receiv'd and rest upon the Lord Iesus for their Saviour who truly love him and believe on him it must needs go well with all such at this day This Consideration takes away all cause of fear terrour and amazement in reference to the day of Judgement from all such and this may be one reason why Christ shall be the Judge at this day that hereby those who truly believe on him might have the greater comfort in thinking of this day now and in being at it when it comes The day of Judgment in it self affords matter of comfort to all such but much more upon this account If God himself were immediately to be the Judge at this day true believers would have no cause of fear yet they might be apt to fear But this consideration that Christ is to be Iudge at this day will keep all such from fearing if it be seriously thought of There are several Considerations that might be drawn from the Consideration of the day of Iudgement which afford matter of comfort to the people of God but this is even the chief and first It will be a great comfort to believers to fee Christ at this day but a greater comfort that they shall be judged by him and the comfort that is comprehended in this doctrine to all such will appear if you consider 1. The Relations between Christ and them they are the friends of Christ John 15.15 yea the brethren of Christ Christ is call'd Our elder Brother And Mark 3.2 last Christ calls believers his Brethren yea they are the Members of Christ the Church is the Body of Christ and every true believer a Member in particular as the Apostle yea they are the Spouse of Christ Eph. 5.30 where the Apostle alludes to the nearness of the Relation between Man and Wife Eve being taken out of Adam and so as he speaks concerning her she was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone yea Christ not only stands thus nearly related to all believers but there is a love in him to them answerable to these relations and above them now what a comfort is this to have one so nearly related to you O believers to have one â—o full of love to be your Judge Surely it was the love of God to you that appointed Christ to be your Judge If you were to be judgâ—d by men here on earth and such a one were to be your Iudge who you knew lov'd you entirely even as his own self who was your friend your brother c. would not this be a comfort was not this a comfort think you to Joseph's Brethren that their brother Joseph was Lord of all Egypt would not this have been a comfort enough to David if Ionathan his friend had been his Judge would he have doubted to have found favour suppose it could have been and God should have consented to it that thou should'st have chose thy Judge surely thou couldst not have chose such another for thy own good and comfort if thou hadst chose the best friend thou hast in the world suppose it be thy husband father child or any other and such a one should have had power to determine how it should have gone with thee for ever surely it should not have gone better nor so well as now it will nor wouldst thou have had more comfort and boldness in appearing before him then now thou wilt Man may change Christ will not and cannot man may be deluded and corrupted Christ cannot yea let me adde this should God have told thee that at this day thou shouldst have been thine own Judge and it should go with thee to Eternity as thou thy self shouldst say it should here would not in this be so great a comfort for its impossible that thou shouldst love thy self more more truly more fully yea so much as Christ loves thee being a true believer were Christ to judge himself at this day if that might be he would not more certainly free himself and pronounce a sentence of eternal life then he will to thee even to thee whoever thou art poor weak foolish sinful if thou dost truly believe on him for thou art I may say himself being a Member of him and one with him Secondly consider its Jesus Christ who is to who hath laid down his life that you might live who hath bore the wrath of God to free you from it who hath purchased eternal life for you by his blood Therefore for certain he will when he shall sit upon his Throne to judge you look upon you with a loving smiling countenance speak nothing but words of love grace and kindness to you and concerning you therefore for certain he will not pronounce a sentence of eternal death but eternal life to you he should act against himself and frustrate the end of his coming and dying of all that he did and suffered if he should not give eternal life to you It s Iesus Christ who is to be your Iudge who hath promised eternal life to you He that believeth on me hath everlasting life Iohn 3. Therefore it s against his truth and faithfulness not to bestow it upon you at this day but he being to be the Iudge of the world it cannot be that he should be unfaithful and unrighteous Rom. 3.4 5. Is God unrighteous God forbid for how then should God judge the world Ics a necessary requisite in all Iudges that they should be righteous much more in the Iudge of the whole world It s Iesus Christ who is to be your Iudge who is your Advocate and Intercessor with God whoever lives to make Intercession for you and plead for you that you might obtain mercy notwithstanding your sins 1 John 2.1 And therefore when he shall come to sit in Iudgement he will not doubtless he cannot go against his own pleading notwithstanding your sins he will give eternal life to you Iesus Christ who hath been judg'd for you is to be your Iudge you need not fear to be judg'd by him It s that Iesus Christ who is to be your Iudge to whom your sins are imputed who is your Surety with whose righteousness you are cloathed who hath procured the Pardon of all your sins and therefore let not this trouble you to think that your sins may be spoken of and made known as this day If it be so it will be by Christ who is your righteousness himself who hath been made sin for you therefore doubt not notwithstanding your sins he will acquit you and free you from the desert of them You will not need any to plead for you or speak a word for you nor will you need to speak a word for your self seeing Christ himself your Advocate is to be your Iudge O blessed believers you shall be judg'd by Christ it is your happinesse You are exceedingly in debt to God by your sins but Christ is to be your Iudge who is your Surety who hath paid your debts for you therefore
dealt with sitting as their Judge doubtless you will say yes why surely my friends it will be little less dreadful to every one of you who hearing of Christ yet refuse him and continue in your sins knowingly and wilfully under the light of the Gospel certainly as there never was such love and mercy heard of as Christ hath shewn to the sinful sons of men in his suffering so never was there such fury such wrath and indignation as Christ will shew at this day against all ungodly men and unbelievers It s not said Christ will come in fire taking vengeance on those who crucified him but on those who know not God and obey not the Gospel of his Son yea certainly it will even go worse at this time with you who now live under the sound of the Gospel and yet continue in sin and unbelief then it will a least with some of them who crucified Christ for they did it ignorantly as Christ saith Father forgave them for they know not what they do but you will not be able to plead ignorance you know you should be sober and constant in duty c. That you should beleeve on Christ and yet you do not you will not Vse 4. Exhort 2. To move you to seek out for an interest in Christ neither is it an Argument that is empty and light that hath little in it Both the comings of Christ are strong Arguments to move sinners to come in and close with him Christ came into the world to save sinners O therefore to Christ my friends close with him Christ will come again to judge sinners O therefore also to Christ sinners to Christ take hold of him own him in truth for thy Saviour which if you shall the Use of Consolation from this doctrine belongs to you if not the other use of terrour is thy portion believe it sinner Men and Brethren when you are called upon to believe on Christ it is indeed to believe on One who hath been in the world and now is gone out of it whom thou seest not and canst not now see he being in Heaven in glory and far above thee but remember think of it it is yet to believe on one who will come again whom though yet thou hast not seen thou shalt see VVhen you are called upon to believe on Christ you may think who is Christ where is Christ we see him not we never saw him he is gone out of the world I but he will he certainly will come again and that to judge thee and then thou shalt see him Hadst thou no need of Christ to be thy Saviour as some possibly may think they have but little need yet seeing Christ shall be thy Judge it concerns thee to close with him It s a high offence yea and an injury to Jesus Christ not to believe on him yea the greatest offence and injury that can be offered to him yea that ever was offered to him it s worse then to crucifie Christ many of those who crucified Christ will be sav'd by him at this day so many as did believe on him as several of them did Acts 2. Peter tells them they had crucified the Lord of Life and they being prickt at the heart cry out Men and brethren-what shall we do Peter tells them They must beleeve on Christ and 3000 of them were added to the Chrich so that to believe on Christ is more pleasing to God and Christ then crucifying of Christ was displeasing and therefore nor to believe on Christ crucified is worse and more displeasing then to crucifie him now pray tell me VVill it be do you think for your advantage at this day so to have displeas'd and injur'd Christ your Judge Doubtless this was one end why this truth was discovered to us that Jesus Christ shall come again and be the Judge of the world that it might be a motive to stir us up to believe on him VVere you never to have any thing to do with Christ nor Christ with you you might still reject and dispraise him it would not be such folly But Jesus Christ is to be your Iudge O therefore give ear open your hearts to the Voice of God and Christ in his VVord calling upon you to come to Christ believe on him Christ tells you If you beleeve not you are condemned already John 3 Certainly therefore he will condemn you at this day if you do not Christ tells you again v. last that he who believes not on him shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him therefore you may assuredly know that if you die in unbelief he will not give you life but pour forth that wrath of God upon you Mark last 16. He that believes not saith Christ shall be damned Christ speaks plain Remember it is the Word of Christ who is to be your Iudge who therefore he having said that if you beleeve not you shall be damn'd will without any hope to the contrary not only condemn but damn you too at this day if you shall not believe on him Certainly there 's none of you but must needs be convinc'd from this doctrine had there never been any thing else before said to you about believing that its best for you to believe on Christ seeing its that he requires and desires of you neither certainly could you hear this truth but you would seek after faith and be greatly troubled if you do not believe if you were not deluded and deceived Now many are the delusions and deceits whereby men are kept from being mov'd by this and such like truths amongst the rest this is even the chief and most common though men do not believe yet they please themselves with a groundless hope that they do I shall therefore put you in mind of one place of Scripture 1 Cor. 5.17 My friends Christ is to be your Iudge you cannot deny it the Word of God abundantly confirms it now will he give eternal life to you except you believe on him he professeth that he will not once and again and you certainly cannot think that he will well then do you believe on him you 'll say its likâ— yes you do or you hope you do as well aâ— any other Hear now the VVord of God If thou dost believe on Christ thou art a new creature c. VVhat sayst thou Is it so hast thou left thy old sins art thou not the same man as ever thou wert hast thou not as hard a heart as blinde an understanding dost thou not live as bad or it may be a worse life then formerly thou didst art thou not as prophane as vain as worldly as ever Or if thou hast amended some things yet do not some old things remain still dost thou not live in some of thy old lusts and that with as much love to them delight in them and as little trouble for them as ever is it thus with thee Secondly are all things become new with
so which I shall but touch 1. The first reason may be taken from his first coming he was much abased at his first coming therefore he shall come again and be exalted he was arraign'd accused and condemned by men at his first coming therefore he shall be the Iudge of men at his second coming Phil 2.8 9 10. which is to be at the day of Iudgement Rom. 14.9 10 11. This is an ordinary Piece of Gods Providence towards his people the same evil he casts them into now he exalts them into the contrary good in his time as the Lord had a purpose to make Joseph Ruler over all Egypt but first he makes him a slave so God had a meaning to make Christ Iudge of men and therefore first suffers him to be judged by men This may be one reason to prove that Christ shall be the Iudge at this day and it hath not a little in it to prove the day of Judgment it self The sufferings of Gods people in the world prove that much more doth the ill usage and sufferings of Christ prove it that there will be a time when the innocency of Christ shall be cleared before all the world and his enemies fully punish'd which that it might be indeed God hath appointed Christ Judge at this day Iohn 5.22 23. Christ shall be the Judge that he might be honoured before and by all the world and there 's reason for it because he was dishonour'd and disgrac'd in and by the world Christ shall judge the world that it may appear to all men how the father honours him and loves him and what a difference there is betwixt Christ and all other men 2. This will be for the Honour of God his Greatness and Sovereignty to judge the world by another Kings on earth seldom judge any themselves but execute Judgement by others Hereby the Iustice of God also will appear the more in that he will judge men by Man by one who was flesh and blood like themselves Iohn 5.27 3. Christ is the Saviour of the world of all those who do and will believe on him he is the way of salvation to his People they are saved by him and for others those who live be sure where the Gospel is preacht the great reason of their destruction and perdition will be because they do not and will not believe on him Iohn 3.19 this may be another reason because it s by believing on him that those who shall have it come to have a right to eternal life they shall have it for his sake and therefore from him and it s for not believing on him that others will suffer eternal death and chiefly deserve it therefore it shall be inflicted by him and in this the justice of God will appear also the more in the destruction of unbelievers in that he will condemn them by him whom he offered to them to be their Saviour hereby wicked mens mouths will be stopt indeed they will have nothing to say Fourthly Christ now rules and governs the world Mat. last 18. the world is Christ's as by Gods Gift so by his Purchase and therefore c. Fifthly Christ shall be c. that so wicked men might see their Judge God being invisible Rev. 1.7 Mat. 24.30 Sixthly Christ hath liv'd in the world amongst men and so by experience he knows their temptations and ways therefore the Apostle saith Christ is fit to be an High Priest Heb. 4.15 and therefore he may be said to be fit to be Mans Judge he knows what it is to live in the world Christ will be able to answer any thing that wicked men may plead that they liv'd in a sinful world and that they had such and such temptations c. in that he hath lived in the world and bin tempted as much and more then any USE I. Instruct 1. Learn hence willingly to suffer and undergo any thing for God you will be no losers in the end the lower you are brought for God the higher he will exalt you one day the more disgrac't for God the more will he honour you the more you do for God the more he will own you hereafter this we may learn by Gods dealings with Christ none brought lower then Christ and therefore none shall be exalted higher none disgrac't more and therefore God will honour none so much none ever did so much for God and therefore none shall ever be ownâ—d so much by God Christ lost nothing by any thing he did suffered or underwent for God neither shall you Secondly learn not to judge of men as they appear outwardly to you in this life who more mean poor and every way low while in the world then Christ yet he even he that poor but blessed Iesus Christ who had not a hoâ—se to put his head in while in the world shall be the Judge of the whole world It will not be with men hereafter according to their condition while here who would have thought seeing Jesus Christ here on earth when born in the Sâ—â—ble lying in the Marger when buffered and spit on when hanging upon the Cross c. who would and could have thought who did think of those who saw him without an Eye of faith that he should have bin the Judge of the world at this great day Thirdly is it so then what awful honourable and reverent althoughts should we have of Jesus Christ how should we fear and everence him in our hearts Judges on earth are feared reverenced honour'd and fear'd how much more should Jesus Christ the Judge of the whole world Christ was a man as we are sin only excepted but he was and is God as well as man and though a man yet you hear he is to be the Judge of all men he is to be a Judge of Iudges themselves to whom but that there are none such here a word might have been spoken particularly as such from this doctrine to put them in minde that as they are Iudges of others so they themselves shall be judged by another even by Iesus Christ Honour I say and fear Christ because he is to be your Iudge Those who honour me saith God I will honour so they who now honour Christ Christ will honour at this day those who now truly fear him then shall not fear him But as for those who have now low mean and contemptible thoughts of Christ Christ now knows their thoughts and I shall say no more but they for certain will not be out of his mind at this day when they shall stand before his Tribunal-Seat we also hence learn the honour of all true believers in that they stand nearly related to Christ would you not account it an honour to be near related to some great Iudge on earth what an honour then is it to â—e related and nearly related to the Iudge of the whole world USE II. Of Comfort and Consolation To all true believers to all those who have truly own'd and truly
most certainly he will not lay you up in prison for them for he hath so paid for them that he requires nothing of you but to beleeve which you do who are true Christians to whom I speak and on whom this doctrine smiles and speaks comfort Christ himâ—elf is to be your Iudge to whom all Power is given for this end to give you eternal life Iohn 17.2 Christ who hath undertaken and engaged to his Father to bring you safe to Heaven Christ who is in Heaven now preparing a place for you and therefore for certain he will carry you to the place he is preparing Christ from whom you had all your graâ—e which you have therefore though but small he will then own it Christ in whom there is a fulness of all grace for you that you need Iohn 1. and therefore fear not that he will condemn you because you have no more grace it being in his hand for you All the Promises of God are made to you in Christ therefore for certain he being to be your Judge he will make them all good to you Christ who hath prayed for you that you might be where he is that you might behold his glory and partake of it so far as you are capable Iohn 17.22 24. therefore you need not doubt of going to the place where he is and receiving of that glory he hath at this day It s Christ who hath help'd you to do all the good that you have done Without me ye can do nothing John 14.5 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me saith the Apostle therefore he will own what you have done at this day You who are believers you have Christ in you Christ in you the hope of glory you have the Spirit of Christ in you you are one Spirit with him as the Apostle speaks you are in Christ Rom. 8.1 therefore how can it but go well with you at this day seeing Christ is to be your Iudge Iesus Christ O believers is to be your Iudge who is your Redeemer Eph. 1 7. who hath obtain'd an eternal Redemption for you Heb. 9.12 therefore for certain you shall be perfectly redeemd from all evil at this day and therefore it s called the day of Redemption to believers Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of Redemption that is of perfect full and compleat Redemption of all those who believe on Christ Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeem'd is from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us therefore for certain since Christ is to pronounce the fentence Go ye cursed it shall not be pronounced to you It s Christ whom you have honoured by believing on him who will be glorified in you and admired in you at this day 2 Thes 1.10 Therefore for certain you shall be honour'd and glorifi'd by him yea and therefore you shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.3 What cause have all true believers to love the appearing of Christ and say concerning him Come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 20.4 These words are brought as the Answer of the Church to every true believer whereas all unbelievers say in their hearts and have cause to say What come quickly No Iesus stay stay long stay and never come Surely none who have any good evidence concerning their faith in Christ can forbear rejoycing triumphing wishing and praying desiring longing and hoping for this day of Iudgement because Christ is to be the Iudge at this day if he do but consider these things But whether believers do now as it may be they may not rejoyce in this through the weaknesse of their faith and those many doubts and untoward fears that are in him and wont of meditation and serious consideration concerning these things yet when this day shall come the sight of Christ will fill them with joy and consolation it will then then it will make them to leap and triumph how glad were the Angels the Shepherds old Simeon and others at the Birth of Christ at his first coming much more will all true believers be glad and rejoyce at his second coming though it be to Judgment yea therefore because it shall be to iudgement When Christ comes to the soul in an Ordinance by his Spirit believers you â—now how welcome he is had you ever greater joy in your lives Cant. 3.4 what joy what joy O what joy believers what joy when Christ she I come personally at this day for then Christ will come to receive you to himself Iohn 14.2 3. Christians when you think of the day of Iudgement think of this Scripture Christ will then come to receive you to himself even thee poor soul who believest on him The first coming of Christ was great matter of joy Abraham saw my day that is by faith saith our Saviour my day that is the day of his first coming and was glad we also should now by faith look upon the day of this his second comeing and be glad But as I said before if now we are not then we shall Psal 96.10 11. and Psal 98.4 5. Thus it will be with all godly men and women and with all true believers at this day Acts 3.19 Now your spirits may be sad and heavy your spirits may sink and droop but then O then my Brâ—thren and Sisters in Christ we shall be refresh'd we shall be cheared and revived we shall have more comfort then ever we had sadness more joy then â—ver we had sorrow more peace then ever we had trouble our spirits shall be rais'd Figher in comfort then ever they were dejected and câ—st down with fear and grief we shall have as much joy at this day as believers and wicked men will have sorrow and terrour we shall be as willing to appear before Christ as they will be unwilling as ready and forward as they will be backward When this voâ—ce shall found in your ears Arise O deal Christ is come to judgement the Name of Christ will make your hearts to leap within you O blessed Iesus what Iesus Christ on whom I have believed who is the beloved of my soul who hath shed his blood for me is he come to judge me so welcome Jesus welcome I have waited long long for him is the time now past at an end is the Winter gone is he now come with all my heart most gladly let me appear before him could any and would any hinder you from appearing before him you would even strive to go to him you will even be impatient till you have got near him and never will you think your selves too near him Henceforth there 's laid up for me c. 2 Tim. last 8. True believers love the appearing of Christ now how will they love it when it shall be it comforts them now to think of it much more will it to see Christ and well it may seeing then they are to receive a Crown from him What joy is there when the
Bridegroom meets the Bride what joy is there when Brethren and Friends meet who have been long parted such such did I say and a thousand times more will thy joy be O believer thy joy O now sad weeping sighing groaning believer when thou shalt meet Christ at Iudgement Rom. 8.34 So I may say Who is he that shall condemn thee at this day it is Christ who is to be thy Iudge surely if the devil that accuser of the brethren or any other would speak against thee the sight of Christ upon the Tribunal-Seat will silence them all yea and thine own conscience too fully however now it may trouble thee and accuse thee then it will acquit and free thee Christ being to be thy Iudge thy Conscience will tell thee there 's he that died for thee and loves thee there 's thy life there 's thy hope thy righteousness sanctification and redemption thy Friend thy Brother thy Advocate thy Surety thy Saviour thy Iudge is all these to thee Was not the rising of the Sun welcom to the Egyptians after their long night So welcom will the rising of the Sun of Righteousness be to thee at this day Christ who accounts all that is done to thee as done to himself Saul Saul why persecutest thou me When I was hungry ye fed me c. Christ who will and at this day doth reward those who do thee any good and punish those who do thee any hurt he shall be thy Judge think then will he do thee any hurt at this day what good will he do thee What good will he not do thee Christ is the best friend thou hast in the world the best thou canst have He shall be thy Iudge Besides all this Consider in a word these two or three things 1. Christ Iesus is to be thy Iudge and he is appointed to be thy Iudge by God himself God shall judge the world by the Man whom he hath appointed so that what Christ shall do at this day God will own and stand to it s a consideration not without comfort that God himself hath appointed to Christ to be our Saviour that God sent Christ at first coming and â—ent him to do what he did and suffer what he did so also to me its a comfortable consideration that God hath appointed Christ to be my Iudge that he will send him at his second coming and send him to do what then he shall do and be what then he shall be God against whom thy sins have been committed will send Christ to be thy Iudge whom he hath sent to die for thy sins It thou hadst committed treason against some Prince and the Prince himself should appoint thy Brother or Friend to be thy Iudge what wouldst thou think of this if Christ of himself should come to be thy Iudge if that could be what were this thou mightst fear though he should judge well concerning thee his Judgement might not stand Secondly there will for certain be no change in Christ as to his heart and affection to his people at this day his love and affection will be the same to them that it was while here on earth when he suffered for them on the Cross Christ loves them now in Heaven as well as he did while here on earth and so he will at this day So often it is with men those to whom they were friends while in a low condition they slight and despise and are strange too when they are raised but it is not now and will not then be so with Christ Christ was exceeding loving to and tender over his people while he was here as he manifested many ways so loving so tender will he be to every one of them at this day yea surely he will then shew much more love to them then he did while here in respect of his carriage to them yea may I not say there will be as much familiarity between them But Thirdly consider when Christ shall be your Iudge beloved Christians it will be as the last Iudgement after which there shall be no Iudgement from which there shall be no Appeal to have the Iudge of an inferiour Court to be your friend were not so much but to have the Iudge of the Chief and Supream Court your intimate entire friend from which there is no Appeal this were something indeed The sentence that will pass from Christ at this day it will be a standing eternal sentence that shall never so much as be question'd Fourthly the sentence of life and happiness that Christ will pronounce to you he himself will see made good and make good Mat. 25. Christ will say to the wicked Go ye Cursed but to his people Come ye blessed what go to Heaven either before or after But come come with me Christ himself will accompany them to Heaven and therefore in that place before-mentioned I will come and receive you to my self See 1 Thes 4.17 When once Christ and believers meet at this day they will never part Christ will never leave them again no not for a moment to eternity Christ â—ill place every one in his Mansion about him Lastly Christ will be your only Iudge at this day sometimes amongst men there sits more Judges then one but Christ will be your only Judge Christ will be for you and there will be none against you and none that you can think or fear may be against you because there will be none but Christ Christ is our only Saviour and he will be our only Judge SERMON II. Vse 3. IS it so c. Then let all unbelievers all the enemies of Christ think of this this doctrine looks with a dismal face upon all such and speaks dreadful wo and misery to all such It s full of sweetness a breast full of consolation to all true believers as you have heard but there 's nothing but bitterness and terrour in it to all who shall live and die without Christ and enemies to him and indeed all those who do live without who will not believe on him they are enemies to him He that is not with us is against â—s saith Christ he that goes not to Christ by faith is against Christ an enemy to him Terrour terrour from this doctrine to all such And this is given by some as a farther reason why Christ shall be Iudge at this day that so this day might have the more terrour in it to all such If God himself were immediately to be the Judge it would not be so terrible to wicked men to have a man who was like themselves except sin come to judge them and such a one who was offered again and again to them to be their Saviour who shed his blood and bore the wrath of God to make way for the salvation of sinners and this was told them many times and they were intreated and invited to take Christ for their Saviour and were told from Christ his own mouth for certain he would not cast
them out if they would come to him but they should be freed from wrath by him and at this day receive eternal life from him but yet they hearing heard not regarded not but turn'd their backs upon Christ despised him made light of him breaking his Commands contemning his Ordinances abusing his People c. To have this Iesus Christ come to judge these Rebels against him it must needs be terrible Rev. 1.7 All Nations shall wail because of him that is all unbelievers and enemies to Christ in all Nations shall wail not only because that then they shall be judged but because then they shall be judged by him This will set their Consciences against them in a terrible manner when this voice shall sound to them Arise unbelievers Arise wicked men Jesus Christ is come to judge you then Conscience will tell them O there 's he who was offered to thee to be thy Saviour but thou didst refuse him thereâ—s he to whom thou wert often called to come by faith but thou wouldst not move in the least towards him Now he 's come he 's come to judge thee O what shall I do then wilt thou think is there no believing on him now Conscience will answer No no but he is very merciful and compassionate he laid down his life to save sinners surely he will be favourable and gentle to me No saith Conscience he will be the more furious against thee in that then thou wouldst not accept of him Loe he is now come in flaming alas alas woe woe he is now come in flaming fire to render vengeaence upon thee 2 Thes 1.7 8. There is not the least spark of love mercy and compassion to be found in him now towards thee nothing but fire nothing but wrath against thee Think not you who are ungodly sinners you who are unbelievers think not it will fare ever the better with you at this day because Christ shall be your Iudge No surely it will be worse for you except you now turn repent and believe Think not that because Christ was so meek and loving while here on earth that he will be so to you at this day yea Christ was angry with wicked men while here upon earth Mark 3.5 much more will be angry with them when he shall be their Judge Rev. 6.16 Wicked men will not endure so much as to look Christ in the face Hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne then which nothing will be more lovely amiable refreshing and desireable to believers and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand The wrath of the Lamb where by joyning wrath and Lamb together this thought seems to be answered Christ was as a Lamb while here on earth meek and patient therefore surely he will not be severe at this day yes but he will he will be full of wrath against wicked men The day of his wrath the day of Christ his first coming was a day of love and mercy but the day of his second comeing will be a day of wrath to all ungodly ones and such wrath that they shall not be able to stand at this day Who shall be able to stand stand they shall but it will be intolerable to them to stand and sore against their wills Christ was as a Lamb at his first coming but to wicked men he will at his second coming be as a Lion as he is called Rev. 5 5. Psal 2.12 When his wrath is kindled but a little how then will it fare with wicked men when his wrath shall be kindled to the utmost O unbelievers who am I speaking to not to the walls but to you The Lord Iesus Christ who is to be the Iudge of the world now calls upon you to come to him Come unto me come off from your ways of sin own me tâ—ke hold of me by faith if you shall not bear and obey his voice will be quite contrary to you at this day Depart ye cursed c. Mat. 25.41 I would have freed you from the curse of the Law if you would have believed on me but you would not now therefore you shall suffer it And so I Iesus Christ who offered to free you from it pronounce it against you and in flict it upon you Depart ye cursed so Mat. 7.23 Then that is at the day of Iudgement I will profess I never knew you c. This will be the voice of Christ to every of you who hear me this day and all other whoever who live in sin and unbelief depart but whither not into the world again O that would be a pleasing word to sinners if it should be so no but Depart into everlasting fire Depart whither into Hell where there is no hing but torment and exquisite torment as bad yea worse worse yea inconconceivably worse then fire VVo is us will sinners then think and wel may they think But how long must we be there how long a hundred years a thousand years wo wo is us indeed what so long In fire so long yea for ever ever ever depart into everlasting fire O how will this word fill the hearts of wicked men Your hearts O wicked men as many of you as are here if you continue such thy heart O drunkard thy heart O prophaner of the Sabbath thy heart O covetous wretch c. with the hearts of all other wicked men how I say will this voice fill such mens hearts with horrour and amazement O heart-aking trembling word when Iudges amongst men do pronounce a sentence of death upon Malefactors would not this make thy heart ake within and make thee even tremble every joynt of thee if for some crime such a sentence should be past upon thee by a Iudge on Earth Depart to be hanged drawn and quartered to be burnt c. what an astonishing word will this be to thee when Christ shall say Depart c. but what shall my company be may wicked men think Christ tells them the devil and his Angels but how long will it be ere this fire be kindled till this be fulfilled will there be not some time of respite before we shall go into the fire seeing we must never come out no it will be ready prepared and kindled Depart into everlasting Fire prepared c. Pray confider it appears by the sentence Jesus Christ will not be milde and merciful to wicked men at this day for these are the words of Christ himself the Judge he tells you he will say thus to wicked men at this day The People of God as I told you could not possibly have a Judge whose Presence would be more delightful wicked men could not possibly have a Judge whose Presence would could be more terrible more dreadful Were the worst enemy thou hast O unbeliever to be thy Judge yea let me say were the devil himself to be thy Iudge it would not be so