"Because he hath appointed a day, in the
which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath
ordained." -- Acts 17:31
INTRODUCTION
God hath
appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus
Christ.
These
words are a part of the speech which Paul made in Mars’ hill, a place of
concourse of the judges and learned men of Athens. Athens was the principal city
of that part of Greece which was formerly a common wealth by itself, and was the
most noted place in the whole world for learning, philosophy, and human wisdom,
And it continued so for many ages, till at length the Romans having conquered
Greece, its renown from that time began to diminish. And Rome having borrowed
learning of it, began to rival it in science, and in the polite and civil arts.
However, it was still very famous in the days of Christ and the apostles, and
was a place of concourse for wise and learned men.
Therefore, when Paul came
thither, and began to preach concerning Jesus Christ, a man who had lately been
crucified at Jerusalem (as in Acts 17:18), the philosophers thronged about him,
to hear what he had to say. The strangeness of his doctrine excited their
curiosity, for they spent their time in endeavoring to find out new things, and
valued themselves greatly upon their being the authors of new discoveries, as we
are informed in Acts 17:21. They despised his doctrine in their hearts, and
esteemed it very ridiculous, calling the apostle a babbler. For the preaching of
Christ crucified was to the Greeks foolishness, 1 Cor. 1:23, yet the Epicurean
and Stoic philosophers, two different sects, had a mind to hear what the babbler
had to say.
Upon this Paul rises up in
the midst of them, and makes a speech. And as he speaks to philosophers and men
of learning, he speaks quite differently from his common mode of address. There
is evidently, in his discourse, a greater depth of thought, more philosophical
reasoning, and a more elevated style, than are to be found in his ordinary
discourses to common men. His speech is such as was likely to draw the attention
and gain the assent of philosophers. He shows himself to be no babbler, but a
man who could offer such reason, as they, however they valued themselves upon
their wisdom, were not able to gainsay. His practice here is agreeable to what
he saith of himself, 1 Cor. 9:22, “that he became all things to all men, that
he might by all means save some.” He not only to the weak became as weak, that
he might gain the weak, but to the wise he became as wise, that he might gain
the wise.
In the first place, he
reasons with them concerning their worship of idols. He declares to them the
true God, and points out how unreasonable it is to suppose, that he delights in
such superstitious worship. He begins with this, because they were most likely
to hearken to it, as being so evidently agreeable to the natural light of human
reason, and also agreeable to what some of their own poets and philosophers had
said (Acts 17:28). He begins not immediately to tell them about Jesus Christ,
his dying for sinners, and his resurrection from the dead. But first draws their
attention with that to which they were more likely to hearken. And then, having
thus introduced himself, he proceeds to speak concerning Jesus Christ.
He tells them, the times of
this ignorance concerning the true God, in which they had hitherto been, God
winked at. He suffered the world to lie in heathenish darkness. But now the
appointed time was come, when he expected men should everywhere repent, “because
he had appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by
that man whom he hath ordained.” As an enforcement to the duty of turning to
God from their ignorance, superstition, and idolatry, the apostle brings in
this, that God had appointed such a day of judgment. And as a proof of this he
brings the resurrection Christ from the dead.
Concerning the words of the
text, we may observe,
That in them the apostle
speaks of the general judgment: He will judge the WORLD. — The time
when this shall be, on the appointed day: He hath appointed a day. —
How the world is to be judged: In righteousness. — The man by whom it
is to be judged: Christ Jesus whom God raised from the dead.
DOCTRINE
There is a day
coming in which there will be a general righteous judgment of the whole world by
Jesus Christ.
In speaking upon
this subject, I shall show, That God is the Supreme Judge of the world. That
there is a time coming, when God will, in the most public and solemn manner,
judge the whole world. That the person by whom he will judge it is Jesus Christ.
That the transactions of that day will be greatly interesting and truly awful.
That all shall be done in righteousness. And finally, I shall take notice of
those things which shall be immediately consequent upon the judgment.
SECTION I
God is the
supreme judge of the world.
I. God is so by right.
He is by right the supreme and absolute ruler and disposer of all things,
both in the natural and moral world. The rational understanding part of the
creation is indeed subject to a different sort of government from that to which
irrational creatures are subject. God governs the sun, moon, and stars. He
governs even the motes of dust which fly in the air. Not a hair of our heads
falleth to the ground without our heavenly Father. God also governs the brute
creatures. By his providence, he orders, according to his own decrees, all
events concerning those creatures. And rational creatures are subject to the
same sort of government. All their actions, *1* and all events
relating to them, being ordered by superior providence, according to absolute
decrees so that no event that relates to them ever happens without the disposal
of God, according to his own decrees. The rule of this government is God’s
wise decree, and nothing else.
But rational
creatures, because they are intelligent and voluntary agents, are the subjects
of another kind of government. They are so only with respect to those of their
actions, in which they are causes by counsel, or with respect to their
voluntary actions. The government of which I now speak is called moral
government, and consists in two things, in giving laws, and in judging.
God is, with
respect to this sort of government, by right the sovereign ruler of the
world. He is possessed of this right by reason of his infinite greatness and
excellency, by which he merits, and is perfectly and solely fit for, the office
of supreme ruler. He that is so excellent as to be infinitely worthy of the
highest respect of the creature, has thereby a right to that respect. He
deserves it by a merit of condignity, so that it is injustice to deny it to him.
And he that is perfectly wise and true, and is only so regarded, has a right in
everything to be regarded, and to have his determinations attended to and
obeyed.
God has also a
right to the character of supreme ruler, by reason of the absolute dependence of
every creature on him. All creatures, and rational creatures no less than other,
are wholly derived from him, and every moment are wholly dependent upon him for
being, and for all good, so that they are properly his possession. And as, by
virtue of this, he has a right to give his creatures whatever rules of conduct
he pleases, or whatever rules are agreeable to his own wisdom. So the mind and
will of the creature ought to be entirely conformed to the nature and will of
the Creator, and to the rules he gives, that are expressive of it.
For the same
reason, he has a right to judge their actions and conduct, and to fulfill
the sanction of his law. He who has an absolute and independent right to give
laws, has evermore the same right to judge those to whom the laws are given. It
is absolutely necessary that there should be a judge of reasonable creatures.
And sanctions, or rewards and punishments, annexed to rules of conduct are
necessary to the being of laws. A person may instruct another without sanctions,
but not give laws. However, these sanctions themselves are vain, are as good as
none, without a judge to determine the execution of them. As God has a right to
be judge, so has he a right to be the supreme judge. And none has a right
to reverse his judgments, to receive appeals from him, or to say to him, Why
judgest thou thus?
II. God is, in
fact the supreme judge of the world. He has power sufficient to vindicate
his own right. As he has a right which cannot be disputed, so he has power which
cannot be controlled. He is possessed of omnipotence, wherewith to maintain his
dominion over the world. And he does maintain his dominion in the moral as well
as the natural world. Men may refuse subjection to God as a lawgiver. They may
shake off the yoke of his laws by rebellion. Yet they cannot withdraw themselves
from his judgment. Although they will not have God for their lawgiver, yet they
shall have him for their judge. The strongest of creatures can do nothing to
control God, or to avoid him while acting in his judicial capacity. He is able
to bring them to his judgment-seat, and is also able to execute the sentence
which he shall pronounce.
There was once a
notable attempt made by opposition of power entirely to shake off the yoke of
the moral government of God, both as lawgiver, and as judge. This attempt was
made by the angels, the most mighty of creatures. But they miserably failed in
it. God notwithstanding acted as their judge in casting those proud spirits out
of heaven, and binding them in chains of darkness unto a further judgment, and a
further execution. “God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who hath
hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?” Job 9:4. Wherein the
enemies of God deal proudly, he is above them. He ever has acted as judge in
bestowing what rewards, and inflicting what punishments, he pleased on the
children of men. And so he does still. He is daily fulfilling the promises and
threatenings of the law, in disposing of the souls of the children of men, and
so be evermore will act.
God acts as judge
towards the children of men more especially,
First,
in man’s particular judgment at death. Then the sentence is executed, and the
reward bestowed in part; which is not done without a judgment. The soul,
when it departs from the body, appears before God to be disposed of by him,
according to his law. But by this appearing before God, to be judged at death,
we need understand no more than this, that the soul is made immediately sensible
of the presence of God, God manifesting himself immediately to the soul, with
the glory and majesty of a judge, that the sins of the wicked and the
righteousness of the saints are brought by God to the view of their consciences,
so that they know the reason of the sentence given, and their consciences are
made to testify to the justice of it. And that thus the will of God for the
fulfillment of the law, in their reward or punishment, is made known to them and
executed. This is undoubtedly done at every man’s death.
Second,
in the great and general judgment, when all men shall together appear before the
judgment-seat to be judged, and which judgment will be much more solemn, and the
sanctions of the law will to a further degree be fulfilled. — But this brings
me to another branch of the subject.
SECTION II
That there
is a time coming when God will, in the most public and solemn manner, judge the
whole world of mankind.
The doctrine of a
general judgment is not sufficiently discoverable by the light of nature. Indeed
some of the heathens had some obscure notions concerning a future judgment. But
the light of nature, or mere unassisted reason, was not sufficient to instruct
the world of fallen men in this doctrine. It is one of the peculiar doctrines of
revelation, a doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There were indeed some
hints of it in the Old Testament, as in Psa. 96:13, “The Lord cometh to judge
the world with righteousness, and his people with his truth.” And Ecc. 12:14,
“For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether
it be good, or whether it be evil.” And in some other such like passages. But
this doctrine is with abundantly the greatest clearness revealed in the New
Testament. There we have it frequently and particularly declared and described
with its circumstances.
However, although
it be a doctrine of revelation, and be brought to light by the gospel, the
brightest and most glorious revelation that God has given to the world; yet it
is a doctrine which is entirely agreeable to reason, and of which reason gives
great confirmation. That there will be a time before the dissolution of the
world, when the inhabitants of it shall stand before God and give an account of
their conduct; and that God will in a public manner, by a general and just
judgment, set all things to rights respecting their moral behavior, is a
doctrine entirely agreeable to reason. Which I shall now endeavor to make
appear. But I would premise that what we would inquire into is not whether all
mankind shall be judged by God. For that is a thing that the light of nature
clearly teaches, and we have already spoken something of it. But whether it be
rational to think that there will be a public judgment of all mankind together.
This I think will appear very rational from the following considerations.
I. Such a judgment
will be a more glorious display of God’s majesty and dominion. It will be more
glorious because it will be more open, public, and solemn. — Although God now
actually exercises the most sovereign dominion over the earth, although he
reigns and does all things according to his own will, ordering all events as
seemeth to himself good, and although he is actually judge in the earth,
continually disposing of men’s souls according to their works; yet he rules
after a more hidden and secret manner, insomuch that it is common among the
proud sons of men to refuse acknowledging his dominion. Wicked men question the
very existence of a God, who taketh care of the world, who ordereth the affairs
of it, and judgeth in it. And therefore they cast off the fear of him. Many of
the kings and great men of the earth do not suitably acknowledge the God who is
above them, but seem to look upon themselves as supreme, and therefore tyrannize
over mankind, as if they were in no wise accountable for their conduct. There
have been, and now are, many atheistical persons, who acknowledge not God’s
moral dominion over mankind. And therefore they throw off the yoke of his laws
and government. And how great a part of the world is there now, and has there
always been, that has not acknowledged that the government of the world belongs
to the God of Israel, or to the God of Christians, but has paid homage to other
imaginary deities, as though they were their sovereign lords and supreme judges.
Over how great a part of the world has Satan usurped the dominion, and set up
himself for God, in opposition to the true God!
Now, how agreeable
to reason is it, that God, in the winding up of things, when the present state
of mankind shall come to a conclusion, should in the most open and public
manner, manifest his dominion over the inhabitants of the earth, by bringing
them all, high and low, rich and poor, kings and subjects, together before him
to be judged with respect to all that they ever did in the world! That he should
thus openly discover his dominion in this world, where his authority has been so
much questioned, denied, and proudly opposed! That however God be not now
visibly present upon earth, disposing and judging in that visible manner that
earthly kings do. Yet at the conclusion of the world he should make his dominion
visible to all, and with respect to all mankind, so that every eye shall see
him, and even they who have denied him shall find, that God is supreme Lord of
them, and of the whole world!
II. The end of
judgment will be more fully answered by a public and general, than only by a
particular and private, judgment. The end for which there is any judgment at all
is to display and glorify the righteousness of God; which end is more fully
accomplished by calling men to an account, bringing their actions to the trial,
and determining their state according to them, the whole world, both angels and
men, being present to behold, than if the same things should be done in a more
private way. At the day of judgment there will be the most glorious display of
the justice of God that ever was made. Then God will appear to be entirely
righteous towards everyone. The justice of all his moral government will on that
day be at once discovered. Then all objections will be removed. The conscience
of every man shall be satisfied. The blasphemies of the ungodly will be forever
put to silence, and argument will be given for the saints and angels to praise
God forever: Rev. 19:1, 2, “And after these things I heard a great voice of
much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; salvation, and glory, and honour, and
power be to the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments.”
III. It is very
agreeable to reason, that the irregularities which are so open and manifest in
the world, should, when the world comes to an end, be publicly rectified by the
supreme governor. The infinitely wise God, who made this world to be a
habitation for men, and placed mankind to dwell here, and has appointed man his
end and work, must take care of the order and good government for the world,
which he has thus made. He is not regardless how things proceed here on earth.
It would be a reproach to his wisdom, and to the perfect rectitude of his
nature, to suppose so. This world is a world for confusion. It has been filled
with irregularity and confusion ever since the fall. And the irregularities of
it are not only private, relating to the actions of particular persons, but
states, kingdoms, nations, churches, cities, and all societies of men in all
ages, have been full of public irregularities. The affairs of the world, so far
as they are in the hands of men, are carried on in the most irregular and
confused manner.
Though justice
sometimes takes place, yet how often do injustice, cruelty, and oppression
prevail! How often are the righteous condemned, and the wicked acquitted and
rewarded! How common is it for the virtuous and pious to be depressed, and the
wicked to be advanced! How many thousands of the best men have suffered
intolerable cruelties, merely for their virtue and piety, and in this world have
had no help, no refuge to fly to! The world is very much ruled by the pride,
covetousness, and passions of men. Solomon takes much notice of such like
irregularities in the present state (in his book of Ecclesiastes), hereby he
shows the vanity of the world.
Now, how reasonable
is it to suppose, that God, when he shall come and put an end to the present
state of mankind, will in an open, public manner, the whole world being present,
rectify all these disorders! And that he will bring all things to a trial by a
general judgment, in order that those who have been oppressed may be delivered;
that the righteous cause may be pleaded and vindicated, and wickedness, which
has been approved, honored, and rewarded, may receive its due disgrace and
punishment; that the proceedings of kings and earthly judges may be inquired
into by him, whose eyes are as a flame of fire; and that the public actions of
men may be publicly examined and recompensed according to their desert! How
agreeable is it to divine wisdom thus to order things, and how worthy of the
supreme governor of the world!
IV. By a public and
general judgment, God more fully accomplishes the reward he designs for the
godly, and punishment he designs for the wicked. One part of the reward which
God intends for his saints, is the honor which he intends to bestow upon them.
He will honor them in the most public and open manner, before the angels, before
all mankind, and before them that hated them. And it is most suitable that it
should be so. It is suitable that those holy, humble souls, that have been hated
by wicked men, have been cruelly treated and put to shame by them, and who have
been haughtily domineered over, should be openly acquitted, commended, and
crowned, before all the world.
So one part of the
punishment of the ungodly will be the open shame and disgrace which they shall
suffer. Although many of them have proudly lifted up their heads in this world,
have had a very high thought of themselves, and have obtained outward honor
among men; yet God will put them to open shame, by showing all their wickedness
and moral filthiness before the whole assembly of angels and men, by manifesting
his abhorrence of them, in placing them upon his left hand, among devils and
foul spirits, and by turning them away into the most loathsome, as well as most
dreadful, pit of hell, to dwell there forever. — Which ends may be much more
fully accomplished in a general, than in a particular judgment.
SECTION III
The world
will be judged by Jesus Christ.
The person by whom
God will judge the world is Jesus Christ, God-man. The second person in the
Trinity, that same person of whom we read in our Bibles, who was born of the
Virgin Mary, lived in Galilee and Judea, and was at last crucified without the
gates of Jerusalem, will come to judge the world both in his divine and human
nature, in the same human body that was crucified, and rose again, and ascended
up into heaven. Acts 1:11, “This same Jesus that is taken up from you into
heaven, shall come in like manner, as ye have seen him go into heaven.” It
will be his human nature which will then be seen by the bodily eyes of men.
However, his divine nature, which is united to the human, will then also be
present. And it will be by the wisdom of that divine nature that Christ will see
and judge.
Here naturally
arises an inquiry, Why is Christ appointed to judge the world rather than the
Father or the Holy Ghost? We cannot pretend to know all the reasons of the
divine dispensations. God is not obliged to give us an account of them. But so
much may we learn by divine revelation, as to discover marvelous wisdom in what
he determines and orders with respect to this matter. We learn,
I. That God seeth
fit, that he who is in the human nature, should be the judge of those who
are of the human nature. John 5:27, “And hath given him authority to execute
judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” Seeing there is one of the
persons of the Trinity united to the human nature, God chooses, in all his
transactions with mankind, to transact by him. He did so of old, in his
discoveries of himself to the patriarchs, in giving the law, in leading the
children of Israel through the wilderness, and in the manifestations he made of
himself in the tabernacle and temple. When, although Christ was not actually
incarnate, yet he was so in design, it was ordained and agreed in the covenant
of redemption, that he should become incarnate. And since the incarnation of
Christ, God governs both the church and the world by Christ. So he will also at
the end judge the world by him. All men shall be judged by God, and yet
at the same time by one invested with their own nature.
God seeth fit, that
those who have bodies, as all mankind will have at the day of judgment, should
see their judge with their bodily eyes, and hear him with their bodily ears. If
one of the other persons of the Trinity had been appointed to be judge, there
must have been some extraordinary outward appearance made on purpose to be a
token of the divine presence, as it was of old, before Christ was incarnate. But
now there is no necessity of that. Now one of the persons of the Trinity is
actually incarnate, so that God by him may appear to bodily eyes without any
miraculous visionary appearance.
II. Christ has this
honor of being the judge of the world given him, as a suitable reward for
his sufferings. This is a part of Christ’s exaltation. The exaltation of
Christ is given him in reward for his humiliation and sufferings. This was
stipulated in the covenant of redemption. And we are expressly told, it was
given him in reward for his sufferings, Phil. 2:8-12, “And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that
every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.”
God seeth meet,
that he who appeared in such a low estate amongst mankind, without form or
comeliness, having his divine glory veiled, should appear amongst men a second
time, in his own proper majesty and glory, without a veil. To the end that those
who saw him here at the first, as a poor, frail man, not having where to lay his
head, subject to much hardship and affliction, may see him the second time in
power and great glory, invested with the glory and dignity of the absolute Lord
of heaven and earth. And that he who once tabernacled with men, and was despised
and rejected of them, may have the honor of arraigning all men before his
throne, and judging them with respect to their eternal state! John 5:21-24.
God seeth meet that
he who was once arraigned before the judgment-seat of men, and was there most
vilely treated, being mocked, spitted upon, and condemned, and who was at last
crucified, should be rewarded, by having those very persons brought to his
tribunal, that they may see him in glory, and be confounded. And that he may
have the disposal of them for all eternity. As Christ said to the high priest
while arraigned before him, Mat. 26:64, “Hereafter ye shall see the Son of man
sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
III. It is needful
that Christ should be the judge of the world, in order that he may finish
the work of redemption. It is the will of God, that he who is the redeemer of
the world should be a complete redeemer; and that therefore he should
have the whole work of redemption left in his hands. Now, the redemption of
fallen man consists not merely in the impetration of redemption, by obeying the
divine law, and making atonement for sinners, or in preparing the way for their
salvation, but it consists in a great measure, and is actually fulfilled, in
converting sinners to the knowledge and love of the truth, in carrying them on
in the way of grace and true holiness through life, and in finally raising their
bodies to life, in glorifying them, in pronouncing the blessed sentence upon
them, in crowning them with honor and glory in the sight of men and angels, and
in completing and perfecting their reward. Now, it is necessary that Christ
should do this, in order to his finishing the work which he has begun. Raising
the saints from the dead, judging them, and fulfilling the sentence is part of
their salvation. And therefore it was necessary that Christ should be appointed
judge of the world, in order that he might finish his work (John 6:39,
40, chap. 5:25-31). The redemption of the bodies of the saints is part of the
work of redemption; the resurrection to life is called a redemption of their
bodies (Rom. 8:23).
It is the will of
God, that Christ himself should have the fulfilling of that for which he died,
and for which he suffered so much. Now, the end for which he suffered and died
was the complete salvation of his people. And this shall be obtained at the last
judgment, and not before. Therefore it was necessary that Christ be appointed
judge, in order that he himself might fully accomplish the end for which he had
both suffered and died. When Christ had finished his appointed sufferings, God
did, as it were, put the purchased inheritance into his hands, to be kept for
believers, and be bestowed upon them at the day of judgment.
IV. It was proper
that he who is appointed king of the church should rule till he should have put
all his enemies under his feet. In order to which, he must be the judge of his enemies,
as well as of his people. One of the offices of Christ, as redeemer, is that of
a king. He is appointed king of the church and head over all things to the
church. And in order that his kingdom be complete, and design of his reign be
accomplished, he must conquer all his enemies, and then he will deliver
up the kingdom to the Father. 1 Cor. 15:24, 25, “Then cometh the end, when he
shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have
put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign till he hath
put all enemies under his feet.” Now, when Christ shall have brought his
enemies, who had denied, opposed, and rebelled against him, to his
judgment-seat, and shall have passed and executed sentence upon them, this will
be a final and complete victory over them, a victory which shall put an
end to the war. And it is proper that he who at present reigns and is carrying
on the war against those who are of the opposite kingdom, should have the honor
of obtaining the victory, and finishing the war.
V. It is for the
abundant comfort of the saints that Christ is appointed to be their
judge. The covenant of grace, with all its circumstances, and all those events
to which it has relation, is every way so contrived of God, as to give strong
consolation to believers: for God designed the gospel for a glorious
manifestation of his grace to them. And therefore everything in it is so
ordered, as to manifest the most grace and mercy.
Now, it is for the
abundant consolation of the saints, that their own Redeemer is appointed to be
their judge. That the same person who spilled his blood for them has the
determination of their state left with him, so that they need not doubt but that
they shall have what he was at so much cost to procure.
What matter of joy
to them will it be at the last day, to lift up their eyes, and behold the person
in whom they have trusted for salvation, to whom they have fled for refuge, upon
whom they have built as their foundation for eternity, and whose voice they have
often heard, inviting them to himself for protection and safety, coming to judge
them.
VI. That Christ is
appointed to be the judge of the world will be for the more abundant conviction
of the ungodly. It will be for their conviction that they are judged and
condemned by that very person whom they have rejected, by whom they might have
been saved, who shed his blood to give them an opportunity to be saved,
who was wont to offer his righteousness to them, when they were in their state
of trial, and who many a time called and invited them to come to him, that they
might be saved. How justly will they be condemned by him whose salvation they
have rejected, whose blood they have despised, whose many calls they have
refused, and whom they have pierced by their sins!
How much will it be
for their conviction, when they shall hear the sentence of condemnation
pronounced, to reflect with themselves, how often has this same person, who now
passes sentence of condemnation upon me, called me, in his word, and by his
messengers, to accept of him, and to give myself to him! How often has he
knocked at the door of my heart! and had it not been for my own folly and
obstinacy, how might I have had him for my Savior, who is now my incensed
Judge!
SECTION IV
Christ’s
coming, the resurrection, the judgment prepared, the books opened, the sentence
pronounced and executed.
I. CHRIST Jesus
will, in a most magnificent manner, descend from heaven with all the holy
angels. The man Christ Jesus is now in the heaven of heavens, or, as the apostle
expresses it, far above all heavens, Eph. 4:10. And there he has been
ever since his ascension, being there enthroned in glory, in the midst of
millions of angels and blessed spirits. But when the time appointed for the day
of judgment shall have come, notice of it will be given in those happy regions,
and Christ will descend to the earth, attended with all those heavenly hosts, in
a most solemn, awful, and glorious manner. Christ will come with divine majesty,
he will come in the glory of the Father, Mat. 16:27, “For the Son of man shall
come in the glory of his Father, with his angels..”
We can now conceive
but little of the holy and awful magnificence in which Christ will appear, as he
shall come in the clouds of heaven, or of the glory of his retinue. How mean and
despicable, in comparison with it, is the most splendid appearance that earthly
princes can make! A glorious visible light will shine round about him, and the
earth, with all nature, will tremble at his presence. How vast and innumerable
will that host be which will appear with him! Heaven will be for the time
deserted of its inhabitants.
We may argue the
glory of Christ’s appearance, from his appearance at other times. When he
appeared in transfiguration, his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was
white as the light. The apostle Peter long after spoke of this appearance in
magnificent terms, 2 Pet. 1:16, 17, “We were eye-witnesses of his majesty; for
he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory.” And his appearance to St. Paul at his
conversion, and to St. John, as related in Rev. 1:13 etc. were very grand and
magnificent. But we may conclude, that his appearance at the day of judgment
will be vastly more so than either of these, as the occasion will be so much
greater. We have good reason to think, that our nature, in the present frail
state, could not bear the appearance of the majesty in which he will then be
seen.
We may argue the
glory of his appearance, from the appearances of some of the angels to men, as
of the angel that appeared at Christ’s sepulcher, after his resurrection, Mat.
28:3, “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.”
The angels will doubtless all of them make as glorious an appearance at the of
judgment, as ever any of them have made on former occasions. How glorious, then,
will be the retinue of Christ, made up of so many thousands of such angels! And
how much more glorious will Christ, the judge himself, appear, than those his
attendants! Doubtless their God will appear immensely more glorious than they.
Christ will thus
descend into our air, to such a distance from the surface of the earth, that
everyone, when all shall be gathered together, shall see him, Rev. 1:7,
“Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him.”
Christ will make
this appearance suddenly, and to the great surprise of the inhabitants of the
earth. It is therefore compared to a cry at midnight, by which men are wakened
in a great surprise.
II. At the sound of
the last trumpet, the dead shall rise, and the living shall be changed. As soon
as Christ is descended, the last trumpet shall sound, as a notification to all
mankind to appear. At which mighty sound shall the dead be immediately raised,
and the living changed. 1 Cor. 15:52, “For the trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Mat. 24:31,
“And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet.” 1 Thes.
4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” There will be some great
and remarkable signal given for the rising of the dead, which it seems will be
some mighty sound, caused by the angels of God, who shall attend on Christ.
Upon this all the
dead shall rise from their graves. All, both small and great, who shall have
lived upon earth since the foundation of the world, those who died before the
flood, and those who were drowned in the flood, all that have died since that
time, and that shall die to the end of the world. There will be a great moving
upon the face of the earth, and in the water, in bringing bone to his bone, in
opening graves, and bringing together all the scattered particles of dead
bodies. The earth shall give up the dead that are in it, and the sea shall give
up the dead that are in it.
However the parts
of the bodies of many are divided and scattered; however many have been burnt,
and their bodies have been turned to ashes and smoke, and driven to the four
winds; however many have been eaten of wild beasts, of the fowls of heaven, and
the fishes of the sea; however many have consumed away upon the face of the
earth, and great part of their bodies have ascended in exhalations; yet the
all-wise and all-powerful God can immediately bring every part to his part
again.
Of this vast
multitude some shall rise to life, and others to condemnation. John 5:28, 29,
“All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they
that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
When the bodies are
prepared, the departed souls shall again enter into their bodies, and be
re-united to them, never more to be separated. The souls of the wicked shall be
brought up out of hell, though not out of misery, and shall very unwillingly
enter into their bodies, which will be but eternal prisons to them. Rev. 20:13,
“And death and hell delivered up the dead that were in them.” They shall
lift their eyes full of the utmost amazement and horror to see their awful
Judge. And perhaps the bodies with which they shall be raised will be most
filthy and loathsome, thus properly corresponding to the inward, moral turpitude
of their souls.
The souls of the
righteous shall descend from heaven together with Christ and his angels: 1 Thes.
4:14, “Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” They also
shall be re-united to their bodies, that they may be glorified with them. They
shall receive their bodies prepared by God to be mansions of pleasure to all
eternity. They shall be every way fitted for the uses, the exercises, and
delights of perfectly holy and glorified souls. They shall be clothed with a
superlative beauty, similar to that of Christ’s glorious body. Phil. 3:21,
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body.” Their bodies shall rise incorruptible, no more liable to pain
or disease, and with an extraordinary vigor and vivacity, like that of those
spirits that are as a flame of fire. 1 Cor. 15:43, 44, “It is sown in
dishonour, it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power:
it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” With what joy will
the souls and bodies of the saints meet, and with what joy will they lift their
heads out of their graves to behold the glorious sight of the appearing of
Christ! And it will be a glorious sight to see those saints arising out of their
graves, putting off their corruption, and putting on incorruption and glory.
At the same time,
those that shall then be alive upon the earth shall be changed. Their bodies
shall pass through a great change, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. 1
Cor. 15:51, 52, “Behold, I show you a great mystery; We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trump.” The bodies of the wicked then living will be changed into such
hideous things, as shall be answerable to the loathsome souls that dwell in
them, and such as shall be prepared to receive and administer eternal torments
without dissolution. But the bodies of the righteous shall be changed into the
same glorious and immortal form in which those that shall be raised will appear.
III. They shall all
be brought to appear before Christ, the godly being placed on the right hand,
the wicked on the left; Mat. 25:31, 32, 33. The wicked, however unwilling,
however full of fear and horror, shall be brought or driven before the
judgment-seat. However they may try to hide themselves, and for this purpose
creep into dens caves of the mountains, and cry to the mountains to fall on
them, and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from
the wrath of the Lamb. Yet there shall not one escape. To the judge they must
come, and stand on the left hand with devils. On the contrary, the righteous
will be joyfully conducted to Jesus Christ, probably by the angels. Their joy
will, as it were, give them wings to carry them thither. They will with
ecstasies and raptures of delight meet their friend and Savior, come into his
presence, and stand at his right hand.
Besides the one
standing on the right hand and the other on the left, there seems to be this
difference between them that when the dead in Christ shall be raised, they will
all be caught up into the air, where Christ shall be, and shall be there at his
right hand during the judgment, never more to set their feet on this earth.
Whereas the wicked shall be left standing on the earth, there to abide the
judgment. 1 Thes. 4:16, 17, “The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we
which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
And what a vast
congregation will there be of all the men, women, and children that shall have
lived upon earth from the beginning to the end of the world! Rev. 20:12, “And
I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.”
IV. The next thing
will be that the books shall be opened. Rev. 20:12, “I saw the dead, great and
small, stand before God; and the books were opened.” Which books seem to be
these two, the book of God’s remembrance, and the book of Scripture. The
former as the evidence of their deeds which are to be judged, the latter as the
rule of judgment. The works both of the righteous and of the wicked will be
brought forth that they may be judged according to them, and those works will be
tried according to the appointed and written rule.
First,
the works of both righteous and wicked will be rehearsed. The book of God’s
remembrance will be first opened. The various works of the children of men are,
as it were, written by God in a book of remembrance. Mal. 3:16, “A book of
remembrance was written before him.” However ready ungodly men may be to make
light of their own sins, and to forget them; yet God never forgets any of them.
Neither does God forget any of the good works of the saints. If they give but a
cup of cold water with a spirit of charity, God remembers it.
The evil works of
the wicked shall then be brought forth to light. They must then hear of all
their profaneness, their impenitence, their obstinate unbelief, their abuse of
ordinances, and various other sins. The various aggravations of their sins will
also be brought to view, as how this man sinned after such and such warnings,
that after the receipt of such and such mercies; one after being so and so
favored with outward light, another after having been the subject of inward
conviction, excited by the immediate agency of God. Concerning these sins, they
shall be called to account to see what answer they can make for themselves. Mat.
12:36, “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they
shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” Rom 14:12, “So then
every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
The good works of
the saints will also be brought forth as evidences of their sincerity, and of
their interest in the righteousness of Christ. As to their evil works, they will
not be brought forth against them on that day. For the guilt of them will not
lie upon them, they being clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. The
Judge himself will have taken the guilt of their sins upon him. Therefore their
sins will not stand against them in the book of God’s remembrance. The account
of them will appear to have been canceled before that time. The account that
will be found in God’s book will not be of debt, but of credit. God cancels
their debts, and sets down their good works, and is pleased, as it were, to make
himself a debtor for them, by his own gracious act.
Both good and bad
will be judged according to their works. Rev. 20:12, “And the dead were judged
out of those things that were found written in the books, according to their
works.” And verse 13, “And they were judged every man according to their
works.” Though the righteous are justified by faith, and not by their works,
yet they shall be judged according to their works. then works shall be
brought forth as the evidence of their of their faith. Their faith on that great
day shall be tried by its fruits. If the works of any man shall have been bad,
if his life shall appear to have been unchristian, that will condemn him,
without any further inquiry. But if his works, when they shall be examined,
prove good and of the right sort, he shall surely be justified. They will be
declared as a sure evidence of his having believed in Jesus Christ, and of his
being clothed with his righteousness.
But by works we are
to understand all voluntary exercises of the faculties of the soul. As for
instance, the words and conversation of men, as well as what is done with their
hands. Mat. 12:37, “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words
thou shalt be condemned.” Nor are we to understand only outward acts, or the
thoughts outwardly expressed, but also the thoughts themselves, and all the
inward workings of the heart. Man judgeth according to the outward appearance,
but God judgeth the heart. Rev. 2:23, “I am he that searcheth the heart and
the reins, and I will give unto every one of you according to his works.” Nor
will only positive sins be brought into judgment, but also omissions of duty, as
is manifest by Mat. 25:42, etc. “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat;
I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink,” etc.
On that day secret
and hidden wickedness will be brought to light. All the uncleanness,
injustice, and violence, of which men have been guilty in secret, shall be
manifest both to angels and men. Then it will be made to appear, how this and
that man have indulged themselves in wicked imaginations, in lascivious,
covetous, malicious, or impious desires and wishes. And how others have harbored
in their hearts enmity against God and his law; also impenitency and unbelief,
notwithstanding all the means used with them, and motives set before them, to
induce them to repent, return, and live.
The good works
of the saints also, which were done in secret, shall then be made public, and
even the pious and benevolent affections and designs of their hearts, so that
the real and secret characters of both saints and sinners shall then be most
clearly and publicly displayed.
Second,
the book of Scripture will be opened, and the works of men will be tried by that
touchstone. Their works will be compared with the Word of God. That which God
gave men for the rule of their action while in this life, shall then be made the
rule of their judgment. God has told us beforehand, what will be the rule of
judgment. We are told in the Scriptures upon what terms we shall be justified,
and upon what terms we shall be condemned. That which God has given us to be our
rule in our lives, he will make his own rule in judgment.
The rule of
judgment will be twofold. The primary rule of judgment will be the law.
The law ever has stood, and ever will stand in force, as a rule of judgment, for
those to whom the law was given. Mat. 5:18, “For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled.” The law will so far be made the rule of judgment, that
not one person at that day shall by any means be justified or condemned, in a
way inconsistent with that which is established by the law. As to the wicked,
the law will be so far the rule of judgment respecting them, that the sentence
denounced against them will be the sentence of the law. The righteous will be so
far judged by the law, that although their sentence will not be the sentence of
the law, yet it will by no means be such a sentence as shall be inconsistent
with the law, but such as it allows. For it will be by the righteousness of the
law that they shall be justified.
It will be inquired
concerning everyone, both righteous and wicked, whether the law stands against
him, or whether he has a fulfillment of the law to show. As to the righteous,
they will have fulfillment to show. They will have it to plead, that the judge
himself has fulfilled the law for them. That he has both satisfied for their
sins, and fulfilled the righteousness of the law for them. Rom. 10:4, “Christ
is the end of the law for the righteousness to every one that believeth.” But
as to the wicked, when it shall be found, by the book of God’s remembrance,
that they have broken the law, and have no fulfillment of it to plead, the
sentence of the law shall be pronounced upon them.
A secondary
rule of judgment will be the gospel, or the covenant of grace, wherein it is
said, “He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be
damned:” Rom. 2:16, “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by
Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” By the gospel, of covenant of grace,
eternal blessedness will be adjudged to believers. When it shall be found that
the law hinders not, and that the curse and condemnation of the law stands not
against them, the reward of eternal life shall be given them, according to the
glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
V. The sentence
will be pronounced. Christ will say to the wicked on the left hand, “Depart,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” How
dreadful will these words of the judge be to the poor, miserable, despairing
wretches on the left hand! How amazing will every syllable of them be! How will
they pierce them to the soul! These words show the greatest wrath and
abhorrence. Christ will bid them depart. He will send them away from his
presence, will remove them forever far out of his sight, into an everlasting
separation from God, as being most loathsome, and unfit to dwell in his
presence, and enjoy communion with him.
Christ will call
them cursed. Depart, ye cursed, to whom everlasting wrath and ruin
belong, who are by your own wickedness prepared for nothing else, but to be
firebrands of hell, who are the fit objects and vessels of the vengeance and
fury of the Almighty. Into fire. He will not send them away merely into a
loathsome prison, the receptacle of the filth and rubbish of the universe. But
into a furnace of fire. That must be their dwelling-place, there they must be
tormented with the most racking pain and anguish. It is everlasting fire.
There is eternity in the sentence, which infinitely aggravates the doom, and
will make every word of it immensely more dreadful, sinking, and amazing to the
souls that receive it. Prepared for the devil and his angels. This sets
forth the greatness and intenseness of the torments, as the preceding part of
the sentence does the duration. It shows the dreadfulness of that fire to which
they shall be condemned, that it is the same that is prepared for the devils,
those foul spirits and great enemies of God. Their condition will be the same as
that of the devils, in many respects; particularly as they must burn in the fire
forever.
This sentence will
doubtless be pronounced in such an awful manner as shall be a terrible
manifestation of the wrath of the judge. There will be divine, holy, and
almighty wrath manifested in the countenance and voice of the judge. And we know
not what other manifestations of anger will accompany the sentence. Perhaps it
will be accompanied with thunders and lightnings, far more dreadful than were on
mount Sinai at the giving of the law. Correspondent to these exhibitions of
divine wrath, will be the appearances of terror and most horrible amazement in
the condemned. How will all their faces look pale! How will death sit upon their
countenances, when those words shall be heard! What dolorous cries, shrieks, and
groans! What trembling, and wringing of hands, and gnashing of teeth, will there
then be!
But with the most
benign aspect, in the most endearing manner, and with the sweetest expressions
of love, will Christ invite his saints on his right hand to glory; saying,
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world.” He will not bid them to go from him, but to come
with him; to go where he goes; to dwell where he dwells; to enjoy him, and
to partake with him. He will call them blessed, blessed of his Father,
blessed by him whose blessing is infinitely the most desirable, namely, GOD. Inherit
the kingdom. They are not only invited to go with Christ, and to dwell with
him, but to inherit a kingdom with him, to sit down with him on his throne, and
to receive the honor and happiness of a heavenly kingdom. “Prepared for you
from the foundation of the world.” This denotes the sovereign and eternal love
of God, as the source of their blessedness. He puts them in mind, that God was
pleased to set his love upon them, long before they had a being, even from
eternity. That therefore God made heaven on purpose for them, and fitted it for
their delight and happiness.
VI. Immediately
after this, the sentence will be executed, as we are informed, Mat. 25:46,
“These shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life
eternal.” When the words of the sentence shall have once proceeded out of the
mouth of the judge, then that vast and innumerable throng of ungodly men shall
go away, shall be driven away, shall be necessitated to go away with devils, and
shall with dismal cries and shrieks be cast into the great furnace of fire
prepared for the punishment of devils, the perpetual thunders and lightnings of
the wrath of God following them. Into this furnace they must in both soul and
body enter, never more to come out. Here they must spend eternal ages in
wrestling with the most excruciating torments, and in crying out in the midst of
the most dreadful flames, and under the most insupportable wrath.
On the other hand,
the righteous shall ascend to heaven with their glorified bodies, in company
with Christ, his angels, and all that host which descended with him. They shall
ascend in the most joyful and triumphant manner, and shall enter with Christ
into that glorious and blessed world, which had for the time been empty of its
creature inhabitants. Christ having given his church that perfect beauty, and
crowned it with that glory, honor, and happiness, which were stipulated in the
covenant of redemption before the world was, and which he died to procure for
them; and having made it a truly glorious church, every way complete, will
present it before the Father, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Thus
shall the saints be instated in everlasting glory, to dwell there with Christ,
who shall feed them, and lead them to living fountains of water, to the full
enjoyment of God, and to an eternity of the most holy, glorious, and joyful
employments.
SECTION V
All will be
done in righteousness.
CHRIST will give to
every man his due, according to most righteous rule. Those who shall be
condemned, will be most justly condemned, will be condemned to that punishment
which they shall most justly deserve, and the justice of God in condemning them
will be made most evident. Now the justice of God in punishing wicked men, and
especially in the degree of their punishment, is often blasphemously called in
question. But it will be made clear and apparent to all. Their own consciences
will tell them that the sentence is just, and all cavils will be put to silence.
So those that shall
be justified, shall be most justly adjudged to eternal life. Although they also
were great sinners, and deserved eternal death; yet it will not be against
justice or the law, to justify them, they will be in Christ. But the acquitting
of them will be but giving the reward merited by Christ’s righteousness, Rom.
3:26, “That God may be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in
Jesus.”
Christ will judge
the world in righteousness, particularly as he will give to everyone a due
proportion either of reward or punishment, according to the various
characters of those who shall be judged. The punishments shall be duly
proportioned to the number and aggravations of the sins of the wicked. And the
rewards of the righteous shall be duly proportioned to the number of their holy
acts and affections, and also to the degree of virtue implied in them. — I
would observe further,
I. That Christ
cannot fail of being just in judging through mistake. He cannot take some
to be sincere and godly, who are not so, nor others to be hypocrites, who are
really sincere. His eyes are as a flame of fire, and he searcheth the hearts and
trieth the reins of the children of men. He can never err in determining what is
justice in particular cases, as human judges often do. Nor can he be blinded by
prejudices, as human judges are very liable to be. Deu. 10:17, “He regardeth
not persons, nor taketh reward.” It is impossible he should be deceived by the
excuse, and false colors, and pleas of the wicked, as human judges very commonly
are. It is equally impossible that he should err, in assigning to everyone his
proper proportion of reward or punishment, according to his wickedness or good
works. His knowledge being infinite, will effectually guard him against all
these, and other such errors.
II. He cannot fail
of judging righteously through an unrighteous disposition. For he is
infinitely just and holy in his nature. Deu. 32:4, “He is the rock, his work
is perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity,
just and right is he.” It is not possible that an infinitely powerful,
self-sufficient being should be under any temptation to injustice. Nor is it
possible that an infinitely wise being, who knoweth all things, should not
choose justice. For he who perfectly knows all things perfectly knows how much
more amiable justice is than injustice. And therefore must choose it.
SECTION VI
Those
things which will immediately follow the day of judgment.
I. AFTER the
sentence shall have been pronounced, and the saints shall have ascended with
Christ into glory, this world will be dissolved by fire. The conflagration will
immediately succeed the judgment. When an end shall have been put to the present
state of mankind, this world, which was the place of their habitation during
that state, will be destroyed, there being no further use for it. This earth
which had been the stage upon which so many scenes had been acted, upon which
there had been so many great and famous kingdoms and large cities, where there
had been so many wars, so much trade and business carried on for so many ages,
shall then be destroyed. These continents, these islands, these seas and rivers,
theses mountains and valleys, shall be seen no more at all. All shall be
destroyed by devouring flames. This we are plainly taught in the Word of God. 2
Pet. 3:7, “But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are
kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, and perdition of
ungodly men.” Verse 10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burnt up.” 2 Pet. 3:12, “Looking for and hasting unto the
coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.”
II. Both the misery
of the wicked and the happiness of the saints will be increased beyond what
shall be before the judgment. The misery of the wicked will be increased, as
they will be tormented not only in their souls, but also in their bodies, which
will be prepared both to receive and administer torment to their souls. There
will doubtless then be the like connection between soul and body, as there is
now. And therefore the pains and torments of the one will affect the other. And
why may we not suppose that their torments will be increased as well as those of
the devils? Concerning them we are informed (Jam. 2:19) that they believe there
is one God, and tremble in the belief; expecting no doubt that he will inflict
upon them, in due time more severe torments than even those which they now
suffer. We are also informed that they are bound “in chains of darkness, to be
reserved unto judgment; and unto the judgment of the great day,” (2
Pet. 2:4, and Jude 6) which implies that their full punishment is not yet
executed upon them, but that they are now reserved as prisoners in hell, to
receive their just recompense on the day of judgment. Hence it was that they
thought Christ was come to torment them before the time. Mat. 8:29. Thus
the punishment neither of wicked men nor devils will be complete before the
final judgment.
No more will the
happiness of the saints be complete before that time. Therefore we are in the
New Testament so often encouraged with promises of the resurrection of the dead,
and of the day when Christ shall come the second time. These things are spoken
of as the great objects of the expectation and hope of Christians. A state of
separation of soul and body is to men an unnatural state Therefore when the
bodies of the saints shall be raised from the dead, and their souls shall be
again united to them, as their state will be more natural, so doubtless it will
be more happy. Their bodies will be glorious bodies, and prepared to
administer as much to their happiness, as the bodies of the wicked will be to
administer to their misery.
We may with good
reason suppose the accession of happiness to the souls of the saints will be
great, since the occasion is represented as the marriage of the church, and the
Lamb. Rev. 19:7, “The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made
herself ready.” Their joy will then be increased because they will have new
arguments of joy. The body of Christ will then be perfect, the church will be
complete. All the parts of it will have come into existence, which will not be
the case before the end of the world. No parts of it will be under sin of
affliction. All the members of it will be in a perfect state. And they shall all
be together by themselves, none being mixed with ungodly men. Then the church
will be as a bride adorned for her husband, and therefore she will exceedingly
rejoice.
Then also the
Mediator will have fully accomplished his work. He will then have destroyed, and
will triumph over, all his enemies. Then Christ will have fully obtained his
reward, and fully accomplished the design which was in his heart from all
eternity. For these reasons Christ himself will greatly rejoice with him. Then
God will have obtained the end of all the great works which he has been doing
from the beginning of the world. All the designs of God will be unfolded in
their events. Then his marvelous contrivance in his hidden, intricate, and
inexplicable works will appear, the ends being obtained. Then the works of God
being perfected, the divine glory will more abundantly appear. These things will
cause a great accession of happiness to the saints, who shall behold them. Then
God will have fully glorified himself, his Son, and his elect. Then he will see
that all is very good, and will entirely rejoice in his own works. At the same
time the saints also, viewing the works of God brought thus to perfection, will
rejoice in the view, and receive from it a large accession of happiness.
Then God will make
more abundant manifestations of his glory, and of the glory of his Son. Then he
will more plentifully pour out his Spirit, and make answerable additions to the
glory of the saints, and by means of all these will so increase the happiness of
the saints, as shall be suitable to the commencement of the ultimate and most
perfect state of things, and to such a joyful occasion, the completion of all
things. In this glory and happiness will the saints remain forever and ever.
SECTION VII
The uses to
which this doctrine is applicable.
I. THE first use
proper to be made of this doctrine is of instruction. Hence many of the
mysteries of Divine Providence may be unfolded. There are many things in the
dealings of God towards the children of men, which appear very mysterious, if we
view them without having an eye to this last judgment, which yet, if we consider
this judgment, have no difficulty in them. As,
First,
that God suffers the wicked to live and prosper in the world. The infinitely
holy and wise Creator and Governor of the world must necessarily hate
wickedness. Yet we see many wicked men spreading themselves as a green bay-tree.
They live with impunity; things seem to go well with them, and the world smiles
upon them. Many who have not been fit to live, who have held God and religion in
the greatest contempt, who have been open enemies to all that is good, who by
their wickedness have been the pests of mankind. Many cruel tyrants, whose
barbarities have been such as would even fill one with horror to hear or read of
them; yet have lived in great wealth and outward glory, have reigned over great
and mighty kingdoms and empires, and have been honored as a sort of earthly
gods.
Now, it is very
mysterious, that the holy and righteous Governor of the world, whose eye beholds
all the children of men, should suffer it so to be, unless we look forward to
the day of judgment. And then the mystery is unraveled. For although God for the
present keeps silence, and seems to let them alone; yet then he will give
suitable manifestations of his displeasure against their wickedness. They shall
then receive condign punishment. The saints under the Old Testament were much
stumbled at these dispensations of Providence, as you may see in Job 21, and Psa.
73, and Jer. 12. The difficulty to them was so great, because then a future
state and a day of judgment were not revealed with that clearness with which
they are now.
Second,
God sometimes suffers some of the best of men to be in great affliction,
poverty, and persecution. The wicked rule, while they are subject.
The wicked are the head, and they are the tail. The wicked domineer, while they
serve, and are oppressed, yea are trampled under their feet, as the mire of the
streets. These things are very common, yet they seem to imply great confusion.
When the wicked are exalted to power and authority, and the godly are oppressed
by them, things are quite out of joint. Pro. 25:26, “A righteous man falling
down before the wicked, is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.”
Sometimes one wicked man makes many hundreds, yea thousands, of precious saints
a sacrifice to his lust and cruelty, or to his enmity against virtue and the
truth, and puts them to death for no other reason but that for which they are
especially to be esteemed and commended.
Now, if we look no
further than the present state, these things appear strange and unaccountable.
But we ought not to confine our views within such narrow limits. When God shall
have put an end to the present state, these things shall all be brought to
rights. Though God suffers things to be so for the present, yet they shall not
proceed in this course always. Comparatively speaking, the present state of
things is but for a moment. When all shall be settled and fixed by a
divine judgment, the righteous shall be exalted, honored, and rewarded, and the
wicked shall be depressed and put under their feet. However the wicked now
prevail against the righteous, yet the righteous shall at last have the
ascendant, shall come off conquerors, and shall see the just vengeance of God
executed upon those who now hate and persecute them.
Third,
it is another mystery of providence, that God suffers so much public injustice
to take place in the world. There are not only private wrongs, which in this
state pass unsettled, but many public wrongs, wrongs done by men acting in a
public character, and wrongs which affect nations, kingdoms, and other public
bodies of men. Many suffer by men in public offices, from whom there is no
refuge, from whose decisions there is no appeal. Now it seems a mystery that
these things are tolerated, when he that is rightfully the Supreme Judge and
Governor of the world is perfectly just. But at the final judgment all these
wrongs shall be adjusted, as well as those of a more private nature.
II. Our second
use of this subject shall be to apply it to the awakening of sinners.
You that have not the fear of God before your eyes, that are not afraid to sin
against him, consider seriously what you have heard concerning the day of
judgment. Although these things be now future and unseen, yet they are real and
certain. If you now be left to yourselves, if God keep silence, and judgment be
not speedily executed, it is not because God is regardless how you live, and how
you behave yourselves. Now indeed God is invisible to you, and his wrath is
invisible. But at the day of judgment, you yourselves shall see him with your
bodily eyes. You shall not then be able to keep out of his sight, or to avoid
seeing him. Rev. 1:7, “Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see
him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him.” You shall see him coming in the clouds of heaven. Your ears
shall hear the last trumpet, that dreadful sound, the voice of the archangel.
Your eyes shall see your judge sitting on the throne, they shall see those
manifestations of wrath which there will be in his countenance. Your ears shall
hear him pronounce the sentence.
Seriously consider,
if you live in the ways of sin, and appear at that day with the guilt of it upon
you, how you will be able to endure the sight or the hearing of these things,
and whether horror and amazement will not be likely to seize you, when you shall
see the judge descending, and hear the trump of God. What account will you be
able to give, when it shall be inquired of you, why you led such a sinful,
wicked life? What will you be able to say for yourselves, when it shall be
asked, why you neglected such and such particular duties, as the duty of secret
prayer, for instance? Or why you have habitually practiced such and such
particular sins or lusts? Although you be so careless of your conduct and manner
of life, make so light of sin, and proceed in it so freely, with little or no
dread or remorse; yet you must give an account of every sin that you commit, of
every idle word that you speak, and of every sinful thought of your hearts.
Every time you deviate from the rules of justice, of temperance, or of charity;
every time you indulge any lust, whether secretly or openly, you must give an
account of it. It will never be forgotten, it stands written in that book which
will be opened on that day.
Consider the rule
you will be judged by. It is the perfect rule of the divine law, which is
exceeding strict, and exceeding broad. And how will you ever be able to answer
the demands of this law? — Consider also,
First,
that the judge will be your supreme judge. You will have no opportunity
to appeal from his decision. This is often the case in this world. When we are
dissatisfied with the decisions of a judge, we often may appeal to a higher, a
more knowing, or a more just judicatory. But no such appeal can be made from our
Divine Judge. No such indulgence will be allowed. Or if it were allowed, there
is no superior judge to whom the appeal should be made. By his decision,
therefore, you must abide.
Second,
the judge will be omnipotent. Were he a mere man, like yourselves,
however he might judge and determine, you might resist, and by the help of
others, if not by your own strength, prevent or elude the execution of the
judgment. But the judge being omnipotent, this is utterly impossible. In vain is
all resistance, either by yourselves, or by whatever help you can obtain.
“Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished,” Pro. 11:21.
As well might you “set the briers and thorns in battle against God,” Isa.
27:4.
Third,
the judge will be inexorable. Human judges may be prevailed upon to
reverse their sentence, or at least to remit something of its severity. But in
vain will be all your entreaties, all your cries and tears to this effect, with
the great Judge of the world. Now indeed he inclines his ear, and is ready to
hear the prayers, cries, and entreaties of all mankind. But then the day of
grace will be past, and the door of mercy be shut. Then although ye spread forth
your hands, yet the judge will hide his eyes from you. Yea, though ye make many
prayers, he will not hear. Isa. 1:15. Then the judge will deal in fury. His eye
shall not spare, neither will he have pity. And though ye cry in his ears with a
loud voice, yet will he not hear you. Eze. 8:18. And you will find no place of
repentance in God, though you seek it carefully with tears.
Fourth,
the judge at that day will not mix mercy with justice. The time for mercy to be
shown to sinners will then be past. Christ will then appear in another character
than that of the merciful Savior. Having laid aside the inviting attributes of
grace and mercy, he will clothe himself with justice and vengeance. He will not
only, in general, exact of sinners the demands of the law, but he will exact the
whole, without any abatement. He will exact the very uttermost farthing, Mat.
5:26. Then Christ will come to fulfill that in Rev. 14:10, “The same shall
drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into
the cup of his indignation.” The punishment threatened to ungodly men is without
any pity. See Eze. 5:11, “Neither shall mine eye spare; neither will I
have any pity.” Here all judgments have a mixture of mercy. But the wrath of
God will be poured out upon the wicked without mixture, and vengeance will have
its full weight.
III. I shall apply
myself, thirdly, to several different characters of men.
First,
to those who live in secret wickedness. Let such consider that for all these
things God will bring them into judgment. Secrecy is your temptation. Promising
yourselves this, you practice many things, you indulge many lusts, under the
covert of darkness, and in secret corners, which you would be ashamed to do in
the light of the sun, and before the world. But this temptation is entirely
groundless. All your secret abominations are even now perfectly known to God,
and will also hereafter be made known both to angels and men. Luke 12:2, 3,
“For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that
shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be
heard in the light: and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall
be proclaimed upon the house-tops.”
Before human judges
are brought only those things which are known. But before this judge shall be
brought the most “hidden things of darkness, and even the counsels of the
heart,” 1 Cor. 4:5. All your secret uncleanness, all your secret fraud and
injustice, all your lascivious desires, wishes, and designs, all your inward
covetousness, which is idolatry, all your malicious, envious, and revengeful
thoughts and purposes, whether brought forth into practice or not, shall then be
made manifest, and you shall be judged according to them. Of these things,
however secret, there will be need of no other evidence than the testimony of
God and of your own consciences.
Second,
to such as are not just and upright in their dealings with their fellow-men.
Consider, that all your dealings with men must be tried, must be brought forth
into judgment, and there compared with the rules of the Word of God. All your
actions must be judged according to those things which are found written in the
book of the Word of God. If your ways of dealing with men shall not agree with
those rules of righteousness, they will be condemned. Now, the Word of God
directs us to practice entire justice. “That which is altogether just shalt
thou follow,” Deu. 16:20, and to do to others as we would they would do to us.
But how many are there, whose dealings with their fellow-men, if strictly tried
by these rules, would not stand the test!
God has, in his
word, forbidden all deceit and fraud in our dealings one with another, Lev.
11:13. He has forbidden us to oppress one another, Lev. 25:14. But how frequent
are practices contrary to those rules, and which will not bear to be tried by
them! How common are fraud and trickishness in trade! How will men endeavor to
lead on those with whom they trade in the dark, that so they may make their
advantage! Yea, lying in trading is too common a thing among us. How common are
such things as that mentioned, Pro. 20:14, “It is nought, it is nought, saith
the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.”
Many men will take
the advantage of another’s ignorance to advance their own gain, to his wrong.
Yea, they seem not to scruple such practices. Beside downright lying, men have
many ways of blinding and deceiving one another in trade, which are by no means
right in the sight of God, and will appear to be very unjust, when they shall be
tried by the rule of God’s Word at the day of judgment. And how common a thing
is oppression or extortion, in taking any advantage that men can by any means
obtain, to get the utmost possible of their neighbor for what they have to
dispose of, and their neighbor needs!
Let such consider,
that there is a God in heaven, who beholds them, and sees how they conduct
themselves in their daily traffic with one another, and that he will try their
works another day. Justice shall assuredly take place at last. The righteous
Governor of the world will not suffer injustice without control. He will control
and rectify it by returning the injury upon the head of the injurer. Mat. 7:2,
“With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
Third,
to those who plead for the lawfulness of practices generally condemned by
God’s people. You who do this, consider that your practices must be tried at
the day of judgment. Consider, whether or no they are likely to be approved by
the most holy Judge at that day. Pro. 5:21, “The ways of man are before the
eyes of the Lord; and he pondereth all his goings.” However, by your carnal
reasonings, you may deceive your own hearts, yet you will not be able to deceive
the judge, he will not hearken to your excuses, but will try your ways by the
rule. He will know whether they be straight or crooked.
When you plead for
these and those liberties which you take, let it be considered, whether they be
likely to be allowed of by the judge at the last great day. Will they bear to be
tried by his eyes, which are purer than to behold evil, and cannot look on
iniquity?
Fourth,
to those who are wont to excuse their wickedness. Will the excuses which you
make for yourselves be accepted at the day of judgment? If you excuse yourselves
to your own consciences, by saying that you were under such and such temptations
which you could not withstand, that corrupt nature prevailed, and you could not
overcome it, that it would have been so and so to your damage if you had done
otherwise, that if you had done such a duty, you would have brought yourselves
into difficulty, would have incurred the displeasure of such and such friends,
or would have been despised and laughed at. Or if you say, you did no more than
it was the common custom to do, no more than many godly men have done, no more
than certain persons of good reputation now practice, that if you had done
otherwise, you would have been singular. If these be your excuses for the sins
which you commit, or for the duties which you neglect, let me ask you, will they
appear sufficient when they shall be examined at the day of judgment?
Fifth,
to those who live in impenitence and unbelief. There are some persons who live
in no open vice, and perhaps conscientiously avoid secret immorality, who yet
live in impenitence and unbelief. They are indeed called upon to repent and
believe the gospel, to forsake their evil ways and thoughts, and to
return to God, that he may have mercy on them; to come unto Christ, laboring,
and heavy-laden with sin, that they may obtain rest of him; and
are assured, that if they believe, they shall be saved; and that if they believe
not, they shall be damned; and all the most powerful motives are set before
them, to induce them to comply with these exhortations, especially those drawn
from the eternal world. Yet they persist in sin, they remain impenitent and
unhumbled. They will not come unto Christ that they may have life.
Now such men shall
be brought into judgment for their conduct, as well as more gross sinners. Nor
will they be any more able to stand in the judgment than the other. They resist
the most powerful means of grace, go on in sin against the clear light of the
gospel, refuse to hearken to the kindest calls and invitations, reject the most
amiable Savior, the judge himself, and despise the free offers of eternal life,
glory, and felicity. And how will they be able to answer for these things at the
tribunal of Christ?
IV. If there be a
day of judgment appointed, then let all be very strict in trying their own
sincerity. God on that day will discover the secrets of all hearts. The judgment
of that day will be like the fire, which burns up whatsoever is not true gold.
Wood, hay, stubble, and dross, shall be all consumed by the scorching fire of
that day. The judge will be like a refiner’s fire, and fuller’s soap, which
will cleanse away all filthiness, however it may be colored over. Mal. 3:2,
“Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?
for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap.” And Mal. 4:1,
“For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea,
and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn
them up, saith the Lord of hosts.”
There are
multitudes of men that wear the guise of saints, appear like saints, and their
state, both in their own eyes and in the eyes of their neighbors, is good. They
have sheep’s clothing. But no disguise can hide them from the eyes of the
judge of the world. His eyes are as a flame of fire. They search the hearts and
try the reins of the children of men. He will see whether they be sound at
heart. He will see from what principles they have acted. A fair show will in no
degree deceive him, as it does men in the present state. It will signify nothing
to say, “Lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence; and in thy name have
we cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works.” It will
signify nothing to pretend to a great deal of comfort and joy, and to the
experience of great religious affections, and to your having done many things in
religion and morality, unless you have some greater evidences of sincerity.
Wherefore let
everyone take heed that he be not deceived concerning himself. And that he
depend not on that which will not bear examination at the day of judgment. Be
not contented with this, that you have the judgment of men, the judgment of
godly men, or that of ministers, in your favor. Consider that they are not to be
your judges at last. Take occasion frequently to compare your hearts with the
Word of God. That is the rule by which you are to be finally tried and judged.
And try yourselves by your works, by which also you must be tried at last.
Inquire whether you lead holy Christian lives, whether you perform universal and
unconditional obedience to all God’s commands, and whether you do it from a
truly gracious respect to God.
Also frequently beg
of God, the judge, that he would search you, try you now, and discover you to
yourselves, that you may see if you be insincere in religion. And that he would
lead you in the way everlasting. Beg of God, that if you be not upon a good
foundation, he would unsettle you, and fix you upon the sure foundation. The
example of the psalmist in this is worthy of imitation. Psa. 26:1, 2, “Judge
me, O Lord, examine me, and prove me; try my reins and mine heart.” And Psa.
139:23, 24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my
thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way
everlasting.” God will search us hereafter, and discover what we are, both to
ourselves and to all the world. Let us pray that he would search us, and
discover our hearts to us now. We have need of divine help in this matter; for
the heart is deceitful above all things.
V. If God has
appointed a day to judge the world, let us judge and condemn ourselves for our
sins. This we must do, if we would not be judged and condemned for them on that
day. If we would escape condemnation, we must see that we justly may be
condemned. We must be so sensible of our vileness and guilt, as to see that we
deserve all that condemnation and punishment which are threatened. And that we
are in the hands of God, who is the sovereign disposer of us, and will do with
us as seemeth to himself good. Let us therefore often reflect on our sins,
confess them before God, condemn and abhor ourselves, be truly humbled, and
repent in dust and ashes.
VI. If these things
be so, let us by no means be forward to judge others. Some are forward to judge
others, to judge their hearts both in general and upon particular occasions, to
determine as to the principles, motives, and ends of their actions. But this is
to assume the province of God, and to set up ourselves as lords and judges. Rom.
14:4, “Who art thou, that thou judgest another man’s servant?” Jam. 4:11,
“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his
brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the
law.” To be thus disposed to judge and act censoriously towards others, is the
way to be judged and condemned ourselves. Mat. 7:1, 2, “Judge not, that ye be
not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
VII. This doctrine
affords matter of great consolation to the godly. This day of judgment, which is
so terrible to ungodly men, affords no ground of terror to you, but abundant
ground of joy and satisfaction. For though you now meet with more affliction and
trouble than most wicked men, yet on that day you shall be delivered from all
afflictions, and from all trouble. If you be unjustly treated by wicked men, and
abused by them, what a comfort is it to the injured, that they may appeal to
God, who judgeth righteously. The psalmist used often to comfort himself with
this.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's Jonathan Edwards Collection by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
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