Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 4 · Verse 16
VERS. 16.
For the Lord himſelfe ſhall deſcend from Heauen with a ſhout, with the voice of the Archangell, and with the Trumpe of God, and the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt.
THe Explication followes; firſt, by cauſes principall and ſubſeruient; ſecondly, the order of proceeding then holden, Ʋerſ. 16.17. In the words are three things conſiderable; firſt, that Chriſt ſhall come; ſecondly, the manner of his comming; thirdly, the effects and conſequents thereof.
That there ſhall be ſuch a glorious comming of Chriſt to Iudgement, Scriptures plentifully proue.cAct. 1.11. This ſame IESVS ſhall ſo come, as you hauehave ſeene him goe into Heauen. dMat. 24.30.They ſhall ſee the Sonne of man comming in the Clouds, with Power and great Glory. eIude 14.ENOCH, the ſeuenth from ADAM, prophecied hereof, Behold, the Lord commeth with ten thouſands of his Saints. The Lord was pleaſed to grant ſome intimation hereof to the very Heathen, by their Sybillae. Auguſtine and Euſebius record the Verſes of Sybilla Erythraea to this purpoſe.
foreign
foreign.
Whence they had it, whether by extraordinarie reuelation, or by ſome notice from Scriptures of old Teſtament, it is not materiall to enquire. The Lord, it ſeemes, would hauehave extant amongſt the Heathen ſome Predictions thereof, as alſo of other things; the better to make way for entertainment of the Goſpell amongſt Gentiles, in the fulneſſe of time, when they ſhould ſee the Principles thereof hauehave conſent from their owne Writers, whoſe Authoritie was ſacred amongſt them.
Reaſons of it are many; amongſt many take theſe few, firſt, to declare the iuſtice and equitie of Gods ſecret iudgement, for which cauſe its called,fRom. 2.5. the day of declaring the iuſt iudgement of God. There is at eueryevery mans death a iudgement of abſolution or condemnation paſſed vponupon their ſoules, according to their faith, or infidelitie, repentance, or impenitencie, but to vsus as yet ſecret. The Lord therefore hath appointed a day of generall Aſſiſe, wherein eueryevery mans works ſhall come to examination and publique view, and all the world be forced to acknowledge the equitie of the Lords ſecret proceedings.
To this tend other actions of the Lord euidencing the ſame truth, asgIude 15. conuiction of all the vngodly of their vnlawfull deeds which they hauehave vngodlily committed. Though I doubt not but its true of moſt men, they liue and dye as thoſe heretiques Paul ſpeakes of,hTit. 3.15. foreign, their cōſcience being witneſſe & iudge againſt them; yet hath it pleaſed the Lord ſo to appoint, that there ſhal be a farther, and more publique conuiction of them: that if any hypocrite ſhall be ſo impudent as to obtrude vntounto the Lord the formall ſeruice he hath done, his mouth may be ſtopped, and his face couered with confuſion; when his owne heart ſhall tell him, men and Angels witneſſing, he hath bin a Formalliſt onelyonly in Chriſtianitie.
A ſecond reaſon, is the execution of full vengeance vponupon the bodies and ſoules of them, that hauehave either ignorantly or maliciouſlyi2. Theſ. 1.8. diſobeyed the Gospel. And this reaſon is furthered by two others. Firſt, though they now in their ſoules ſuffer what their ſinnes hauehave deſerued, yet by their bodies, the inſtrumēts of their ſoules in ſinning, in the ſame ſtate of ſenceleſneſſe with the bodies of Gods Saints. Its meet therefore, that there ſhould be ſuch a comming of Chriſt, that as bodies and ſoules hauehave been fellowes in euill doing, ſo they may both partake in the puniſhmēt of their abominations. Secōdly, moreouer, its to be conſidered, that howſoeuer the perſonall acts of ſinne in the vngodly, are, as they are acts, tranſient; and ſeene to die with the committers; yet hauehave many of them a propagation along euen to a thouſand generations. It is ſaid of Ieroboam, He made Iſrael to ſinne. It is true, not onelyonly of the time, wherein he liued; but the infection of that policie and example, reached to many ſucceeding ages. The ſame is true of other ſins and ſinners; the poyſon and ſtench of their abominations, continue long after the death of their firſt Authors. Saint Iude tells vsus of ſome in his time, that walked in the way of CAIN, and BALAAM. Themſelues were long ſince dead, but the poyſon of their example, remained euen to Iudes time, and will doe to the end of the world. And it is not to be doubted, but that all the ſinnes of other men, occaſioned by their example, ſhalbe puniſhed in thē, as well as thoſe that in their owne perſons they committed. To the end therefore that they may hauehave a full meaſure of wrath, according to the full meaſure of their ſins; there muſt be a ſecond comming of Chriſt to the vniuerſall Iudgement; and theſe are ſome ends in reſpect of the wicked.
I might be infinite in ſetting down other ends that reſpect Gods children. As firſt, the clearing of their innocencie to the faces of them that hauehave loaden them with vniuſt ſlanders and accuſations. Secondly, the recompenſing of their labours, that hauehave not receiued, in this life, any viſible reward.
And what ſhould I tell you of the vſes it hath in reſpect of God himſelfe, and his Chriſt? How often quarrell we at the diſpenſations of his prouidence? that hee caſts proſperitie vponupon the wicked, and exerciſeth his children with continuall afflictions. There muſt a day come, when men ſhall kMal. 3.18.diſcerne betwixt him that ſerues God, & him that ſerues him not; and the equity of Gods preſent diſpoſition ſhal appeare to all men: when the wicked ſhal be forced to confeſſe, they found the Lord liberall to them in the things of this earth; and Gods children hauehave all their afflictions rewarded, with a full meaſure of glory.
Let vsus now come to the manner of his comming, and then we ſubioyne the vſes. The manner is deſcribed to be with great terror, Maieſtie and glory: With the voyce of the Archangel, and with the Trumpe of God. My purpoſe is not vponupon this occaſion, to enter the controuerſie about the orders and degrees of dignity amongſt Angels. That there is an order betwixt them, ſome being ſuperiour, ſome inferiour, wee make no queſtion. An Archangel wee find here; and will make no great quaere of it, whether as they hauehave one ſupreme, ſo there may be others in their ſeuerall rankes, one ſuperiour to another: Amongſt the euill angels, wee read of one called, The Prince of Deuils; the other inferiours, and Miniſters vntounto him. Wherefore it is ſayd,lMat. 16.41. The Deuill and his Angels.
Neither purpoſe I to ſpeake much of the Miniſtery of Angels in the reſurrection, and day of Iudgement. Yee hauehave them briefly ſet downe, Mat. 24. Firſt, To gather Gods children from the foure windes, and to preſent them to their Lord Chriſt. Secondly, to be witneſſes perhaps, and giuegive euidence againſt the vngodly, of the ſinnes they hauehave ſecretly committed; we doubt not but they m1. Cor. 11.10attend our congregations. Thirdly, to bee inſtruments of GodsnMat. 13.41, 42. vengeance vponupon the wicked. Laſtly, to ſerue to the greater glory of Chriſt the Iudge, for which cauſe, hee is ſaid at his comming, To be made o2. Theſ. 1.10.marueilous in his Saints.
Touching the Trump of God, whether we muſt take it in property of ſpeach, or analogically, is a queſtion: Interpreters varie in their coniectures: ſome take it analogically onelyonly, to ſignifie the vertue, and power of Chriſts voice, ſummoning vsus all together to his Iudgement ſeat; as amongſt Iews, their aſſemblies were ſummoned by the ſound of Trumpets: others otherwiſe. For my part, I ſee not but we may take it properly. As at the giuing of the Law, when the Lord came downe vponupon Mount Sinai, thepExod. 19. & 20. voice of the Trumpet was heard exceeding loud; ſo it may be here. Curious enquiries about the matter of it, or meanes of ſound, let vsus omit as friuolous.
The whole ſerues to expreſſe the terrour, maieſtie, and glorie of Chriſt, at his ſecond comming to Iudgement; attended with thouſands, euen a thouſand times ten thouſand of his glorious Angels; with his mightie voice ſhaking Heauen and Earth; and by the power of his Trumpe raiſing the dead out of their graues, and preſenting them all at his Seat of Iudgement. No maruell, if the wicked then run to the Rockes to hide them, and to the Mountaines to fall vponupon them; his comming being with ſuch maieſtie and glorie. The vſes follow.
And firſt, it ſerues for confutation of thoſeq2. Pet. 3.3, 4, 5, to 10. godleſſe Mockers, whom S. Peter ſpeakes of; that, in regard of ſo long delay of his comming, grow to deride and ſcoffe at the Promiſe. Such Atheiſts all Ages hauehave afforded: would God our owne times were free; men that labour to quench in themſelues thoſe notices of a Iudgement to come, that the Lord hath written in their hearts with the point of a Diamond: And, which paſſeth all meaſure of Atheiſme and prophaneneſſe, hauehave not ſtucke to reaſon againſt this Principle of our Chriſtian Faith. Will you heare how? S. Peters Mockers thus diſputed; All things hauehave continued in like ſtate without alteration, euer ſince the Creation: Wee ſee the ſame circumuolution of Heauens, viciſſitude of Times and Seaſons. Ergo. Anſ. Now, firſt (ſaith Peter) their ground is falſe, their owne hearts being witneſſes, ſaue that they hauehave wilfully ſhut their eyes againſt the light of the Truth: For they cannot be ignorant, that the Earth once periſhed by Waters, that Deluge hauing teſtimonie, not onelyonly from Moſes, but euen from Heathens themſelues. Beſides, they cannot but acknowledge a ſenſible decay, and declining of all the creatures from their originall ſtrength and perfection; we ſee them, as Dauid, rPſal. 102.26.waxen old as a garment, and now, as it were, of their owne accord growing towards a diſſolution. Laſtly, that Word of God, that was ſo powerfull to giuegive them a beginning, is it not as mightie to put an end to the creatures? Suppoſe then it were true, that the world ſtands ſtill in the ſtate wherein it was created; the Lord, by whoſe Word and Power it was firſt made, and hath, euer ſince Creation, continued in this order, can with the ſame power of his Word bring it to nothing.
Their ſecond Argument againſt the Diſſolution, is, as the Epicures againſt the Creation; Quae machinae? What ſhould the inſtrument and meanes of Diſſolution be? If we ſay Fire; it is one of the principall parts whereof it conſiſts. Anſ. Yet can the Lord vſe it as a meanes of the Diſſolution, as he once did Water, the common Principle of all things, at the vniuerſall Deluge.
Third Argument, is from the long delay. Anſ. Wherein, ſaith Peter, firſt, how much forget they themſelues; meaſuring the dayes of Gods eternitie by the ſcantling of our time? Secondly, how little doe they conſider the ends and reaſons of the delay? which are, not the Lords forgetfulneſſe, or change of his purpoſe, but his patience towards vsus, in waiting for our repentance, & the accompliſhment of that number that he hath choſen to life; of whom, perhaps there are many as yet vnborne.
To theſe of Peters mockers, our iudicious Atheiſts, as they would ſeeme, hauehave added an Argument, as they thinke, irrefragable; taken from the ſeeming neglect of the good and euill done amongſt men.
Queſt. How many ſee we liuing piouſly, yet miſerably? How many, as the vnrighteous Iudge in the Goſpel, without feare of God, and reuerence of men, and yet in the top and higheſt Chayre of proſperitie?
Anſw. Now, what is to be peruerſe, if this be not? That which Gods Spirit thinkes an Argument demonſtratiue, to proue a ſecond Iudgement, theſe thinke inuincible to ouerthrow it. The ſ2. Theſſ. 1.5.preſent tribulation of the Righteous, is a demonſtration of a righteous Iudgement to come. Whereto Salomon accords, in the vſe he makes of this vanitie he ſaw, amongſt others, vnderunder the Sunne.tEccl. 3.16, 17. I ſaw a place of Iudgement, and lo, wickedneſſe was there; and the place of Righteouſneſſe, and behold, Iniquitie was there. Then ſaid I, God ſhall ſurely iudge the righteous and vnrighteous; for there is a time appointed for eueryevery purpoſe. Secondly, neither is this ſeeming neglect ſo vniuerſall, as they would make it: Some we ſee here puniſhed, & rewarded, that we may know, there is a Prouidence taking notice of all; ſome others yet reſpited, that we might know there is a Iudgement to come.
Ʋſe. Leauing theſe Atheiſts all to the Iudgement of the great Day, let vsus ſee how we may profit by this Meditation. And firſt, it ſeruesuAct. 17.31. to admoniſh all men, in all places, to repent of all their vngodly deedes, which they hauehave vngodlily committed, in as much as the Lord hath appointed a Day, wherein he will iudge the world in righteouſneſſe, by that Man whom he hath appointed: as Salomon alſo preſſeth the Exhortation, To xEc. 12.12, 13.feare God, and keepe his Commandements; ſeeing he will bring eueryevery worke vntounto Iudgement, with eueryevery ſecret thing, whether it be good or euill. And I beſeech you, eueryevery one ſeriouſly thinke of it, there is not a vaine oath, no, noryMat. 12.36. an idle word, but thou art countable for it at that Day. How much more for thy Periuries and Blaſphemies againſt God and his Truth? And let no man flatter himſelfe, thinking his greatneſſe or ſmalneſſe, his age or youth, ſhall excuſe him before God:zReuel. 20.12. Great and ſmall ſtand before God, to be iudged after the things written in the Bookes. And euen of the Iollities of Youth, ſaid SALOMON,aEccl. 11.9. the Lord ſhall bring them to Iudgement. Nothing ſhall ſtead thee at that Day, but Faith and Repentance. Leſt any ſay, euen that Day may bring Repentance to Saluation; and the Lord is mercifull, and will then be entreated; heare what Paul hath, That Day is bRom. 2.5.a day of Wrath to all impenitent ſinners; and thou mayeſt crie and howle, withcHeb. 12.17. Eſau, for the Bleſſing, but ſhalt find no place for Repentance, becauſe thou neglectedſt the time of the Lords Viſitation.
A ſecond vſe S. Paul points vsus vntounto, in his owne practice; and S. Peter alſo, hauing deſcribed the terror and glorie of that Day, it ſhould teach vsus all faithfulneſſe in our Vocations and Callings;d2. Cor. 5.11. This terrour of the Lord ſhould make vsus perſwade men: yea, ſaith Peter, e2. Pet. 3.11.What manner men ought we to be in all holy conuerſation and godlineſſe! Fooles as we are, we dreame of too much ſtrictneſſe in holy courſes; and generally, it goes for an Opinion currant amongſt the wiſe, We may be iuſt ouer-much. Alas, brethren, doe we conſider the Maieſtie, Power, Puritie, ſtrict Iuſtice of the Iudge, when wee thus ſpeake? He that brings euen idle words to Iudgement, and forgets not a thought of diſobedience, how will hee ſpare our groſſe negligence and preſumption? How our formalitie and vnreuerence in his ſeruice? Saith PETER, What manner ought we to be in holineſſe? Euen Angelicall puritie were little enough, to preſent vsus to the eyes of that Iudge. It is his great merciemercy to vsus, that he hath promiſed, to fNum. 23.21.ſee no iniquitie in IACOB, nor tranſgreſſion in Iſrael; yet ſo, as that he would hauehave vsus endeuourg1. Pet. 1.16. to be holy, as he is holy, and to h1. Ioh. 3.3.purge our ſelues, as he is pure.
The laſt thing to be conſidered, are the effects and conſequents of his comming; ſome of them reſpect the dead, whereof alreadie; others, the liuing that remaine at his comming; ſome others, both.