The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 6
Ver. 32. And he ſhall ſet the ſheep on his right hand, &c.
Doct. VI. is this That the Lord reckons of his Elect … his ſheep, and of Reprobates as goats.
We will ſpeak of the firſt Branch firſt, That the Elect are ſleep: ſo they are often called, Job. 10, 3, 4, 11, 14, 26, 27.
For opening of which, let me ſhew 1. In what reſpects they may be ſaid to be ſheep. 2. Why his ſheep. 3. The Uſes.
For the firſt: They may be ſaid to be Sheep, in ſundry reſpects. 1 In that they are marked out, for ſo are other ſheep marked, and ſo are theſe, Iohn 10.14, 27. 2 Tim: 2.19. 2. Sheep are meek and milde Iſay 53.7. dumb when before the ſhearers, when in the Butchers hands, So was the Shepherd, and ſo are they Pſal: 44.21. 2 Chron: 24.21, 22. 3. Sheep are ſerviceable to the owner, with their milk and with their wool, and with their increaſe. So are the elect Saints Acts 13.36. Rom. 1.9. Acts 26.7. 4. Sheep are eaſily ruled by the voyce and whiſtle of the ſhepherd, So are the Lords elect ones, eaſily ruled, a word from his mouth rules them Iohn 10.27. 5. Sheep of all other creatures, are moſt ſimple, and unable to defend themſelves Mat: 10.16. and moſt ſubject to be made a prey of. So the Saints Heb: 11.35, 36, 37. 6. Sheep are moſt acure and exact in knowing their ſhepherd, ſo the elect Saints are very ſkilful, in knowing Chriſt, Iohn 10.14. 7. Sheep have nothing in them but is of uſe, their very dung is not excepted. So all of the Saints is of uſe, even that that is the worſt of them, their afflictions, their Sinnes. 8. Sheep when they are killed they are wholy for their Maſters uſe, ſo the Saints when killed are wholy for their Maſters uſe and ſervice, then they are wholy for him: though their bodies be unſerviceable, yet in their ſoules they are moſt ſerviceable. Hebr. 12.23. 9. Sheep keep together and feed together: ſo doe the Saints love to be together, Act. 2.44. Mal. 3.16. 10. Sheep doe then moſt flock together in ſtormy times, ſo doe the Saints, they are moſt together at ſuch times, love one another beſt then, Mal. 3.16.11. Sheep are very obnoxious, to be devoured and ſpoiled by dogs and wolves: ſo the Saints, Mat 7.15. Act. 28.29. 12. Sheep are ſubject to great ſcattering, ſo the Elect to be ſcattered by perſecution, Act. 8.4. Jam. 1.1. 1 Pet. 1.1.
Q. 2. In what ſence are they his ſheep?
Anſ. 1. He hath bought and purchaſed them 1. Cor. 6. ult 2. He hath marked them out for himſelfe. 3. He leade… them, Joh. 10. 4. He knowes them, Joh. 10.14. 5. He laid down his life for them, Joh. 10.11. 6. He rules them by his rod and ſtaffe. 7. He feeds them and cauſes them to lie down &c. Pſal. 23.1, 2. 8. He tenders them, Iſai. 40.11. 9 He preſerves them in dangers, Pſal. 23.4. 10. He ſets his dogs upon them, Satan and his Inſtruments.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee that the Lord will not let his Elect want paſture, Pſal. 23.1, 2. John 10.9. he will feed their ſoules with ſpirituall food, Ezek. 34.14. 2. We ſee a reaſon why they are ſo apt to wander and goe aſtray: ſo doe other ſheep, and ſo doe they, Pſal. 119. ult. Iſai. 53.6. 3. We ſee a reaſon why he will reduce them and gather them from their wanderings; they are his ſheep, and he will reduce them from their erring paths, Ezek. 34.12. 4. We ſee why he gives ſuch charge to his Miniſters to feed them, they are his ſheep, John 21.15, 16, 17. 2 Tim. 4.1, 2. 1 Pet. 5.1, 2. 5. We ſee that ſurely the Lord will ſafely fold them up in his church here and in the kingdome of glory hereafter Ezek 34. Hebr. 12.23. and that's a good fold indeed. 6. We ſee that he will ſurely gather the ſcattered of the Jewes together though they have been ſo long diſperſed, John 10.16, 2 Cor 3.16. Hoſ. 3. ult. Rom. 11.25, 26. 7. We ſee the mercy of the Lord towards us …nd the freeneſs of his grace in that be hath paſſed by ſo many thouſands of Men and Angels and hath made us the ſubjects of his Electing love, made us his ſheep when there are ſo many reprobate goats, Epheſ. 1.3, 4. 8. We ſee a reaſon of the patient ſuffering of the Saints in all ages. 9. We ſee how precious the Saints ſhould be to us they are his choſen flock, and the ſheep of his Paſture. 10. We ſee the miſerable condition of thoſe that are cruel to the Saints and kill them, they ſhall one day know whoſe ſheep they were that they have been thus cruel to
Ʋſe 2 for Humiliation: 1. That we do ſo little reſemble ſheep. 2. That we are rather woolves then ſheep one to another, makeing a prey one of another. 3. That we are ſo ignorant in not diſcerning ſheep from goates & goates frō ſheep
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To hear the voice of our bleiſed ſhepherd, John 10.27. 2. To follow him who goes before us and to be content to be led by him, ibid. 3. To be of a meek and patient ſpirit in all our ſufferings as becomes the ſheep of Chriſt, Hebr. 12.1, 2, 3. 4. To feed in our green p…ſtures and to thrive under the meanes God afford; 2 Pet. 3.18. 5. To be thankfull that he folds us in his Church here Pſal. 23. ult. 6. To long to bee folded up in glory. 7. To pity thoſe that want means that are faint and ſcattered as ſheep without a ſhepherd. Mat. 9.36. 8. To beware of woolves in ſheeps clothing, Mat. 7.15. ſheep know one another. 9. To converſe together much eſpecially in evill times, Mal. 3.16. Act. 2.42, 44. 10. To be harmeleſs as ſheep are, Phil. 2.15.
Ʋſe 4. for Conſolation: 1. That he will not ſee any of them loſt: John 6.29. & 10.28. 2. That the Lord will be very tender over them, Iſai. 40.11. 3. He will ſave them from dogs and wolves and all that would prey upon them and devour them. 4. That he will gather them together into one bleſſed fold, the whole company of his Elect ones.
Having finiſhed the firſt branch of the ſixth Doctrine,
That the Lord reckons of the Elect as his Sheep, It remaines that we come to the ſecond part, That the Reprebates are goats.
For the opening of which, let me ſhew, 1. In what reſpects they may be ſaid to be goats. 2. The Uſes.
For the firſt, They may be ſaid to be goats in many reſpects. 1. Goats are refractory and unruly creatures, all that know them, know this by them: So are wicked men and reprobates, of refractory and unruly ſpirits, will not be ruled neither by the Lawes of God nor men, but break through all the f…nces that God and men have ſet them: Hence they are called children of Belial, 1 Sam: 2.12. and children of the wicked one, Mat: 13.38. and of the Devil, Iohn 8.44. and 1 Iohn 3.10. 2. Goats are harmfull creatures, and make great ſpoyl w…ere they come, if they get into an orchard, they will do much miſchief, and ſo in other places, barking and pilling, ſpoiling and killing all ſorts of trees: So are wicked men and reprobates, harmefull creatures, Prov: 4.16, 17. Pſal. 55.15. & 36.1, 2, 3, 4.3. Goats will do a great deale of harme in a little time, in one half hour they will do more harm ſometimes then they are worth, when they come into ſome places: So it is with theſe men, Prov. 1.16. Rom: 3.15. Habak. 1.8. 4. Goats eſpecially the great hee goats, thruſt with ſide and ſhoulder and puſh the weaker cattell with their hornes. Ezek: 34.21 He compares Tyrannical men to ſuch creatures, and indeed great men like the hee goats thruſt with ſide and ſhoulder, and puſh with their hornes againſt weaker ones, oppreſs and vexe them, Iſai 3.14, 15 Micah 2.1, 2. & 7.3, 4. 5. Goats are wanton and libidinous: So are theſe men, 2 Pet: 2.14, 18. Iude verſe 8. Ier: 5.7, 8- Hoſ. 7.6, 7. 6. Goats are climbing creatures, ſometimes will get up to the tops of houſes, and tops of rocks and mountaines: So are theſe of a climbing aſpiring nature, of ambitious ſpirits Eſther 3.1, 2. & 6.6, 7, 8, 9. 2 Sam: 15.4. Acts 12.21, 22, 23 2 Sam. 17.23. Acts 8.9, 18, 19, 3 Iohn 9. 7. Goats are wandering creatures, ſtraying from one mountain to an other: So theſe men, Pſal. 95.10. Ezek: 44.10. Rom: 3 12. Ier: 2, 5. 8. Goats are unſavory and caſt a ſtinking ſent where they come: So do theſe men, they are unſavory in their communication, unſavoury in their converſation, … 1 Cor: 15.32, 33. Epheſ. 4.19. Iudges 19.22, there are ſome that are ſo unſavoury, Iſai 3.9. that they defile all the places where they come, and cauſe Religion to ſtinke, and the name of God to be evill ſpoken of, Rom: 2.24. 1 Sam 2.17. 9. Goats are more uſefull when they are dead then when alive. So evil men when dead make ſome the better for them, then ſome that fear God are bettered in their eſtates by them, Eccl. 2. ult. then the poor ſometimes have ſomething by them, for Provverbs 28.8. 10. Goats will fight one with another: ſo evill men will quarrell one with another, Drunkards at their cups, unclean perſons will ſight for their Miſtreſſes, proud perſons will contend one with another for preheminence & priority and for the wall, and who ſhould ſit higheſt at feaſts, and in ſynagogues, and the contention ſometimes is ſo hot, that it comes to loſs of bloud. 11. Goats commonly goe together and care not to be with the ſheep: So evill men care for no other company but ſuch as are like themſelves, drunkards goe together, Iſai. 5.12, 13. Adulterers goe by troopes, Jer. 5.7. Gen. 19.4. robbers goe by companies. Hoſ. 7.1. gameſters throng together. 12. Goats commonly have one among them that is the chief, that leades the reſt; ſo among evil men, and at their ſeveral companyes, there is commonly one leading man that the reſt follow in a way of wickedneſs: Antichriſt is ye leader of all his party … Korah was the leader of all his rebellious company, Numb. 16.1. Demetrius the Silver-ſmith was the leader in that Tumult at Epheſus, Acts 19. Alexander the Copper-ſmith was the leader in that oppoſition againſt Paul, 2 Tim. 4.14.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee what diſhonour evil men do put upon themſelves by their ſins, in that they are compared to Goats, which have ſo many evil properties, as have been ſpoken of. 2. We ſee the truth of that in 1 S…m. 2.30. God himſelf ſtyles them Goats: they have put diſhonour upon him, and he will put diſhonour upon them. But of that more in the next Note. 3. We ſee that men make themſelves bruitiſh by their ſins: Sin does un-man thoſe that are given to it. 4. We ſee how loathſome and unſavoury evil men are in the noſtrils of God, in that he compares them to ſtinking Goats. Hence God is ſaid to abborre them. Pſal. 10.4. and their ſervices, Iſa. 1.11, 12, 13, 14. Hence their thoughts are ſaid to be an abomination to him, Prov. 15.26. and their ſacrifices, ver. 8. and their way, ver. 9. 5. We ſee how earthly-minded ſuch men be, and how ſenſual; for they follow the luſts of the fleſh, and the luſts of the eyes, and the pride of life, they have no ſerious thoughts of God, or of Heaven, but all for the ſatiſfying of their ſenſual appetites, and unclean deſires, and ambitious projects, and the like. They are Goats, 1 Joh. 2.16. 6. We ſee that they that are of a Goat-like ſpirit, will be in a ſad condition in the day of Judgement; it is a black Brand of a Reprobate. 7. We ſee what great difference the Lord puts between men and men, as much as is between Sheep and Goats. 8. We ſee that among evil men, they are the worſt that are leaders in a way of wickedneſs: The leader cauſeth all the unrulineſs that is in the reſt of the Goats. 9. We ſee what a ſad judgement it is to do much miſchief in a little time againſt our ſelves or others; it is a ſign of a Reprobate and a Goat. 10. We ſee that Reprobates may be known by others, it is eaſie to know a Goat; a man of ſuch a ſpirit, ſo continuing, we may ſay is a Reprobate. 11. We ſee that the more miſchievous any be in the places where they live, the more they diſcover themſelves to be reprobate Goats; for Goats are miſchievous creatures. 12. We ſee that it is a dreadful ſign of Reprobation, to be of an haughty and aſpiring nature, to climb high, and to ſeek great things in the world, Prov. 16.18. & 18.12. and may be a curb to all proud ſpirits, that would fain be counted above the reſt of their brethren: that ſpirit will undo any man, whoever he is.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To all wanton, laſcivious, libidinous, and unclean perſons, if God give them not Repentance they are in a ſtate of Reprobation, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Eph. 5.5. 2. To all thoſe that thruſt with ſide and ſhoulder, and puſh with their horns thoſe that are feebler then themſelves, that abuſe their power to cruſh and afflict the poor, and ſuch as have no power to withſtand them: it is a dreadful ſign of Reprobation, 1 Theſſ. 4.6. Zeph. 3.19. 3. To all thoſe that are unſavoury in their communication, in their converſation, that caſt a ſtinking ſcent in all places where they come: theſe are branded by the holy Ghoſt for Reprobates, they are like ſtinking Goats. 4. To all thoſe that are unruly ones, that will not be fenced in with any Pale of Gods Law or Mans, but will break all bounds that are ſet to them, and leap over all hedges and fences that are made to reſtrain them: this is a ſign of Reprobation, Jer. 5.5, 6.
Ʋſe 3. for Examination: Whether we have not the properties of Goats? it concerns us to look to it, for it will be ſad to be found among the number of Goats at that day.
Q. How ſhall we know?
Anſ. Enough hath been ſpoken for diſcovery already: but let me lay down two or three Properties more.
1. If we be of the number of Goats, we ſhall diſcover it by the wilde trips we ſhall take, and by the wilde leaps we ſhall make: for ſo do Goats they have many a wilde trip and leap; ſo ſuch are unſetled, leap from place to place, and keep not within their callings. 2. We ſhall diſcover it by the wildneſs of our fancies; for Goats have wilde fancies. 3. By the dangers we run into; for ſo do Goats run into dangerous places, high Rocks, &c. 4. By the places we haunt; for wilde Goats have their haunts in loneſome deſolate places: if we haunt bad places, we had need fear that we are Goats.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: To look to it that we be not found of this number at that day: And for this end we are 1. To forſake the company of ſuch: for Goats will go together, Prov. 13.20. & 1.10, 11, &c. 2. To beware of filthy and corrupt communication, Eph 4.29. Col. 38. and converſation, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. 3. Be of an humble ſpirit, 1 Pet. 5.5. for Goats are high climbing creatures. 4. Adorn we our Profeſſion by a gracious Converſation; take beed we make not Religion to be abhorred, and to ſtink for our ſakes. 5. To keep within our Callings, and not leap from one Calling to another, 1 Cor. 7.20. 6. To beware of an unruly ſpirit, Jam. 4.7. 1 Pet. 2.13, 14.