The Substance of Christian Religion, Lecture 19
The nineteenth Lords day.
Mat. 25. from verse 31. to 39.
Vers. 31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angells with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.
32 And before him shall be gathered all Nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 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:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
IN this place the acts or procedure of the last day are expounded. The parts are two; Christ's coming, and the end of his coming, which is the last …udgement. In this last judgement; 1. The preparation thereto is described. 2. The execution of the sentence. In the preparation, Christ's majesty and glory, in which he shall then appear, is c…iefly here set down; 1. From his train and attendance that shall wait upon him; consisting chiefly of the glorious Angells. 2. From his glorious Throne. 3. From the effect of this coming; to wit, to the gathering of all mankind together, and separating of the good from the bad. The sentence to be pronounced, is twofold; 1. Of salvation to the good. 2. Of condemnation to the evill. The sentence of salvation is declared; 1. From its causes. 2. From its adjuncts. The principal cause is God's good will, which is shewn; 1. From the effect of that grace or favour, that is the cause of our salvation, which is the blessing of God. 2. From the relatiou that thence ariseth; which is that of a Father giving an inheritance, and of a Son's receiving the same. 3. From the adjunct of time, that this salvation was not then first appointed for them, but prepared for them from the beginning of the world. The adjunct signs also, whereby this salvation is declared, are good works; which by the Trope or borrowed manner of speaking, called Syne…doche of the special put for the general, by the learned, are designed by the works of mercy; and are amplified by that relation, which these works have to Christ himself, whilest they are exercised towards his members. The sentence of condemnation is quite contrary to the former, handled by the comparison and proportion of like things. The execution of the sentence, is briefly set down in the last verse of this Chapter.
Doct. 1. The universal or general judgement is most certainly to come to pass.
This judgement is called universal, that it may be distinguished from that particular one, which in some sort is exercised on the greatest part of men even in this life, upon every one in particular, when they pass out of this life. For this comprehends all men together, and therefore is called universal. It may be also called universal, or understood so, because in it upon all mens and angels deeds, and matters generally without exception, sentence shal pass. It is also called the last judgement, because after it no new judgement is to be looked for; but the execution of that judgement only shall follow upon it.
Reas. 1. Because before that time the judgement of God towards men is not compleated and fully perfected; because in this life through God's forbearance and long patience, evill men in joy many good things; and good men are oppressed with many evills. From this consideration many of the very Heathens themselves collected, that rewards and punishments were more justly and equally to be distributed, where it should be ill with evill men, and not well at all; and should go well with good men, and not ill at all. Which reason seems also to be confirmed by our Lord himself, Luke 26. 15. and the Apostle Paus, 1 Cor. 15. 19. Now after this life, while the Soul remaines separate from the body, the judgement of God is not compleat, nor fully accomplished, because it is not passed upon the whole man in his full being, as he was in this life, while he committed the things that were to be judged. Therefore another and fuller …udgement than that on the souls departed onelyonly, followeth to be looked for, which is this last judgement, and shall be certainly in its own time.
Reas. 2. It is most convenient & agreeable to Gods glory, that God in & by Christ, in a most glorious manner should make manifest before all, as well Angels as men, as well his mercy as his justice; that he might have the publick and solemne glory of both mercy and justice; and this is the thing, that at that time is topass come in that universal and last judgement.
Reas 3. This belongs also to the glory of God, the joy of the faithfull, and just confusion of the unfaithfull, that before their faces they may see the promises, and threatenings of God almost perfectly and accurately fulfilled, not onelyonly particularly on their own persons now in the body, as before death; but universally upon all others, both men and Angells: Which shall then onelyonly be, when this last and universal judgement shall be held.
Use 1. Of Information, that we take care to have our faith and hope solidly confirmed and strongly rooted about this article; least we be any wayes troubled with prophane blasphemies and mockings of Infidells and Heathens, who first cast downe and trample upon the profession of this article by their life and manners; and then also by words and speeches fight and dispute against it: Concerning whom we are admonished by the Apostle St. Peter, 2 Pet. 3. 3, 4. &c.
Use 2. Of Admonition, that with all fear and trembling we watch over our wayes, as those that certainly mind and look for the day of this judgement, 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 11, 12.
Doct. 2. Our Lord Iesus Christ will be Iudge in this judgement.
Reas 1. Because it belongs to his Kingly office and power, whereby he was made Lord and King; and had all judgement committed to him.
Reas. 2. Because Christ is he, from whom, and by whom the faithfull have salvation adjud…ed unto them, even in this life; and from whom also unbelievers have death adjudged unto them. Now it is the same judgement, that in this life both wayes is begun, and in the last judgement shall be fully manifested and perfected.
Reas. 3. Because at that time it is, that Christ should fully and actually triumph over all enemies and opposite power, and crown all his own servants, souldiers, and adherents. And this is most conveniently and gloriously done in forme of publick and solemne judgement.
Use, Is of Consolation, chiefly to the faithfull, because they shall have him for their Judge, whom they received for their Redeemer, Justifier, Sanctifier, and Intercessor, or Advocate; from whom therefore they may with all confidence expect all good.
Doct. 3. Christ's glory at that time shall be incomparable.
It hence appears from the Text; that if the Angells so glorious shall then be his Ministers of State and attendants; and his Throne with all the rest of that procedure shall be so glorious, it mmst needs be, that Christ himself be excellent in glory above all that we can think of.
Reas. 1. Because the exercise of this judgement belongs to the manifestation of Christ's highest exaltation.
Reas. 2. Because the very end of his coming was to give glory to such as sought God in him. It is fit then that Christ appear in greatest glory.
Reas. 3. The majesty of the supreme Judge of the world, and the terror and confusion of his enemies, that they must be put to, require that he should come clothed in the greatest glory.
Use, Of Consolation, to the faithfull, against the crosses and contempts, they are liable to in this world together with Christ; because as now they are partakers of the cross of Christ, so then they shall be partakers of his glory.
Doct. 4. In this judgement the condition of the godly and ungodly shall be quite unlike and opposite one to another.
This is taught in the Text; by the separation of the sheep from the goats; by the right hand and the left; by …ome ye blessed, and go ye cursed.
Reas. 1. Because there is a great unlikeness and opposition in the lives and wayes of the godly, and ungodly, while they are in this world.
Reas. 2. Because there is a great dissimilitude or opposition between the promises that belong to the godly, and the threatenings that belong to the ungodly.
Reas. 3. Because there is great disparity and opposition between the manifestation of greatest mercy, and of greatest execution of justice.
Use, Of Admonition, that we separate our selves from ungodly men, as much, and in such manner, as we can; that is, if we cannot separate in places, yet in internal affections, as well as external conversation, we should be as unlike unto them as can be in that wherein they are ungodly.
Doct. 5. The cause of any blessing to the godly, is the mercy of God; but the cause of any ca…se to the ungodly, is their own sault.
This is clear in the Text, when the godly are called blessed of the Father, But the ungodly, barely are called ye cursed, not of the Father, nor from the Father, nor from God; because though it is God that curseth them, yet the first cause of this curse is in their sins.
Reas. 1. Because all good is from God, who is the greatest good, and chiefly good in himself. But all evill of punishment ariseth from evill of fault; and this evill of fault is from the creature it self, breaking the Law and Order that God hath set to it.
Reas. 2. Because the blessing of life is the meer free gift of God; but the curse of death is the reward or wages of sin, Rom. 6. 23.
Reas. 3. Preservation from the curse, which is by Gods favour, is necessary for our blessing; but to incur the curse, there is nothing more needfull, but onelyonly to neglect or contemne that way, that leads unto the blessing.
Use, Of Direction, that we may alway give God the glory in every good thing, that we either have, or seek, or look for; and alwayes blame our selves for any evill that befalls us.
Doct. 6. The blessing of the godly consists in the communion that they shall have with God in Christ; and the curse of the ungodly, in the separation of them from such communion:
This is plaine in the words, come ye blessed, and go ye cursed.
Reas. 1. Because this is the end, whereunto all the godly look; desiring nothing more, than still to apprach nearer, and nearer unto God. The ungodly, on the contrary, shunne nothing more than God, and such things wherein God hath appointed to shew and impart his gracious and singular presence.
Reas. 2. Because man's happiness not coming of man himself, is therefore to be sought from without himself, and that from his union or conjunction with the greatest good, and that is the cause and fountain of all good. Therefore of necessity it consists in communion with God; and from deprivation of this communion, greatest misery must needs follow.
Reas. 3. Because the perfectest act of our life, is that which is most closely and intimately carried towards God; as all that we do well consists in this, that therein we live unto God; and the privation of such acting, its want and absence all misery must accompany.
Use, Of Direction, that even in this life we may wholly be taken up with this, to seek communion with God, and shun and take heed of all separation from him.
Doct. 7. The certaine signes and tokens of this blessing, are good workes; and of this curse, are evill workes.
This is largely and clearly laid open in the Text.
Reas. 1. Because good works came from the same grace or favour of God, from which the blessing it self comes upon them; and evill workes joyned with obstinacy and impenitency, comes from that same malice, and malignancy, which God hath cursed and adjudged.
Reas. 2. Because God of his free grace hath promised the blessing unto good workes; and of his unspotted justice hath appointed the curse unto evill workes.
Reas. 3. Because in good works there is a certain disposal and preparation of the way to obtain the blessing; and in evill workes, there is not onelyonly the proportion of a way, but of deserving, or a mertitorious cause even unto the curse.
Use, Of Admonition, that we have great care of our actions through every part of our life, because according to them, men are either condemned or saved. For such as the life is, such is the end.