of heaven are without Intermission and ex- piration, 1 Thess. iv. 17., " And so shall we be ever with tlie Lord." I
Use. As it is sad news to the wicked. — i Tliey shall " not stand in judgment," Ps. i. 5. Tliey shall come to judgment, but they shall not stand in judgment, viz. they shall not stand acquitted, — they shall not stand with boldness, but sneak and hang down their head, and not be able to look their judge in the face : so it is great con- solation to the godly. Wlien the apostle luid said, " The Lord shall descend from lieaA^en with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and the trump of God ;" he presently adds, " Wherefore comfort one another with these words," 1 Thess. iv. 16, 18. — 1. The day of judgment is comfort, in respect of weakness of grace. A Chris- tian is ready to be troubled, to see his grace w) niiiiute and imperfect ; but, at the last day, if Christ find but a drachm of true grace, it shall be accepted. If thine be I rue gold, though it be many grains too light, Christ will put his merits into the scidcs, and make it pass current. — 2. It is a comfort to such of the saints who have met with unrighteous judgment in the world, — who have been wronged of their estates in law-suits, or had their lives taken away by an unrighteous sentence, — Christ will judge things over again, and will give a righteous sentence. If your estates have been taken away wrongfully, you shall be restored a thousand-fold at the day of judgment. If you have lost your lives for Christ, yet you shall not lose your crown ; you shall wear a garland made of the flowers of paradise, which fade not awav.
Bra7i(h. \st. Meditate much upon the day of judgment. Feathers swim upon the wa- ter, but gold sinks into it; light feathery Christians float in vanity, they mind not the day of judgment, but serious spirits iiink deep into the thoughts of it. — 1. The mcditatiim of this last day would make us very sincere. ^Vc would then labour to approve our hearts to God the great judge and umpire of the world. It is easy to carry it fair before men, but there is no dis- sembling or prevaricating with God; he Bees what the heart Ls, and will accordingly pass his verdict. — 2. The meditation of
Christ's coming to judge ns, would keep us from judging our brethren. We are apt to judge others as to their final state ; which is for men to step into Christ's place, and take his work out of his hand, James iv. 12., " Who art thou that judgest another ?" Thou that passest a rash sentence upon an- other, thou must come thyself shortly to be judged, and then perhaps he may be ac- quitted, and thou condemned.
Brandt 2d. So demean and carry your- selves, that, at the day of judgment, you may be sure to be acquitted, and have those glo- rious privileges the saints shall be crowned with.
Quest. How is that ?
Ans. 1. If you would stand acquitted at the day of judgment, then, \st. Labour to get into Christ. Phil. iii. 9., '• Tliat I may be found in him." Faith implants us into Christ, — it engarrisons us in him, and then " there's no condemnation," Rom. viii. L There's no standing before Christ, but by being in Christ. 2dly, Labour for humility. It is a kind of self-annihilation, 2 Cor. xii. 11., " Though I be nothing." Christian, hast thou parts and abilities, and dost thou coA'cr them with the vail of hu- mility ? as Moses, when his face shone, put a veil over it. If thou art humble, thou shalt be acquitted at the day of judgment. Job xxii. 29., " He shall s.ave the humble person." An humble man judgeth himself for his sins, and Christ will acquit them who judge themselves.
A. 2. If you would stand acquitted at the last day, then keep a clear conscience. Do not load yourselves with guilt, and farnish your judge with matter against you. " The Lord," saith Paul, " hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world," Acts xvii. 31. And how would Paul fit himself for that day ? Acts xxiv, IG., " Herein 1 exercise myself to have always a conscience void of oftcnce, towards God and towards man." Be careful of the first and second table ; be holy and just. Have hearts with- out false aims, and hands without false weights. Keep conscience as clear as your eye, that no dust of sin fall into it. They that sin against conscience, \v\\\ be shy of their judge: such as take in prohibited goods, cannot endure to see the searchers that ai"e
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Rppointed to open their packs. Christian, thy pack will be opened at the last day, — I mean, thy conscience ; and Christ is the searclier, to see what sins, what prohibited goods thou liast taken in ; and tlien he pro- ceeds to judgment. O be sure to keep a good conscience ; this is the best way to stand with boldness at the day of judgment ! The voice of conscience is the voice of God ; if conscience doth upon just grounds, ac- quit us, God will acquit us, 1 John iii. 21., " If our heart condemn us not, then liave we confidence toward God."