The Judge is the almighty and eternal God:  the law broken is the holy and perfect rule of God, in itself a consuming fire:  sin is so odious, and a thing so abominable, that it is enough to make all the angels blush to hear it but so much as once mentioned in so holy a place as that is, where the great God doth sit to judge.  This sin now hangs about the neck of him that has committed it, yea, it covers him as doth a mantle.

Doubtless before the flood had carried off the ark, others besides would with gladness have had there a lodgingroom though no better than a dog-kennel; but now it was too late, “The Lord had shut the door.”

As the just shall rise in power, so the wicked and unjust in weakness and astonishment.  Sin and guilt bring weakness and faintness in this life; how much more when both, with all their force and power, like a giant fasten on them?  As God saith, “Can thy hands be strong, and can thy heart endure in the day that I shall deal with thee?” Now will the ghastly jaws of despair gape upon thee, and now will condemnings of conscience, like thunderclaps, continually batter against thy weary spirit.  It is the godly that have boldness in the day of judgment; but the wicked will be like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Now when the wicked are thus raised out of their graves,’they shall, together with all the angels of darkness, their fellow-prisoners, be brought up, being shackled in their sins, to the place of judgment; where there shall sit upon them Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Chief-judge of things in heaven, and earth, and things under the earth.  On whose right hand and left shall sit all the princes and heavenly nobles, the saints and prophets, the apostles and witnesses of Jesus; every one in his kingly attire upon the throne of his glory.  Then shall be fulfilled that which is written, “But those my enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me.”

When every one is thus set in his proper place, the Judge on his throne with his attendants, and the prisoners coming up to judgment, forthwith there shall issue forth a mighty fire and tempest from before the throne, which shall compass it round about.  Which fire shall be as bars and bounds to the wicked, to keep them at a certain distance from the heavenly Majesty.  “Our God will come and not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.”  “His throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels like burning fire.  A fiery stream issued, and came forth from before him.”