The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 1
Doct. I. From the Preparation. That there will …e a time when the Lord Je…us ſha… co…e in his Glory, his holy Angels attenaing on him, 2 The…ſ. …7.
For opening of which, let me ſhew 1. Wherein his Glory will then appear. 2. What his holy …ngels are to do at that day. 3. Why he will come in ſuch Glory. 4. The Uſes.
For the firſt. He will come and manifeſt himſelf …. In the Glory of his Power; then he will ſhew what a powerfull One he is, in raiſing up all that are in their graves, and in conventing them before him, Joh. 5.28, 29. 2 Cor. … 10. 2. He will come and manifeſt himſelf in the Glory of his Grace and Mercy towards his Elect ones, in receiving them to himſelf, Joh 14.3. 1 Theſſ. 4.17. 3 He will come and manifeſt himſelf in the Glory of his Juſtice to both Elect and Reprobat…, 2 Theſſ. 1.6, 7, 8, 9. 4. He will come and manifeſt himſelf in the Glory of his Faithfulneſs, in making good to the full all his Promiſes to them; for then there will be a full accompliſhment of them all, Heb. 10.23. 1 Theſſ. 5.24. 5. He will come and manifeſt himſelf i… the Glory of his Kingdome, for then he will ſhew himſelf a glo…i… us King, both in ſubduing his and his peoples Enemies, and in treading upon the necks of them: as alſo in gathering all his Subjects about him, and bringing them to the bent of his bleſſed will, 1 Cor 15.25, 26, 27. Mat. 6.10. 6. He will come and manifeſt himſelf in the Glory of his Humane Nature hypoſtatically united to the Deity, Philip. 3.21. 1 J…h. 3.2. Time was when he was abaſed in our fleſh, Philip 2.6, 7, 8. when he was a diſallowed Chriſt, 1 Let. 2.4 Acts 1.11. Iſa. 53.2, 3. but then he will come in his Glory; and though it were veiled upon earth, yet he will then ſhew forth the Glory that his Fleſh and Humane Nature is inveſted wit…. 7 He will come and manifeſt himſelf in the Glory of his Deity, Rom. 14.10, 11. His Deity was much veiled, and the glo… of it, in the dayes of his fleſh, though oftentimes it did ſhew forth it ſelf in the Wonders that he wrought, as J…h. 2.11. & 11.4, 40. but when he comes, the Glory of his Deity will then be fully manifeſted, Apoc. 1.7. 8. He will come in the Glory of his Retinue: ſo the Text. 2 Theſſ. 1.7. Jude ver. 14, 15. Dan. 7.10. As other Kings have their Noble Courtiers about them, and their glorious Retinue with them: ſo the Lord Jeſus at his coming ſhall have an innumerable company of Angels, which will be a great glory to him. 9. He will come in his Glory by the glory that believing Saints ſhall put upon him, 2 Theſſ. 1.10. when he ſhall ſay, Behold, I, and the children which God hath given me, Hebr. 2.13. As it will be a pleaſant ſight to the Father to behold; ſo it will be a great Glory to Chriſt. 10. He will come in the Glory of his Father, Mark 8. ult. Matth. 16.27. which what that is, ſee Diodates Expoſition.
Q. 2. What are his holy Angels to do at that day?
Anſw. 1. To wait and attend upon him, as Nobles upon their Prince, Dan. 7.10. 2. To gather his Elect together, Mat. 24.31. 3. To gather the Reprobates out of his Kingdome, and to caſt them into a furnace of fire, Mat. 13.41, 42. 4. To take up thoſe of the Saints that remain alive upon earth at the Lords Coming, 1 Theſſ. 4.17. 5. To ſever the wicked ſcorn the juſt, Mat. 13.49. 6. To be the Lords Reapers, Mat. 13.39. in the Harveſt-day, and to gather his Wheat into his Garner, Matth. 3.12. & 13.30.
Q. 3. Why will he come in all this Glory?
Anſw 1. From his deep Abaſement when he was upon earth, Philip. 2.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 2. From the Glory wherewith he glorified his Father upon earth, Job. 17.4, …. 3. From the Fathers committing all Judgement to the Son, Joh. 5.22, 23. 4. From the Oath of God for this; Rom. 14.11. He has ſworn this. 5. From the Comfort of the Saints, 1 Theſſ 4.17, 18. Joh. 14.1, 2, 3. 6. From the Amazement and Terrour of the wicked, which ſhall fee his glory, but yet be abdicated from it, 2 Theſſ. 1.9. This muſt needs be terrour and torment to them.
Ʋſe. 1. for Information. 1. We ſee that the Lord Jeſus, though on earth he was deeply abaſed when time was, yet will one day ſhew himſelf otherwiſe then once he was, and appear in his Glory. We muſt not look for him as a Sufferer, but as a Conquerour; not as one Humbled, but … one Exalted with Glory, Jam. 2.1. 2 Cor. 5.16. 2. We ſee that it matters not for worldly glory, whether we have it or have it not, ſo we have a ſhare in this glorious One, that will one day come in his Glory. 3 We ſee how good it is to be a Servant to him who is ſuch a glorious One, and that we ſhould uſe all means that we may be entertained in his Service. Men labour to get into their ſervice who are honourable ones, and have any outward glory upon them; how much more ſhould we get into the Service of ſuch a glorious One? Pſal. 116.16. 4. We ſee the miſery of thoſe that forſake Chriſt and his Service, and backſlide from his Wayes, and that holy Profeſſion that they have ſometimes made: theſe forſake him, that they would gladly be entertained by another day, Matth. 7.21, 22, 23.5. We ſee that we can never put glory enough upon the Lord Jeſus, for he is a glorious One in himſelf, and will one day come in his Glory. Men uſe to put glory upon Kings and Princes, and glorious ones in the world: Oh! but what Glory then ſhould we put on Chriſt that glorious One! Pſal. 2.12. 6. We ſee how deſireable his Coming ſhould be to the Saints, for he will come in his Glory, Apoc. 22.17, 20. When he was to come to be humbled for us, he was much deſired after, Hag. 2.7. Mal. 3.1. Oh how much more is he to be deſired after, when he is to come in his Glory! 7. We ſee that ſurely all his Redeemed ones ſhall partake of his Glory, Coloſſ. 3.4. Joh. 17.24. …. We ſee that he will be glorified in the Salvation of the Righteous, and in the Damnation of the Wicked: for he will come in his Glory, Prov. 16.4. 9. We ſee what great reaſon we have to eſteem highly of the Reproaches of Chriſt in his Members, as Moſes did, Heb. 11.26. 10. We ſee what great cauſe we have to endure the Croſs, and deſpiſe the Shame we meet with, as Chriſt did, Heb. 12.2, 3. for he will come in his Glory, and put glory upon us after all our ſhame.
And in that the holy Angels ſhall be his Retinue, we ſee 1. That the Angels delight in our holineſs; for they are holy. 2. That the more holy we be, the more we reſemble the bleſſed Angels. 3. That Holineſs becomes thoſe places where Angels are, Pſal. 93.5. 4. That Chriſts Attendants are holy ones. 5. That neither Chriſt nor his Angels can endure, nor will endure any polluted perſon or thing, now or at that day. 6. That Chriſt Jeſus is a great Maſter, that has ſo many Angels to attend upon him. 7. That unclean perſons will be abaſhed and aſhamed above others at that day. 8. We ſee that the Judges Great Aſſ…e at the laſt day ſhall be with great ſtate. 9. We ſee what cauſe we have not to be aſhamed of Chriſt and of his wor… here Mark 8 ult.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To all thoſe that have blaſphe…ed him, and rej…cted him, as Jews, and Turks, and other I…idels in theſe d…yes. 2. To thoſe that neglec… that great alva…ion Heb 2.3. 3. To thoſe that have put reproach upon him, Pſal 69 20. 4. To thoſe that have not glori…ed him; when he comes in his Glory he will be glori…ed in their deſtruction.
Ʋſe 3 for Humiliation: 1. That we have put any diſhono…r upon this glorious One any way. 2. That we have ſo few breathings after …is Coming. 3. That Afflictions are ſo grievous to us, Luke 24.26. 4. That we are ſo …oth to die to partake of his Glory. 5. That we are ſo much delighted with earthly things. 6. That we have ſo few thought… of this glorious One.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To fit our ſelves for the Coming of this glorious One. And for that end, 1. Look that we be in a juſtified eſtate. 2. Look to our Sanctification, Heb. 12 14. 3. Be in continual expectation of him, Heb. 9. ult. 4. Watch and pray alwayes, Luke 21.36. Mark 13.35, 36, 37. 5. Be we found well doing, Mat. 24.44, 45. 6. Make ſure of Veſſel-oyl, as well as Lampoyl, Mat. 25 4. 7. Improve we our Talents well, Mat. 25.19, 20, 21, 22, 23. 8. Love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.8. 9. Be children of the light, 1 Theſſ. 5.4, 5. 10. Be of a merciful diſpoſition, Matth. 25.34, 35, 36.
2. To be diligent, &c. 2 Pet. 3.14. 3. To ſuffer with and for Chriſt. 2 Tim. 2.12. 4. To rejoyce in hope to ſe… this glorious One, Rom. 12.12. 5. To get an intereſt in this glorious One Job 9.25, 26, 27. 6. To be weaned from worldly glory, Pſal. 131.1, 2. 7. To beware of diſhonouring him. 8. To exalt him all that may be and lift up his Name. 9. To be vile in our own eyes in all our addreſſes to him 10. To admire with thankfulneſs that ſuch a glorious one ſhould ever look after us. 11. To meditate much of his Glory. Ro…. 8.18. 12. To be glorious Chriſtians. Fro…. 4.18. Philip. 1.27, & 2.15.
Ʋſe 5. for Conſ…lation: 1. Againſt the diſhonour pu… upon Chriſt and his Nembers. 2. Againſt all the affi…ions; what are they? 2 Cor. ….17. 3. Againſt all the baſe and unworthy affronts that wicked men put upon him and his. 4. Againſt the falling away of backſliders from him; the Angels put glory upon him.