The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 7
Ver. 33. And he ſhall ſet the ſheep on his right hand, &c.
Doct. VII. is this That the Lord Jeſus will honour his Elect, and put diſhonour upon Reprobates at the day of Judgement. To be ſet on the right hand, is a ſign of honour, as 1 Kings 2.19. and to be ſet on the l…ft hand, a token of diſhonour.
Reaſons of the former Branch 1. They are they that have …onoured him in this life, and he will honour them not onelyonly here, but in another world, 1 Sam. 2.30. 2. They have ſought for glory and honour by patient continuance in well doing; they have ſought it in a right way, and they ſhall have it, Rom. 2.7. 3. They are veſſels of mercy prepared for it, Rom 9.23. 2 Tim. 2.20. and therefore ſhall have honour and glory beſtowed upon them. 4. They are they that ſhall have dominion over the wicked, Pſal. 49.14. and this honour is part of that dominion. 5. They are the Brethren of Chriſt, and ſo acknowledged by him in the Text, and John 20.17. Heb. 2.11, 12. and will not he honour his Brethren? 6. They are the Children of Chriſt, Heb. 2.13. and he will think no honour too great to beſtow upon them at that day. 7. They are the Members of Chriſt, who is the Head of his Body, 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 5.30. and he will ſurely put honour upon his Members. 8. They are they that he hath bought with an honourable price, 1 Cor. 6.20. Acts 20.28. 1 Pet. 1.18, 19 And therefore He will be ſure to honour them. 9. They are the firſt-fruits of his Creatures, Jam. 1.18. and the firſt fruits are honourably received as a Preſent fit for Princes. 10. They are fit for honour, they are wiſe men: Honour even in this world is not ſeemly for a fool, Prov. 26.1. but wiſe men are fit for honour, they know how to uſe it, to prize it, to praiſe God for it. 11. They are ſtyled Excellent and Honourable even in this life, Pſal. 16.3. Prov. 12.26. and therefore no wonder if the Lord put honour upon them at that day, 1 Pet. 2.9. Apoc 1.6. 12. They are they that ſhall bear his Image, 1 Cor. 15.49. 1 Joh. 3.2. and therefore no wonder if he honour them, and in teſtimony of it ſet them on his right hand.
Reaſons of the latter Branch; viz. Diſhonour on Reprobats. 1. They have diſhonoured him and deſpiſed him in their life upon earth, and he will diſhonour and lightly eſteem them at that day, 1 Sam. 2.30. 2. They have been unfaithful Stewards, and unprofitable Servants, and how ſhould their Maſter do any other but put diſhonour upon them: would any Maſter upon earth honour ſuch ſervants. Luk. 16. 3. They are veſſels of diſhonour fitted for deſtruction, 2 Tim. 2.20. Rom. 9.22. & therefore no wonder if he put diſhonour upon them. 4. They have uſed his members and bretheren very diſhonourably, put all the diſgrace and diſhonour they could upon them, Mat. 5.10.11, 12. Joh. 16.33 & 15.20. Hebr. 11.35, 36, 37, 38. and can the Lord do any other but diſhonour them that have put ſuch diſhonour upon his precious ones? 5. They have been aſhamed of him and of his words, Mar. 8. ult. and if he be aſhamed of them and refuſe to honour them it is not to be marvelled at. 6 They are loathſom…ones, and as God brings ſhame and diſhonour upon them here, as it is in Prov. 13.5. ſo alſo at that day. 7. They are an abomination to the Lord in their thoughts in their ſervices, in their wayes, Prov. 15.8, 9, 26. and is it not meet then he ſhould put diſhonour upon them. 8 They are fit for nothing elſe but diſhonour, honour is unſeemly for ſuch fools 9. They are a diſhonour ſometimes to all their kindred and friends, a diſhonour to their families to their neighbours to the places where they live; and what is meet to be the reward of ſuch but diſhonour? 10. They are the ſhame and diſhonour of their Lords houſe, Iſai 22.18. and is not diſhonour then fit to be their portion? 11. They are they that diſhonour themſelves diſhonour their bodies by uncleaneſs by fond attyre, by long hair, 1 Cor. 11. and is it not meet that ſuch ſhould be diſhonoured at that day? 12. They have been a diſhonour to the Goſpel, to the religion they have profeſſed, they have caſt dirt and diſhonour upon Churches, and if ſo, what can they expect, but diſhonour at Chriſts hand at that day?
Ʋſe 1. of the firſt Branch for Information 1. We ſee that the elect Saints need not be much troubled though they ſuffer ſome diſhonour in this world, for Chriſt will honour them at that day. Acts 5.41. & 16.24, 25. Heb. 12 2. 2. We ſee how faithfull the Lord is in his promiſe, in that he will honour them that honour him. Hebr: 10.23. who would not truſt ſuch a faithfull one? 3. We ſee the bleſſed condition of the Saints of Chriſt, that He himſelfe will put honour upon at that day: Haman thought it a great part of his happineſs, that he was ſo honoured by the King, and that he was in hope of more honour, Eſthur 6.5, 6 But on how happy are they that Chriſt will delight to honour at that day! 4. We ſee that we need never repent that we have been ſervants unto Chriſt, for we have ſerved ſuch a maſter as will ſurely honour us. If he that waiteth on his Maſter come to honour, Prov 27.18. much more they that wait upon ſuch a maſter as he is. 5. Wee ſee how contemptible the honour of the World ſhould be, we ſhould trample upon it with diſdai…, rather then loſe the hope of Chriſts honour at that day. 6. We ſee that they that ſeeks Chriſts Honour more then their own ſhall be no looſers by it, for he will honour them at that day. 7. We ſee with what diligence, and chearfulneſs we ſhould goe about our Maſter, ſervice, for he will Honour us at that day. 8. We ſee how tender we ſhould be of the name of Chriſt, that no diſhonour may come to him by our meanes, for he will ſet us at his right hand with Honour.
Of the ſecond Branch. 1. We ſee how Juſt the Lord is, and how equal his wayes are in putting diſhonour upon them that have diſhonoured him, Ezek 18.25. 2. We ſee the folly of thoſe men, that ſeek Honour from men, and make it the chiefe thing that they deſire after, alas theſe little think of the diſhonour, that ſhall be put upon them at the day of Judgement. 3. We ſee the miſchiefe that is in Sin, it puts the greateſt diſhonour upon thoſe that are given to it. 4. We ſee the wofull eſtate of ſuch Iſai. 3 11. 5. We ſee that evill men ſhall find that yt they can leaſt bear at that day, and that is diſhonour. 6. We ſee the trueth of that in Prov. 3.35.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To all high Climbing ambitious ſpirits, that covet to be above others. 2. To thoſe that doe all they can to diſhonour Chriſt, they ſhall have diſhonour for diſhonour.
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To Saints, 1. To Honour Chriſt Jeſus, Pſal 2.12. 2. To rejoyce in hope of this honour Rom. 12.12. 3. To long for the day when it ſhall be. Apoc. 22.20. 4. To beware we diſhonour not our ſelves but poſſeſs our veſſels in holineſs & honour, 1 Theſ. 4.3, 4. 5. To eſteem highly of the reproach of Chriſt, Heb: 11.26. 6. To do all that wee can for him. 7. To ſuffer any thing for him. 8. To ſtick conſtantly to him.
2. To evil men. 1. To tremble at the diſhonour that ſhall then be put upon them. 2. To give honour to the Lord by Repentance, Faith, Obedience. 3. To deſpiſe worldly honours for Chriſt. 4. To hearken to Chriſts voyce. Prov. 1.22, 23, 24, 25. 5. To think of this day often to prevent this evill. 6. To deſire of God that whatever they have been formerly, they may not be found in that ſtate.
Ʋſe. 4. for Conſolation. 1. Againſt the Worlds diſhonour that is put upon us. 2. Againſt the honour that wicked men have put upon them here. 3. Againſt all our feares leſt we ſhould ſhare in the diſhonour at that day. 4. Againſt Satanical whiſperers of Goat-like behaviour in former times.