A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 144 (Question 38 cont.)
SERMON CXLIV.
1. WE are now to paſs over to the Conſideration of the Second ſtep of … Conſummate Glorification of Believers at … Laſt Day: which conſiſts in the Enter…ment that ſhall be given them, upon their …ction, in the Day of Judgment, th…y … be openly &c. And here two things will … under our Conſideration.
1. That the …ſ…ection ſhall be followed with the Great and … Judgment.
2. That the Happineſs of …ers then will be, in that they ſhall be open… …ledged and acquitted. Something … may here be ſpoken to each of … ſeverally.
1. That the Reſ…ion ſhall be followed … Gre… … General Judgment. There … …opicks in Divinity under which the … of the laſt Judgment may have a … …gned it to be treated of, viz. either …pan… ex…ation of Chriſt, whereof this is … …ep, that He ſhall come to judge the … the laſt Day; or in the Glorification of … one ſtop to which is the laſt judgment. … hath been ſaid of this under the … …vetofore, peculiarly with reſpect to … of Christ, which will then ſhine … illuſtriously; for the laying open … many points reſerring to that Day … …y touched; I ſhall therefore with … Brevity handle it here: That Chriſt … ſhall be the Judge, and of the great …yo…d Glory in which be ſhall then appear, … before taken and account. The Things … which may here come urder out … are,
1. That there ſhall be ſuch a Day … …gment.
2. Who they are that ſhall be …
3. That the Reſurrection will make may … introduce this Judgment.
4. On what … or Rules it will proceed?
1. That there ſhall be ſuch a Day of Judgement. This is an Article of our Faith; and … to be believed by all thoſe that pro… …iſtianity. An Article of Faith, is that … commands our embracing of it, upon … …ony that God hath given of it in his Word according to that. Joh. 3.2…. … that receiveth his …p…ny, … ſet to his ſ… that God is true. Now this is plumply and plentifully witneſſed to in the Scriptures both of the Old and New Teſtament. Pſal. 96.13. Before the Lord, for he cometh, for he c…meth … judge the …erth: …e ſhall judge the world with righteouſneſs, and the people with his truth. And Pſal. 98.9. Eccl. 12.14. Met. 2….24, &c. Act. 27.31. Becauſe he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteouſneſs, by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given aſſurance unto all men, in that he hath re…ſed …im from the dead. Yea, it was an article before the Flood, Jude 14, 15. And Ex…ch alſo, the ſeventh from Adam, propheſied of theſe, ſaying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his ſaints, To execute judgment upon a…l, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard ſpeeched, which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him. So that if there were no more to be ſaid for it, yet this is enough to ſilence all diſpute againſt it. How far this truth may be demonſtrated by the light of Nature, may be diſputed: That the Gentiles, who had not the Oracles of God commi…ted to them, had ſome apprchenſion about it, and did many of them entertain it with Credit, is certain from their Writings; but whether they gathered it from their own Improvement of their Reaſon in the ſearch of the light of Nature, or only built it upon what they received from Commerce with the Jewiſh Nation may be demurred. Nevertheleſs the Word of God furniſheth us with ſufficient Arguments for the illuſtration of this Truth by which we may give a reaſon of our Faith in it. For which we may take up theſe Scripture Concluſions.
1. THAT God put Man at first under his ſpecia! Government: in which he gave him a Love with Sanctions. Touching this Government and the Nature of it, we have formerly had an Account, the Sum whereof amounts to thus much; That God having made Man a reaſonable Creature, and treatable in the way of a Covenant with him, he gave him a Rule according to which he was to ſerve to his end; and as he carried himſelf towards it, was to expect either Life or Death; and to make it an Inſtrument fit for ſuch a Tranſaction, he guarded it with Promiſes and Threatnings: And here was the Foundation laid for this Judgment.
2. THAT hence there were Rewards and Puniſhments ratified by and in theſe Sanctions. That they do contain ſuch things in them, is evidently the very renonr of them That they carried in them the nature of Rewards and Puniſhments is evident, becauſe of the connexion they have with the Command, Life was to be the recompe…ce of Obedience, Rom. 10.5. Death the wages of Sin, Rom. 6.2…. And hat theſe were herein ratified in theſe Hypotheſes, or that the connexion was firm, and not arbitrary, is evident, both becauſe God aſſerts to it, Gen 2 17. In the day thou careſt thereof, thou ſhall ſurely die. And becauſe this Covenant, ſo eſtabliſhed: was the fixed Rule of relative Juſtice. Hence that, Mat. 5.18. For verily I ſay unto you, Till heaven and earth paſs one jet or one tittle ſhall in no wiſe paſs from the law, till al be ſu…p…ed.
3 That all Mankind by the Apoſtacy. …ell under the threatning of the …rst Covenant. We are told that all the World as guilty. Rom 3 18. And Guilt is nothing elſe but the hinding of the Perſon over to ſuffer the penalty of the Threatning; and the Reaſon of this is, becauſe the Puniſhment denounced was for Sin; and therefore, becauſe all by the Fall come to be Sinners, they ſo were laid under the Sentence of Death; and this way of the Derivation of it is fully aſſerted in Rom. 5 12. So that every one to whom Sin may be imputed, is thereby under a Threatning to die.
4. THAT God hath pened a new Covenant, in which he hath ſecured Life again by Chriſt, to ſuch as believe in him. There was nothing but Death to be looked for by the old Covenant; but God, to ſhew his Mercy to ſome, hath opened … new and living way by the Goſpel. Hence that, 2 Tim. 1.10. but is now made manifeſt by the appearing of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, who hath tho…ſhed death, and hath brought life and …m …ality to light by the Goſpel. Rom. 8.3. There is therefore a good Hope. ſet before Men. God Covenanted with his Son about it, a…d he hath opened a Covenant of Grace to Men concerning it: and this alſo is ſettled on Covenant Promiſes; and ſuch as are pleadable by theſe who have gotten a title to them, by Faith in Chriſt, to which there is a firm Promiſe made of it. John 2.16. For God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that wh…ſoever believeth in him, ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life.
5. THAT God in thoſe things, deſigned the luſtre of the Glory of his Juſtice and Grace. Theſe two. Attributes were ſpecially concerned in the management of his Government of Men, under the firſt and ſecond Covenant. There were other of his Perfections which ſhined in them together with other ſecond Beings, in their Creation and common Government, but thoſe were to be the peculias Monuments of theſe moral Perfections of his; and their Relations to theſe Covenants and the Terms of them, made way hereto; the Re…ributions of the firſt Covenant being exact… according to Juſtice and the Rewards of the New Covenant tho' righteous, yet adapted to the manifectation of free Mercy to the Subjects of them. For we are told, Eph. 2.8. For by grape are ye ſaved, through ſaith, and that not of your ſelves: it is the gift of God.
6. THAT to the illuſtration of theſe. there muſt be a fair and open Proceſs with thoſe who are the Subjects hereof. That the World may ſee and know. that God is ſo righteous and merciful, there muſt he a Trial of the Perſons concerned, and their Carriage with reſpo… to the Rule under which they are, muſt be brought to Light and made manifeſt. There … a Reward according as men have been, 1 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 2.7, 8. And they muſt therefore be Judged that Right may be done then, and …ll mouths ſtop'd. It is therefore called … …ay of Revelation. &c. ver. 5. And then … ſecrets will be revealed, Chap. 2.16.
7. THAT there is a promiſe…ous Diſpen… of God, in his viſible Providences to theſe in this Laſe. Not but that there are the real applications both of Juſtice and Grace here, but It … ſecret and unaccountable, and Men are … loſs about it. Wicked Men turn Athe… upon it, and Godly Men are too often p… about it, and ready to trip in their Obſervation of it, Pſal. 73. begin. We have therefore th… Remarks that have been made upon the … ward Providences of God, Eccl. 9. begin. And Chap. 8 14. Wicked Men go on in Sin, … proſper; Godly Men ſew him, and …e ph…g… every day: And the one is mode ſecure by it. Pſal. 50.21. And the other almoſt ready to be diſcouraged: And expoſtulate, as Hab. 2.13. … art of parer eyes then to behold evil, and … not lock on inequity: wherefore lookeſt th… upon them that deal treacherouſly, and … i…gue when the wicked deve…reth the … is more righteous them he?
8. THIS therefore must be done, after … Aff…irs of this World and Time are funiſhed. … it muſt be done, and is not accompliſhed before Men go our of the Congregation of the Living: if ungodly Men dye in … Peace, and Godly in Trouble: th… … then be a Time afterwards wherein … Concern will be attended and tranſacted for this reaſon the wife Man ſtrongly … future Judgment, from his Obſervation … things went here, Eccl. 3.16, 17. And … I ſaw under the ſun the place of judgment … wickedneſs is there; and the place of righteouſneſs, that iniquity was there. Iſa…d in … God ſhall judge the righteous and the … for there is a time there, for every purpoſe … for every work. God will certainly … theſe things to rights, and hath in his … Wiſdom adjourned the Doing of it th… … till that appointed Time comes, wh… … laſt great Court of Aſſize ſhall be kept.
2. WHAT hath been already … will guide us in the Conſideration of the next Head, viz. Who they are, that … be Judged? viz. All thoſe who have come … the Cognizance of the Law of ſpecial Government For, it that Law was the Rule according … which God would diſtribute Rewards … Puniſhments to the Subjects of it. …ding as they are found conformable to, … … greſſors of it, then of neceſſity … ſecond Being, which ſtands in relation … Law, come into this Judgment, becauſe God hath appointed this way for the … this Affair: For if this be the Way. … God will glorify himſelf in ſuch a … and he will have his Glory by every … his Creatures, then … of theſe … … Appe…. Now the Subjects of this Government are of two ſorts, Angels & Men, which of theſe ſhall be. Judged. That the Angels ſhall be ſo, is aſſorted in the … of God. Angelt are of two ſorts, Good and Evil; Touching the Good, it is certain that they are under the Government of Chriſt Eph. 1.21, 2…. Far above all principally, and power, and might and deminion, and every name that is names, not only in this world, but alſo in that which is to come: And hath put of things under his feet, and gave him to be head … all things to the church. And there are the Rewards of Obedience which they ſhall …. As for the Evil Angels, they are fally … Guilt, and for that reaſon we are … that they are reſerved for that Judg…. 2 Pet. 1.4. Jude. 6. It is therefore … one of the Prerogatives of the Saints, … 6.3. Know ye not that we ſhall judge an…. As to Men, we are aſſured that every … that hath been or ſhall be, will the… appear and receive their Trial and Sen…e: High and low, rich and poor, noble and ignoble, male and female, ſmall & great. This is manifeſt from , Rev. 20 12. The A… therefore extends it to all, 2 Cor. 5.10. … it may be aſſigned from, Eccl. 12.14. For God … bring every work unto judgment, with …spand… thing, whether it be good, or whether in the evil. The Godly expect it, and com… themſelves from the expectation of the gl…us Reward, which they then ſhall re… 2 Tim, 4.8. The Wicked ſhall not … for there they are to receive their …, aacording to their Works, Mat. 13.41. …ngly, we have the Diſtribution & Se… of theſe in that Day, aſſerted by Chirſt himſelf, Mat. 25.31, 32. When the Son … ſhall come in his glory, and all the holy … him, then ſhall be ſit upon the throne … glory, And before him ſhall be gathered all … and he ſhall ſeparate them one from another. … ſhepherd divideth his ſheep from the …. None ſhall be able to eſcape the Ap… and Trial of that Day. It will be rain a ſeek to hide away from it. Rocks and ſ…eeins will not be able to ſecure them wi…: Willing or anwilling, they ſhall … that Trial.
THAT the Reſurrection ſhall make way for, allow…ce this Judgement. As for the Day and …ing when this ſhall be, it is a Secret which God hath put out of our Cognizance, p…rved in his own Breaſt; but that it and ſit made way unto by, and immediately ſ… upon this Univerſal Reſurrection, we …p…ed. We are therefore told, that this … is preparitory for that, Rev. 20.13. had is it be here enquired, Why muſt there be direction in order to the Judgment? It …gle anſwered, Becauſe the whole Man, con… … ſoul & Body was placed under the Rule of … Government, and hence the Whole muſt … the Rewards and Puniſhments, that are … diſtributed. The Man muſt be judged, and the Body belongs to the Man, and therefore muſt be reſtored to the Soul, that they may be judged together; for which there muſt be firſt a Reſurrection, in regard of thoſe Bodies, which have before undergone a Diſſolution. Thoſe therefore that are found alive at that Day, will not need to be raiſed, only there will be a Change paſs upon them, which will be alſo to prepare them for it, 1 Cor. 15. 51. Behold, I ſhow you a myſtery: we ſhall not all ſleep, but we ſhall be changed. They are the Things which were done in the Body that will paſs under the Trial & Conſure of that Judgment. 2 Cor 4. 10. i. e. Whatſoever paſt them before their Soul and Body were ſeparated each from the other. The Body was made aſe of as the Soul's Organ, not only in, but alſo with which it performed its imperate Acts: for which reaſon it is to ſhare with it in its Eternal Recomperces. The Bodies of Saints were employed in the Service of God, their Hearts, their Tongues, their Hands were uſed to glorify him. Their Bodies underwent many hardſhips for him. Thoſe things mentioned, Heb. 11. 36, 37. nextly fell upon their Bodies. Chriſt will therefore make their Bodies to partake in the Rewards of Life, which he hath promiſed to ſuch. The Bodies of Ungodly Men, have been the Inſtruments of Unrighteouſneſs; with their Hearts they have deviſed Iniquity, with their Tongues they have taken God's Name in vain, and Reproached him, and with their Hands they have wrought Violence: Theſe therefore muſt feel the impreſſions of the Divine Indignation, which they cannot do while they continue in their diſſolved Duft. And that this Judgment ſhall follow immediately upon the Reſurrection is plain. The Apoſtle connects Death & Judgment, Heb. 9.27. And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment. Intimating that the Reſurrection is an Appendix of the Judgment. Beſides, there is no longer any temporary Affair to be managed. Men are not to return again to a new Probation, but all that awaits them, is only to receive their Eternal Rewards; in which they are now to be fixed both in Soul & Body. There is nothing elſe to be done, but to diſpoſe Men according to their State, which is the very Buſineſs of the Judgement. The laſt Trumpet therefore, at the Sound of which the Dead ſhall riſe, is to be a Citation of all to give up their Accounts.
4. ON what Grounds or Rules this Judgment will proceed?
Anſ. AS to God's Proceſs with Angels, it is meetly ſpeculative to us, nor need we to be evercurious in our Conjectures about it. Doubtleſs they were under a Law ſalted to their Nature, and it had its Sanctions, and God will treat them accordingly. But as to Men, tho' the ſame general Rule is alſo to be acknowledged concerning them, yet there is a move diſt…ct Account to be taken of it. Here then let theſe Concluſions be obſerved,
1. THAT becauſe the n… I am was the Rule of relative Juſtice given to Man hence that muſt be …e ſ…ſt Rule of the Judgment of the Gren Day. That this Law was ſuch a Rule, we have before obſerved, and it follows upon it, that all Mankind muſt ſtand or fall at laſt, according as they ſtand related to it. The great Enquiry will be, how Men ſtand related to it; whether it do acquit or condemn them? It that hath nothing to lay to their Charge, they will be juſt fied, but if that hath a Plea againſt them, they muſt ſuffer the Penalty of it. How cl…e can that aſſertion of Chriſt ſtand. Mat. 5.10.
2. THAT ſuch as never had any other Covemant opened to them by God, will only be judged according in that Rule. That all Nankind are Originally under that Covenant is certain, for Adam tranſacted in it, as he was the Head of his Poſterity. We are therefore told, 1 Cor. 18.22. Fer as in Adam all die, even ſo in Christ ſhall all be made alive. And though Man's Sin hath lett in him the full reſentment of that Law, yet this doth not diſcharge them from their Obligation to it. And this muſt needs be the meaning of that, Rom. 2.14, 15. For when the Genetes which have and the law, do by nature the things conterned in the law, theſe having not the law, are a law unto themſelves: Which ſhow the work of the law written in their bearis, their e…nſcrence alſo bearing witneſs, & their thoughts the mean while accuſing, or eiſe excuſing …ne another. However this is certain, that ſuch as never had any Revelation of the Grace of God to them, will have no other Rule to be judged by but this Law. And the reaſon is plain, becauſe God never treated with them, in the way of his ſpecial Covenant, but in this. The Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 4.15. Becauſe the law worteth wrath: for where no law it, there is no tranſgreſſion. But the Law of Faith, which is purely of Revelation, was never given them. And hence they were never under an immediate Obligation to comport with it.
3. THAT if all Mankind muſt be judged according to that Covenant, in regard of their Perſonal Relation to it, they muſt needs be condemned. My meaning is, that if they do ſtill abide under that Law as a Covenant, it will unavoidably find them Guilty, and proceed to Sentence them as Breakers of it, and conſequently guilty of Death. The Apoſtle is full for this, Gal. 3.10. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curſe: for it is written. Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them. And the reaſon is, becauſe all Men in their natural eſtate are Sinners, and that Law will find them to have been ſo; and becauſe they are ſuch, the Sentence muſt paſs againſt them, Ez…k. 18 4. The ſod that ſinneth it ſhall die. And we are aſſured, Eccl. 7.20. For there is not a juſt man upon earth that doth good, and ſinneth not. The only Plea then, that can have any Validity in it, muſt be, that they are gotten from under that Law as a Covenant, and thereupon, whatſoever they have been, it hath no hold of them. So therefore the Apoſtle argues, Rom. 6.14. For ſin ſhall not have domimon ever you: for ye are not under the him, it under grace. And for this cauſe …o was this of being found is his … Regluconſneſs, Paſ. 3.9.
4. THAT there are ſome, ther ſhall be juc…d and gi…rj yed upon that Trial, who were to the ſome Condemnation. That all Mankind … equally involved in Guilt and Curſe, in their natural ſtate, we are aſſured, Eph. 2.3. and were by nature the children of wroth, … …thers. That all ſhall not be ſo ſome in the Great Day is equally aſſerted in the Word of God; but that ſome ſhall be acquitted, God will ſee no iniquity in them, be will pronounce them righteous, and adjudge them … a Kingdom. So we are told that it …pal… … Mat. 27.34. And this ſhall be done is the Judgment; and conſequently upon a Trial, and according to Juſtice; for we may be f… that the Judge of all the Earth will do right. There muſt therefore he ſome Rule of Judgment, according unto which this Sentences and paſs. elſe it cannot confiſt with the Righteouſneſs of the Judge ſo to determine it. There is therefore Emphaſis in that, 2 Tim 4.8. … Righteous Judge, &c.
5. THAT the ground of this is, becauſe the Late of that Covenant is anſwered by a S…g. That the Law ſhould ſtand out againſt them, and yet they be juſtified, is inconſiſtence. That they themſelves could not perſonally … tisfy the Law, ſo as to take out an acquittance from it, is a great Temph, both in point of active and paſſive Obedience; as hath elſewhere been proceed. There there'ore remains no other Way for it, but that of Sureriſhip; of which there was no proviſion made in the Law-Covenant, but it muſt be introduced in the way of … And no other can be accepted for us, begone that hath in diſcharge of his Sureri… anſwered the Law. For the ultimate reſlation of the Caſe, will be on that Enquiry, is the Law ſatisfied?
6. HENCE the Trial of ſuch is order is their Acquittance, muſt be, whether they have a ſuch to ſuch a Sures…ſhip and Satisfaction. There muſt be ſuch a Rule of that Court, viz. That God hath accepted of Christ to be a Society, and that his Satisfaction is enough fit the clearing of thoſe, whoſe it is. But then the Trial that proceeds upon it is, Whether theſe that plead it, are indeed related to it, ſo as to be under the Priviledge of it? And there will be Neceſſity of it, becauſe as all are not ſo Priviledged, ſo there are many that … pretent to it, who will be found to have deceived themſelves, and have none, Flat. 4 22, 23. Many will ſay to me in the day, Lord Lord, have we not propheſied in thy name I and in thy name have caſt out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful worke? And the will I proſeſs unto them, I never know you depart from me ye that work iniquity. May Claims therefore muſt be examined and adjuſted, to ſee whether they will hold god for them.
… ve…ſpe… …an… …uſt … Tr…. The Law ſpake nothing … God in the Goſpel hath revealed it: is which God hath …pened a Covenant of … with ſinful Men, and declared the Ie… on which they are to come to enjoy a …ght to Life. This therefore muſt be the …e of Chancery in that Court, v…z. It be… they are in Chriſt by Faith? Whether …ey have embraced the effer o… Salvation by … and compl…ed with the Terms of it. …ce that, Mat. 15.16. He that believeth and … b…rd, ſhall be ſaved: but he this believeth …ſh…l be damned. This therefore is the …e of our Trying …u… ſelves, by which we may know, how it will go then, 2 Cor. 13.5. …i…e your ſelves, whether ye be …th ſaith? … your own ſelves, know ye not your own …, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, excep…ye …?
1. THAT becauſe this Covenant is opened in … Goſpel to many that do not comply with it, they …ſo will be Tr…ed on the ſome of …. God offers Chriſt and Grace to many, but all do not em…ce him, Mat. 20.16. Many be called, but ſ…eſen. There is a more tearful Judgment that awaits them. Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 11.22. But I ſay unto you, is ſhall be more t…llerable f…r … & Sidon as …e day of Judgment, then for you. And, Joh. 3.19. and …h 10.28, 29. And you Reaſon; for God will be …o I…ſer of …ry by any of his Works. Hence that, Luk. 12.48. But he that know not and did commit … worthy of ſtripes, ſhall be be…en …th … ſtripes. For unto whomſoever much is …, of him ſhall be much r…ared: and … men have committed much, of him they … ask the more. And that ſ…lemn demand, …e…. 2.3. How ſhall we eſcape of we neglect ſo … ſalvation, which at the …rit began to be ſpo… by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by … the… heard him. All the Neglect & Con…pt, with which Chriſt hath been entertained, will fill up the Indictment of ſuch. … therefore the Goſpel Diſcoveries & Treatment held with Men, is to be made uſe of, in … …et Judgment.
USE. LET the Conſideration of theſe things, … …uch word to us all, to take beed to our … th…t we get in a readineſs for that Day. …ere theſe Truths believed, and well pond…d, it would certainly give Check to the …tious Courſes that Sinners allow them … in. Hence that, Eccl. 11.9. R…joyce, O … man in thy youth, and let thy hears cheer … days of thy youth, and walk in the … of thy heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes: … thou, that for all theſe things God will dring thee in o judgment. Would Men dare to …o… they do, did they expect that, Eccl. 12. …4 … God ſhall being every work into judgment, … …ry ſecret …g, whether it be good, or … it be evil. Would careleſs Sinners that …ght Chriſt and Salvation by him, dare to do…, if they knew that this would be their Condemnation? As Joh 3.19. Nay, this …th abundant Awe in it, to put us all upon is to ſee that our Matters will ſtand in that D…v. And accordingly to beware of reſſ…ng in a Law eſtate, or leaning on our own Righteouſneſs. To make ſure that the Judge will be our Surety, by ſeeking with all Diligence, to ſettle an Intereſt in him by a true Faith. And becauſe we expect ſuch a Day, to endeavour to be provided with a Plea that will hold; and ſpend the Time of our Sojourning here in feat, that we may be found in him without Spot and Blameleſs: So ſhall we look out of our Graves with Comfort, and come to his great Tribunal with Joy.
[MAY 7. 1700.]