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The Philadelphia Confession, 1742
God hath appointed a day wherein He
will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ;1 to
whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day not only the apostate
angels shall be judged,2 but likewise all persons that have
lived upon the earth, shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of
their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the
body, whether good or evil.3
The end of God's appointing this day,
is for the manifestation of the glory of His mercy, in the eternal salvation of the elect;
and of His justice, in the eternal damnation of the reprobate, who are wicked and
disobedient;4 for then shall the righteous go into everlasting
life, and receive that fullness of joy and glory, with everlasting reward, in the presence
of the Lord: but the wicked who know not God, and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
shall be cast into eternal torments,5 and punished with
everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.6
As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin,7 and for the greater consolation of the godly, in their adversity,8 so will He have the day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord will come,9 and may ever be prepared to say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly".10 Amen.
Footnotes:
1. Ac 17:31; Jn 5:22, 27.
2. 1Co 6:3; Jude 6.
3. 2Co 5:10; Ecc 12:14; Mt 12:36; Ro 14:10,12; Mt 25:32-46.
4. Ro 9:22-23.
5. Mt 25:21,34; 2Ti 4:8.
6. Mt 25:46; Mk 9:48; 2Th 1:7-10.
7. 2Co 5:10-11.
8. 2Th 1:5-7.
9. Mk 13:35-37; Lk 12:35-40.
10. Rev 22:20.
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