A Sermon of Judgment, Sermon · Part 11
XI. THE next point that we come to, is to ſhew you the Properties of this Sentence at Judgement.
When man had broken the Law of his Creator at the firſt, he was lyable to the Sentence of Death, and God preſently ſate in Judgement on him, and ſentenced him to ſome part of the Puniſhment which he had deſerved: But upon the Interpoſition of the Son, he forbore the reſt, reſolving on a way that might tend to his Recovery: And Death is due yet to every ſinner for every ſin which he commits, till a pardon do acquit him. But this Sentence which will paſs on ſinners at the laſt Judgement, doth much differ from that which was paſſed on the firſt ſin, or which is Due according to the Law of wor…s alone: for,
1. As to the Penalty, called the Pain of Loſs, the firſt Judgement did deprive man of the favour of his …reator; but the ſecond will deprive him of the favour both of the Creator and Redeemer: …he firſt Judgement deprived him of the benefits of Innocency: The ſecond deprived him of the Benefits of Redemption; The loſs of his hopes and poſſibility of a pardon, of the Spirit, of Juſtification and Adoption, and of the benefits which Conditionally were promiſed and offered him; theſe are the Puniſhments of the laſt Judgement, which the Law of work… did never threaten to the firſt man, or to any, as it ſtood alone.
Alſo the loſs of Glory as Recovered, is the proper penalty of the viol…ted Law of Grace: which is more than the firſt loſs. As if a man ſhould loſe his Purſe the ſecond time, when another hath once found it for him: Or rather as if a Traytor Redeemed by another, and having his life and honours offered him, if he will Thankfully Accept it and come in, ſhould by his Refuſal and Obſtinacy, loſe this Recovered Life, which is offered him: which is an addition to his former penalty.
Beſides that the Higher degree of Glory will be loſt, which Chriſt would beſtow on him, more then was loſt at firſt. The very work of the Saints in heaven▪ will be to Praiſe and Glorifie him that Redeemed them: and the Father in him: which would not have been the work of man if he had been innocent.
2. As to the Pain of ſenſe, the laſt Judgement by the Redeemer▪ will Sentence them to a far ſorer Puniſhment then would have befaln them, if no Saviour had been offered them, Heb. 10.29. The conſcience of Adam if he had not been Redeemed, would never have Tormented him for Rejecting a Redeemer, nor for refuſing or abuſing his gracious offers, and his mercies; nor for the forfeiting of a Recovered Happineſs; nor for refuſing the eaſie terms of the Goſpel, which would have Given him Chriſt and ſalvation for the Accepting; nor for neglecting any means that tended to Recovery: No nor for refuſing Repentance unto Life, nor for diſobeying a Redeemer that bought him by his blood. As all theſe are the penalties of the Redeemers Law and Judgement, ſo is it a ſorer penalty then Conſcience would have inflicted meerly for not being perfectly Innocent; and they will be far ſorer gripings and gnawings of the never-dying worm for the abuſe of theſe Talents, than if we had been never truſted with any after our firſt forfeiture. Yea and God himſelf will accordingly proportion his Puniſhments. So that you ſee that Privatively and Poſitively, or as to their Loſs and their Feeling, the Redeemer will paſs on them a heavyer doom then the Creator did, or would have done according to the firſt Law to perfect man.
3. Another Property of the Judgement of Chriſt, is, that It will be final, Peremptory, and Excluding all further hopes or poſſibilities of a Remedy. So was not the firſt Judgement of the Creator upon faln man. Though the Law of pure Nature knew no Remedy, nor gave man any hope of a Redeemer; yet did it not exclude a Remedy; nor put in any barr againſt one; but God was free to Recover his Creature if he p…eaſed. But in the Law of Grace he hath Reſolved, that there ſhall be no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a fearful looking for of Judgement and fire which ſhall devoure the Adverſary, Heb. 10.…6, 27. and that the fire ſhall be Everlaſting, the worm ſha…l not dye, and the fire ſhall not be quenched, Mat. 25. laſt, Mat. 13.42, 50. John 5.27. Mat. 5.26. Mat. 3.12. and Luke 3.17. Mark. 9.4…, 44, 45, 46, 48. He that now breaketh that pure Law that requir…th perfect innocency (as we have all done) may fly to the Promiſe of Grace in Chriſt, and Appeal to the Law of Liberty, or deliverance, to be Judged bv that. But he that falls under the penalty of that Law which ſhould have ſaved him, as all final Unbelievers; and Impenitent, Ungodly perſons do, hath no other to Appeal to. Chriſt would have been a Sanctuary and Refuge to thee from the Law of works, hadſt thou but Come in to him: But who ſhall be a Refuge to thee from the wrath of Chriſt? The Goſpel would have freed thee from the Curſe of the Law of works, if thou hadſt but believed and obeyed it: But what ſhall free thee from the Condemnation of the Goſpel? Had there no Accuſation lain againſt thee, but that thou waſt in general a ſinner, that is, that thou waſt not perfectly Innocent, Chriſt would have anſwered that charge by his blood. But ſeeing thou art alſo guilty of thoſe ſpecial ſins which he never ſhed his blood for, who ſhall deliver thee from that Accuſation? When Chriſt gave himſelf a ranſom for ſinners, it was with this Reſolution both in the Father and himſelf, that none ſhould ever be Pardoned, Juſtified or Saved by that Ranſom, that did not in the time of this life, ſincerely return to God by Faith in the Redeemer, and live in ſincere obedience to him and perſevering herein. So that he plainly excepted final Infidelity, Impenitency and Rebellion from pardon: He never dyed for the final non-performance of the Conditions of the New Covenant. So that his Judgement for theſe will be peremptory and remedileſs. If you ſay, Why cannot God find out a remedy for this ſin, as well as he did for the firſt? I ſay, God cannot lye, Tit. 1.2. He muſt be True and Faithful, as neceſſarily as he muſt be God, becauſe of the Abſolute perfection of his nature; and he hath ſaid and reſolved that there ſhall be no more remedy.
Many other Properties of Gods Judgement in general there are, as that Righteouſneſs, Impartiality, Inflexibility, and the like, which becauſe I would not make my Diſcourſe too long, I will paſs over, contenting my ſelf with the mention of theſe which are Proper to the Judgement of the Redeemer, according to his own Laws in ſpecial.