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ments of a future judgment. What was it made Felix the heathen governor tremble, when Paul reafoned with him of righteoufnefs, temperance, and a judgment to come. And when the fame apoftle difputed with the learned Athenians, tho' they mocked and treated what he had to fay about the refurrection with ridicule, yet none of them objected to this doctrine, "That God would judge the world in righteouf pefs."

With regard to the time when, and the length of its continuance, or the place where this judgment fhall be, infinite wifdom has feen fit to conceal these things from us, and it could not promote your edification to retail the numerous and wild conjectures upon thefe matters, for it is furely best not to pretend to be wife above what is written. It is enough for us to have full evidence that this is a doctrine clearly revealed in the divine oracles. Of the texts on which it is founded I can now only felet a few. "It is appointed unto all men once to "die, but after this the judgment. God is judge; the judge of "the whole earth. He cometh to judge the earth. He fhall "judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. He hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the "world in righteoufiefs. God will bring every work into "judgment with every fecret thing, whether it be good or "whether it be evil. Every idle word that men fhall fpeak,

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they fhall give account thereof in the day of judgment. I faw "a great white throne and him that fat on it, from whofe face "the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no "place for them. And I faw the dead fall and great ftand "before God, and the books were opened; and another book "was opened which is the book of life; and the dead were "judged out of thofe things which were written in the books "according to their works." But there would be no end in producing the authorities for the eftablishment of this truth that there will furely be a future and a general judgment. What claims our attention in the

Second place is to how, who the perfon is that will be ho nored with the exalted character of being judge. This is matter of pure revelation. Reason and the light of nature discover fomething concerning a judgment, but it is the holy fcriptures alone which fhow us the perfon who is dignified with the high office of being judge. It is often declared that God fhall judge the world. There are three perfons in the godhead, and each has his refpective part affigned him in the eco. nomy of man's falvation. And as the fecond perfon of the Trinity fuftains among other important offices that of a king, and as a branch hereof it is devolved upon him to judge the univerfe, or to be prefident in that great day of general judgment. Therefore the perfon appointed in the eternal counsels to this great office is none other than the Lord Jefus Chrift. "The "Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to "the Son. And it is also fubjoined, that he hath given him "authority to execute judgment because he is the fon of man." It is part of the work incumbent on him, in accomplishing the redemption of men, which will not be brought to perfection till the day of judgment clofes. Thus when he speaks concerning his coming in a cloud with power and glory, and bids his people to lift up their heads for their redemption draweth nigh, it evidently appears that he is to draw up the grand decifion against which no bill of exceptions can be taken. It is reafona. ble his caufe fhould have a fecond and public hearing before men, angels and devils; before his friends and enemies, to the comfort of the former, and the eternal confufion of the latter. They before whofe bar he once stood and received fcoffs, infults and contempt, fhall now in their turn ftand before his fair and impartial tribunal, where the process fhall be reduced to fpecialty, and no falle witneffes be fuborned; but their own confcience fhall approve of the teftimony, be ftruck dumb, and not a word of apology or excufe be offered against the charge. His coming with clouds in the view of the universe, will caufe them who pierced him, and all the kindreds of the

earth, who fet themselves against him, to wail and lament becaufe of him. It is proper, fit, reasonable and equitable, that he fhould judge the world for the open vindication of his peo ple that had been unjustly condemned and perfecuted by it, that they should be defended and openly acquitted in the most perfect and glorious manner. That the man Chrift Jefus, who had been rejected and defpifed of men, who was worthy of the highest esteem and most univerfal love, who had been excluded heaven and earth, as if room for him in neither, fhould be restored to his place, again raised to the throne of his dignity, is infinitely fit and proper. This is the expreffion of wildom itself; this God man will defcend, and return to carth again infinitely different from his former appearance; he will appear robed in glory and majesty, attended with an innumerable train of angelic hosts, with the found of the heavenly trumpet, and all nations fhall ftand before him and shake with horror, ør be filled with joy, at his deciding fentence. This grand sen tence concludes the fcene of the most wonderful works of God, to wit, the pre-eminer work of redemption. Chrift Jefus is the glorious perfonage, who will in perfect rightousness fix the eternal destiny of men and angels. Hence we read, "The Lord Jefus Chrift, fhall judge the quick and the dead "at his appearing." St. Paul afferts once and again, "We "must all appear before the judgment feat of Chrift." But that he will be judge in this great affizes, none deny who prefefs to believe the fcriptures-Therefore I pafs on to the

Third head of this difcourfe, which was to confider the objects of this mighty judgment, or the perfons who fhall be judged. Whether the holy angels, which fell not, are included in these objects, is matter of tedious and eurious difpute. Some have contended this will be the cafe, as they are rational crea tures, fubjects of moral government, therefore they must be accountable for their behaviour. They are abundantly em ployed by God in almost every bufinefs of providence and

grace, they are especially fent forth as ministering spirits, to miniiter to those who fhall be heirs of falvation; hence it is deemed reasonable that they should appear in judgment at the laft day, that their faithfulness in the discharge of their duty may be confpicuous in the prefence of the univerfe, receive the open approbation of their fervices, and be with propriety introduced to thofe higher degrees of glory and happiness," which fhall be awarded unto them. Bue others again fuppofe them not included among the objects of this judgment; because they are represented as the attendants of Chrift's court in this won. derful scene, as perfons never ftanding before his tribunal in order to be tried, and as long before this confirmed in felicity, beholding the face of God continually in heaven, and confequently not to be dealt with as those who are to undergo a fcrutiny or trial in order to have a judicia! fentence pas ed upon them of approbation or reprobation. But as this is wholly a matter of curious fpeculation only, we pafs on to the fallen angels, thofe rebellious fpirits, who fhall be brought as criminals before the bar of Chrift, where their primary infurrection and apoftacy, with all the guilt they have contracted fince they were ejected heaven, will be laid to their charge and fupported against them; all that they have done against God and man fince the feduction of our first parents, with all thefe methods of revenge and fubtilty, whereby they have op. pofed the kingdom of Chrift, and have virulently attempted the ruin of his people, shall be tabled against them, as also the bold outrage committed on his own perfon, in daring to defire him to fall down and worship them, and in bearing a high hand in his crucifiixton. Thus the devils who were caft down to hell, and are now referved in chains of darknefs unto the judgment, fear and tremble at the forethoughts of that tre mendous day, when their anguilh will become more intenfe, and their punifhment wrought up to the highest degree of torment. Therefore it is faid with a peculiar emphatis, "That the devil fhall be caft into the lake of fire and brimftone "and be tormented day and night, forever and ever." Eut

that which is especially infifted upon' in the fcriptures, and wherein we are more intimately concerned, is what relates to men, who shall all be fummoned before the judgment feat of Christ, all ranks, orders and conditions, fmall and great, rich and poor, quick and dead, that is, those who shall be found alive at the advent of Chrift, and all the dead from the beginning of time. The affertion is in the most general terms, hence no fleth can efcape the cognizance of that awful day, For the graves fhall be opened, and the fea will yield up her dead, and death and hell fhall deliver up the dead which are in them. Yea, they fhall be gathered from the four winds of the earth; thofe who have lived under the law and under the gospel, together with thofe who have had nothing to direct them but the light of nature. All who have ever been or will be, will conftitute this affembly; an immenfe affembly indeed, when the innumerable generations which have existed, and those which will exit, fhall be collected together. The earth will not be fufficient to contain the multitudes, therefore it is probable the judgment will be held in the air or the great expanfe. The images by which the proceedings of this grand feafon are reprefented, are taken from human courts of judicature. Accordingly the day is appointed in which caufes are to be tried, the judge appears with his enligns of authority, the perfors to be judged are brought before him, the law is known and the books are opened, and every charge will be fupported by fufficient testimony, and each perfon hereupon acquitted or condemned. Thus it is announced, "When

the fon of man fall come in his glory, then fhall be fit upon the throne of his glory, and before him fail be gathered all nations, and he fhall feparate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth his theep from the goats;" the righteous fhall be divided from the wicked, and the proper witnelfes will be produced, both against tranfgreffors, and in favour of thofe

ho have wrought righteouinefs. The former will be tefli-, fed against by their fellow men, to whom their conduct was, known, both good and bad; by the holy angels who have

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