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 Theological Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Ol.Sr iH^L^^ Divi&jon f-.'^. 
 
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Mr. Temhertons 
 
 SERMONS 
 
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 Several Subieds. 
 
SERMONS 
 
 O N 
 
 Several Subjeds. 
 
 Preach'd at the 
 
 Tresbyterian Church 
 
 in the City of Mew-Tort 
 
 By E. P E M B E R T O N. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 Printed by T. Fleet, for Daniel Henchman, 
 over-»gainft the Brick Meeting Hgufe in CornhilU 
 

 
 CaN-TE-N'TS. 
 
 The wonderful Propagation of the GofpeL 
 I TIM. 3. 16. 
 Believe J on in the World. ■ — * 
 
 Sermon IL 
 
 The certainty of a future Judgment. 
 
 H E B. 6. i. 
 
 And of eternal JndgrAent. 
 
 Sermon HL 
 
 The Lord Jefus Chrifl: appointed to be the 
 Judge of the World. 
 
 ACTS 10. 41. 
 
 And he commanded u% to preach unto the People^ 
 and to teJJify that it is he which ivai ordaind 
 9f God to he the Jud^e of quick and dead. 
 
 Ser- 
 
The CONTENTS- 
 Sermon IV. 
 
 The Manner and Circumftances of Chrift's 
 Appearance at the laft Day. 
 
 MATTH. i6. 27. 
 
 For the Soft of Manjhali come in the Glory of his 
 Father^ with his Angels ; and then he fhall re- 
 ward every Man according to his Works* 
 
 Sermon V* 
 
 The Nature and Necefiicy of preparation 
 for the coming of Chrift. 
 
 II C O R. 5^. 9, 
 
 Wherefore we labour^ that whether prefent or ah- 
 Jent^ we may he accepted of him. 
 
 Sermon VL 
 
 The Diflblution of the World a Motive to 
 univerfal Holinefs. 
 
 II PET. 3. II. 
 
 $eshg then that all thefe Things fhall he diffol- 
 ved, what manner of Perfons ought ye to he^ in 
 all holy Converfation and Qodlinefs ,•» 
 
 S E R- 
 
(O 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 The wonderfu 
 Gofpd 
 
 ation of the 
 
 WHEN the Golpel of Chrift was firft 
 publifli'd in the World,' it had innume- 
 rable prejudices to conquer, and the 
 ftrongeft oppofition to break through. 
 A crucified Saviour was to the Jews a {tumbling, and 
 to the Greeks foolifhnefs. 
 
 The People of Jfrael were intoxicated with the 
 dream of earthly grandeur, and vainly expedted that 
 the promifed Mefliah would afiume the enfigns of 
 royalty and power, fubdue all Nations by the force of 
 his victorious Arms, and exalt them to the fupremc 
 Government of the World. When therefore our blef- 
 fed Saviour appeared in the humble circumflances of 
 poverty and difgrace, and they beheld (inftead of a 
 Conquering Prince^ a man of forrows and acquainted 
 with grief ; they defpifed his perfon, rejected his Doc- 
 trine, accufed him as an Impoilor, and condemned him 
 as a public Malefador. 
 
 The Gentiles were profefs'd Admirers of Wifdom, 
 and diftafted every thing that was not recommended 
 with the beauties of Wir, and adorned with the flowers 
 
 of 
 
± The wonderful Propagation 
 
 of Rhetoric: the Gofpel they therefore defpls*d as a' 
 fimple and ill-contriv'd fable, deftitute of Art and 
 Eloquence, and treated its profefifors with fcorn and 
 conternpt. But notwithftanding the unhappy preju- 
 dices of the Jewijh Do6lors, and the infolent Pride of 
 the Gentile Philolopherrs, the Gofpel was attended with 
 furprifing fuccefs, and Multitudes of all Orders and 
 Degrees flcck'd to the ftandard of Chrift. This is 
 plac'd by St, Paulj in our Text, among the Myfteries 
 of Godlinefs. Great is the Myftery^ Sec. 
 
 In fpeaking unto thefe Words fby Divine Aflif- 
 tance) I fhall 
 
 Firft, Evidence the truth of the Fa5f^ and fhow that 
 Chrift was believed on in the World. 
 
 Secondly, I fhall confider this as a Myftery of God- 
 linefs., beyond the power of fecond Caules, and to be 
 afcribed to the fupernatural influences of the Spirit of 
 God. 
 
 Firft. I am to evidence the Fa5l mention'd by the 
 Apoftle, and fhew that Chrift was helieved on in the 
 World. 
 
 No fooner was the Gofpel publifti'd by the firft 
 Minifters of his Kingdom, but it was attended with 
 aftonifhing fuccefs, and made a triumphant Progrefs 
 through the Earth. 
 
 When the Great Author of our Religion afcended 
 Into Heaven, the number of his Difciples was incon- 
 fiderable : But no fooner was the Spirit poured out 
 upon the Apoftles, but there was immediately a mighty 
 AcceiTion made to the Church, and three thoufand were 
 added unto it in one Day *. "the Word of God increafedy 
 and the Number of the Difciples 7nultiplied greatly in 
 Jerufdein •, and a ^ great Company of the Priefis were 
 
 obedient 
 
 *- JBi 2. 41. 
 
of the Gofpel. 3 
 
 obedient unto the Faith f. From thence with incredi- 
 ble fwiftnefs it pafs'd through all Judea^ Sa??iaria^ &:c. 
 and by degrees penetrated to the more diftant parts of 
 the World; fo that within thirty Years after the 
 Death of Chrift, and before the great and final de- 
 ftrudlion oijerufalem^ it was not only dilFufed through- 
 out the whole Roman Empire, the Seat of Learning 
 and Politenefs, but the dark corners of the Earth 
 were inlightned with the Dodlrine of Salvation, and 
 the moil barbarous Nations had the Gofpel of the 
 Kingdom convey'd unto them : and wherever it came^ 
 it flouriih'd exceedingly ; multitudes of all Ages and 
 Sexes embrac'd the faith of Chrift. So quick and 
 furprifing a progrefs it made in the World, that in a 
 few Years we find the Chriftian Apologifts boafting 
 of their mighty numbers^ and reprefenting to the 
 pagan Emperors, " that their Cities and Provinces, 
 " their Camps and their Courts, yea the Senate-houfe 
 *' and Palace, were filled with the defpifed Sedt of 
 *' Chriftians, and that it would be impofiible to deftroy 
 *' them without exhaufting the ftrength of the Empire, 
 *' and leaving all places in a ftate of difmal folitude 
 *' and filence *. 
 
 And tho' at firft the Difciples of Jefus were defti-' 
 tute of worldly v/ifdom and learning, without power 
 and policy, of an humble and inferior charader : yet 
 in a few Years Men of uncommon Sagacity and 
 Learning, ut fuperiour Genius and Figure, laid afide 
 their ancient prejudices and chearfully embrac'd a de- 
 fpifed Gofpel. I'hus the Word of God went on con- 
 quering and to conquer, until at laft the mighty Gene- 
 rals of the Earth were fubdued by its vidorious 
 power, and refign'd their lawrels at the foot of the 
 Grofs. The Sovereign Princes of the Roman Empire 
 were perfwaded to fubmit to the Obedience of Faith, 
 and zealouQy to propagate that Faith which before 
 
 B they 
 
4 The vjonJerful Propagation 
 
 they had inhumanly perfecuted. Thus was that Pro- 
 phecy of Ifaiah accompHfh'd, In the laft days the moun- 
 tain cf the Lord's houje /hall he eftahltjhed in the top cf 
 the mountains, and he exalted ahove the hills^ and all 
 nations jhall flow unto it and he faved"^. But the fwift 
 progrefs of the Gofpel being a Fad fo fully known, 
 and fo univerfally acknowledged, I need not enlarge 
 any further in the proof of it. 
 
 Secondly. I am to Ihew, That this is a Myftery^ 
 beyond the power of fecond Caufes, and to be afcribed 
 to the fupernatural influences of the Spirit of God. 
 And this will appear, if we confider, 
 
 I. ^he aftonijhing Change it produced in the Lives 
 and Manners of its ProfeJJors, They were at once 
 transformed into new Men and became obedient to 
 the Faith, not in word but in deed •, they renounc'd 
 their ancient Idolatries and became chearful Vidlims 
 to the Crofs of Chrift. When they changed their 
 ProfefTion they reformed their manners, and from the 
 depths of iniquity were recovered to the unfeigned 
 pradlice of Piety. The proud Mailers of Philofophy 
 forfook their beloved Sentiments and fubmitted to 
 the difpenfation of Grace, the fenfual and voluptuous 
 were perfwaded to mortify the Flefh, and renounc'd 
 the forbidden Pleafures of Sin, the ambitious defpifed 
 their earthly honours, and receiv'd the Crown of Mar- 
 tyrdom as their higheft Glory, the covetous Mifer 
 became beneficent and charitable, and confecrated his 
 Wealth to the fervice of the Saints *, Perfecutors were 
 difarm'd of their fury and grew ambitious of appear- 
 ing among the Martyrs of Jefus ; the fierceft Natures 
 were fubdued into Meeknefs, and infulting tyrants be- 
 came patrons of opprefs'd Innocence and Vertue. 
 ' This mighty change was happily exemplified in 
 the Corinthian Converts, who were pradiced in the 
 
 vilefl: 
 
 ^ Jfai* 2. 2. 
 
of the GofpeL ^ 
 
 vileft iniquities, but after their receiving the Gofpel 
 were eminent for their temperance and fobriety, they 
 were wajhed^ fanElified^ and juftified in the Name of the 
 Lord Jefus and by the Spirit of our God *. 
 
 Yea fo exemplary were the lives of Chriftians in 
 thefe firft and purefl Ages of the Church that their 
 very enemies reprefent them as ''a devout, innocent 
 *' and charitable fort of men'*, and the ancient defen- 
 ders of the faith challenge their adverfanes to produce 
 one of their Number " that was condemn'd as a thief 
 *' or a murderer, or was guilty of any grofs enormities 
 '' for which the pagan world was fo infamous". Now 
 certainly nothing but a divine power could produce 
 fuch a wonderful Change in the lives and manners of 
 men ; it is only the almighty Spirit of grace, that caa 
 fubdue the perverfnefs of human Nature, reftrain the 
 tumultuous paflions of mankind, and transform Mon- 
 fters of Vice and Impiety into patterns of Sobriety 
 and Vertue. 
 
 2. Let us confider the Meannefs and Simplicity of 
 the Infiruments^ that were employed in this Bkjjed Work, 
 A Stranger to the facred Hiftory will perhaps imagine 
 that the Gofpel was propagated at firft by Men of 
 fuperior Genius, intimately acquainted with the fecrets 
 of human Learning, well vers'd in the Art of dif- 
 puting, and afTifted by the Charms of Perfwafion and 
 Eloquence; and had this been the cafe, the fuccefs of 
 the Gofpel had not been fo wonderful, nor the divine 
 power fo clearly difplay'd: therefore God chofe the foolifh 
 things of the world to confound the wife^ the weak things 
 of the world to confound the mighty^ that no flefh Jhould 
 glory in his prefencef. The Apoftles were Me.i of 
 contemptible figure, inferior extra(5t, and of plain Un- 
 derftandingi they were not polifh'd by Education, nor 
 improv'd by ftudy, but brought up to the meanefl 
 employments, they had neitiier Art to infinuate them- 
 B z felves 
 
 ■^ i Cor, 6' 10, IX.. t * ^^r* i. ^7^ 19* 
 
6 The voonJerful Vropagation 
 
 felves into the affe6lions of their hearers, nor power 
 to compel them to embrace their dodlrines^ they were 
 not fupported by authority, nor clothed with pomp 
 and fplendor to awe the minds of men into fubjedion 
 and reverence ♦, but they appeared with the utmoft 
 plainnefs and fimplicity, and addrefs'd their hearers 
 with humility and meeknefs. Thele were the firft 
 Heralds of the Everlafling Gofpel, and by thefe (in 
 themfelves contemptible Inftruments) it pleas'd God 
 to humble the Pride of man, and fubdue the world 
 to the Crofs ofChrift. This then declares the divine 
 power that attended the Publication of the Gofpel: 
 sjoe have this treafure in earthen Fejfels, that the excellent 
 cy of the Power inay he of God and not of us *. And 
 this divine Power will further appear, if we con- 
 fider 
 
 3 . 'J'he manner in which the Gofpel was propagated in 
 the world. The Inftruments employed were not only 
 mean and contemptible, but the method they took 
 to accomplilh their defign was contrary to carnal Po- 
 licy, and moil unlikely to prevail. Impoftors have 
 always endeavoured to propagate their dodtrines by 
 force, or infinuate them into the minds of men by 
 policy and contrivance. 
 
 Thus the Prophet of Arabia introduced his religion 
 by the Sword, and by his vidlorious Arms oblig'd the 
 Nations, to receive the Alcoran. The Papal Empire 
 was at firft eftablifti'd by force, and has been fup- 
 ported ever fince by continual Stratagem. 
 
 But the Apoftles of Chrift abhor'd all methods of 
 deceit, nor did they propagate their doftrines by force 
 and fvv^ordi they were not attended with conquering 
 Armies to prepare the way for their reception, nor did 
 they make ufe of torture and violence to fupport and 
 enlarge their conquefts. I^he Weapons of their War^ 
 fare were not carnal hut fpiritual : They addreft their 
 
 hearers 
 
 m> — • ■ " 
 
 ^ i Co/. 4 7' 
 
ef the Gofpel j 
 
 hearers not with the inticing words of mavh wifdom *, 
 with ftudied Ornaments of Speech or engaging me- 
 thods of perfwafion, but in the moil plain and ar fiefs 
 manner declared unto them the dodtrine and mira- 
 cles, the death and refurredtion of Chrift; they pro- 
 claimed him whom the Jews had flew and hanged 
 upon a tree, the Saviour of the World, and the Prince 
 of the Kings of the Earth. They promifed an Im- 
 mortality ofHappinefs and Glory to thofe that believ'd 
 in his Name and obey'd his Commandments: but on 
 the contrary they threatned deftrudtion and mifery to 
 fuch as Ihould impenitently defpife and rejedl him. 
 And yet by thefe contemptible methods, in the midft of 
 innumerable difficulties, they gain'd profelytes to the 
 faith and baffled the Wifdom and Eloquence, the 
 power and policy of the world: this certainly exceeds 
 the power of man and evidences that the almighty in- 
 fluences of the Spirit attended them. 
 
 4. The Do^rines inculcated in the Gofpel make it ft ill 
 more rnyfterious^ that Chrift fliould be believed on in 
 the world. Had the dodtrine of Chrifl: been fuited to 
 the^ Pride of human Nature and calculated to flatter 
 Men in their Vices and Pleafures, we might juflily 
 have expedled that it would be fuddenly and univer- 
 fally embrac'd : for men are fond of gratifying their 
 fenfual inclinations, they eafily receive a dodrine which 
 indulges their Pride and Paflions, and affords them an 
 unlimited enjoyment of their darling Pleafures. 
 
 By this means the religion of Mahomet became pa- 
 latable to a vicious World, and quickly over-fpread 
 the Nations of the Eafts for it encouraged an un- 
 bounded indulgence of men's appetites and lufts upon 
 Earth, and promifed an eternal paradife of brutilh and 
 
 fenfual enjoyments in a future world. But the 
 
 Gofpel of Chrifl had nothing of this nature to recom- 
 mend it to the public reception i the doctrines it taught 
 
 Wtiie 
 * li'or* 10, 4. 
 
8 The wonderful Propagation 
 
 were fublime and myfterious, contrary to the Pride 
 and pafTions of men; the duties it inculcated were harfli 
 and ungrateful, againft the grain of our corrupt and 
 defiled Natures-, it obliged its profefTors to deny all 
 ungodlinefs and zvorldly lufls, to live fiber ly and right e-^ 
 oujly a?d godly in this prefint world*. It required 
 them to renounce their darling iniquities and part with 
 their mofl defirable enjoyments when they became in- 
 confident with a good Confcience. Thefe were hard 
 fayings indeed and difficult to be pradlifed by a dege- 
 nerate Age : and yet notwithftanding thefe difficulties 
 and difadvantages it prevailed exceedingly in the 
 World, and triumph'd over the vices and follies of 
 men. ■ And this is ftill more wonderful, if we con* 
 fider 
 
 5. The unhappy Prejudices^ that prevailed againft the 
 Gofpel-difpenfation. Prejudice is always an enemy to 
 truth, and fixes the mind in an inveterate oppofition 
 againft it, and no prejudice is fo ftrong as that which 
 is received from the birth and founded in Educa- 
 tion, efpecially when it is ftrengthned by Authority 
 and recommended by the venerable claim of Anti- 
 quity. It is next to impofTible to erafe the early im- 
 preilions that men receive in their tender Age, and 
 perfwade them to renounce that Religion, which from 
 their infancy they have been taught to revere and obey. 
 And this was a mighty difficulty which the Gofpel 
 had to encounter at its firfl appearance. Both Jews 
 and Gentiles were filled with the flrongeil prejudices 
 againft it. 
 
 The Jezvs^ the peculiar People of God, had the 
 higheft reverence for the Law o Mofes, which was 
 unquefiionably of divine Authority, and delivered unto 
 them fi-om Heaven, with the utmofr pom^p and fo- 
 lemnlty. They had alfo a venerable regard for the 
 tradicions of the- Elders v/hich they believed to be 
 
 facred 
 
 lit. I. u. 
 
of the Gofpel 9 
 
 facred and binding upon the Confcience. But abo\^e 
 all their minds were filled with a flattering expedba-- 
 tion of earthly dignities, and delighted with a ground- 
 lefs hope that their MefTiah would be a temporal 
 Prince and appear with a profperous and conquering 
 Army; this filled them with an invincible averfion to 
 our humble Redeemer, and they defpifed the afflided 
 State in which he appear'd. 
 
 And the prejudices of the Gentiles were as ftrong as 
 thofe of the Jews-, they were addidled to the moft 
 execrable Idolatries and funk into the lowed State of 
 Ignorance and fuperftition; the Prince of darknefs 
 reign'd in their Hearts without controul, and for many 
 Ages maintain'd an undifturb'd dominion over them; 
 the worfhip of their Idols v/as eftablifh'd by immemo- 
 rial prefcription, and the method of it was flately and 
 magnificent, their Priefls were engaged by Interefl to 
 maintain their ancient Cuftoms, and perfwaded the 
 multitude that their coftly Sacrifices and fuperftirlous 
 modes of worfhip appeas'd the Anger of the Gods 
 and procur'd continual peace and profperity. 
 
 The Philofophers were puffed up with a vain con- 
 ceit of their knowledge, and were too proud to fob- 
 mit to the humbling difcoveries of the Gofpel, they 
 defpifed the plainnefs and fimplicity of its teacher?, 
 and diftafbed the ftridlnefs and purity of its precepts. 
 The Dodrine of the Crofs they efleem'd a ridiculous 
 Story, and the Refurredion from the dead the groffeil 
 abfurdity, thus St. Paul was fliled a babbler by the 
 Wits of Athens, and looked upon as a fetter forth of 
 ftrange Gods, becaufe he preach* d unto them Jefus and the 
 Refur region *; and yet the Do6lrine of Chrifl bore up 
 againft all oppofition, and triumphantly prevailed in 
 fpight of all partiality and prejudice. 
 
 6. ^hefe prejudices were increafed by the hitter per- 
 fecutions to which Cbrifiianity was expofed. The Pri- 
 mitive 
 
 Mi 17. 18, 
 
10 The voonJerful Propagation 
 
 mitive believers had not only the Corruptions of 
 humane Nature to conquer, the prepofTefTions of Edu- 
 cation to furmount, but the Rage and Malice of Earth 
 and Hell to contend with. The Dominion of Satan 
 was difturb'd by the preaching of the Gofpel, and the 
 prince of darknefs was unwilling to lofe fo many 
 fubjedls of his Empire, he therefore engag'd the Pow- 
 ers of the World ftrongly to combine againft it. ^he 
 Kings of the Earth and the Rulers took counfel together 
 -agawfl the Lord and againft his anointed *. The High 
 Priefts and Governors among the Jews ufed their 
 utmoft endeavours to ftifle Chriftianity in the birth, 
 and fupprefs it in its infancy. And when it began to 
 increafe in the World, the whole face of the Roman 
 Empire the Miftrefs of the Earth was engag'd againft 
 it, and mighty perfecutions were continually rais'd to 
 extirpate and deftroy it. 
 
 How many forfook their moft valuable enjoyments 
 and were banifh'd into the moft defolate Corners of 
 the Earth for the teftimony of Jefus ? how many fub- 
 mitted to the moft barbarous Cruelties rather than 
 make ftiipwreck of faith and a good Confcience, and 
 fuffer'd the moft affrighting Deaths for the honour of 
 our great Redeemer. They were expos'd to hunger, 
 thirft and nakednefs, they were deftroy *d by fire and 
 fword, they were condemned to be devoured by Beafts 
 and forc'd to expire in the midft of torments. In 
 fine, the King of terrors was prefented to their view 
 in its moft formidable appearance, to deter them from 
 the profeiTion of the Gofpel, or perfwade them to re- 
 nounce and forfake it. 
 
 And yet thefe ancient Heroes of the Chriftian 
 Church, this noble Army of Martyrs, perfifted in 
 their Faith in the midft of their bittereft fufferings, 
 they took joyfully the fpoiling of their goods, and 
 patiently fubmitted to the moft exquifite miferies, they 
 
 gloried 
 
 * P/al- 2, 2, 
 
of the Gofpel II 
 
 gloried in the Crofs in the prefence of their enraged 
 perfecutors, and rejoiced that they were counted wor- 
 thy to fuffer for the Name of Chrift; they encountred 
 Death not only with patience and refignation, but 
 embraced it with extacy and triumph ^ they hugg'd 
 their Chains as the trophies of their honour, and re- 
 ceived their Executioners as the MefTengers of Heaven, 
 to convey them to the happy manfxons of Paradife. 
 They entered into the fire with Joy, and breath'd out 
 their Souls in chearful Hallelujahs. 
 
 Nor was this peculiar to men of undaunted Cou- 
 rage and manly Refolution, but the Number of Con- 
 fefibrs was vaft, and confided of Perfons of all Ages and 
 Sexes, of all Orders and Conditions. The hoary Heads 
 defpis'd the Weaknefs of their declining Years, and 
 joyfully devoted the remainder of their days to the 
 defence of the truth. Blooming Youths forgot the 
 tendernefs of their Conftitutions, and with undaunted 
 Courage entered the fiery trial, and even delicate 
 Virgins renounc'd the foftnefs of their Sex, and de- 
 fpifed Death, tho' attended with the moft ghaftly 
 terrors. 
 
 Now what but a divine Power could preferve the 
 Church in the midft of the fiery furnace ? Had this 
 Work or Counfel been of men, it mud certainly have 
 been overthrown, when all the Powers of Earth were 
 united to Oppofe it : but under all the difcouragements 
 that the Policy of men could invent, or the Malice of 
 tyrants inflidl, the Gofpel flourilh'd, mighty ad- 
 ditions were made to the Church, all attempts to fup- 
 prefs it prov'd fuccefsful methods to advance its Glory. 
 The Contradidion of Sinners redounded to the Credit 
 of its Difciples. The Blood of the Martyrs was the 
 feed of the Church, and like the Ihowers of Heaven 
 upon the thirfly Earth, made it more fruitful and 
 fiourilhing. This muft be acknowledged the work 
 ot the Lord, and it Ihould be marvellous in our 
 Eyes. It certainly defcrves a place among the Myile- 
 
 C lies 
 
1% The ivofi^erful Propagation 
 
 ries of Godlinefs, that Chrill was believed on in tjie 
 World. 
 
 Improvement. 
 
 I . Let us all he perfwaded to believe the 'Truth and 
 Divinity of the Gofpel^ ivhich was jo eminently confirmed 
 from Heaven^ and fo miraculoufly prevailed in the world. 
 The Great Author of our Religion evidenc'd his 
 MifTion by the mod unqueftionable Authority •, the 
 Father teftified his approbation from Fleaven, and in 
 a Voice of thunder, declar'd him his beloved Son in 
 
 whom he was well pleafed. The Miracles which 
 
 he wrought in the prefence of Multitudes declar'd him 
 to be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the World. — 
 The v/onderful, defcent of the holy Ghoft upon the 
 Apoftles, and the aftonifhing Gift of tongues with 
 which they were -at once infpired, was a vifible confir- 
 mation of his Dodrine, and a Handing teftimony that 
 the Gofpel was not a cunningly devifed fable, but of 
 divine and heavenly extradl. 
 
 But were all thefe forgotten, the incredible fuccefs 
 that attended it at its lirfl promulgation againft all hu- 
 mane probabilities, w^ould be a fufficient demonftra- 
 tion that it was of God and not of Man. — Is it poflible 
 to conceive, fo unacceptable a Scheme could be im- 
 pofed upon the world by men deftitute of Education 
 and Learning, without art and addrefs \ and univer- 
 fally prevail in fpight of prepofTeflion and prejudice, 
 in oppofition to perpetual force and violence, without 
 any advantages to recommend it, but the promife of 
 an unfeen and future Reward ? What but a {landing 
 Miracle couid propagate a Dodrine fo fevere and un- 
 ungrateful, fo repugnant to the Appetites and Pafiions 
 of humane Nature, fo difpleafing to flelh and blood, 
 fo contrary to the Wifdom of the World ; a Doc- 
 trine that was ridiculed by the great Philofophers of 
 the Age, and perfecuted by the Princes of the Earth ? 
 Mud not the happy Entertainment it met with, be 
 principally afcrib'd to the demonftration of the Spirit 
 
 . and 
 
of the G of pel 13 
 
 and power that accompany 'd it ? What but an 
 
 almighty Arm could deftroy the Kingdom of Satan, 
 and banifh the Prince of darknefs from his ancient 
 
 dominions ?- Who but the Spirit of Grace coulcj 
 
 fubdue the obftinacy of rebellious Sinners, and fet up 
 the Throne of Chrift in the Hearts of Men ?— What 
 but a divine power could fupport the primitive Chrif- 
 tians under their numberlefs hardfliips, and influence 
 the mod foft and delicate Natures to defpife the Cru- 
 elty of Tyrants, and bravely encounter the moft tor- 
 menting Deaths? This mud be own'd to have been the 
 Work of God, and a remarkable evidence of the divine 
 Authority of the Gofpel. 
 
 2. How vaft is the Guilty how awful the danger of 
 thofe^ who reje^i the DoBriue of Chrift i The Jews per- 
 fecuted Chrift in his State of fuffering and weaknefs, 
 and the Gentiles oppos'd the Progrefs of the Gofpel 
 through the ftrength and prejudice of Education; but 
 the Infidels of the prefent Age infult him upon his 
 Throne, and caft contempt upon him, to whom all 
 power in Heaven and Earth is committed ; and that 
 after the cleareft" difcoveries of his divine Authority, 
 and the fulleft evidence of the truth of his Miflion. 
 Their Sin therefore is of a deeper Dye than the Ini- 
 quities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and their punilh- 
 ment will be more fevere than the deftru6lion of 
 ignorant Heathens. Had the Princes of this World 
 been acquainted with the dignity of his Perfon and the 
 excellence of his Doctrine, they would not have cru- 
 cified the Lord of Glory; this therefore was an abate- 
 ment of their Guilt, and render'd them capable of 
 Pardon : but now the Sun of Righteoufnefs hath ap- 
 peared in fuch vifible Glory, chafed away the darknels 
 of Heathenifm, and eftabljlh'd bis Kingdom upon the 
 Ruins of Superftition and Idolatry, it is unaccountable 
 Obftinacy not to acknowledge his Authority, and fub- 
 mit to his juft and righteous Government. Such have 
 no Ctoak for their Sin, no excufe for their Infidelity -, 
 
 Q z .but 
 
14 The wonderful Fropagation 
 
 but may juftly expe6l that the Saviour whom they 
 defpife, will clothe himfelf with Vengeance as with a 
 Garment, and execute an exemplary punilliment on 
 his Enemies, in proportion to the degrees of Light 
 they have refifted, and the invaluable Mercies they 
 have abufed. 
 
 3. ^be S anility of manners^ fo remarkable in the jirfi 
 Days of the Gofpely fever ely reproves the awful degene- 
 racy of the prefent Age. The Primitive Difciples of 
 Chrift were fliining examples of Virtue, they caft a 
 Glory upon their Profeffion, and recommended it with 
 advantage to the World. Their Piety was fervent 
 without Superftion and Idolatry, their Charity diffu- 
 fivc without hypocrify and referve; they pradiifed an 
 afcetic Virtue in the midft of alluring temptations, and 
 manifefted a generous contempt of the World, when 
 furrounded with its moft agreable enjoyments; — but 
 where is that ancient Piety and Virtue, by which th^ 
 
 prinitive Chriftians were fo juftly diflinguifh'd? • 
 
 Where that Purity of faith and fandlity of manners, 
 by which they fhone as Lights in the World, and in- 
 fpired their very perfecutors with awe and reverence? 
 Alas ! in this degenerate Age, Religion is wounded in 
 the Houfe of its Friends, the Profelfors of the Gofpel 
 are oftentimes Enemies to the Crofs of Chrift, and 
 the venerable Name by which we are called, is in^ 
 fiilted and blafphemed by reafon of the fcandalous 
 mifcarriages of thofe who enroll their Names among 
 the number of his followers : this is indeed a melan- 
 choly relied ion, and fhoiild infpire us with a pious 
 Indignation againft the Vices and Impieties of the 
 Age, and inkindle in our Breafts a fervent Zeal to 
 advance the honour of that holy Religion we pro- 
 fefs. 
 
 4. Lei us fincerely endeavour after a faving acquaint 
 tayice vnth this Myflery of Godlinefs. Our bleifed Sa- 
 viour is propos'd unto us in the Gofpel as the proper 
 Objed oi our Faith, and recommended to our Efteem 
 
 and 
 
of the Gofpel i^ 
 
 and Regard by the moft pov/erfal and perfwafive 
 Arguments. This is a faithful Saying, and worthy of 
 all acceptation, that Jefus Chrift is come into the World 
 to fave Sinners-, our Neceflity loudly demands his 
 affiftance, and his gracious Invitations fhould encou- 
 rage us to fly to him as our Saviour. It is not enough 
 that we yield a naked aflent unto the Gofpel, but our 
 Faith muft purify the Heart, and produce the works 
 of fincere Obedience, if we would be entided to the 
 favour of Chrift, and own'd as his faithful Servants; if 
 we believe his Dodlrines, we muft regulate our Lives 
 by his excellent Precepts, and imitate his perfect and 
 fhining Example : for a Chriftian in Nam.e and pro- 
 fefllon only, having a form of Godlinefs but denying 
 the Power of it, is one of the worft of Infidels, and 
 will be difowned by Chrift in the great Day, and 
 herded among the number of his Enemies. 
 
 To Conclude, therefore let us now be perfwaded 
 to accept of Chrift as our Saviour, and adore him as 
 our I^ord and Mafter. Let us be imitators of their 
 Faith, Patience and Holinefs, who through Grace in- 
 herit the Promifes. Let us earneftly long and pray 
 for that happy time, when all the Enemies of Chnfi 
 Jhall he fuhdued under his Feet -, when that promife to 
 the Son of God ftiall receive its fulleft accomplifh- 
 ment, / will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance^ 
 and the uttermofi parts of the Earth for thy pojfejfion ; 
 when the Kingdsms of this World fhall in a more illuf- 
 trious manner become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of 
 his Chrift, To whom be Glory and Dominion for 
 ever. AMEN, 
 
 Preacb'd Sepu lo^ 
 
 SER^ 
 
( lO 
 
 SERMON IL 
 
 The certainty of a future Judgment. 
 
 H E B. VI. 2. 
 
 And of eternal Judgment. 
 
 T is the diflinguifiiing privilege of Man, the lord 
 of this lower world, that he was made a reafon- 
 able and accountable creature, and defign'd for a 
 future State of immortality *, the noble powers 
 with which he is endowed, and the vail improvements 
 be is capable of, were not intended to be confined to 
 this dark and imperfed: Scene of a61:ion : Death that 
 deilroys our earthly frame, and puts an End to our 
 worldly bufinefs and enjoyments, does not put a final 
 period to our being, but tranflates us into a future 
 Hate : when we pals off the llage of time, we enter 
 upon an unalterable eternity j for after death cG77ies the 
 
 .This is an important Article of the chriflian faith, 
 frequently inculcated in the facred Oracles, and almoft 
 univcrfilly received in the world. It is mentioned in 
 our text as one of the firji principles of the doctrine of 
 Chrill, and the foundation of pra6lical Religion. It is 
 therefore di the higheft confequence, to fix in our 
 
 minds 
 
 Hd\ 9 i/' 
 
The Certainty of a future Judgment. ly 
 
 minds an unfhaken perfwafion of this awful truth, that 
 we may feel its happy influence, and be excited to 
 prepare for the coming of our Lord. To this end it 
 is my defign from the words now read, 
 
 Firft, To confidcr the Evidences of a future Judg- 
 ment. 
 
 Secondly, To make fome Im^roijement of this Im- 
 portant Dodlrine. 
 
 Firft. I am to confider the Evidences of a future 
 Judgment, And here I Ihall oblerve, 
 
 I. ^he voice of confcience hears tejlitnony imto it. 
 There is implanted in the breaft of every man a con- 
 fcience, on which is engraven with a pen of iron and 
 the point of a diamond, the necefl[iiry and immutable 
 diftin(5lion between virtue and vice, between good and 
 
 evil: hence aiifes that happy ferenity of mind, 
 
 that fecret joy and fatisfadlion that attends the practice 
 of virtue, and thofe diftrefling fears and gloomy fuf- 
 picions, which are the melancholy companions of vice 
 and impiety : So that the good man has an inward 
 fupport and comfort, even when he meets with nothing 
 but frowns and difcouragements from without, and is 
 often filled with joyful expedlations of a reward in the 
 midft of worldly darknefs and difficulty ♦, on the other 
 hand the wicked are haunted with perpetual terrors in 
 the moil profperous circumftances of life, and terrified 
 with the apprehenfions of future vengeance, tho' their 
 •crimes are concealed from the world, and committed 
 in the darkeft privacy. At the approach of death, 
 when all hopes and fears are at end with refpedt to 
 this life, then thefe apprehenfions are the mofl lively 
 and vigorous : in that melancholy hour the wicked 
 are in a more efpecial manner ftung with remorfe for 
 their iniquities, — refledl with horror upon their pjfi 
 lives, and tremble at the appiclicnfion of impending 
 
 VCi> 
 
J 8 The Certainty 
 
 vengeance; whereas the righteous are oftentimes fup- 
 ported with the moft fprightly hopes, and amidft the 
 agonies and convulfions of nature, are revived with the 
 joyful profpe6t of immortality and glory. 
 
 Nor are thefe impreffions of futurity peculiar to 
 men of narrow minds, of gloomy and fufpicious tem- 
 pers, but men of all orders and degrees, of all ages 
 and conditions have felt the force of them. Confcience 
 exercifes its power without refped of perfons, the 
 greateft monarchs are equally liable to its reproaches 
 with the meaneft of their lubjeds;— infulting tyrants 
 have trembled at the remembrance of their guilt, tho* 
 plac'd above the reach of any human tribunal, and 
 furrounded with a fervile train of flatterers and depen- 
 dants. Confcience is neither aw'd by greatnefs, nor 
 brib'd by riches, nor charm'd into filence by gaieties 
 and pleafure : it breaks through the ftrongeft guards, 
 infinuates into the palaces of the mighty, and is not 
 afraid to fay to a Kin^ Thou art wicked^ and to PrinceSy 
 Te are ungodly. It lets before them a black catalogue 
 of their crimes, cites them before the inlightned tri- 
 bunal of heaven, and fills them with fearful expedta- 
 tions of a judgment to come. 
 
 The Sinner may indeed filence the voice of confci- 
 ence for a time, and fupprefs thefe uneafy impreffions 
 while he is amufed with company and ingaged in bu- 
 finefs or diverfion, yet ^hey are hardly ever quite ef- 
 Eic'd and obliterated •, tut when the wicked are retir'd 
 from the vanities of the world, when any accident 
 intervenes, that puts a flop to the gaiety of their 
 thoughts, and difpofes them to ferioufneis and reflec- 
 tion, the mind awakes out of its ilupidity, and is 
 haraflTed with continual Images of horror. Now to 
 what fhall we afcribe thefe awful apprehenfions of 
 futurity, that fo univerfally pofTefs the breafls of men, 
 and attend us to the laft: period of Life? Mufl we not 
 ilippofe that they are imprelTions flampt upon our 
 ^•uiture by the wife Authgr of our beings, and de- 
 -- fign'd 
 
cf a future '^uJgwent. 19 
 
 fign'd to warn us of a future judgment ? and confe- 
 quently that thefe Joys of the righteous are the dawn- 
 ings of immortality and the earned of eternal happi- 
 nefs, <ind that the terrors of the wicked are the begin- 
 ning of Sorrows, and the firft fruits of endlefs and 
 intolerable mifery. 
 
 2. *The Perfe^icns of God^ the fupreme Governor of 
 tie ijcorld^ feem to require a future judgment. The 
 firft notion we entertain of God is, that he is infinitely 
 perfe6t in all his attributes ; and whatever implies the 
 leaft imperfedfion, ftrikes at the very exiftence of the 
 Deity, and banifhes him out of the world. 
 
 The admirable beauty that appears on the f^ce of 
 Nature, the wife difpofition of its various parts, and 
 their mutual fubferviency to the good of the whole, 
 are Handing evidences that this world was made at 
 firft by a wife and powerful Being, and is continually 
 prefer ved and governed by his gracious providence : 
 Nor can it be (uppofed that infinite Wifdom fhould 
 be employed in ordering the inferior creation with fuc]> 
 furprifmg harmony and exaflnefs, and caft off the 
 care of man, his favourite creature, and the moft noble 
 part of his workmanfhip. 
 
 Now if God is fo infinitely perfedb in himfelf, and 
 human affairs are fubjecl to his wife and univerfal pro- 
 vidence, we may juftly conclude, that as he loves 
 righteoufnefs and hateth iniquity, lb he will encourage 
 the one and difcountenance the other, in a way agrea- 
 ble to the undoubted perfections of his nature, and 
 confequently will make a vifible diftindion between 
 the generation of his fai;hful Servants, and the com- 
 pany of his implacable enemies. — The Purity of the 
 divine Nature, and the juftice of his Government 
 aflures us, that he will not condemn the innocent, nor 
 always fuffer the guilty to efcape with im.punity •, this 
 would be an unanfwerable reflexion upon an earthly 
 Prince, and foon bring his Government into univeriiil 
 confufion and contempt,, and therefore mufl not be 
 
 D attri- 
 
20 The Certainty 
 
 attributed to the fupreme Governour of the world, 
 who is wifer than the Kings of the earth. — The only 
 queftion then is, Whether in the prefent difpenfations 
 of providence, there is this vifible difference made 
 between the righteous and the wicked, between him 
 
 that fervesGod, and him that ferveth him not ? Is 
 
 virtue always rewarded in this world, and vice re- 
 markably punifli'd ? This cannot be pretended, 
 
 the contrary is evident to the moil carclefs obferver. 
 
 We daily behold a great deal of darknefs and diffi- 
 culty appearing upon the face of providence, and good 
 and evil feem to be indifferently difpcnfed to the righ- 
 teous and to the -wicked, ^here is one event to thejiift 
 and to the unjiifty to him that fweareth^ and to hiyn that 
 feareth an oath *, without any frequent interpofition to 
 vindicate the caufe of innocence, and punifh the vio- 
 lence of the opprelTor. The vertuous man is not 
 fecured from the common trials and afflidions of life, 
 but oftentimes Hands peculiarly expofed to the blafls 
 of adverfity ; his ftrength and beauty is confumed by 
 wafting difeafes, his eftate devoured by opprelTion and 
 injuftice, and his reputation fullied by the breath of 
 envy and malice. — While the wicked are triumphing 
 in profperity,"!" Neither are they plagued like other men\ 
 they live^ they lecome old^ they are mighty in power^ 
 their feed is eftahlijh^d in their fight ^ and their offspring 
 tefore their eyes', their houfes are fafe fro7n fear^ neither 
 is the rod of God iipon them -, they fpend their days in 
 wealth, and in a moment (without any remarkable 
 judgment) they go down to the grave \\. — 'Thus we fee 
 a juft man to whom it happeneth according to the work 
 cf the wicked, and a wicked man to whom it happeneth 
 
 according to the work of the righteous ** ; It is no 
 
 uncommon fight, to behold men of diftinguilh'd vice 
 advanced to places of dignity and power, and enjoy 
 the largeft ihare of wealth and efteem, — while men 
 
 of 
 
 EccU 9« 2:, t Vial 73. J, li jQhs ii. 7? ^»£'f^/.8, If 
 
cf a future Judgment. 11 
 
 of unblemlfli'd vertue are treated as the off-fcouring 
 of all things, and abandoned to poverty and contempt. 
 Perfecuted innocence ftands trembling at the barr, 
 while wickednefs is exalted to the throne. The moft 
 eminent Saints are clothed in rags, and deftitute of the 
 conveniencies of Life, while the brutifh epicure is 
 clothed in purple and fcarlet, and fares fumptuoufly 
 every day. — Nay, the wicked often attain to their 
 greatnefs and power, by the moft unjuft and difgrace- 
 tul methods •, they afcend to the pinacle of honour 
 upon the ruins of their opprefled neighbours; when at 
 the fame time'the righteous, for their fteady adherence 
 to the Laws of God, and zeal and fidelity in his fer- 
 vice, are perfecuted in their names, robb'd of their 
 eftates, and expofed to the lofs of all the valuable en- 
 joyments of life. Thus the illuftrious Saints of old, 
 
 of whom the earth was not worthy^ were perfecuted and 
 abufed, they wandered ahout in Jheep-Jkins and goat -Jkins, 
 they inhabited the dens and caverns of the earthy they 
 were dejlitute^ affliSIed and tormented*^ while their 
 guilty perfecutors were honoured with the public 
 efteem, and enjoy'd all the felicities that earth could 
 
 afford them. Now how fhall we reconcile thefe 
 
 events, with the wifdom and juftice of divine Provi- 
 dence, if we confine our thoughts to the prefent world, 
 
 and do not look forward to a future judgment?- 
 
 Will the fovereign Ruler of the univerfe make no juft 
 diftindtion between thofe who infolently defy his 
 pov/er and prophanely defpife his authority, and 
 thofe who ftedfaftly obey his laws, and facrifice their 
 deareft enjoyments in obedience to his commands ? — 
 Shall perfecuted vertue be always hifs'd off the ftage 
 with difgrace, and be buried in eternal filence and 
 oblivion? Shall the triumphing of the wicked en- 
 dure for ever, and the ungodly always polfefs the 
 
 fruits of their profperous villanies ? Where would 
 
 D z be 
 
 ^ Heb, ii« 17 i 38. 
 
zz The Certainty 
 
 be the goodnefs of the divine nature, if there were no 
 reward tor thofe that dihgenily feek him ? Where the 
 jufticc of his government, if impenitent tranfgreflbrs 
 pafs for ever unpuniflAi ? And fmce this is fre- 
 quently the cafe in this world^ we may with the 
 higheil afllirance exped and believe another, when 
 God will pubiickly reward the righteous, and fignally 
 punifh the workers of iniquity. This world is a ftate 
 of trial, and this is the day of God's patience and for- 
 bearance ; the next will be a time of retribution and 
 vengeance : when the Myfteries of divine providence 
 fhall be unriddled, the darknefs and difficulties thlt 
 have attended his difpenfations fliall be removed, and 
 the whole adminiftration of his government ihall ap- 
 pear furprifingly beautiful and regular. 
 
 Tho' for a time he may feem to wink at the fins 
 of men, and fuffer them to pafs unpunifh'd : Tho' he 
 may permit his fervants to' be abufed and infulted, 
 for the trial of their faith, and the brightning of their 
 vertues: yet the triumphing^ of the wicked is hut Jborty 
 and the jdy of the hypocrite is hut for a moment. The 
 God of jullice will fhqrtly appear in the defence of 
 his perfecuted children, arid evidence to the whole in- 
 telligent world, that he loveth righteoulhefs and hateth 
 iniquity. Tho- clouds and darknefs at prefent encom- 
 pafs the throne of his Juftice, and our itliallow capa- 
 cities are not able to fearch into the reafons of his 
 conduct ; yet we may be afTured, that he will fliortly 
 vindicate the honour of his defpifed laws, and difplay 
 the wifdom and equity of his Government. He will 
 hring forth his righteoufnefs as the lights and his judg- 
 7nent as the noon-day. Every eye fhall fee, and every 
 tongue fiiall confefs, that veHly there is a retvard for 
 the righteous^ there is a God that judgeth in the earth, 
 I proceed to fay, 
 
 ' 3 . '^'he facred Scriptures exprefsly reveal a future 
 J-udgment. The light of nature makes it probable, 
 that God who made the world by his power, and 
 
 governs 
 
cf a future Judgment. ^^ 
 
 governs it by his providence, will alfo judge it here- 
 after ; but the light of the Gofpel gives us the moft 
 convincing evidence of this important truth, and 
 affures us, that the day is appointed, and the time is 
 prefix'd in the unalterable decrees of heaven. In all 
 ages of the Church mankind have been warned of this 
 awful day. Before the deftrudtion of the earth by the 
 flood, Enoch the feventh from Adam prophecied of a 
 Judgment to come, faying^ Behold^ the Lord cometh 
 with ten thoufand of his Saints to execute judginent upon 
 all*. Solomon under the law inculcates the fame 
 do6trine, and allures us, that God will bring every 
 work into Judgment^ with every fecret things whether 
 it^be good or whether it he evilj. Our Lord himfelf 
 informs us, that the Son of man Jhall come in the glory 
 cf his Father^ with the holy angels^ and then Jhall he 
 reward every man according to his work\\. This doc- 
 trine St. Paul preach'd to the Athenians. The times 
 of this ignorance God winked at^ but now commandeth 
 all men every where to repent., becaufe he hath appointed 
 a day in which he will judge the world in righteoufnefsy 
 hy that man whom he hath ordained., whereof he haib 
 given ajjurance to all men, in that he hath raifed hitn 
 from the dead^. St. Peter fpeal^s of this day in the 
 moft folemn and affeding language. But the day of 
 the Lord will come as a thief in the night., in which the 
 heavens JJoall pafs away with a great noife., and the 
 elements jhall melt with fervent heat ; the earth alfj 
 and the works that are therein Jhall be burnt up **, 
 Finally, Our Saviour fhuts up the Canon of the New 
 Teftament with an exprefs promiie of his coming. 
 Behold I come qiiickly^ and my reward is with me, to 
 give to every man according as his work Jhall be -j-. 
 
 Thus we have not only the teftimony of conlcience, 
 ^he infinite perfedions of God, and the good nefs and 
 
 juftice 
 
 *■ Jude I4, 15. t ^ccl. 12. 14. li i'datih. 16.27. § ^^cl. 
 •7' S*' ^?^ *^^^» 3» io. f" /?fv, 2i. li and zo. 
 
24 7"^^ Certainty 
 
 juftlce of his Government, to affure us of this great 
 truth ; but we have the exprefs declarations of his will, 
 v/hich gives us the higheft and moft fatisfadlory evi- 
 dence, and by which all the other arguments that fup- 
 port it are ftrengthned and confirm'd ; fo that we are 
 as certain that there will be a future judgment, as if 
 we faw the heavens opening, and the almighty Judge 
 defcending, the tribunal ere(5led, and the dead fmall 
 and great {landing before it. I pafs therefore, 
 
 Secondly, To make fome Imp'ovement of this aw- 
 ful do6lrine. And here, 
 
 I . T^his manifefts the juftice of divine Providence^ and 
 anpwers the objections that are fo frequently brought 
 againft it. When we fee the tabernacles of robbSrs 
 profper, and the prophane and ungodly flourifh in 
 ^:S^ and profper ity •, when the vileft men are exalted 
 to the height of honour, and poflefs the largefl afflu- 
 ence of worldly enjoyments, while the children of 
 God are bow'd down with an heavy weight of cares, 
 and loaded with contempt and difg;race: — When im- 
 penitent tranfgrefifors depart out of the world in peace, 
 and the wicked have no hands in their death ; while the 
 righteous are perfecuted to their graves with reproach, 
 and take firewel of the world in darknefs and dif- 
 trefs-, — Men are apt to draw the moft dark and un- 
 comfortable conclufions, and to imagine that either 
 there is no God, or that human affairs are not under 
 his wife and righteous adminiftration. — Yea, this has 
 oftentimes been a ftumbling-block to the moft emi- 
 nent Saints, and caufed their faith to ftagger and fail, 
 their feet have almojl flipp*d^ when they beheld the un- 
 interrupted profperity of the wicked, and the diftref- 
 fing calamities of the righteous. They have been 
 ready to pour out that melancholy complaint of the 
 Pialmift, * Verily I have cleanfed my heart in valn^ and 
 
 "wafh^i 
 
 ^PfU. 71^ II. 
 
cf^a future Judgment. ij 
 
 wajh^d my hands in innocence: and to join in that 
 pathetic expoflulation of the Prophet, PFberefore da 
 the wicked profper ? wherefore are all they happy that 
 deal very treacheroujly * ? — And indeed thefe would 
 be inextricable difficulties in the difpenfations of pro- 
 vidence, that it would be impoflible to account for, 
 if this were the only life of man, and there were none 
 elfe to fucceed it. 
 
 But the dodrine of an eternal Judgment fcatters 
 the clouds that encompafs the paths of divine Provi- 
 dence, clears up the myfteries that attend his Govern- 
 ment ; and fhews the juflice and equity, the beauty 
 and regularity of his proceedings. For this afTures 
 us, that every fecret iniquity fhall be puniiVd with 
 an holy feverity, and every vertuous adlion fhall meet 
 with a juft and fuitable rccompence. The perfecuted 
 fervants of Chrift fhall meet with a diftinguifhing 
 reward, while their proud and infolent opprefTors fhall 
 be doom'd to a ftate of the moil aggravated mifery. 
 — Why then fhould the righteous complain of the 
 fufferings of this life, which are but for a moment, 
 and fhall be recompenced with a fuperior and an 
 eternal weight of Glory ? — Wlvj fhould they repine at 
 the profperity of the foolifh, whofe enjoyments will 
 vanifh as a dream, and prepare them for more fevere 
 and intolerable torments ? — This furely may well 
 fatisfy men of the Juflice of divine Providence, 
 even when the greatefl difficulties attend it, and 
 his ways appear mofl intricate and myflerious. 
 
 2 . 'This fhews us the reafon of God^s patience^ why 
 he hears fo long with the provoking iniquities of men. 
 
 Every wilful tranfgreffion is an infolent defiance of 
 the eternal Majefly of heaven, and a daring contempt 
 of his facred authority ; impenitent finners challenge 
 almighty Juftice, and provoke the Lord to jealoufy, 
 as if they were flronger than he.— And yet he bears 
 
 with 
 
^6 The Certainty 
 
 with aflonifliing patience thpjir continual -afFrpnts 5 he 
 fpares a guilty world that ungratefully defpife his 
 goodnefs, and abufe his favours to wantonnefs and ex- 
 cefs. Notwithftanding their innumerable provocati- 
 ons, he ihowers down his favours upon them in dai- 
 ly abundance, and fills their hearts with food and 
 gladnefs: — from hence they take encouragement in 
 their wickednefs, and flatter themfelves that they jfhall 
 efcape with impunity. They vainly imagine that 
 God does not obferve their adlions, or at lead that 
 he will not feverely punifh them for their crimes. 
 Becaufe fentence againjl an evil work is not fpeedily 
 executed^ therefore the hearts of the fons of men are fully 
 fet in them to do evil *. — But how vail is their mad- 
 jiefs ! how unreafonable is their conclufion ! It is not 
 becaufe God is unacquainted with their ways, that he 
 forbears to punifh their rebellions. For his Eyes run to 
 and fro in the earthy beholding the evil and the good. 
 The mcft forlorn corner of the world cannot conceal 
 them from his view, nor the darkeft privacy banilh 
 them from his pre fence*, his Eyes are as a flaming 
 fire, and pierce through the thickefl: darknefs ; and 
 his difiiifive influence extends to every part of the 
 creation. 
 
 It is not any defcil of his Power, that can fecure 
 the finner from his avenging wrath ; for he made the 
 world by the Authority of a Command, and can de- 
 ftroy it in a moment by a frown of his countenance. 
 Sinners are always in his hand, and he can at once 
 eafe himfelf of his adveriaries, and be avenged of his 
 enemies. Fie can ftrike dead the intemperate in the 
 height of their jollity, and fill thetn with the in- 
 venom'd wine of his fury. He can feize the pro- 
 phane fwrarer. in the midd of his hellifh rage, and 
 difpatch him out of the world, with his oaths and 
 -rurfes in his n^outh. 
 
 It 
 
 * Ecdif, 8. I. 
 
ef a future JuJgment^ 27 
 
 It is not becaufe divine Juftlce is afleep, that he 
 does not make bare his ahnighty arm, furprife the 
 wicked in the very adl of fin, and hang them up in 
 chains as (landing monuments of his righteous fe ve- 
 rity. — But he waits with patience that he may "lead 
 them to repentance, and delays the execution of his 
 vengeance to the judgment of the great day. He 
 now feems to wink at the fins of men, to try their 
 reverence for his authority, and obedience to his laws ; 
 and has appointed a day for the public triumph of his 
 Juftice, in the deftrudlion of his implacable adver- 
 saries. He fuffers them to remain undifturb'd in their 
 enjoyments, and to wallow in wealth and plenty in 
 this world; but they are fatning for the day of flaugh- 
 ter, and are referved for a more fevcre and dreadful 
 execution. 
 
 He is now feated upon a throne of Grace, and en- 
 dures with much long-fuffering^ the vejjels of ivrath that 
 are fitted for deftruBion^ but amazing judgments are 
 denounced againft them in his unalterable word, and 
 will be executed upon them in his appointed time. 
 'Thefe things (fays he^ haft thou dofie^ and I kept filcnce^ 
 thou thoughteft that 1 was altogether fuch an one as thy 
 felf^ hut I will reprove thee, and fet thy fins in order 
 before thine eyes*. In the height of their fecuriry, 
 when they flatter themfelves with peace and fafety, 
 fudden deftru5iion will come upon them as travail upon a 
 woman with cUld^ and they fijall 710 1 e ft ape. 
 
 3 . I^is Jhews the madnefs of unthinking Sinners^ who 
 put the evil day far from them, and negleSl to prepare 
 for a future judgtnent. Since the doctrine of eternal 
 judgment is fo evident to the principles of Reafon, and 
 fo clearly revealed in the Gofpel of Chriil, it is juft 
 matter of furprife and adoniihment, to behold the 
 children of men give a loofe to their vicious inclina- 
 tions, and live in an allowed courie of impiety and lewd- 
 
 nefs. 
 
 ^ /'M 5^- ^»' 
 
2 2 The Certainty 
 
 nefs, as if they were made for no higher end than to 
 eat and drink, to laugh and to die,— as if they had no 
 apprehenfions of that great and terrible day of the 
 Lord, in which they muft be called to an account for 
 their adlions, and muft appear at the bar of an impar- 
 tial judge. 
 
 It exceeds all belief, did not melancl^oly experience 
 make it too plain to be denied, that nwltitudes of 
 chriftians, who profefs to expe6t a day of judgment, 
 Ihould be fo flothful and unadtive in their preparations 
 for it •, that thofe who are convinced, that the wicked 
 fhall be condemned in that day, and expofed to the 
 vengeance of eternal fire, fhould yet retain their be- 
 loved lufts, and continue in as much eafe and fecurity 
 as if thefe awful truths were the dreams of enthufiafm, 
 and the wrath of God were no more to be dreaded 
 than an infignificant fcarecrow. — To what fhall we 
 afcnbe this general ftupidity and impiety of men ? 
 Whence arifes, O Sinner ! your inward peace and fe- 
 curity, when wrath from heaven is revealed againft 
 you, and hell from beneath opens its mouth wide to 
 receive you ? Do you believe there is a juft and pow- 
 erful Being to whom you are accountable, that a me- 
 morial is kept of your fecret iniquities, and that he 
 will make a ftri6t enquiry into your adions? And 
 can you yet pei fift in your finful courfes, and live in a 
 
 carelefs negle6l of God and your duty ? This is 
 
 madnefs beyond a parallel ; you are more infenfible 
 than the brutal world, who will not rufh into a deftrudi- 
 on they are apprized of. — But alas! the unhappinefs 
 of mankind is, that they banifh thefe folemn truths out 
 of their minds; otherwife they could not be fo carelefs 
 and fecure, they would not dare to fpend their days in 
 mirth, and their years in pleafure, without any ferious 
 regard to God, their almighty Judge, or to their im- 
 mortal fouls, which are upon the brink of eternal 
 mifery.— Or if thefe melancholy thoughts fometimes 
 crowd into their minds, they Ihift them off as unwel- 
 come 
 
cf a future Jugfgment. 29 
 
 • -c^me guefts, to a more convenient opportunity, and 
 join with the fcoffers of old, (Iiyii^g, The vifwn is for 
 many days. They are fo captivated with the vanities 
 and amufements of life, fo immers'd in its cares and 
 employments, that they are averfe to cxercife their 
 thoughts upon fuch harfh and ungrateful fubjeds, and 
 flatter themfelves that they ihall have time enough 
 hereafter, w]ien they are fatiated with the pleafures of 
 life. — But what can be more ftupid than to leave 
 your moft important concerns at a defperate uncer« 
 tainty, and fpend your days in unprofitable trifles ?— 
 Indeed, could you prevent the approach of that day, 
 by banifliing the thoughts of it out of your minds ; 
 would the Judge wait upon your unreafonable delays, 
 .and put off the time of his coming until you were 
 prepared to go forth to meet him, you would have 
 ibme excufe for your negligence. But fince the day 
 is fwiftly approaching, whether you regard it or no, 
 fince the end of all things is at hand, and the Judge 
 is even at the door, it is the height of didra&ion to 
 drive the thoughts of his coming out of your mindr, 
 and put the evil day far from you-, and efpecially if we 
 confider, that the frequent fore- thoughts of this impos* 
 tant event is a likely means to perfvvade us to a .uli- 
 gent preparation for it : and if this be the happy 
 efFed, we fhall efcape the terrors of that day, an! I c 
 able to hold up our heads with joy, and ftaiid with 
 comfort before the Son of Man at the time of his illuf^ 
 trious appearance -, which brings me to fay, 
 
 4. and finally, l^be do^rine of a future Judgment 
 adminifters comfort to the people of God, under all the 
 trials and perfecutions that they ?neet with in the world^ 
 Tho' at p relent they feem doom'd to a (late of fuiTer- 
 ing and difgrace, and are made fpc6lacles of mifery to 
 Angels and Men, yet this may fupport their finking 
 fpirits, and relieve their defponding thoughts ; to con- 
 fider that all the hardfhips they meet with are recordecj 
 ia the book of God's remembrance, and Ihall be 
 
30 The Certainty of a future Judgment. 
 
 mention'd to their immortal honour in the great day 
 of accounts. Tho' they are made the laughing-flock 
 of fools, and reproached and condemned by an abuflve 
 world, yet the inward teflimony of their confcience, 
 and the profpecb of the future applaufe of their Judge, 
 inay preferve their Souls in peace, and enable them 
 to defpile the cenfures of their malicious adverfaries. — 
 In fine, to fuppofe the worfl, tho' they may be called 
 to pafs through the fiery trial, and be expofed to the 
 cxtreamefl fulferings for the fake of Chrifl, yet they 
 may maintain their ground with invincible courage, 
 when they confider, that the Jufferings of this prefent 
 time are not worthy to he compared to the glory thatjhall 
 he revealed in them. Their fidelity to God fhall mee-t 
 with a diftinguifhing reward, and their patient fufFer- 
 ings fhall be crown'd with immortal Glory. 
 
 ' Wherefore, my beloved Brethren, let us all be ani- 
 mated with a noble ambition to become of the number 
 of the righteous, and be excited to unblemifh'd fide- 
 lity in the fervice of our Mafter and Judge; and then 
 we may with joy and comfort look for the hlejfed hope^ 
 and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sa- 
 mour Jefus Chriji. 
 
 To whom, &Vc 
 
 AMEN. 
 
 Pieach'd Ntv. zo. 
 1737- 
 
 SER- 
 
(31 ) 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 The Lord Jefus Chrift appointed to 
 be the Judge of the World. 
 
 ACT. X. 4z. 
 
 And he comfyiandcd m to preach idnto the PeopUi 
 and to reflijyy that it u He which was ordain- 
 ed of God to be the Judge oj quick and dead^ 
 
 THAT God will judge the World in righ- 
 teoufnefs, is a truth agreable to the light 
 of nature, that candle of the Lord, which 
 inlightens every man that comes into the 
 world ; and has obtain'd the confent of all ages, not 
 only among the nations who live in the valley of vifion 
 and enjoy the fuperpatural revelation of the Gofpel, 
 but alfo among thofe who inhabit the regions of dark- 
 nefs, and are ftrangers to the Covenant of promife. 
 
 Indeed the Gentile world had but dark and confufed 
 potions pf a future Judgment •, they difguifed this 
 awful truth under the mod abfurd and ridiculous fidli- 
 ons ; yet the belief of it was almoft univerfal : We 
 have frequent intimations of it in the fables of their 
 Poets, the harangues of their Orators, and the pre- 
 fcripts of their celebrated moralifts. But tho' they 
 expeded a day of future recompence, in which the 
 
 righ- 
 
3^ J^ftiS Chrifi appointed 
 
 righteous would be fignally rewarded, and the wicked 
 remarkably punifh'd, yet they were intirely ignorant 
 of the Perfon by whom this Judgment ftioiild be ad-^ 
 miniftred, and the furprifmg circumftances that fhould 
 attend his approach. This was one of the fecrets of 
 the divine Counfel, which none of the Princes or Phi- 
 lofophers of the world were acquainted with, and 
 which we could never have difcovered by our mofl 
 painful and laborious enquiries, had not God been 
 pleas'd to reveal it unto us in his word ; and here we 
 have not only the nature of a future Judgment un- 
 folded, but the awful folemnities that will attend it 
 defcribed, and are affured that the Lord Jefus Chrift 
 is ordained of God to he the Judge of the quick and the 
 dead : which words afford us this important dodtrbe 
 for the fubjed of our prefent meditation, 
 
 "That The Lord Jefus Chrifi is appointed the fupreme 
 and tmiverfal Judge of the world. 
 
 In fpeaking to which (by divine afTiflance) I fhall, 
 
 Firft, Confider how clearly this great truth is re^ 
 veahd in the word of God. 
 
 Secondly, Shew how excellently Chrifi is qualified 
 for this exalted ofHce. 
 
 Thirdly, Enquire into the Reafons of this Divine 
 
 appointment. 
 
 Firfl. I am to confider how clearly it is revealed in 
 thd zvord of Gody that the Lord Jefus is appointed the 
 great and univerfal Judge of the world. 
 
 The fupreme power of Judgment belongs to the 
 BlefTed God, v/hofe creatures we are, by whofe Laws 
 v/e are governed, and to whom we are accountable 
 for our moral a6i-!on3 : the cxercife of this power is 
 committed to Chrift, the only mediator between God 
 
 and 
 
to It the JuJge of the WortJ. 3 5 
 
 and man. This our Saviour himfelf exprefsly declares. 
 
 Job. 5. 22. ^he Father judgeth no man^ hit hath com-^ 
 mitted all judgment to the Son, He alTures his Diici- 
 pies, that the hour is comings in which all that are in 
 their graves Jhall hear his voice., and Jhall come forth ; 
 they that have done good, to the refurre5iion of life, and 
 they that have done evil, to the refurreBion of damna- 
 tion, verf. 28, 29.— The Angels publifh'd the fame 
 dodlrine at our Lord's afcenfion, and informed his 
 aflonifh'd Difciples, that this fame Jefus whom they had 
 feen taken up into heaven, fhould fo come in like man- 
 ner as they had feen him go up into heaven. A<51. i . 1 1. 
 — This truth the Apoftles were commanded to preach 
 and teflify to all People : therefore we find St. Paul 
 declaring to the Philofophers of Athens, that God 
 would judge the world in righteoufnefs hy that Man 
 whom he had ordained, Adl. 17. 31. — And our Lord 
 himfelf repeats the promife of his coming, in the Re- 
 velation of St. John, the laft of the infpired writings. 
 Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with ine. Rev. 
 22. 12. From thefe, and innumerable other Texts 
 that might be mentioned, we have the fullefl evidence 
 that our Lord Jefus Chrlft is appointed the fupreme 
 Judge of the world. 
 
 He is now feated at the right hand of the Majefty • 
 on high, and dwells in inacceffible Glory ; the whole 
 creation is fubjedt to his authority, and he governs 
 the inhabitants of heaven and earth according to his 
 fovereign pleafure. He is indeed invifible to mortal 
 eyes, and the curtains of heaven conceal his glory 
 from us. But thefe heavens Ihall fhortly fafs away 
 as a fcroll, and flee from before his prefence ; then fhall 
 he appear in the majefty of an incarnate God, and all 
 nations Ihall be fummon'd before his awful tribunal. 
 I pafs. 
 
 Secondly, To flaew how melkntly he is qualified' 
 for this exdtd office. 
 
 All 
 
34 Jefus Chrijl dp pointed 
 
 All human Judgments are fubjed to innumerable 
 imperfe6lions, and the caufe of Juftice is often per- 
 verted through ignorance, partiality and prejudice. 
 To judge the world in righteoufnefs, is a work too 
 diiEcuk to be performed by the mod excellent crea- 
 ture. The Blefled Jefus^ who is in the Bofom of his 
 Father, and is intimately acquainted with the divine 
 fecrets, he alone is capable of this important commif- 
 fion, and he has all thofe qualities which are necelTary 
 to the. juft and impartial difcharge of it. 
 
 I. His Knowledge is infinite. It is highly requi- 
 
 fite, that the fupreme Judge of the world ihould have 
 an exa6l and intimate acquaintance with all perfons 
 that are brought before him, and a full knowledge of 
 the nature and circumftances of the a(5lions for which 
 
 they are to be judged. For want of this, infupcra- 
 
 ble difficulties attend the adminiftration of human 
 juftice : the innocent are oftentimes expofed to an 
 hard and unrighteous fentence, and the guilty efcape 
 the puniihment they have deferved. — But the Judg- 
 ment of the great day will be perfectly free from any 
 uncertainty or miftake *, the knowledge of Chrift be- 
 ing univerfal and unerring. All things are naked and 
 open to the Eyes of him with whom we have to do^ Heb. 
 4. 13. He knows the perfons, and is acquainted 
 with all the adions of the children of men. His Eyes 
 are as fiames of fir e^ and penetrate into the fecret re- 
 cefTes of the foul ; he difcerns the thoughts and intenti- 
 ons of the hearty the inward motives apd defigns of 
 our adlions. Thofe abominadons which are carefully 
 concealed from the v/orld, and committed in the 
 darkeft privacy, are as open to his critical infpedtion, 
 ^s if they had been perpetrated in the blaze of day, 
 and expofed to the public view of the world : for the 
 darbiefs hideth not from him., hut the flight Jhineth as. 
 the day ^ Pfal. 139. 12. Tho' the wicked fly to un- 
 inhabited defarts, and ihelter themfelves in the dens 
 and caverns of the earth, thefc difinal folitudes will 
 
 not 
 
to he the JuJ^e of the VVorlJ. 3 5- 
 
 not Tcreen them from the prefence of their Judge, nor 
 conceal their crimes from his accurate obfervation. 
 Fcr he compajfeth our paths, and is acquainted "jAth all 
 our ways. He cannot be abufed with doubtful evi- 
 dence, deceived by any artful infmuations, nor im- 
 poied upon by any flattering appearances ; but has all 
 that knowledge that is necelTary to form an impartial 
 Judgment. 
 
 2. His Juftice is ififlexihle. Earthly Judges are 
 
 fubjedl to corruption, and a righteous caufe oftentimes 
 miicarries, through the partiality and prejudice of 
 thofe who are plac'd in the feat of Judgment. They 
 are fometimes influenc'd by favour and afredion, to 
 extenuate the crimes of their friends, or perfwaded by 
 bribes to pronounce an unrighteous fentence. A 
 (lavifh coward ife caufes them to connive at the faults 
 of men of power and ellate, and a fervile fear re- 
 ftrains them from an impartial execution of public 
 Juftice. Therefore Solmtmi mentions it as one of the 
 great evils he had feen under the Sun, That he beheld 
 ■the place of judgtnent, and behold wickednefs was ihere^, 
 and the place of righteovfnefs, that iniquity was there,, 
 Eccl. 3. 16. But thofe mean and carnal confidera- 
 tions will have no influence upon the unerring judg- 
 ment of Chrift. The fupreme Governour of the 
 world is infinitely above all fufpicion of corruption or 
 prejudice, and he will weild the fword of juflice with 
 a fleady and impartial hand j he loveth righteoufnefs 
 and hateth iniquity, and will make a fuitabic dillin<5li- 
 on between his faithful obedient fervants, and his 
 perverfe and implacable enemies : the perfection of 
 his nature fecures him from the leaft imputation of 
 injuftice, and his infinite kindnefs and compafTion 
 afTures us, that he will confider our frame, and put 
 the moft favourable conftru6tion upon our adions ; he 
 cannot ht brib'd by tiches, nor aw'd by greatnefs and 
 power; for he is the great and only potentate of hea'-jen 
 Andtar^h,, ths King ef Kings md.tfje Ijord of Lordsy 
 
 F from 
 
36 Jefu$ Chrifl appointed 
 
 from whom the Princes of this world derive their 
 Power^ and to whom they are accountable for their 
 condud:. With him therefore there is no refpe^ of 
 ferfons^ but the meaneft flave Ihall have as fair a trial 
 as the proudeft monarch ; Princes fhall be diverted of 
 their imperial diadems, and (land upon a level with 
 their inferior fubje6ls. Every one fhall receive ac- 
 cording to the things done in the body, whether good or 
 evil. He will pafs an unalterable doom, not only 
 upon his open and avowed enemies, but alfo upon his 
 pretended friends and followers. Secret hypocrites 
 Ihall be unmafk'd to the view of the world, and be 
 expofed in all their guilt and deformity , tho' they 
 call Chrift Lord, and pretend that they are of the 
 number of his diiciples, yet they will be rejected and 
 condemned by their righteous Judge : with terror in 
 his looks and thunder in his voice, he will fay unto 
 theiUy Depart from rne^ for I know you 7Jot, ye that 
 work iniquity. Matth. 7. 23. Thus he will judge 
 the world in righteoufnefs, and the people with equity; 
 and therefore is admirably fitted for the great work 
 afTign'd him : efpecially if we confider, 
 
 3. His pozver is almighty^ and none can refifl the 
 
 execution of his will.'- How often do we find 
 
 earthly criminals plac'd above the reach of any human 
 judicature, and defended by wealth and intereft from 
 the punifhment of their crimes } But the great Judge 
 of the world is clothed with omnipotence, and able to 
 execute his vengeance upon the greateft offenders : 
 for he hath all power in heaven and earth committed 
 unto hifny Matth. 28. 18. When he tabernacled in 
 flefh, and was clothed with the infirmities of mankind, 
 univerfal nature own'd his dominion, and even Devils 
 were fubjedl to his authority •, the dead were raifed 
 by the word of his power, and the tempefluous ele- 
 ments fubmitted to his rebuke: and the power of 
 Chrift will be ftill more illuftrioufly difplay'd, when 
 all that are ia jh^ir graves ihall hear his voice, and at 
 
 his 
 
to le the Judge of the World. 3 7 
 
 his command lliall ftart out of their dufty beds ; when 
 the righteous fhall appear in the fhining robes of im- 
 mortal glory, but thofe that defpis'd him upon earth, 
 be condemned at his awful barr, and doom'd to un- 
 alterable mifery. In vain will Sinners fly from his 
 almighty arm, and endeavour to efcape his avenging 
 wrath: Who can contend with offended omnipotence? or 
 fubfift under the terrors of his indignation ? The Anger 
 of the moil enraged Tyrant can only affe<5b the body, 
 and is confin'd within the narrow limits of this Life j 
 but the wrath of our almighty Judge extends to the 
 whole man, accompanies the finner beyond the grave, 
 and endures through eternal Ages. And as he has 
 power to punifh the wicked according to their deferts, 
 fb he is able to reward the righteous according to 
 their works : He has manfions of glory prepar'd for 
 their everlafting reception, and will beftow upon them 
 an happinefsj vaft as their capacities, and immortal as 
 
 their fouls. Thus you fee how excellently the 
 
 Lord Jefus Chrift is qualified to be the final Judge of 
 the world : His knowledge is infinite, and extends to 
 the fecret adlions of men ; his power is almighty, and 
 none can refill the execution of his will •, his Juftice 
 is inflexible, and will be feen in impartially difpenfing 
 Rewards and Puniflimcnts, I proceed. 
 
 Thirdly, Tb Enquire into the Reafons of this Divine 
 Appointments why this important Office is devolved 
 upon the Lord Jefus Chrift. And, 
 
 I . It is in compajfion to the weaknefs and frailty of 
 7nankind. — With God is terrible Majefty, He dwells 
 in unfufferable Glory, and the fpotlefs Spirits above 
 vail their faces before his dazling Throne-, fuch is 
 his unfpotted purity, that the heavens are ?wt clean iit 
 his fight, and he chargeth his angels with folly : The 
 mountains tremble at his prefence, and the pillars of hea- 
 ven are aftonijh^d at his reproof. How then could the 
 children of men fupport the majefty of his appearance^, 
 
 F 2 IhouW 
 
38 Jefiis Chrtfl appdinted 
 
 Hiould he defcend in the naked terrors of the Deity, 
 the uavailed Glories of the Divine Nature! God hath 
 therefore compafTionately ordain*d, that the laft Judg- 
 ment iliall be adminftred by one in our nature, who 
 is hone of our hone, and jlejh of our fleJJo, made in all 
 things like unto us, only without fin. And what can be 
 niore defireable, than to appear before him whofe de- 
 light from eternity has heen with the fons of men, and 
 who llied his invaluable blood to redeem us from eter- 
 nal deftrudlion ; who is not only the Judge of the 
 world, but the Saviour of men ; who is acquainted 
 with the weaknefs of human nature, and the tempta- 
 tions to which we are expofed ; who will make the 
 nioft favourable allowances for the frailties of his Peo- 
 ple ! This may convince us with what kindnefs, con- 
 deicention and equity, this great tranfadlion will be 
 managed, and afTures us that he v/ill condemn only 
 thofe, vv^ho have obdinately defpis*d his Goodnefs, and 
 defeated the endearing methods of his Grace. 
 
 2. The Son of Man is appointed to be the Judge 
 of the world, as a fu it able reward for his obedience and 
 fufferings. This Reafon is exprefsly given by St. 
 Faid, Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8,9, 10, 11. Who was in the 
 form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with 
 God \ hut made himfelf oj no reputation, and took upon 
 him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likenefs 
 of men \ and being found in ftfkion as a man, he hum- 
 bled Irf^felf and became obedient unto death, even the 
 death of the Crofs : wherefore God hath highly exalted 
 him, and given him a name, which is above every name^ 
 that at the name of Jefus every knee floould how, and 
 every tongue Jhoidd cbnfefs, thai Jefus Chrifl is Lord^ 
 h the Glory of God the Father, It v/as an amazing 
 ftoop, ior the Son of God to be made in the Likenefs 
 of finful Flclli, to defcend from a throne to a manger, 
 f-om the government of the v/orld to the ftate of a 
 fervant, and to fubmit to fuch humbling circumftances 
 of pov:;rLy a id difgracc, and at lafl to fuffer the Death ot 
 
 the 
 
to he the JuJgf of the WorU. 3 9 
 
 the Crofs, that he might advance the Glory of God, and 
 
 procure the Salvation and Happinefsofman. And 
 
 what can be more reafonable, than that he Ihould once 
 more appear, to difplay his glory as the only begotten 
 of the Father^ and convirxe the world how great and 
 illuftrious a perfon he is, God manifejled in the Flejh ? 
 What more iuitable than that he who was rcjedbed and 
 delpifed of men, Ihould have power to fummon at his 
 awful barr all thofe that infulted and abufed him, and 
 punifii them for the indignities they put upon him ? 
 
 At his firft coming, his dignity was vailed by the 
 meannefs of his condition, and he appear'd without 
 form or comlinefs : But is it juft, that the Sun of righ- 
 teoufnefs fhould always be cover'd with a cloud? 
 Surely at his fecond advent, every Reproach of Chrift 
 fliall be wiped away, and he will fhine in all the 
 glories of an incarnate God. He was falfly accufed 
 by his malicious adverfaries, and unjuftly arraign'd 
 and condemned by the powers of the world : But the 
 fcene will be aftonifhingly changed, when the Kings 
 and Judges of the Earth fhall ftand quivering before 
 his tribunal, and receive an irreverfible fentence from 
 his mouth. Then every eye fhall fee him, not fur- 
 rounded with a croud of infulting fcoffers, but attend- 
 ed with an innumerable hoft of adoring Angels ; not 
 engag'd in a bloody conteft widi the powers of dark- 
 nels, but with all his enemies fubdued under his feet ; 
 not hanging upon a difgraceful Crofs, but feated upon 
 a triumphant Throne, and encircled with a fhlning 
 train of heavenly courtiers. The thorns that pierced 
 his facred head, will be chang'd into a fparkling 
 crown of glory ; the fpear that wounded his fide, 
 into a fceptre of authority and government. Judm 
 that betray'd him, Pilate that condemn'd him, and all 
 thofe who \x\ all ages of the world have defpifed and 
 rejected hini, fhall be confounded at his preience, and 
 call to the mountains to cover theniy and the rocks to hide 
 them from hi§ avenging juftice. 
 
 3. This 
 
40 Jefus Chrijl appointed 
 
 3. This appointment is defign*d to increafe the 
 vifthle pmp and fplendotir of the future judgment. This 
 great affair is to be tranfaded in a public and vifible 
 manner, in the view of the whole world, for the dif- 
 play of the divine glory, and the manifeftation of his 
 perfections, in the condemnation of a guilty world, 
 and the final reward of his People : God hath there- 
 fore wifely determined, that the laft judgment Ihall 
 be executed by a vifible perfon, in the fight and hear- 
 ing of men. God the Father is invifible : and there- 
 fore judgeth no man^ hut hath committed all judgment 
 to the Son, hecaufe he is the Son of man •, that every 
 eye may fee him, when he appears on the Throne of 
 Judgment, and every ear may hear that righteous 
 Sentence he will pronounce. — And how will it in- 
 creafe the glory of that day, to fee the Son of Man 
 defcending in the clouds of heaven, attended by the 
 innumerable company of Angels, the noble army of 
 martyrs, and the general affembly of the Church of 
 the firft born ? How vaft will be the majefty and 
 fplendor of his appearance, when he Jhall come in his 
 own glory ajid the glory of his Father, and fhall fit 
 upon a radiant Throne high above all, encircled with 
 the heavenly hofts, fhouting forth perpetual Halle- 
 lujahs! When all the apoftate Angels, and the 
 univerfil progeny of Adain, fhall fland before his 
 prefcnce, and v/ait to receive their unalterable doom ! 
 With what aflonifhment fliall we behold the Heavens 
 pafs away as a fcroll, the elements melt with fervent 
 heat, and the beautiful fibrick of the world confum'd 
 by devouring flames ? Could we but paint the glories 
 of that day in their awful colours, and reprelent to 
 our minds the pomp and folemnity, in which our 
 Judge will defcend, it would difgrace all the fplendid 
 vanities of the world, and fhew us how unworthy 
 they are cf our regard and attention ; it would infpire 
 us with the higheft reverence for the authority of him 
 who is now our rightful Sovereign, and will hereafter 
 . be 
 
to he the Jtdt/ge of the World. ^\ 
 
 be our final Judge ; and would influence us to endea- 
 vour an exadl and univerfal obedience to his Laws. 
 Which brings me to the Improvement of my 
 Subjedt, and 
 
 I . i'his evidences the Divinity of Chrift^ the great 
 Judge of the world. To judge the world, is the pre- 
 rogative of the fupreme God, a Right infeperable 
 from the Crown of Heaven. Who can challenge 
 fuch a fovcreign authority, but he that made the world 
 at firft by his power, and preferves it by his gracious 
 providence ? To whom (hall we give an account of 
 our behaviour, but to him who has given us thefe rea- 
 fonable natures, and made us moral and accountable 
 creatures ? Juftly then does the Prophet fay, ^he Lord 
 is our Judge^ the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is 
 
 Gur King, Ifa. 33. 22. From him is all inferior 
 
 authority derived ; by him Kings rule, and Princes de- 
 cree juftice. And as He is the fupreme Judge of 
 
 the world, fo no creature is capable to difcharge this 
 important office ; for it requires infinite wifdom to 
 know the nature and circumftances of our actions, and 
 almighty power to punifli rebellious Sinners. — What 
 but the voice of God can awaken the dead, bring them 
 out of their filent graves, and fummon the whole 
 world before his tremendous Judgment-feat ? — Who 
 but a divine Perfon can fearch the hearts of men, and 
 unfold the fecret fprings of their actions, from whence 
 their malignity or goodnefs does principally arife .? — 
 Since then the Lord Jefus Chrijl is ordain'd to this 
 glorious work, we may juftly conclude, that he mull 
 be the great God, as well as the Saviour of the 
 world. 
 
 2. This takes away the fcandal of the Crofs, and 
 fhews that we have no Reafon to take offence at the 
 meannefs and fufferings ofChrift. Among all the pre- 
 judices that have been rais'd againft the Gofpel, none 
 has had a more fatal influence upon the bulk of man- 
 kind, than the mean and defpicable appearance of the 
 
 great 
 
4% Jefus Chrijl appointed 
 
 gfeat Author of our holy Religion^ and the bitter and 
 ignominious fufferings that he underwent. A crucified 
 Chrift was to the Jews a ftutnhling blocks and to the 
 Greeks foolijhnefs. They thought it the higheft abfur- 
 dity, that the Son of God fhould be delivered into 
 the hands of men, and expire upon a fhamefui Crofs. — > 
 But the firm belief of this truth, that Chrift is ap- 
 pointed to be the Judge of the quick and the dead, 
 takes away the reproach of the Crofs, and removes the 
 darknefs and contempt that attended his fuffering 
 
 Hate. For this informs us, that his humility and 
 
 iuiferings made way for his advancem.ent and tri- 
 umph, and that he who was fo ungratefully abufed, 
 and fo unjuftly condemn'd by the Princes of the earth, 
 is now exalted to the Goverrttnent of the world, and 
 will fhordy appear in dignity and power, to the Joy 
 of his friends, and the terror and confufion of his ad- 
 
 verfaries. Let then the Infidels of the Age defpife 
 
 his perfon, and deride his fufferings-, we are not 
 afham'd :o own, that we are the Difciples of a cruci- 
 fied Saviour. God forbid^ that we Jhould not glo?y in 
 the Crofs of Chrifi ! For our Redeemer is great, and 
 greatly to be praifed : CJod hath rais*d him up from 
 the dead, and given him a name above every name. 
 We now by fliith behold him fcated at the right hand 
 of power, and encompafs'd with the triumphant accla- 
 mations of Heaven ; but he will fhortly rend the 
 Heavens that now conceal his Glory, and appear in 
 'flami?{^ f:re to take vengeajtce on thofe that know not 
 God {irid obey not the Gofpel of Chrift ; then fhall his 
 f nemits bov/ before him, and lick the duft of his 
 feet ; and the dignity of his charader and office Ihall 
 be mar^ifeil to the whole world of Angels and men. 
 
 3. j^cncc the deftru^ion of Gofpel- impenitent s will 
 he i'nevitahle an', intolerable. Men are apt to Ihelter 
 themfelves from the terrors of the Law, by the graci- 
 ous and merciful promifes of the Gofpel : They ima- 
 ^ine^ tho' God is a confuming firt^ mdwrath^frvm 
 
 heaven 
 
to h the JuJge of the WorlJ, 45 
 
 heaven is declared agatnft all taigodlinefs a??d tinrighteouf' 
 nefs ofmen^ yet that the merits of Chrift will fcrecn them 
 from the flames of hell, and fecure them a title to im- 
 mortal glory. But thefe are wild miftakes, and con- 
 tradidt the whole defign of the Gofpel. The blelled 
 Jefus indeed is a merciful and companionate Savi- 
 our, but yet he has denounced the fevereft dam- 
 nation againft incorrigible Tinners ; his merits will 
 be imputed only to thofe that accept of his offers, 
 and fubmit to his reafonable demands \ he will 
 be the author of eternal Salvation .only to thofe 
 that obey him. Such as bear the name and character 
 of Chriftians, and yet by their wicked lives confute 
 their profefTion, and openly declare that they will not 
 have this man to reign over them^ will be fo far from 
 receiving any advantage by the name of Chrlfl, that 
 it will be an aggravation of their guilt, and an increafe 
 of their future condemnation. The hlood of the cove- 
 nant which they have trampled under foot, will cry 
 aloud for vengeance ; and the condefcending mercies 
 of heaven v/hich they have prophan'd and defpis'd, 
 will be turn'd into refentment and fury. They rejed: 
 the only remedy which infinite grace hath provided 
 for their recovery *, and therefore will fall unpitied 
 facrifices to his avenging juflice. He that now offers 
 to be their compafTionate Saviour, will then appear 
 their inexorable Judge. The meek and innocent 
 Lamb of God will then be arm*d with the teirors of 
 a devouring Lion : and thofe that would not bow to 
 the fceptre of his Grace, fhall be broke to pieces with 
 the rod of his Anger. Their doom will be pro- 
 nounc'd by him who was once the meffenger of divine 
 Grace, and made them the moft friendly offers of 
 mercy. This will doubtlefs give the bitterefc accent 
 to their mifery, and fill them with -the utmoil coniler- 
 nation and horror. How highly therefore does it 
 becom.e us now to fecure an Interefl in his Favour, 
 that fo he who will be our Judge, may alfo be our 
 
 G ' Friend! 
 
44 7^/^ Chrijl dppQinted 
 
 Friend ! How rcafonable is that advice of the Pfahniil, 
 Pfal. 2. 12. Kifs the Son^ left he he angry y and ye 
 ferijh in the way^ when his wrath is kindled but a little^ 
 hlejfed are they that put their truft in him. Which 
 brings me to fay, 
 
 4. Hence we fee the certainty of the believer's com- 
 
 pleat and eternal Salvation. When we confider the 
 
 unfpotted holinefs of our Judge, before whom the 
 Angels {land chargeable with folly, and the heavens 
 with impurity ; when we refledt upon the corruption 
 of our natures, and the innumerable imperfediions that 
 attend us ; the befl of men may tremble at the appre- 
 henfion of a future Judgment, and fland amaz'd at 
 the thought of having their eternal ftate determin'd 
 by fo righteous and impartial a Judge : For if he 
 ihould be ftrid to mark iniquity, who could (land be- 
 fore him ! Verily every mouth mud be ftop'd, every 
 tongue muft confefs their guilt, and own themfelves 
 worthy of eternal damnation. — But, bleffed be God, 
 the Gofpel affords the true believer a folid foundation 
 of hope, under all thefe affrighting confiderations ; 
 thofe that have by faith fecur'd an intereft in Chrift, 
 and made it the fincere endeavour of their lives to 
 approve themfelves to his all-feeing eye, ihall efcape 
 that dreadful Sentence that will be pronounc*d upon 
 an impenitent world. For he whom they accepted as 
 their Saviour, is appointed to be their Judge ; they 
 have refign'd themfelves to his almighty and compaf- 
 fionate hands, and he has engag'd to be their com- 
 pleat and eternal deliverer. He will therefore fave 
 them from the dark horrors of the grave, and the 
 amazing terrors of the laft day, and put them in pof- 
 feffion of that Kingdom he has prepar'd for them. He 
 has bought them out of the hands of Juftice by his 
 atoning blood, and purchas'd for them a title to the 
 manfions of Glory by his invaluable merits. Surely 
 then he will not fuffer the ends of his death to be de- 
 feated, nor the facrcd purchafe of his blood to mifcarrv. 
 - -. ■■ . We 
 
to le the JuJge of the WorlJ. 45* 
 
 We may be afTur'd he has not forgot the diflrefling 
 forrows of his hfe, nor the dreadful agonies of his 
 
 Crofs. That Love that nailed him to the curfed 
 
 tree, and brought him down to the dull of death, for 
 the redemption of his People; will excite him to take 
 care of their welfare, and finifh the work he has 
 begun. 
 
 Let Infidels tremble at the approach of their Judge, 
 who have out-fin'd his infinite mercy, and denied 
 their God and Saviour : Let fearfulnefs feize the hypo- 
 crite^ and horror furprize the finners in Zion^ who are 
 enemies to Chrift, under the difguife of a vifible pro- 
 
 feflion. But let the Saints in Chrift Jefus lift up 
 
 their heads with Joy, and long for the coming of their 
 Lord. When he fays by the Spirit to his Churches, 
 Behold I come quickly^ let our Souls eccho back with 
 the loudeft tranfports of Joy, Even fo come^ Lord 
 Jefus! 
 
 To Him, &V, 
 
 AMEN. 
 
 Preach'd Dec* 4, 
 J737- 
 
 SER- 
 
(40 
 
 S E R M O N IV. 
 
 The Manner and Circuraftances of 
 Chnft's Appearance at the laft Day. 
 
 MATTH. XVL -lj. 
 
 Tor the Son cf Man Jhall come in the Glory of hh 
 Father^ with his Angels ; and then he Jhall re- 
 ward every Han according to his Works. 
 
 K HE difpenfation of the Gofpel is admirably- 
 calculated to reclaim a finful world from 
 the paths of error and delufion ; and to 
 perfwade the children of men to confuk 
 their duty and happinefs : Its doElrines are fublime and 
 excellent, wordiy of their heavenly defcent, and come 
 recommended to our faith by the brighteft evidences 
 of a divine authority : Its precepts contain the noblefl: 
 rules for our moral condu6l, and are happily defign*d 
 to exalt and purify the nature of man, and advance the 
 univerfal prcfperity of the world. 
 
 And fmce we are at prefent in a corrupt and dege- 
 nerate (late, difinclin'd to our duty, and indeed filled 
 v/i^h ptej'jdices againiV it -, therefore the wife Author 
 of oar Beings hath feen fit to enforce his laws by fuita- 
 ble fLin5fionSy and engage us to obedience by the moft 
 powerful and perfwaiive arguments. Hence in the 
 
 Gofpei 
 
The Manner y &c. cf Chnjfs fecond Coming. 47 
 
 ^Gofpel there every where appears the greateft feveri- 
 ty to diffwade us from fin, and the highefl condefcen- 
 tion and goodnefs to allure us to holinefs. 
 . The Eternal Majefty of heaven is fometimes re- 
 vealed in the amazing terrors of his wrath^ as a con- 
 fuming fire to the workers of iniquity j at other times 
 he appears in the bright difplays of his 77iercy^ as a 
 tender and indulgent father to thole that ferve and 
 obey him : And the great Saviour of Souls is repre- 
 fented as one who dfd a facrifice for the fins of the 
 world, and compafTionately invites the children of men 
 to come to him that they may have life -, but will 
 Ihortly appear in flaming fire to take vengeance on thofe 
 that know not God^ and obey not the Go/pel of Chriji. 
 
 Thefe different reprefentations arc wonderfully 
 fuited to influence the hopes and fears of men, the two 
 great ruling pafTions of our nature, and the fecret 
 fprings of our a6lions •, and have an happy tendency 
 to deter us from all ungodlinefs and unrighteoufnefs, 
 which lead to deflrudlion and mifery, and to engage 
 us to a ftedfaft adherence to our duty, which is the 
 way to immortality and glory. Our bleffed Saviour 
 having therefore urged upon his difciples the necefTity 
 of denying the7?ifelves^ taking up their crofs, and follow^ 
 ing Him, their Lord and Mailer, in humility and fuf- 
 fering, enforces all with this awful confideration, Tha^ 
 the Son of man Jhall come in the glory of his Father^ 
 with his Angels^ and then he fljall reward every man 
 according to his works. In fpeaking to which words 
 (by divine afTiftance) 1 fhall 
 
 FIrft, Confider the Manner of Chrifl's fecond Ap« 
 pcarance. 
 
 Secondly, The Work that he will then perform, 
 
 Firft, I am to confider the Manner ofChrift's fecond 
 
 /l^pearance. When he firft Icii: the manfions of 
 
 g^ory. 
 
4? The Manner and Circumflances 
 
 glory, and defcended into this lower world, he can^e 
 in a (late of humility and meannefs, and ftoop'd to 
 numberlefs hardfhips and difficulties, that he might 
 anfwer the defign of his manifeftation in the flefh, and 
 accomplifh the great work of redemption. But his 
 fecond advent will be with furprifing majefty and 
 glory, to execute vengeance upon the ungodly, and 
 vindicate the caufe of his defpifed Gofpel. 
 
 When God came down upon mount Sinai to pro- 
 claim the law to the children of Ifrael^ the glory of 
 the Lord appear'd like devouring fire, and the moun- 
 tain was covered with darknefs and fmoke. So ter- 
 rible was the fight, that Mofes the friend of God ex- 
 ceedingly fear'd and quak'd ; the whole army of Ifrael 
 were ft ruck with amazement, and cry'd out in diftrefs, 
 Let not God fpeak with us^ left we die. — If fuch fur- 
 prifing terrors attended the firft promulgation of the 
 law, with what awful folemnity will the Lawgiver 
 appear, when he comes to avenge the quarrel of his 
 covenant^ and punilh the profane contempt of his au- 
 thority ? 
 
 The Scriptures reprefent this awful event in the 
 iiioft lofty and magnificent language. Amazing pro- 
 digies will ufher in this illuftrious day, and proclaim 
 the defcent of our almighty Judge *, continual trage^ 
 dies will be a6ted on the great ftage of nature, and 
 this lower world will be involved in univerfal confu- 
 fion and diforder ; * the Sun Jh all he turned into dark^ 
 mfsy and the Moon into blood -, the Stars of heaven fhall 
 flart from their exalted orbs, and the powers of the hea^ 
 vens fijall he fJjaken-, perpetual thunders fhall roar 
 irom the lower regions of the air, the earth fhall trem- 
 hie a?:d quake, and the foundations of the hills fhall he 
 
 removed.- Then fhall appear the fign of the Son of 
 
 Man in the heavens f and give the world a convincing 
 evidence of the near approach of the great and ter- 
 rible 
 
 •^ '^Qd i. 51. Matih. 3^4. 2S>. iyiJ/» 18. 7. t ^<2^^^^' H' 5^« 
 
of Chri/fs fecond Coming. 49 
 
 rible day of the Lord. At which amazing fight, the 
 inhabitants of the earth lliall mourn, and the fmners 
 in Zion Ihall be horribly afraid. 
 
 In the midft of their perplexity and diftrefs, the Son 
 
 of Man Jhall defcend in the clouds of heaven with piver 
 and great glory. He will appear in the pomp and 
 folemnity of an incarnate God, and aflume a glo- 
 ry and magnificence fuitable to the dignity of his 
 office. 
 
 His perfonal glory will be inexpreflibly great, his 
 eyes will Iparkle like flames of fire, his countenance 
 will fhine with dazling beams of majefly and beauty, 
 and his whole body be bright and luminous beyond 
 the Sun in its meridian fplendor. Thus he is de- 
 fcrib'd in the Vifions of St. John^ In the ??iidjl of the' 
 feven candlefticks was one like the Son of Ma?;., his head 
 and his hair were white as wool, as white as fnow^ his 
 eyes were as aflame of fire ^ and his countenance was as 
 the Sun fhining in its ftrength *. 
 
 He will alfo come in the glory of his heavenly 
 Father., and be clothed with the authority of the uni- 
 verfal Judge of the world. God has appointed him 
 King upon his holy Zion^ and proclaim'd an unalterable 
 decree, that to him every knee fhall how ; not in fcorn 
 and derifion, as in the days of his infirmity and fuller- 
 ing, but v/ith the deepefl humility and reverence j 
 and evoy tongue fhall confefs his royal dignity and 
 power, not with an infuking feoff, but in lubmiulvc 
 poflures of adoration. 
 
 But to increafe the glory of his appearance, he will 
 be attended with a fplendid and numerous eqiiiiagt., 
 becoming the dignity of hisperfon, and the exalted 
 character he fuftains. The innumerable hoft of Angels 
 lliall leave the manfions of heaven, and attend tlieir 
 defcending Lord, to obey his fovereign orders, and 
 adorn the triumphs of his juilice. The geacral affj n - 
 
 bly 
 
5'b The Manner and Circumftances 
 
 bly of the Saints^ whom he hath redeem'd by his in- 
 valuable blood, and fandtified by his all-conquering 
 grace, fhall forfake the celeftial paradife, and accom- 
 pany the great God our Saviour, in his illuftrious 
 progrefs through the fkies. Thus the Patriarch Eftocb 
 prophefied of old •, * Behold^ the Lord cometh with ten 
 thoufands of his Saints^ to execute judgment on the un- 
 godly. And the Prophet Daniel aiTures us, § that thou- 
 /and thoufands fhall minifler unto him^ and ten thou- 
 fand times ten thoufand fhall ft and before him. And St. 
 Paul tells us, -f that he fhall he revealed fro7n heaven 
 with his mighty Angels. Thofe fpotlefs Spirits fhall 
 be clothed in their brightcft robes of glory, and appear 
 in vifible fplendor to the inhabitants of the earth. 
 And how vaft and furprifmg a figure will they make ? 
 How awful and majeflic will be the appearance of 
 our Judge, when he fhall affume his own proper 
 greatnefs, and be attended with the fhining inhabi- 
 tants of heaven ? Who may abide the day of his com- 
 ing, or be able to (land before his awful tribunal ? 
 How will all nations fall proflrate at his footftool, 
 and tremble at his prefence, who can by a word of 
 his mouth fentence them to the depths of mifery, or 
 advance them to the height of glory and happinefs ? 
 Which brings me to the other thing propofed; 
 
 Secondly, To confider the Work that he will per- 
 form. I'hen fhall he reward every Man according i» 
 his works : And this includes three things. 
 
 1 . All mankind fhall be fumjnon^d before him. 
 
 2 . They fhall be called to a flridl account for their 
 actions. 
 
 3. The righteous fhall be adjudg'd to unalterable 
 gf^ory.^ but the wicked condemn'd to eternal mifery. 
 
 I. All mankind fhall he fummo-iH hefore him. No 
 fooner fhall the Judge defcend to this lower world, 
 
 and 
 
 * J«<^r 14. 15. S ^^An^ 1' 10. 1 ^ H;^/. i- 7- 
 
of Chrtffi fecond Comhg. yt 
 
 and ereft his throne in the Air, but they that are in 
 their graves (hall be awakned out of the (leep of death, 
 and all the inhabitants of the world be cited to appear 
 before the Judgment-feat of Chrift. The voice of 
 the Archangel, the chief of the heavenly hoil, fhall 
 eccho through the wide creation, and penetrate into 
 the fecret caverns of the earth ; at which mighty 
 found the dead fhall flart out of their dufly beds, 
 and all the defcendants of Adam fhall be compelled 
 to obey the call ; thofe that are alive fhall be imme- 
 diately changed, and prepar'd to make their pcrfonai 
 appearance at the bar of their Judge. Thus the Scrip- 
 tures afTure us : We Jhall all jl and before the judgment' 
 feat of Chrift. Every one of us fhall give an account 
 of himfelf unto God. The univerfal Father of men 
 without refpcot of perfons judgeth every man according 
 to his vjork. He accepteth not the perfons of prince Sy 
 7ior regardeth the rich more than the poor^ for they are 
 all the work of his hands *. 
 
 Civil diftindlions make a mighty found among 
 men, and perfons of fuperior wealth and power are 
 admired and applauded like fo many Deities, by their 
 fervile flatterers : hence they are apt to fwell with 
 pride, upon the account of their elevated circumftan- 
 ces, and vainly hope that they Ihall be treated with 
 deference and refped at the future judgment ; they 
 flatter themfelves that God will not be ftriSi to mark 
 iniquity in men of their dignity and ftation, but that 
 he will make fome favourable allowances for the ex- 
 cefiTes and follies which are fo common among men 
 of figure and eft:ate in the world. — — But alas ! thefe 
 are vain imaginations: the fovereign Ruler of the 
 world pays no regar-d to earthly greatnefs, neither has 
 he any value for thofe diftindions, which are made by 
 birth and eftate. The great Potentates of the earth, 
 who are cry'd up as gods by deluded mortals, are in 
 
 H his 
 
 I^ojn^ ^l^ lo» jPit^ i. I?^ Job H- ^3» ^9* 
 
5^ The Manner and Circumdances 
 
 his fight but contemptible worms of the duft. la 
 that day they will be divefted of all their (lately orna- 
 ments, deprived of the enfigns of their greatnefs and 
 power, and (land upon a level with the meaneil flave. 
 Death, the univerfal Conqueror, pays no complements 
 to their quality, but arrefts them without ceremony or 
 refped ; and their impartial Judge will irrefiftibly 
 fummon them to his tremendous bar. The mighty 
 Ccefars and Alexanders^ who have depopulated the 
 earth by their deftruftive fwords, and facrificed nati- 
 ons to their unbounded lufts, ihall tremble at his ap- 
 pearance, and curfe their ambition and madnefs. Thus 
 this aftonifhing fcene is reprefented by St. John^ *And 
 the Kings of the earthy and the great men^ and the rich 
 men^ and the chief captains^ and the mighty men^ hid 
 themfelves in the dens and rocks of the ?nountainSy and 
 faid to the mountains and rocks. Fall on us, and hide us 
 from the face of him that fitteth upon the throne, and 
 from the wrath of the Lamb *, jor the great day of his 
 wrath is come : and who fJoall he able to ft and? 
 
 And as none are too great and mighty to be called 
 to an account, fo none are too mean and contemptible 
 to be taken notice of. They that have made no figure 
 among men, but have fpent their days in want and 
 obfcurity, will not be overlook'd in this vail aflembly, 
 but flridlly examined, whether they have fubmitted 
 to the wife difpofals of providence, and improv'd the 
 talents committed to their trufV. Thofe that are in 
 the morning of their Youth and in the llrcngth and 
 vigour of their age, fhall be brought into judgment 
 for their unmindfulnefs of their great Creator, and 
 their criminal indulgence of fenfual pleafures. Igno- 
 rant uninftru6led heathens, who have inhabited the 
 wild and defolate corners of the earth, fhall be called 
 to an account, for their tranfgreflion of the law of 
 nature, and their abufe of the divine goodnefs. The 
 
 learned 
 
 * Rsvt 6t ly, 169 17^ 
 
of Chnjl's fee on J Comttig. 5* 3 
 
 learned and civilized nations, who have been favour*d 
 with the light of the Gofpel, and early inftrudled in 
 the will of heaven, muil anfwer for their fuperior 
 advantages, and their negledt of the means of grace 
 and falvation. Such as will not now approach the 
 throne of divine mercy, muft then appear at the bar 
 of inflexible Juftice. Thus all mankind of every 
 nation and language, of every quality and condition, 
 of every age and fex, muft be judg'd in the great day. 
 What a grand and folemn fight will this be ! To be- 
 hold all the fucceflive generations of men ftand toge- 
 ther in their refpedlive orders, and wait for their de- 
 cifive trial ! Which leads to fay, 
 
 2 . In that day men Jloall he called to a ftri5i account 
 for all their aofions. — So the royal Preacher informs 
 us ; * God will bring every work into judgment, with 
 every fecret thing, whether it he good or whether it he 
 evil. All the aSions of men are recorded in the book 
 of God's remembrance, and fhall be difclofed to the 
 public view of the world in the great day of the reve- 
 Jation of all things. 
 
 Unthinking finners are apt to imagine themfelves 
 fecure, if they can conceal their crimes from the Cog- 
 nizance of men, and commit their fins in darknefs 
 and retirement : but alas ! the ways of man are now 
 before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his 
 goings, ^here is no darknefs or fhadow of death where 
 the workers of iniqidty may hide themfelves +. No. 
 fecret impurity can efcape the knowledge of our 
 Judge, nor any artful hypocrify deceive his piercing 
 eyes : even the fecret motions and inclinations of our 
 hearts are expofed to his cridcal ^obfervation : all 
 proud and revengeful thoughts, all uncharitable and 
 malicious intentions, all the covetous and unjuft de- 
 figns, that men have fecredy harbour'd in their breafts, 
 ihall then be unfolded before the grand confiftory of 
 H Z Angela 
 
 * EccU iZt 14. t r^ov. 5. ii. Joh 34, II. 
 
54 The Manner and Ctrcumflances 
 
 Angels and Men. For there is nothing covered^ that 
 Jhall not he revealed^ nor hid that Jhall not he known* . 
 
 Men frequently imagine, that their tongues are their 
 cwn^ that their words vanifh into air, and fhall not be 
 brought to any future account. But our Saviour tells us, 
 •f- that Men Jhall give an account for every idle word that 
 they f peak. You therefore delude your felves to your 
 eternal ruin, if you think that your vain and filthy 
 communication, your profane and irreligious difcourfe, 
 your horrid oaths and imprecations, your impious jefts 
 upon our holy Religion, your malicious flanders of 
 good men, fhall pafs unobferved in that day ; for hy 
 thy words thou Jhalt he jiijlijied^ and hy thy words thou 
 Jhalt he condemned. When our Lord fliall come to 
 execute judgment upon all, he will convince itiQ 
 wicked not only of their ungodly deeds, which they 
 have impioufly committed, but alfo of all their hard 
 and grievous fpeeches which they have fpoken againfi 
 bim \\ . 
 
 But finners lliall not only be called to an account 
 for their tranfgrefTions of the law of God, but alfo for 
 their omijjicns of duty, and negleding to improve the 
 various and happy advantages they have enjoy'd: 
 Their Power and eftates, their health of body and 
 abilities of mind, their opportunities and capacities of 
 glorifying God and promoting the welfare of man- 
 kind ', thefe Things flaall then be produc'd againft 
 
 them, and be a heavy article in their indidlment. ■ 
 
 Thus wc find the (lothful fervant, who traded not with 
 his Lord\s talent^ hit buried it in the earthy is fentenced 
 into outer darknefs^ where there is perpetual weeping 
 and gnajhing of teeih%. 
 
 All the aggravations of men's fins fhall then be 
 enumerated, and their guilt ihall appear in its crim- 
 fon-colours. If the G^;;/i/^- world fhall be condemned 
 for refitting the glimmering light oi nature^ and re- 
 belling 
 
 ^MvaaBaMBaiH* -- n '■ — ——————— —^— ^mm^mtm^ 
 
 * Luk. «2. 2. f Matth. 11, }6, S7. II Judc^ is. § Maftf}, 
 
 25. 3^- 
 
of Chrijfs feeond Coming* ^y 
 
 belling againfl the law of God fo obfcurely written 
 on their hearts ; how inexcufable will be their o-uilt, 
 how vafl their condemnation, who have fhut their 
 eyes againfl the marvellous light of the GofpeU and 
 ftifled the powerful convidions of the Sprit of 
 Grace ! 
 
 Finally, while the wicked fhall be expofed in all 
 their guilt and deformity, and be publickly charged 
 with their numberlefs tranfgreffions •, God will not be 
 regardlefs of the Saints^ nor forget their labour of love. 
 Their heavenly Father knows their works, and with 
 pleafure obferves their zeal and fidelity in his fervice : 
 Their fecret prayers and tears, their difFufive charity 
 and beneficence, are fet down in the facred records 
 of Tieaven, and will be mentioned to their immortal 
 honour in the day of the Lord •, their patient fufi'er- 
 ings in the ways of their duty will be carefully re- 
 membred, and their fmalleft fervices to the Kingdom 
 of Chrift will meet with a vaft and unfpeakable re- 
 ward. Thus I am come to the lail thing to be 
 
 confidered. 
 
 3. ne Righteous fhall he adjudged to unalterable 
 glory\ hut the Wicked condemned to eternal mifery. 
 
 Thofe who have accepted the compafTionate offers 
 of a Saviour, and complied with the gracious demands 
 of the Gofpel ; who have devoted themfelves to God 
 without exception or referve, and made it the great 
 lludy of their lives to approve themfelves to their all- 
 feeing Judge ; who have lamented their innumerable 
 defeats and infirmities, and fincerely endeavour'd to 
 mortify their moft beloved lufts ; who have improv'd 
 the means of Grace with fidelity and diligence, and 
 abounded in adls of charity and benevolence •, thefe 
 Ihall be openly acknowledged by Chrift in that day, 
 and rank'd among the number of his fervanrs and 
 followers. Their Mafter and Judge, whofe authority 
 they have reverenced, whofe laws they have obferv'd, 
 pnd in whofe merits they have confided ; the Lord 
 
 Jcius 
 
56 The Manner and Circumflances 
 
 Jefus Chrift, with indulgent fmiles in his countenance, 
 and the tendereft accents in his voice, will pronounce 
 that happy fentence upon them ; Coine^ ye hleffed of 
 my Father^ hihsrit the Kingdom^ prepared for you frojti 
 the foundation of the world *. 
 
 But the Wicked, who have defpis'd his facred au- 
 thority, trannpled under foot his invaluable blood, and 
 obftinately perfifted in fin, in contennpt of all the con- 
 defcending offers of his grace, fhall receive that awful 
 doom from the mouth of their flighted and injur'd 
 Saviour, Depart from me^ ye curfed^ into everlajling 
 fre^ -prepared for the devil and bis angels -f. 
 
 And according to thefe different fentences will the 
 final ft ate of the children of men be unchangeably 
 determined. The Wicked fhall be immediately feiz'd 
 upon by devils, and convey'd to the dark abodes of 
 horror and delpair -, the heavens from above fhall 
 (bower down torrents of flaming fire upon their guilty 
 heads, and hell from below fhall open its mouth to 
 rcct'ive them, where they fhall be tormented day and 
 lijght, without any poffibility of efcape, or hope of 
 (k^iverance. While the Righteous fhall afcend to their 
 erithroiied Lord and Saviour, and with crowns upon 
 ciicir iieads, and palms of vidlory in their hands, 
 iv.ake their triumphant entrance into the new Jeru- 
 l'aie?n^ die city of the living God -, a place of unfpeak- 
 itble joy and refrefliment, where all forrow fhall be 
 banifli'd from their breafls, all tears fliall be wiped 
 from their eyes, their hopes fliall be fiidsfyM, dieir 
 defires nccomplilli'd, and their whole man filled with 
 thole divine and tranfporting pleafures, that flow at 
 tb.e rio-ht hand of God. Then fhall they JhtJie like 
 the Sun in the kingdom of their Father^ and be im- 
 moveably fixM in the firmament of immortal glory. 
 They fliall no longer complain, that they fojourn in 
 Mclhec, and are vex*d with the filthy converfation of 
 
 the 
 
 Matih. IS' S4' + ^W<? 4^' 
 
of Chrijfs feconJ Comlrtg, 5*7 
 
 the wicked : But fhall be aflbciated with the glorious 
 company of the Apoftles, the goodly fellowihip of 
 the Prophets and Martyrs, and the general aflembly 
 of the Church throughout the world ; together with 
 theie they fhall encompafs the throne of God with 
 proftration and praife, and tune their voices to the 
 facred anthems of heaven, faying. To him that hath 
 loved us^ and ivajhed us frorn our fins in his oivn bloody 
 and hath ?nade us Kings and Priejis wito God and his 
 Father *, to him he glory and dominion for ever. Amen. 
 
 I pafs now to the ImpSlovement of my Subjed. 
 
 I . What we have heard fliould be improv'd as a 
 foiverful reftraint from the pra^ice of fecret fins. For 
 what can be an higher abfurdity, than for men to en- 
 courage themfelvcs in fm when they have the advan- 
 tage of privacy and retirement, and to imagine that 
 they are fafe from punifhment, if the curtains of night, 
 or any artful difguifes hide their wicked adions from 
 the view and obfervation of men ? Alas! what will 
 it avail you to conceal your wickednefs from the eyes 
 of men, when your mod fecret adlions are vifible to 
 the God with whom you have to do ? What little 
 advantage will you receive by avoiding worldly fhame 
 and punifhment, when your fecret enormities will 
 fhortly be brought upon the public ftage, and dif- 
 play'd in their moft odious colours, to your eternal 
 confufion? Tho' now you cover your tranfgrefTions 
 as Adam^ and hide your iniquities in your bofom ?. 
 yet there is nothing fo fecretly committed, but it fhaii 
 then be brought to light, and expos'd before the vait 
 and numerous afTembly of Angels ami Men. 
 
 The firm belief of this awful truth would break 
 the force of many temptations, and be an happy pre- 
 fervation from defiling fins ; it would make us reje(fl 
 with abhorrence the infinuating charms of vice, and 
 fay with holy Jofej^h ; How can I do this great ivick- 
 fdnefs and fm againjl God! • 2. This 
 
58 
 
 The Mamer anJ Circumfidncei 
 
 2, This fhews us the vanity of hyper ify. For the 
 eyes of our Judge are as flaming fire, and penetrate 
 into the hidden corners of our fouls. In the day of 
 Judgment every mafic fhall be pull'd off, every flat- 
 tering difguife fhall be remov'd, and the fecrets of 
 all hearts fliall be difclofed. Why then will you put 
 on a form of Godlinefs, and engage in external ads of 
 devotion, only to be feen of men, and gain the empty 
 applaufe of your fellow creatures ; when your eternal 
 ftate will be decided, not by the charitable opinion of 
 ihort-fighted mortals, but by the unerring Sentence of 
 an all-feeing God ! Be not deceived ; Chrift is not -to 
 be mocked. He fees the pride and hypocrify of the 
 painted pharifee, under the moft amiable and goodly 
 appearance. He beholds the fordid flattery of falfe 
 and noify profeflbrs, who bow the knee before him 
 with feeming humility and devotion, while their affec- 
 tions are wedded to the world, and their lives are 
 ftain'd with abominable impurities. This therefore 
 fhould excite us all to the greatefl: fmcerity in (%r 
 profefllon, to be faithful to our folemn vows and "^n- 
 gagements, that we may be found the difciples of 
 Chrift, not only in outward appearance, but in the 
 inward temper and difpofition of our minds : fo we 
 fliall have this for our rejoicing, even the teftimony of 
 our confcience, that in flinplicity and godly flncerity 
 we have had our converfation in the world. 
 
 3. How much docs it concern us to hold f aft the 
 p'ofejfion of our faith^ in the tnidft of the greateft diffi- 
 culties and difcouragemeuts ? We live in a dark day of 
 error and apoftacy •, in which the diftinguifhing glo- 
 ries of the Gofpel are publickly reviled and infulted, 
 by men of corrupt principles and licentious morals. 
 Weak and unftable minds are in danger of being 
 carried away, by the prevailing torrent of infidelity. 
 It is therefore our indifpenfable duty to maintain our 
 facred profeffion, in this dangerous hour of temptation, 
 and vigorouQy to defend th^ faith once delivered to the 
 
 SaintSy 
 
of Chn[fs fecond Comhg. 5*9 
 
 Saints^ even in the face of its boldeft oppofers. For Our 
 blefled Saviour has made thofe declarations % * IVhofo-- 
 ever Jhall confefs me before men^ him will I confefs before 
 •my Father which is in heaven. But whofoever Jhall he 
 ajham^d of me,, or of my words,, of him alfo Jhall the Son 
 of man be ajham^d^ when he comes in the glory of his 
 Father,, with his holy Angels, 
 
 If then we betray the facred depofitum committed 
 to our truft, through covetoufnefs or cowardife *, if 
 we corrupt the purity of the Gofpel, through a fmful 
 compliance with the humours of the age : What caa 
 we expe6l, but that our Mafter and Judge will treac 
 us with contempt and abhorrence, and herd us among 
 his abandon'd enemies ! This thought fhould infpire 
 us with undaunted courage in the caufe of Chrifl, and 
 arm us with a noble refolution to fubmit to the greateft 
 hardlhips and difficulties, rather than make fhipwreck 
 of our faith and a good confcience. 
 
 4. We Jhould conjlantly bear in ??wid the Jiri^nefs of 
 cur future account^ and live as thofe that expe5l to be 
 judged. If the adlions of our lives w^ere tranfient, and 
 there v/ere no remembrance of them hereafter j if 
 death put a final period to our being, and we were 
 never to be called to an account for the things done jn 
 the body ; we might then give a loofe to our fenfual 
 inclinations, and eat and dri?ik without thought or con- 
 cern, for to morrow we die. But fince we are candi- 
 dates for immortality, and our final date will be deter- 
 mined according to our prefent behaviour, it infinitely 
 concerns us, if we have any true love to our feives, 
 any regard to our great and everlafting intereft, to 
 keep a future judgment perpetually in our view ; to 
 confider, that every a(5tion of life will be fcann'd with 
 an impartial feverity, and an unalterable fentence will 
 pafs, according to our works. 
 
 It 
 I 
 
 * M<^uh iQ. 31, Mark 8 >8, 
 
(Jo The Manner and Circumftances 
 
 It is for want of this, that the unthinking children 
 of men are embolden'd in the pradlice of fm, and live 
 oftentimes in an allowed courfe of impiety and pro- 
 fanenefs, of rioting and excefs, in an habitual negledt 
 of the fervice of God, and the welfare of their im- 
 mortal fouls. 
 
 Did men ferioufly confider the important confe- 
 quences of their a6lions, that they are now fowing the 
 feeds of endlefs and inconceivable joy, or laying the 
 foundation of unutterable horror and defpair ; it would 
 powerfully excite them to cleanfe themfelves from all 
 filthinefs of flefh and fpirit, and to be perfecting holi- 
 nefs in the fear of the Lord. This Argument is made 
 ufe of by the wife man ; Fear God^ and keep his com- 
 Tnandments -, for God Jball bring every work into judg- 
 vnenty with every fecret things whether it he good or 
 whether it he evil. Eccl. 12. 14. 
 
 Let us therefore keep our thoughts fix'd upon this 
 great and important day, when the Son of Man fhall 
 come in the glory of his Father ^ with his Angels^ and 
 fhall reward every man according to his works. 
 
 This indeed is an harlh and ungrateful fubje<51:, to 
 the greateft part of mankind ; they are fo involved in 
 fecular bufinefs, fo folicitous to increafe their eftates 
 and raife their families, that they have no time to re- 
 gard the one thing needful, and prepare for an eternal 
 judgment : therefore they banilh the thought of it out 
 of their minds, left it Ihould give a check to their 
 ambitious views, and interrupt their worldly enjoy- 
 ments. But confider, I befeech you ; thofe things 
 which you now fo pafTionately doat on, and for which 
 you facrifice your eternal All, will not profit you in 
 the day of wrath ; they will not appeafe a ftormy 
 confcience, nor bribe your impartial Judge. — What 
 comfort or fluisfadlion will it then afford you, to re- 
 fledt, that you have had a diftinguifh'd name among 
 flattering mortals, that you have been rank'd among 
 tlx £V cwl iTi^n of ih^ earth, and havq been honoured 
 ^ with 
 
cf Chrtjfs fecond Coming. 6t 
 
 with a fplendid paflage to the grave? Will any of 
 
 thefe ferve to procure you a favourable fcntence at the 
 tribunal of heaven, or fcreen you from the avenging 
 wrath of an offended God, or even abate your punifh- 
 ment and forrow in the day of perdition of ungodly 
 men ? — No verily ! nothing will then fupport and 
 folace you, but the teftimony of an unreproaching con- 
 fcience, and the fmiles of your almighty Saviour, a 
 title to his invaluable nierits, and to the great and prcs^ 
 cieus promifes of his everlafting Gofpel. 
 
 Let us then be fo wife as to forefee the evil^ mdjlee 
 from the wrath to come : Let us now feek and fecure 
 the favour of Chrift, our fupreme Lord and Judge, 
 that when we come to ftand at his awful bar, we may 
 receive a gracious fentence from his mouth ; and may 
 appear before him with Joy and Confidence in the 
 day, when he fhall come to be glorified in his Saints^ 
 and admired in all them that believe. 
 
 To Him, t>V. 
 
 AMEN. 
 
 PreachM Jan. 8. 
 
 SER^ 
 
(62) 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 The Nature and Neceflity of Prepara- 
 tion for the Coming of Chrift. 
 
 II C O R. V. 9. 
 
 Wherefore we lahour^ that whether prefent or ah- 
 jtnt we may he accepted of Him. 
 
 OF all the affairs, that employ the time and 
 captivate the affedions of the children of 
 men, none fo juftly defer ve our attention 
 and concern, as a preparation for that 
 awful day, when v/e muft ftand before the impartial 
 bir of Chrift, and give an account of the things done 
 in the body. This fhould be the work of our early 
 Years, and engage the (Irength and vigour of our 
 manly age -, but alas ! it is commonly delayed to the 
 dark evening of life, 'all the melancholy^decays of 
 nature warn us of our approaching end. 
 
 The fpecious vanities and trifles of the world divert 
 unthinking fmners from a ferious application to the 
 one thing needful ; they flatter themifelves, that the 
 Vifion is for many days^ and they fhalL have time 
 enough hereafter' to fecure the favour of their Judge. 
 
 The deluge of waters broke in upon the old world 
 in the height of their fecurity, wbilji they uiere eatmg 
 and drinkin^^ marrying and giving in indrriage^ and 
 
 dif- 
 
the Nature & Neceftty of Preparathtt^ &c. 6^ 
 
 difpatch'd them in a moment into irrecoverable mi^ 
 fery ; and this prefent earth, which is referv'd for the 
 fire of the iaft day, ihall be deftroy'd in as fudden and 
 irrefiflible a manner. As it was in the days of Noah, 
 fo Jhall it he in the days of the Son of Man. When the 
 world is drown*d in fin and fecurity, and dream of 
 nothing but peace and fafety^ then Jhall fudden dejl ruc- 
 tion come upon them^ as travail upon a woman with 
 child. 
 
 Therefore our blefTed Saviour exhorts his difciples 
 to continual watchful nefs and diligence, ^ake heed^ 
 left at any time your hearts he overcharged with furfeit-- 
 ing and drunkennefs., and the cares of this life., and fo 
 that day come upon you unawares -, for as a fnare will 
 it come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth *. 
 And every v/ife confiderate man will receive the 
 folemn caution, and avoid the danger of a fudden fur- 
 prize : Now this can only be done by making it the 
 great bufinefs of Life to prepare for the coming of 
 our Lord. This was the pradice of St. Faid., as we 
 find in our text ; and his example is worthy of our 
 careful and diligent imitation. The Point then to be 
 infilled upon is this : 
 
 It Jhould he the great ftudy and endeavor of every 
 chriftiany that he may he accepted of the Lord in the day 
 of Judgment, 
 
 In fpeaking to this Point, I fhall 
 
 Firft., Confider^w/-?^/ is required of iis^ that we may 
 be accepted of the Lord in the day of Judgment. 
 
 Secondly, IVJjy every Chriftian fhculd make this 
 his great itudy and endeavor. 
 
 Firfl. 
 
 * luk. Zi. 24, 25. 
 
^4 The feature © Ueceftty of Preparation 
 
 Firfl. / Jhall confider what is requir'd ofus^ that wi 
 may he acceped cf the Lord in the day of Judgment, 
 The cafe is pradlical, and deferves our clofe and dili- 
 gent attention. 1 Ihall only infift on a few general 
 and comprehenfive articles. 
 
 I . We miift by faith fecure a title to the Merits and 
 Rtghteoufnefs of Chrifl. We are all by nature involv'd 
 in the guilt of fin, expos'd to the condemning fentence 
 of the law, and in danger of fuffering the vengeance 
 of eternal fire ; the holieft of men arc encompafs'd 
 with innumerable imperfeftions, and their bed perfor- 
 mances are defiled with fo many blcmilhes, that fhould 
 God be drift to mark iniquity, who could ftand the 
 fiery trial, and appear with fafety at the inlightned 
 tribunal of heaven ? Hence the humble Pfalmift vehe- 
 mently deprecates the ftri6l inquiry of juflice *, Enter 
 not into judgment with thy fervant^ O Lord ! for in thy 
 fight Jhall no man living he jujlified. And the great 
 Doctor of the Gentiles^ tho' among the chief of Saints, 
 and an eminent Apoflle, renounces all confidence In 
 himfelf, and counts all things hut lofs, that he may he 
 found in Chi-ift^ not having on his own righteoufnefs 
 which is of the law\ hut that which is through faith in 
 him *.— — Not one of the fons of men can perfedly 
 obey the divine commands, nor by any thing that he 
 can do or fuffer, appeafe the infinite difpleafure of an 
 holy God : But the expiatory facrifice of Chrifl com- 
 pleatly anfwer'd the demands of juflice, and by his 
 unfpotted innocence he vindicated the honour of the 
 law, and purchas'd eternal redemption for his chofen 
 People. 
 
 Now if ever we would be acquitted at the bar of 
 God, and obtain the favour of our impartial Judge, 
 we mufl plead, not any works of righteoufnefs that we 
 have done, but the meritorious obediene? and fufferings 
 of our blelfed Saviour, 
 
 Andl 
 
 ^ PbiL 3. 8, p, 
 
for the Coming of Chrlfl. 6^ 
 
 And that we may have a title to his invaluable 
 merits, we muft by faith accept of him as our only 
 Saviour, and acknowledge him as our fovereign Lord 
 and Owner, with an entire dependance on his all- 
 fufficient facrifice, and an unfeigned defire to obey 
 his excellent precepts •, for he is a Prieft upon a throtiCy 
 a Pri?ice as well as a Saviour : And none will be lav^d 
 by the merits of his blood, but thofe that fubmit to 
 
 the fceptre of his government.- And happy are 
 
 they who thus by faith receive him upon the terms of 
 the Gofpel ; for they are deliver'd from the condem- 
 ning fentence of the law, and may approach the facred 
 tribunal of juftice with an humble confidence of ap- 
 probation and acceptance. 
 
 2. Our natures mufi he fanBified by the almighty /;;- 
 fiuences of the Spirit^ and renewed after the image of 
 the hlefjed God. Man by nature is not only involv'd 
 in chains of guilt, but funk into the mofl deplorable 
 ftate of deformity and pollution ; his underftanding is 
 darkned by clouds of error and ignorance, and filled 
 with mighty prejudices againft the divine and fi-iper- 
 natural myileries of the Gofpel : His will is ftubborn 
 and refractory, impatient of the yoke of God*s autho- 
 rity, and inclin'd to continual rebellion againft him : 
 His affedlions are captivated to the dominion and 
 tyranny of fm, and plac'd upon the moft degrading 
 and inferiour objcdls : In fhort, the whole man is per- 
 verfly alienated from the life and fervicc of God, and 
 
 ftrongly difpos'd to the moft abominable evils. 
 
 This is the unhappy charader of man in a ftate of 
 
 unregcnerate Nature Hence arifcs the indifpen- 
 
 fable neceflity of an holy change, to qualify us for the 
 acceptable fervice of God upon earth, and prepare us 
 
 for the ineffable glories of heaven. The under- 
 
 ftanding muft be illuminated by the Spirit of God, to 
 believe the certainty and excellency of things unfeen 
 and eternal, to perceive the beauty of liolinels, and 
 the equity and reafonabkn^^ls of the divine command- 
 ments. 
 
66 The Nature & Necejity of Preparation 
 
 ments. The native enmity of the Tinner's heart miift 
 be fubduM, and every faculty of the foul brought 
 
 under a confecration to the fervice of God. 
 
 Till this mighty change is produc'd, the finner is dead 
 in trefpajfes and ftns^ and his mod perfect fervices 
 are a flench and abhorrence in the noftrils of an holy 
 God', and therefore he has nothing elfe to exped, 
 but the awful frowns of his incenfed judge, and the 
 diftrefTing thunders of his avenging wrath. 
 
 The Lord Jefus Chrift is of purer eyes than to he- 
 hold iniquity^ the heavens ^re not clean in his fight^ and 
 his angels he chargeth with folly. None will be ac- 
 knowledged and accepted by him, in the great day of 
 Judgment, but fuch as bear the impreflion of the 
 divine image, who cleanfe themfelves from all filthi- 
 nefs of flefh and fpirit, and are perfecting holinefs 
 in the fear of the Lord. Without this inward puri- 
 fication, the mod bright and diftinguifh'd profefTion 
 among men wuil be difapprov'd and condemn'd by 
 our all-feeing Judge. Others indeed may have a 
 name in the church upon earth, and pafs for eminent 
 Saints in the fight of the world ; but they will be 
 excluded the Sandluary above, and rank'd among 
 the workers of iniquity, in the day of their decifive 
 trial. 
 
 3 . A fmcere and impartial regard to the law of God 
 is neccjfary to final acceptance -with our Judge. Many 
 that boaft of an high profelTion, and vainly triumph 
 in their Gofpel-privileges, are hypocritical in their 
 pretences, and partial in their obedience to the laws 
 of Chrift. — "With the ancient Pharifees^'Ctitj are ftridl 
 in their attendance upon the divine worfliip, and zea- 
 loufly atrach'd to the outward formalities of Religion; 
 but nnjuft and cpprelTive in their dealings, carnal and 
 covetous in their con Verfations. — While others build 
 their hopes upon a moral and inoffenfive behaviour 
 towards men, tho* they are ilidly negligent of their 
 oblio-ations to God, and live in^n avow*d contempt 
 
 of 
 
for the Coming of Chrijl. 6f 
 
 of his worfliip and ordinances. — A third fort calculate 
 their Religion for the public view, and make, a plau- 
 fible appearance in the Temple, but are ftrangers to 
 the devotions of the Clofet ; they liberally difpenfe 
 their alms, when the found of a trumpet proclaims 
 their charity, but are fordidly fparing when there is 
 no profped of gradfying a vain-glorious humour ; 
 they are zealous for the Kingdom of Chrift, when it 
 will advance their honour and intereft, but are cold 
 and indifferent when the great doctrines of the Gofpel 
 are fallen under reproach, and boldly aflliulted by- 
 men of figure and eltate. 
 
 By fuch hypocriucal pretences as thcfe, multitudes 
 lull themfelves into fecurity, and vainly imagine ta 
 obtain the favour of God. But alas! his all-feeing eye 
 pierces through every difguife, and marks out the 
 painted formalift, how cautioufly foever he may be 
 concealed. A partial obedience to the divine com- 
 mands will not ftand the trial of an enlightned confci- 
 ence upon earth, nor be approv'd by the unerring 
 verdid of heaven. If our hearts co)ide77in us of any 
 fecret and indulg'd iniquity, God is greater thayi our 
 hearts and knoweth all things : hut if our hearts condemn 
 us Tioty then we have cojifidence towards God, and may 
 hope for the divine acceptance, i Joh. 3. 20, 21. 
 
 If therefore we would enjoy the teftimony of an 
 nnreproaching confcience, and receive the euge of our 
 Judge, we mull have a facred refpe6l to every duty, 
 wichour exception or referve •, and be the fame in the 
 fecret clofet, when no Eye but that of God and con- 
 fcience is upon us, -as when we ftand upon the open 
 theatre of the world, and are encompafs'd with a thou- 
 fand witnefTes. We muft bear an univerfd hatred to fin, 
 tho' dear unto us as a right hand and a right eye ; and 
 particularly watch and ftrive againft thofe darling ini- 
 quities, which the conftitution ot our bodies, the difpo- 
 ficion of our minds, and our company and bufinefs 
 n^oft ftrongly incline us to the commiiriQu of. In fine, 
 
 K we 
 
68 The Nature (s MeceJJJty of ?reparation 
 
 we muft not only pay a ftrid regard to the important 
 duties of piety towards God, but inviolably obferve 
 the fl\cred rules of juftice and charity to men. This 
 will afford us a divine fupport in the darkeft hours of 
 diflrefs, and enable us to fay with the infpir'd Apof- 
 tle, Our rejoicing is tbis^ the teftimony of our confciencey 
 that in fimplicity and godly fincerity^ by the grace of 
 Gody we have had our converfation in the , world. 
 1 Cor. 1 . 1 2 . 
 
 4. A frequent Review of our lives and aElions^ and a 
 judging our felves for our Jins^ is an happy preparative 
 for the great day of trial. It is the wifdom of perfons 
 engag'd in worldly bufinefs, frequently to furvey their 
 accounts, and enquire into the flate of their affairs ; 
 And it is equally incumbent on the children of light, 
 to examine into the ftate of their fouls, that they may 
 know what duties they have omitted, what fins they 
 have been guilty of, and what progrefs they have 
 
 made in the chriftian courfe. While we tabernacle 
 
 in flefh, and are furrounded with fo many infnaring 
 objeds, the befl of men will be fometimes furprifed 
 into fin through the remaining corruption of their na- 
 tures, or overborn by the ftrength and violence of 
 
 temptations. It is therefore highly necefTary that 
 
 we frequently review our condudt, and compare it 
 with the law of God, the unerring rule of our duty ; 
 that fo we may be acquainted with our errors and mif- 
 
 carriages. This,, will awaken our repentance for 
 
 our daily offences, and engage us to a fervent appli- 
 cation to the blood of Chrift for pardon, that fountain 
 
 which is fet open for fin and for uncleannefs. This 
 
 will infpire us with unfeign'd refolutions of amend- 
 ment, and excite our care and vigilance to avoid 
 thofe fins for which we have fo feverely Judg'd and 
 condemn'd our felves. And this has a blelfed ten- 
 dency to keep our confciences clear from indulg'd 
 iniquities, and to prevent that awful furprife, that 
 muft feize the impenitent finncr, when the midnight- 
 " cry 
 
for the Comhg of Chrifl, 6^ 
 
 cry fliall awaken him out of his fecurity, and fum- 
 mon him to the tremendous judgment- feat of Chrifl. 
 
 What an unfpeakable happinefs will it then be, to 
 have our confcience purified from defiling fins, and 
 all breaches made up between God and our fouls ! — 
 Such may , hear the found of the lad trumpet with 
 calmnefs and ferenity of mind, and ftand fecurc amidil 
 the fhocks of a diilolving world. 
 
 5. Continual Meditation upon the certainty and foletn^ 
 nity of a future Judgment^ is an excellent means to 
 engage us to a ferious preparation for it. There's 
 nothing more highly deferves our ferious and atten- 
 tive regards, and yet nothing that unthinking finnersfo 
 induftrioufly banilli out of their minds. What fub- 
 je6l, of equal importance, can employ our thoughts 
 and engage our attention, as this great and illuftrious 
 event? Which will unfold the myfteries of divine 
 providence, clear up the difficulties of his government, 
 and difplay the perfections of the. Deity in their 
 brighteft glories. What are all the dazling tri- 
 umphs of the mighty Princes and Generals ot the 
 Earth, but childifh and defpicable trifles, in compari- 
 fon with the pompous defcent of our almighty Savi- 
 our, attended with the fhining equipage of heaven ! — 
 If now we are affeded with the appearance of an 
 earthly Judge, attended with the minifters of juftice, 
 to enforce the execution of the law, is it not infinitely 
 more reafonable to employ our thoughts upon that 
 vafl and mofl affeding fcene, in which all the pofle- 
 rity Q^ Adavi fliall ftand before the throne of God, 
 and receive an irrevocable fentence of happinefs, or 
 
 mifery, according to their works! Efpecially if 
 
 we confider, that we are all deeply concerned in this 
 great tranfadlion, and muft bear a part in the joys and 
 triumphs, or in the fears and terrors of that awful day. 
 The negled of this great duty i$ one caufe of the 
 general impiety and wickednefs of the world, and 
 makes them prefumptuous aud fec:ure in the midft of 
 amazing dangers, " ~ Wc 
 
70 The Nature & Necefity of Preparation 
 
 We fl^ould therefore call off our thoughts from the 
 contemptible vanities of time and fenfe, fix them upon 
 a future Judgment, and confider its important confe- 
 quences, that io we may be quickned to prepare for 
 that great and terrible day cf the Lord. — I now pro* 
 ceed to confider, 
 
 Secondly, Why it JImdd he the great Study and En- 
 ieavour of every Chrijlian to prepare for the day of 
 Judgment^ and that he. may then be accepted ot the 
 Lord. 
 
 Now, 
 
 I . It is a work of the greateft difficulty ^ and re- 
 quires the utmoft felf-demal^ refohition^ and diligence. 
 This our Mailer and Judge hath warn'd his followers 
 of; that they might not pleafe themfelves with vain 
 dream.s of carnal eafe and pleafure in the way to the 
 Kingdom, but might be prepared to encounter the 
 hardfliips that attend the chrifbian life. He hath 
 aflured us, that the kingdo?n of heaven fuffereth violence^ 
 and the violent take it by force : He hath commanded 
 us to ftrive to enter in at the fir ait gate i for many will 
 feek to enter in and fijall -not he ahle*. 
 
 The Duties enjoy n'd upon us, are contrary to the 
 corrupt inclinations of fiefli and blood, and require the 
 deepell' mortification and felfdenial. The carnal mind 
 is enmity to God, impatient of reilraint, and madly 
 bent upon thofe ways that lead to deftrudlion and 
 ruin.- - And what can be a greater diiHculty, than 
 to offer violence to our depraved natures, to fubdue 
 our darling lulls, and maintain a continual war againft 
 our felvcs ? 
 
 And the difHculty is greatly increafed, by the ex- 
 ternal impediments that attend us. Satan, the grand 
 adverfary of fouls, flioots his invenom'd arrows, on 
 every fide, to woupd and deftroy us, and ufes a thou- 
 fand unobferv'd and politic flratagems to entice us 
 
 from 
 
 ^ AlattL II. 2i. Luk. II, Z4. 
 
jot the Coming of Chrifl. 71 
 
 from God and our Duty. The men of the world 
 will revile and perfecute us for our fidelity and dili- 
 gence in the difcharge of our duty, and pradlife the 
 moft deflrudive Methods to corrupt and defile us. 
 And is it not a laborious talk to withftand the rage 
 of earth and hell, to refill the infedion of evil exam- 
 ples, and ftem the tide of a degenerate age ? Is it 
 
 not difficult to oppofe the fott enchantments of vice, 
 and efcape the corruption that is in the world thro* 
 lull } What manly courage and refolution is required, 
 to fubdue the inveterate habits of vice, to conquer our 
 native indifpofition to holinefs, and to bear up againft 
 the fubtle infinuations and violent afHiults of tempta- 
 tion? Now this muft be done by every one that would 
 be faithful to the caufe of Chrift, and obtain the ap- 
 probation of his Judge. Therefore we are com- 
 manded, not to be fiotbful in hiifinefs^ hit fervent in 
 fpirit^ ferving the Lord * ; and are exhorted to give all 
 diligence to make our calling and ele5lion fure -f. 
 
 2. ms Life is the only feafon allotted for this great 
 work. The foundation of our future happinefs muft 
 be laid in this world, if ever we expedl to receive the 
 reward of future glory. We muft now fow the (tms 
 of righteoufnefs, if we would rejoice in a plentiful 
 harveft at the refurredion of the juft. The divine 
 life muft be begun upon earth, that fo it may receive 
 its laft and finifhing ftroke of beauty and perfe6tion 
 in heaven. Now we muft arife from the death of 
 fin, and follow Chrift in the regeneration: and then 
 we iliall hereafter rife unto Glory, and he accounted 
 worthy to fland before the Son of Man, in the day of 
 his appearance andkingdo?n. This is the time of trial, 
 in which we muft engage in the chriftian warfare, 
 fight the good fight, and continue faithful unto death, 
 that in the day of Judgment we may give up our 
 account with joy, and receive a crown of Life/ For 
 
 in 
 
 ■^ Rqvu 14, II, t i ^V/. I. 10. 
 
7X The Mature & Meceffity of V reparation 
 
 in that day the rewards and punilhments will be dif- 
 tributed according to our prefent fpirit and behaviour ; 
 and the fentence that ihall be pafs'd, will be final and 
 irreverfibJe. No appeal can be made from this high 
 tribunal \ no review can be obtain'd in the court of 
 heaven •, the Judge will then be inexorable, and the 
 ftate of all mankind unalterable. Which leads me 
 to fay, 
 
 3. If 3.eath furprife us in an unprepared eftate, the 
 day of Judgrnent will be a day of inconceivable terror 
 and amazement. Unutterable anguifh and diftrefs will 
 feize upon impenitent fmners, when they fliall fee 
 him whom they have pierced^ and remember the innu- 
 merable indignities they have thrown upon him. 
 They will no longer be able to drown the voice of 
 confcience in floods of wine, nor drive away their 
 melancholy thoughts with mufick and dancing, with 
 gaiety and entertainment. The Principles of Infide- 
 lity, which are now fo greedily imbib'd, againft the 
 repeated admonitions of confcience and to the reproach 
 of human nature, will then afford but a poor and feeble 
 fupport. Unbelievers will receive a terrible convic- 
 tion, that the great doftrines of the Gofpel are not 
 the dreams of enthufiafm.,, nor the fubtle inventions 
 of the defigning Prieft and the crafty Politician. They 
 will find by fad experience, that God is not to he 
 f?jock'dy that his wrath is not tp be trifled with, nor 
 the methods of his grace to be infuked and blaf- 
 phem=d. 
 
 What excufe v/iil they plead for their infolent de- 
 iiance of Heaven, dieir (lupid negledl of the invalua- 
 ble offers of a Saviour, their obflinate continuance in 
 iin, in oppofition to the convictions and drivings of 
 
 the holy Spirit? What defence will they make 
 
 for their contempt of their baptifmal vows, and their 
 preferring the pomps and vanities of this world, to 
 the favour of God, and the ineffable joys of his 
 prefence f 
 
 Hovy 
 
for the Coming of Chrtfl, 73 
 
 How will their countenances be appal'd, and their 
 fouls filled with terror, when they ihall fee their al- 
 mighty Judge, whofe authority they have defpifed, 
 whofe laws they have difobey'd, and whofe merits 
 they have blafphem'd, defcending in the clouds of 
 heaven, attended with the dreadful artillery of his 
 wrath, to vindicate the authority of his laws, and 
 
 punifh the contempt of his government I What 
 
 confufion and horror will furprize them, when they 
 meet with their finful and defiled bodies, the ancient 
 partners of their wickednefs, which have been the de- 
 teftable inftruments of their profanenefs and impiety, 
 their opprefFion and cruelty, their riot and debauche- 
 ry ! — — With what weeping eyes, aftonifh'd counte- 
 nances, and trembling hearts, will they fland before 
 the tribunal of Chrift, when their fecret impurities, 
 their hypocritical difguifes, their lewd and wicked inten- 
 tions, fhall be publickly detedled and expofed, to the 
 contempt and abhorrence of the congregation of the 
 righteous!—^ — What diftrelTing agonies and convui- 
 fions muft feize them, when they Ihall be condcmn'd 
 in the day of trial, and their incenfed Lord fhall pafs 
 that unalterable fentence upon them. Depart from me, 
 yc curfed^ into everlafti?ig fire, prepared for the devil 
 
 and his angels ! If the fentence of an earthly judge 
 
 is fo much to be dreaded, and excites in a condemn'd 
 criminal fuch bitter lamentations, how inconceivably 
 more terrible will be the final determination of our 
 eternal J udge, which condemns the wicked to endlefs 
 
 and intolerable mifery ! With what vehemence 
 
 and importunity will they lift up their cries for th it 
 mercy, which now they affront and defpife ! But alas I 
 their righteous Judge v;ill then be deaf to their loudell 
 intreaties. Once he compaflionately called upon them 
 to flee from the wrath to come, and fent his embaila- 
 dors to invite them to accept of eternal happinefs ; 
 but they infolently rejeded his invaluable ofi-ers, and 
 ungratefully abufed the methods of his grace, they 
 
 dciplibd 
 
74 ^^^ Nature ^ J^fecefjity of Preparation 
 
 defpifed his wife counfels, and difregarded his awful 
 reproofs : therefore he will mock at their calamity^ and 
 laugh when their fear cofneth. — Not all the furprifmg 
 miracles of his love, not all the bitter agonies and for- 
 rows of his death, not the facred flreams of his blood, 
 which was fhed for the redemption of a guilty world, 
 could perfwade them to forfake their fins, and devote 
 themfelves to his fefvice ; but they obftinately retained 
 their beloved lulls, and prefer'd their fins before 
 their Saviour : His abufed goodnefs will therefore be 
 converted into fury, and the door of mercy be bolted 
 againft them forever. — But I turn to a bright fcene, 
 and proceed to fay, ' 
 
 4. To thofe that are found in a ftate o^ favour and 
 acceptance with Chrift, the day of Judgment will be a 
 time of unfpeakable joy and refrejhment. With what 
 fatisfadion and pleafure may they, who live foberly, 
 righteoufly, and godlily in the world, look for that 
 hleffed hope^ and the glorious appearance of the great God 
 their Saviour^ who has loved them with an everlafting 
 Love, chofen them from among the degenerate mafs 
 of mankind, wafh'd them from their fins in the foun- 
 tain of his blood, and is coming to receive them to 
 his arms and embraces for ever ! 
 
 With what extafies of joy and triumph will they 
 filute the happy day, when their glorified Redeemer 
 (hall defcend to this lower world, in the pomp and 
 character of an incarnate God, clothed with majefty 
 imd ftrength, and attended with all the honours of his 
 exalted ftate ! — How will they rejoice, with joy un- 
 Iptakable, to behold Him, that for their fakes made 
 himfeif of 710 reputation^ became poor^ and pafs'd through 
 an amazing fcene of the moft difmal fufferings, even 
 the Man Jejiis Chriji, feated upon a triumphant throne 
 of glory, and furrounded with a Ihining croud of 
 jKgeis, Jnban^ehy and the fpirits of juji mm made 
 terfe^ ! 
 
for the Cumhg of Chrjfl. 7j 
 
 How agreable a meeting will they have with their 
 ancient Bodies-, the companions of their meeknels, 
 humility and felf- denial, which have for fo many- 
 years been confin'd to the dark and filent grave, and 
 covered with deformity and corruption •, but are now 
 rais'd from the duft of death, clothed with immortal 
 youth and beauty, and fitted for a ftate of perfed in- 
 nocence and happinefs! How tranfporting a fight 
 
 will it be, to behold the goodly Company of the Pro- 
 pbetSy Patriarchs, and Apftles, and all thofe brave and 
 generous Souls, who in all ages of the church have 
 facrificed their lives for the teftimony of Jefus^ and 
 have follow'd their Lord and Mafter in fuffering and 
 patience, in purity and heavenly-mindednefs, all uni- 
 ted in one vaft alTembly, and fhouting forth the 
 
 praifes of their exalted Redeemer ! How will it 
 
 refrefli them to have their injured innocence publickly 
 vindicated, their lecret piety and charity applauded^ 
 and their holy thoughts and intentions proclaim'd, to 
 their immortal honour ! But what heart can con- 
 ceive, what tongue can utter the mighty tranfports 
 that will poiTefs the Saints, when their God and Savi- 
 our fhall openly acknowledge them as his friends and 
 favourites, and declare them heirs of eternal Glory ! — 
 With what raptures of Joy will they hear that happy 
 fentence pronounc'd upon them •, Cotne, ye Blejjkd of 
 my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from 
 the foundatiojt of the world ! after which they iliall 
 immGdiately enter into the heavenly paradife, and be 
 for ever with the Lord. 
 
 And now upon the whole, fince preparation for a 
 future Judgment is a work of fo much difficulty and 
 pai?!s, — Since this life is the only time allotted for this 
 great work, — Since the confequences of an tinprepar*d 
 Hate are fo infinitely terrible, and the advantages of 
 the contrary fo inconceivably joyful ; furely it behoves 
 f very Chrifti^n to make it his great ftudy and endea- 
 
 L Yor, 
 
76 The Mature & tJecefity of ? reparation 
 
 vor, that he may be accepted of the Lord in the day of 
 Judgment. 
 
 EXHORTATIOJI* 
 
 Wherefore fin the Apoftle's words, 1 Pet. 3, 14.) 
 Beloved^ he diligent that ye may he found of your Judge 
 in peace ^ without fpot and hlamelefs. This is the natu- 
 ral and neceffary Counfel, upon what has now been 
 deliver'd unto you : and what more important, than a 
 fpeedy and unfeign'd compliance with it ? Efpecially 
 if we confider, that the time of this great event is re- 
 fer v'd am^ng the Secrets of heaven, and wifely con- 
 cealed from the moft fagacious and inquifitive minds : 
 So that, for ought we know, the Judge may be now 
 Handing at the door ; and before the dawn of another j 
 day the laft trumpet may found, and liimmon us to ^^ 
 the bar of Chrift. And confidering the infidelity and 
 profanenefs, the corrupt principles, and dilTolute man- 
 ners of the prefent age ^ we have uncommon reafon 
 to believe, that day haftens upon us apace : for when 
 the Son of Man cometh^ Jhall he find faith upon the 
 earth? Luk. 18. 8. 
 
 Thefe things may now be received with fcorn and 
 banter, and the awful warnings of heaven may be 
 treated as the melancholy dreams of a gloomy and 
 fuperftitious mind; the Scoffers of the prefent day M 
 may break their impious jefts upon Religion, and 1 
 
 triumph in their prefent peace and fecurity : But 
 
 we are aflur'd from the unerring oracles of God, that 
 the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the 
 nighty in which the heavens fhall pafs away with a great 
 fioife^ a7td the elements fhall 7nelt with fervent heat^ the 
 earth alfo^ and the works that are therein^ fhall he hurnt 
 
 tip. 2 Pet. 3. 10. It is therefore our wifdom and | 
 
 duty to attend to the advice of our L.ord ("with which 
 
 I conclude; Mattk, 24. 42, 46, JVatch there* 
 
 fore. 
 
for the Coming of Chri[t. yj 
 
 fore^ for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 
 Be ye ready *, for in fuch an hour as ye think not^ the 
 Son of Man cometh : and Blejfed is that Servant^ whom 
 his Lord when he cometh^ Jhallfindfo doing. 
 
 AMEN. 
 
 PrcachM March itl 
 
 SER- 
 
(78) 
 
 S E R M O N VL 
 
 The Diffolution of the Worlds a 
 Motive to univerfal Holinefs, 
 
 II p E T. III. It. 
 
 Seeing then that all tbefe Thhgs fhall le di[- 
 folvcd^ what mamter of Perfons ought ye to le^ in 
 
 all holy Converfation and Godlinefs ? 
 
 THE dodrine of a future Judgment, tho' 
 agreable to the principles of reafon, and^ 
 confirmed by the teftimony oVjefus^ the 
 faithful and true witnefs j has neverthelefs 
 been oppofed and bhfphem'd, in all ages, by men 
 abandoned to their lufts, and given over to a reprobate 
 and impenitent mind. Such there arofe in the chrif- 
 tian Church, even in the firft and pureft days of the 
 Gofpel. In cppofition to whom, St. Peter aflerts 
 the dodh-ine of Chrifl's coming to judge the world, 
 and removes the objedtions that were made againft it. 
 The Ground of their infidelity was the uninterrupted 
 profperity, that the world enjoyed, notwithftanding 
 jts approaching ruin had been fo frequently foretold. 
 Where (fay they) is the promife of his coming ^ iox finca 
 the Jpathers fell aflecp^ all things continue as they 'ivere 
 from the hegin'tiing of the creation. In anfv/er to this, 
 the Apoftje ilaarply reproves them for their wilful 
 
The DiJfoIuttoH of the WorU^ &c. 79 
 
 Ignorance ; and fhows them that the world had already 
 undergone fuch remarkable Changes, as might juftly 
 ferve to ftrengthen our belief in thofe that were yet to 
 Gome. He tells them, that the delay of Chrift's com- 
 ing did not in the lead impeach the truth and faith- 
 fulnefs of God, but was an aftonifhing evidence of 
 his Goodnefs and forbearance. Gcd is 7iot flack con^ 
 cerning his pro?nife, as fome men count flachiefs •, hut is 
 long'fuffering to us-ward^ not willing that any Jhould 
 -perijh^ hut that all fnould come to repentance. Then he 
 goes on to confirm our faith in this important Article 
 of Religion, and in the words of our text, direfls us 
 a fuitable Improvement of this folemn and afFedting 
 Subjed. 
 
 Seeing then^ that all thefe things Jh all he diffohed^ 
 what manner of perfons ought ye to he^ in all holy Con- 
 verfation and Godlinefs ? 
 
 The words contain thefe two Propofitions, which 
 (by divine afTiftancej fhall be diftindly difcourfed 
 upon. 
 
 Firft, At the fecond coming of Chrift, this '-jjorld 
 fhall be dijjolved. 
 
 Secondly, The Confideratation of this awful truth is 
 a powerful fnotive to univerfal Purity and Godlinefs. 
 
 Prop. 1. At the fecond coming of Chriji this world 
 Jhall he dijfolved, 
 
 Tho' the world at prefent makes a beautiful and 
 goodly appearance ; and the face of nature feems to 
 wear no marks of a declining age, nor to difcover 
 any melancholy fymptoms of its approaching ruin : 
 yet all things certainly are haftning to their final 
 period •, when this earth fhall be deilroyed by fire, 
 and all its magnificent Glories expire in flame and 
 fmoke, 
 
 ThU 
 
8a The DiplutioH tf the WorU^ 
 
 This has been the univerfal expeftation of the 
 wifeft among the heathen world, of all fe6ts and opi- 
 nions, in all ages and nations. Their ancient Philofo- 
 phers taught this doctrine in their publick Schools; 
 their celebrated Poets made it the frequent theme of 
 their harinonious fongs \ and fcarce any notion has 
 more generally prevailed in the world. But we are 
 not left to collecTt this important truth from the dark 
 hints of Antiquity, and the doubtful conje6lures of the 
 ancient fages : We have a fure word of prophecy to 
 build our faith upon, even the infallible predidlions of 
 the v/ord of God ; where the general conflagration of 
 the world is frequently foretold, and defcribed in the 
 moft: fublime and affe6ling language. 
 
 Under the Old T'^^?;z^;2/-difpenfation we have clear 
 
 intimations of this folcmn truth. Mofes, the firft 
 
 of the infpir^d writers, pathetically defcribes it in his 
 lacred fong : Deut. 32. 22. ^ Firt is kindled in jnine 
 anger ^ and JJoall hum to the loweft hell, and /hall con- 
 fume the earth with her increafe \ and fst on fire the 
 
 foundatio7is of the mountains. David, the fweet 
 
 pfaimift of Ifrael, prophefies of this great event. 
 Pfl. ^o, 3. Our God Jhall come, and Jhall not keep 
 (UeiKe : a fire fioall devour before him, and it jhall he 
 very temp eft nous round about him. So Pfil. 102. 25, 26. 
 Of old thou haft; laid the foundation of the earth : and 
 the heavens are the work of thy hands. 'They fhall 
 perifh, hut thou fioalt endure : yea, all of them fhall wax 
 old like a Garment, as a Vefture fhalt thou change thenty 
 and they fijall he changed, hut thou art the fame, and 
 thy years fnall have no end. 
 
 The prophet Ifaiah declares the larne dodrine. 
 Chap. 51. 6. JJft up your Eyes to the heavens y 
 and look upon the earth heneath, for the heavens Jhall 
 vamjh away like finoke, and the earth fhall wax old like 
 a Garment, and they that dwell therein fhall die in like 
 manner •, hut my falvation fiall hs for ever, and my 
 
 righteoufnefs fioall not. he ahdifijed And Daniel had 
 
 % 
 
a Motive to unzverfal Holintfs. 8 £ 
 
 a diftindt view of this amazing fcene in his prophetic 
 Vifions. — And I beheld (lays hej //'// the thrones zvere 
 caft dvwn, and the Ancient of days did fit^ whofe Gar- 
 ment was white as Snow^ and the hair of his head like 
 pire wool : His throne was like the fiery fla?ne^ and his 
 wheels as burning fire. A fiery Jlrea?n ijfued and came 
 forth fro7n before him : l^houfand 'Thoiifands minift-red 
 unto hiniy end ten thoufand ti?nes ten thoufand flood before 
 him. Dan. 7. 9, 10. — And Malachi^ the lad of the 
 old teflament prophets, in the Conclufion of his pro- 
 phecy denounces this awful threatn in g fChap. 4. i.) 
 Behold^ the day cometh^ that fhall burn as an oven j and 
 all the proud ^ and all that do wickedly., fhall be as flub- 
 lle\ and the day that co?neth., fhall burn them., faith the 
 Lord of hojlsy that it fhall Jieither leave them root nor 
 branch. 
 
 But this great truth is more clearly revealed in the 
 "New l^eflament. The Apoftle Paul exprefly afTures 
 us, {iThef I. 7, 8.) that the Lord J efus Chrifi fhall 
 be revealed from heaven in flaming fire^ taking ven- 
 geance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gofpel 
 of Chrifi. The Apoftle Peter teJls us, in our Con- 
 text, that the Heavens and Earth zvhich are now\ are 
 kept in Store, referved unto fire., againft the day of judg- 
 ment .^ and perdition of ungodly 7nen : And that the day 
 of the Lord will come as a thief in the night ; in which 
 the heavens fhall pafs away with a great Jioife ; and 
 the elements fhall melt with fervent heat \ the earth 
 alfoy and the works that are therein., fjall be burnt up. 
 Thus we find, that Mofes and the Prophets, Cbijl 
 and his Apoftles, foretell the future deltrudion of the 
 world : not by dark and figurative reprefen-tations, 
 but by plain and pofitive teflimonies. 
 
 Nor is there any thing in the prefent fate and 
 conflitution of the eaith, that militates againit this doc- 
 trine, and renders the belief of it abfurd and irrati- 
 onal. On the contrary, the corruptible materials of 
 which this admirable frame is composed, the jarring 
 
 elements 
 
8i The Dtjfolutlon of the World, 
 
 elements contain'd in its capacious bofom, expofe k 
 to continual changes and convulfions. It has already 
 pad through mighty alterations, which have defac'd 
 its Gloryj and deftroy'd multitudes of its inhabitants. 
 
 Soon after this beautiful fabrick was raifed out of 
 darknefs and confufion, and the almighty Creator had 
 pronounced of every thing which he had made, ^at 
 it was very good \ the whole earth was brought under 
 a Curfe for the iniquity of man, and from a fruitful 
 .Paradife was turned into a defolate wildernefs, from 
 the feat of innocence and joy it became the abode 
 of guilt and forrow. 
 
 When all fleflj had corrupted their ways, and the 
 wickednefs of man was great upon the Earthy God 
 ihower'd down a miraculous deluge of waters, and fwept 
 away the whole world of fmners together. 
 
 When the Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah had 
 filled up the meafure of their fins, and attained to the 
 mofl daring height of Impiety and Lewdnefs, they 
 v/ere fuddenly deftroy'd by fire and hrimflone, and 
 their fiourilhing cities were turn'd into heaps of defola- 
 tion and ruin. 
 
 And in all ages of the world there have been terri- 
 ble examples of the divine feverity. Whole Coun- 
 tries and Kingdoms have been laid wafte, by fire 
 and fv/ord, — by famine and peftilence, — by thunder 
 and lightning, — by ftorms and earthquakes. Thefc 
 things are awful warnings to a guilty world, acd 
 (landing evidences of God's juft difpleafure againil 
 the workers of Iniquity. The Judgments that he 
 has executed from time to time, loudly declare the 
 Greatnefs of his power, and the terrors of his wrath ; 
 and may abundandy convince us, that the threatnings 
 of his word are not defign'd barely to amufe and 
 terrify us, but will be exva6tly fulfilled in their ap- 
 pointed time. 
 
 And why Jhoiild it le thought incredible, that God 
 who iT.ade liie world at firft^ as a monument of his 
 
 Powet 
 
-a Motive to uyiiverfal Ho^tnefs. 83 
 
 Power and Goodnefs, fhould - dellroy it at laft, to 
 adorn the triumphs of his Juftice and Holinefs? 
 What can be more reafonable than to luppofe, that 
 this Earth, which was defign'd for the habitation of 
 man, will be difTolv'd when its Inhabitants are removed 
 off the ftage, and fettled in their everlafting abodes? 
 
 By what means this aflonifhing change will be 
 brought about, is utterly uncertain : but this we know, 
 that there are innumerable fires imprifoned in the 
 bowels of the earth, which frequently break forth 
 with aflonifhing fury, and have produc'd furprizing 
 alterations in the furface of this Globe \ the Air alfo 
 that furrounds us, is a continual magazine of thunder 
 and lightning, and fiery Meteors ; all which afford 
 abundant provifion for an univerfal Conflagration. 
 
 We may therefore fuppofe, that at the time ap- 
 pointed in the decrees of heaven, when the end for 
 which this magnificent theatre was ereded, fhall be 
 accompiilVd, and the fins of men cry aloud for divine 
 juflice, the great Lord of the Univerfc will ilTue out 
 his fovereign Orders : at which the mighty flores of 
 fire that have hitherto been pent up in the heart of 
 the earth, fliall be broke open, fiiime out, and rage 
 with irrefiflible force and fury : all the combuflible 
 materials that are contain'd in thefe inferior heavens, 
 fhall be fet on fire, and defcend in hidious cataracts 
 upon the difTolving world. The beautiful order, that 
 has hitherto fubfifled in the works of nature, will then 
 ceafe, and the whole fublunary world be involv'd in 
 tumult and diforder : The foundations of the earth 
 v;ill be put out of courfe, and all the admired ftruc- 
 tures of nature and art fhall peri fli together. 
 
 But it is not my defign to attempt a defcription of 
 this great and terrible day of the Lord •, it is beyond 
 the capacity of man, to conceive, and the power of 
 language to exprefs the horrors of this amazing Scene. 
 I pafs therefore to the other thing propofed, viz. 
 
 M Prop. 
 
84 7*/;^ Diplution of the WorU^ 
 
 Prop. II. ^hat the conftderation of this important 
 truth is a powerful motive to univerfal Purity and God" 
 linefs. Which will appear, if we confider the follow- 
 ing particulars : 
 
 It gives us an awful reprefentation of the Greatnefs 
 and Power of God. 
 
 It fhews the malignant and deflruufive nature of 
 Sin. 
 
 It depreciates the enjoyments of this prefent World. 
 
 It evidences the neceffity of fecuring a more valuable 
 and abiding inheritance. 
 
 It heightens the terror and folemnity of a future 
 judgment. And 
 
 It affords a bright difcovery of the love of Chrifl m 
 faving his people from the ruins of a diffolving world. 
 Of thefe in their order. 
 
 I. // gives us an awful reprefentation of the Greatnefi 
 find Power of God. 
 
 Thefe attributes were wonderfully difcover'd, when 
 he firft laid the foundations of the earth, ftretched the 
 heavens over us as a Curtain, and fettled the courfe of 
 nature with fuch furprizing regularity and exadlnefs ; 
 that its various parts mutually fupport and aflift each 
 other, and all confpire to minifter to the convenience 
 and happinefs of its numerous Inhabitants. But they will 
 ftill be more aftonilhingly difplay'd, when the heavens 
 Jhall pafs away with a great noife^ the elements Jhall 
 melt with fervent heat^ and all the Glory of this 
 goodly fyftem Ihall be made a prey to devouring 
 flames, for to punifh the contempt of his authority, 
 and manifeft the fiercenefs of his anger againft a finful 
 world. 
 
 How irreliftible is the Power of that God, who 
 made all things by the authority of a Command, and 
 can deftroy them in a moment by a frown of his 
 countenance ?— How terrible is his Majefly^ at whofe 
 rebuke the Earth Jhakes and trembles, and the founda- 
 tions of the hills are removed out of their place ? 
 
a Motive to univerfal Holinefs, 85- 
 
 Who can ftand before Him, when once he is angry ? 
 Who can fupport the terrors of his almighty difplea- 
 fure ? Is not the thought of thefe things fufficient to 
 furprize the boldeft finners, to appale their Counte- 
 nances, and make their knees ftrike one againft ano- 
 ther, when they are giving a loofe to their mirth and 
 jollity, and wafting their days in intemperance and 
 debauchery? What infinite madnefs, and worfe than 
 brutal ftupidity, are they guilty of, who afiront and 
 provoke the great Lord and Governor of the v/orld, 
 upon whom they intirely depend, who can deftroy 
 them with the breath of his mouth, and make them 
 the flaming monuments of his righteous indignation ? 
 What more neceflary for us, than to bow before 
 the Lord our maker, and humble our felves for our 
 innumerable provocations againft him ? How feafona- 
 ble is that advice (^22 Job. 21.) Acquaint now thy felf 
 with hifUy and he at peace : thereby good Jhall come 
 
 unto thee. How much does it concern us, to ferve 
 
 the Lord with reverence and godly fear •, feemg our 
 God is a confuming fire ? who tho' he now fecms to 
 take no notice of the fins of men, and bears with in- 
 numerable indignities, yet he has appointed a day in 
 which he will judge the world in right eoufnefs^ and fear- 
 fully deftroy his implacable Enemies. 
 
 IL ne dijfolution of the world affords a convincing 
 evidence of the malignant and defiruEiive nature of Sin. 
 
 That Sin is an infinite evil, odious to the bieffed 
 God, and attended with the moft dangerous confe- 
 quences, is abundantly evident from the declarations 
 of God's word, and is ftill further verified by the in- 
 flidions of his wrath upon obftinate and impenitent 
 
 tranfgrelTors. How clearly did the purity of his 
 
 nature, and the feverity of his Juftice, fhine forth m 
 the terrible punifhment inflidled upon the fallen 
 Angels ? who for one fin were dethron'd from their 
 exalted feats in Heaven, were caft down to the 
 gloomy manfions of hell, and are referv'd in chains of 
 ■ Jvl 2 dark^ 
 
26 The Dtjfdunon of the WorU, 
 
 darhiefs to the judg??ient of the great day. How 
 
 awful does the divine difpleafure appear in the curfe 
 pronourx'd upon our firfi Parents., for their primitive 
 apoil.icy ; by which the Glory of the creation was 
 ftain'd, the harmony of nature dillurb'd, and Man 
 (the Lord of ail) was brought under a peremptory 
 fentence of death and mifery ? And who can re- 
 count the vario'js and diftrefling Affii5fions^ that are 
 fuice become the fad inheritance of the finful children 
 of m^en ? - This may afTure us, that God is angry 'ujitb 
 the Wicked., and that he will not fufrer the wilful con- 
 tempt of his authority to pafs unpunilli'd. 
 
 But hov/ iliudriouily will tnis truth be revealed by 
 
 the fire of the laft day ♦, when this lower world fhall 
 
 be confum'd by the heat of the divine difpleafure, and 
 
 all its adored treafures fhall be ficrificed to the jealous 
 
 refentments of an offended God ? For it is fm, that 
 
 enkindles the fire of God's wrath, and provokes him 
 
 to deftroy the works of his hands. How jufbly then 
 
 are they branded with the charader of Focls^ wJ:>o make 
 
 a viock of fin ^ v/ho hag this deteilable evil in their 
 
 bofoms j which has already been attended with fuch 
 
 dedructive cfieds, and which will at laft i^l on fire 
 
 this frame of nature, and fink a guilty world into the 
 
 loweft hell, ^duhcre the fnoke of their torments 'will afc end 
 
 for ever and ever? What Confideration can more 
 
 pov/erfuUy engage us to deny all ungodlinefs and worldly 
 
 lujls f Hov^' much does it concern us, to have no feU 
 
 lovcflnp v^ith thefe, unfruitful works of darhiefs^ but to 
 
 flee from the tents of the ivicked, lefl we be defiled 
 
 ■v^-irh their fins, :\nd partake of their plagues ? 
 
 III. The Confideration of the approaching Ruin 
 of this World, greatly depreciates all earthly Enjoy- 
 7nentSy and fbczvs the inadnefs of placing our affections 
 upon fuch uncertain treafures. 
 
 The world is a flrong and prevailing temptation, 
 which wonderfully captivates the hearts ot men, and 
 is the unhappy inflrumcnt of innumerable pollutions. 
 
 Many 
 
a Motive to umverfal Holinefs. 87 
 
 Many are fo enchanted with wealth and riches, fo 
 fond cf the pomp and glitter of worldly greatnefs, fo 
 charm'd with the gay amufements and pleafures of 
 Life, that they think of nothing but fettwg up their 
 tabernacles here ^ and entirely neglect their great and 
 immortal intereft : but furely, if we confider the tran- 
 fitory nature of thefe enjoyments, it is enough to damp 
 the force of worldly temptarions, and put us out of 
 conceit with fuch perifhing vanities. Why fhould we 
 put our trull, and place our happinefs, in things that 
 are of fo fhort and momentany a duration •, which in 
 a few years at furtheft, will vaniih out of our fight, 
 and take their leave of us for ever ? Our daily expe- 
 rience fhows us, that all thefe beloved advantages are 
 continually upon the wing, and frequendy fly from 
 our embraces ; but befides the common cafualtics and 
 adverfities of life, to which all things here below are 
 expofed, the world it felf^ with all its grandeur and 
 magnificence, with all its riches and pleafures, is 
 haftning 10 iis final period. The time is fwiftly ap- 
 proaching, when the earthy and the works that are 
 therein Jh all he ^ burnt up. Then all thofe tempting 
 objects, which now you fo palTionately dote upon, and 
 for which you facrifice all Hope of the favour of God, 
 and an heaven of immortal joys, fhall be turn'd into 
 darknefs and flame. All the great empires, which 
 have been rais'd by ambition or cruelty, and made 
 fuch a mighty noife in the earth, Ihall fmk at once 
 into ruin and confufion. All thofe flourifning cities, 
 which have been the pride and glory of their inhabi- 
 tants, fhall be laid wafte and defolate. All the proud 
 monuments of human vanity, which have been rear'd 
 with fuch infinite toil and expence, fhall be levelled 
 with the dull, and the place thereof f nail know the?Ji 
 m more. What an undeniable evidence does this 
 afford us of the litde value of ail earthly pofTeiTions ? 
 How fhould it abate our affe6lions to fuch vanifhing 
 trifles, and give check to our immoderate purfuit of 
 
 the 
 
88 The Dijfoluthn of the WorUy 
 
 the world? This is the argument made ufe of by 
 St. Paul^ and carries with it the greateft force and 
 efficacy (i Cor. 7. 29,-310 But this I fay ^ Brethren^ 
 the time is fhort ; // remaineth^ that they that rejoice^ 
 he as tho* they rejoiced not ; and they that huy^ as tho* 
 they poffeffed not ; and they that ufe this worlds as not 
 abufing it : for the fafhion of this world paffeth away, 
 I proceed to fay, 
 
 IV. This alfo fhows us the neceffity of fecuring a 
 more valuable and abiding Inheritance. 
 
 Since the world is fuch a tranfient fcene, and its 
 moft agreable entertainments are like a morning- 
 cloud, and as the early dew, which will quickly pafs 
 away *, it is a Matter of no confiderable confequence, 
 whether our circumftances be profperous, ar affli6ting ; 
 whether we are carried through the llage of Life with 
 an eafy and pleafant gale, or drove to our long home 
 by dorm and diftrefs. Our only concern is, to at- 
 tend the duty of our ftation, and fulfil the tafk aflign'd 
 us by heaven; that at lad we may fafely arrive at 
 the peaceful harbour of happinefs and everlafting reft. 
 We are here in a pilgrimage-ftate, and are bound for 
 tlie regions of immortality -, nothing therefore de- 
 ferves our anxiety and care, but that which will fur- 
 vive our funeral, and pafs over with us into a future 
 world. And, bleffed be God, an heavenly and eter- 
 nal inheritance is offered to our choice, and earneilly 
 recommended to our acceptance : This is the nobleft 
 obied of our ambition, and fhould engage the ftrength 
 and vigour of all our powers. 
 
 Now by the Tenour of the Divine Promife, as 
 well as the Nature of Things, this can be obtain'd 
 only by thofe that cleanfe themfelves from all filthi^iefs 
 of fiefh and fpirit, and perfe^ holinejs in the fear of 
 ^God i who efcape the pollutions of the worlds and are 
 rene^uoed after the i?nage of the invifible God. Wloat 
 viamier of perfo?is then ought we to be^ in all holy con- 
 ■verfation and Godlinefs j that fo when ail things here 
 
 below 
 
a Motive to unlverfal HoUnefs* 89 
 
 below fhall fail us, we may be admitted into a city that 
 has everlafting foundations, whofe maker and builder 
 is God ; and obtain a crown of incorruptible and un- 
 fading Glory ! 
 
 V. The deflrudlion of the world by fire will 
 heighten the terror and folemnity of a future judgment : 
 and fo the Confideration of it is a powerful motive 
 to univerfal purity and holinefs. 
 
 The wife author of our beings hath implanted a 
 principle of fear in the hearts of men, to keep them 
 from fecurity and prefumption, to quicken them in 
 their flight from impending dangers. Now what can 
 be more fuited to raife this paflion in the foul, than 
 the confideration of that awful time, when we muft 
 all appear before the judgment-feat of Chrifl, and 
 have an irreverfible fentence pafs'd upon us, accord- 
 ing to the nature and quality of our adtions ? But 
 how aftonifhingly will the terrors of that day be in- 
 creafed by thejinal deftrudlion of this lower world ? 
 What confufion and diftrefs will feize the finner, when 
 the heavens from above fhall rain down fire and 
 brimftone, and the earth upon which he dwells, fhall 
 become one mighty Volcano, and difcharge whole 
 rivers of flaming fulphur ? 
 
 Will it not terrify the hardieft mortals, to fee nature 
 flruggling in the agonies of death, and themfelves en- 
 compafs'd on all fides with the flames of a dififolving 
 world : ne Sun turned into darknefs, and the Moon 
 into bloody and whole cities and countries finking 
 down in a moment into the fiery abyfs below ! How 
 will they fupport thefe vifions of horror and amaze- 
 ment, or whither will they fly for fifety and defence ? 
 If they afcend to the top of the loftieft mountains, 
 there they will be expofed to the hot thunderbolts of 
 divine fury : If they defcend into the gloomy caverns 
 of the earth, there they will be fv/allowed up in an 
 Ocean of liquid fire. In fhort, wherever they go, 
 the vengeance of an incenfed God will purfue them» 
 
 and 
 
^o The DJjfoluthn of the WorlJ^ . 
 
 and make them the monuments of his almighty dif" 
 pleafure. 
 
 And now what more powerful argument can be 
 ufed with finful mortals to av/aken them out of their 
 impenitence and fecurity ? If infinite juftice cannot 
 affright them from their fins -, if the profpedt of a 
 diifolving world leave no abiding imprefTions upon 
 them •, they appear to be lofl, beyond all pofTibility 
 of recovery : and it is to be fear'd, they belong to 
 the number of thofe hardned wretches, who are re- 
 folv'd to ftorm hell, and take the kingdom of dark- 
 nefs by violence. 
 
 VI. This alfo has a prevailing influence upon the 
 people of God, as it gives them a bright difcovery of 
 the love of Chrifi^ who will fave them fro?n the terrors 
 of this amaxiyig ^ay, 
 
 Tho' this will be a day of tribulation and anguifh 
 to impenitent fmners, yet it will be a time of joy 
 and refrefhment to the Saints. For the Lord knoweth 
 how to deliver the Godly ^ and referve the unjuft to the 
 day of judgfnent to he pimijhed *. St. Paul affures us, 
 that the righteous fhall be feparated from the wicked, 
 and refcued from the calamity, in which all things 
 elfe ihall be involv'd. For the Lord himfelf fball de- 
 fccnd from heaven with a fhout^ with the voice of the 
 jirchangel and the trump of God ; and the dead in 
 Chrift fhall rife firft : Then we which are alive ^ and re- 
 main^ fhall he caught up together with them in the 
 clouds^ to meet the Lord in the air j and fo floall we 
 ever he with the Lord-\, What an endearing expref- 
 fion is this of the love of God our Saviour ? What 
 obligations are we under, to beflow upon him our 
 beit and deareft affe6tion .? In fine, what mighty en- 
 couragement does it afford us now to difentangle our 
 affedtions from this enfnaring world, to be fruitful in 
 every good work, to have our converfation in heaven^ 
 
 that 
 
 ^ ^r$t. 2.. p, t iTl^ef 4. 16, I7« 
 
a Motive to miverfal Holhefs, pT 
 
 that fo we may he accoimted worthy to efcape all thofe 
 things^ which Jhall then co7ne to pafs^ and may he ahle to 
 ftand with confidence hefore the Son of Man at his ap^ 
 Rearing. 
 
 The Application of my difcourfe remains: 
 which I lliall difpatch in a fer ious and earneil Exhor- 
 tation to feveral forts of perfons. 
 
 I. Let thofe that are in Youth, he perfwaded hy 
 thefe pozverful motives that have heen Jet before them^ to 
 all holy Converfation and Godlinefs. — ^ — You are ex- 
 ceeding apt to banifh ail ferious Thoughts out of your 
 minds, and to imagine that it will be time enough 
 hereafter, to attend to religious Concerns, when you 
 have taken a furfeit of the Gaieties and Pleafures of 
 Life. Youth is naturally unthinking -, and flrongly 
 inclin'd to fenfual enjoyments. Their conftitutions 
 are ordinarily firm and robuft ; not broken with fa- 
 tigue, impaired by ficknefs, or worn out with age. 
 Their pulfe beats high, their blood circulates brifkly 
 through their veins, and all the powers of nature are 
 in their higheft fprightlinefs and vigour : Their appe- 
 tites are eager, their pafTions are head-ftrong, and fo 
 apt to hurry them into all manner of riot and excefs, 
 contrary to the facred rules of virtue and fobriety. 
 They efteem Religion too dark and melancholy an 
 entertainment for the flourifliing bloom of life, and 
 fit for none but thofe whofe temper is foured with 
 lofTes and difappointments in the world, and whofe 
 ftrength is wafted with ficknefs or age. Hence they 
 give an unbounded loofe to their vicious inclinationsj, 
 and wallow in the grolTefl: fenfualities. 
 
 But make a pauie, I befeech you, in the midfl of 
 your mad career, and confider what will be the confe- 
 quence of your anions •, Know ity that for thefe things 
 God will hring you into judg?ne?it^ and call you to a 
 ftri(ft account for your youthful follies. You may 
 
 N novf 
 
px The Dijfolutron of the WorUj 
 
 now drink wine in bowl?, and fing away your cares, 
 fpend your days in mirth, and your years in vanity 
 and pleafufe •, but thefe are dying comforts, ihort- 
 liv'd enjoyments, which will foon end in difappoint- 
 ment and forrow. The fprightlinefs of Youth, the 
 Itrength of your conftitutions, is no Protedlion againft 
 the fudden arrefts of Death, and the inevitable fum- 
 mons of your almighty Judge. How many of your 
 companions have been cut oft in the flower of their 
 days, and diipatch'd into an eternal world, without 
 any warning ? And have you any fecurity, that this 
 fhall not be your cafe ? On the contrary, have you 
 not the greateft reafon to fear, that whilft you are re- 
 velling in your intemperate pleafures, and madly pur- 
 fuing your guilty defigns, while you are flattering 
 your felves with the profpedt of long life and profpe- 
 rity, and dream of nothing but peace and fafety, the 
 fatal Period will come upon you in a moment, and 
 overwhelm you with fwift and unavoidable ruin ? 
 Knowing then the terrors of the Lord, we perfwade 
 you, to break off your Sins by unfeigned Repentance, 
 
 and get reconciled to God, and prepared to die. • 
 
 O fly to the great Saviour of the world, who alone 
 can fecure you from the flames of vindidlive Juftice : 
 Cry to him mofl importunately for the powerful in- 
 fluences of his Spirit, to cleanfe your polluted Souls , 
 that you may be found of your Judge in peace, with- 
 out fpot and blamelefs. But I pafs, 
 
 II. Tb apply this Exhortation to thofe that are in 
 the Evening of I^fe, and have hitherto 7tegle^ed to 
 prepare for the approaching dijfolution of all things. 
 
 With what confidence will you, under your heavy 
 Loads of Guilt and Defilement, be able to hold up 
 your heads at the bar of Chrift ? Can you hope to 
 appear with Safety before his Judgment- Seat, who 
 have hitherto fpent your time in the negledt of his 
 Authgrity, in difgbedience to his Gofpel, and profane 
 
 cor^' 
 
d Motive to uMiverfal HoUn^fs. 9} 
 
 contempt of his ineftimable Blood ? illafs, your days 
 decline apace, your Sun is almoft let, and the Night 
 haftens upon you, wherein no man can work, O then 
 feize the flying moments, and trifle no longer with your 
 eternal Concerns *, humble your felves in the dull tor 
 your aggravated Iniquities, and turn from all your 
 Tranlgreflions. Fly for Refuge to Chrijl^ and give 
 glory to the Lord your God^ before your feet flumhle 
 upon the dark 7nountains^ and before the terrors of 
 a future judgment furprize you. O how will yon 
 efcapCy if you neglect fo great Salvation I 
 
 III. Let what we have heard put the Children of 
 God upon diligent endeavours to grow in Grace ^ and 
 in the Knowledge of Chrifl^ to increafe in univerfal 
 holinefs, that they may be better prcpar'd for the 
 awful Events they are expeding, and which will 
 furely come to pafs. 
 
 To quicken our Zeal and Adivity in the Chrifliian 
 Life, let us frequently be looking forward to that 
 important day, when our defcending Lord fhall 
 make the clouds his chariot^ and floall ride upon the 
 wings of the wind -, when the Heavens fhall bow be- 
 fore him, and the rocks fhall melt at his prefence^ and 
 a fire fhall go before him to burn up his enemies on 
 
 every fide. Confider how vaft will be the joy of 
 
 thofe holy Souls, who fhall be faved from the ruins 
 of a burning world, and be admitted into the new hea* 
 vens and the new earthy wherein dwells right eoufnefs. 
 And let the profpedl of this happy ftate engage us 
 to unfainting induftry in the fervice of God our Savi* 
 our, to a conftant Reparation from the defiling cor- 
 ruptions of the world, and unto a Care to have our 
 Converfation in Heaven : then we may be aflTured, that 
 the day of Chrift's folemn appearance will be the day of 
 our complete and eternal Redemption. While un- 
 godly Sinners ihall tremble at the Prefence of their 
 righteous Judge, and at the fight of a diffolving 
 
 worlds 
 
94 The Diffolution of the Worlds &c. 
 
 world, we that have ferv'd God, and waited for hz^ 
 Son fro?n Heaven^ fhall be able, amidft this Scene oi 
 darknefs and horror, to hold up our heads with Joy, 
 
 and not he ajhamed before Him at his coming. We 
 
 ihall fhout unto God with the voice of Gladnefs, and 
 join in that triumphant Song o^ Mofes and the Lamb : 
 Great and marvellous are thy works ^ Lord God al- 
 mighty^ jtijl and true are thy waySy thou King of 
 Saints I 
 
 AMEN. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 r|Age 8. line 32. read of Mofes — 
 p. 14. 1. 13. r. Superftition- 
 
 P. 38. 1. 4. r. Adminijlred ' 
 
 P. 41. 1. II. r. Should we- * 
 
 P: c^-j. 1. 33,4. r. Prefervative 
 
 P. 69. 1. 28. r. Our follicitous ■ 
 
 P. 74. 1. 12. r. Brighter' 
 
 P. 79. 1. 23. r. Conftderation •