The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 33
Ver. 42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirſty and ye gave me no drink:
Ver. 43. I was a ſtranger, and ye to k…me not in: naked, and y… clothed me not: ſick, and in priſon, and ye viſited me not.
Doct XXXIII. is this, That there ſhall be nothing ſpoken of, that has been good that evil men have done; but what evil hath been found in them, that ſhall be mentioned againſt them in the Day of Judgement. They have done ſinne things that have been good for the matter; as it may be they have Prayed, Faſted, given Alms, and done ſundry other things that have bin materially good; but nothing ſhall be ſpoken then of what they have ſo done; to mention ſhall be made of any of them, but onelyonly of their …ns.
We will firſt ſpeak of the Firſt Branch, and give Reaſons of i…, and then make Uſe; and after ſpeak of the Second Branch.
Reaſons. 1. Becauſe though they have done ſome things materially good, yet they have not done them well; they have not been done from a principle of Faith, and ſo could not be pleaſing to God: for, without ſaith it is impoſsible to pleaſe him, Heb. 11.6. 2. They have not done thea… out of obedience to the Commandment of God, but out of ſome other ground; out of Opinion of Meriting by them, as the Papiſts do; or out of hope of deliverance the ſooner out of Purgatory, or from ſome other vain ground of their own, not eying the Commandment at all: whereas the Saints make that their ground, Pſal. 119.4, 5. 3. They have not aimed at the glory of God in what they have done, as Philip 1.11. 1 Cor 10.21. but ſought their own glory, Mat. 6 2, 5, 16. and how then ſhould ſuch works be ever ſpoken of at that day? 4. They have done them from ſome common work of the Spirit upon them, and not from …y ſpecial and ſaving work, Mat. 7.21, 2…, 23. 5. They have done them in Hypocriſie, 2 Tim 3.5. Mat 23.27, 28. Iſa. 58.5. 6. They have been workers of iniquity, Mat. 7.23. Luke 13.27. even when they have done noſt, Iſa. 8.3, 4. 7. They have not done them out of a principle of Love either to God or men, Luke 11.42. Matth. 23.23. 8. They have done them Boaſtingly, and have been proud of what they have done, Luke 18.11, 12. 9. They have juſtified themſelves in their doings, when their hearts and works have been naught and the ninable in the ſight of God; Luke 16.15. and how then ſhould theſe be mentioned at that day? 10. They have had their Reward already, they have been commended of vain men li…e themſelves, and that's all they are like to have, Matth. 6.2, 5, 16. 11. They have done them out of other mens Eſtates, which they have robbed, and cruſhed, and oppreſſed; and how ſhould ſuch works be accepted? Iſa. 61.8. Prov. 15.8. 13. They have not done them ſeaſonably, 1 John 3.17. 13. They have done them with a wicked minde, Prov. 21.27. 1…. They have done them deceitfully Jer. 8.10. 15. They have done them for …uſtome and falſhion ſake, not out of have to the thing done. Mic…h 6.8.
Ʋſe …. for Information: 1. We ſee that whatever praiſe evil men may have … men, they ſhall have none from God, and then all their praiſe from men will be little worth, … Cor. 10.18. 2. We ſee what vain and deceitful works wicked men ſet about, for it will turn to no account to them at the laſt day, Prov. 11.18. 3. We ſee a reaſon of that phraſe in Heb. 6.1. whatever men do before Repentance, it is dead work; dead in the end and iſſue, as well as in the riſe and beginning of it: At the day of Chriſt it will come to nothing, no mention ſhall be made of it. 4. We ſee what little reaſon ſuch men have to glory in what they do, and to boaſt of this and that, and the other good work that they have done: for alas! there will not be ſo much as a word ſpoken of any of their works at that day. 5. We ſee what empty Pleas they will be at that day, Mat. 7.22, 23. Chriſt will not ſpeak a word of them himſelf, and when they would, he will take them up ſhortly for it. 6. We ſee what a marvellous difference God makes between his own Saints, and others; the Saints ſhall have all mentioned to their praiſe: ſo the Text; 1 Cor. 4.5. but there ſhall not be the leaſt whiſper of praiſe of any thing that wicked men have done. 7. We ſee that works materially good in themſelves, that fail in the Ground, Manner or End, are not Good Works in Gods account, they loſe their Nature and Being; for there will not be ſo much as any mention of them at that day. What will become then of all the glorious Works of Papiſts and Hypocrites? 8. We ſee that to be proud of ſuch Works, is to be proud of nothing; for they are nothing, and will come to nothing at that day: and yet how many are there that glory in a thing of nought? 9. We ſee the truth of that in Prov 25.27. for men to ſearch their own glory, is not glory. 10. We ſee how miſerably the hopes and expectations of wicked men will fail them, Job 11.20. Prov. 11.7. 11. We ſee what diſhonour the Lord will put upon them at that day. 12. We ſee that we are not to envy them, Prov. 24.19, 20.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To all vain-glorious Boaſters of their good works, they will not be mentioned at that day. 2. To all Hypocrites, that truſt to their works. 3. To thoſe that expect great matters, as if they had been fruits of Faith: Alas! they will not prove ſo at that day.
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To make no reckoning of wicked mens works, how glorious ſoever they ſeem to be, for the Lord will make no account of them. 2. To beware we truſt not in our own Righteouſneſs, Ezek. 33.13. 3. To take heed of Hypocriſie, Mat. 23.27, 28. 4. To aim at Gods Glory in all we do, and not at our own glory. 5. To abhorre Popery, that teacheth Juſtification and Salvation to come by Works: all their gliſtering works will not be ſo much as mentioned at that day. 6. To beware of praiſing wicked men, Prov. 28.4. 7. To look well to our Faith, and to thoſe works that we do, that they be done from a principle of Faith, Heb. 11.8, 17. 8. To be humble in all we do, Luke 17.10. 9. To contemn vile men and their doings, Pſal. 15.4. 10. To deſpiſe their gifts. Dan. 5.17.
Ʋſe 4 for Conſolation: 1. Againſt all the wicked's glorying in their works; the Saints have Chriſt to glory in, who will ſtand them in ſtead, when the wicked's Works will fail them. 2. Againſt their outward greatneſs here, they ſhall be of no account at that day. 3 Againſt the Popiſh Scoffs at Imputative Righteouſneſs; they term it A Putative Righteouſneſs: it will ſtand in more ſtead then their Works.
We are now come to the Second Branch of the XXXIII. Doct. That the evil that hath been found in wicked Men ſhall be mentioned againſt them in the day of Judgement. The Text is full for it.
For opening of which, let me ſhew, 1. What evil ſhall be mentioned then. 2. Why it ſhall be mentioned. 3. The Uſes.
Q. What evil is it that ſhall then be mentioned?
Anſw. 1. All open evil in acts done in the body, 2 Cor. 5.10. Mat. 7.23. 2 All open evil in ſpeeches whether they be prophane againſt God, or uncharitable againſt men, or uncomely and unclean, contrary to the rule of piety, righteouſneſs, and ſobriety, Tit 2.11, 12. Theſe ſhall all be mentioned at that day, Jude, ver. 14, 15. So all open, Idle, and unprofitable ſpeeches, Mat. 12.35. 3. All open evils in neglect of their duties to God, themſelves or others: ſo the Text: all omiſſions of duties, as well as comminions of ſins. 4. All ſecret evils, Eccleſ. 12.14. as ſecret evil thoughts, of what kind ſoever they have been, ſecret evil Speeches, ſecret evil Actions, ſecret Murders ſecret Adulteries, and other uncleanneſs, natural or unnatural; ſecret Thefts, ſecret prophanations of the Lords Name and Day, ſecret underminings of the Ordinances ſecret combinings with thoſe that would root out all Authority in Church and Common-Wealth; Secret Conſpiracies againſt the Saints, as Iſa. 83.3-8. In a word, all ſecret villanies, of what nature or kind ſoever they be. 5. All fained Holineſs and Piety, which Hypocrites content them ſelves with, 2 Tim. 2.5. all diſſembling love, contrary to Rom. 12.9. all falſe and counterfeit ſhews in Profeſſion, Ordinances; all Vizards, and Phantaſmes of Religion without truth: All theſe ſhall be charged upon them, Job 27.8, 9. 6. All cunning contrivances to hide their ſin; All under-hand and under-board workings to appear other then men are: ſee Prov. 30.18, 19, 20. Mat. 23.27, 28. 7. All prophane counting evil good and good evil, Iſa. 5.20. 8. All Apoſtaſies from the Truth and wayes of God, 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. 9. All Neutrality, and Halting betwixt two Opinions, 1 Kin. 18.21. 10. All crooked dealings, Pſal. 125.5.
Q. 2. Why ſhall this evil be then mentioned?
Anſ. 1. For their everlaſting diſhonour and contempt, Dan. 12.2. 2. For the clearing of the Judge; for he will judge the world in Righteouſneſs, Acts 17.31. 3. For the terrour and amazement of wicked men, 2 Cor. 5.10, 11. 4. For the manifeſtation of the Lords Omniſcience: ſee John 21.17. Rev. 2.19, 23. 5. For the manifeſtation of his Power and Wrath, Rom. 9.22. 6. For their full Conviction, and that they and all the world may ſee, that they have deſerved all the puniſhment that is to be inflicted upon them.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee what a vain thing it is for ſuch men to hide their ſins here, for at that day they ſhall be d…ſcovered, Prov. 28.17. Luke 12.2. 2. We ſee how dreadful the thought of this day ſhould be to them; for then all their evil will come out, Acts 24.25. 3. VVe ſee what great cauſe we all have to Repent, Acts 17.31. for if we do not, we ſhall hear of our ſins at that day. 4. VVe ſee that the Lord Jeſus knows all that we have thought, ſpoken, and done in ſecret; for even the ſecret ſins that evil men have committed, ſhall be mentioned and ſpoken of in the great day, Eccleſ. 12.14. 6. VVe ſee that the wicked are reſerved to the Day of Judgement, and they and their deeds ſhall be brought forth then, Job 21.30. 2 Pet 29. 7. VVe ſee a reaſon of the patience and longſuffering of the Lord towards the wicked, and why he does not afflict them here: there is more behinde, for he will diſcover all their lewdneſs at that day, Pſal. 50.21. 8. VVe ſee what a mercy it is to the Saints, to be rebuked and chaſtened of the Lord here, for it is farre better then to be rebuked and puniſhed at that day, Rev. 3.19. 1 Cor. 1….31. 9. VVe ſee how true that is in Rom. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 10. VVe ſee that Princes and Great Ones, that none dare Reprove now for their ſins, ſhall not eſcape, but ſhall have all laid open before them at that day, Job 34.19-22.11. VVe ſee that neither Duties nor Priviledges will ſecure ſuch men, Mat. 7.22, 23. Luke 13.26, 27. 12. VVe ſee the great difference that ſhall then be put between the Saints and the wicked: the former ſhall have onelyonly their good works, the latter onelyonly their evil works mentioned at that day.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To all open rebellious ones, how great ſoever, Pſal. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 2. To all ſecret Conſpirators againſt Chriſt, his Wayes and Saints. 3. To all that hide their ſins, and ſeek to juſtifie themſelves, as if they had done to evil.
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To beware of Hypocriſie, Luke 12.1, 2. 2. To take heed of ſecret ſins, they will all come out at that day, Epheſ 5.12. 3 To the Saints, to bear the wicked's ſcorns and contempts more patiently, for theſe will be brought in againſt them at that day. 4. To take heed of idle words, Mat 12.35. 5. To judge nothing before the time, 1 Cor. 4.5. 6. To keep the heart above all keeping, Prov. 4.23. 7. To beware we neither judge, nor ſet at naught our Brethren, Rom. 14.10. 8. To beware we be not found wicked ones at that day; for if we be, all will come out. 9. To take heed of fellowſhip with them, Prov. 13.20. 10. To beware of hypocritical juſtifying our ſelves here, Luke 16.15.
Ʋſe 4. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt the Slanders and Calumnies that evil men now utter againſt the Saints, they muſt be accountable for them, Jude ver. 14, 15. 2. Againſt the ſecret practices of the wicked againſt the Saints; and their cunning packings and plottings againſt them, ſo as they know not who has hurt them; they will be all brought to light, one day.