144 (f theCertainty of a Future judgment.. Vol. 11 How fbould the ferious beliefof this great Principle ofReligion work upon us, that We muff all appear before the judgment-Seat of Chrifi, that every one may receive .tbe things done in thebody, according to what he bath done, whether it be goodor evil ? St. Paul tells us that the confiderationof it had amighty awe and influence upon him, to be careful of himfelf, and tobe concernedfor others : To be careful of himfelf, in the Verfe before the Text, Wherefore welabour that whether prefent or abfent,we ma, accepted ofhim. For we mull all appear before the judgment-Seat ofChr;fl, And tobe con- cerned for others, that they may prevent the terrors ofthat day, in the Verfe imnae- d iately after theText, Knowing therefore the terror of theLord, we perfwade men. Know- ing the terrerofthe Lord ; it were nodifficult matter to make fucha dreadful reprefen- tation of this great and terrible day of the Lord, as would affright the ftouteft (inner, andmake every joint of him to tremble: But it is much more defirable, that men fhouldbe wrought upon by reafon, and convincd and perfwaded by acalm and fo- ber confideration of things; becaufe that is likely to have a better and more faftingef- feet than prefent terror and amazement; and therefore I (hall content my felfwith the naked reprefentation of the thing in the plain and powerful expref ions of the holy Scriptures. Imagine then thou faweft the SonofMan coming in great power, andgreat glory, and all his holy Angels with him; that thou heardeft the great Trumpet found, anda mighty voice piercing the Heavens and the Earth, Paying, Arife ye dead, and come to judgment. Suppofe thou faweft the Thrones fit, and thegreat 5tudge fitting upon the Throne ofhisglory, and all Nations gather'd before him, and all thedead both fmall and greatflanding before God, the Books opened, and the dead judged out of the things written in thofe Books; and the feveral Sentences pronounced, from the Mouth of Chrjft himfelf, ComeyebleJTed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the Foundation of the World; and, Departye curfed into everlafling fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Would not this be a dreadful and amazing tight ! Why the Gofpel plainly declares that all this fhould be, and thou profef%ft to be- lieve it. Why then dolt thou not live as if thou did} believe thefe things ? Why fhouldnot thatwhich will certainly be, have to all reafonable purpofes the fame ef- feet upon thee, as if it were already and a&wally prefent ? Why domen fuffer them- felves tobe diverted from the attentive confideration of fo important a matter, by the impertinent trifles of this World ? Why dowe not make wife and fpeedy prepa- ration for that day, which will certainly come ? but we are uncertain when it will come, for it will come as a thiefin the night, and as afnare upon all them that dwell on the face of thewhole earth. Why doll thou (title thy Confcience, and drown the loud cries of it, with the din and noifeof worldly bufinefs? Why dolt thou at any time check and fupprefs the thoughts of a future Judgment, and put far from thee theevil day ? and not ratherPuffer the terrors ofit to haunt and purfue thee, till they have made thee wearyof thywicked life, till they have reclaimed thee to thy duty, and effe&ually perfwaded thee, tobreak ofthy finsbyrepentance; and to refolve upon filch a holy and virtuous conr(eof life, that thou mayft be able, not only with peace and comfort, but with joy and triumph, to entertain the thoughts ofthat day ? Reafon thus with thy Pelf, If thisday be fo dreadful at a diftance, that [ can hard- lynow bear the thoughtsof it, how infupportable will the thing it felf be, when it comes to be prefent; And if it will come neverthelefs, nor the later for my not think- ing of it, is it not reafonable, inftead of putting away the thoughts of it, toendea- vour byall poffible means to prevent the terrors of it ? We efpecially, who profefs our felves Chriflians, and live in the clear light of the Gofpel, ought toconfider, that wecannot plead ignorance for our excufe, as the Heathen World might. We read and hear the Gofpel every day, wherein the wrath ofGod is clearly revealed againfl all angodlinef.e and unrighteoufnefs of men: So that if we continue impenitent, we have no cloak, no excufe for our felves; Wo unto us above all others ! It /hall be more tolerablefor Tyre andSydon, for Sodomand Go- morrah, in the day of judgment, than for us. the times of ignorance, faith St. Paid, fpeakingof the Heathen World, the times ofthis ignorance God winked at ; but now he commands all men every where to repent, beramfe he bath appointed a day, in which he willjudge the World in righteoufnefs, by that manwhom he bathordevned, whereofhe bath given uftranceunto all men, in that he raifedhim from the dead. Thus mach cancer- ning the general Propofition, the Certainty of a future Judgment. SER-
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