Two treatises tending to awaken secure sinners viz., 1. The terror of the day…

The Words of my Text, are the Reason which the Apostle giveth both of his persuading other Men to the Fear of God, and his Care to approve to God his own Heart and Life. They contain the Assertion and Description of the Great Judgment, and one Use which he makes of it. It assureth us that judged we must be, and who must be so judged, and by whom, and about what, and on what Terms, and to what End.

The Words of my Text, are the Reason which the Apostle giveth both of his perswading other Men to the Fear of God, and his Care to approve to God his own Heart and Life. They contain the Assertion and Description of the Great Judgment, and one Use which he makes of it. It assureth us that judged we must be, and who must be so judged, and by whom, and about what, and on what Terms, and to what End.

The meaning of the Words, so far as is necessary, I shall give you briefly. We all, both we Apostles that preach the Gospel, and you that hear it, must, willing or unwilling, there is no avoiding it, appear, stand forth, or make your appearance, and there have your Hearts and Ways laid open, and appear as well as we. Before the Judgment-seat of Christ, i. e. before the Redeemer of the World, to be judged by him as our Rightful Lord. That every one, even of all Mankind, which are, were, or shall be, without Exception; may receive, that is, may receive his Sentence, adjudging him to his due; and then may receive the Execution of the Sentence, and may go from the Bar with that Reward or Punishment that is his due according to the Law by which he is judged. The things done in his Body, that is, the due Reward of the Works done in his Body; or as some Copies read it, The things proper to the Body, i. e. due to the Man, even Body as well as Soul, according to what he hath done, whether it be Good or Bad; i. e. this is the Cause to be tried and judged, whether Men have done well or ill, whilst they were in the Flesh, and what is due to them according to their Deeds. Knowing therefore, &c. i. e. being certain therefore that these Things are so, and that such a terrible Judgment of Christ will come, we persuade Men to become Christians and live as such, that they may then speed well, when others shall be destroyed; or as others, Knowing the Fear of the Lord, that is, the true Religion, we persuade Men.