The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 4
Ver. 32. And before him ſhall be gathered all Nations.
Doct. IV from the Preparation to the Judgement, is this, That all Nations ſhall be gathered before the Lord Jeſu… at the Day of Judgement, Rom. 14.10. 2 Cor. 5.10. Apoc. 20.12, 13. 2 Theſſ. 2.1.
For opening of which, let me ſhew 1. Who ſhall gather them. 2. By what means they ſhall be gathered. 3. … what manner. 4. Why they ſhall be all gathered before him. 5. The Uſes.
For the firſt, Who ſhall gather them?
Anſw. The Angels ſhall be imployed about them in gathering them together, Mat. 13.19. & 24.31.
For the ſecond, By what means ſhall they be gathered?
Anſw. 1. By the Power of Chriſt, Joh. 5.28, 29. 2. By his Sovereignty, all Nations being his Subjects; which Sovereignty will then be ſhewed forth, and none ſhall reſiſt, for then he will ſhew himſelf a King, Mat. 25.34. 3. By his Commiſſion that he gives out, Mat. 24.31. 4. By the ſignal Token of their Summoning before him, Ibid. a great ſound of a Trumpet. 5. By his own deſcent from heaven with a ſhout, 1 Theſſ. 4.16. 6. By the will of Chriſt, Joh. 6.40.
Q. 3. In what manner ſhall they be gathered?
Anſw. 1. Orderly; the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt, 1 Theſſ. 4.16. 2. Conſpicuouſly, Apoc. 1.7. 3. Dreadfully to the wicked, 2 Cor. 5.10, 11. Apoc 1.7. Mat. 24.30. 4. Comfortably to the godly, 1 Theſſ. 4.17, 18. Luke 21.27, 28. 5. Neceſſarily, there's no avoiding it, 2 Cor. 5.10. Rom. 14.10. 6. Suddenly and unexpectedly, 1 Theſſ. 5.1, 2. Luke 21.35. 7. Speedily, Joh. 5.28, 29. as ſoon as ever the Voice is heard, they ſhall come forth: ſo 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. 8. Particularly; every perſon, one and another, man, woman and childe, 2 Cor. 5.10. 9. Severally, of all ſorts, ranks and conditions, High and Low, Rich and Poor, Noble and Ignoble, Kings and Subjects, Maſters and Servants, Miniſters and People, Parents and Children. 10. Certainly, Gods Word and Oath is to it, Rom. 14.10, 11.
Q. 4. Why ſhall they be all gathered together before him?
Anſw. 1. That every one may receive the due reward of their works, 2 Cor. 5.10. Rom. 2.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
2. That every one may give an account of himſelf to God, Rom. 14.12.
3. That every ſecret thing, whether good or evil, may be brought to light, Eccleſ. 12.14. The ſecret good that the Saints have done, that they may have praiſe for it, 1 Cor. 4.5. and the ſecret evils that the wicked have done; the ſecret Plottings, Conſpiracies, Combinations in a way of wickedneſs; the ſecret Murthers, Adulteries, Thefts, falſe Witneſs; the ſecret Atheiſtical, Profane, Blaſphemous, Abominable Thoughts, and Wayes, and Workings, this way and that, which could never be diſcovered, which the vultures eye could never ſee: that all theſe ſecrets may be made manifeſt to their ſhame and everlaſting reproach, diſhonour, and contempt: therefore all Nations ſhall be gathered before the Lord Jeſus at the Judgement day.
4. That every knee may bow to him, Rom. 14.11. that they that would not ſtoop and bow to his Scepter of Grace, may bow and ſtoop, and be broken under his Iron Rod, the Rod of his Juſtice and Severity.
5. That there may be an impartial dealing with every one of all ſorts and conditions, that none may have any cauſe to complain, but every mouth may be ſtopped, Rom. 3 19. for when all come before him, and ſee that he is no reſpecter of perſons, that he reſpecteth not the perſons of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poor, Job 34.19. but all receive according to their deſerts, there can be no colour of juſt complaint againſt him, but all muſt needs ſay, It is juſt that is come upon them.
6. That there may be no vain Pleas preferred by any why they may not be judged, all Nations ſhall be gathered before him, to let them all ſee the unreaſonableneſs of ſuch pleas and excuſes. There will be thoſe that will plead as Mat. 7.22. & Luke 13.26. but as Chriſt will reject them, ſo the godly of all Nations (being of his minde) will look at them as frivolous pleas, for they approve of what he ſayes, and ſo judge with him, 1 Cor. 6.2.
7. That the wicked may have all the ſhame and contempt that can be caſt upon them, when their lewdneſs is diſcovered to all the Nations of the World, Dan. 12.2. Oh the confuſion that will be upon all faces at that day! Oh the ſhame that will then cover them that have lived and died in their ſins, at that day, when all the Nations of the Earth ſhall know what they have been! And ſurely, they that have been ſo cunning to hide their ſin, God will ſhame them to purpoſe at that day.
8. That the godly may have all the honour that can be put upon them, All Nations ſhall be gathered before him, that the godly of All Nations may know and hear of what the Saints in all Ages have done, what holy thoughts they have had, what gracious words they have ſpoken, what bleſſed works they have done, what Prayers, Alms, Faſts they have performed, and all the good in any kinde, at any time, to any perſon, in any condition, that they have done. When All Nations that have been in All Ages ſhall know this, Oh what height of honour and renown ſhall the Saints have!
9. That he may ſeparate one ſort from another. But of that afterward in the Text.
10. That he may ſhew that in every nation, &c. Act. 10.35. 1 Pet. 1.17.
11. That he may deelare that in Iſai. 40.15, 16, 17.
12. That he may ſhew that he has ſome of all Nation… where his Word hath come.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee the mighty Power of the Lord Jeſus, that all the Nations of the World that ever were, or are, or ſhall be, cannot be able to reſi…t, but they muſt all, will they nill they, be gathered before him at the Judgement day. Great is the power of one Nation in one Age, but much greater the power of all Nations in one Age; but all Nations in all Ages have farre greater power then the other: But how great ſoever their power is, they will not be able to put any of it forth at that day againſt the Lord Jeſus, but muſt be gathered all before him, and come to Judgement. 2. We ſee what powerful Spirits the Angels are, and how they do excel in ſtrength, who are to be imployed in gathering all Nations before Jeſus Chriſt at the laſt day. Well might the Pſalmiſt ſay, Pſal. 103.20. We are not able to conceive how ſtrong and powerful they be. 3. We ſee what great incoura…ement we have in the performance of ſecret duties and ſervices, for they ſhall be made known one day, and rewarded openly before all Nations, Mat. 6.4, 6, 18. ſecret Alms, ſecret Prayers, ſecret Faſts, that none have known of, that no mortal eye hath ſeen, ſhall be made known before all the Nations of the World at that day. 4. We ſee what great cauſe we have to beware of Hypocriſie, for it will come all out at that day before the whole World, Luke 12.1, 2. There are thoſe that can feign themſelves juſt men, and can ſmoothly and demurely carry themſelves, as if they were truly godly, and ſeem to be forward in the wayes of God, and out-ſtripped others, and yet have falſe and rotten hearts, and they may think well of themſelves, and others may think well of them, and yet be vile Hypocrites, keeping ſome luſts that they will not leave: But theſe ſhall be diſcovered before all the Nations of the World at that day, Prov. 26.23-26. 5 We ſee how happy the condition of the Saints will be at that day, for all the World ſhall then know what they are. Here they have been cenſured for Hypocrites and Diſſemblers, for loathſome and vile perſons as Chriſt himſelf and John Baptiſt were, Mat. 10.25. & 11.18, 19. Job. 19.12. and have gone for this and that and the other in the repute of men, and hav… had many …rievous Crimes laid to t…eir charge, as Tertullian ſpeaks of the C…riſtians in his time: but at that day, when all Na…ons ſhall be gat…ered before Chriſt, then the whole World ſhall know what they are, and what wrong they have undergone for Chriſt Jeſus ſake. 6. We ſee that all the wickedneſs of the wicked ſhall then come out, though never ſo cunningly contrived, and ſecretly committed, and u…derhand, and under board brought about; Murthers in the d…rk, Adulteries and other Filthineſſes in the dark, all the Night-pranks, that they durſt not do in the day, that they would have been afraid that the Sun ſhould have looked upon, theſe ſhall be known at that day, when all Nations ſhall be brought before Jeſus Chriſt, Eccleſ 12.14. 7. We ſee that all unrighteous and ungodly perſons that have been …meleſs in their wayes here, ſhall be horribly aſham…d and confounded at that day, for th…n all Nations ſhall be gathered before him. Who is able to conceive the ſhame that ſuch ſhall then be filled with? Oh the bluſhing that will be upon their faces, when all Nations ſhall know what vile perſons they have been! Dan. 12.2. If Davids ſhame was great, when God threatned to puniſh him openly, and before the Sun, … Sam. 12.12. Oh what ſhame and diſhonour will cover them, whoſe wickedneſs ſhall be made known before God, Angels, and all the Nations of the World! 8. We ſee that all the Nations are nothing to God, Iſa. 40.17. Oh who would not then fear him! Jer. 10.7. 9. We ſee how vain a thing it is for a man to reſiſt and fight againſt God, when all Nations cannot do it, Acts 5.39. 10. We ſee the miſerable caſe of thoſe Nations that know not god at that day. Jer. 10.25.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To all thoſe that rejected Chriſt and his words here, and would none of him, they muſt all be gathered before him, 1 Pet. 4.17, 18. Hebr. 2.2, 3. 2. To thoſe that have been vile in ſecret, Epheſ. 5.12. 3. To thoſe that have been cruel to his Saints. 4. To thoſe that talk of his delay in Coming, Mat. 24.48.
Ʋſe 3. for Humiliation: 1. That we breathe no more then we do after that day. 2. That we are ſo apt to fear men, Luke 12.4, 5. 3. That we are ſo apt to be troubled at a company that riſe up againſt us, 2 King 6.16. 4. That we glorifie and honour Chriſt ſo little, that hath all Nations at his command.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To tremble to ſin againſt Chriſt Jeſus, that will convent all Nations before him. 2. To bow and ſtoop to his golden Scepter of Grace, that all Nations ſee us not broken with his Rod of Iron, Pſa 2.9, 12. 3. To beware that we reſiſt him not, nor the motions of his holy Spirit, nor quench, nor grieve him. 4. To ſet up a Tribunal in our hearts before hand, that though it go … with the moſt of all Nations, yet it may go well with us, 1 Cor. 11.31, 32. 5. To gather our ſelves together … a way of Repentance before this great gathering day, Zeph. 2.1. 6. To get under Chriſts gathering wing, Mat. 23.37. 7. To gather with Chriſt, Mat. 12.30. 8. To Watch and pray alwayes, that we may be counted worthy to eſcape, &c. Luke 21.36. 9. To gather in company with Saints here, in performance of ſuch Duties as may fit us for this great gathering day, Mal. 3.16, 17.10. To beware we gather not in company with wicked men, leſt we be ſcattered to our eternal ruine in that day. 11. To diſperſe and ſcatter abroad what God hath given us to the poor, Pſal. 112.9. Mat. 25.34, 35. 12. To gather up all the words of Grace we hear into our memories and hearts, if Job. 6.12. then, &c.
Ʋſe 5. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt all the corrupt cenſures of wicked men againſt the Saints; at that great gathering day they will be cleared. 2. Againſt the falſe imputations that Satan brings againſt them, he ſhall be found a lyar before all Nations. 3. Againſt the tyranny of Antichriſt, and thoſe that take his part: his wickedneſs will then appear before all Nations. 4. Againſt thoſe wicked deeds and hard ſpeeches that ungodly men have been guilty of, Jude, ver 14, 15.