Section 11
Meditate upon the day of judgment. God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world, Acts 17:31. Meditate, 1. Upon the solemnity of this trial. The trumpet shall sound to summon all the world before the Judge, 1 Thessalonians 4:16. and Jesus Christ shall come in the glory of his Father, with all his holy Angels, Matthew 25:31. 2. Meditate upon the universality of this trial. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:10. Kings and Nobles, all must come to the bar, there's no exemption. I have read of a wicked King, who on his deathbed fell a-weeping, his brother asked him why he wept? to think (says he) that I, who have judged others, am now going to be judged myself. 3. Meditate of the impartiality of the trial: Christ will do justice; He will judge the world in righteousness, Acts 17:31. There are no bribes taken in this Court; no relations take place here. The Thebans did picture their Judges blind, and without hands; blind, that they might not respect persons; without hands, that they might take no bribes. Christ's Scepter is a Scepter of righteousness, Hebrews 1:8. 'tis not nearness of blood avails; nor will he be bribed with a tear. 4. Meditate upon the exactness of the trial; it will be very critical; He will thoroughly purge his floor, Matthew 3:12. not a grace, or a sin, but Christ's fan will discover it; He will judge the heart as well as the fact. 5. Meditate upon the issue and consequence of this trial. There will be a discrimination made. He will separate the good from the bad, Matthew 25:32. The wheat and chaff may both grow together, but they shall not lie together.
Meditate often upon this Court of judicature, from whence is no appeal. Feathers swim upon the water, but gold sinks into it; light feathery Christians float in vanity, they mind not the day of judgment, but serious spirits sink deep into the meditation of it. Most men put far away from them the evil day, Amos 6:3. they report of the Italians, that in a great thunder they use to ring their bells, and shoot off their cannons, that the sound of their Bells, and the roaring of their cannons may drown the noise of the thunder; so the devil delights men with the music of the world; that the noise of this should drown the noise of the day of judgment, and make them forget the sound of the last trump. Most men are guilty, therefore they do not love to hear of the Assizes. When Paul preached of judgment, Felix trembled, Acts 24:25. he had a bad conscience; Josephus tells us of Felix, that he was a wicked man: The woman that lived with him (Drusilla by name) he had enticed away from her husband, and when he heard of judgment, he fell a-trembling. Oh I beseech you meditate upon this last and solemn day; while others are thinking how they may get riches, let us bethink ourselves how we may abide the day of Christ's coming.
The meditation of the day of judgment, 1. Would make us to scan all our actions; Christ will come with his fan and his sieve: Will this action of mine bide the test at that great day?
2. The meditation of the last day would make us labor to approve our hearts to God, the great Judge and Umpire of the world. 'Tis no matter what men think of us, but what is our Judge's opinion of us? to him we must stand or fall. The meditation of the day of judgment would make us endeavor to be like Moses, who was fair to God, as the Original has it. The Galaxia, or milky way (as the Astronomers call it) is a bright circle in the heavens containing many stars, but they are so small that they have no name, nor are they taken cognizance of by the Astrologers. Give me leave to apply it, possibly others may take no notice of us, we are so small as to have no name in the world, yet if we are true stars, and can approve our hearts to God, we shall hold up our heads with boldness, when we come to stand before our Judge.
3. The meditation of the day of judgment would make us labor after an interest in Christ; There's no standing before Christ, but by being in Christ! if Christ be yours, then all is well; no matter what is charged, if all be discharged, Romans 8:33, 34. There's no way in the world to stand in the day of judgment, but by making a party; make Christ your friend, and then your Judge will be your Advocate.
4. The meditation of the day of judgment would make Christians less censorious, they would not reprobate others so fast; who are you that judges another? do you take Christ's Scepter into your hand? dare you sit in judgment upon your brother? perhaps when the critical day comes, he may be found gold, and you chaff. 'Tis true, we may judge men's way, but not their persons, Romans 14:10. but why do you judge your brother? we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
5. The meditation of the day of judgment would yield much comfort to a Christian, and that in two cases.
1. In case of weakness of grace; a poor Christian when he sees his grace so defective, is ready to be discouraged, but at the day of judgment if Christ find but a dram of sincerity, it shall be accepted; if yours be true gold, though it may be light, Christ will put his merits into the scales, and make it pass current. If you have no sin of allowance; You shall have grains of allowance. I may allude to that, Amos 9:9. yet shall not the least grain fall to the earth; He that has but a grain of grace, not the least grain shall fall to hell.
2. In case of censures and slanders. The Saints go here through strange reports, 2 Corinthians 6:8. There's no walking in the world nowadays, let us tread never so warily without catching some specks of dirt; John Baptist's head in a charger is a common dish in this age, 'tis ordinary to bring in a Saint beheaded of his good name; but at the day of judgment, Christ will unload his people of all their calumnies, and reproaches, he will at that day wash his Spouse so white, that she shall not only be guiltless, but spotless, her black spots of reproach shall be taken away, Ephesians 5:27. he will present his Church glorious, sine macula and ruga, not having spot or wrinkle.
