Looking Unto Jesus, Book 10 · Chapter 1 · Section 3
SECT. III. Of Chriſt's ſummoning of the Elect to come under judgment.
3. FOR Chriſt's ſummons of the Elect to come under judgment: no ſooner is he in the clouds, his Throne of judicature, but there he ſtands, and thence he ſends his holy Angels with a great ſound of a Trumpet, Mat. 24.31.and they ſhall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to another. Chriſt's ſummons are effectual, if he will have the elect to meet him, they muſt come; to this purpoſe he ſends his Angels, and they return with his Saints back again to the judgement-ſeat. In the carrying on of this affair, we ſhall diſcuſs theſe particulars. 1. His miſſion of the Angels. 2. The manner of the miſſion. 3. The reſurrection of the world. 4. The collection of the Saints; wherein, 1. whence, 2. whither they are gathered.
1. For Chriſt's miſſion of his Angels; he ſhall ſend his Angels. This was their office from their firſt creation; they were ſtill ſent of God this way, and that way; and indeed herein is one difference betwixt Chriſt and the Angels, he was to fit on God's right hand, but they were ſent abroad to Miniſter to the Saints and people of God;Heb. 1.13, 14. To which of the Angels ſaid he at any time, ſit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot-ſtool? are they not all Miniſtring Spirits, ſent forth to Miniſter for them, who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation? Now according to their office, Chriſt puts them upon imployment at this day. q. d. O my Angels! you that wait upon me, that excel in ſtrength, Pſal. 103.20. Pſal. 50.5.that do my commandments, and hearken to the voice of my Word: go your wayes now into all the four winds of the World, gather all my Saints together unto me, thoſe that have made a covenant with me by ſacrifice; ſearch into all the duſts of the earth, and leave not behind one duſt that belongs unto any Saint; ſearch into the bottom of the Sea; ſee what becomes of thoſe drowned bodies of my dear ones; if either worms have eaten thoſe in graves, or fiſhes have devoured them in the deep, why now reſtore them; am not I as able to recover them, as I was to create them? is it not as eaſie for me to raiſe the dead, as to make Heaven and Earth, and all of nothing? go then and gather together all thoſe duſts and let every duſt be brought home to its own proper body, and compact thoſe duſts as ſoft as they are into ſolid bones; and propheſie upon thoſe bones, and ſay unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord; thus ſaith the Lord, behold I will cauſe breath to enter into you, and ye ſhall live, Ezek. 37.4, 5, 6.and I will lay ſinews upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye ſhall live, and ye ſhall know that I am the Lord; why this is my will and pleaſure, and therefore be gone, O my Angels, do your office, what? have not I commanded you?
2. The Miſſion, or commiſſion, or diſmiſſion given, the Angels, ſwift meſſengers of his will fall on the execution; and to that purpoſe immediately they ſound the Trumpet; ſo it follows, And he ſhall ſend his Angels with a great ſound of a Trumpet. Here is the manner of their miſſion; they go, and as they go they give a ſhout; what this ſhout is, or how it is made, is a curious queſtion, and ſets many wits on work: in this Scripture it is ſet out by the ſound of a Trumpet. *Anſelmus in elucidario. Suarez. tuba ex aere. Doctor Slater, who faith I ſee not, but we may take it properly, &c. Cornelius a lapide. Mat. 24.31. 1 Cor. 15.52. 1 Theſ. 4.16.Now ſome would have it to be a material Trumpet, becauſe the Scriptures frequently call it a Trumpet; He ſhall ſend his Angels with the ſound of a Trumpet, ſaith Chriſt; and in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the laſt trump we ſhall be changed (ſaith Paul) for the Trumpet ſhall ſound, and the dead ſhall be raiſed. And the Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from Heaven with a ſhout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trumpet of God: But whether this Trumpet ſhall be of Silver or of Braſs, or of the Air, or of the Cloud and Meteors whereon Chriſt rides, they cannot agree:†Piſcator, Eſtius, Aretius & alii fere omnes. others more probably look upon this Trumpet as nothing elſe but a metaphor; or a ſound formed in the Air, like the ſound of a Trumpet. A voice it is without all controverſie; and metaphorically it may be called a trumpet, both from the clearneſs and greatneſs of the ſound; ſo loud ſhall it be, that 'twill pierce into the ears of the dead in their graves; It will ſhake the world, rend the rocks, break the mountains; diſſolve the bonds of Death, Cui omnia obediunt elementa, petras ſcindit, inferos aperit, &c. Chryſoſt. in 1 Cor. 15.burſt down the gates of Hell, and unite all ſpirits to their own Bodies. An horrible terrible voice ſhall it be: But how ſhould Angels who are ſpirits make a voice? by a colliſion of the Air which the Angels can move at their pleaſure; and who can tell, ſay ſome, but there may be ſome new-created inſtrument trumpet-like, adapted for the Angels; at the ſides of which, by a force, and colliſion of the air, this great ſhout may be, to convene all the World? or who knows (ſay others) but that the Lord Jeſus may fill the Angels, even as trumpets are filled with a loud blaſt, and that through them this loud blaſt ſhall come ruſhing like a mighty wind upon the dead Saints, and ſo awaken their bodies out of the duſt? we all know this was uſual in all the Jews ſolemnities to convene the people by the found of a trumpet. And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes, ſaying, Make thee two trumpets of ſilver, Numb. 10 1, 2, 3, 9.—That thou mayeſt uſe them for the calling of the Aſſembly; —And when thou ſhalt blow them, all the Aſſembly ſhall aſſemble themſelves; and if ye go to war, then ye ſhall blow an alarme with the Trumpets; and in the ſame way (ſay they) Chriſt now will convene all the World with the ſound of a trumpet, or with the ſound of ſome ſuch inſtrument of divine power and vertue, whereby the dead ſhall be raiſed, and their bodies and ſouls re-united. Amidſt all thoſe Authors, if I may deliver my opinion; I ſuppoſe the Text that will clear all to us above all that is written, is that of 1 Theſſalonians 4.16. For the Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from heaven with a ſhout, 1 Theſ. 4.16.with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God. Give me leave to inſiſt on it, that we may come up yet to a more full and perfect knowledg of this paſſage. In theſe words is ſhewed, or held forth the coming of Chriſt in three particulars: with a ſhout, with a voice, and with a trumpet; ſome think this to be one and the ſame ſet out in variety of expreſſions; but I am of another mind. It is agreed by moſt that the tranſactions at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, were a repreſentation of the proceedings which ſhall be at the great day of Judgment; now in that tranſaction we read of a three-fold voice, The voice of God, the voice of Thunder, and the voice of a Trumpet, (Exod. 19.16. compared with Exod. 20.1.) and accordingly we find the Apoſtle ſpeaking of a three-fold voice, Of the voice of Chriſt, of the voice of Thunder, and of the voice of a Trumpet.
1. The Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend with a ſhout: Arius Montanus, and the vulgar tranſlate it with a command; Lyra and others think this to be the voice of Chriſt himſelf, ſaying,John 11.48. with a loud voice, Ariſe ye dead, and come to Judgment. Thus Jeſus cryed with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth; and with ſuch a voice will he call on the dead at the laſt day.J…hn 5.25. So much Chriſt himſelf hath taught us; The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live. The hour is, becauſe by his voice he raiſed ſome at his firſt coming: and the hour is coming, becauſe in the like manner he will raiſe up all men at the laſt day; Marvel not at this (ſaith Chriſt) for the hour is coming, John 5.28.in the which all that are in the graves ſhall hear his voice, and they ſhall come forth. As at the creation of the World, he ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light; ſo at the diſſolution of the World, he will ſay, Let the dead ariſe, let the Sea give up the dead that are in it, and Death and Hell deliver up the dead which are in them; and it will be ſo.
2. The Lord ſhall deſcend with the voice of the Archangel. Two queſtions here; 1. Who is this Archangel? 2. What is this voice?
For the firſt, ſome argue this Archangel to be Gabriel, others Raphael, others Michael. The Jews have an antient tradition, that there are ſeven principal Angels that miniſter before the throne of God, and therefore called Archangels. The Scriptures ſeem to ſpeak much that way,Revel. 4.5. Rev. 5.6. Zach 4.10. Rev. 8.2. calling them, ſeven Lamps of fire burning before the throne: and ſeven hornes, and ſeven eyes of the Lamb; and the ſeven ſpirits of God ſent for…h into all the earth; and ſeven eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth; and yet more plainly, ſeven Angels that ſtand before God. Now which of theſe Seven is the Archangel, here ſpoken of, is hard to determine; only probable it is, that all the Archangels, and all the angels are hereby underſtood, as comprehended under that one; to which agrees, Matth. 24.31. Mr. Aynſworth obſerves, that when things are done by a multitude; where one is chief, that the action is frequently aſcribed either to the multitude, or to him that is chief indifferently; as Jehoiadah brought forth the Kings Son, and he put the Crown upon him, 2 Kings 11.12. or they brought forth the Kings ſon, and they put upon him the Crown, 2 Chron. 23.11. ſo David offered burnt-offerings, 2 Sam. 6.17. or they offered burnt offerings, 1 Chron. 16.1. and ſo he ſhall deſcend with the voice of the Archangel; or he ſhall ſcend his Angels with a great ſound, Matth 24.3.
That there are ſeven principal Angels, Maſter Mede affirms; and that there is one which yet eminently, is called the Archangel; ſome others affirm, as among Devils, there is one chief Devil,Mat. 25.41. called the Prince of Devils; and therefore the fire is ſaid to be prepared for the Devil and his Angels; ſo from this Text of 1 Theſſ. 4.16. and of Dan. 10.13. and of Jude v. 9. Some probably conclude that the good Angels have a Prince, even Michael, whom Jude calls the Archangel. But of this no more; the Lord keep me from intruding into thoſe things which I have not ſeen. Colloſ. 2.18.The day it ſelf will diſcover it, and ſo I leave it, as having ſaid enough to ſatisfie the ſober minded.
For the ſecond, what is this voice of the Archangel? I conceive that thereby we are to underſtand thunder: here is (as we have ſaid) a manifeſt alluſion to the proceedings at the giving of the Law, now the voice there mentioned, beſides the voice of God,Exod. 19.16. —20.18. Heb. 2.2. and the voice of a trumpet, is the voice of Thunder; And it came to paſs on the third day in the morning, there were thunders. In this ſenſe ſome expound theſe words of the Apoſtle, where the Law is ſaid to be ſpoken by Angels, becauſe the Angels did raiſe up thoſe extraordinary thunders, which happily were the matters of the articulate voice, in which the Lord ſpake to Iſrael: or if the Law was ſpoken by Chriſt (as I have delivered my opinion elſewhere) he being the Angel of the Covenant, Book 3. ch. 1. Sect. 4.Mal. 3 1, And the Angel of his preſence, Iſa. 63.9. Yet this hinders not, but that created Angels might ſpeak the Law too, if not in reſpect of the articulate voyce, yet in reſpect of the voyce of thunders which attended on it; thus thunder is often called the voyce of God, and the voyce of his excellency, Job 37.4, 5. Pſalm. 29.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
3. The Lord ſhall deſcend with the trumpet of God. Such a voyce was uſed alſo at the giving of the Law, Exod. 19.16. and Exod. 20.18. and ſo it will be now when men are called to account for the keeping or breaking of it. For the underſtanding of this, our laſt tranſlation tells us,Mat. 24.31. that Chriſt ſhall ſend his Angels with the great ſound of a trumpet; but in four Greek copies, as Beza confeſſeth, as alſo in the Hebrew Goſpel of Matthew, and in the Vulgar, and in the margent of our laſt tranſlation, it is read, that Chriſt ſhall ſend his Angels with a trumpet, and a great voyce. And ſo the latter words are exegetical, q. d. with a trumpet, that is, with a great voyce, like the voice of a trumpet; ſo that this reading very provably proves, that the laſt trumpet is to be taken metaphorically. For the more full confirmation whereof I argue thus; when any thing is aſcribed to the Angels which is not ſuitable to their ſpiritual nature, and which they have no need of for the work they are about, is it to be taken metaphorically; unleſs the context or ſome other Scripture force us to a proper acceptation, but a material trumpet of Silver, Braſs, or the like metal, is not ſuitable to the ſpiritual nature of the Angels; neither have they need of ſuch a trumpet for producing a great ſound in the Air; it is evident that without a trumpet they can make a great ſound like the noiſe of a trumpet; and there is nothing at all in the Scriptures that will force us, or probably lead us to a proper acceptation of the word; add yet to what hath been ſaid, that ſometimes a great voice is ſet out by the ſimilitude of a Trumpet; I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Rev. 1.10. and the firſt voyce which I heard, was as it were of a trumpet, Rev. 4.1.
But why is this ſound as of a trumpet, called the trumpet of God? I anſwer, for the greatneſs of it; for its uſual in the Hebrew Language for the ſetting forth of greatneſs, excellency, or ſuperlativeneſs of a thing, to add the Name of God to the word, whereby the thing is ſignified; as Gen. 23.6. A Prince of God, (i.e.) a Mighty Prince, Gen. 30.8. With the wreſtlings of God, (i.e.) with great wreſtlings, Pſal. 36.6. Mountains of God (i.e.) Great mountains, Pſal 80.10. Cedars of God (i.e.) very high Cedars. So here, the trump of God (i.e.) A very great ſound, like the ſound of a trumpet. It is ſaid in the Law, there were thunders, and lightnings, Exod. 19.16.and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voyce of the trumpet exceeding loud, ſo that all the people that was in the camp trembled; and if there was trembling at the giving of the Law, oh what trembling will be at the general Aſſize, when ſinners ſhall be condemned for breaking of it?
3. No ſooner the ſhout made, but the Saints ariſe; it is true, the Saints that are alive need no reſurrection, but upon them will this trumpet have its effect. Somthing like death ſhall ceaze upon them, and they ſhall be changed. The order of this is given in by the Apoſtle from the Lord; This we ſay unto you by the Word of our Lord, 1 Theſ. 4.15.16, 17.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 voyce of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God, and the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt; then we which are alive and remain ſhall be caught up together with them into the clouds. The firſt that ſhall be called are the Saints that ſleep, and then the Saints that are alive ſhall be immediatly changed. Oh what a day will this be? what a ſtrange ſight to ſee all the dead ever ſince the beginning of the World riſe out of their graves? for the wicked I believe they ſhall riſe like Toads from their holes, in a black, ſwarthy, ugly, colour: A queſtion is amongſt the Schools, whether Reprobates ſhall riſe again with all their deformities which they had in this life? as ſome of them being blind, halt, lame, maimed, deaf, dum, &c. Whether now they ſhall riſe in the ſelf-ſame condition? for my part I conceive that whereas God the author of nature, will at that day reſtore humane nature, that therefore there ſhall be no defects of natural parts; certainly nothing ſhall be wanting in the damned, which may impede the ſenſe of torment in any part; now a defect of any member would hinder theſe univerſal torments that muſt ceaze on every part of the bodies of the damned in Hell; their bodies therefore ſhall be whole, onelyonly the bodies of ſuch ſhall be foul, ugly, heavy, lumpiſh bodies, as oppoſed to the glorious qualities of the bodies of Saints; why, what bodies (you will ſay) have they? I anſwer, glorious bodies: no ſooner ſhall the bodies of the Saints ariſe, but they ſhall exceed with ſingular qualities;1 Cor. 15.42, 43, 44 They were ſown in corruption, but they are raiſed in incorruption; they were ſown in diſhonour, but raiſed in glory; they were ſown in weakneſs, but raiſed in power; they were ſowen natural bodies, but raiſed ſpiritual bodies. The Sun in its ſhinings, doth but ſhadow forth the glory of their bodies; and this will in ſome meaſure torment Reprobates, to ſee the difference of their bodies, and the bodies of the Saints. O (will they ſay) yond are they, whom we deſpiſed, and now are they honoured. See a world of Suns riſing at once out of all parts of the Earth; ſometimes we lived on Earth, and we never ſaw but one Sun riſing in the Eaſt, but lo millions of Suns on Eaſt, and Weſt, and North, and South; O thoſe are the glorious Saints of Heaven: ſee with what ſwift and agile bodies they are preparing to fly into the Air, to meet their Lord and Saviour there; whilſt in the mean time we riſe with ſuch heavy, dull, and deformed bodies, that we cannot mount. O what will become of us? why this is the day of reſurrection. The Angels have been here to unſeal our graves to roll away the ſtones, and at their ſhout, and ſound of the Trumpet, our ſcattered duſts have met together: and lo now we ſtand upon the Earth.
4. No ſooner the Saints raiſed, and their ſouls and Bodies re-united with excellent Majeſty, but then ſhall all the elect of God, from firſt to laſt be gathered together: if you ask whence? and whither? I anſwer—
1. To the queſtion whence? from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to another. (i.e.) From all parts of the world, from Eaſt, and Weſt, and North, and South, from one end of Heaven to another; a Vulgar term, in regard of our ſight; for in it ſelf Heaven is round, and hath no end: the meaning is, that not one Saint in all the world, from Adam to the laſt man ſhall be concealed, or lye hid; from the moſt hidden, inward, ſecret boſom of the earth all ſhall be gathered; howſoever their duſts may be ſcattered into a thouſand thouſand parts, yet the power of Chriſt ſhall reſtore all thoſe duſts, and bring them together into their ſeveral compacted bodies.
2. To the queſtion whether they ſhall be gathered? Some ſay to the Valley of Jehoſhaphat, Joel. 3.12.from that Text, Let the Heathen be weakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoſhaphat, for there, will I ſit to judge the Heathen round about; but I believe this Text hath reference to a particular judgment of God upon Iſraels enemies which dwell round about Jeruſalem, and not to the general day of Judgment. Others ſay,Acts 1.11, 12. to Mount-Olivet from that Text, This ſame Jeſus which is taken up from you into Heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner as ye have ſeen him go into Heaven; then returned they unto Jeruſalem from the Mount called Olivet. But I believe this Text ſpeaks onelyonly of the manner how Chriſt ſhall come, and not of the place to which he ſhall come. Indeed 'tis not probable that either the valley of Jehoſhaphat, or the Mount of Olivet can be ſufficient places to contain all the men that ever were, are, and ſhall be; and therefore if ſuch a thing can be determined, I ſhould rather appeal to that Text,1 Theſ. 4.17. Then we which are alive and remain, ſhall be caught up together with them (that are raiſed) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. When Chriſt was askt this very queſtion, where Lord? whither ſhall the Saints be gathered? where ſhall the general Judgment be? he anſwers, whereſoever the body is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together. By the body, Chriſt meant himſelf, and by the Eagles Chriſt meant his Elect, becauſe their youth is renewed as the Eagles; now the elect muſt reſort to Chriſt whereſoever he is; and the Apoſtle is expreſs, that Chriſt is in the air, and in the clouds: and therefore thither muſt the elect be gathered;Luke 17.37. they ſhall be caught up by the holy Angels into the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.
Ʋſe.O my brethren, what ſights are theſe! what changes, wonders, ſtrange face of things will be this day? how is it that we are not as frequent in the meditation of this Summons as Jerom was, who as he thought, heard dayly that ſound, Ariſe ye dead and come to Judgment? methinks a ſad and ſerious conſideration of theſe paſſages might keep us cloſe to Chriſt; come try a little, if in the hurryings of the day we are ſo diſtracted, that we cannot reach the ſpiritual part of a meditation, yet in the evening or morning when all is ſtill, or in the night-ſeaſon when all is quiet, then labour to prevent the day of doom; ſo realize it, as if then we ſaw Chriſt in the clouds, ſending his Angels on this errand, Away, and bring hither all the men, and women in the world; and in the firſt place, gather my Saints together unto me, Adam and Abraham, thoſe Fathers of the world and of the faithful, let them ſee all their children, and let all their children ſee them, and bring them all to my Throne; awaken the world, let them who have ſlept in their graves, ſome thouſand of years be now rouzed, and raiſed. Imagine then, as if we heard the Trumpet of God founded by the Angels of God, and as the ſound of it waxed louder and louder, that we ſaw the Mountains skip like Rams, and the little Hills like young Sheep. That we ſaw all the graves in Churches, or Church-yards, in Fields, or Plains, or Seas fly open, that we ſaw all the bodies of the dead beginning to ſtir, and to ſtand upon their feet, and preſently the Angels coming, and taking all the Saints upon their wings, and ſo flying with them through the air till they came to the Throne, and judgment-ſeat of Chriſt: is it poſſible that ſuch a meditation ſhould paſs without ſome tincture of it on our ſpirits? if my ears ſhall hear that ſound, and if my eyes ſhall ſee theſe ſights, is it not time for me to lay theſe things to heart, that I may be found faithful and well-doing? as ſure as I have this Book in my hand I muſt be one of thoſe that ſhall hear the ſound of the Trumpet, and away I muſt from the mouth of my grave, where ever I ſhall be buried, to the cloud where Chriſt doth ſit; come then, how would I riſe? as foul as a toad? or as an Angel of God? O my God! ſet this home on my ſoul! O where's my Lamp? and where's my oyl? are all ready? and am I ready, furniſhed, and prepared to meet the Lord in the Air? Chriſtians! if we have any life in us, let us act and realize this to the life; O this would keep us cloſe to Chriſt, and to the Banner of Chriſt; who would not march under this Banner, and adhere to him, that but reads over theſe ſummons of ſouls at the laſt dreadful day.