The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 2
Doct. II. is this; That the Son of God in his Humane Nature which he hath aſſumed to the Deity, ſhall be the Judge of Quick and Dead. The Son of man ſhall come in his Glory: So Acts 17.31. Ro…. 14.10. 2 Cor. 5.10. 2 Tim. 4.1.
Reaſons. 1. From Gods Appointment, Acts 17.31. and his Appointment muſt ſtand.
2. From his raiſing him from the dead, Ibid.
3. From his Obedience to his Father in his Suffering, Philip. 6.7, 8, 9.
4. From the Fathers Authority that he hath committed to him, Job. 5.27.
5. From the Oath of the Lord for this. Rom. 14.10, 11, 12.
6. From the Covenant which the Father hath made with the Son, Pſal. 110.1.
7. From the Victory that he hath got over all his enemies. Conquerours are Judges over them that they conquer, and do diſpoſe of them: ſo Chriſt the great Conquerour of his enemies, is to judge them and to diſpoſe of them, 1 Cor. 15.25.
8. From the Comfort of his People: for hereby they are incouraged much, in that they have him who is their Saviour to be their Judge; and therefore the day of Judgement is called the day of Refreſhing to the Saints, Act. 3.19.
9. From the Terrour of thoſe that have Crucified and flain him. Apoc. 1.7. See alſo an image and repreſentation of this, Apoc. 6 15, 16, 17.
10. From his Kingly Office, which ſhall then be fully manifeſted, both towards his ſervants in rewarding them, and towards his enemies in puniſhing them.
Ʋſe 1. for Information. 1. We ſee what great Honour …e Lord has inveſted our Nature with, in not onelyonly aſſuming it to be united to the Deity in one Perſon in Chriſt, but alſo to take it ſo united to be the Judge of Men and Angels. What greater honour could be put upon our Nature? 2. We ſee what Glory and Honour we ſhould put upon God in our Nature, glorifying him both in our bodies, and in our ſpirits, which are his 1 Cor. 6.20. 3. We ſee a reaſon of that in 2 Tim. 4.8. and that in Heb. 9. ult. the Saints may well love his appearing, and look for him, and look with holy longings for him, ſeeing that he is to be their Judge that is their Saviour. 4 We ſee how Convincingly he will judge the ſinful ſons of men of all that they have done againſt him; for he will judge as he is the Son of man, Jude, ver. 14, 15. He will ſhew himſelf in our Nature …t that day. 5. We ſee what cauſe we have all of us every where to repent, according to that Command of God, Acts 17.30, 31. Impenitent ones will never be able to ſtand before the Son of man at that day. 6. We ſee what cauſe we have neither to judge not deſpiſe our Brethren, Rom. 14.10. 1 Cor 4.5. Mat. 7.1.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To thoſe that have been the Berrayers and Murtherers of him, and that ſate in Judgement-ſeats to Condemn him, he will at that day be a Judge to them. 2. To thoſe that deſpiſe his Words, and his Servants that bring his Words: they do it to him, and how will they look him in the face at that day? 3. To thoſe that have given out hard ſpeeches againſt his peopl…, Jude, ver. 14, 15. 4. To thoſe that are aſhamed of him and his words, Mark 8. ult. 5. To thoſe that are offended at him and his wayes and Saints. 6. To thoſe that put this day farre from them.
Ʋſe 3 for Humiliation to thoſe 1. That have too few thoughts of this, that the Son of man is to be their Judge… for it they did, they would not be ſo diſcouraged as they are, nor be ſo afraid of the Judgement-day. 2. To thoſe that are too apt to uſurp Chriſts place, in too raſhly cenſuring, and paſſing ſentence upon others, for he it is that is to be Judge, Rom. 14.10. 3. To thoſe that wound the weak Conſciences of their Brethren, and ſo ſin againſt Chriſt, 1 Cor. 8.12. 4. To thoſe that have too little fellowſhip and Communion with Chriſt here, it might be juſt with him not to have fellowſhip with them at that day.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To be upright before him, for he will have nothing to do with Hypocrites at that day. Mat. 7.21, 22, 23. Luke 13.26, 27. 2. To perſwade men, 2 Cor. 5.10, 11. 3. To us Miniſters to Preach, &c. 2 Tim. 4.1.2. 4. To beware of riotous courſes, Mat. 24.48, 49, 50. 5. To be wiſe and faithful to give portions of meat in du… ſcaſon, Mat. 24.45, 46. 6. To us all, to Watch and Pray a…wayer, Luke 21.36. 7. To take heed we have not a thought of our Lords delaying his Coming, Mat. 24.48. 8. To kiſs the Son, Pſal. 2.12. 9. To get aſſurance that he is our Saviour. How? (1) By our longing looks for him. Heb. 9. ult. (2) By our obedience to him, Heb. 5.9. (3) By our faith and hope in him, Heb. 6.19, 20. J…h. 14.1, 3. (4) By our fellowſhip with him, Gen. 5.22, 24. (5) By our conſtanc… to him. Mat. 24.13. Ap…. 2.10. (6) By our patient ſuffering with him, 2 Tim. 2.12. 10 To take h…d of thoſe ſins that ſtrike directly at Chriſt, Prov. 8.36. …at are they? 1. Refuſing Tenders of Grace. Heb. 2.3. …. 12.25. 2. Sins againſt weak ones, 1 Cor. 8.12. 3. Hard ſpeeches againſt his Servants, Jude, ver. 14, 15. 4. Unbelief, Mark 16.16. 5. Impenitency, Luke 13.3, 5. 6. Unmercifulneſs, Mat. 25.44, 45. 7. Security, Mark 13.36. 8. Deferring, Exod. 16.21. Prov 8.17.
Ʋſe 5. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt all injuries that we meet with here, Chriſt will right our cauſe at that day, Eccleſ. 3.16, 17. 2. Againſt fears of that dreadful day, he that is our Saviour will be our Judge, and that's comfort. 3. Againſt the Riddles that were in his Providences, he will clear them all up at that day. 4. Againſt the wickeds inſultings over them here, Chriſt will take their part at that day. 5. Againſt Satans malice againſt us, Chriſt in our Nature will condemn him and all his Angels. 6. Againſt faintings in adverſity.