Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 14
SERMON XIV.
2 Cor. 5.10.
For we must all appear, before the Iudgment seat of Christ.
THirdly I come to speak of the Judge; who shall be the Judge: And there I shall prove that the Judge of the World is the Lord Jesus Christ. For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ. For the evidencing of this, I shall enquire,
1. Why this honour is devolved, and put upon the Second Person.
2. Shew, in what Nature he shall judg the World, whether as God, or man, or both.
First, how Christ comes to be the World's Judge, and with what conveniency and agreeableness to Reason, this honour is put upon him. To a Judge there belongs these four things; Wisdom, Justice, Power, and Authority.
1. Wisdom, and understanding, by which he is able to Judge of all persons and causes, that come before him, according to the Rules and Laws, by which the Judgment is to proceed. No man can give sentence in a cause, where he hath not skill as to matter of Right, or sufficient evidence or knowledge as to matter of Fact. And therefore in ordinary Judicatures, a prudent and discerning person is chosen for Judge, one that knows what's Right, and what's Law, and that goes upon the evidence, that is brought upon the matter of Fact.
2. Justice is required, or a constant and unbyast will, to determine and pass sentence ex aequo, & bono, according as right, and truth shall require. He that gives wrong judgment, because he does not accurately understand the matter, is imprudent, which in hi… station is a great fault; but he that understands the matter, yet being byass'd by perverse affections, and aims, gives wrong Judgment in a cause brought before him, he is not only imprudent, but unjust, and that's the highest wickedness, the most impious and flagitious.
3. Power is necessary, that he may compel the Parties judged, to stand to his judgment, and the offenders may receive their due punishment, for otherwise all is but precarious and arbitrary, and the Judgment given, will be but a vain and solemn pageantry, a meer personating, or acting of a part, if there be not power to back the sentence, and bring the Persons to the Tribunal, that accordingly it may be executed upon them.
4. There's required Authority, for otherwise, if a man should obtrude himself, of his own accord, we may say to him as they to Lot, Who made thee a Judge over us? If by force he should assume this to himself, or have a pretence of right, I may decline, and shift his Tribunal, and appeal from him. Certainly he that Rewards must be Superior, and much more he that punisheth; for he that punisheth another brings some notable evil, detriment▪ and damage upon him, but to do that to another, unless we have right to it, is a high degree of Injustice.
Now Wisdom, and Justice, and Power, and Authority, do all concur in the Case: For these things, as they are necessary in all Judicial proceedings, between man and man, much more in this great and solemn transaction of the last Judgment, which will be the greatest that ever was; both in respect of the Persons Judged, High and Low, Rich and Poor, Prince and Subject; in respect of the Causes to be Judged, the whole business of the World, for 6000 years, or thereabouts; and in respect of the Retributions that shall ensue: This Judgment, the punishments and rewards in the highest degree, the highest punishment that ever was inflicted, and the highest reward that ever was distributed, and that infinite and everlasting. Therefore there must be a Judge, that hath an exact knowledge, knowing not only the Laws, but all Persons, and Causes: That all things should be naked, and open, to him with whom we have to do, Heb 4.13. Such a Judge, who knows the thoughts of our hearts, 1 John 3.20. And can proceed upon sufficient evidence against every one that comes before him. Again, he must be exceeding just, without the least spot and blemish of wrong dealing, for otherwise he cannot sustain his office, if he be not immutably just. See how the Judge of the World is described Gen. 18.25. Shall not the Judge of all the World do right? So when something was spoken which seemed to blemish the Justice of God, the Apostle faith, Rom. 3.5, 6. Is God unrighteous? How then shall he Judge the world? That were impossible▪ Judgment may be put into a persons hands that possibly may be unrighteous: But it cannot be that the universal and final Judgment of all the world should be committed to him that hath, or can do, any thing that is unlawful amiss. Again power is necessary: To summon the offenders, to gather up the dead from all the places of their dispersion, to give every dust its own body and make them appear and stand to the Judgment which he will award, without hope of escaping, or resisting That Power is very necessary▪ will easily appear, because the offenders are so many, and are scattered to and fro, some in the Sea, some in the Earth, some buryed in the bodies of wild Beasts, multitudes in the maws of Fishes. It must be a mighty power that can give every one his own body again. If it were possible they would fain decline the Tribunal, and hide themselves from the throne of the Lamb, Rev. 6.16. But it cannot be. And Authority is necessary also; which is a right to govern, and to dispose of the persons Judged, which being all the World, it belongs only to the universal King, it must be such a person that made all things, that preserves all things, that governs and disposes of all things for his own glory. Legislation and execution both belong to the same power. Judgment is part of Government. Laws are but shadows, if no Execution follow. And therefore let us come particularly, and see how all this belongs to Christ; that he is the only wise God, and he is the just God, that cannot err; That he is the mighty God, whose hand none can escape; And he is the universal King that hath an Absolute and Supream Authority; therefore must be the judge of the World.
1. For wisdom and understanding, it is in Christ twofold; Divine, and Humane, (for each nature hath its proper wisdom belonging to it.) As Christ is God his wisdom and his understanding is Infinite, as it is said in the Psalms, and so by one act of understanding he knows all things that are, have been, yea, that shall be, or may be: He knows all things that shall be in his own Decree; And all things that may be by his Divine Power and Alsufficiency; They are all before him naked, as the Apostle inters, Heb. 4.13. Cut down as it were by the chin-bone: As when we cut down a Beast by the chin-bone, and divine his Body, we may see all things within him; so all things are naked and open to God. We know things successively, God knows them all at once. If a man were to read a Book, he must go from line to line, or from page to page, but Gods knowledg is just such a thing as if a man should see through a Book, by one act of his mind, by one view could know all that was contained in that book, by one glance of his Eye. Well, this is his divine wisdom: For his Humane wisdom, that cannot be equal to this, for a Finite Nature is not capable of an Infinite Understanding. But yet his humane wisdom is such as doth far exceed the knowledge of all Men and Angels. When Christ was upon Earth, though the forms of things could not but successively come into his mind; as a man, he must understand as men do in understanding, because of the limited nature of the mind and understanding; yet then he could know whatever he would, to whatsoever thing he did apply his mind, he did presently understand it, and that in a moment all things were presented to him; So that he accurately knew the nature of things, he had a mind to know; you find upon all occasions he was not ignorant of the thoughts and hearts of men▪ and when done never so secretly, yet Christ knew them, as when the woman came behind him, and touched the hem of his Garment undiscernibly (as she thought) by a secret touch, then saith Christ, who touched me? for vertue is passed from me, Luke 8.45. Christ knew the touch of Faith, knew the woman that came behind him, and would not be seen. And Mat. 9.3, 4. When certain Pharisees said within themselves, this man Blasphemes: Within their hearts, though they durs… not say it publiquely; and Christ discovers their inward thoughts, and turns out the very inside of their Souls. So Mat. 12. Jesus knew their thoughts, when they imagined that by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils, he cast out Devils. But more fully see that notable place which will set forth, that no subtil devices we can use is sufficient to escape his knowledge, John 2.24, 25. When he was at Jerusalem at the Passover, on the Feast day, many believed in his Name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: For he knew what was in man. Mark, they are said to believe in Christ; certainly their Faith was not pretended only, but real, though not a thorough faith, not rooted in their souls, though as yet they did not betray their insincerity. But Jesus knew what was in man. We cannot infallibly discern the truth and falshood of a profession, before men discover themselves; But all hypocrites are known to him long before they shew their hypocrisy; And known, how? Not by a Conjectural, but by a certain knowledge, as being that knowledge that is from and by himself; as God he do's infallibly know what is most secret in man, even then when for the present we have but a Moral Sincerity, and do not dissemble, the Lord knows whether this is a true, real, and supernatural work (for there may be a Moral, where there is not a Supernatural Sincerity. Now, if the Lord Jesus was endowed with such an admirable wisdom and understanding, even in the days of his flesh, when he was capable of growing in wisdom as well as in stature, Luk. 2. as his humane capacity was inlarged by degrees, for he would in all things be like us except in sin; what shall we think of Christ glorifyed, when he comes in that stare in which he is now glorious in heaven? When he comes to exercise this judgment, certainly he shall bring an incomparable knowledge, so far exceeding the manner and measure of all Creatures, Men or Angels, even as he is man: But his infinite knowledge as he is God, that chiefly shines forth in this work, and therefore he is fit to judge, for he can bring forth the secret things of darkness, and the hidden counsels of the heart, 1 Cor. 4.5. And shall despoil sinners of all their pretences and excuses, and plainly and undeniably pluck off their disguises from them. He knows all the Springs, Motions, hidden Counsels of the heart, and secret things that move you, and set you a work.
2. For Justice and Righteousness. An Incorrupt Judge he is, that neither hath, doth, or can err in the Judgment. As there is a double knowledge in Christ, so there is also a double righteousness; the one that belongs to him as God, the other as man; And both are exact and immutably perfect. His Divine nature is holiness it self, In Him there is light, and no darkness at all, 1 John 1.5. The least shadow of Injustice cannot be imagined in God, for Gods holiness is his Being▪ it is not a superadded Quality, as it is in us; The Quality may be lost, yet the Being remain, as in Angels, holiness was a superadded Quality, they had their Angelical being, but lost their holiness; and when Adam fell he lost that holiness and righteousness in which he was Created, but yet he had his being. But Gods holiness is his very Nature and Essence. The holiness of God may be compared to a vessel that is all of pure Gold, but the holiness of the Creature may be compared to a vessel of Wood and Earth, that is only gilded; the outside is God, but the substance of the vessel is another thing. Now in a vessel of pure Gold, there the lustre and the substance is the same. Our holiness is but gilding, it may be worn out, but Gods holiness is Gold, he is holiness it self. We cannot call a wise man wisdom. We use the Concrete when we speak of men, we say they are wise, good, holy; but we use the Abstract of God, God is Love, Light, Holiness, Purity, and Mercy it self, which notes the inseparability of the Attribute from his Nature. God is himself, and God cannot deny himself. Peter Martyr sets forth the holiness of God by this Comparison, Take a Carpenter, when he hath chalked and drawn his line, when he goes and chops the Timber, sometimes he chops, right, and sometimes amiss; why? Because he hath an outward rule without him, a line according to which he cuts the Timber; but if you could suppose a Carpenter that could never chop amiss, but his hand should be his Line and rule, if he had such an equal poyse and touch of his hand, that his very stroke is a Rule to itself▪ he cannot err. By this plain and homely comparison he did set forth the holiness of God and the Creature. The holiness of the Creature is a rule without us, therefore sometimes we chop and miss; but Gods holiness is his Rule, it is his Nature, he can do nothing amiss.
Now let us consider his Humane Nature; it was so sanctifyed since it dwelt with God in a personal Union, that it was impossible that he could sin in the days of his flesh, much more now glorifyed in Heaven. And there will be use of both in the last Judgment, but chiefly the righteousness that belongs to the divine nature. For all the operations of Christ, his mediatorial actions, they are all done by God-man, neither nature ceaseth in him. Look as in the works of man, all the External actions he doth, they are done by the Body and Soul, the Body works, the soul works, according to their several Natures, yet both conspire and concur in that way that is proper to either; only in some actions there is more of the Soul discovered, as in a brutish action, or action that requires strength, more of the Body is discovered, yet the Body and the Soul concurs: So the two Natures all concur in Christs actions, only in some works his Humane, in others his Divine Nature more appears. Look as in the works of his Humiliation his Humane Nature did more appear, but still his Divine Nature manifested itself, also he offered up himself as God-man; But in the works that belong to his Exaltation and glorifyed Estate, his divine nature appeared most. So in this solemn Transaction, wherein Christ is to discover himself to the World in the greatest Majesty and glory, he acts as God-man, only the Divine nature more appears and discovers it self, because it belongs to his Exaltation.
3. For Power. A Divine power is also plainly necessary, that none may withdraw themselves from this Judgment, or resist and hinder the Execution of his sentence, for otherwise it would be past in vain, Tit. 2.13. Christ then comes to shew himself as the great and powerful God. His power is seen in raising the dead, in bringing them into one place, in opening their Consciences that they may have a review and sense of all their actions, and afterward in binding the wicked hands and feet, and casting them into hell, Mat. 24.13. The Son of man shall come from heaven with Power and great glory.
4. His Authority. I shall the longer insist upon this, because the main hinge of all lyeth here, and this will bring the matter home to the 2d Person, to prove that Jesus Christ, and no other but Christ, he is to be the worlds Judge, and it is his Tribunal before whom we must all appear. By the Law of Nature, the wronged Party, and the Supream Power hath a right to require satisfaction for any wrong that is done. Let us consider Christs Authority a little and weigh it in the ballance of Reason; I say, by the Law of Nature, where there is no power publickly constituted, where people live without Law and Government, possibly there the wronged party hath power to require it, he is the avenger; But where things are better ordered, where there is Law and Government left the wrong'd party should indulge his revenge and passion for his own interest, therefore the Supream Power takes vengeance to itself, and doth right, and will challenge the parties that offend, judge the matter that is in hand, will make amends to those that are wronged, either in body, goods or good name.
Well, both these things concur, God is the wronged Party, and the Supream Judge, and therefore the judgment is devolved upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. He is the wronged Party, that is offended with the sins of men; for it is his Law that is broken, his Authority that is despised, his Glory that is trampled under foot. It is true, we cannot lessen Gods happiness by any thing that we can do; all that we do, it is but as a man that strikes at the Light that shines upon a Tree, he may cause his Axe to fasten in the Tree, but he hurts not the Light. God is not really hurt, there is no loss or happiness by any thing the Creature can do, our good and evil extends not to him, his essential Glory is still the same, whether we obey or disobey, please or displease, honour or dishonour him, that is eternally immutable; he is neither lessened nor increased by any thing we can do, he is out of the reach of all darts we cast at him; we may fling up darts to Heaven, hurt us they may, not him. But how is sin a wrong to God? It is a wrong to his declarative Glory, as he is the Soveraign Lord and Law-giver, as a breach to his Law and contempt of his Authority. Look as David when he sinned in the matter of Bathsheba, he wronged Vriah, but yet he says, Psa. 51.4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned. The sin was properly against God. God is the Author of the Light of Nature, and the order of things, which begets a sense of good and evil in our hearts, and therefore who ever sins against the Light of Nature is responsible to God. Conscience within him, tells him he hath done something against God. If a man be poor, or sick, his Conscience is not troubled for that, but if he hath done something disorderly, Conscience being Gods deputy, his mind may be troubled about it; if he hath committed Adultery, or done any thing that is contrary to the Light of Nature, his heart will be upon him, and summons him to appear before God, to answer for the wrong done to God. I speak this because of the Gentiles. But now for Christians, God certainly gave the Law by Moses, and gave the Law by Christ in the Gospel, and therefore every sin of ours is an offence to God, as being a breach of that order he hath established, and the way of Government under which he hath put us, 1 John 3, 4. Sin is a transgression of the Law. Laws cannot be despised, but the Majesty of the Law-giver is also violated, and therefore as God is the wronged Party, God comes in to be our Judg, to require satisfaction for the wrong we have done. There is something indeed in this but God does not barely as an offended Party, or as a Private Man▪ would revenge himself, where there is no publick Power constituted to do him right: No; He properly judgeth us as the Supream and Soveraign Lord and Governour of the World, to whom it belongs as the Universal King to secure the ends of Government, for Common good, to see that it be well with them, that do well, and ill with them that do ill, and there is no compassion shewed to any Creature, but where the case is compassionable.
But more plainly to shew how this right accrues to God, how he comes to be the Supream Governour of the World, several ways; either because of the excellency of his Being, or because of the Relation wherein we stand to him, for all the benefits he bestows upon us, we have all from him.
1. For the excellency of his Being. This is according to the Light of Nature, that those that excel others, should be Chief and Supream, as it is clear in man above bruit-beasts. Man was made to have dominion over them, having a more excellent Nature then they, as in the first of Gen. When God said, Let us make man, presently God puts the Government upon him, and gives him dominion over the Beasts of the field; the Fowls in the Air, and Fish in the Sea. So God being Infinite, and far above all chief Beings, hath power over all his Creatures, Angels and Men, who are as nothing to him, therefore to be governed by him.
2. The Title comes by vertue of the benefits that he hath bestowed upon us, we have Life, Being, and all things from God, therefore certainly, the Power and Authority is in him. Look as Parents have Power and Authority over their Children who are a means under God to give them Life, and education, and the most Barbarous people would acknowledge this; how much more then hath God, who gives us Life, Breath, Being, and Well-being, and all things? He hath created us out of nothing, and being once created, he preserves us, and gives us all the good things we enjoy, and therefore we are obliged to be subject to him, and obey his Holy Laws, and to be accountable to him for the breach of them; and therefore let us state it thus, if that the excellency of his Nature, gives him a sufficiency for the Government of mankind, his Creation, Preservation, and other benefits, they give him a full right to dispose of man, to make what Laws he pleaseth, to call man to account whether he keep them yea or no. Surely the right of God is greater then that which Parents can have over their Children; for in natural Generation, Parents are but only the Instruments of his Providence, acting only the Power God gives them, they propagate nothing to their Children, but the matter of their Being, and those things that belong to the Body, Heb. 12.9. Nay God hath a greater hand in forming the Child then the Parents, still they act as guided by God, and as influenced by his Providence, for they cannot tell whether the Child will be Male or Female, beautiful or deformed, they know not the number and posture of the Bones, Nerves, Veins, Sinews; But God orders all these things by his own Wisdom, and wonderfully frames us in the secret parts of the Belly; therefore the Soveraignty certainly belongs to God, for it is he that forms the Spirit of man within him, Zech. 12.1. The Soul it is of Gods immediate formation, and all the care and providence of our Parents, comes to nothing, unless God direct it, and second it with his blessing: God is the Judge of all Creatures, visible and invisible, and from his Empire and Jurisdiction, they neither can nor ought to exempt themselves. So that to be God and Judge of the World is one and the same thing, only exprest by divers terms.
To gather up this argument; This is a certain Rule, the owner of any thing is necessarily a Governour to it, if it be governable, if it be a Creature; that is, capable of Government, and hath an aptitude to be governed, for certainly, an absolute Propriety in a Governable Creature gives a plenary Title: Now God made us out of nothing, and he made us capable of Government, being rational and free agents, and therefore he must needs be our Lord and Governour. All Souls are mine, saith he, Ezek. 18 4. And it is devolved upon Christ our Redeemer by a new right, for he dyed, rose again, and revived, to this end; He hath purchased this authority, to be Lord of quick and dead.
And it is as certain a Rule, that our Governour must be our Judge, for Government consists of three parts; Legislation, Judgment and Execution; Giving Laws, and Judging, and executing God doth all these things by an Authoritative Constitution, he makes Laws for man to oblige him to obedience. And in Gods Laws there's a Precept and a Sanction (that is) there are rewards and penalties; the Precept shews what we must do, the Sanction shews what God will do; the Precept shews what is due from the Creature, the Sanction shews what is due to the Creature (that is) if he break this Law, he shall be punished, if he keep this Law he shall be rewarded. Thus you see, God being our Governour, may make Laws for man that is capable of Laws; now this Sanction would be but a shadow and vain scare-crow, if there were no Judgment, for would God say; do and thou shalt live, believe and thou shalt be saved, and never look after this whether we do or believe? Therefore as there is Legislation, so there must be Judging.
But then this Judgment must necessarily infer a 3d thing, that is, the Execution, otherwise Judgment would be but a solemn Pageantry. But why is Christ Judge of the World rather then the Father, and Spirit, who also made us, and gave a Law to us, and invested it with such a Sanction, who are offended and grieved with our sins? I Answer,
1. Consider, we have gone a great step to prove, that it is the peculiar right of God, common to the Three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and this in effect proves that Christ may execute it, for they are one, John 1.5.2. They have one Common Nature, and as to the Operations that are without, the Divine Essence is common to them all; So that as the Creation of all things is equally attributed to all, so also this act of Judging the World. So that it belongs to all, for they are all equal in Being, Power, and Glory. But as yet the thing is not explained enough, unless we grant it shall be exercised by all, or else prove out of Scripture that one person is ordained by mutual consent, chosen out by the rest to exercise it for himself, and for the other. But this I have prov'd already, God is the Judge. And at first when the Doctrine of the Trinity was but sparingly revealed to the Church, and not openly, it was not neeedful to enquire more nicely after it, but this general truth was sufficient. And Enoch when he prophesyed doth not tell us of Christ the Judge, but tells us, Jude v. 14. Behold Lord cometh with Ten Thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all, &c. And David speaks to God, Psal. 94 2. Lift up thy self Thou Judge of the Earth, and Psalm. 50.6. God is Judge himself. It was enough to understand it so without any distinction of the Persons. But when once this mystery was most certainly manifested by God manifest in our flesh, now we must Enquire a little further.
2. I Answer, there is an Order in the Persons of the Blessed Trinity; as in the manner of subsisting, so also there's a certain Order and Oeconomy according to which all their operations are produced and brought forth to the Creature, according to which Order, the power of Judging doth belong partly to the Father, and partly to the Son.
1. In the business of Redemption, there the act of judging was exercised upon our surety, he was substituted into our room, and place, and offered himself not only for our good, but in our room, and stead, to bear our punishment, and to Procure the favour of God to us, there the act of judging belonged to the Father, to whom the satisfaction was tendred, and before whom our Advocate and Surety must plead and present himself, therefore it is said in 1 John 2.1. We have an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. Thus our advocate pleads before the Father as before the Judge.
2. As to the Judgment to be exercised upon us, whoever partakes of that Salvation which was purchased by the Surety, or have lost it by their negligence, impenitency, and unbelief, there the Second Person is to be judge. In the former the Son could not be our judge▪ for then he would be our Judge and Party too, and then the plea of those Hereticks would have more Countenance of Reason. In the business of Redemption the Son could not Judge, because he made himself a Party for our good, and stood in our room and place, and the same Party cannot give and take the Satisfacion, that cannot be; therefore this order is constituted, in this glorious mystery of the God-head, that the satisfaction is tendred to the Father, he pleads and represents himself to the Father in our behalf. And the Holy-Ghost cannot be the Judge, for in this mystery he hath another part and function, and office, he being the Third Person in Order of subsisting.
3. In the Son there's a double Relation or Consideration; One as he is God, and the other as he is Mediatour, the one Natural and Eternal, which shall endure for ever; the other which he took upon himself in time, and which in the Consummation of time he shall at length lay aside. In the former respect as God, so Christ is Judge with the Father and Spirit, as by Original Authority, but in this later respect, as Christ is Mediatour he is Judge by Deputation. The primitive Soveraignty belongs to God as Supream King, and the Judge by derivation and deputation is the Lord Jesus Christ, as Mediatour in his man-hood united to the Second Person of the God-head; So the Judgment of the World is put upon him. In regard of the creature; as to us, his Authority is Absolute and Supream; But in regard of God it is deputed, so he is ordained and appointed to be Judg. The Scripture delights much in this Notion, John 5.27. He hath power of life and death, to condemn and absolve; the Father hath given him Authority as he is the Son of man, Acts 10.42. The Apostles when they were to preach, thought it not enough for them to say, God is Judge; no, but he is ordained of God to be Judge of quick and dead. So Acts 17.31. He hath appointed a day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. In all which Christs acts as the Fathers vicegerent. And after he hath thus judged the World, as the Fathers Deputy, then he shall give up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, 1 Cor. 15.25. So that the right Christ hath as Mediatour, it is not meerly by Creation; nor his Essential Kingdom common to the Father; But a derivative, subordinate right as Mediatour, by vertue of his purchase, as he dyed, rose again, and revived.
4. This power which belongs to Christ as Mediatour, it is given to him upon these accounts. 1. Partly as a recompence of his humiliation; But chiefly, because it belongs to the fulness of his Mediatory Office; 'tis the last act. The Kingdom of the Mediator is subordinate to the Kingdom of God; now he being appointed by the Father, the last act of his Kingly Office was to Judge the World. This Mediatour was not only to pay a price to Divine Justice; Not only to separate the redeemed from the World, by converting them to God; But he is also to Judge Devils, and those Enemies of his that would not submit to his Mediatory Kingdom; to Judge those Enemies out of whose hands he is to free the Church. While the World lasts he is to fight against our Enemies, but then to judge them, and cast them into Eternal torments, and so to deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, 1. Cor. 15.24. His Office is not full till he hath executed and judged all his Enemies.
2dly. In what nature doth he act and exercise the Judgment, either as God, or man, or both? I answer, in both. Christ is the Person, not the Father nor the Spirit, and Christ▪ acts it as God-man; the Judgment is acted visibly by him in the Humane Nature, seated upon a visible Throne, that he may be seen of all, and heard of all; therefore Christ is so often with respect to the Judgment, called the Son of man, Mat. 16.27. Acts 17.31. Mat. 26.64. Joh. 5.27. The Judgment must be visible, therefore the Judge must be so, and that the World may see him, with these eyes that we may see our Redeemer come in the last day, and see him to our comfort, he that is withdrawn into the Curtain of the Heavens, he that is gone about his Ministration before God, must come out and bless the People; And therefore that he may be seen and heard of all; though the divine Power be mightily seen, yet he is to act it in the Humane Nature.
USE of all.
1. This speaks terrour to the wicked.
2dly. Comfort to the Godly. 1. Terrour to the wicked. Here let us see,
1. Who are those wicked ones, to whom this terrour belongeth.
2dly. What is it, that maketh it so terrible to them. And will breed horrour and trembling in their hearts, if they repent not.
First, All those, that have opposed his Kingdom in the World, Luk. 19.27. Those mine Enemies, that would not that I should Reign over them, bring them forth, and slay them before me. These oppose the great design of the Gospel, which is to set up the Lord Jesus as King.
2dly. All that set light by his Person, in the day of his grace: And though they do not oppose his Government, yet refuse it, Psal. 81.11. My people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me.
3dly. All that despise his benefits, and neglect to seek after them, Heb. 2.3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation ▪ Christs benefits are Gods Favour, and Image: To have low thoughts of these is to have low thoughts of the Blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.18. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, from your vain Conversation [received] by Tradition from your Fathers; but with the Precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot. And Heb. 10.29. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath troden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace?
4thly. All that abuse his grace, and turn it to wantonness, Jude v. 4th. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this Condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into Lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Those that grow less humble, less holy, less careful, upon the account of grace.
5thly. All that break his Commandments, John 15.10. If ye keep my Commandments, ye shall abide in my love. Others are reckoned for Enemies, Col. 1.21. Enemies in your mind by wicked works. And Psa. 68.21. God shall wound the Head of his Enemies, [and] the Hairy Scalp of such a one, as goeth on still in his Trespasses.
6thly. Those that question the truth of his promises, 2 Pet. 3.3, 4. verses. Knowing this, First, that there shall come in the last days Scoffers, walking after their own lusts; And saying where is the promise of his coming? And they shall know the truth of them to their bitter cost; That Christ will come, and come as Judge.
7thly. Those that have perverted his Ordinances, Matth. 24.48, 49, 50, 51. verses. But and if that evil Servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smile his fellow Servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken: The Lord of that Servant shall come in a day, when he looketh not for him, and in an hour, that he is not aware of: And shall cut him asu…der, and appoint him his portion, with the Hypocrites: There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. He that maligneth, envyeth, traduceth, and injureth to his power, his most painful, faithful Followers and Servants: That strengthneth the hands of the wicked, and incourageth them against the most serious, whom he seeketh to oppress; shall be most severely punished.
Secondly. What is it, that is so terrible?
1. He is such a Judge, as the Power of the most powerful cannot daunt: But they shall be all daunted by him, Rev. 6.15, 16. The Kings of the Earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, and every Bond man, and every Freeman, bid themselves in the Dens, and in the Rocks of the Mountains, and said to the Mountains and Rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand.
2ndly. Such a Judge, as the wealth of the wealthiest cannot bribe. What compensation can they bring Christ, for the breach of his Laws? Matth. 16.26. What shall a man give in exchange for his Soul.
3. He is such a Judge, as the wit and subtility of the wisest and most subtle cannot delude, 1 Cor. 4.5. Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the Counsels of the heart, &c. And Jude verse 15. To execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodlily committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, And Psa. 50.21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence, thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self: But I will reprove thee, and set them in Order before thine Eyes.
4thly. Such a Judge, that there is no appealing from his sentence, or hope, of repealing of it: His doom shall stand for ever. In the World, there is liberty of appeal from one Court to another, where there may be a violent perverting of Judgment. As Eccl. 5.8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of Judgment and Justice in a Province, marvel not at the matter. For he, that is higher then the highest, regardeth, and there be higher then they. But this sentence is definitive.
5thly. He is a Judge whose wrath is very terrible, Psal. 2.12. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little: Blessed are all they, that put their trust in him.
Well then, the wicked that oppose his Kingdom, and all that stand by as unconcerned, and do not enter into his Covenant; They shall be judged by him, in whom they have not believed: By him, whom they have flighted; by him, whose grace and mercy they have despised: By him of whom they have said in their hearts, we will not have this man to reign over us.
2dly. Here is comfort to the Godly. Here I shall shew,
1. Who may take comfort. Or to whom this comfort belongeth.
2dly. What comfort there is.
First. Who; Believers: That believe his doctrine, John 11.25. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall be live. That receive his Person, Joh. 1.12. As many as received him, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God: Even to them that believe on his name. That enter into Covenant with him, and so become members of his Mystical Body: Who feeling their misery under sin, and Satan and the wrath of God, and do believe that Christ hath done and suffered for Man's Restauration and Salvation: Thankfully accept him as their only Saviour and Lord, on the terms offered in the Gospel, and to those ends; even to justify, sanctify, and bring them to everlasting Glory: These are owned and accepted by him.
2dly. As by their Faith, so by their Love, Eph. 6.24. Grace be with all them, that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha. They love him above their lives: He is the desire and delight of their Souls, Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee. They have longed for this day, 2 Tim. 4.8. They love his appearing. The thoughts of it, was their solace in their afflictions.
3dly. Those, that war against his Enemies: The Devil, the World, and the Flesh, Rev. 3.21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his Throne.
4thly. Those that obey his Laws, and imitate his example, 1 Joh. 2.28. And now, little Children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. And 1 Joh. 4.17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment, because as he is, so are we in this World.
Secondly. What is the comfort that they have?
1. The Judge is their Friend, their Kinsman, their Brother, their High Priest, to make atonement for them: The Propitiation for their sins, their Advocate and Intercessour, one that dyed for them.
2dly. He cometh to lead them to their everlasting Mansions: Christ is a pattern of what shall be done to them. He rose from the dead, and is become the First Fruits of them that Slept. He now sitteth at the Right Hand of God, making intercession for them. And he will come again, and receive them to himself. That they may be where he is, and behold his Glory.