Sect. II. The Effential Difference between Good and Evil, and the Natural Notions we have of God, Sect. III. The External appearances of Providence Sect. IV. The Natural Prefages of Conscience prove a Future Judgment; and if there be a Future State, there must be a Future Judgment. Sect. V. The Scripture Proof of a Future Judg- Sect. VI. The Improvement of this Doctrine in fome particular Inferences; as, I. To live as it becomes thofe who fhall certainly be judged. 2. To keep our Eye upon a Future Judgment for the Govern- Concerning the Time of Judgment. Sect. I. Concerning a Particular Judgment at the time of every Man's Death. A PRACTICAL DISCOURSÉ CONCERNING A Future Judgment. XVII. ACTS 31. Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom be bath ordained; whereof he hath given afsurance into all men, in that he hath raifed him from the dead. The INTRODUCTION. AVING in a former Treatife difcours'd largely concerning Death, the next thing to be confider'd isJudgment; for fo the Apoftle tells us, After death the 9 Heb. 27. judgment. And a very grave and ferious Thought, it is, if ever men will be ferious: For nothing can be of greater concernment to us than a Future B Judg Judgment, which will determine our Final State aud Condition to Eternity. In treating on this Subject, I fhall obferve this Method: 1. Enquire what Affurance we have of a Future Judgment. 2. The Time when this Judgment shall be: God hath appointed a day for it. 3. Who fhall be our Judge: God will judge the world, but not immediately by himself, but by that man whom he hath ordain'd; that is, by Christ Jefus, who is a Man, and the Son of Man, as well as the Eternal Son of God. 4. The Publick and Awful Solemnities of Judg ment. 5. The Perfons who fhall be judged, the World, or all Mankind. 6. For what we fhall be judged, whatever we have done in this body, whether it be good or bad. 7. The Rule whereby we fhall be judged, and the Righteoufnefs of the Judgment. CHA P. СНАР. І. The Proof of a Future Judgment. N treating of Death, there was no need to prove, That all men muft die, for this is too vifible to be denied; but Judgment is not feen, nor can it be feen, because it is not yet: Could men indeed look into the other world, they would, Toon be convinced, by the different state of good and bad men there, that God has appointed a Day for Judgment; but that is an invifible ftate to us, and the thoughts of Judgment are fo uneafy to bad men now, that they are very unwilling to believe it; and this makes it neceffary to lay the Foundation of all in the Proof of a Future Judg ment. Now there are two ways of proving this: Firft, By the Principles of Reafon. Secondly, By Revelation. By Reafon we can prove, that God will judge the world, as that fignifies that God will call all men to an account for their Actions, and that he will reward good men, and punish the wicked in the next world. This the Heathens themselves discovered by the light of Nature; they talked very much of the Infernal Judges,and of the Rewards and Punishments of good and bad men after Death; and therefore in this fenfe did believe a Future Judgment: But yet the Revelation of the Gofpel has given us a more plain and undeniable affurance of this, and has difcovered fomething more than the light of Nature could difcover. The light of Nature and Reafon may fatisfy B 2 |