July 19 — On the Coming of the Judge

Consider, first, that the dead, being risen, shall immediately be assembled together from all places, to meet the Judge \ and this, as it is thought, near Jerusalem, in the sight of mount Oliv and of mount Calvary; where our Lord heretofore shed his blood for our redemption. O what a sight will it be, to behold here all the children of Adam, an innumerable multitude of all nations, ages and conditions, standing together, without any distinction now of rich or poor, great or little, master or servant, monarch or subject, excepting only the distinction oigood and had, which shall be wonderful and eternal. Alas! how mean a figure shall an Alexander, or a Caesar, make at this appearance; or any of those celebrated heroes of antiquity, whose very name has made whole nations tremble! Those mighty monarchs, that had once the world at their beck, are now levelled with the meanest of their slaves, and would wish a thousand times they had never worn the diadem. And hast thou, my soul, ever well considered the part thou shalt have to act in this last scene?

Consider, secondly, how the great Judge shall immediately make his appearance; and every eye shall see him, coming down from heaven, toitk great power and majesty, armed with all the terrors of his justice, and surrounded with all his heavenly le gions. O, how different from his first coming shall this his second appearance be! His first coming was with wonderful meekness and humility, because that was our day, in which he came to redeem us by his mercy; but at his second coming, it shall be his day, in which \iis justice shall take place, to revenge upon sinful man the cause of his injured mercy, with a final vengeance, once for all. Ah, miserable sinners! how shall you then be able to stand before his face, or bear his wrathful coun tenance! How shall you then wish to hide your guilty heads, even in the lowest hell, rather than to endure this dreadful appearance! But all in vain: you must stand it out.

Consider, thirdly, how, upon this occasion, the royal standard of the cross (the sign of the Son of man) shall be carried before the Judge, shining more bright than the sun, to the unspeakable comfort of the good, and the intolerable anguish and confusion of the wicked, for having made so little advantage of the inestimable benefit of their redemption. Here they shall plainly sec what their God has suffered for their salvation, and how groat has been his love for them; that boundless and unparalleled love, which brought him down from his throne of glory, and nailed him to the cross. O, how shall they now condemn their past obstinacy in sin, with all their blindness and ingratitude! O, how shall this glorious ensign justify, in the face of the whole universe, the conduct of God, and the dreadful torments he has prepared for unrepenting sinners! for what less than a miserable eternity can be punishment enough for so much obstinacy in sin, after so much goodness and love?

Conclude to take care, whilst thou hast time, to make a proper provision for this great appearance, by turning now to God, with thy whole heart, and embracing a penitential life; for why shouldst thou go on any longer, adding daily sin to sin, and so treasuring up to thyself wrath against this day of wrath? Rom. ii. 5.