c H R I s T T!jE J u D G E OF A L L. Book II. tbe Dcd foal! l'JJ :aifed incorruptible, 1 Cor. xv. '!'herejha!! be a R efurreflion frcm the Dead, both of the ]ujl mu/ Un;u.fl , /JEts XXIV. •5· '!'he L ord Jbal! defi'end from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Archangel, and the '!'rump of God, and the Dead iJ; Chri.fl )hall rife fir.fl, 2 Cor. v. 10. We muft all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Chri.fl, &c. M E T A P H 0 R. P A R A L L E L. VII. A Judge after this great VII. The Lord Chrifr, immediately after Appearance upon his Summons, Summons, upon this great Appearance before <:mers upon his Work, which h1s dread Tnbunal, enters upon his lafr and great .conG!l:s chiefly in th1ee great W ork. Fir!l:, t.o ope~ the ·three great LawP oints: Books, rhat Men have lived under, viz. I, The I . To open the Law. Law of N ature, 2. The L aw of Mofes, 3· 1 he 2. ~o examine W itn~ITes. Gofpel Law. The Judge bemg fer, the Books 3· 1 o arraign the Offenders. are opened; next m Order the WitneiTes appear, and firft thofe that gave the L aws; and they are of three Sorts : I. God, that wrote the Law of Nature after an inviGble manner on the Hearts of Men: I wJ/1 come mar you to Judgment, and be a Jwift W itnefs agairft )'OU, faith tbe Lord, Rw . xx. 12. 2 . Mofes, that delivered the Law to Ifrae/: '!'here is one t hat accufeth you, even Mofes, in whom ;•ou tru.fl, Mal iii. 5· ]chn v. 45. 3.The Apoftles, tl1at pubhfhed the Gofpel-Law, not to Jews only, but .to the gentile World: Thefe will appear not only to judge the twelve Tribes of lfrae!, but the Gentiles, whofe Perfons and Works alfo muft be tried by Chri£1:, as well as the Jews: He Jhall judge the Secrets of all lvi en, Rom. ii. I 6. Vl!I. A J udge charges Matter VIII. Jefus Cluift will judge the World, viz. .of Fact in Judgment, ~nd proall _Men, both J ews and Gentiles, according to ceeds to clear !'roof and Evidence, rhe1r Works: God jha/1 bring every Work into .by a fufficient Number of proper Judgment, with every Jeeret Thing, whether it be .vVitneiTes touching the fame. good, or whether it be e-vil, Eccl. xii. ult. The . Neceffity of which appears in thefe four Cafes : 1. The Scripture will not eiie be fulfilled, and made good, which doch fully afTert the ·bringing to light the hidden 'Things of Darknefs, and making manifefl the Counfels of the H eart. 2. The Ungodly will not otherwife be convinced of all their ungodly Deeds, and all their hard Speeches, which ungodly Sinners have fpoken againft the Lord, Jude 15. 3· T he Judgment will not otherwife appear juft, upon which the Glory of the Judge doth fo much depend: It is for his Glor;•, to overcome when he judgeth. And unkfs Matter of FaCI: be charged, due Proportions will not be weighed out and awarded according to Defert, with Clearnefs and SatisfaCI:ion, either in a way of Mercy or ju£1: Severity, to all SpeCI:ators. Therefore the Gentiles fhall be charged with Matter of FaCI: againA: the Law of Nature: Whoremongers and ./Jdulterers God will judge, Heb. xiii . 4The Jews !hall be charged for rejeCI:ing Mofes, and killing the Prophets. The Jews and Gentiles jointly, that they have negleCI:ed Faith and Charity, under the Vouchf<1femen t of the Gofpel, Matt. xxv. 41, 42. He jha/1 · j udge the Secrets of Mm by Chri.fl Jefus, according to my Gofpel, Rom~ ii. 16. . . The fore-mentioned Witnefles are fufficrent to prove Matter of Fact, both m pomt of Number and Capacity. The firft and chief Witnefs will be God himfelf, who knew all Things, and there can be nothing hid from him. The fecond Wimefs will be Confcience, which was and is with Men m all Places and ACI:Ions, which Man could never leave at home, nor !hun its Company, when he went out, or when he came in. It is with him in its moft fecret Retirements, and has often told him, .that there is one above. even God, that feeth all Things, Rom. ii. I 5· Befides thefe two Witne!fes that are of fuch might)' Credit, there may be three more added, namely. 1. The good Angels, which are much bufied in this World ,to watch Men, and infpeCI: their Ways. 2. The evil Angels, who are never out of Mens Company, and have voluntarily of their own accord been Accufers of the Brethren, who will give Teftimony at the Bar of Chnft agamft their own Profelytes, if God call for it. 3· The ordinary Compamons of TranfgreiTors, With whom Counfel was held about evil ProjeCI:s, DeGgns, and ACI:ions of. Murder, Theft, Drunkennefs, and Adultery, whofe Tongues !hall, no doubt, be as ready.ro accufe .their Comrades, as to confefs their own Faults, concerntng whom we are mformed, that .not only every K~teejha/1 bow, but e-vuy 'l'onguejhall conf efs, &c. IX. Jefus
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