34 SERMONS upon the SERM.V. ing held in the invifible chains of Confcience, ftandeth in dread of a great and general Affize. 4. The Conventency of fuch a day. (i.) To vindicate Truth and Honefly from the falfe Judgment of the World : The bell Caufe is often oppreffed ; there needeth a review of things by an high- er Court, that that which is good may be reftored to its publick Honour, and evil may receive its proper Shame ; Chrift will convince the World of his Love to the Saints, when he cometh to be admired in them, z Thef r. to. and when their Faith is found to Praife and Glory,- a Pet. a. 7. Thus (hall it be done to the men.whom Chrift will honour, proclaim their Pardon, adorn them with Grace, introduce them into their everlafting Habitations, and this in the eyes of the fcorn- ing wicked ; as that Noble man, Thine eyes ¡hall fee it, but not tafle of it ; then for their everlafting Confufion, their Crimes (hall be repeated in the ears of all the World, and their falfe appearances Mall be refuted: (z.) That the Counfelr and Courfes of Gods manifold Wifdom and faflice may be folemnly applauded. We now view Providence by pieces ; but then the whole Context and . coherence of it (hall be fet together, and the full Hiftory of all the world produced before the Saints. (3.) Such a coming is neceffary, that God may fit us with all kind of Argu- ments against fin, and fo a reftraint will be put upon the heart againft it : ma- ny times fin and wickednefs is aaed in fecret, Ecclef. 12. 14. God will bring every work into the judgment, with every fecret thought, whether it be goodor evil : And z Cor. 4. %. Chrifl will bring to light the hidden things of darknefs, and make manife¡l the Corm- Fels of the Heart. Many make no Confcience of fecret fins, and if they make Con- fcience of AEts, yet not of thoughts ; yet according to Chrifts Theology, Malice is Heart- murther, luftful inclinations Heart - adultery, Mind- imaginations are Heart - Idolatry : There may be a great deal of evil in a difcontented thought againft Pro- vidence, Pfa. 73. 22. He that finneth fecretly, is confcious to himfelf that he doth evil, and therefore feeketh a nail and covering : Men. are unjuft in fecret, unclean in fecret, envious in fecret, declaim againft Gods Children in fecret, negle& ,Du- ty in fecret, fenfual in fecret, afraid that men fhould know it, yet not afraid of the great Godl-: Man cannot damn us, man cannot fill our Confciences with ever- laífing burnings. Now that we may be alhamed to commit thofe fins before God, the day of Judgment is appointed to fet thefe fins in order before us, Pfa. 5o. 22. I wi /l reprove thee, and fet thy fins in order before thee. Secondly, If it be doubtful to Reafon, 'cis Cure to Faith. Faith fheweth he will come. The light of Faith is more certain, and more difiinll. More certain, becaufe it buildeth upon a divine teftimony, which is more infallible than the gheffes of Reafon ; and yields us a more compendious way to confute Atheifm, than our arguings, by which we are often entangled. 'Tis fo, for God hath faid it. And 'tis more digital. Nature could never find out the circumftances of that day : It only apprehendeth the coming of a Judge ; but by whom this Judgment fhall be managed, -in what quality he (hall come, as a Bridegroom, and Lord, and Husband of the Church, it knoweth nothing. In what manner he (hall proceed, and with what Company and Attendance; all this we have from fpecial Reve- lation. Faith argueth, [i.] From hrifls merit and purchafe. Would he buy us at fo dear a rate, and caft us off fo lightly, as to come no more at us ? futely he that came to Redeem us, will come to fave us ; if he came to fuller, he will come to triumph ; Faith feeing Chrift upon the.Crofs, determineth, I (ball fee him in the Clouds: Would he be at all this toff and preparation for nothing ; and purchafe what he never meant to poffefs ? It cannot be, if he came from Heaven upon the one errand, will he not come upon the other. Surely Chrift will not lore all this pains he hath taken to purchafe to himfélf a People. [z.] Faith argueth from Chri/ls Afetlion to us, which is very great ; Chrift is not gone in anger, but about bufine s, to fet all things at rights for the great Efpoufals. He that wooeth a Virgin, if he went away from her in anger, the might well fufpe& he would never fee her again. As Bridegrooms ut to fetch their Brides, fo will Chrift ; we fhould never come at him otherwife ; his Love will not let him refs fatisfied 'till we and he meet again to enjoy one 'anthers Com- pany : certainly he who delighted. among the Sons of men, before the World was,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=