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I.

S. MATT. xxiv. 44.
Therefore be ye also ready.

Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑμεῖς γίνεσθε έτοιμοι.

WHAT must we be ready for?

leave this World."

1. According to the Nature of His Crea
tures, GOD hath made two forts of
Habitations in the World, the one for
fpiritual, the other for bodily Beings.
2. Man confifting of both Natures, is capable
of dwelling in both Places

3. Earth, whereon Man firft receives his
Being, is appointed for him but for a
while to be in, Job xiv. 1, 2, 5. Pfal.

4.

XC. 10.

When the time here fet him is expired,
his Soul goes into the other World,
Ecclef. xii. 7.

5. This is the firft Time against which we
are to be ready. And therefore,
1. Take heed that your Hearts be not
over-charg'd with the Cares;

2. Nor furfeited and drunk with the
Pleasures of this World, S. Luk. xxi.

34.

3. But live above it, whilst you are in it, Coloff. iii. 2. Phil. iii. 20.

4. Be in continual Expectation of your Departure hence, Amos vi. 3.

5. Always live, as if you was dying.

2. To appear before Chrift.

1. All Creatures have Laws fet them.

2. None

2. None but Man can reflect upon them.
3. GOD does not ordinarily punish ftrict-
ly the Breakers of His Laws here,
Ecclef. viii. 11.

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4. Nor reward the Performers, Ecclef. viii. 14. and ix. 2.

5. But yet, He takes notice of every Action of all Men, 2 Chron. xvi. 9.

6. All Men must appear before His Judgment-Seat, Hebr. ix. 27.

3. Be ye therefore ready for the fecond Com ing of Chrift.

1. Chrift, the Son of GOD, came down and dwelt with Men as Man, S. Job. i. 14.

and vi. 38.

2. He then for feveral Years wrought Miracles to confirm His Gospel.

3. After that, for the Sins of Men, he was
put to Death by finful Men, Phil. ii. 8.
4. He lay three Days in the Grave, and
then rofe again, A&t. ii. 23, 24.

5. After forty Days Abode here on Earth,
He went up to Heaven, At. i. 9.
6. There He hath been ever fince, 1 S. Joh.
ii. Act. iii. 21.

7. But will come again, Act. i. 11.

1. Not as meer Man, but the Head of all Mankind, S. Matt. xxviii. 18.

2. With Commiffion to judge all Men, Act. xvii. 31.

3. He will then fend His Angels to ga. ther all together, S. Matt. xxiv. 31. 1. Theff. iv. 16.

4. Then the Dead fhall rife again, 1 Cor. xv. 52. and all Mankind fhall appear before Him, 2 Cor. v. 10.

II. How

II. How are we to be ready?

1. By weighing and judging our Actions as GOD doth, 1 Cor. xi. 31.

2. Finishing the Work which GOD hath given us to do, S. Joh. xvii. 4. which is, 1. Repentance, A&t. xvii. 30, 31.

1. By Mourning for, Joel ii. 12, 13.
2. By Turning from our Sins.
2. Making it our Endeavour and Business
to obey the Laws of GOD!

1. Sincerely, 2 Cor. i. 12.
2. Univerfally, S. Luk. i. 6.
3. Conftantly, S. Luk. i. 75.

3. Believing in Chrift, Act. xvi. 31.

1. For the Pardon of our Sins, i S. Joh. ii. 2.

2. For the Juftification of our Perfons, 2 Cor. V. 21.

3. For the Cleanfing of our Hearts, Alt. iii. 26.

4. For the eternal Salvation of our Souls, S. Joh. iii. 16.

RAS:6 N's for our being thus in a Readiness. 1. Chrift will certainly one Day come, A. i. 11.

2. He will then pafs a final Sentence upon every Perfon.

3. None, fave GOD only, knows when this Day will be, S. Mar. xiii. 32.

S. MATT.

S. MATT. XXV. 31.

When the Son of Man fhall come in His Glory.

N Profecution of what was but lightly touch'd upon concerning Chrift's fecond Coming to Judgment, in Explaining the former Text; I fhall take Occafion from this Place of Scripture to obferve farther,

I.

That Chrift fhall come again from Heaven to Earth.

He is now in Heaven, and will be to the End of the World, A&t. iii. 21.

But that He will one Day come from thence again, is attested,

1. By the Apostles, 1 Theff. iv. 161 21 Thess. i. 7. Hebr. ix. 28.

2. By the Holy Angels, A. i. 10, II.

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3. By Chrift Himself, S. Joh. xiv. 2,3. S. Matt: xxvi. 64 and xxv. 31.

II. That His Coming fhall be with great Glory.

The Archangels fhall be His Herald, 1 Theff.

iv. 16.

All the Holy Angels fhall attend Him, S. Matt. XXV. 31. 2 Theff. i. 7. S. Mar. viii. 38.

This was long ago foretold by Enoch, Epift: S. Jude 14, 15. Dan. vii. 13, 14.

So He is often faid to come in the Clouds, S. Matt. xxvi. 64. Rev. i. 7.

ענני השמים הם מלאכי צבא השמים

The

The Clouds of Heaven, they are the Angels of the Hoft of Heaven. R. Gaon.

III. Being thus come with His Angels, He fhall fit upon a Throne, that is, Judgment-Seat, S. Matt. xix. 28. and then will come on the General-Judgment, concerning which we may obferve,

1. That there is fuch a Judgment to come, which appears,

1. From the Teftimony of Confcience, Att. xxiv. 25. Rom. ii. 15.

2. From the Juftice of GOD, Gen. xviii. 25.

3. From the Visions of it, Dan. vii. 10. Rev.

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XX. 12.

4. From GOD's exprefs Affertions of it, Ecclef. xii. 14. Rom. ii. 5. Ecclef. xi.

9, 10.

2. Who will be the Judge? and that is Chrift, S. Joh. V. 22, 27. Rom. xiv. 10. 2 Cor. v. 10. Alt. xvii. 31. and x. 42.

1. Because it is but Reason, that He who was judg'd of Men, fhould afterwards judge them, S. Matt. xxvi. 64. Phil. ii.

9, 10, 11.

2. That fo we may see our Judge, S. Joh. v. 27. Job xix. 25, 26, 27.

3. Who fhall then be judg'd? All Nations and People whatsoever, S. Matt. XXV. 32. 2 Cor. v. 10. 1. All that are dead fhall be rais'd again to Life, 1 Cor. xv. 52. Rev. XX. 12, 13. 2. Those that are then alive fhall be fummon'd too, I Cor. XV. 51. 1 Thess. iv.

17.

What Law will He judge by?

1. The Gospel, S. Jam. ii. 12.

M

2. The

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