the whole chapter. The blessings are to those that hearken to the voice of the Lord in the gospel, and the curses are to the legal self-righteous tribe, that trust in their obedience to the law, to which they adhere for life, because they cannot fulfil the whole of it; "As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse;" and, on the other hand, I have proved the believer to be under the blessing; "so then they which be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham,” Gal. iii. 9.

I have already shown that the believer is justified, consequently under the sentence of justification; and the glorious effect of this is, that he is blessed; yea, he is blessed both by the law and the gospel; God the Father blesses him; "Kiss the Son lest he be angry; blessed are all they that put their trust in him." He is blessed also of God the Saviour; "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," John xx. 29. This blessing is likewise pronounced by the Holy Ghost; "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them." This being the real case, the sentence of justification, and the blessing annexed to it, follows the believer go where he will.

Having shewed you the rule of judgment, the sentence and the blessing, I come now to speak of the judgment-seat. I have already proved, by the trial of Prodigalis, that the elect are

arraigned and tried before the judgment-seat in this world; that the light of God shines upon them; that the commandment comes with power; that sin revives, and the sinner, feeling the sentence thereof, dies; that law, conscience, and Satan accuse him; and that by faith he is justified, and passes from the sentence of death to spiritual life by faith in the Son of God: as it is written, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die," John xi. 25, 26. Thus you see the elect soul is arraigned and acquitted in this world by an act of grace.

Secondly, Every time he sins against his Father and Redeemer, having the law of God and the rule of judgment written on his heart, he arraigns himself; this is his privilege, which if he neglects God does it: "If we would judge ourselves we should not be judged; but when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."

Thirdly, The believing soul may appear before the judgment-seat of Christ as soon as it is severed from the body; for the spirit returns to God that gave it, Eccl. xii. 7. But supposing this be the case, the believing soul can receive nothing but the sentence of justification, and the blessing annexed to it; "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord:" but this is all supposition; for the Bible is silent about it to the best of my remem

brance. It is said of Lazarus, that he was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, Luke xvi. 22; and of the thief, that he should be that day with the Lord in paradise, Luke xxiii. 43. But there is nothing said of a trial between death and eternal glory. Yet doubtless the Saviour will present every believing soul before his Father at their arrival in heaven; but if he does, it will be without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; and if so, it can be only to receive the Father's blessing; which will be no worse than that which the poor soul met with on his repentance; namely, the Father fell on his neck and kissed him, and rejoiced over him with singing.

Fourthly, If we are all to appear before the judgment-seat of Christ in the great day, as the apostle intimates, it will be only to be exalted to the right hand of the Lord: "And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left," Matt. xxv. 33. And whatever account a believer is to give of himself to God, I believe the Saviour, as his only Advocate, will instruct him in it: "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way," Psalm xxv. 9. And the chief account that he will have to give at that day will be an account of his unworthiness, and to wonder at the grace of his incomparable Lord: "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, [mark the blessing here,] inherit the kingdom prepared for from the foundation of the world." Now mind

you

the Saviour's process, "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in ; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." Now comes the account that the saints give of themselves to God, which consists of a public renunciation of all usefulness to God, and of all dependance on merit: "Then shall the righteous [mind the appellation] answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee; or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?" Thus the Lord justifies the righteous. Mind, he calls them righteous, which they could never be but by faith; for "he that believeth not is condemned already." Nor need we wonder at the Lord's putting encomiums on their works, for it was himself that worked in them both to will and to do of his own good pleasure, Phil. ii. 13. The Lord had wrought all their works in them, Isaiah xxvi. 12, and he takes special notice of, and puts great encomiums upon them. But the righteous place no confidence in them, but renounce them, with an humble confession of their unworthiness: And they were justified when they spake, and cleared when they thus judged of themselves, Psalm li. 4. Thus you see, instead of the sins of the just being exposed,

he brings forth every work of righteousness; every fruit of faith and labour of love.

Thus I have answered three things in your question. And I suppose Satan has been tempting thee to think that thou shalt be covered with shame and confusion, either at death or at thy entrance into heaven, or at the great and terrible day; and his temptations have driven thee to make this earnest inquiry; which is easily answered: for if there be in the word of God any thing relating to your inquiry which I have not brought forth, this text is sufficient to answer it, either at an hour of death or at the day of judgment: "But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation; ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded, world without end."

The last part of your question is, What is meant by every man receiving according to the works done in the body, whether good or bad? Here are two sorts of works, good and bad; which Paul calls the fruits of the Spirit, and the works of the flesh. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, &c. &c. they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God," Gal. v. 19-23.