CHAP. VI.

Of the last Judgment: A View of its principal Appearances; of its Manner, End, and Effect.

U

PON the Coming of the Lord, the Dead arife, and appear before their Judge. The Refurrection, indeed, in the Order of Nature precedes this; but of Things that are transacted at the fame Time, those are most commodiously handled first, that can be fooneft dispatched. Now as of all Things that belong to our future State, the Doctrine of the Refurrection is of the most Importance, it most of all requires our Care and our Application; and therefore we have reserv'd the laft Place for it, of the four Things which we propos'd to

treat of.

IN handling this Subject we shall first give the Reader a View of its principal Appearances, as 'tis reprefented and painted by the facred Writers. Secondly, the Thing itself, and its facred Truth fhall be explain'd according to a reasonable Hypothefis: Laftly, and the End and Effect of this Judgment upon the Innocent and the Guilty, upon the Acquitted or the Condemn'd; and thefe 'Things appear to me to comprehend this Matter in general, and the most useful Parts of it, re

jecting

jecting feveral impertinent and fophiftical Difputes, which are wont to be carried on with fo much Noife in the Schools, without Advantage to either Side, and by which the Force of the Mind, employ'd in fuperfluous Trifles, is diffipated and confum'd,

As for what relates to the View of its principal Appearances, in the firft Place the Judge is defcrib'd by the Prophet Daniel fitting on his Tribunal, and furrounded by his Guards, in these Words; I beheld, fays he, till the Thrones were fet, and the Ancient of Days did fit, whofe Garment was white as Snow, and the Hair of his Head like the pure Wool; his Throne was like the fiery Flame, and his Wheels like burning Fire: A fiery Stream iffued, and came forth from before him: Thousand Thoufands minifter'd unto him, and ten thousand times Ten thousand stood before him the Judgment was fet, and the Books were open'd.

;

Chap. vii.

9, 10.

11, &c.

In the Revelation of St. John, the Judge, Chap. xx. the Judgment, and the Judged, are rep reprefented together. I faw, fays the Prophet, a great white Throne, and him that fat on it, from whofe Face the Earth and the Heavens fled away, and there was found no Place for them: And I faw the Dead, Small and great, ftand before God, and the Books were opened; and another Book was open'd, which was the Book of Life; and the Dead were judged out of those Things, which

L

31, &c.

which were written in the Books, according to their Works. And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it, and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them: And they were judged every Man according to their Works. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life, was caft into the Lake of Fire. Thefe Things are handled more diffufely than they are by Daniel, but the former exactly agree with the latter, as the Revelations are wont to do.

LET us now attend to the Discourse of Chrift concerning the Proceedings of the last Judgment, and the Sentence that is pronounced both upon the Good and the Wicked. Matt. xxv. When the Son of Man fhall come in his Glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then fhall be fit upon the Throne of his Glory. And before him Thall be gathered all Nations; and he shall feparate them one from the other, as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats: And he fhall fet the Sheep on his Right Hand, and the Goats on his Left. Then hall the King Jay unto them on his Right Hand, Come, ye Bleffed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from Ver. 41. the Beginning of the World. Then hall be fay alfo to them on his Left Hand, Depart from me, ye Curfed, into the Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels. faith Chrift in the forefaid Paffage.

Thus

'Tis

Matt. xix. added in fome other Places, that the Saints

28.

and

and the Apostles will fit together in Judgment 1 Cor. vi: with him.

2, 3. Revel, xx

IF we compare these and other like Paffages 4. of the facred Writings, this will be the Reprefentation of the laft Judgment, this its dreadful Appearance. A large burning Throne being erected, Chrift fits upon it as Judge, and with him fit the holy Apoftles. Chrift is attended and furrounded with his Minifters and Guards, the Angels. Then the Dead are placed before the Tribunal pale and trembling, fummon'd by the Trumpet's Clangor. Which Things being thus fet in Order, and Silence commanded, the Regifter is brought, or the memorial Books, in which the Deeds, Words, Thoughts of every one, throughout his former Life, are marked: These being opened and read, every one's Caufe is determined according to his Works, or conformably to what he did in the Body. Then all Things being weigh'd and examin'd, the Wicked being placed on the Left Hand, and the Good on the Right, the Judge pronounces Sentence, a Sentence for the Wicked unutterably dire: Depart from me, ye Curfed, into everlasting Fire; but a Sentence tranfporting and beatifying for the Good: Come, ye Blessed of my Father, pofJefs the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundations of the World.

In this Idea of the future univerfal Judg ment, there are fome Things, without doubt, theatrically spoken, conformably to the Manner of a human Court of Juftice, Things

Matt. 31, &

which were

their Wor
which w
up the
were j
And

Book

Th

th

ge

227

happen literally upon

the Day

In this Part of the Subject, I hall have no Adverfary: In the likewife, 'tis manifeft, that will be literally accomplishe they are related. Chrift will de in Heaven perfonally, and visibly, at with his Angelick Guards, upon whof the Dead will be raised, in order to fome Examination or Probation, uphich every one's Destiny will depend. that thefe Things will be actually done the Command and Conduct of Christ, facred Scripture abundantly teftifies, Matt. xvi. 27. John v. 22, 27. Acts xvii. 31. Rom. iv. 9. 2 Tim. vi. 8. and in numerous other Places.

the

You fee now that in this Representation of the laft Judgment, there is a Mixture of the vulgar and the fecret Hypothefis. 'Tis the Part of a wife Man to diftinguish what, and how much belongs to each of them. The Tryal of Souls, in order to punish or reward them, according as each of them is undefiled or wicked, is the main of the Affair, the Defign, and the End of it. Nor is it of much Significancy, whether this Tryal proceeds, after the Manner of external Judicatures, or a human Procefs, or by any other Way; provided. 'tis effectual, and obtains the End defign'd by it. Some of the Antients were of Õpinion, that this Tryal, at the Burning of the World, was to be performed