the covenant of grace, were dead to the law, as a covenant of works, and it was dead to them. Wherefore, as they fhall not have any fears of death from it, fo they can have no hopes of life from it, fince they are not under the law, but under grace, Rom. vi. 14. But, for their fentence, another book is opened: of which in the next place.

Thus the book of the law is opened, for the fentence against all thofe on the left hand: and by it they will clearly fee the justice of the judgment against them, and how the Judge proceeds therein according to law. Nevertheless, there will be this difference, namely, that these who had only the natural law, and lived not under any special revelation, fhall be judged by that law of nature they had in their hearts which law bears, that they who commit fuch things (as they will ftand convicted of) are worthy of death Rom. i. 32. But thefe, who had the written law, to whom the word of God came, as it has founded in the vifible church, fhall be judged by that written law So fays the Apoftle, Rom. ii. 12. For as many as have finned without (the written) law, shall perish without (the written) law and as many as have finned in the law (ie, under the written law) fhall be judged by the (written) law.

Your

Laftly, Another book thall be opened, which is the book of life, Rev. xx. 12. In this, the names of all the elect are written, as Chrift faid to his difciples, Luke x. 20. names are written in heaven This book contains God's gracious and unchangeable purpofe, to bring all the elect to eternal life; and that, in order thereto, they be redeemed by the blood of his Son, effectually called, juftified, adopted, fanctified, and raised up by him at the last day without fin. It is now lodged in the Mediator's hand, as the book of the manner of the kingdom; and having perfected the work the Father gave them to do; he fhall, on the great day produce, and open the book, and prefent the persons therein named faultless before the prefence of his glory. Jude 24. Not having pot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing, Eph. v.

27.

None of them all, who are named in the book fhall be mifling. They fhall be found qualified, according to the order of the book, redeemed, called, juftified, fanctified, raifed up without fpot: what remains then, but that, according to the fame book, they obtain the great end, name

ly,

353 ly, everlasting life. This may be gathered by that precious promife, Rev. iii. 5. He that overcometh, the Jame fhall be cloathed in white raiment (being raised in glory) and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. But I

will confefs his name (it fhall be, as it were, read out among the rest of God's elect) before my Father, and before his angels. Here is now the ground of the faints abfolviture, the ground of the bleffed fentence they fhall receive. The book of life being opened, it will be known to all, who are elected, and who are not. Thus far of the trial of the parties.

Eightly, Then fhall the Judge pronounce that bleffed fentence on the faints, Come ye blefed of my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, Matth. xxv. 34. It is moft probable, the man Chrift will pronounce it with an audible voice; which not only all the faints, but all the wicked likewife, fhall hear and underftand. Who can conceive the inexpreffible joy, with which thefe happy ones fhall hear thefe words? Who can imagine that fulness of joy, which fhall be poured into their hearts, with these words reaching their ears? And who can conceive how much of hell fhall break into the hearts of all the ungodly crew, by thefe words of heaven? It is certain this fentence fhall be pronounced, before the sentence of damna. tion, Matth. xxv. 34. Then shall the King fay unto them on his right hand, Come ye bleffed, &c. Ver. 41. Then shall be fay alfo to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye curfed, &c. There is no need of this order, that the faints may, without fear or aftonishment, hear the other fentence on the reprobate: they who are raised in glory, caught up to meet the Lord in the air, prefented without fpot, and whofe fouls (for the far greater part of them) have been fo long in heaven before, fhall not be capable of any fuch fear. But hereby they will be orderly brought in, to fit in judgment, as Chrift's affeffors, against the ungodly: whofe torment will be aggravated by it. It will be a hell to them, to be kept out of hell, till they fee the doors of heaven opened to receive the faints, who once dwelt in the fame world with them; and perhaps in the fame country, parish, or town, and fat under the fame miniftry with themfelves. Thus will they fee heaven afar off, to make their hell the hotter. Like that unbelieying lord, 2 Kings vii. 19, 20. They Z

Shall

State IV. fhall fee the plenty with their eyes, but fhall not eat thereof. Every word of the bleffed fentence fhall be like an envenomed arrow (hot into their hearts, while they see what they have loft, and from thence gather what they are to expect.

This fentence paffeth on the faints according to their works, Rev. xx. 12. But not for their works, nor for their faith neither, as if eternal life were merited by them. The fentence itself overthrows this abfurd conceit. The kingdom they are called to, was prepared for them, from the foundation of the world; not left to be merited by themfelves, who were but of yesterday. They inherit it as fons, but procure it not to themselves, as fervants do the reward of their work. They were redeemed by the blood of Christ, and clothed with his fpotlefs righteoufnefs, which is the proper caufe of the fentence. They were also qualified for heaven, by the fanctification of his Spirit; and hence it is according to their works; fo that the ungodly world shall fee now, that the Judge of the quick and dead does good to them, who were good. Therefore it is added to the Lentence, For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat, &c. Ver. 35, 36. which doth not denote the ground, but the evidence of their right to heaven; as if a judge should fay, he abfolves a man purfued for debt; for the witnesses depone, that it is paid already. So the Apostle fays, 1 Cor. X. 5. But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Their overthrow in the wilderness was not the ground of God's difpleafure with them, but it was an evidence of it. And thus our Lord teacheth us the neceffary connexion betwixt glory and good works, namely, works evangelically good; works having a respect to Jefus Chrift, and done out of faith in him, and love to him, without which they will not be regarded in that day. And the faints will fo far be judged according to fuch works, that the degrees of glory amanft them fhall be according to these works; for it is an eternal truth, He that foweth fparingly fhall reap fparing' ly,' 2 Cor. ix. 6.6

Thus fhall the good works of the godly have a glorious, not a gratuitous reward; a reward of grace, not of debt, which will fill them with wonder at the riches of free grace, and the Lord's condefcending to take any notice, especially

fuck

fuch public notice, of their poor worthlefs works. The which feems to be the import of what they are faid to answer, faying, Lord, when faw we thee an hungred,' &c. Ver. 37. 38. 49 And may they not justly wonder to fee themfelves fet down to therriage fupper of the Lamb, in confequence of a dinner or fupper, a little meat or drink (such as they had) which they gave to an hungry or thirsty mem. ber of Chrift, for his fake? Oh plentiful harveft following upon the feed of good works! rivers of pleasure springing up from (perhaps) a cup of cold water given to a difciple, in the name of a difciple! eternal manfions of glory rising out of a night's lodging given to a faint, who was a firanger! everlasting robes of glory given in exchange of a new coat, or it (may be) an old one, bestowed on fome faint, who had not neceffary clothing! a visit to a fick faint, repaid by Christ him!elt, coming in the glory of the Father, with all his holy angels! a vifit made to a poor prifoner, for the cause of Chrift, repaid with a vifit from the Judge of 'all, taking away the vifitant with him to the palace of heaven, there to be ever with himfelf! these things will be matter of everlasting wonder; and should stir up all, to fow liberally in time, while the feed time of good works doth laft But it is Chrift's ftamp on good works, that puts a value on them, in the eye of a gracious God; which feems to be the import of our Lord's reply, ver. 40. In as much 'as ye have done it, unto one of the leaft of thefe my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'

6

This

IX. Now the faints having received their own fentence, they fhall judge the world, 1 Cor. vi 2. This was not fulfilled, when the empire became Chriftian, and Christians were made magiftrates. No, the Pfalmift tells us, honour have all the faints,' Pfal. cxlix. 9. And the Apo. Atle in the forecited place, adds, And if the world fhall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the fmallek matters? Ver. 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels ?? Being called, they come to receive their kingdom, in the view of angels and men: they go, as it were, from the bar to the throne, To him that overcometh. will I grant to fit with me on my throne, Rev iii. 21. They fhall not only judge the world, in Chrift their head, by way of communion with him; by their works compared with these of the

ungodly; or, by way of teftimony against them: but fhall be affefors to Jefus Chrift the Judge, giving their against them, confenting to his judgment as juft, and Amen. to the door pronounced against all the ungod is faid of the faints, upon the judgment of the great w Rev. xix. 1; 2. Hallelujah, for true and righteous Judgments. Thus the upright hall have dominion them, in the morning of the refurrection, Pfal. xli Then, and not till then, fhall that fully be accomp which ye may read, Pfal. cxlix. 6, 7, 8, 9. Let th praifes of God be in their mouth, and a two edged in their hand, to execute vengeance upon the heather punishments upon the people, this honour have all his O! what a ftrange turn of affairs, will appear here! w aftonishing fight will it be, to fee wicked church-m ftate fmen standing as criminals before the faints, whox times they condemned as heretics, rebels and traitors men of riches and power stand pale-faced before the fe they oppreffed! to fee the mocker ftand trembling thefe he mocked: the worldly wife man before thef he accounted fools! then fhall the despited faces faints be dreadful faces to the wicked: and tho fometimes were the fong of the drunkards, shall the terror to them: All wrongs must be righted at leng every one fet in his proper place.

Tenthly, The Judge fhall pronounce the fentence nation on all the ungodly multitude. Then shall he unto them on the left hand. Depart from me, ye into everlafting fire prepared for the devil and his ver. 41. Fearful doom! and that from the fame from whence proceeded the fentence of abfolution It was an aggravation of the mifery of the Jews, wh city was deftroyed, that they were ruined by one, w accounted the darling of the world. O! what an vation of the mifery of the wicked will it be, that pronounce this fentence allo! to hear the curfe from Zion, muft needs be moft terrible. To be damned who came to fave finners, must be double damnatio thus it fhall be. The Lamb of God fhall rore, as against them! he fhall excommunicate, and caft ther

his prefence for ever. by a sentence from the throne.