Davids Blessed Man, Part 6
The firſt Pſalme.
VERSE. 5.
Therefore the wicked ſhall not bee able to ſtand in the Iudgement, nor Sinners in the Aſſembly of the Righteous.
The deſcription of a wicked man in the life to come.HEere the Prophet deſcribes the wicked & vngodly man by his fearefull end, and that which ſhall befall him hereafter. And that he draweth into two phraſes of ſpeech. Firſt, They ſhall not ſtand in Iudgement. Secondly, They ſhall not bee aſſotiates with the iuſt. So that we ſee, that howſoeuer now the wicked beare it out, and ſeeme to be the onelyonly men in the world, yet in that great day of the Lord, when we muſt all appeare before his Barre, that will iudge iuſtly without reſpect of perſons; then theſe wretched men ſhall not bee able to ſtand, that is, to indure the ſentence of the Iudge, and his angry countenance, but ſhall receiue the fearfull doome of eternall death, Depart from me yee curſed.
Well then, by this we learne, thatDoctr. 1. The certaintie of the day of iudgment proued. Malac. 4.1. there ſhall be a iudgement, wherein men muſt ſtand to appeare before God, to giuegive account of their work; and this we acknowledge in that article of our Faith when we ſay, Wee beleeue that hee ſhall come to iudge both the quick and the dead. Behold (ſaith the Lord) The day commeth that ſhall burne as an Ouen. And all the proud, and all the wicked ſhall bee Stubble: Mat. 25 41 Acts 17.31 2. Cor. 5.10 2. Theſ. 1.7 8.9. Reu. 20.12 1. Pet. 3.3.and the day that commeth ſhall burne them vp. And our Sauior aluding to that day ſaith, Then will I ſay to them on my left hand, &c. Againe, He hath appoynted a day in the which hee will iudge the world in righteouſneſſe. Now if there were no places in the Scriptures but this Text, it might ſuffice to proue that there ſhall bee a day of Iudgement.
But beſides theſe Teſtimonies, there be certaine reaſons that proue the ſame, taken from the Nature of God and his principall Attributes, his MercieMercy and Iuſtice: which wee muſt needs confeſſe, hee is moſt true in both, he is moſt merciful, and moſt iuſt.
And therefore hauing promiſed it ſhall goe well with his Children, that they ſhall be happy and bleſſed. And that the wicked ſhall be miſerable and curſed. In theſe two reſpects it muſt needs bee, that there muſt be a day of Iudgement. For in this world who indure more miſery, griefe and wrong then Gods Children? who are contemned, mocked miſuſed,Luke 16. and by all meanes abuſed by wicked men. They are in want, ſickneſſe, perſecution, in pouertie, and a thouſand miſeries beſides. But the wicked flouriſh, liue in wealth, and eaſe, and all things that heart can wiſh. Now then ſeeing this is the eſtate of Gods children in this world, full of troubles and miſeries, and the wicked liue at eaſe, according to their luſts: It muſt needs follow, that there muſt bee a day of Iudgement; when God ſhall ſhew his mercy in bleſſing and crowning the vertues of his children: and likewiſe in executing Iuſtice vponupon the wicked and vngodly.
O that men and women could often thinke of the time of the laſt iudgement! Vſe. Oh that we could beſtow that time which we beſtow vponupon our pleaſures, and fooliſh ſports, to meditate on this day! O that men would beſtow that time which they beſtow on vnprofitable, if not ſinfull exerciſes: As carding, dicing, decking and painting theſe carkaſſes of theirs! Oh (I ſay) happy were we if wee could beſtow this time in thinking of this iudgement: what ſhall then become of vsus for euermore?
There is no man ſo wrethed and deſperate but he can wiſh with Balaam Oh that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my laſt end might be like one of theirs! Labour now then in time to become a new creature, walke with God in obedience, labour for ſanctification: and this will cauſe thee to ſtand out in this iudgement.
Now that the wicked ſhall not ſtand in this iudgement, ſome may heere obiect and ſay, This is that which we deſire, that we may not appeare before the face of that angry iudge, whoſe preſence is ſo intollerable.
But alas, this is not all: for then the wicked might ſeeme to be bleſſed, if they might here delight in ſin, and drinke downe iniquitie like water, and neuer bee called to account for the ſame. Therefore the wicked ſhall appeare in Iudgement:In foure reſpects the wicked muſt appeare in iudgment. and yet not any whit contrarie to this Text, which ſaith, The wicked ſhall not ſtand in iudgement, and that in theſe foure reſpects.
Firſt, in regard of their appearance there,Iere. 35.21 The Lord will enter into iudgement with all fleſh: if with all fleſh, then chiefly with ſuch kind of fleſh as are ſpecies of that genus, So fleſh, as that they are nothing but fleſh, that hauehave not the ſeed of the ſpirit remaining in them.
Secondly, they muſt ariſe and appeare in this iudgement, in reſpect of the ſinners araignment at Gods iudgment barre. For we muſt not onelyonly appeare in iudgement,2. Cor. 5.10 but before the iudgement ſeate of Chriſt.
Thirdly, they muſt ariſe and appeare in this iudgment, to be indited: for God will bring eueryevery work of theirs into iudgement, Eccl. 12.14whether they bee good or euill.
Fourthly and laſtly, they muſt ariſe and ſtand in this iudgement, to heare the ſentence of the Iudge of heauen and earth paſſe againſt them,Mat. 25.41 Depart from mee yee curſed, into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the Diuell and his Angels. A thundring Sentence indeede, able (if it were poſſible) to wound to death the hatrs of the wicked, but they ſhall after death never die. Yea, eueryevery word of the ſentence ſeemes to be moſt fearfull & terrible.
Firſt, what they ſhall do; Depart.
Secondly, how they ſhall depart; Curſed.
Thirdly, from whom; From me.
Fourthly, whither; Into fire.
Fifthly, into what fire; Euerlaſting fire.
Sixtly, by what right; Prepared.
Seuenthly, with what company; The Diuell and his Angels.
Hitherto, and thus farre the wicked muſt ariſe, and ſtand in Iudgement: but after this ſentence is once giuen, they ſhall neuer riſe vp to appeare in Iudgement any more. But where it is ſaid, They ſhall not ſtand in Iudgement: This is meant onelyonly in reſpect of Gods fauour. For this is proper onelyonly to the godly, thus to ſtand in iudgement, who are bold in reſpect of Ieſus Chriſt their elder Brother, in whoſe righteouſneſſe they appeare.
Oh that all men would conſider Vſe 1 this, high, low; rich, poore; noble, and ſimple; That no wicked man ſhall ſtand in iudgement, but ſhall heare the fearefull ſentence of eternall vengeance, Depart from mee yee curſed. O how ready are men to put from them this day of reckoning! They ſeeme to hauehave made a league with Death,Eſay 28.15 and to bee at an agreement with the Graue. But the Lord will diſanull this their agreement, and the time will come when theſe wicked wretches will bee glad to put their heads in an awger hole, when they ſhall cry vntounto the rockes and hils to fall vponupon them to hide them, and to couer them from the wrath of God, the angry Iudge, whom they are not able to endure. Who would buy gold at ſuch a rate, or pleaſures ſo deere, to looſe his ſoule in hell fire for euer, for the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon heere?
Secondly, we are taught here, that Vſe 2 as all wicked and vngodly men bee wretched and miſerable in their life: So at the day of Iudgement their eſtate is much more fearefull: for it is ſaid here, They ſhall not ſtand in iudgement, but ſhall quake and tremble, as not being able to endure the angry countenance of the Iudge:Reu. 20.14 For now they ſhal ſee the books brought forth, and their ſinnes laid open. O good Lord! what ſhall vngodly men do then? which way ſhall they turne them? when they ſhall ſee the Iudge ſtand aboue them with a naked ſword to cut them off; and the deuils ready to execute Gods eternall iudgements on them: poore ſoules, what ſhall become of them? How can they ſtand? how can they endure it? And yet they muſt vndergo it, and endure it.
But more then this, they muſt receiue that fearefull ſentence of eternall vengeance, Depart yee curſed, &c. So as now they muſt remaine in perpetuall priſon, in the darke dungeon of hell for euer; where the paines are endleſſe, eaſleſſe, and remedileſſe: They ſhall hauehave no eaſe, no not one drop of water to coole their tongue: And this word, euerlaſting Torment doth euen kill the heart of the damned: for if a man in hell torments might lie in torments ſo many thouſand yeares as bee Starres in the firmament, or ſand on the Sea ſhoare:Eſa. 30.30. it were ſome comfort to a damned ſoule, that once there might bee an end thereof. But alas, when he hath ſuffered torments ſo many yeares, the number to ſuffer ſtill will euer remaine infinite. God giuegive vsus grace that we may become righteous, that ſo wee may ſtand in iudgement.
The ſecond part of the miſery of a wicked man in the life to come, is: Hee ſhall not ſtand in the aſſembly of the Iuſt.
IN theſe words is noted out vntounto vsus a ſecond branch of the iudgement of the wicked in the life to come. That they ſhall be ſeuered and ſecluded from the company of the Iuſt.
Heauen is called the New Ieruſalem, wherein enters no vncleane thing; onelyonly this is the place where the iuſt do abide: Heere are all the holy Patriarkes, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob; heere are the Apoſtles, heere are the holy Martyrs, and conſtant witneſſes of CHRISTS truth; here are all the Saints that ſleepe in Chriſt, heere they reſt and ſing continually, Praiſe, honour, and glory vntounto him that ſitteth vponupon the Throne: heere they enioy the preſence of God, and ſee his face continually. Now to bee depriued of this place, and to be ſeuered from this company, it is a miſery with a witneſſe. And this is that miſery heere pointed out in this ſecond place, They ſhall not ſtand in the Aſſembly of the Iuſt.
The Church is to bee vnderſtood two wayes, Militant and Triumphant, and from both of theſe the wicked are excluded: for howſoeuer the wicked liue amongſt the godly, as Tares amongſt the good Wheate, as Cain, and Eſau, and Iudas did amongſt the godly, yet they were not of the godly; They went out from vsus, becauſe they were not of vsus: But this is not directly intended in this place.
But of the Church Triumphant in the kingdome of heauen, where the godly enioy Ieſus Chriſt,Pſal. 16.12 In whoſe preſence is the fulneſſe of ioy, and at whoſe right hand is pleaſure for euermore: heere the wicked ſhall not ſtand in this Aſſembly: Exod. 3.For if Moſes might not ſtand vponupon the holy ground, before he had put off his ſhooes: Oh how much leſſe ſhall ſinfull wretches ſtand in the preſence of the euerliuing God, hauing on the ſhooes of their ſinfull affection! Yea it is now moſt iuſt with God, that ſuch ſhould be ſhut from Heauen, the Church Triumphant, ſeeing they neuer warred in the Church Militant.
Neither the ſinners in the aſſembly of the iuſt.
Doctr. 2. All Mankinde diuided into two ranks.HEere then we learne, that there are two ſorts of men in the world, Good and Bad, Sheep & Goates, Elect and Reprobate: and heere in this world they liue together, but after death in the laſt iudgement, there ſhall bee two places appointed for them;Mat. 25.34 one on the right hand, another on the left; one in honour, the other in ſhame; one in ioy and comfort, the other in feare and horror. And as wicked men in this life could neuer abide the company and ſociety of the godly, but did mock and ſcoffe at them, and ſhun their company as much as they could; ſo in the great day of account, in that great and generall ſeparation. The ſinners ſhall not appeare in the aſſembly of the righteous, but ſhall bee ſeuered and ſundred by the great Shepheard of the ſheepe, the Iudge of the whole world.
Now that wicked men ſhun and auoid the company of the godly, and do deſire and ſeeke the company of the wicked, it is plaine by experience, and therefore it is iuſt with God, that at the laſt day they ſhould bee ſeuered and ſecluded their company: and as they loued and delighted in the company of wicked men, and ſuch as hauehave no feare of God before their eyes, ſo now they ſhall hauehave their belly full of their company. How did Cain hate Abel? Pharaoh, Moſes and Aaron? Saul, Dauid? the Iewes our Sauiour Chriſt? Elymas the company of Paul? And on the contrary part, how one wicked man doth louelove the company of another like himſelfe,Pſalm. 50. common experience doth proue it.
And heere wicked men bee noyſome and troubleſome to the godly, as Goats to ſheep, they tread downe their paſture, they trample in their water,Ezek. 34. and they puſh them with their hornes: Chriſts ſheep now ſuſtaine ſundry wrongs and iniuries, and are much annoyed and vexed by thoſe ſtinking and vnruly Goates. But there will come a day of ſeparation, Mal. 3.18.to the horror of the wicked, and comfort of the godly.
Further, in theſe words wee may conſider the eſtate of the righteous at the laſt iudgement: that is, of the elect of God, ſuch as hauehave truely repented of their ſinnes, by faith, beleeue and embrace Ieſus Chriſt, and are iuſtified through his obedience in the ſight of God; ſurely their eſtate ſhall bee bleſſed and happy, and ſo great, that the very wicked ſhall be aſhamed and aſtonied to behold it. Firſt, they ſhall be ſet on Chriſts right hand, which is no ſmall honour and ioy for poore ſilly ſoules to bee aduanced to ſit on the right hand of Ieſus Chriſt, the Son of God, and the great Iudge of the world. Secondly, they ſhall heare the bleſſed ſentence, Come yee bleſſed, &c. Mat. 25.34Thirdly, they ſhall be put in reall poſſeſſion of eternall ſaluation of the kingdome of Heauen, and liue in the bleſſed preſence of God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, Reuel. 21. & 13.14.the elect Angels, and bleſſed Saints, where there ſhall be no ſorow, paine, ſickneſſe, &c. Bleſſed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they reſt from their labours: So then after death they hauehave a ſweet quietus eſt; and a generall diſcharge and freedome from all enemies of ſoule and body, from all trouble, paine, and griefe. Whereas the wicked and vngodly ſhall bee in a cleane contrary eſtate and condition; for they ſhall not come into the company of the righteous, nor ſhall hauehave no part in that place of their Comfort, Honour, Ioy, and Dignity, but ſhall be ſet on Chriſts left hand, a place of exceeding ſorrow and griefe, ſhame and confuſion, horrour and trembling.
This might admoniſh all wicked Vſe 1 and vngodly ſinners to repent, in time to turne to God by true repentance and amendment of their liues, to eſteeme better of the company of Gods faithfull ſeruants and righteous Children in this world, and to make much of them. But if they will ſtill proceed to hate them, to ſet themſelues againſt the godly, to ſhunne their company, and to hate them aboue all the things in the world: Well, yet remember the time will come that yee ſhall thinke it the greateſt miſery in the world, that they ſhall be ſeuered and ſundred from their company, and in ſo being they ſhall be ſeuered and ſundred from the company and ſociety of Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, of God the Father, and all the bleſſed Saints and Angels of God in heauen:Wiſ. 5.1.2.3.4. Then in that day ſhall the righteous ſtand in great boldneſſe before him that perſecuted him, &c. Thus yee ſee the madneſſe and extreme folly of wicked men, they hate them whom they ought moſt to louelove, and louelove them whom they ought moſt to diſlike.
Vſe 2 Let men take heed with whom they ioyne themſelues in ſociety: Seeing with whom they keepe company in this life, in death they ſhall pertake with them, and after at the laſt iudgement ſhall be ioyned with them. Hee that now is familiar and a companion of vngodly men, Athieſts, Papiſts, Swearers, Drunkards, Scorners, &c. certainely in death he ſhall bee puniſhed with them, and after death hauehave his abode with them for euer.Reu. 18.4. So he that is now a companion with all thoſe that feare God; ſurely, hee ſhall hauehave a part with them in death, and at the laſt iudgement ſhall bee placed with them in ioy and happineſſe for euermore.Heb. 11.25.26. It is thought to be a matter of little or no moment what company a man keepes, to liue amongſt Swaggerers, Swearers, Drunkards, Athieſts, Papiſts, &c. But the truth is, it is a fearefull ſigne of a reprobate; and he that is now a companion with them in their ſins, ſhall after death take part with them in their plagues.