July 13 — On the particular Judgment after Death

Consider, first, that, besides the general judgment, that shall be at the end of the world, there is a particular judgment, that passes upon the soul presently after death, according to that of the apostle, (speaking of the time when we are discharged from the body,) 1 Cor. v. 10, We must nil appear before the judgr.ent seat of Christy that every one may receive the proper things of the body y according as he hath doney whether it be good or evil. Thus we see, in the case of Dives and Lazarus, (Luke xvi,) that their doom was immediately decided after death, and the one sentenced to the torments of hell, the other carried by angels to Abraham’s bosom. See then, my soul, what thou art to look for, as soon as thou art parted from the body: thou must be presented before the judgment seat of Christ, in order to give an account of thy whole life, even of all that thou hast thought, said or done, during thy abode in the body, and to receive sentence accordingly, for life or death eternal: and the sentence that shall pass then shall be ratified in the general judgment at the last day. O reflect, then, how thy accounts stand at present with thy God. O, what couldst thou be able to say for thyself, if, this night, thou shouldst be cited to the bar! It may perhaps be thy case; for the Judge has long ago declared, that he will come when thou least ecpectest him: take care, then, to be always ready.

Consider, secondly, the qualities of this Judge, by whom we are to be tried after death. He is infinitely holyy and therefore cannot endure iniquity. He is infinitely wisey and therefore cannot be deceived: his all-seeing eye is ever upon all our ways: all the thoughts and motions of our hearts are naked and open to his sight: they are all recorded in his book: no one of them all can slip his notice or memory. He is also infinitely powerful and therefore there is no resisting or withstanding his judgment no dignity, no authority, no strength, no subtlety, no fraud, no, learning or wit, can be available at his tribunal; he made both great and little; king and beggar are equally his subjects; and there is no respect of persons with him, nor appeal from him. In fine, he is infinitely just y and therefore will render to every man at that time according to his works. No favour is to be ex pected then for sins unrepented of. The time of merit, and of acceptable repentance, is now at an end. Ah, Christians, let us think well on these truths, whilst it is our day, in which mercy reigns; let us clear up all our accounts, whilst we have time; let us wash away our sins now with penitential tears; let us store up to ourselves immortal treasures, before the night overtakes us. All that we can then do will come too late.

Consider, thirdly, some other circumstances of this great trial particularly the Icao by which we are to be tried, the accusers and witnesses that shall appear against us, and the nature of the sen tence that shall be pronounced, after the hearing of the whole cause. The laWy by which we shall be tried, shall be the commandments of God, and the gospel of Jesus Christ: by this law, by these heavenly rules, we must stand or fall: these shall acquit lis or condemn us for eternity. O, let us, then, study them wel. and in practice conform our whole lives to them. Our accusei i shall be the devils, and the unhappy accomplices of our crimes, more especially such as we have drawn into sin, the blood of whose souls shall cry to heaven for vengeance against us. The witnesses shall be our own guilty consciences. And the sentence shall be an unchangeable, irrevocable, eternal doom, either to heaven or hell. O, let us remember these things, and we?hall never sin.

Conclude to let thy whole life, henceforward, be a preparation for this great trial, and thou shalt not fail of happy issue.