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bis Holy Angels. Chrift himself told his Difciples more than once, Igo away and come again to you: And 'twas often in their mouths, He that fhall come, will come, and will not tar ry. The Angels told the Men of Galilee, that fame Fefus which they faw taken up to Heaven, bould come again in like manner as they had feen him taken up; Acts 1. 11. He was taken up in a Cloud, and in that bright Vehicle was carry'd up into Heaven: and we are told he shall come from thence in the Clouds of Heaven; thus in a literal fenfe making the Clouds bis Chariot, and flying upon the Wings of the Wind. At which time, the Saints that fleep in the Duft, fhall awake and be caught up to meet the Lord in the Air, congratulating his Return from the higher Regions; and fo fhall they ever be with the Lord, as we read in 1 Theff. 4. 14, &c. But,

Secondly, What is the End of his fecond Coming? Why, this we are here, and in fundry Places of Holy Scripture, told, is to judge the World: for God has appointed a day (faith the Apoftle) in which he will judge the World in Righteousness, by that Man whom he has ordain'd, of which be has given Afurance by raifing him from the dead; Acts 17. 31. And we must all appear before the Fudgment-Seat of Chrift, to receive according to the things done in the Body, whether it be good or evil; 2 Cor. 5. 10.

But is there any other Warrant or Evidence of fuch a Day befide Divine Revelation? Yes, Reafon itself, by obferving the Courfe of Affairs in this Life, may eafily gather and inform us of a Reckoning. For,

1. Reafon wills, that a Difcrimination be made between good and bad Men, which in this Life, by reafon of the Difguifes of Hypocrify, and the promiscuous Events of things, are not known or difcern'd from one another. And therefore as the Shepherd divides the Sheep from the Goats; and as the Tares and the Wheat, which for a while grow together, will be feparated at the Harveft: fo at the great Harvest of the World, good Men will be known and feparated from the bad, and a diftinction made between them that fear God, and fuch as fear him not. Again,

2. Juftice itself requires that Virtue and Goodness be rewarded, and that Vice and Wickedness be punish'd: Now becaufe this is not done in this World, where the wicked profper and good Men are afflicted, we may very well conclude there will be a future Reckoning, when both these will be fet right. The neceffity of reverfing the Errors

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and unjuft Sentences of this World, where Innocency is ofttimes opprefs'd, and Vice and Wickednefs triumph; fhews that God will again judge the Earth, and that the all-wife juft Judge of the Earth will do every one right.

3. The Acts of our own Confcience may affure us of an approaching Judgment; for that commends us when we do well, and condemns us when we do otherwife, which are the prefent Notices and Preparations for a future Trial: yea, Confcience not only approves our good Actions, but creates a Confidence and Chearfulness in doing of them, which Thews that they can abide the Trial; whereas 'tis ftill accufing and troubling us after we have done any thing that is evil, filling us with Terror and fearful Expectations, which are the fore-bodings of a future Judgment, and fignify that Confcience is bound over as a Witnefs, to give Teftimony for or against us at that Day. To this purpose is that of the Apoftle, If our Hearts condemn us not, then have we Confidence before God; but if our Hearts condemn us, God is greater than our Hearts, and knoweth all things.

If then, a future Judgment be fo certain and unavoidable, 'twill be requifite to know fomething of the Proceedings of that Day.

For the Judge, that, we are told, is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the World: For the Father judgeth no Man, but has committed all Fudgment to the Son; John 5. 22. And when God is faid to judge the World, 'tis by that Man whom he has ordain'd, of which he has given Affurance, by raifing him from the dead. This Honour is confer'd on him as a Reward of his Sufferings; for he having obtain'd Eternal Redemption for us, 'tis fit he should difpofe of it on his own Terms, and fentence thofe that refuse them and 'tis a high Vindication of his Honour to be made the Judge of all the World, who was unjustly judg'd by it.

For the Manner of it, the Apoftle tells us, that the Lord himself fhall defcend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Arch-angel, and the Trump of God, and the Dead in Chrift Shall arife: 1 Theff. 4. 16. At his coming, the Trumpet hall found, and the Dead Shall be rais'd incorruptible; the Inhabitants of the Grave fhall come forth, and appear before his Judgment-Seat.

For the Place, the fame Apoftle tells us, that his Judg ment-Seat will be in the Air; for when the Dead are rais'd, they hall (faith he) be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air; i Theff. 4. 17. There where the Devil

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and his Angels had tyranniz'd, who is therefore ftyl'd the Prince of the Power of the Air, will Chrift erect his Throne, and fummon them and all the Inhabitants of the Earth to before him, to undergo their Trial, and receive their

appear

Doom.

For the Time, we are told it will be at the End of the World. All the time before, is for the proving and preparing Perfons for this feafon; in which Chrift gives them Laws and Precepts to walk by, together with fufficient Means, Opportunities and Encouragements to obferve them: and according as they have obferv'd or omitted these things, will their Reward or Punishment be. There is a Day appointed, wherein these things will be heard and look'd into: and this is call'd fometimes the Last Day, fometimes the Day of the Lord, fometimes the Great Day, or the Day of Judgment; which must not be understood of the precife time of a Day, or the space of twenty four Hours, but of fuch a fpace of time as is requifite for the completing fo great a Tranfaction. And this Day, tho known and determin'd by God, is yet for wife Reasons conceal'd from us; for of that Day and Hour knoweth no Man, no not the Angels in Heaven, nor the Son himself, as Man, but the Father only. To keep us ftill upon our watch, we are told its coming will be fudden and unexpected, and even furprize us as a Thief in the Night, and Travail upon a Woman with Child; 1 Theff. 5. 2, 3.

For the Matter of this Judgment, or the Things to be enquir'd into, they are all things done in the Flesh, whether they be good or whether they be evil; that is, all things committed to us, or committed by us, are to be accounted for at that Day.

Of the first fort are all the Talents of Time, Wealth, Learning, Honour or Power, with all other Advantages and Opportunities of doing good, that have been intruffed with us; where ftrict Inquiry will be made into the Ufe and Improvement of thefe Talents, according to the Meafure and Quality of those we have receiv'd: And if it shall be found that we have employ'd and improv'd them well to the Glory of God, and the Good of ourfelves and others, we fhall find the Reward of good and faithful Servants, to enter into the Joy of our Lord. If it appear otherwise, that we have us'd them only to the Difhonour of our Mafter, and the Detriment of Mankind, we fhall receive the Doom of wicked and flothful Servants; to be bound Hand and Foot, and cast into outer Darkness.

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Of the latter fort are all things done by us, or proceeding from us; fuch are our Thoughts, Words and Actions: all which will come into the Scrutiny and Reckoning of that Day.

Ás for our Thoughts, 'tis proverbial among Men to fay that they are free, and indeed fo they are from any Human Controul or Cognizance; but they are not fo from the Omniscience of God, who will bring into Judgment every fecret thing, whether it be good or evil; Eccl. 12. 14. His Laws reach the inner Man; and when he cometh, he will bring to light all the hidden things of Darkness, and make mani feft the Counfels of the Heart.

For our Words, they too do not vanish into Air, or pafs away with the breath that utters them, but are all recorded, and will be rehears'd again at the Day of Reckoning: for of every idle word that a Man Speaketh (that is all fuch as tend to the Difhonour of God, or defaming our Neighbours) he shall give an Account at the Last Day: for by our Words we shall be justify'd, and by our Words we shall be condemn'd; Mat. 12. 36, 37.

For our Actions, they likewife will be narrowly fcan'd and review'd at this Bar; our Omiffions of Good, and Commiffions of Evil, will be publickly laid open, and every one fhall receive according as he has done in the Body, whether it be good or evil; 2 Cor. 5. 10. And elsewhere, the dead fhall be judg'd, every Man according to his Works ; Rev. 20. 13.

But by what Law or Rule are we to be judg'd at that Day? Why, the Gofpel is the Rule which all Chriftians fhall be try'd and judg'd by; fo God the Father declares that ke will judge all Men by Fefus Chrift, according to the Gof pel; Rom. 2. 16. and God the Son declares the fame, The Word that I have spoken, the fame Shall judge you at the last Day; John 12. 48. He will not keep us up to the Rigour and Extremity of the first Law, or condemn us for any involuntary Failings; but will gracioufly allow us all the Favour and Mitigations of the Gofpel. Sincerity fhall be accepted for Integrity, and hearty Defires and Endeavours, tho attended with fome Infirmities, fhall be taken for complete Obedience; we fhall be judg'd by that Law of Liberty that gives all Allowances to Human Frailty, and in many cafes accepts the Will for the Deed. Our merciful Saviour will not judge us arbitrarily, or condemn us for things no where forbidden; for where there is no Law, there is no Tranfgression: VOL. I,

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and therefore we need not entertain any vain Fears and Scruples about Forms of Prayer, kneeling, ftanding, or other innocent and indifferent Rites of God's Worship; which being forbidden by no Law, will never come into the Account of the laft Day: tho a too ftiff Refusal of them, when enjoin'd by lawful Authority, may.

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But what fort of Evidence or Witnefs will be admitted in this Judgment? Why, as to this, there will be little or no ufe or need of any; for all our Thoughts, Words, and Actions are perfectly regifter'd in the Books of God's Omnifcience, and will be expos'd to the publick View of Angels and Men for fo St. John, in the Vifion of this Day, Jaw the Books open'd, and the Dead were judg'd from the Things written in the Books, according to their Works; Rev. 20. 12. Befide, every Man's Confcience will be ready to give Teftimony for or against him, and fupply the Place of a thoufand Witneffes: and if that fhould prove forgetful or defective, God is greater than our Hearts, and knoweth all things.

But what will be the Iffue and Refult of this great and folemn Judgment? Why, after a full and fair Hearing or Trial of every one's Caufe, Sentence will pafs upon each of them according to their Works: Before which, the great Judge of the World will make a publick Difcrimination between good Men and the bad, dividing the one from the other, as a Shepherd divideth the Sheep frem the Goats, Jetting the one at his right Hand, and the other at his left. And having made this publick Distinction and Separation, turning to thofe on his right Hand, he will pronounce that glorious and ravishing Sentence of Abfolution; Come, ye bleffed Chil dren of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepar'd for you from the Foundation of the World: every word whereof, will fill them with Extafies of Joy, which will not only tranfport, but abide with them for ever. After which, turning to thofe on the left Hand, he will pafs upon them that dreadful and heart-breaking Sentence of Condemnation; Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlasting Fire, prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels: where every Word will overwhelm them with Grief, and fill them with endless Horror and Defpair. Thus having fhew'd both the Certainty and the Circumftances of a future Judgment, I proceed,

Thirdly,