The Final Judgment
Or
THE
WORLD JUDGED RIGHTEOUSLY BY JESUS CHRIST
By
Jonathan Edwards
Acts
17:31
Because
he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained.
INTRODUCTION
Subject: 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.
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.
Upon these accounts the saints have reason to
love the appearing of Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 4:8, “Henceforth there is laid up
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall
give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all those that love his
appearing.” This is to the saints a blessed hope. Tit. 2:13, “Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour
Jesus Christ. This day may well be the object of their eager desire, and when
they hear of Christ’s coming to judgment, they may well say, “Even so come,
Lord Jesus,” Rev. 22:20. It will be the most glorious day that ever the saints
saw. It will be so both to those who shall die, and whose souls shall go to
heaven, and to those who shall then be found alive on earth. It will be the
wedding-day of the church. Surely then in the consideration of the approach of
this day, there is ground of great consolation to the saints.