The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 38
Ver. 44. Lord, when ſaw we thee an hungred, or athirſt, &c.
Doct. XXXVIII. is this, That wicked men do not know how farre their Ʋnmercifulneſs to the Saints reacheth: it reacheth to Chriſt himſelf, but they know it not. There is a greater guilt upon them then they are aware of.
Reaſons. 1. From themſelves. 2. From the Lord himſelf. 3. From Satan.
From themſelves. 1. From that natural Stupidity and Blockiſhneſs that is in them, 1 Cor. 2.14. Hence they are ſo often called Fools in Scripture, and without underſtanding. 2. From their Madneſs, Luke 15.17. and men that are out of their wits know not what they do. 3. From the Pleaſure they have in this ſin; for that like a Bribe blinds their eyes, that they cannot ſee into the miſchief of it, and how farre it reacheth. 4. From, their want of conſidering how near the Saints are to Chriſt: for did they conſider that, they could not but know that their unmercifulneſs to them would reach to Chriſt himſelf. 5. From the willing ignorance that is in them, 2 Pet. 3.5. 6. From the falſe Reaſonings that they uſe to colour and cover their ſin with; as, that they are Idle, and to give to them, would maintain them in their Idleneſs, and they may want themſelves, and have others lye upon them.
2. From the Lord Himſelf. 1. He in Judgement ſhuts their eyes, John 12.39, 40. Iſa. 44.18. 2. He is not bound to give them more underſtanding; he is free to impart it where he will, and to deny it to whom he will. 3. He has reſerved them for wrath, 2 Pet: 2.9. Iob 21.30. and in this way he lets them go to this ſad journeys end. 4. He has ordained them to deſtruction: ſo the Text; and ſo leaves them to go hoodwink'd to their Ruine. 5. He came into the world for Judgement, that ſome that ſee might be made blind, Iohn 9.39. 6. He reſerves ſomething to tell them at that day to their coſt, if they would not underſtand it here.
3. From Satan: 1. He blinds them, 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. 2. He keeps them in the dark, knowing that that is the ſureſt way to deceive them: he is the grand deceiver, Rev. 12.9. and this way deceiveth them. 3. He hides the danger and the book, and ſhews only the Bait. 4. He is a Murtherer, and cruel Spirit, Iohn 8.44. and therefore uſeth all wayes to draw men to cruelty and unmercifulneſs; and that he may effect this, hides the danger of this ſin from them, and keeps them from knowing how farre it reacheth.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee the miſery of unmerciful men, they know not the greatneſs of the guilt that is upon them; their ſin reacheth further then they are aware of, they think it is onelyonly againſt men, but Chriſt will tell them another thing at the great day. 2. We ſee what a dangerous thing it is to be ignorant of the nature and extent of ſin, for it will be diſcovered in the full latitude of it at that day. 3. We ſee that ignorance will be no ſufficient Plea or Excuſe for wicked men at the great day, but will leave them altogether inexcuſable before the great Judge. 4. We ſee that unmercifulneſs ſhall never hide it ſelf under any ſhadow; but that that unmerciful men think to be a ſhelter to them, ſhall wet them to the ſkin at that day: for they know not the extent of it, yet they ſhall know how far that ſin went, at that day. 5. We ſee that thoſe ſins that men count little, are great ſins in the Lords account. 6. We ſee how hateful the ſin of unmercifulneſs ſhould be to us, that wicked men make ſo little reckoning of; for there's more in it then they are aware of. 7. We ſee how miſerable their ſtate will be that know that unmercifulneſs reacheth Chriſt himſelf, and yet go on in that way. 8. We ſee the great patience of Chriſt towards unmerciful men, that though their ſin reach him, yet does forbear them in this world. 9. We ſee that mens condition being evil, if they know it not, is ſo much the worſe to them. 10. We ſee what a judgement of God it is to be blinde, and not to ſee the extent of the danger of this ſin. 11. We ſee that the greatneſs of ſome mens ſins is not diſcovered to them till the day of Judgement. 12. We ſee that they that will not know their ſins here, ſhall know them to their coſt at that day.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To ignorant Sots, that think they are not ſo bad as they are, 2 Theſſ. 1.8. 2. To Unmerciful ones, though they know not the extent of their guilt, yet their ſtate is dreadful.
Ʋſe 8. for Exhortation: 1. To labour to know the worſt that is in ſin here, for elſe the worſt ſhall be told us in the leſt and great day. 2. To hearken to that counſel in Dan. 4.27. to break on our ſins by Righteouſneſs, and our iniquities by ſhewing Mercy to the poor. 3. To take them for our beſt friends that rip up our-ſins moſt, and ſhew us the greatneſs of our guilt, and the extent and latitude of our ſins, for they will be told us that day. 4. To abhorre unmercifulneſs, for it will be ſet out in its colours at that day. 5. To tremble to be ignorant of what we ought to know in knowing times. 6 To get a conſidering heart, that we may repent of our former unmercifulneſs, Ezek. 18.28. Pſal. 119.59. 7. To pity hard-hearted unmercifull men, that know not the full latitude of this ſin of theirs, Luke 23.34. Acts 7.60. 8. To bleſs the Lord, if he has let any of us ſee the foulneſs of this ſin, and brought us out of it, 1 Tim. 1.13. 9. To glorifie God in behalf of others, Gal. 1.23, 24. 10. To love the Lord Jeſus, that has diſcovered the evil of this ſin to us here.