VARIOUS SUBJECTS,

DOCTRINAL, EXPERIMENTAL and PRACTICAL.

VOL. II.

HARTFORD. Printed By John Babcock.

AND SOLD BY THEM AT THEIR BOOKSTORE, HARTFORD,

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EXCERPT 1. ( Pp. 399, 400.)

ALL that GOD is now doing hath reference to that great [ Judgement] day. Then the secret things of every heart shall be manifested, and a judgment passed and a sentence pronounced in infinite righteousness on every creature. In every one who exists, GOD will either be glorified and admired, or they will be punished with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. O how solemn, how interesting the thought! how great the destiny of every soul which lives, either to be an inhabitant of heaven or of hell forever! Indeed we should give all diligence that we may be sound of the Lord in peace "Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise GOD, be honor and glory forever and ever. AMEN."*

* Willison Ed. Note: Strong closes this sermon with a quote from 1 Timothy 1:17, which was the convicting and converting verse that changed another Yale graduate's life, that of Jonathan Edwards.

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The grace of GOD glorified in the general judgment.

IN the first of Paul's epistles to the Thessalonian Church, that he might, in the most powerful manner, enforce the doctrines and precepts of the gospel, he called them to consider the last and general judgment, when the whole character and conduct of men shall be reviewed, and a reward appointed to every one according to the deeds done in the body.— His words on this subject are, " For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and. remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in CHRIST shall

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rise first: Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so we shall ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves. know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, peace and safety ; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief."—What he wrote on this subject was misunderstood by the Thessalonian Church, as a prediction, that the second appearance of the Son of Man would speedily take place, by which means they were greatly troubled. This was wholly a misapprehension, and to rectify the error, the apostle again considered the subject in his second epistle, and here he says, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of CHRIST is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called GOD or that is worshiped."—The last words, with the continuance of the description in the epistle, are a prediction of the Antichristian hierarchy which hath since arisen, and is now rapidly falling, by the just judgments of GOD upon a convulsed world. The almighty power, wisdom and justice of GOD are

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making men the executioners of his own wrath upon themselves.

WHILE the primary design of the apostle was to correct those misapprehensions, which have been mentioned; he also gave some description of that great and terrible day of the Lord ; of the effects it will produce on the condition of the godly and the ungodly ; and of the glory which will accrue to GOD the Judge, in his grace to the redeemed and his vengeance on the Unsanctfied.—" When the Lord JESUS shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming sire, taking vengeance on them that know not GOD, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,, and from the glory of his power ; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe."— This passage teacheth us that the primary design of GOD in coming to judge the world will be the glory of his grace. He will come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in them that believe ; but at the same time, for the honor of his justice, he will punish the wicked with an awful destruction from his presence. While mercy triumphs, justice will be magnified. It will appear that all the perfections of GOD are dear to him. He will, not sacrifice his mercy to his justice ; nor will his justice be lost in the abounding of his mercy. The whole character of GOD will be glorified more than ever, in the day of judgment, and it will appear that mercy and justice do equally belong to the adorable nature, to the unchangeable counsels, and to the wonderful works of the Almighty. It is men who divide the character of the Lord, and set his attributes at variance, according as their

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passions, or interests are favored by the misconceptions of sin; but in the day, when he shall come to justify himself in the congregation of all his creatures,it will appear that "justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne, and that mercy and truth go before him."—it will appear that justice hath done nothing, but what mercy approves; and that mercy and justice have in all instances, met and embraced each other.— Our text is particularly descriptive of the triumphs of grace and mercy, in the complete redemption of his people, "When he shall come to be glorified, in his saints, and admired in all them that believe."—The, triumphs of mercy and grace will be the highest glory of GOD, in that great and important day.

WE will particularly consider some things that will clearly appear in the day of the Lord, and make his grace and mercy wonderfully glorious, when his saints are completely redeemed and glorified in his presence.

1. IT will then appear, that his choice of them to a final and glorious salvation, was wholly the fruit and effect of sovereign grace and mercy.

ALTHOUGH there be now full and complete evidence of the total depravity of men, and that there is nothing in them which can invite divine grace; still, this truth will be greatly illustrated when the Lord comes to judge and reward the world. The evidence of a fatal and total depravity, in all generations, will be brought in to one collected view, even to the astonishment of those, who have always believed in this humiliating doctrine. It will then appear, that there was never any thing in apostate human nature, which could invite the grace and mercy of GOD ; that in foresight of human sin, he could see nothing but "evil, evil only and that

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continually ;" a heart all evil and without any right and holy intentions ; and a practice wholly the effect of sinful motives and desires. Then it will appear, that the most regular actions of unsanctified human nature, proceeded from motives, which would not bear the scrutiny of a holy law that all was selfish and opposed to a holy rule of duty—all wrong in the sight of a most benevolent lawgiver and judge—and all subject to the penalty of eternal death. In fore-sight of such a character as this, it could be only free, sovereign and unmerited grace and mercy, that chose any to eternal life ; and the sovereign mercy of GOD will be glorified and his grace admired in appointing such to end less glory.

FURTHER, the same truth will be illustrated in that day from a new and more extensive sight of the nature of sinful principles, than could ever be had before—it will then appear, that it was particular restraint of divine providence in men, who were possessed of unholy principles, which prevented them from abounding in visible iniquity far more than they have done; and that if they had been left to themselves, without any particular restraint, they would in a state of trial here, have showed more ample evidence of the evil nature of sinful principles, and of the awful effects which would follow unrestrained unholiness. When all this appears, as it will at the final, glorious day, GOD will be glorified and admired in bringing such sinners to a complete and glorious redemption from the awful consequences of their apostacy. The electing love of GOD will be glorified in his saints and admired in all them that believe.

2. THE grace of GOD will be glorified and admired in the gift and provision of a Saviour, who is able to deliver to the uttermost all those

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who put their trust in him.—The provision of infinite wisdom and mercy, in the gist of such a Saviour as we have received in the gospel, do. now clearly appear to the glory of a sovereign GOD ; but the greatness of the gist and the richness of the mercy, cannot now be so brightly seen as they will be in the day of the Lord. Then it will be known in what the heavenly glory, to which sinners are called, doth consist— Then the infinite evil of sin will be seen more brightly than ever before—Then that misery from which mercy hath rescued guilty transgressors, who have come to repentance, will be gloriously manifested by the pains of destruction which come on the ungodly. These things will clearly show the riches of divine mercy, and GOD, will be glorified with new feelings of admiration, for the gift of a Saviour and the richness of the gospel provision.

3. IN that day, the glory of the divine Spirit in awakening and sanctifying sinners, will be seen and admired by all the saints of GOD—It is as great a work of GOD to bring sinners to a holy obedience ; as it was to atone for their sins and reconcile the divine righteousness to their restoration.—Those who have not become experimentally pious, do generally overlook the great work of GOD in reclaiming sinners to evangelical obedience. If they believe the gospel, and suppose it to be, in some way, necessary for the salvation of the guilty , still, as they are unacquainted with the nature of a holy life, and with their own opposition to the true kingdom of CHRIST, they conceive nothing of that divine efficiency; which is necessary to bring men to evangelical obedience. It is a great and wonderful work of GOD, which brings sinners into the kingdom of his son. When his dispensations

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to awaken and convince and humble sinners ; and the power of the Spirit sanctifying them, while they were wholly alienated from their duty, and from the terms of salvation, are brought into a collective view, he will be greatly glorified and admired, in effectually calling his redeemed sons to glory. To see how their hearts were opposed to all holiness in the character of GOD, in his law, in his government and even in the gospel manner of salvation ; to see how they resisted the dictates of reason, the calls of providence, the admonitions of conscience, the instruction of the word, and the divine actings of the blessed Spirit; to see how GOD long bore with them, passing by their ingratitude and rebellion, and sill repeating the evidence of truth and the invitation to mercy; to see how they were becoming more sinful under all their awakenings, linking deeper into the miry clay, and making it more necessary there should be an act of almighty efficience to save them; and then to see how infinite goodness interposed by creating them anew, and working faith in them by an almighty power: the sight of these things will cause the Lord to appear more glorious in their effectual calling than he ever did before.

4. THE power and grace of GOD will be glorified, when it is seen how he caused his saints to persevere unto eternal life. The perseverance of those, who are once effectually called, is made certain by the promise of GOD ; but still their continuance in his savor is to be wholly ascribed to his own efficiency. As he first called, so he effectually assists them to persevere; and the labor of divine grace, in assisting them through the Christian trial, will cause the love of GOD to be greatly admired.—Through how many scenes of temptation have they been protected !—how

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often have they been preserved from the torrents of rising corruptions in their own hearts !—from how many backslidings have they been reclaimed, when satan, who desired to have them that he might sift them as wheat, seemed nearly to have gained his purpose !—how frequently have they been saved by the fresh drawings of divine grace on their souls, when they neither watched nor prayed, and were not faithful to go to CHRIST for preserving their strength !—Christians know something of this by their experience here, and can look back with wonder on the multitude of means and special influences from on high, by which they have been kept from a total declension. Sometimes GOD hath called them by mercies, and often checked them by afflictions; and in innumerable instances interposed to save them from the destroyer. But when all the members of the glorious body are collected, and it appears-how the Holy Spirit and providence of GOD have been acting, to remove the remaining sin of his people, to keep them near to GOD in the exercises of a holy life, and sanctify them to a meet preparation for the heavenly inheritance, the Lord will be greatly glorified and admired, in bringing his children to their eternal rest of purity, peace and glory.

5. GOD will be glorified and admired in pre serving his people through all the evils which they meet from the world and their spiritual enemies. CHRIST hath told his disciples, "In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome .the world."—He also hath said, " the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."—The true followers of JESUS CHRIST have enemies within and without and all around them. In covenant faithfulness,

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GOD often calls them into afflictions, appointed and executed by his immediate providence, whereby it appears, in the sight of an unholy world, as though they were entirely forsaken by the Lord in whom they profess to hope—But by such scenes he intends their good, even to wean them from the world and from sin ; and when they seem to be linking under the weight of trouble and opposition, he alleviates their trials, gives them strength to endure, and brings light out of darkness. How often hath the arm of the Lord been made bare to succor his afflicted saints and preserve the general interests of his kingdom, at the very seasons, when the enemies of his truth supposed themselves to be triumphing! A general view of his gracious care over his Church and people, from the beginning; a sight of the many providential interpositions by which they have been saved ; and of the succours of his grace, strengthening their minds to resist and overcome temptation, will bring great glory to the riches of his grace.

6. Con will be glorified and admired in the perfection and beauty of holiness and happiness, that will then appear in his redeemed Church. The descriptions of heavenly glory, holiness and peace, are the most exalted conceivable. All sin and sorrow and death will be removed—all darkness and ignorance done away—the understanding improved to high perfection— the natural faculties all enobled and spiritualized—the whole soul made holy as GOD is holy—and filled with a sight and love of his glorious being. Then will be seen the nature and effects of benevolence, as they had never been conceived by creatures until taught by the sight and feelings of the heavenly Church.—

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There will be collected an immense number of redeemed minds, glorious in holiness, glorious in their inseparable connection with JESUS CHRIST, their eternal and infinite head, glorious in their employments, their praise, their worship and in their communion with GOD himself and their brethren. When it is seen how divine power and grace hath formed so blessed and glorious a body, from among the guilty children of men, who were all vile and deserving of eternal death, the Lord will indeed appear to be glorified in his saints and admired in them that believe. There all the perfections and sufficiency of GOD and the Redeemer, will shine forth in most rich display. The fulness of his power, the plenteousness of his grace, and the riches of his wisdom and his truth will appear great beyond all description. it will then be confessed, that redemption is the greatest of all GOD’S works, which are made known to the children of men; and that he appears more glorious in holiness, more fearful in praises, and more wonderful in working when he redeems, than when he did create. Convincing evidence will be exhibited, that the design of infinite wisdom and love in creating the world and in placing man upon it, was to prepare the way for that higher and more glorious exhibition of himself, which is made by redeeming sinners from the pains of eternal death and bringing them to the glory and happiness of heaven. The scriptures, every where, represent the highest declarative glory of GOD to consist in the formation, the spiritual beauty and purity, and the blessedness of his Church.—He will be glorified in the eternal counsels of redemption— in the divine character of the Redeemer—in the application of spiritual blessings—and in the guidance of his Church through the wilderness

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of sin and human life, and in bringing them to a Canaan of holiness and glory; also, in perfectly preparing them to be heavenly in their character and enjoyments. In view of these gracious events, which will be most brightly displayed in the day of judgment, the counsels, grace and efficiency of the Godhead wilt be eternally admired; and higher praise will be given to GOD for redemption, than for any of his other works, which have come to the present knowledge of creatures.

7. THE Lord will be glorified in his saints and admired in them that believe, through an endless eternity.—Their glory and happiness shall be without end. Although the knowledge and holiness of the Church, will then be perfected, this will never prevent an ever growing increase of heavenly qualities and enjoyments.— The intellects of the glorious saints will increase forever—they will become more capable of beholding and adoring GOD —new scenes of his eternal counsel and works will open to their knowledge, and heaven which begins in perfection will progress in glory for ever and ever. " GOD, who is rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith he loved us, hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through CHRIST JESUS."

BUT while we consider the triumphant display of mercy and grace, which will be made in the day of the Lord, by the promised perfection, blessedness and glory of his people, we ought not to overlook the awful exhibition of his justice, which will also take place at that time.

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THE Lord will have a threefold purpose in coming to judge the world ; to glorify himself, to reward his saints with eternal excellency, and to punish the ungodly for their impenitence and rebellion. This is also expressed in the verses before the text, " When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that knew not GOD, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." Sundry awful circumstances are marked in this description.—it will be the day of the Lord’s vengeance. How awful is the vengeance of Omnipotence! the vengeance of him who created and governs all nature! of him who is governed by an infinite love of the universe, and in all his government will do nothing but what is consistent with the most perfect benevolence! Such vengeance will always be executed with right reason and be approved by all good beings.

This vengeance is to be executed on them " that know not GOD, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST~"—Obedience to the gospel of our Lord JESUS CHRIST is represented as the terms of acceptance in the day of the Lord. None will be accepted, but those who have exercised repentance towards GOD, through the gospel, and faith in our Lord JESUS CHRIST. All mere moralists, and all who deny the experimental power of divine grace in the heart, will in that day be rejected, on the ground that they have not obeyed the gospel of CHIRST. Their formality in duty, and their want of a saving faith, and an evangelical temper will show that they are not reconciled to GOD, to his law or to his government ; and that their hearts are

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in a most unfit state for enjoying the holy blessedness of the kingdom of heaven. It is a most unreasonable thing in sinful men to expect the benefits of redemption, When their hearts are not reconciled to that scheme of evangelical holiness which is published in the gospel of grace. In all such cases, they are exposed to an utter rejection by him, who will judge and pass a sentence on men, according to the gospel, which requires holy and humble sincerity.—All such are to be punished "with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power."—The punishment is an awful one. The destruction is to be everlasting. A ruin without decrease, cessation or end—a ruin, which once beginning must ever continue for the glory of divine justice, and to serve as a testimony, that the soul of the Lord hateth sin and will never dispense with his law and its penalties where men refuse their obedience to the gospel of his grace. It becomes those, who reject divine grace, to consider what it will be to endure an everlasting punishment.—The description also points out an ingredient of the punishment of the wicked. They shall be driven from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. This means from such a sense of his presence and glory, as will give the highest happiness to his obedient creatures. The presence of GOD and a consciousness of being near to him will be a principal ingredient in the reward of the saints ; but to the disobedient the sight of his holiness must be painful, and by the temper which they possess they will be cut off from all beatific views of his excellency. In addition to their pain in sight of divine holiness, there will be an infused sense of his displeasure driving them from the nearness of communion and

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peace. To be cut off from the friendship and pleasing sight of GOD’s glory and lie under an everlasting sense of his displeasure, muss constitute a misery that is inconceivable; and to have hope excluded, will complete the sinner’s misery. It is thus that sin will terminate, when the day of divine patience is passed. In this world, the wheat and the tares must grow together; but in the. day of judgment they will be separated, for the Lord will gather the wheat into his garner, while the tares are gathered into bundles to be burned.

" LET US hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear GOD and keep his commandments:

for this is the whole duty of man. For GOD shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."— The end of all human travel is to die and go to judgment. In the warfare of death there is no discharge; and by this change, the poor man shall be called away from the miserable scene in which he hath walked ; the afflicted and the pained, from the pains and afflictions of earth ; the rich man, from the affluence in which he glories; and the honorable man from all his titles in Church and state ; and they shall alike lie, helpless and dying, in immediate prospect of being ushered into eternity.

But this I say, brethren, the time is short : it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not ; and they that use this world, as not abusing it : for the fashion of the world passeth away." It remaineth, that all

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must come to the judgment seat of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, where the weak and the powerful; the poor and the rich ; the ignoble and the honorable will meet together and be judged and rewarded with an impartiality that hath not been seen on earth..—There the writer will meet with those who read, and it will be known what is consistent with truth ; and should there be any reviewer of these sheets, who is more" intent to find elegance of writing than the plain, unadorned and humble doctrines and practice of the gospel, he also will be there, and will find that the laws of a vain and proud criticism, are not the laws by which an omniscient and holy Judge, will invite some to a heaven of glory, and sentence others to a hell of everlasting sin and woe.

How circumspect we ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness if every idle word is to be brought into judgment, how watchful we ought to be over our lips "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of GOD, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

ALL that GOD is now doing hath reference to that great day. Then the secret things of every heart shall be manifested, and a judgment passed and a sentence pronounced in infinite righteousness on every creature. In every one who exists, GOD will either be glorified and admired, or they will be punished with an everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. O how solemn, how interesting the thought! how great the

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destiny of every soul which lives, either to be an inhabitant of heaven or of hell forever! Indeed we should give all diligence that we may be sound of the Lord in peace "Now unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise GOD, be honor and glory forever and ever. AMEN."*

* Willison Ed. Note: Strong closes this sermon with a quote from 1 Timothy 1:17, which was the convicting and converting verse that changed another Yale graduate's life, that of Jonathan Edwards.