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the poor; but juft judgment fhall go forth in every one's caufe. Lastly, An omnipotent Judge, able to put his fentence in execution. The united force of devils and wicked men will be altogether unable to withstand him. They cannot retard the execution of the fentence against them, one moment; far lefs can they flop it altogether, Thoufand thousands (of angels) minifter unto him, Dan. vii. 10. And, by the breath of his mouth, he can drive the curfed herd whither he pleafeth.

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Fifthly, The parties fhall compear. Thefe are men and devils. Although thefe laft, the fallen angels, were, from the first moment of their finning, fubjected to the wrath of God, and were caft down to hell; and wherefoever they go, they carry their hell about with them: yet, it is evident, that they are referved unto judgment, (2 Pet. ii. 14.) namely, unto the judgment of the great day, Jude 6. And then they fhall be folemnly and publickly judged, 1 Cor vi. 3. Know ye not that we fhall judge angels? At that day they fhall anfwer for their trade of finning and tempting to fin, which they have been carrying on from the beginning. Then many a hellish brat, which Satan has laid down at the faints door, but not adopted by them, fhall be laid at the door of the true father of it, that is, the devil. And he fhall receive the due reward of all the difhonour he has done to God, and of all the mifchief he has done to men. Thofe wicked fpirits now in chains (though not in fuch ftrait cuftody, but that they go about, like roaring lions, feeking whom they may devour) fhall then receive their final fentence, and be fhut up in their den, namely, in the prison of hell; where they fhall be held in extreme and unfpeakable torment through all eternity, Rev. xx. 10. "And the devil that decieved "them, was caft into the lake of fire and brimftone, where the beaft and the falfe prophet are, and fhall be tormented day and night "for ever and ever." In profpect of which, the devils faid to Chrift, Art thou came hither to torment us before the time? Matth. viii. 29.

But what we are chiefly concerned to take notice of, is the cafe of men at that day. All men muft compear before this tribunal. All of each fex, and of every age, quality and condition; the great and mall, noble and ignoble; none are excepted. Adam and Eve, with all their fons and daughters; every one who has had, or, to the end of the world, fhall have a living foul united to a body; will make up this great congregation. Even thofe, who refused to come to the throne of grace, fhall be forced to the bar of justice: for there can be no hiding from the all-feeing Judge, no flying from him who is present every-where, no refifting of him who is armed with almighty power. We must all stand before the judgment feat of Chrift, 2 Cor. v. 10. Before him fhall be gathered all nations, fays the text. This is to be done by the miniftry of angels. By them fall the elect be gathered, Mark xiii. 27. "Then thall he fend his angels, and thall gather together his elect from the four winds." And they alfo fhall gather the reprobate, Matth. xiii. 40, 41. "So fhall it be in the end of this

"world,

"world, The Son of man fhall fend forth his angels, and they fhall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which "do iniquity." From all corners of the world thall the inhabitants thereof be gathered into the place where he thall fet his throne for judgment.

Sixthly, There fhall be a feparation made betwixt the righteous and the wicked; the fair company of the elect fheep being fet on Christ's right hand, and the reprobate goats on his left. There is no neceffity to wait for this feparation, till the trial be over; fince the parties do rife out of their graves, with plain outward marks of diftinction, as was cleared before. The feparation feems to be effected by that double gathering before mentioned; the one of the elect, Markxiii. 27. the other of them that do iniquity, Matth. xiii. 41. The elect, being caught up together in the clouds, meet the Lord in the air,(1 Theff iv. 17.) and fo are fet on his right hand: and the reprobate left on the earth (Matth. xxv. 40) upon the Judge's left hand- Here is now a total feparation of two parties, who were always oppofite to each other, in their principles, aims, and manner of life; who, when together, were a burden the one to the other, under which the one groaned, and the other raged: but now they are freely parted, never to come together any more. The iron and clay (allude to Daniel ii. 41, 43.) which could never mix, are quite feparated: the one being drawn up into the air, by the attractive virtue of the stone cut out of the mountain, namely, Jefus Chrift: the other left upon its earth, to be trod under foot.

Now let us look to the right hand, and there we will fee a glorious. company of faints, fhining as fo many ftars in their orbs: and with a chearful countenance beholding hin, who fitteth upon the throne. Here will be two wonderful fights, which the world ufed not to fee. (1.) A great congregation of faits, in which not fo much as one hypocrite, There was a bloody Gain in Adam's family, a curfed Ham in Noah's. family, in the ark; a treacherous Judas, in Chrift's own family: but in that company fhall be none but fealed ones, members of Chrift, having all one Father. And this is a fight referved for that day. (2.) All the godly upon one fide. Seldom or never do the faints on earth make fuch a harmony, but there are fome jarring ftrings among them. It is. not to be expected, that men who fee but in part, though they be all going to one city, will agree as to every itep in the way: no, we need not look for it in this ftate of imperfection. But at that day, Paul and Barnabas fhall meet in peace and unity, though once the contention was fofharp between them, that they departed afunder, the one from the other, Acts xv. 39. There fhall be no more divifions, no more fepa rate standing, amongst thofe who belong to Christ. All the godly of the different parties fhall then be upon one fide; feeing, whatever were their differences in leffer things, while in the world, yet, even then, they met and concentred all in one Lord Jefus Chrift, by a true and lively faith, and in the one way of holiness or practical godliness. Mm 2

And

And the naughty hypocrites, of whatfoever party, fhall be led forth with the workers of iniquity.

Look to the left hand, and there you will fee the curfed goats (all the wicked ones from Cain to the laft ungodly perfon, who fhall be in the world) gathered together into one moft miferable congregation. There are many affemblies of the wicked now; then there fhall be but

But all of them fhall be prefent there, brought together as one herd for the flaughter, bellowing and roaring, weeping and howling for the miferies come, and that are coming to them. (And remember thou shalt not be a mere fpectator, to look at these two fo different companies; but muft thyfelf take thy place in one of the two, and fhalt fhare with the company whatever hand it be upon.) These who now abhor no fociety fo much, as that of the faints, would then be glad to be allowed to get in among them, though it were but to ly among their feet. But then not one tare fhall be found with the wheat; he will throughly purge his floor. Many of the right-hand men of this world, will be left-hand men in that day. Many, who must have the door and the right hand of thefe, who are better than they, (if the righteous be more excellent than his neighbour) fhall then be turned to the left hand, as most despicable wretches. O how terrible will this Separation be to the ungodly! how dreadful will this gathering them together into one company be! what they will not believe, they will then fee, namely, that but few are faved. They think it enough now, to be neighbour-like, and can fecurely follow the multitude: but the multitude on the left hand will yield them no comfort. How will it fting the ungodly Chriftian, to fee himfelf fet on the fame hand with Turks and Pagans! how will it gall men to find themselves standing, profane Proteftants with idolatrous Papifts; praying people with their profane neighbours. who mocked at religious exercifes: formal profeffors, ftrangers to the new-birth and the power of godlinefs, with perfecutors! now there are many oppofité focieties in the world, but then all the ungodly fhall be in one fociety. And how dreadful will the faces of companions in fin be to one another there! what doleful fhrieks, when the whoremonger and his whore fhall meet; when the drunkards, who have had many a jovial day together, fhall fee one another in the face: when the hufband and wife, the parents and children, the master and fervants and neighbours, who have been fnares and ftumbling-blocks to one another, to the ruin of their own fouls, and thefe of their relatives, fhall meet again in that miferable fociety! Then will there be curfes inftead of falutations; and tearing of themfelves, and raging against one another, inftead of the wonted

embraces.

Seventhly, The parties fhall be tried. The trial cannot be difficult, in regard the Judge is omniscient, and nothing can be hid from him. But, that his righteous judgment may be made evident to all, he will Let the hidden things of darkness in clearest light at that trial, 1 Cor iv. 5.

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Men fhall be tried, First, Upon their works: for "God fhall bring "every work into judgment, with every fecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil," Ecclef. xii. 14. The Judge will try every man's converfation, and fet his deeds, done in the body, with all the circumftances thereof, in a true light. Then will many, actions, commended and applauded of men, as good and juft, be difcovered to have been evil, and abominable, in the fight of God: and many works, now condemned by the world, will be approven and commended by the great Judge, as good and juft. Secret things will be brought to light: and what was hid from the view of the world, fhall be laid open. Wickedness, which hath kept its lurking-place in fpite of all human fearch, will then be brought forth to the glory of God, and the confufion of impenitent finners who hid it. The world appears now very vile, in the eyes of thofe who are exercifed to godliness: but it will then appear a thousand times more vile, when that, which is done of men in fecret, comes to be difcovered. Every good action fhall then be remembred; and the hidden religion and good works, moft industriously concealed by the faints, from the eyes of men, shall no more ly hid: for though the Lord will not allow men to proclaim every man his own goodness; yet he himself will do it in due time. Secondly, Their words fhall be judged, Matth. xii. 37. "For by thy "words thou shalt be juftified, and by thy words thou shalt be con"demned." Not a word fpoken for God, and his caufe in the world, from love to himself,, fhall be forgotten. They are all kept in remembrance, and fhall be brought forth as evidences of faith, and of an interest in Chrift, Mal, iii. 16. " Then they that feared the Lord, "fpake often one to another, and the Lord hearkned and heard it: " and a book of remembrance was written before him. Ver. 17. "And they fhall be mine, faith the Lord of hofts, in that day when "I make up my jewels." And the tongue, which did run at random, fhall then confefs to God: and the fpeaker fhall find it to have been followed, and every word noted that dropped from his unfanctified lips." Every idle word that men fhall fpeak, they thall give account "thereof in the day of judgment," Matth. xii. 36. And if they fhall give account of idle words, that is, words fpoken to no good purpose, neither to God's glory, one's own, or one's neighbour's good: how much more fhall men's wicked words, their finful oaths, curfes, lies, filthy communications, and bitter words be called over again, that day? The tongues of many fhall then fall upon themfelves, and ruin them. Thirdly, Men's thoughts fhall be brought into judgment: the Judge "will make manifeft the counsel of the hearts," I Cor. iv. 5. Thoughts go free from man's judgment, but not from the judgment of the heartfearching God, who knows men's thoughts, without the help of figns to difcern them by. The fecret fprings of men's actions will then be brought to light; and the fins, that never came further than the heart, will then be laid open. O what a figure will man's corrupt nature make, when his infide is turned out, and all his speculative

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impurities are expofed! the rottennefs that is within many a whited fepulchre, the fpeculative filthinefs and wantonnefs, murder and malignity, now lurking in the hearts of men, as in the chamber of imagery, will then be difcovered; and what good was in the hearts of any, fhall no more lie concealed. If it was in their hearts to build a house to the Lord, they fhall hear, that they did well that it was in their heart.

This trial will be rigateous and upa til, accurate and fearching, clear and evide..t. The Judge is the righteous Judge, and he will do right to every one. He was a juft balance for good and evil actions, and for honeft, and falfe hearts. The fig-leave cover of hypocrify will then be blown afide, and the hypocrite's nakednefs will appear; as when the Lord came to judge Adam and Eve in the cool (or, as the word is, in the wind of the day, Gen.. 8 The fire (which tries things moft exquifitle) fhall try every man's work, of wat fort it is. 1 Cor.

13. Man's judgment is oft-times perplexed and confufed; but here the whole procefs fhall be clear and evident, as written with a fun-beam. It fhall be clear to the Judge, to whom no cafe can be intricate; to the parties, who fhall be convinced, Jude 15. And the multitudes on botn fides, fhall fee the judge is clear when he judgeth: for then the heavens fhall declare his righteousness, in the audience of all the world; and to it fhall be univerfally known, Pfal. 1. 6.

On thefe accounts it is, that this trial is held out in the fcripture under the notion of opening of books; and men are faid to be judged out of thofe things written in the books, Rev xx 12. The Judge of the world, who intallioly knoweth all things, haun no need of books to be laid before him, to prevent miftake in any point of law or fact: but the expreffion points at his proceeding, as moft nice, accurate, juft, and well grounded, in every step of it. Now, there are four books that fhall be opened in that day.

First, The book of God's remembrance or omniscience, Mal. iii. 19. This is an exact record of every man's ftate, thoughts, words, and dceds, good or evil: it is, as it were, a day-book, in which the Lord puts down all that paffeth in mens hearts, lips, and lives; and it is a-filling up every day that one lives. In it are recorded mens fins and good works, fecret and open, with all their circumstances. Here are registred all their privileges, mercies temporal and fpiritual, fome-time laid to their hand; the checka, admonitions, and rebukes, given by teachers, neighbours, afflictions, and mens own confciences; every thing in its due order. This book will ferve only as a libel in respect of the ungodly; but it will be for another nfe in refpect of godly, namely, for a memorial of their good. The opening of it is the Judge's bringing to light what is written in it; the reading as it were, of the libel and memorial, refpectively, in their hearing.

Secondly, The book of confcience will be opened, and fhall be as a thousand witnelles to prove the fact, Rom. ii. 15. Which fhew the

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