records all the calamities of his children, as it were, in a book, so he doth all their virtues. See Psalm lvi. 8. And he will reveal them publicly before the whole world in all their lustre, as we have seen, Matt. xxv. 35-40. And he keeps in the same manner by his omniscience a book of remembrance of all the sins of the wicked and "he will set them in order before them" on that day. This we see, Mal. iii. 16. Psalm li. 21. But that the justice of God may appear publicly, when he doth not bring the sins of the righteous to light for their condemnation," another book which is the book of life, will be opened," Rev. xx. 12, and it will be made known, that they were chosen and written in it to life; and not only this, but "the book of the life of the Lamb will also be opened," Rev. xxi. 27. That is, the book of the council of peace, or of the covenant of redemption, made from eternity by the Father with the Son, into which the names of the elect were, if we may so say, transcribed. See John xvii. 6. This book will be opened, that is, it will be manifested, that Jesus is the Surety of the elect, and that he hath satisfied for them; and that they therefore cannot be condemned on account of their sins, according to Rom. iii. 25, 26. Thus speaks the Saviour, John iii. 18. "He who believeth on the Son is not condemned." (c) That it may now appear, that he judgeth according to truth, the book of the testimony of truth will also be opened, when all things will be discovered, and recur in a lively manner to the consciences of men, how much soever they may be blinded and hardened in this life; for if "the consciences of the heathens do now bear witness, and if their thoughts do now accuse them," Rom. ii. 15, what will it be then," when the Lord will come, and will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts ?" 1 Cor. iv. 5.

(c) After all things have been strictly examined in this manner, the sentence will be pronounced, in the sweetest and most ravishing words upon the righteous, and every word will be most emphatical; for the King will say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," Matt. xxv. 34. But in a terrible manner and in his wrath “will he say to them on his lift hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," Matt. xxv. 41.

(d) Whereupon the execution of the sentence will also imme diately follow; for "these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal,” Matt. xxv. 46. For which pur

pose the angels will be employed, as the Lord Jesus foretells, Matt. xiii. 40-43.

(e) We must now also attend to the circumstances of this judg ment: these are, (1) the time, (2) the place, and (3) the qualities of this judgment.

1. The time when this judgment will be holden is certain and determined; for "God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness," Acts xvii. 31, and it is called "the last day," John xii. 48. But when that time will be is unknown to us, no less than it was to the Son of man, according to his human nature, while he was conversant on earth, Mark xiii. 32. Nevertheless we know that the time draweth near, and is at hand: "The end of all things is at hand," said the apostle, even in his time, 1 Peter iv. 7. How much more is that time then now near at hand?

2. The place will be in the air, upon the clouds; for "we shall be taken up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air," saith the apostle, 1 Thess. iv. 17. But the scripture doth not inform us near what region of the earth. The papists say, that the judgment will be holden in the valley of Jehoshaphat, because the Lord saith, Joel .-21. "That he will bring the heathen into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and plead with them there;" but that chapter treats not of the general judgment, but of a certain particular one on the heathens, in the manner of a battle and war, as every one may see, vrs. 8—14.

3. The qualities of this judgment are, (a) that it will be dreadful to the wicked; for when they will unexpectedly see him, whom they despised, coming in the clouds of heaven, and that to examine and destroy them, on account of all their evil doings, how will their hearts then fail for fear and how will "all the kindreds of the earth wail because of him!" Rev. i. 7, and so much the more, because they will not be able to deprecate the sentence, nor be able, nor be permitted to appeal from it to a higher judicature. (b) It will be a comfortable sentence to the righteous, as we will show anon. (c) It will also be a righteous judgment; for "God will render to every man according to his deeds," Rom. ii. 5, 6. The destruction of the wicked will be the deserved recompence of their works; but eternal salvation will be recompensed to the righteous according to their works, forasmuch as their works are certain evidences, that they are the favoured people of the Lord, and are reconciled to God through Christ; for Christ will produce their works of mercy, which they have shown to the least of his brethren, as evidences, that they are the blessed of his Father, and he will thereupon call them into the kingdom prepared for them, Matt. xxv. 34-10.

2. Christians believe on the surest evidences, that Christ will really come to judgment; for all the saints from the beginning of the world until John, the last of the holy writers, believed in Christ's coming to judgment, they inculcated it upon their people, and comforted them therewith in all their tribulations, as we might show in order, but we deem it unnecessary on account of the brevity of our method to alledge every passage of scripture; those which we have already cited are sufficient. But besides this, we have many reasons, on account of which we must expect such a judgment; for (a) Christ sits at the right hand of God, that every knee may bow to him but the world doth not behold his glory, it tramples without concern upon his laws, and injures his people. What think ye? doth he not take this ill? will he not revenge it? will he not one day reveal his glory? and how will he do it? must he not for this end," sitting thus at the right hand of God, come in the clouds of heaven," as he threatened the Jewish council? (b) The justice of God requireth, that the good should fare well, and the bad ill. Now, this doth not appear so much at present; the good are filled with bitter things, and the bad spend their days in good. How shall it appear, that God is righteous, if he do not manifest it after this life by the general judgment? Paul reasoneth thus, 2 Thess. i. 6—10. (c) Doth not the sinner think that God is like himself, as though God forgot his sins, as he himself forgets them? yea, doth he not jest with the judgment, saying in his heart, "Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them: or, "where is the God of judgment?" Mal. ii. 17. Can the Lord indeed suffer this? must he not one day bring such a scoffer into judgment, "reprove him, and set these things in order before him ?" Psalm 1. 21. (d) Men have a natural apprehension of the general judgment, yea, even the heathen have; for their conscience accuseth them, Rom. ii. 15. And if this judgment were not to be expected, would not the world be still more abominable, and intolerable than it is? but the fear of such a judgment restrains the wickedness of the world.

3. Although the wicked ought to shudder and tremble at this judgment, it is matter of joy and comfort to believers; for the day of judgment is to them "a time of refreshing," Acts iii. 19, " of redemption," Luke xxi. 28, and of "crowning," 2 Tim. iv. 8. Many are their sorrows and persecutions; but in the midst of them they may with courage, with uplifted heads, and with longing, look for the Judge from heaven to judgment. The Judge himself encour ageth them to this, Luke xxi. 28. "When these things," the

various commotions in heaven and earth, at his coming to judgment, "begin to take place, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. "They may "look for, and hasten to the coming of the day of God," 2 Peter in. 12. They have also reasons for this; since, (a) as the instructor saith, "they look for the very same Person, who before offered himself for their sakes to the tribunal of God, and hath removed all curse from them, to come as judge from heaven." This the instructor also learned of Paul from Thess. i. 10. "To wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come." This that apostle teacheth also, Titus ii. 13, 14. And so they look for their Surety, Redeemer, and Advocate, whom they have chosen, sought, and found to be their friend. So Job did in his book, chap. xix. 25-27. (b) He will also, when he cometh to judgment," cast all his and their enemies into everlasting condemnation." They frequently wish now, that they were delivered from their enemies, nevertheless not from revenge: no, they will bless, though they be cursed: but it pleaseth the Lord to try and exercise them by enemies: yet when that day comes, (and lo it will come) then they will be delivered from them. This expectation ought to comfort them; fear not, ye afflicted, tossed with a tempest, and not comforted, stand still, behold the salvation of the Lord which he will show you; your enemies, whom ye see to day, ye shall see no more for ever; and then "death and hell," that is, all that is as a death and hell to you, "shall be cast into the lake of fire," Rev. xx. 14. And thus "the righteous shall rejoice, when he beholds the vengeance," Psalm Iviii. 10. (c) Once more, the great Judge "will translate believers, and all his chosen ones to himself, into heavenly joys and glory." I will come again," saith he to them, John xiv. 3, "and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." This is surely their desire, even to be with Christ! this is their great salvation! to this the soul aspires now, and it is good for her to be near him. What will it be then, when she will not be now and then near him here, and when, unclothed of her body, she will be taken up to Christ, her Head, but when she "will be taken up" with her body, and that clothed with immortality," in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall be ever with the Lord," 1 Thess. iv. 17.

APPLICATION.

May we not infer from all this, (a) that Christ alone is the head of the church; for when "God set him at his own right hand, he gave him to be the head over all things to the church," Eph. i. 22. And therefore the Pope cannot be the head of the church, since he doth not sit at the right hand of God; but manifests by his exalting of himself in the temple of God, that he is the man of sin, and the son of perdition, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his. mouth, and destroy 'with the brightness of his coming," 2 Thess. ii. 3-8. (b) We infer also from Christ's sitting at the right hand of God, and from his coming again, the truth of the doctrine of Christians, in opposition to Jews and heathens, inasmuch as these foundations of Christianity are sure; for Christ confirmed them with the strongest proofs, when according to his prediction, he, as sitting at the right hand of God, destroyed Jerusalem, poured out the Spirit, and converted the world by the rod of his strength, and thus rules in the midst of his enemies. Yea, our faith in his coming to judgment, and our resting of our doctrine upon it, is a proof of it.

But who are they, for whose profit and comfort he sitteth at the right hand of God, and will come again to judgment? they are those who have been made partakers of his heavenly graces of regeneration, conversion, faith and sanctification, and for whom he offered himself to the tribunal of God, and from whom he hath removed all the curse. Who these are we have shown before by certain marks, and therefore we deem it unnecessary to do it here again.

But hear this and tremble, ye ignorant persons. "God will take vengeance in flaming fire upon them who do not know him," 2 Thess. i. 8 Careless persons, ye "men who are settled upon your lees, the Lord will search you with candles," Zeph. i. 12. "Rise up, ye women, who are at ease, hear my voice, ye careless daughters, give ear to my speech. Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; tremble ye women that are at ease; be troubled ye careless ones," Isaiah xxxii. 9, 10, 11. Hypocrites, who make a fair show externally, but have rotten hearts, "when the Lord shall come, then he will reveal the counsels of the heart," 1 Cor. iv. 5. "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how shall ye escape the damnation of hell?" Matt. xxiii. 33. Stout-hearted sinners: "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him," Jude vrs. 14, 15. Impenitent persons, who, notwithstanding