(2.) From the providence of God. There are many judgments which are pledges of the general judgment, that at length God will judge the whole world for sin : as the drowning of the old world, the btirning of Sodom, the destruction of Jerusalem ; these are as a warn- ing to all, for it is said, Jude 7, these are set forth as a ' warning to all that should live ungodly.' God is the same still : Gal. iii. 20, * God is one ; ' that is, in one mind of punishing the wicked, without variation and change. He hateth the sins of one, as well as of another ; if he would not put up the iniquities of the old world, he will not put up the iniquities of the new ; if he punished the iniquities of Sodom, he will punish the iniquities of others who sinned in like manner. God is not grown more indulgent to sin than he was before ; though it be not now, there will be a time when he will call them to a reckoning. In every age he keepeth a petty sessions, but then will be the general assizes. When man first sinned, God did not immediately execute the sentence of his law upon him, but giveth him time of repentance till he dieth. As he giveth every man time and space, so he giveth all the world ; for he would not have all the world to be born at once and die at once, but to live in several successions of ages, from father to son throughout divers generations, till we come to that period which his providence hath fixed. Now, as he reckoneth with every man partic- ularly at his death, so with all the world at the end of time. Particular judgments show tliat God is not asleep, or unmindful of human afi'airs, but the general judgment is deferred till then.
(3.) From the feelings of conscience. After sin men are troubled, though there be none about them in the world to call them to an account, or though the fact be done so secretly that it is not liable to a human tribunal. Nature is sensible that there is a higher judgment, that divine justice must have a solemn triumph; conscience is afraid of it. Heathens are sensible of such a thing : Eom. i. 32, ' Who Imow- ing the judgment of God. that they which commit such things are worthy of death.' Felix trembled at the mention of it, which showeth there is an easy reception of such a truth, Acts xxiv. 25. There is a hidden fear in the consciences of all men, which is soon revived and
48 - SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeU. XIII.
awakened by the thoughts of this truth. Every guilty person is more or less held in the chains of darkness, which showeth how easily this truth can insinuate itself into a rational mind.
[2.] Faith showeth that it shall be. The light of faith is more cer- tain and more distinct. It is more certain, for it buildeth upon a divine testimony, which is more infallible than the guesses of reason ; and it is more distinct, for nature could never find out the circumstances of that day — as, by whom this judgment shall be managed, and in what manner, that God hath appointed one man by whom he will judge the world in righteousness, that he shall come in the glory of his father, and all the holy angels with him. Faith concludeth this certainty : — (1.) From that revelation which God hath made in his word, Mat. xiii. 49, 50, ' So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire ; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ; ' John v. 28, 29, ' The hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation ; ' Heb. ix. 27, ' And it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment;' Kom. xiv. 12. ' So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God ;' Mat. xii. 36, 37, ' But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment ; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned ;' .Eev. xx. 12, 'And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the^books, according to their works ; ' and in many other places ; for this being a necessary truth is more plentifully revealed than others of lesser importance. This was the great promise ever kept afoot in the church. Scoffers took notice of it, saying, ' Where is the promise of his coming ? ' The apostle Jude inti- matetli the ancient promise of it : Jude 14, ' And Enoch also, the seventh son from Adam, prophesied of these things, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.' And it hath been revived in all ages ; by Moses and David, and Daniel and Joel, Zechariah and Malachi, and more clearly by Christ himself, and his apostles everywhere. Now we may reason, that God, who hath been faithful in all things, he will not fail at last ; he hath ever stood to his word when more unlikely things have been promised. Were the believers of the Old Testament deceived, that expected his coming in the flesh ? Surely Christ never meant to deceive us when he said, John xiv.- 2, 3, ' I will come again ; if it were not so, I would have told you.' See sermon on Mat. XXV. 6.