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A.

PRACTICAL DISCOURSE

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 he hath ordained; whereof be hath given affurance into all men, in that he hath raised him from the

dead.

The INTRODUCTION.

AVING in a former Treatife difcours'd largely concerning Death, thẻ 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

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Judg

Judgment, which will determine our Final State aud Condition to Eternity.

In treating on this Subject, I fhall observe this Method :

1. Enquire what Affurance we have of a Future Judgment.

2. The Time when this Judgment fhall 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 bath ordain'd; that is, by Chrift 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 shall be judged, and the Righteousness of the Judgment.

СНАР.

CHAP. I.

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 seen, 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: First, 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 discovered fomething more than the light of Nature could difcover. The light of Nature and Reafon may

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fatisfy

fatisfy us, as it did the Heathens, that God will reward good men, and punish the wicked, in the next world; but it could not tell us, that God had appointed a general Day of Judgment, wherein all the dead fhall rife again out of their Graves, and re-affume their Bodies, and be fummoned to Judgment; it could not tell us who fhall be our Judge, with what Glory and Majefty he shall appear, and with what Pomp, and awful and terrible Solemnities he fhall judge us. The world knew nothing of this, before the Gospel was preached; for it depends wholly upon the wilt and pleasure of God, and therefore can be known only by Revelation.

I fhall begin with the Proofs from Reafon,and shew you what moral Evidence and Affurance we have, that God will judge the world, as that fignifies, that he will reward good men, and punifh the wicked in the next world; and this Proof confifts of feveral Branches; and though each particular confidered apart by it felf, may not be thought fufficient; yet if we unite them into one, and take them in their natural order, they add fuch light and ftrength to each other, that I perfuade my felf they will convince any man of a Future Judgment, who is not obftinately resolved againft this belief.

SECT. I.

That Man is by Nature an Accountable Creature.

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Mrft then, I obferve, That the very make and frame, and condition of Human Nature, proves that man is an accountable Creature, who

can

can give an account of his Actions, and therefore may be called to an account for them; and that is a strong prefumption that he will be called to an account, that is, that he will be judged. There are four things neceffary to make any Being accountable: 1. That he have a Principle of Reafon to know what he does, and to judge for himself. 2. That he have a Rule to live by, to direct him: what to do, and what to avoid. 3. That he have liberty of Choice, and the free government of his own Actions. 4. That he be an inferior and fubordinate Creature, who has fome above him to call him to an account.

I. As for the firft, we know a Beast, which is governed by Inftinct, not by Reafon, can't be judged, because fuch brute Creatures know not what they do, and therefore can give no account what they do; which is the Cafe alfo of Infants, of Fools and Mad-men, who must be governed, that they may do no hurt, but can't be judged: but a reasonable Creature, as Man is, who knows what he does, and can judge of his own Actions, may be judged for them too.

II. Where there is no Rule to live by, there is nothing to be judged for; when nothing is commanded, and nothing forbid, all Actions are alike indifferent; and in this cafe there is no other Rule but for every man to please himself, and to do what he likes beft; and he who does fo, gives a good account of himself, and cannot be blamed for it: If there were no Rule of Good and Evil, there could be no place for Rewards and Punishments, and confequently no place for Judgment: But when we have a Rule to live by, as all Mankind

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