The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 15
Ver. 35, 36. For I was an hungred, &c.
Doct. XV. is this, That none of the ſins of the godly that they have committed and repented of, ſhall be ſpoken of at the day of Judgement; but that which they have done well here, ſhall be ſpoken of and mentioned in that day. All that is ſaid to be then ſpoken of, is concerning their good works, but not a word of their ſins.
For opening the firſt Branch, let me ſhew, 1. How it does appear that none of their ſins ſhall be then ſpoken of. 2. Why their ſins ſhall not be then mentioned. 3. The Uſes. And then we will afterward ſpeak of the ſecond Branch.
For the firſt: It does appear that none of their ſins that they have committed and repented of, ſhall be at that day ſpoken of; 1. In that they are waſhed from their ſins in Chriſts blood, Rev 1.5. 1 Cor. 6.11. Joel 3.21. Pſal. 51.7. and being thus waſhed from them, to what purpoſe ſhould they then be ſpoken of? 2. In that their ſins are blotted out, their Debts cancelled, Iſa. 43.25. & 44.22. Pſal. 51.1. and Creditors do not reckon for ſuch ſums which are blotted out, and do not ſo much as mention or ſpeak of them. 3. In that they are all covered, Pſal. 32.1. & 85.2. Neh. 4.5. and if they be covered, then ſure they ſhall not be diſcovered or ſpoken of at that day. 4. In that they are forgotten and not remembred, Iſa. 43.25. Pſal. 25.7. & 79.8. Jer. 31.34. Heb. 8.12. & 10.17. And if ſo, how ſhould they then be ſpoken of? 5. In that upon ſearch they ſhall not be found, Jer. 50.20. and things that cannot be found, are not mentioned nor ſpoken of among men a ſo here. 6. In that the Lord paſſeth them by, & makes them as if they had never been committed, Mic. 7.18. and if he paſs them by, ſurely they ſhall never be ſpoken of at that day. 7. In that all their ſins ſhall be caſt into the depths of the Sea, Micah 7.19. and therefore ſhall never come up more. Things caſt into the bottom of the Sea never come up more: ſo here. 8. In that the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is imputed to them, Rom. 4.6, 7, 8. Jer. 23.6. 1 Cor. 1.30. 2 Cor. 5.21. Cant. 4.7. Now if his Righteouſneſs be imputed to us, then our ſins ſurely ſhall not be ſpoken of at that day. 9. In that they are born, and taken away by Chriſt, and laid upon him, John 1.29. 1 Pet. 2.24 Iſa. 53.6. and if he has taken them away, and born them, then ſure they ſhall not be mentioned againſt us at that day. 10. In that th… body of ſin is deſtroyed in us, by virtue of our fellowſhip with Chriſt in his death, Rom. 6.6, 7. and our ſins being killed and deſtroyed, how ſhould they be then ſpoken of or mentioned againſt us?
Q. 2. Why ſhall not their ſins be then ſpoken of or mentioned?
Anſ. 1. From the Lord Jeſus. 2. From his Saints. 3. From their Enemies. 4. From the Day it ſelf.
From the Lord Jeſus. 1. He hath promiſed, John 5.24. that they ſhall not come into Condemnation: and if ſo, to what end ſhall their ſins be mentioned at that day? 2. He hath delivered them from the wrath to come, 1 Theſſ. 1.10. and that being ſo, there's no need that their ſins ſhould be mentioned. 3 He ſaves to the utmoſt, Hebr. 7.25. and therefore from ſin, and all the ſhame of it, which the mention of their ſin might bring upon them. Other men ſhall riſe to ſhame, Dan 12 2. but not they. 4. He hides their ſins here, 1 Kings 15.…. Heb. 11.11, 31. Jam. 5.11. and if ſo, much more will he do it at that day. 5. He then comes to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, 2 Theſſ. 1.10. but the mention of their ſins would obſcure that glory; and therefore they ſhall not be at that day ſpoken of. 6. He then will fully acquit them and abſolve them, as I ſaid before, and therefore will not then mention any of them. 7. He will then preſent them faultleſs, Jude ver. 24.
2. From the Saints. 1. They have blamed and ſhamed themſelves for them here, Ezra 9 6. Dan. 9.7, 8. Jer. 3.25. and therefore he will not ſhame them at that day. 2. They have not hid them here, but diſcovered them and acknowledged them, Pſal 51.3. Jer. 14.7. Pſal. 32.9. and therefore no wonder if he hide them at that day. 3. They have been burthened with them here, Pſal 38.4. Heb 12.1. and therefore …he will not burthen them with the mention of them. 4. They have loathed and abhorred themſelves for them here, Ezek. 36.31. Job 42.6. And will he then ſpeak of them, to make them an abhorring to Men and Angels? he will not ſurely do it. 5. They have faſted, mourned and wept for them, prayed againſt them, withſtood the motions that have been made to the commiſſion of them, bewailed them bitterly, Judges 2.4, 5 1 Sam. 7.6. Gal. 5.17. Rom. 7.23, 24. and can we think that he will then ſpeak of them, or mention them to their diſhonour? 6. They have deſired earneſtly to be rid of them, and have counted that day happy wherein they have ceaſed to ſin, and that has been the chiefeſt cauſe why they have deſired to die, that they might ſin no more, Phil. 1.23. 2 Cor. 5.4, 6, 8. And can it be thought then, that their ſins ſhall be mentioned at that day, that they deſired ſo to be freed from? it cannot be imagined.
3. From their Enemies. 1. They ſhall not have any occaſion to reproach them, or Religion. 2. Nor to accuſe them. 3. Nor to traduce the Judge. 4. Nor to caſt Hypocriſie in their faces to ſhame them. 5. Nor to grieve them, for they ſhall not have any ſuch thing bef…ll them at that day, Jude ver. 25. 6. Nor to rejoyce at the mention of them. 7. Nor to think better of themſelves by reaſon of them.
4. From the Day it ſelf. 1. It is the day of the manifeſtation of the righteous judgement of God; and being ſo, how ſhould their ſins be then ſpoken of? for it would not be juſt to ſhame the innocent as they be in Chriſt. 2. It is the day of their reſt, 2 Theſſ 1.7. and that it could not be, if their ſins were mentioned; it would be a day of diſ-reſt rather to them. 3. It is the day of their exceeding joy, Jude ver. 25. and that could not be, if their ſins ſhould be mentioned. 4. It is the day of their Coronation, 2 Tim. 4.8. and in ſuch a day it were no way ſuitable to make mention of their ſins. 5. It is the day of their Redemption, Luke 21.28. and it would rather be a day of their Captivity then Redemption, ſhould there be any mention of their ſins. 6. It is the day of the Conſummation of the Marriage betwixt Chriſt and his Saints, they are betrothed here, Hoſ. 2.19, 20. 2 Cor. 11.2. But the day of the Solemnization of the Marriage is then; then Chriſt takes us to houſe, John 14.3. to himſelf, 1 Theſſ. 4.17. and the mentioning of their ſins muſt needs be unſuitable to ſuch a day.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee how tender the Lord Jeſus will be of the name of his Saints at the laſt and great day, that he will not ſo much as mention any of their ſins againſt them. They have been tender of his Name here, and he will be marvellous tender of theirs at that day, and will not blemiſh them by charging any ſin upon them, Jude ver. 24. Eph. 5.27. 2. We ſee what great reaſon we have to juſtifie and clear him in all his righteous diſpenſations of himſelf to us, in afflicting us for our ſins here, Neh. 9.33. Lam. 1.18. Pſal. 51.4. for he will clear us, and not ſo much as mention any of our ſins againſt us at that day. 3. We ſee that they that are juſtified need not be afraid of the day of Judgement, for there ſhall not be a word ſpoken at that day againſt them, concerning any of the ſins that they have committed againſt him. 4. We ſee how loathſome and deteſtable every ſin ought to be to us here, and how we ſhould accuſe, and arraign, and judge our ſelves for them, for they ſhall not be charged upon us then, nor any of them be ſo much as mentioned againſt us, 1 Cor. 11.31, 32. 5. We ſee that we have no cauſe to cenſure or judge our Brethren for their failings, for if they be Chriſts, he will not ſo much as mention any of their ſins againſt them at that day, 1 Cor. 4.5. Jam. 3.1. 6. We ſee how ready we ſhould be to forgive offending Brethren when they repent, Luke 17.3, 4. for ſo does Chriſt, and ſo will be do at that day, and not charge them with any of them. 7. We ſee that thoſe ſins that have been committed by any of the Saints in the time of their unregenerate eſtate, are not to be ſpoken of or mentioned to their diſgrace, neither are they to be caſt in their teeth, nor they to be upbraided with them, for not one of them ſhall be ſpoken of at that day, Acts 9.33, 14, 15. 8. We ſee what mention we ſhould make of the loving kindneſs of the Lord, as for other mercies, ſo for this, Jude ver. 24.25. Iſa. 63.7. 9. We ſee that there's no cauſe why we ſhould be much troubled when we are twitted and upbraided by evil men for this and that evil that we have done, and ſometimes for that that we have never done, Mat 10.11, 12. for however men uſe us here, Chriſt will uſe us better at that day, not mentioning any of our ſins againſt us. 10. We ſee that Satans accuſations ſhall never hurt us, Rev. 12.10. for Chriſt will …ot own or approve any of them, for he will not ſo much as ſpeak of any thing that they have done amiſs at that day.
Ʋſe 2. for Humiliation: 1. To thoſe that are too ſevere Judges of others failings, they have too little of the Spirit of Chriſt Jeſus, and for, …t that they themſelves are men, Jam. 3.1, 2. 2. To thoſe that are too Inordinately afraid of the Judgement-day, they are more afraid then hurt; we ſhould rather love and deſire after it, 2 Tim. 4.8. Rev. 22.20. 3. To thoſe that are hard to paſs by injuries and indignities put upon them: ſo does not Chriſt, ſo will he not do at that day. 4. To thoſe that are ſo ready to rip up and ſpeak (too diſgracefully) of the faults of others here, how would ſuch do if Chriſt ſhould take that courſe with them at the Judgement day?
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To honour the Lord Jeſus, and be very tender of his Name, who will ſo tender our names at that day, Pſal. 2.12. 2. To be often thinking of this day, and meditating of it with delight, for no evil of ours ſhall then be mentioned. 3 To make ſure that we are of the number of thoſe that Chriſt will ſpeak nothing againſt at that day. (1) Look to our Election, 2 Pet. 1.10. (2) To our Love, 1 Theſſ. 3.12, 13. 1 John 4.17. (3) To our Abiding in him, 1 John 2.28. (4) To a ſpotleſs and blameleſs carriage. 2 Pet. 3.14. (5) To our Holineſs, Heb: 12.14. (6) To our Uprightneſs, Iſa 57.2. Pſa. 49.14. (7) To the improvement of our talents, Mat. 25.22, 23. (8) To our patient ſuffering of afflicti…n, Rom. 8.17. … Tim. 2.12. (9) To our patient continuance in welldoing, Rom. 2.7. (10) To our holding faſt that we have, Rev. 3.11. 4. To bear with quietneſs mens upbraidings, and the ſhame they caſt upon us, Heb. 12.2, 3. 5. To rejoyce in things falſly ſpoken againſt us, Matth. 5.11, 12. 6. To beware of ſhaming thoſe here, that Chriſt will not ſhame at that day, 1 Sam. 20.34 7. To be grieved when any do, ibid. 8. To ſhame our ſelves for our ſins here, Ezra 9.6. 9. To ſpeak boldly in the Cauſe of Chriſt, Mat. 10.32. 10. To fear to ſpeak a word againſt Chriſt, Mat. 12.32. 11. To love the Lord Jeſus, 1 Cor. 16.22. 12. To ſeek to pleaſe him in all things, Tit. 2.9.
Ʋſe 4. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt the evil ſpeeches and ſlanders of men, Jude ver. 14, 15. 2. Againſt cruel mockings, Heb. 11.36. 3. Againſt rebukes in Judgement-ſeats. 4. Againſt Satans accuſations, Rev. 12.10. 5. Againſt hard cenſures of Brethren. 6. Againſt falſe Witneſſes in Courts of Juſtice.
Poſitive Comforts. 1. That that day will be a clearing day 2. That they that ſow in tears ſhall reap in joy, Pſal. 126.5. 3. That it ſhall be well with them, Iſa. 3.10. 4. That our bleſſed King is a merciful King, 1 Kings 20.31. 5. That the worſt ſtate of the righteous, is better then the beſt of the wicked. 6. That we may well bear Chriſts rebukes here.
The ſecond Branch of the XV. Doctrine is now to be ſpoken of; viz.
That what the Saints have done well while they were on earth, ſhall be ſpoken of, and mentioned in the day of Judgement.
For opening of which, let me ſhew, 1. How it does appear that it ſhall be ſo. 2. Why it ſhall be ſo. 3. The Uſes.
For the firſt: How does it appear that what good they have done ſhall be mentioned and ſpoken of at that day?
Anſ. 1. It does appear from hence, in that every ſecret good thing ſhall come into judgement, Eccleſ. 12.14. 1 Cor 4.5. 2. In that every good thing ſhall be rewarded, 2 Cor. 5.10. Mat 6.4, 6.18. Rev. 22.12. 3. In that every man that hath done any good, though others have not known of it, ſhall have due praiſe and commendation for it, 2 Cor. 4.5. 4. In that there ſhall be different degrees of Glory, according to the different meaſures of good that men have done; and therefore all muſt be mentioned and ſpoken of, Rom. 2.6. Rev 22.12. 5. In that good has been called evil in the world, Iſa. 5.20, and therefore all that good that has been ſo traduced, and evil ſpoken of, ſhall be owned and ſpoken of at that day. 6. In that the Saints here do vilifie, and diſeſteem their beſt works, Iſa. 64.6. Phil 3.8, 9. and though indeed in themſelves they be nothing worth, as coming from us, yet as they are in Chriſt, ſo they are good, and will be ſpoken of as ſuch at that day. 7. In that it is not ſo eaſily diſcerned whoſe works are good, in regard that Hypocrites may go very far this way, but that day will declare which is which, which are good and which not. 8. In that for every right work a man is envied of his neighbour here, Eccleſ. 4.4. 9. In that in ſundry good works done here, it is not known who did them, and this muſt not alwayes be concealed.
Q. 2. Why ſhall that that they have done well be them ſpoken of?
Anſ. 1. From God himſelf. 2. From the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. 3. From the Saints themſelves.
From God. 1. He works them in us and for us, Iſa. 26.12 2. He is glorified by them, Mat. 5.16. Phil. 1.11. 1 Pet. 2.12 3. He will reward them, Rom. 2.6, 7, 10. and how ſhould this be, if they be not ſpoken of at that day? 4. He has promiſed to honour them that honour him, 1 Sam. 2.30.
2. From the Lord Jeſus. 1. He commends them here, Rev. 2.2, 3, 8, 9. and therefore will do it much more hereafter. 2. He knows their works, and therefore knows how to ſpeak of them at that day, ibid. 3. He takes it well if it be but in the heart, though it come not to outward act, 1 Kings 8.18, 19. Oh how well will he then take it, when it is actually performed, and ſpeak of them at that day! 4. He loves them dearly, and where we love, we uſe to ſpeak much in commendation of what is done, much more will Chriſt at that day, Gal. 2.20.
3. From the Saints themſelves. 1. They are his Members, Brethren. Fellows, Friends, Spouſe, &c. and therefore no wonder that he will ſpeak all the good of them that may be at that day 2. They have done what they have ſo done for his ſake, and out of love to him, and therefore it is no wonder if he make mention of what they have done at that day. 3. They have aimed at the glory of his Name in what they have done, and no wonder then if he ſpeak of what was done, at that day, John 15.8. 4. They have done it out of obedience to the command of God and Chriſt, and that he cannot but make mention of at that day 5. They are his workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, Eph. 2.10. 6. They are his own bleſſed ones, therefore he will ſpeak good of them then.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee that none of the Saints need to repent of any of the good they have done; for though it may be they may be requited with evil here, yet the good we have done ſhall be ſpoken of at that day. 2. We ſee what great incouragement we have to beneficence in ſecret, for though no eye ſee it, nor any know of it, yet it ſhall be known at that day, Mat. 6.4. 3. We ſee that a very little good done in ſincerity, goes a great way with Chriſt Jeſus, and is of high eſteem with him: how little is it that the beſt of us do? what mites of ſervice? yet theſe ſhall be ſpoken of too, Luke 21.1, 2, 3, 4. how much more at that day? 4. We ſee what a good Maſter we ſerve, that will reward his ſervants thus. 5. We ſ…e how lightly we ſhould eſteem the praiſes of men, compared with this, to have what we have done ſpoken of by Chriſt at that day. 6. We ſee that Chriſt takes notice of all our doings, for he will ſpeak of them at that day. 7. We ſee how humbly we ſhould behave our ſelves, and how meanly we ſhould think of what we do, Luke 17.10. 8. We ſee what an honourable thing it is to be doing good, for Chriſt will ſpeak of it at that day. 9. We ſee that the Lord takes us at the beſt, for all our beſt works are defiled. 10. We ſee it's no matter of what mean account we be in the world, it ſhall be otherwiſe at that day.
Ʋſe 2. for Exhortation: 1. To ſpeak good of his Name, whatever befall us here, 1 Sam. 3.18 Joh 1.21. 2. To be unwearied in well-doing, Gal. 6.9, 10. 3. To do all the good we can, Eccleſ. 11.1, 2, 3. 4. To love the Lord Jeſus and obey him, Pſal. 2.12. 5. To ſpeak of his glory, Pſal. 29.9. 6. To mention his loving kindneſs to us, Iſa 63.7. 7 To think of all the good he has done for us, before we were, and ſince; in Infancy, childhood, youth, riper times, and old age: and never think we can ſpeak enough of it to his praiſe. 8. To eſteem meanly of what we do in the beſt way for him. 9. To judge our ſelves unworthy of the leaſt of his mercies, Geneſ 32.10. much more of this. 10. To ſpeak nothing of what we do in commendation of our ſelves, 2 Cor. 10. ult. Prov. 27.2. 11. To be ready to ſpeak for him and his Cauſe upon all occaſions. 12. To beware of ſpeaking evil of Brethren, ſpecially when they do well, Jam 4.…1.
Ʋſe 3. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt men… miſpriſions of us and our works: it's no matter what they ſay now, if Chriſt ſpeak thus of them at that day. 2. Againſt the blemiſhes and imperfections that cleave to what we beſt do; Chriſt will take notice onelyonly of that that is good in us at that day. 3. Againſt all that little worth we ſee in our ſervices; Chriſt ſees that, that be thinks meet to ſpeak of at that day. 4. Againſt Satans fly blowing our works; be doth what he can to corrupt them, but Chriſt will accept and honour them, and pick out what is good in them.