The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 25
Ver. 40. And the King ſhall anſwer, and ſay unto them, &c.
Doct. XXV. is this, That what works of Mercy are done to the Brethren of Chriſt, yea to the meaneſt and leaſt of …, Chriſt aſſures us upon his faithful Word, that they are done to him. He does not onelyonly ſay it, but addes a ſtrong Aſſeveration to it in the word Verily; and therefore we may be aſſured of it.
Reaſons. 1. They are the friends of Chriſt, Luke 12.4. John 15.13, 14. and men uſe to ſay when any are kinde to their friends, … they take it as if it had been done unto themſelves; much more will Chriſt ſay ſo, who loves his freinds ten thouſand times better then men do theirs. 2. They are the Brethren of Chriſt. John 20.17. Heb. 2.11, 12. and Brethren will interpret the kindneſſes done to their Brethren, as done to themſelves; much more Chriſt, who has more brotherly affection then all the loving brethren in the world put all together. 3. They are the fellows of Chriſt, Pſal. 45.7. 1 John 1.3. and Companions are ſo dear one to another, that they will account that what is done to their Companions is done to them; much more Chriſt, who is above all the Companions in the world for love. 4. They are the Members of Chriſt, Epheſ. 5.30. Coloſſ. 1.18. his very fleſh: and how can he do any other but reckon of that that's done to them, as done to himſelf? 5. They are the Spouſe of Chriſt; and what loving Husband is there, that takes not that that is done to his Spouſe, as done to himſelf? how much more Chriſt? Cant. 5.1. 6. They are the Children of Chriſt, Heb. 2.13. and do not other Fathers take the kindneſſes that are done to their Children, as done to themſelves? how much more Chriſt? 7. They are the Subjects of Chriſt, and he their King. Rev. 15.3. and Kings are concerned themſelves in the welfare of their Subjects, much more this bleſſed King. 8. They are the very apple of his own eye. Ze…h. 2.8. and therefore he muſt needs be much concerned in the tender care that is had of them. 9. They are his peculiar People, Tit. 2.14. Pſal. 135.4. Mal. 3.17. and how can he then do any other, then take himſelf as much concerned in what is d…ne to them? 10. They are they that he has given his life for, John 10.1…. and therefore are moſt dear to him.
Q. But why may we be ſo aſſured of the truth of this?
Anſ. 1. He is the faithful and true Witneſs, Rev 1.5. & 3.14. 2. He ſpeaks truth in all he ſayes, and nates lying, Prov. 8.7, 8. 3. He uſeth a ſtrong Aſſeveration to give aſſurance of what he ſayes, in that word, Amen, or Verily, So it is. 4. He has ſaid, that Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away, but not a jot or tittle of his word ſha… fail, Mat. 24.35. 5. He commands that we ſhould ſpeak truth one to another, and not lie, Zech. 8.16. Col 3.9. 6. He loves truth and righteouſneſs, Pſal. 45.7.
Ʋſe 1. for Infor…ation: 1. We ſee what a loving friend we have of the Lord Jeſus, he is all love and ſweetneſs to his people, that takes himſelf ſo much concern…d in the kindneſſes and works of mercy done for them: What love is to be compared to his? 1 John 4.8. 2. We ſee what great encouragement merciful ones have to come off with works of mercy, for Chriſt will ſay, Inaſmuch as …e have done it to the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. 3. We ſee that works of mercy and beneficence, and what we miniſter to Chriſts Brethren, are not loſt for Chriſt owns them, Eccleſ. 11.1. 4. That doubtleſs works of mercy ſhall finde a liberal Reward, for Chriſt takes himſelf as deeply concerned in them; and he will never take any thing of us (though his own) but will give us much more in lieu of it, Gal. 6.9. 2 Cor 9.6. 5. We ſee what our duty is to Chriſt, to take the unkindneſſes that are done to Chriſt, as done to our ſ…lves, and to look at our ſelves as deeply concerned in them. 6. We ſee that Chriſt and his Elect ones are one; ſo he makes account that ſayes, Inaſmuch, &c. Oh what an honour and d…gnity is this! 1 Cor. 6.17. 7. We ſee that we can never come off with love enough to him who is ſo full of love to us: all the heart, and minde, and underſtanding, and ſtrength of our love is too little for him, Mark 12.30. 8. We ſee how nearly we ſhould take our ſelves to be concerned in the matters that concern his Honour and Glory, and the advancement of his Kingdome; we ſhould think we can never do enough for him in theſe. 9. We ſee how willing Chriſt is to ſtrengthen our Faith, in the words of truth that he ſpeaks, and that we ſhall have no doubting of the certainty of them, in that he addes his Amen, or Verily, to what he ſayes. 10. We ſee that they that are unmerciful to the poor and afflicted Saints of Chriſt, give him the Lie in what he here ſayes, and do not believe his words, that are ſtrongly aſſert…d by him, 1 John 5.10. 11. We ſee how marvellous humble the L…rd Jeſus is in his ſtate of Glory, that counts that that is done to the leaſt of his …rethren, as done to himſelf. 12. We ſ…e that works of beneficence rightly done, reach very f…r, not ſo much to the Saints on earth, as to Chriſt himſelf who is in Heaven. 13. We ſee that we have no cauſe to repent of what is ſo done.
Ʋſe 2. for Humiliation: 1. To thoſe that are hardly drawn to works of mercy; theſe forget that Chriſt is concerned in them. 2. To thoſe that turn away the poor from their doors, they turn away Chriſt from them. 3. To thoſe that have done far leſs then they might have done.
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To come off liberally to hungry, thirſty, ſtrangers, naked, ſick, and impriſoned ones, it's done to Chriſt, Iſa. 32.8. Acts 10.2. … Cor. 8.1, 2. Luke 19.8. 2. To give glory to Chriſt Jeſus, that thus owns what …e do. 3. To own him and his Cauſe in hardeſt times, Luke 14.26, 33. 4. To be afraid of omitting any opportunity of mercy offered, leſt we ſhould reject Chriſt himſelf, Gal. 6.10. 5. To take pains in our beneficence theſe ways; all our pains are little, being for Chriſt Jeſus, we ſhould go about doing good, travel for it, as Phil 2.25-30. 6. To run great ha…ards, that we may ſhew mercy, Rom. 16.3, 4. Phil. 2.30. it's for Chriſt. 7. To bewail that we have done no more, being for Chriſt. 8. To rejoyce that we have done any thing this way. 9. To rejoyce in our ſuffering for our mercy to the Saints. 10. To love mercy, Micah 6.8. it is for Chriſt. 11. To be unwearied in works of mercy, Gal. 6.9. it is for Chriſt. 12. To work with our hands, that we may give, Epheſ. 4.28. 13. To give of our own, Iſa. 61.8. Luke 19.8. 14. To do what we do ſecretly, it is for the Lord, Mat. 6.1, 2, 3
Ʋſe 4. for Conſclation: 1. Againſt mens hard thoughts of us; if Chriſt ſay, Ye have done it to me, it's no matter. 2. Againſt our own thoughts of the littleneſs of what we have done; if Chriſt own it, all will be well. 3. Againſt our defects, in that we have not done it to ſo many; Chriſt ſayes, If it be done to one, it is done to me. 4. Againſt our fears, becauſe not done to Miniſters, or others of great eſteem; Chriſt ſayes, If it be done to the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, it is done to me.