this obfèrvation So- Jomonmakes, therefore I raid, God will bring to judgementevery thing, bothgoodand evil, for there is a timefor every work, andevery purple. God hath a time tosto that great workthat he hath now purpofed : What is that work? that is to bring every work tojudgement, whether it begood or evil. I fay if we confider this, it is neceffary that there fhould come ajudgement, that fhall let all right again. Iris fleecing likewife in refpe& of the Saints. Thevery tribulations of the Saints, inz.thef s. 5. are called Indigma, an evident demonftration,or a manifeft tokenof the righteous judgement ofGod. There is a necelïty of it in refpert of them, in two regards. Fiat, that there innocency that is traduced here may be manifeft. They undergo many difgraces, and hard cenfures amongff men : the world accounts them proud , hypocrites, (jugular, foolifh, vain - glorious, and I know not what : now faith job,my witnefs is inheaven ; and faith Saint Paul, Icarrot to be judged ofyou, or of mans judge- ment; he thatjudgethme isthe Lord. The Word in the Greek is, mansday i as if he thould fay , Men have their day here , but Gotj bath a greater day after , the Lord will judge inanothermanner, andupon other grounds than men do. Secondly, A neeeffity of a day of judg -. wen,. I. In refpeLt of God his de- cree. Alt. 17. 3r. lfa. 45. to. His honour. EccleLj. r 6. z. In refpeet ofthe Saints, zThef. r .5. For themani - fellation of their innocen. ry.
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