Ver. 3 I. xx;Jth Chapter. of St. ÎV1 A T T H E (i.) Confider the Greatne /s of his Work, and that will fhew that his Glory Molt needs be difcovered. His Work is, on the one fide, to gather together, to convince, to Judge, and punifh C reatures oppofite and Rebellious ; and to honour, and reward his 'Servants, on the other. There is not filch an Union and Confederation of Mi- rules in any one Point, and Artio c of Faith; fo much as there is in this of the ge- neral Judgment. The mighty Power and Dominion of God is feen in diffolsing the Elements, in railing the dead Bodies, and giving every Duft its own Flé(h, and bring- ing them together that they may be Arraigned, and Judged : And then in feparating them into their feveral Ranks, in which his Omnifciency and Wifdom is ken, that not one of the Reprobate shall lie hid among the Elef.. In Judging them his Ju- ftice cannot be eluded ; he that feeth all things in the Light of the Godhead, can- not want Evidence. Then one of the Books that is opened, is in the Parties Cufto- dy ; and yet they cannot deface it, or blot it out. And then for Execution, the Majefty of his Perlon and Prefence will be enough to confound a wicked Man. How will the Wolves tremble at the fight of the pure and unfpotted Lamb ! Revel. 6. t6. Oh! 'twill be a piercing Sight to them, to fee him whom they have defpifed, up- on the Throne ! That yeti's whole Word they have foorned, whole Ordinances they have negleaed or corrupted, whole Servants they have molefted ! Whenfofeph, who was fo great and high in Egypt, difcovered himtelf to his Brethren, I am 3ofeph, they were abafhed, and confounded, becaufe of the Injury they had done him: Much more !hall Sinners be confounded, when he (hall tell them, I am fefsas ; and that he is come on purpofe to be Revenged on all the Abulèrs, and Defpifers of his Grace, and the Troublers of his People. How can they then look him in the Face ? We ready that when they came to attacque Chrift, 7oh. 18.6. as foon as he had told them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. He would convince his Enemies in the mid tof his greateft Abafement, how full of Majefty and Terror his Prefence is, if he fhould let out the Glory of it upon them. If the Lamb's Voice be 10 ter- rible, how dreadful will he be when he roareth as a Lyon ? And if then, whets lie was taken and led to be Judged, you may guefs how glorious his Prefence will be, when its cometh in alt his Glory to Judge others : And by this you may un- deritand the Apoftles Expreffron, 2 Th ff. a. 9. That the Wicked ¡hall be partifhed with everlafling Deflrucîion from the Prefence of the Lord, and from the Glory Of his Power. From there is as much as By ; it doth not Liignifie there, the. kind of the Punifhment, the pwni damn, but the Caufe. The Matefty of Chrift is the Caufe of their Tòr- ments ; and his Look and Face will be Terror enough to Sinners. And as he corn- eth in Glory, to flame and punifh thole that deftrifed him ; fo to comfort and re- ward his People, who have trulted in him, and ferved him, and fuffered for him : He shall come from Heaven in State, to lead them into thole blelfed Maniiions with Honour. t Pet. 4. r 3: Rejoyce, in as much as ye are Partakers of Chrift's Sufferings; that when his Glory [hall be revealed, ye may be glad a fo with exceeding f o,. They have feen him in his worft, and now in his belt allo. The Glory of Chrift's Appearing is fometimes expreffed by Fire, and fomecimes by Light : To the Saints 'tis as Light, and as a comfortable Sun-thine ; but to the Wicked 'tis a dreadful Fire, 'Ee ,,vii gno,ìs 2 Theft 2. 8. And then [Ball. that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord ¡hall confume With the Spirit of his Mouth, and[hall defiroy them with the Brightnef of his Coming. (4.) If you confider force foregoing Appearances of Chrift. As for inftance : At the giving of the Law, 'twas the Second Perfon that managed that Appearance : For 'cis laid, Ails 7. 38. that it was an Angel that appeared in Mount Sinai, and [poke to oúr Fathers. That is, the Angel of the Covenant, yefas Chrifl: For 'cis clearly laid, Heb: 52. 26. That the Voice of Chri/f then (hook the Earth. Now, what a dreadful Appearance was that ! The Earth fhook, the Mountain trembled ; and out of the midit of the Thunderinss, and Lightnings, and a thick Cloud, was the Sound of the Trumpet heard ; fo that the People trembled ; yea, Mofes himtelf, a meek Man, that had done great Service in the Church, did exceedingly quake and tremble ; Heb. 12. from 18. to 21. When he gave the Law, he is reprefented as a terrible judge, ready to overcome his Adved'aries with the Tempelt of his 4\ t'h ; .much more when he cometh to execute the Sentence of the Law ; as Execution is alwayes more terrible than Promulgation, Or you may guess at it by the Prophet Ifaiah's Terror, when he law God in Vifion, Ifa. 6. 5. Into what an Agony it drove that Ho- ly Prophet ? Wo is me, for I am undone ; becaufe I am a Man of unclean Lips, and I doe!' in the midfi of a People of unclean Lips : , Fog mice Eyes have feentheKing, the Lord of
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