Of the Certainty of a Future judgement. Vol. II, a clay certainly coming, wherein every Man mutt give an account of himfeif to the great Judge of the World, and receis e the jut Recompence of his A&ions done in this I.ife, v. 9,1o. Wherefore we labour, that whether prefent or abfent, we may be accep- ted ofhim. Forwemuff all appear before the judgment-Seat ofChrifl, that every one may re- ceive the things done in the Body, according to that hehath done, whether it be good or bad. Which words are fo plain and powerful, fo eafie tobe undedlood, and offuch a mighty Force and Influence, if thorowly believed, that the very repeatingof them is fufficient to awaken Men to a ferions care of their Lives and A&ions, and a powerful Confederation to perfwade them to do every thing, with refpe& to that folemnAc- count they mat one day make toGod ofall the A&ionsdone in this Life. But that theTruth contained in them, may make the greater impreflion upon us, T (hall ditin&ly confider the words, and handle, as briefly as I can, the feveral Propofitions contained in them. Thegeneral and principal Propofition contained in thefe words is, the Certainty of a future Judgment. But betides this principal Propofition, which comprehends the general meaning and intention of thefe words, there are Four other more particular Propofitions contained in them. Firfi, That the Adnainitration of this Judgment will be committed to the Lord Je- fusChrift ; for which Reafon the Tribunalbefore which we mut appear, is called, The7udgment-Seat ofChrifi. We muff all appear before the judgment-Seat ofaryl. Secondly, That all Men are liable to thisJudgment; no Perlon of what condition foever (hall be exempted from it. We muff all appear. Thirdly, That all the A&ions which Men have done in thisLife fh.all then come to account, and they Ihall be judged for them. That every one may receive the things done in the Body. Fourthly, That Sentence will then be pall according to the quality of Mens A&i- ons, whether goodor bad : Every one(hall receive according to that he bathdone, whe- ther it begood or evil. But I {hall at prefent only fpeak to the principal Propofition contained in the Words, concerning the Certainty of a future and general Judgment, via. That at the end of the World, there (ball be a general and publiek Milze, when all Perfons that have lived in this World (except only the Judge bimfelf, our bleffed Saviour, who is the Man ordained by God tojudge the World) (hall come upon their Trial, and all the :,. &ions which they have done, (hall come under a (Iri& examination ; and according as Men have demeaned themfelves in this World, towardsGod and Man, they {hall receive Sentence, and Rewards (hall be ditributed to them, according to the Nature and Quality of their A&ions. And thoall thefe Particularsbe not expreft in the Text, yet they are virtually contained in the general expref(ions of it, and fully and clearly delivered itrother Texts of Scripture. The Truth andCertainty of a future and general Judgment, I. (hall endeavour to confirm from thefe three Heads of Arguments. L From the Acknowledgmentsof natural Light. II. From the Notions which Men generally have of God and his Providence. III. From exprefs and clear Revelation of Hofy Scripture. I. From the Acknowledgments of natural Light. And I might (hew the general content of Mankind in this matter, by all forts -of human -i etimonies, and from all kinds of Writers in all Ages : But this would be almoft endlefs, and not fo proper for a plain and pra&ical Difcourfe upon this Subje&. And therefore pallingby teti- monies I (hall mainly hat upon this, that the Confciences ofMen do fecretly ac- knowledge a difference between Good and Evil. Hence is it that Men find great Peace and Quiet and Satisfa&ionof Mind, in the doing of good and virtuous Atli- / ons, and have fecret and comfortable hopes, that thefe kinds of A&ions will tome time or other be confidered and rewarded ; and they areapt to maintain thefe hopes, and to fupportthemfelveswith them, even when they defpair to meet withany Re- ward of their good and honet A&ions in this World. And on the other hand, Men find a fecret Fear and Horror, and are inwardly a- fhamed and confounded in their own Minds, when they are about a wicked enter prize, and engaged in an ill Defign ; their Confciences check them and terrifie them, and their own Minds bode ill to them, as if Mifchief and Vengeance would overtake them one time or other ; and this, when no Eye fees them, and what they are a do- ing
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