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his Foes, and yet the greatest Joy to his People. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. Who fhall lay any Thing to the Charge of God's Elect? Shall the Law? The Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefus, bath made them free from the Law of Sin and Death. Or fhall Confcience? The Spirit itfelf bear eth Witness with their Spirit, that they are the Children of God. It is God that juflifieth; who is he that condemneth (h)? If our Judge condemn us not, who fhall? He that faid to the adulterous Woman, bath no Man condemned thee? Neither do I(i); will fay to us, more faithfully than Peter to him, Though all Men deny thee, or condemn thee,. I will not (k). Hav ing confeffed me before Men, thee will I confefs also before my Father which is in Heaven (1).

$7. WHAT inexpreffible Joy, that our dear Lord, who loveth our Souls, and whom our Souls love, fhall be our Judge! Will a Man fear to be judged by his dearest Friend? or a Wife by her own Huf band? Chriftian, did Chrift come down, and fuffer, and weep, and bleed, and die for thee, and will he now condemn thee? Was he judged, condemned, and executed in thy flead, and now will he condemn thee himself? Hath he done moft of the Work al ready, in redeeming, regenerating, fanctifying, and preferving thee, and will he now undo all again? Well then, let the Terror of that Day be never fo great, furely our Lord can mean no ill to us in all. Let it make the Devils tremble, and the Wicked. tremble; but it fhall make us leap for Joy. It muft needs affect us deeply with the Senfe of our Mercy and Happiness, to fee moft of the World tremble with Terror, while we triumph with Joy; to hear

(b) Rom. viii, 1, 2, 16, 33, 34. 1) Matt. xxv. 33, 35.

them

(i) John viii. 10, 11, (1) Matt, x. 32.

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them doomed to everlafting Flames, when we are proclaimed Heirs of the Kingdom; to see our Neighbours that lived in the fame Towns, came to the fame Congregation, dwelt in the fame Houses, and were esteemed more honourable in the World than ourfelves, now by the Searcher of Hearts eternally feparated. This, with the great Magnificence and Dreadfulness of the Day, the Apole pathetically expreffes; It is a righteous Thing with God, to recompenfe Tribulation to them that trouble you ; and to you who are troubled, Reft with us, then the Lord Jefus fhall 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 Jefus Chrift; who fhall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Prefence 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 (m).

8. YET more, we fhall be fo far from the Dread of that Judgment, that ourselves fhall become the Judges. Chrift will take his People, as it were, into Commiffion with himfelf, and they fhall fit and ap. prove his righteous Judgment. Do ye nit know that the Saints fhall judge the World? Nay, know ye not that we fhall judge Angels (n)? Were it not for the Word of Chrift that fpeaks it, this Advancement would feem incredible, and the Language arrogant. Even Enoch, the feventh from Adam, prophefied of this, faying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, to execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungedly Deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard Speeches which ungodly Sinners have spaken against him (0). Thus fhall the Saints be honoured, and the Upright C 4 Shall

(m) 2 Theff. i. 6---10,
(•) Jude. 14, 15. .

(n) 1 Cor. vi. 2, ja

fhall have Dominion in the Morning (p). O that the careless World were wife, that they understood this, that they would confider their latter End (q)! That they would be now of the fame Mind as, they will be, when they shall fee the Heavens pass away with a great Noife, and the Elements melt with fervent Heat, the Earth alfo, and the Works that are therein, burnt up! When all fhall be on Fire about their Ears, and all earthly Glory confumed. For the Heavens and the Earth, which are now, are referved unto Fire against The Day of Judgment, and Perdition of ungodly Men. Seeing then that all thefe Things fhall be diffolved, what Manner of Perfons ought ye to be in all holy Conver Jation and Godliness, looking for and hafting unto the Coming of the Day of God, wherein the Heavens being Fire fhall be diffolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat (r)?

9. (4) THE la Preparative to the Saint's Rest, is their folemn Coronation, and receiving the Kingdom. For as Chrift, their Head, is anointed both King and Prieft, fo under him are his People made unto God both Kings and Priefs, to reign, and to offer Praifes for ever(s). The Crown of Righteousness, which was laid up for them, foall by the Lord the righteous Judge be given them at that Day (t). They have been faithful unto Death, and therefore he will give them a Crown of Life (u). And according to the Improvement of their Talents here, fo fhall their Rule and Dignity be enJarged (w). They are not dignified with empty Titles, but real Dominion. Chrift will grant them to fit with him in his Throne (x); and will give them Power over the Nations, even as he received of his Father; and he will give them the Morning Star (y). The Lord himself

(P) Pfalin xlix. 14.
7) Rev. v. 10.
(w) Matt. xxv. 21, 23.

(a) Deut. xxxii. 29.
(t) 2 Tim. iv. 8,
(x) Rev. iii. 21.

(r) 2 Pet. iii. 7--12.
(u) Rev. ii. to.
(y) Rev. ii. 26--28.

himself will give them Poffeffion with thefe applauding Expreffions; IVell done, good and faithful Servant, thou hast been faithful over a few Things, I will make thee Ruler over many Things; enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord(z).

10. AND with this folemn and bleffed Proclamation fhall he inthrone them; Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World(a). Every Word full of Life and Joy-Come-this is the holding forth of the golden Sceptre, to warrant our Approach unto this Glory. Come now as near as you will; fear not the Bethfhemites Judgment; for the Enmity is utterly abolished (b). This is not fuch a Come as we were wont to hear, come, take up your Grof, and follow me (c). Though that was fweet, yet this much more.Ye BleffedBleffed indeed, when that Mouth fhall fo pronounce us! For tho' the World hath accounted us accurfed, and we have been ready to account ourselves fo; yet certainly these that he blesseth, are blessed; and those whom he curfeth, only are curfed, and his Bling cannot be reverfed (d).Of my Father-Bleffed in the Father's Love, as well as the Son's, for they are one (e). The. Father hath teftified his Love in their Election, Do nation to Chrift, fending of Chrift, and accepting his Ranfom; as the Son hath alfo teftified his.-Inherit-No longer Bondmen, nor Servants only, nor Children under Age, who differ not in Poffefiion, but only in Title, from Servants (f). But now we are leirs of the Kingdom (g), and Joint-Heirs wi.h Chrift (h). The Kingdom-No less than the Kingdom? Indeed to be King of King, aud Lord of Lords, is our Lord's own proper Title: But to be Kings, and reign with' C 5 him,

(z) Matt. xxv. 73. (c) Matt. xvi. 24. (f) Gal, iv. 1---7.

(a) Matt. xxv. 34.
(d) Numb. xxii. 6, xxiii. 20.
(g) James ii. 5.

(b) Eph. ii. 15.

(e) John x. 30. (h, Rom. vii. 17.

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kim (i), is our's. The Enjoyment of this Kingdom is, as the Light of the Sun, each have the whole, and the reft never the lefs. Prepared for you-God is the Apha, as well as the Omega, of our Bleffed nefs. EterLove hath laid the Foundation. He prepared the Kingdom for us, and then prepared us for the KingThis is the Preparation of his Counfel and Decrees for the Execution whereof Chrift was yet to make a further Preparation. For you-Not for BeRevers only in general, who, without individual Per

, are nobody; but for you perfonally. From. fe Foundation of the World-Not only from the Pronife after Adam's Fall, but from Eternity.

S. THUS We have feen the Chriftian fafely arted in Paradife, and conveyed honourably to his Bet Now let us a little further, in the next Chapter, view thofe Manfions, confider their Priviledges, and fee whether there be any Glory like unto this4 Glory.

Rex. xix, 16. xx. 0.

CHAP.

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