§ 6. But why tremblest thou, O humble gracious soul? He that would not lose one Noah in a common deluge, nor overlook one Lot in Sodom; nay, that could do nothing till he went forth; will he forget thee at that day? _The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished._[95] He knoweth how to make the same day the greatest terror to his foes, and yet the greatest joy to his people. _There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?_ Shall the law? _The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made them free from the law of sin and death._ Or shall conscience? _The Spirit itself beareth witness with their spirit, that they are the children of God. It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?_[96] If our Judge condemn us not, who shall? He that said to the adulterous woman, _Hath no man condemned thee? Neither do I_;[97] will say to us, more faithfully than Peter to him, _though all men deny thee_, or condemn thee, _I will not_.[98] Having _confessed me before men, thee will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven_.[99]
[Footnote 95] 2 Peter ii, 9.
[Footnote 96] Romans viii, 1, 2, 16, 33, 34.
[Footnote 97] John viii, 10, 11.
[Footnote 98] Matthew xxvi, 33, 35.
[Footnote 99] Matthew x, 32.
§ 7. What inexpressible joy, that our dear Lord, who loveth our souls, and whom our souls love, shall be our judge! Will a man fear to be judged by his dearest friend? Or a wife by her own husband? Christian, did Christ come down and suffer, and weep, and bleed, and die for thee, and will he now condemn thee? Was he judged, condemned, and executed in thy stead, and now will he condemn thee himself? Hath he done most of the work already, in redeeming, regenerating, sanctifying, and preserving thee, and will he now undo all again? Well then, let the terror of that day be never so great, surely our Lord can mean no ill to us in all. Let it make the devils tremble, and the wicked tremble; but it shall make us leap for joy. It must needs affect us deeply with the sense of our mercy and happiness, to see most of the world tremble with terror, while we triumph with joy; to hear them doomed to everlasting flames, when we are proclaimed heirs to the kingdom; to see our neighbors that lived in the same towns, came to the same congregation, dwelt in the same houses, and were esteemed more honorable in the world than ourselves, now by the Searcher of hearts eternally separated. This, with the great magnificence and dreadfulness of the day, the Apostle pathetically expresses: _It is a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day_.[100]
[Footnote 100] 2 Thessalonians i, 6-10.