William Jenkyn
They whose course and trade of life is in sin, Observ. 1. do most resemble Satan; Sin is a chain to the godly, to weary and trouble them; but its a chain to the divell and wicked men, wholly to subdue them to its power and obedience; The holiest may sometime fall into sin, but the ungodly onely live and lie in sin: the godly are like a sheep, which sometimes may slip, and be tumbled into a dirty ditch; but the wicked are as swine, who tumble and wallow in the ditch. The former beat themselves with striving to get out, the later are ready to beat and hurt any who labour to help them out. The former crie out of sin and sinning, as their torment; the later (like the divell) when any go about to reform and hinder them from sin, cry out, What have we to do with you? are you come to torment us before our time? The godly sin, but the wicked are ἐργαζόμενοι, workers of iniquity, witty and skilfull practitioners in impiety. Sin is the woe of a Saint, and the work of a sinner: To the former its a thorne in the eye; to the later as a crown upon the head. In the former, sin is; but the later are in sin; a sober man may have drink in him, but the drunkard only is in drink. A Saint, when he sins, is as a poor child when he fals into a pond of water; but a wicked man as a fish in the water, sports and swims in sin as his element: his bibere is his vivere, he drinks in sin as the fish drinks in water. A sinner performes good duties by fits and starts, but sin is his course, and standing employ ment; a Saint sins by fits, but holinesse is his course, and he walks with God, though sometmes he be drawen away by a tentation. Oh that they who live in sin, cannot sleep unlesse they sin, who are sick with Amnon, till they have fatisfied their lusts; who can walk in sin from morning to night, week after week, year after year (yea, and if they had more lives, they would do so life after life) would consider who is their father, and whom they resemble, and never be at rest, till they get from under the cruel slavery of sin, into the service of Jesus Christ, which is the true and only liberty. And let them fear lest the Lord at length give them up to final obstinacy, Revel. 22.11. and say in his wrath, Thou that art filthy, be filthy still; my spirit shall never more strive with thee; I will never give one blow more to knock off thy chains, but they shall be like the divels, everlasting chains: and thou who holdest thy sin so fast, here upon earth, shalt be held and bound by that chain for ever in hell.
2. Observ. 2. Torments cannot reform divels. Hellish horrours cannot change hellish hearts. Sinners will not be perswaded either by the rising of one from the dead, or their own remaining among the damned. The braying of sinners in a mortar, cannot make their folly depart from them. Outward troubles may break the back, only God by his supernaturall working, can melt the heart. Notwithstanding smiting, Isai 1.5. people may revolt more and more. After all the repeated plagues upon Pharaoh, and Egypt, their hearts were hard: And though God battered the Israelites with successive judgements, yet he testifies, they returned not to him. Am. 4.8. Judgements move only by way of outward and objective perswasion, they cannot reach, really work upon, or turn the heart: The smartest outward poverty, cannot make a man poor in spirit. The glorified angels are humble in the joyes of heaven; the divels are proud in the torments of hell. It is not the inflicting, but the sanctifying of troubles that can benefit us. Whensoever the Lord chastens us, Psal. 94.12. Jer. 6.29. let us beseech him likewise to teach us; otherwise wee shall continue unreformed.
3. Restraint much differs from reformation. Observ. 3. Divels may have a chain upon them, and yet no change within them. A necessitated forbearance of sin may accompany a divilish nature; divine chastisements and humane lawes may hide sin, and hinder sinning; ‘tis only a principle of renovation wherby we hate sin: Let none please himself with such a conversion as he is forced unto by his earthly superiours. They who only leave sin because men forbid it, wil upon the same ground be brought to forsake any way of holinesse. And yet what is the religion of the most, but a meer restraint; and hence it is that so many have proved Apostates: Constrained goodnesse is never constant. The fear of man’s lawes may make a good subject, it’s only the fear of God in the heart that makes a good Christian.
4. Satan can do nothing but by Gods permission. Observ. 4. God keeps him in a powerfull chain. Wicked angels are potent, only a good God is omnipotent. When God gives way, one divel may overthrow a legion, Mat. 8.31. 1 King. 22.21 Job 1.12. a million of men; but till God lengthens out his chain, a legion of divels cannot hurt one man, nay not a silly beast. God who made, can ruine them; and would do so, were he not able to over-rule them, and to advance his own glory against, nay by all their endeavours. The consideration of this, should both quiet and counsel us. 1. Quiet us, because our worst enemy is wholly in the power of our best friend; Satan takes out a new commission from God for every undertaking against us; and (as Christ told Pilate) He could have no power over us, unlesse it were given him from above. It was in the power of Satan to carry Christ up, but not to cast him downe; he that fears God neither need, nor will fear Satan. As the rage of men, so that of Divels, shall also praise God, and the residue thereof will he restrain. 2. Counsell us, to take heed of that heathenish error whereby men commonly give the honour due to God to Conjurers and Impostors; and of that common fault among Christians, in being more angry with the instrument, then patient under the hand that smites them.
5. Observ. 5 Satan cannot hurt us, unlesse he gets us within the compasse of his chain. If we go not to him, he cannot come to us. All the wayes of Satan are deviations and swervings from the way and rule of the word. He who keeps in this way, Non extorquet à nobis consensum, sed petit. Aug. Non potest vincere nisi volentem. Hierom. and walks according to this rule, keeps himselfe from the destroyer, and peace shall be upon him. Satan was fain to beg of Christ to cast down himselfe; he cannot cast us down, unlesse we cast down our selves; he can suggest sin to us, he cannot force us to sin. No man is hurt but from himselfe, and out of the voluntary inclination of his own mind unto evill. The divel cannot infuse wickednesse into us, but only stir up wickednesse in us; he cannot bend the will as God doth, who by his own absolute power, works in a way of creation in us; who without our selves, and against our selves, giveth a new heart, and changeth an heart of stone into an heart of flesh. Satan moves not our wills either by any proper power which he hath over them, or without our assent first gain’d unto him, but by a working upon the imagination; sometimes so presenting objects to the understanding, as that it apprehends evill in the colour of good: Sometimes stirring up the corruption, passions and lusts already in us, to darken the understanding, and incline the will. If Satan could hurt us without our own wils, he could never be resisted in any tentation. The divel is not so dangerous an enemy as our own sin; this slayes us without him, he hurts us not without this. If Satan plow not with our owne Heifer, he can get no advantage. Many having sinn’d, lay the blame on the divell, who (they say) ow’d them a spite; whereas it is their sin, not the divel, which paies it; had they not cast down themselves, the divel could never have done it. The thief indeed is to be blam’d for stealing thy money, but it was thy fault and folly to leave thy doors open, and give him entertainment. Satan never beats us but with our own weapons: Though David was stirred up to number the people by Satan, 1 Chron. 21.1 yet when he came to see his folly, he thought not his sinne lesse because Satan mov’d him to it, but took all the blame of sin to himself, and said, I have done very foolishly. Let therefore the time we spend in blaming of Satan when we have sinn’d, be spent in opposing of Satan, Jam. 4.7. Eph. 4.27. 1 Pet 5.10. Eph. 6.13.16. that we may not sin; let us not give place to the divel, but resist him, by faith applying the victory of Christ, and viewing present assistances, and future recompences; by prayer bringing God into the combate, by sobriety in the use of comforts, and watchfulnesse against all tentations to sin, continuing our allegiance and Gods protection. Adventure not within the chains of a mad dog; supply not their want of length, by thy want of watchfulnesse. Our natures are tindar, and gunpowder; we had need beware, not only of fiery darts, but the least spark.
6. God can make an offéndor his own afflicter, Observ. 6. a Magormissabib, a terror to himselfe, and constantly to carry his own chains of terror and torment about him. That which makes us enemies to God, makes us enemies to our selves; Wickednesse is it’s own vexation. A sinner, though he be truly a friend to none, yet never is he so great a foe to any, as to himselfe. Powder which blowes up the house, cannot it selfe escape from burning. Such is the power of Gods justice, that without any trouble to himselfe, he can make a transgressor his own tormentor, industriously to fetch in matter of excessive horror to himself out of his owne bosome; to gaze willingly into that false glasse which Satan sets before him, to be led by that lying cruelty which mis-represents to the sinners affrighted imagination, every gnat as a camel, Nihil potuit adeo aptè proponi, nihil tam accommodatè adferri, quod non ille vel refelleret argutissimè, vel eluderet callidissimè, vel-dissolveret promptissimè. Saepe intra meipsum cogitavi eum nequaquam fuisse ita perspicacem in judicio dogmatum, ita porro exercitatum in disputationibus theologicis, cum sanus esset. Hist. Fran. Spira. p. 120.121. In tantis suis malis, filiorum suorum non aliter vultus & manus quam tortorum suorum semper exhorrescere, &c. Ibid. p. 84. every mote as a molehill, every molehill as a mountain, every lustfull thought as a Sodomiticall vallany, every idle word as a desperate blasphemy, every angry look as a bloody murder, every transgression against light of conscience, as a sin against the Holy Ghost. In this amazednesse of spirit, God can cause a man to turn his own artillery, his wit and learning upon himself, to argue with subtility against the pardonableness his sins, to wound his wounds with a conceit that they are incurable, to vex his very vexations with refusing to be comforted. In a word, to turn to his own torment, not only his crosses and tentations, but even the very comforts of his life; wife, children, gold, goods, honours, as that wofull Spira did. If God speak the word, the hand shall rebel and strike the head, the nailes shall tear the skin, the teeth shall gnaw the flesh. Those who are made to take one anothers parts, shall become mutinous, like the Midianites, who sheath’d their swords in their fellowes bowels. A man forsaken of God hath least mercy for himselfe. Never let us please our selves, or envy the enemies of God in any sinfull quietnesse, since God can make men selfe-destroyers. To conclude this, if ever you would be reconcil’d to your selves, 1. Labour to be reconcil’d to God in Christ. Never will conscience (Gods deputy) speak peace, if God himselfe speak war: Nor will God be at peace, but through him who is our peace. 2. Let us maintain a constant war with sin. Such is the cruelty of sin, that it alwayes torments those who loves it: and such is its impotency, that it cannot hurt those who hate it. 3. Let us constantly walk in those ways, which (Prov. 3.17.) are called peace; remembring, that holinesse troubles nothing, but what we should not only trouble, but destroy; our lusts.
7. Observ. 7. There’s no liberty to be found in forsaking of Gods service. As soon as these angels had thrown off the yoke of obedience, they put on the chains of bondage; they were in bondage to sin, and for sin; Every sinner is a captive, he cannot stir hand or foot in heavenly imployments. A Saint only walks at liberty, the service of God alone is freedom. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and a changing of the chains of flavery, for an heavenly activity. None but Saints can run the wayes of Gods Commandments, and willingly wait upon their Master: and hence it is, that only they can perform duties either delightful to him, or themselves. The wayes of obedience which are torments to a sinner, are the pleasures of a Saint; that which the one counts his yoke, the other esteems his priviledge, and knows not how to live without the daily performing of them. And how comfortable is their condition, in having their chains of guilt beaten off by Christ! As their services are, so their usage is that of sons, not of slaves and captives. Their duties savour of the Spirit of adoption, and a filial ingenuity. Their services are without fear; whereas others are all their life long subject unto bondage. How are sinners mistaken, in thinking that liberty is inconsistent with sanctity! A Saint loseth nothing but his bonds and fetters, by becoming holy; nor is holinesse a chain to any, but those who know no other freedom then an house of bondage.
8. The pleasures of sin, bear no proportion to the horrours thereof. It’s pleasures are light and momentany, its chains are heavy, horrid, and everlasting. The act of sin is instantly ended, and the delights of sin soon fall off; but its chains are strong, and not to be broken; there’s no aqua fortis, to eat them asunder: How happy were it that sinners would be but as wise in preventing, as they will he wofull in undergoing the everlasting sorrows which follow their short sinning! Oh that when you say, you know not how to forbear the breaches of the law, you would ask your selfe whether you are able to bear, or knock off the chains of the prison? Foolish sinner! say no more, (as I have sometimes heard thee in thy sits of passion) I must speak, and then I have done; when chou hast done, God hath not done, he then begins; and should he (as thou deservest) once chain such a wild offender in that black dungeon of hell, he would not have done with thee to eternity. Look upon sin with Scripture spectacles: Oh view the chain, the everlasting chain of guilt and horrour, through every tentation. Let the meditation of eternity damp and stop thee in thy sinfull heats and fury. If thou canst not find a man, who to gain the world, would be compell’d to lie bound upon a bed of roses a hundred years; how shalt thou endure the flames and chains of hell to eternity?
9. Observ. 9. How eminently is the goodnesse of God manifosted to men, more then to angels! The fallen angels continue under the chains of eternall guilt, helplesse without, Aug. and hopelesse of recovery. Man, who deserved no better, is loosed from those chains by a strong Redeemer, and by the blood of Jesus Christ they are broken asunder. How should so great mercy quicken our hearts to thankfulnesse! Wonder, O man, that God should break in pieces, and throw on to the dunghill of hell to eternity, those golden vessels, the angels, beset with the most precious gems of most shining and glorious endowments, when they had contracted rust; and that he should cleanse the earthen pot, poor man, in stead of breaking it, when the uncleannesse of sin had defil’d and eaten into it. I only adde, that in one thing the sins of men admit of a greater aggravation, then those of divels; these never sinn’d against the offers of a Saviour: Unbelieving sinner! the very divels will condemn thee. If all the examples in the world of ingratitude to God, and unkindnesse to ones selfe were lost, they might be found again in thee.
Thus far of the first part of the punishment of these fallen angels in the prison, viz. their being in everlasting chains.
They are said secondly, to be under darknesse.
Two things may here needfully be opened.
1. What the darknesse is under which they are.
2. What is their misery in being under it.
1. Darknesse is in Scripture taken taken two wayes, 1. Gen. 1.2, 4. Isai. 45.7. Isai. 45.19. Isai. 45.3. 1 Cor. 4.5. 1 Thess. 5.5. 2 John 2.8. Rom. 1.21.2.19.1 Thess. 5.8. 1 John 2.11. 1. Properly, for the negation, defect and privation of light. 2. Metaphorically: 1. for a secret, hidden, or private place; What I tell you in darknesse, that speak you in light, Matth. 10.27. so Luke 12.3. 2. For errour and ignoorance; Acts 26.18. to turn them from darknesse to light, Ephes. 4.18. having their minds darkned, Ephes. 5.8. Once were ye darknesse, &c. In which tespect principally, sins are called the works of darknesse, Rom. 13.12. Ephes. 5.11. 3. For great calamities and punishments, 1. Externall, Job 50.26. When I looked for good, Jer. 23.12. evill came unto me; and when I waited for light, there came darknesse. Isai. 5.30. If one look unto the land, behold darknesse and sorrow, Isai 8.22. They shall look unto the earth, and behold trouble and darknesse, Isai. 59.9. We wait for brightnesse, but we walk in darknesse, Isai. 47.5. Get thee into darknesse, Jer. 13.16. Ezek. 32.8. Mich. 7.8. Psal. 143.3. Afflictus, vitam tenebris, luctuque trahebam. Virg. Aeneid. 2. O danghter of the Caldeans. 2. Internall. Thus Heman complains, Psal. 88.6. That God had laid him in darknesse. Isai. 50.10. Who is there among you, &c. that walketh in darknesse, and seeth no light. 3. Eternall, for the uncomfortable condition of the damned in hell, by reason of the absence of Gods presence. Jude 12. Matth. 8.12. Matth. 22.13. we read of some cast into utter darknesse, i. e. without the Kingdome of God, which is light, and a Kingdom of light. In this phrase of utter darknesse, (according to some) is an allusion to the darknesse which God sent upon Egypt, Metaphoricè, per tenebras, scriptura horrendum maerorem designat. Cal. in Mat. 8.12. Tenebrae exteriores domesticae luci opponuntur, quum antiquitus nocturnae ut plurimum coenae essent, quas plurimae faces & lampades illustrabant: qui ejiciuntur è regno Dei, Christus eos dicit, extra in tenebras, ejici in tenebras. Cal. in Mat. 25. Comprativus superlativi est loco, ut sit in tenebras extimas. Luc. Brug. in Mat. 8. Exod. 10.23. that Egyptian darknesse, being without the habitations of the Israelites, in all which was light; Or (as Reverend Calvin conceives) to the darknesse wherein they are, who are excluded in the night time from places, in which are suppers or feasts, where they set up many lights and lamps: or as others, to the darknesse of prisons, which were oft wont to be without the City, Acts 12.10. Whatever the allusion is, by this utter darknesse, is intended a state of the greatest remotenesse and distance from the light of Gods presence, the joy, yea the heaven of heaven; for as Brugensis well notes by the comparative note, ἐξώτερον, outer, may well be intented the superlative, utmost, or most without, furthest, or most distant from the Kingdom of light, as 1 Cor. 13.13. the greater, i. e. the greatest of these is charity. This eternall darknesse, which stands in the withdrawing of the light of Gods pleased and pleasing countenance, wherein is fulnesse of joyes, and pleasures for evermore, is that here by the Apostle intended, to be the portion of these angels in their prison of hell. And most fitly is this their wofull estate of separation from Gods presence called darknesse; because, as the (though but deficient) cause of darknesse, is the departure of the light, so the separation from the favourable presence of God is the greatest misery of the damned: as the face and comfortable presence of God is the heaven of heavens so absence from God is the hell of hell. It is not heaven to be in the place of heaven, but to be with God in heaven; and it is not hell to be in hell, but to be without Gods loving and gracious presence in heaven.
The misery of which condition of darknesse, or separation from Gods presence, is in the second place to be explained; and it may be amplified two wayes.
1 Considering from what this separation shall be.
2 How the misery thereof shall be further heightned.
1 There shal be a separation from the favorable presence of God, which is 1 A full good, comprehending all good; that wherein all good things are assembled and combined. He who hath him who is all things, must needs have all things. To him there can be made no addition of goodness; in parting with him, the damned part with whatsoever is good. 2 A filling, satisfying good, enough and sufficient for himself; and that which can fill the Ocean, can undoubtedly fill the vessell. God satisfies all the wants and exigences of the soul: My God shall supply all your wants: The favour of God is better then life: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Every good besides God, is but of a limited nature, answering but to this or that exigency; but one God answers to every want: Bread relieves hunger, water thirst, cloaths nakednesse, mony poverty; God relieves in every want, Summa mors animae est alienatio à vita Dei, in aeternitate supplicii. Aug. lib. 6. de civ. Dei c. 12. and hath infinitely more oyl then we have vessels. Deservedly therefore is this punishment of loss frequently expressed in the Scripture as the great woe of the damned, Matth. 7.23. Luke 13.27. Mat. 25.10, 41. The throne of iniquity shall have no fellowship with God, Psalm 94.20. Needs must hell be a dismal dungeon, where the sunshine of Gods presence never comes.
But 2. The misery of the loss of this blessed presence of God is further heightned, aggravated, and made intolerably tormenting; Considering, 1. The damned in hell know the incomparable worth of what they have lost: Their Understandings are cleer, though they are not changed: Their knowledg increaseth their sorrow. How happy (comparatively) would they be, if their Understandings were taken from them, if they could but put out their eyes! Though they see not God so fully and cleerly as do the blessed in heaven; yet they see enough of him to rend and grinde them with inexpressible vexation for losing him. A company of wretched beggars, who in a dark night stand at the door of that house where there is a Wedding feast, though they see not the stately preparations, the furnished tables, the costly ornaments of the married Couple and Guests, so fully and clearly; and though they hear not the sweet Musick within so distinctly, as do the guests themselves who sit at table; yet by lights in the windows, the voices of mirth, and Musicians, with the confused sound of instruments, the passage to and fro of attendants with their chear, they cannot but observe enough to think themselves, being excluded, very miserable, in comparison of those who are attended at the table, and in the midst of all their mirth and plenty. Christ makes the Application, Luke 13.25.28. Where he speaks of those who stand without and knock, &c. and shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and they themselves thrust out. The rich man sees Abraham and Lazarus, but a farr off: see them he must, though he would not; get to them he must not, though he would never so fain. And certainly, the large vessel of an Angels understanding holds more matter of this torment, then can more shallow capacities.
2. These damned spirits remember, that this loss of the presence of God was a rod of their own making, a woe of their own most wilfull procuring; The door which shuts them out of heaven was pull’d to with their own hands. How much will it sharpen the edg of their horror, to consider, that none forced them to sin; that the forsaking of God was the choice of their own will; that they had no enemies but themselves? The treasures of glory were not stollen from them, but voluntarily dissipated, and prodigally mis-spent with their own hands. How easily could they have prevented that losse which now is irreparable! and have kept their foot out of that snare, out of which they can never wind themselves! The arrow which falls down upon their heads, was shot up with their own hands; and (as its said of birdlime, that its made of the dung of birds) the destruction which hath caught them, was spun out of their own bowels.
3. They consider how poor a trifle, and contemptible a toy it was for which they have lost the blessed presence of God. How doth it cut them, to remember, that they have lost all things for nothing; a massy crown, a weight of glory, for a bubble, a butter-flie; the inheritance of heaven for a song! What proportion is between a notion, a fancy, and the satisfying fruition of a reall good! how do men blame themselves for lodging in a dear Inne, where they are compell’d to pay as much more as their entertainment is worth! How heartily have I heard men beshrew themselves, for parting with great summs of mony, for which (they say) they never drunk! A minute of pleasure, a poor, silly, slight, shallow nothing (may the damned say) was all I had (for have he cannot say) to shew for my self, my blessednesse, my God. (Oh mad exchange! Oh amazing disproportion!) deservedly miserable wretch that I am, I had but a dream of delight, for heaven it self. Did ever any fool buy so dear, and sell so cheap?
4. They consider who it is that excludes them from this blessedness, even God himself, who is not only a God of power, and therefore able to hinder them from entring, (for if he shuts, none can open;) but a God of tender compassions, to some; This God, who made them, will not have mercy on them. Mercy it self is now made wrath. He now thunders in his fury, whose bowels once made a noise, which though somtimes tender, are now harder then flints. What shal open the door, when he who is goodness and love it self, shuts it?
5 They are therefore hopelesse, Semper cogitur ut & mortem sine morte, defectum sine defectu, finem fine fine patiatur, quatenus ci & mors immortalis fit, & defectusindeficiens, & finis infinitus. Greg. Mat. 25.10. Luk. 13. and utterly despairing ever to be admitted to the presence of God, the anchor of hope is now broken; the bridg of mercy is now drawn; the gulph of separation shall never be past. The heaviest rock can as easily take wings and flie, and kisse the body of the Sun, as can a damned spirit get up into the gracious presence of God. When the door is shut, its too late to think of entring. Knocking, weeping, entreating are altogether fruitlesse. How deeply did the departure of Paul pierce the heart of the Christians with sorrow, when he had told them, that they should see his face no more! Oh dreadfull word, never! the bitterest word, in comparison of it, is sweet.
1 Separation from God is the evil indeed. Observ. 1. It separates from the greatest good. Worldly evils hurt the skin, not the soul: Its possible they may be corrective, but the losse of God is destructive. God, in depriving men of his gifts, whips them; but in the final removal of himself, he executes them. Scourging is oft the lot of sons, but separation from God is the portion of divels. God may take away every thing in love, unlesse it be his love. Separation from God is a distinguishing judgement. How much are men mistaken in their estimations of misery! The most know no other hell, but poverty, or some such worldly woe; Whereas outward evils are but appearing, and opinionative, and all their deformity is in the eye of the beholder; if they drive us (as oft they do) nearer to God, they are good for us; and nothing is truly bad which separates. not from the chiefest good. There is more bitternesse in a drop of sin, than a sea of suffering.
2. Observ. 2. How grosse is the delusion of sinners! Who for the tasting of the slight and superficiall pleasures of a tentation, will lose the soul-satisfying presence of the everblessed God! If all the delights of the earth cannot countervail one moments losse of the light of Gods Countenance in this life, what proportion is there between a moments tast of worldly pleasures, and the everlasting losse of the fruition of God in glory! Could Satan make his promise good, in saying, All these things wil I give thee: truly it would be but a slight performance in the esteem of that soul, who knowes that the gain of the world would be followed with an eternall losse of God. The eternall weight of the losse of God, infinitely more weighs down all momentany delights, than doth a mountain of lead a feather. Could sinners part with God upon some valuable consideration, their folly were not so much to be pitied; but nothing can be given them in exchange for God, because God whom they lose, is all things.
3 The wisest care imaginable, Observ. 3. is that of enjoying the presence of God in glory. Shew your care hereof, 1 By observing, Eph. 2.1, 2, 12 Ephes. 4.18 and laying to heart your distance from God by nature. We all came into the world with our faces toward Satan, and our backs turned upon God: let no worldly enjoyments bribe your consciences into a false and fained quietnesse while you so remain. If the poor Jews would not be made to sing in a strange land; let not siners please themselves in this condition of estrangement from God. How have the Saints mourned under the apprehension of Gods departure! Their lamentations shew what sinners must do, either here, or hereafter. 2 By making him your friend, who onely admits us into the presence of God. Jesus Christ is that way whereby that gulf between God and the soul is onely pass’d over. There’s no seeing his face, without bringing Christ along with us: nor can we more endure the presence of God without an interest in Christ, then can the stubble endure the flames. Every Christless soul is a Godless soul. The blood of Christ is the onely cement which can joyn God and us together. 3 By labouring to be made fit for his presence: Holiness becomes all those who shall enjoy it. Heaven is no place for dogs; and without holiness no man shall see God. Heaven must first be in us, before we can ever get into heaven. God forbids his people to have fellowship with the works of darkness; and much less will he himself delight in such company. Sin hinders from enjoying God here, Isa. 59.2. much more bereafter: Nor will heaven ever be sweet to that soul, which here accounts not sin bitter. The light of glory would dazle those eyes which only have been used to the darkness of sin: filthy garments may (undiscern’d) be worn in the dark, but not in the light. It’s the happiness of heaven, that all its inhabitants are of one mind: The company of sinners would spoil the harmonious consort of glorified spirits. 4 By delighting in the presence of, and acquaintance with God, while we are here upon earth. How shie are men of admitting strangers into their houses! and how readily do they open their doors to those with whom they are acquainted! No wonder, if Christ bids those depart, whom he never knew. Account those duties, conditions, companies to be but empty, in and by which thou enjoyest not something of God. Content not thy self with that Prayer, Sabbath, Ministry, wherein God hath not discovered his humbling quickning, strengthning presence to thee, in thee. Let no Sacrifice please thee, without fire: Love the Ordinances, because God meets thee in them. If God be not at home, think it not enough that his servants, his Ministers have spoken to thee: Let the society of Saints be thy solace, and deerly esteem those in whom thou beholdest any resemblance of God: With the wicked, converse rather as a Physician to cure them, than as a companion to delight in them. Let not thy heart be taken with any comfort, any further then thou beholdest the heart of the giver in it, or findest thine own raised to serve and delight in him.
4. No distress should dishearten those here, Observ. 4. to whom God will not deny his presence hereafter: Though God brings them into miseries, yet he will not exclude them with the miserable: If men cast them out of their company, yet Christ will never say to them, Depart from me. If they want an house to hide their heads in, and a bed to rest their bodies on, yet their Fathers house and bosome will supply both. Let men do their worst, they may send Saints to him, not from him. How little do those rods smart, in striking with which, the Lord takes not away his loving-kindnesse? What hath that poverty more then a name, which is not accompanied and followed with the loss of God himself? In a word, Though sometimes the Saints sit in darkness, and see no light, yet is light sown for them; they shall not lie under darknesse: but after the darkest night of desertion, shall arise to them that glorious Sun of Gods presence, which shall never go down again, but make an eternall day.
Thus farre for the first part of the punishment of the Angels, viz. that which they undergoe in in the prison. The second follows, viz. that which shall be laid upon them at, and after their appearing at the barr: and in that, first, to what they are reserved, viz. to judgment.
There are two things may here bee enquired after.
1 What we are to understand by the judgement to which these angels are reserved. 2 How the angels which are punished already, are yet said to be reserved to judgment.
1 For the first, Though the word κρίσις, judgment, be frequently in Scripture taken more largely and improperly, for the cause of punishment, John 3.19. for the government of the world, John 5.22. amendment or reformation John 12.31. &c. for the place of judgment; Matth. 5.22. yet in this place it comes more close to its own proper signification according to which, it imports a judiciary trial of, and proceeding about causes: In which respect its taken in this place, and oft in the new Testament, for the solemn action of the last and generall judgment, Mat. 10.15. Mat. 11.22, 24 and 12.36. Mark 6.11. 2 Pet. 3.7. Where we read of the day of judgment, and Ecc. 11.9, 12.14. Luke 10.14. Heb. 9.27. & 10.27, where there is mention made of this judgment. Which judgment consists of three parts. Veritas in inquisitione, nuditas in publicatione, serenitas in executione. 1 A discussion and manifestation of the faults for which the prisoners were committed. 2 A pronouncing sentence upon them for every crime discussed and manifested. 3 A severe executing upon them the sentence so pronounced.
1. Act. 23.3 1 Tim. 5.24. Act. 16.15. 2 Cor. 5.14. In this judgment faults and causes shal be discussed, and manifested; and judgment is sometime in Scripture put for this discussion and discerning of causes: some mens sins are open before hand, going before to judgement, &c. 1 Tim. 5.24. &c. And this knowledg of the cause is intended, Cunctaque cunctorum cunctis arcana patebunt. Ezra 4.15.19. and 6.2. Est. 6.1 Deu. 32.34. Psal. 56.8. Jer. 3.22. Hos. 7.2. 1 Cor. 4.5. Rev. 20.12. Where we have mention of those who stand before God, of the opening of the books, and the judging out of those things which were written in the books. For though at the last judgment, God will make use of no books, properly so called, yet all the works of the judged shall be as manifestly known, as if God kept registers, rolls and records of them in heaven: and at his coming, he will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse, and will make manifest the counsells of the hearts, that the righteousnesse of his proceedings may appear to all. These books of discovery, are two; 1 that of Gods omniscience. 2 that of the creatures conscience. 1 According to the former, every creature is manifest in his sight, and all things are opened unto his eyes: Heb. 4.13. Mat. 3.16. Joh. 2.25. Jer. 23.24. Mar. 4.22. Rom. 2.5.16. he hath a book of remembrance, he needeth not that any should testifie of man; for he knoweth what is in man. As God hates sin wheresoever he knows it, so he knows it wheresoever it is. Men may hide their sins from men, from God they cannot. Men may, like foolish children, when they shut their eyes and see none, think that none sees them; but the light and the darknesse are both alike to God: Nor can any, Isa. 29.15. by seeking deep to hide their counsels from the most High, help himself: Never hath one sin since the creation of the world, Deus nec fallitur, nec flectitur. slip’d from the memory of Gods knowledg; though he hath been pleased to put away the sins of some out of the memory of his vengeance: Nor doth he forget any sin out of necessity, but meerly out of mercy. 2 According to the later Ad hunc librum emendandum omnes alii libri sunt inventi: Quid libri aperti nifi conscientia, non atramento scripti, sed delictorū inquinamento. Amb. in Ps. 1. Psal. 51. Idem judex, reus, testis, tortor, flagellum. , the book of Conscience, the Lord will, in the generall Judgment, bring to every mans remembrance what he hath done; he will set the sins of the wicked in order before them, Psalm 50. their consciences shall then be dilated and irradiated by the power of God. Here in this life Conscience is brib’d, and gives in an imperfect, but then it shall bring a full and impartiall evidence against sinners, who shall be speechlesse, and have their mouthes stop’d: Hence Jude 15. it is said, that God shall ἐξελέγχειν, convince all the ungodly: Their faults shall be so demonstrated to them, that they shall have nothing to object, but shall be compelled to acknowledge all, both in point of fact and desert. That which before was almost imperceptible, shall, being held to the fire of vengeance, and the light of conscience, be made legible.
2 In this judgment to which these angels shall bee brought, there shall be a decisive, definitive sentence: Isa. 5.3. Matt. 7.1. John 18.31. Acts 24.6. Acts 17.31. Matth. 19.28. 1 Cor. 6.3 Acts 4.19. And frequently and most properly in Scripture is judgment taken for a decisive passing of sentence. To the former sentence, viz. that of their own consciences, shall be added that of the Judg, wherby they shall be adjudged to the punishment of loss & pain for ever: A sentence which shall be openly promulgated. Quo maledicti acrius doleant videntes quid amiseri•; & justi videbunt et laetabuntur, considerantes quid evascrint. Bern. Ser. 8. in Psal. Heretofore it was written down in the book, now it shall be pronounced before all the world. A sentence which shall be published soon after that of benediction hath been uttered to the godly, that so the damned may grieve the more, to consider what they have lost; and the saved rejoyce to observe what they have escaped. A sentence, every syllable whereof is more dreadfull then ten thousand thunderclaps, roaring in their ears to all eternity. Wonder one may, that so much woe can be couched in so few words. In being sentenced to depart from God, what pleasure are they not adjudged to lose! In being sentenced to the flames, what pain are they not adjudged to feel!
3 In the judgment to which these angels shall be brought, Mat. 5.22 Mar. 3.29. Joh. 5.24.29. Act. 8.33. 2 Thes. 1.5. Jam. 2.13. 〈Greek〉 put for 〈Greek〉. Ille judex nec gratiâ praevenitur, nec misericordiâ flectitur, nec pecuniâ corrumpitur, nec poenitentiâ mitigatur. Aug. l. 3. de fid. & symb. 2 Thes. 1.9. Expulsi à facie, hac terribili ipsius vocē. Sicut servi fugitivi, post multum temporis, dominum suum videntes, nihil aliud, nisi de verberibus deprecantur; sic & daemones videntes Dominum in terris ad judicandum se venisse credebant, Hierom. in Mat. 8. there shall be an execution of the sentence denounced: and frequently in Scripture is judgment taken for punishment to which men are adjudged. The sentence shall not bee an empty sound, as a report without a bullet, a noise without a sting; but it shall be executed without any exception, delay, reply, appeal. The sentence of malediction shall be a fiery stream proceeding from the throne of the Judg, and sweeping the condemned into hell. The wicked shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power: which place Beza expounds of their expulsion from the presence of the Lord by that terrible voice, Go ye cursed. Others thus interpret it, The glorious power and majesty of Christs presence, shall suffice to destroy the wicked. If the divels were unable to endure the presence of Christ upon earth, when emptied of glory, upon considering that hereafter Christ should be their Judg; crying out, and asking whether hee was come to torment them before their time; how shall they abide his presence, when fill’d with dreadfull majesty!
For the second. 2 Branch of Explicat. Justin. in Apol. 1. daemones igni sempiterno nondum traditi sunt, sed in die judicii tradendi: Hanc opini. onem amplectitur Irenaeus, l. 5. cont. Haer. Diabolus non statim in primordiis transgressionis ad poenam detrusus est à Deo. id que ut hominem malitiâ suâ exerceret ad virtutem. Lactant. lib. 3. Divin. Instit. cap. 28. How the angels who are already punished, and therefore judged, can be reserved to judgement. We must not conceive (with some) that, because they are said to be reserved to judgment, therefore for the present, they are not punish’d: For if the good angels are before the general judgment, in a state of happinesse, διαπαντὸς, alway beholding the face of God, then why should not the bad be in a state of misery? Besides, if the souls of wicked men are now tormented in hell (which neverthelesse may be said to be reserved to judgment;) why may it not be asserted, that the angels who seduced men, have been ever since their fall tormented, considering that the fall was that to the angels, which death is to ungodly men? And further, if the faln angels be in hell (a place of punishment) with the damned souls, then it is as certain they partake of the same punishment with them; as it is absurd to imagine that the holy angels should be in heaven with the souls of the blessed, and not be with them partakers of the fruition of Gods presence.
There is therefore a threefold judgement which the fallen angels incur: That wherwith they were punished immediately upon their fall, when by God they were thrown into misery. Of this speaks Peter, 2 Pet. 2.4. God spared not the Angels which sinned, but cast them down into hell, &c. 2 That whereby they are cast out of their dominion, Joh. 12.31. and their power over us destroyed by the death of Christ. 3 Their full and finall judgement, to which they are here by Jude said to be reserved; in respect whereof, though they are in part punished already, yet by it there shall be a dreadfull addition and accession to their present torments; in regard, 1. of Ignominy. 2 Restraint. 1. Ignominy: for they being most proud creatures, cannot but deem it an unspeakable shame, 1. To have all their malice and mischeifs that ever they committed since their fall, manifested to all the world; whereby all who have heretofore honour’d them as gods, shall know their vilenesse, and look upon them as abominable deceivers, and never be brought (as formerly) to worship them. 2 To have it publickly seen, that poor man, whose nature is so much inferiour to theirs, hath done that which they were not able to do, in imbracing of holiness, and honouring his Creator, and obtaining those mansions of glory which they have lost. 3 To have it known to all the world, how often they would have done evil when they could not; and how frequently even women and children have overcome their fierce and fiery tentations. 4. To have judgment pass’d upon them not onely by Christ himself, but even by those (somtimes poor) Saints whom formerly they so vilified and persecuted; even these shall judg the Angels, 1 Cor. 6.3. And that not onely 1 By having their practices compared to those of the damned (as the Ninivites, and the Queen of the South are said to rise up in judgment:) Mat. 12.41.42 Luk. 11.31.32 Nor 2 Only by their consenting to, and approving of the Sentence which Christ shall pass upon the wicked: But also 3. In regard of that dignitas assessoria, that dignity whereby they shall be advanced to an honourable assessorship with the Lord Christ, in sitting (as it were) with him upon the Bench, Dolet diabolus, quòd ipsum & angelos ejus, Christi servus ille peccator judicaturus est. Tert. lib. de poen. c.7. or about the Throne of Judicature: As likewise, 4. (they in that judgment being to appear with Christ manifest victors over all their enemies) By trampling upon all the pride, malice, and weakness of Divels, before the whole world; and holily insulting over them as vile, vanquished, and contemptible enemies: A greater punishment (undoubtedly) to those proudest of creatures, then was that to Bajazet, whose back famous Tamberlane used for an horsblock to raise him up to his Steed, when he caused him to be carried up and down as a spectacle of infamy in all his triumphant journeys.
2. By the last judgment there shall be an accession of punishment to these angels in respect of their restraint; because then they shall be unable to seduce the wicked, or to hurt the elect any more. Their chain, now more loose, shall then be so strait, that they shall never come neer, nor among the Saints of God: A vehement vexation to those malicious spirits, whose element is mischief, and their torment restraint from doing hurt. They now deem it some lessening of their torment, to be suffered to tempt men to sin: They think themselves hereby somewhat revenged on God; as he that defaceth the picture of his enemy, when he cannot come at his person, easeth his spleen a little; or as the dog somewhat breaks his rage by gnawing the stone, when he cannot reach the thrower. They now walk abroad (as it were) with their keeper; but then they shall be closely confin’d, yea dungeon’d: Now they contain their hell, then their hell shall contain them. In short, As the punishment of wicked men shall be at the full, when their souls and bodies are reunited, and both cast into hell; so the torment of these angels shall be compleated, when at the last day they shall be so fettered in their infernall prison, as that there will be no possibility of stirring forth. They are now entred into divers degrees of punishment, but the full wrath of God is not powred out upon them till the day of judgment.
1 No secrecy can shelter sin from Gods observation. Observ. 1. He who will make sins known to conscience and all spectators, must needs know them himself: Sins are undoubtedly written in, if they be read out of the book: God need not wrack, no nor ask the offender, to know whether he hath sinn’d or no; he searcheth the heart, Jer. 17.10. Psal. 11.4. he tryeth the reins, his eyes behold, his eye-lids try the children of men: He compasseth (he winnoweth) our paths, and is acquainted with all our wayes. Psal. 139. Whither shall we flie from his presence? He understands our thoughts afar off; knows them long before they come into us, and long after they are gone away from us. All the secrets of our hearts are dissected, anatomized, and bare-fac’d in his eyes. He who knew what we would do before we did it, must needs know what we have done afterwards. There’s nothing existing in the world, but was before in Gods knowledg; as the house is first in the head, before erected by the hand of the Artificer: He made us, and therefore knows every nook and corner, and turning in us; and we are sustained and moved by him in our most retired motions. How plainly discerned by him is the closest hypocrite, and every Divel, though in a Samuel’s mantle? We can onely hear, but God sees hollownesse. We do but observe the surface, but Gods eye pierceth into the entrails of every action: He sees not as man sees; Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart. How exact should we be even in secret walkings, we being constantly in the view of so accurate an observer! We should set the Lord always before us. The eye of God should ever be in our eys; the presence of God is the counterpoyson of sin: Whensoever thou art sinning, remember that all thou dost is book’d in Gods omniscience. Latimer being examined by his Popish Adversaries, heard a pen walking behind the hangings, to take all his words; this made him wary how he express’d himself: but more cause have we to fear sin, since God writes down every offence, and will one day so read over his book to Conscience, that it shall be compell’d to copie it out with infinite horror: God did but read one page, one line of this book, one sin to the conscience of Judas, and the terror thereof made him his own executioner.
2 How foolish are sinners, Observ. 2. who are so despairing at, and yet so fearlesse before the pronouncing of the last sentence! Most irrationall is that resolution, Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily, therefore to be fully set to do evill. Eccles. 8.11. How wise were it to argue contrarily! Because the sentence is deferr’d, therefore let us labour to have it prevented; and to say with the Apostle, 2 Pet. 3.11. What manner of persons ought we to be! The deferring of judgment is no signe of its prevention; the speedy repentance of sinners would be a much more comfortable prediction. Wrath when it is to come, may be fled from; when once it is come, it is unavoidable. Christians! be as wise for your souls, as the Egyptians were for their cattel; who, fearing the threatning of bail, took them into houses: Faith in threatnings of judgment, may prevent the feeling of judgments threatned. For your souls sake, be warned to get your pardon in the blood, if ever you would avoid the sentence of the mouth of Christ. If the Judg give you not a pardon here, he will give you a sentence hereafter. It’s onely the blood of Christ which can blot the book of Judgment. Judg your selves, and passe an irrevocable sentence upon your sins, if you would not be sentenc’d for your sins. Repent at the hearing of Ministers in this your day; for if you put off that work till God speaks in his day, Repentance it self will be unprofitable. If you harden your hearts here in sin, the heart of Christ will be hardened hereafter in his sentencing, and your suffering. The great work of poor Ministers is the prevention of the dreadfull sound of the last Sentence: Knowing the terror of the Lord, they warn you. All the hatred we meet with in the world, is for our loving plainness herein: but we will not cease to warn you with tears, as well as with sweat: we can better bear your hatred here, then either you or we bear Gods hereafter; and we had rather your lusts should curse us here, then your souls to all eternity. If our voyce cannot make you bend, Gods will make you break; If you will not hearken, is it not because the Lord will slay you?
3 Great is the sinfulness of rash judgment: Observat. 3 It’s a sin that robs Christ of his honour, whereby a man advanceth himself into Christs Tribunal, and which takes the work of judgment out of Christs hand; and therefore the Apostle, Rom. 14.10. 1 Cor. 4 5. strongly argues aagainst it from the last judgment: Christians commit this sin, both by a curious inquisition into the wayes of others, for this end, that they may finde out matter of defamation; and principally, by passing of sentence, or giving of censure against the persons and practices of others without a calling, and not according to the law of charity, which binds us to judg the best of others, so far forth as may stand with a good conscience and the word of God. Judgment may either be of persons, or their practices: In persons, their future, or their present estate is to be considered: All judgment of mens future estate is to be forborn; God may call the worst as well as thee. Three things (saith Augustiae) are exempted from mans judgment; the Scriptures, the Counsell of God, the Condemnation of any mans person. For mens present estate; if we see men live in whoredom, drunkenness, swearing, we may judg them wicked, while continuing in this estate, and that they shall be damned if they repent not: We may judg the tree by the fruit, and this is not rash judgment, because it is not ours, but the judgment of the word of God. Practices are either good, bad, indifferent, or doubtfull: Good actions are to be commended: if actions be evil, judg the facts, not the persons; yet study withall to excuse the intention, if thou canst not the fact: Indifferent, or doubtfull actions are to be free from censure; Christian liberty exempts our neighbour from censure for the former; charity allows us not to be censurers of the later: If it be doubtful, whether a thing were spoken or done, or no; or being certain to be done, whether well or ill, in charity judg the best; If a man lay with a betrothed damosel in the fields, Deu. 22.26, 27 the man was only to die, because it was in charity supposed that the damosel cryed; the best being supposed in a thing doubtfull. In matter of opinion, if it be uncertain whether an error or no, suspend thy judgment, till thou know more certainly; thy brother may see as much, and (if he be more learned) more than thy self, into that which is doubtfull. Our ignorance as men (though never so knowing) should be a strong bar from rash judgment. Besides, who are we that judg another mans servant? this is to reproach God himself for receiving him: We are fellow servants with our brethren, not fellow Judges with God; we must love, not judge one another; Our Masters house is to be ordered by our Masters will. He who by rash judgement destroyes the good name of another, is, by some, termed the worst of theeves, in stealing away that which is better then riches, and can never be restor’d; and the worst of murderers, in killing three at once; his own Soul in thus sinning, his Neighbour, whose name he ruines, and the Hearer, who receiveth his slanders. And yet, take away this sinfull censuring from many Professors, there will nothing remaine to shew them Religious; whereas a Just man is a severe Judg only to himself.
4. How happy are they who shall be able to stand in the Judgement! I know it’s doubted by some, Observ. 4. Rev. 20.12. Mat. 10.26. Vid. Aquin. q 87. suppl. Est. in l. 4. sendist. 47. Rom. 8.1.33. whether at the last judgement the sins of the Saints shall come into the judgement of Discussion and Discovery; Scripture seems to many, most to favour the affirmative: but that they shall escape the judgement of condemnation, ‘tis not doubted. That sun which discovers the sins of the wicked, shall scatter those of the godly. There’s no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus; Who shall lay any thing to their charge? The greater their sins are, the greater will their deliverance appear. The more punishment they deserv’d, the more they escape. The sins of the Saints will prove, as the matter of their songs, so the trophees of victorious mercy. The wicked shall have judgement with out mercy; and the godly shall have mercy in a day of judgement. 1 Cor. 11.32. How contentedly may they here undergo that chastisement whereby they escape judgement! It’s better to hear the reproofs of a Father, then the sentence of a Judge; and the correction of a Son is much lighter then the condemnation of a Malefactor. It matters not what shall ever be said or done against them, to whom Christ shall never say, Depart from me. Do with me what thou wilt (said Luther) since thou hast pardoned my sins.
5. The greatest enemies of God will be but contemptible creatures at the last judgement. What underlings then shall those appear, and be, who now are principalities and powers? Satan, who hath had so many followers, adorers, who now is the Prince of the Aire, yea the God of this world, shall then openly appear to be a trembling malefactor at the bar of Christ. As once Josuahs souldiers set their feet upon the necks of the Canaanitish Kings; so the poorest Saint shall at the last judgement trample upon these faln Angels. Death speaks the impotency of men, but Judgement even that of Angels. Legions of Angels shall no more oppose Christ, then can a worme all the Angels of heaven. Me thinks, even all the crowned, sceptered, adorned, adored Monarchs of the world, if enermes to Christ, should tremble at the approaching of Judgement. The greatest safety and honour even of a King, will then be, to be a subject to Christ, and what the Emperor Justinian was wont to call himself, the meanest servant of Christ. Ultimus Dei servus. Robes will then fall off: The dimmer light of humane glory will be obscured when the sun of righteousness shal appear. Let us neither fear nor admire the greatnesse of any, but of Christ; much lesse that which is set against Christ. How great is the folly of Satans subjects! they serve a master who is so far from defending them, that he cannot defend himself from Judgement.
6. Observ. 6. The reason why Satan rageth; he knows that his time is but short; and after this last judgement his furious and spiteful tentatious shall be ended; and he labours to supply the shortnesse of his time, with the sharpnesse of his assaults; like the besiegers who having often storm’d a Town or a Castle make their last onset the most resolute and terrible. A Traveller who desires to go far, will go fast if the Sun be neer setting; The shortnesse of Satans season occasions his swiftnesse in wickednesse: Besides, he is in an estate of desperation, he knows there’s no possibility of his recovery; and as faith is the furtherer of holinesse, so is despair of all impiety. It was the Logick of despair which argued thus, Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die. I wonder not that these last, are the worst, and the most perillous times. Satan now strives to add to his number, to seduce and pervert souls, because after his judgement, he shall never be suffered to do so any more. At all times holy vigilancy over our hearts and wayes is needfull; but in these times, wherein Satans judgement draws so neer, it should be our care more then ever, to keep our hearts with all diligence, to beware of seduction, and Atheisme, and of being led away with the error of the wicked, lest we fall from our own stedfastness. If Satan double his rage, let us double our guard. Doctor Taylor reports of a noble Lord, who was wont to say, That he would never go without a sword, so long as there was a Papist about the Court; Never let us lay off our spirituall weapons, till Satan be taken from us by judgement, or we out of his reach by death. Let us (even taught thus much by our adversary) make the shortnesse of our time a motive to lay out our selves the more for God; short seasons require speedy services. The nearer we come to judgement, the fitter let us labour to be for it. Let the sweetest part of our lives be at the bottom, and (as Samsons) let our last prove our greatest goodnesse. To conclude this, Let those poor soules who are daily buffetted by Satan, consider that his judgement is approaching; that all conflicts with him shall then be at an end, and that the fury of his assaults, prove not their success, but the shortnesse of continuance.
Thus far of the first particular considerable in the punishment of these Angels at the Bar, viz, that to which they are reserved, to Judgement. The second follows, the time when they shal be brought to judgement, viz. at the Great day.
Two things for the Explication hereof.
1. Explication How the word Day is here to be taken.
2. In what respect its called a Great day.
For the first: There are three opinions. 1. Some take the day here spoken of, precisely, and properly, as if the day of the last judgement should not exceed that space and proportion of time. 2. Some conceive that by the Day is meant a 1000 years; because some are said to sit on thrones, and have judgement given unto them (that is, power of judging) and to live and raigne with Christ a thousand years. Rev. 20.4. But I conceive that this judgment and raign of a thousand years, cannot be understood of the last Judgement, because death (the last enemy) shall, in the Resurrection, be destroyed: now after the end of the thousand years mentioned by Saint John, Satan shall be loosed out of prison, and the nations deceived by him shall compasse the camp of the Saints about, Isai. 27.1.2. 14.3. 12.1. 4.1.2. 2.11.17. Per quot dies hoc judicium extendatur, incertum est: scripturarum more diem poni solere pro tempore nemo nescit, Aug. l. 20. de Civ. Dei cap. 1. Mat. 7.22. Luk. 21.34. 2 Tim. 1 12.18 4.8. Joh. 6.39, 40. 44.46, 54. 2 Pet. 3.7.12 Rom. 2.5.16. Act. 17.31. Apoc 6.17. and the beloved City, and fire shall come down from God out of heaven and devour them. 3. Others seem more safely to apprehend that the day here mentioned is to be taken improperly, for time indefinitely, it being in Scripture very ordinary to put a day for time: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, in a day of salvation have I helped thee, Isai. 49.8. If thou hadst known in this thy day. Luk. 19.42 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day. Joh. 8.56. &c. There must be a day wherein that great work of judgement shall begin, but the duration thereof is to be measured by the nature of the thing, and the counsell of God. With Augustine, I determine nothing peremptorily concerning the continuance of the last judgment day.
For the second, the greatnesse of this day. The titles given it in the Scripture, speak it great; it being called that day, the last day; the day of judgment, and perdition of all ungodly men; The day of God the Lord: The day when God shal judge the secrets of men: a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness; the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God; the day of the Lambs wrath; the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1.6.10. &c. More particularly, this day of Judgement is called great in respect of the Judge. Judged. Properties of the Judgment.
1. The Judge, who is Jesus Christ. And herein two particulars are considerable.
1. That Christ shall be Judge.
2 Wherein his being Judge shall make the day great.
The first is evident: 1. From the frequent and expresse mentioning him as Judge in Scripture, which assures us that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, Heb. 10.27. Tit. 2.13. Act. 10.42. Phil. 3.20.4.5. 1 Tim. 6.14.15. Rom. 2.16. that Jesus Christ shall judge the quick and the dead, 2 Tim. 4.1. that the Lord Jesus shall be revealled from heaven, 2 Thes. 1.7. that the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, Mat. 16.27. that they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, Mat. 24.30. that the son of man shall come in his glory, Mat. 25.31. that hereafter we shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, Mat. 26.64 that the same Jesus who is taken into heaven, shall so come in like manner as he was seen to go into heaven, Act. 1.11. that he cometh with cloudes, and every eye shall see him, Rev. 1.7. In which respect the day of Judgement is call’d, The day of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1.8. so 1 Cor. 5.5. 2 Cor. 1.14. Phil. 1.6.10. and Phil. 2.16. And the seat of judgment is call’d, The judgment seat of Christ, Rom. 24 10. 2 Cor. 5.10. And some understand that place Heb. 4.12. The word of God is κριτικὸς, a discerner of the thoughts, concerning the Hypostatical word, &c. Nor is the old Testament destitute of testimonies of this kind, though somewhat more obscurely exprest. Abraham speaks to the son of God, when he said, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Gen. 18.25. And the Father spake to the Son when he said, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in peices like a Potters vessel, Psal. 2.9 And that of Isaiah chap. 45.23. By my selfe have I sworn, unto me every knee shall bow, the Apostle Rom. 14.11. applies to Christ, and thence proves, that we shall all stand before his judgement seat. 2. By Gods appointment of him, and giving him authority to judge; He is ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead, Act. 10.42. He will judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained, &c Act. 17.31. Humilitas carnis no strae throno judicator is honorata est. Cypr. in ser. deaf. Sedebit judex qui stetit sub judice, damna bit veros reos, qui factus est falsus reus. Aug. Homil. 150. Pater dedit ei potestatem facere, quia filius hominis est, cum magis quasi hoc expectaretur ut diceret quo niam filius Dei est, sed quia filium Dei secundum id, quod in forma Dei aequalis est patri, videre iniqui non possunt, oportet judicem vivorum & mortuorum coram quo judicabuntur, & justi videant & iniqui. Aug. lib. 1. de trin. c. 13. Patrem nemo videbit in judicio, quia filius hominis est ut possit & ab impiis videri; August. lib. 1. de trin. cap. 13. Talis apparebit judex, qualis possit videri ab iis quos coronaturus, & ab iis quos damnaturus est. Prosp. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son, he hath given him authority to execute judgment, Joh. 5.22.27. And all power is given him in heaven and in earth. 3. By his former estate of humiliation. As he emptyed and humbled himself according to his humane nature, so in that hee is to be exalted. He humbled himselfe and became obedient to death, &c, wherefore God hath highly exalted him, Phil. 2.9. And as Christ in his humane nature was unjustly judged, so in that nature, shall he justly judge. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and he shall appear the second time without sin, Heb. 9.28. 4. By reason of the necessity of the visibility of the Judge and judiciall proceedings at the last day. He executes judgement because he is the Son of man, Joh 5.27. and every eye shall see him. The Judge is to be beheld and heard by the Judged. God will judge the world by that man, &c. In respect of the judiciall process, a man must be our Judge; for God is invisible, and the Judge shall so appear, as to be seen both of those whom he shall crown, and of those whom he shall condemn. Nor can it be but that God will be the more justified, and men without all excuse, having one who is bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh, to be judge between God and them. Notwithstanding all which immediate, audible, visible administration of the last judgement by the second Person, this judgement belongs to the other Persons in Trinity; κατ’ αὐτοκρατορίαν κριτικὴν, in respect of Authority, Dominion, and judiciary power, though to the Son only κατ’ οἰκονομίαν, in respect of dispensation and office, and externall exercise.
2. For the second, viz. Wherein the Judge makes the day of Judgement great.
1. He makes it a great day: 1. As he is considered in himselfe. 2. As he is attended and accompanied by others.
1. As we consider him in himselfe, and that either, 1. as God, or 2. man.
1. As God: He who shall be the Judge, is the mighty God; It is Jehovah, to whom every knee shall bow , Isai. 45. Hence the Apostle cals the appearance of this Judg who is God, glorious, in those words, Tit. 2.13. The glorious appearing of the great God. If the great God be Judge, the day of Judgement must needs be a great day. How great is the day of an earthly Judges appearance, a man, a worme, dust and ashes! one who though hee can give, yet cannot avoid the sentence of death; and one who hath scarce a faint reflection of that majesty with which this King of glory is adorned; think then (and yet thoughts can never reach it) what it is for God, before whom the whole world, though full of Judges, is as nothing and less then nothing and vanity, to come to judge the word, God is a judge Omnipotent, and therefore one whose voice, as the living who are distanced so many thousands of miles shall hear and obey, so even the dead shall hear, being quickned, and shall at his beck come and stand before his judgment seat. He shall come with great power; 2 Thes. 7.9. and the wicked shall be punish’d with everlasting destruction from the glory of his power. Nor shall he use the ministry of Angels for necessity, but Majesty. God is an omniscient Judg, infinitely, onely wise; his eyes are clearer then ten thousand suns; one who will, in the day wherein the brightnesse of his omniscience shall shine in its full lustre, bring every hidden work to light, and tell to all (as the woman of Samaria said,) all that ever they did; one who doth not (as earthly Judges) onely know what to ask, but what every one will answer; who wants no witnesses, nor needs he that any should testifie of man, for he knows what is in man. God is a true and a just Judge. The Apostle 2 Tim 4.8. cals him, The Lord, the righteous Judge: hee will render to every one according to his works. The Apostle proves the righteousnesse of God, from his judging the world, Rom. 3.6. and Abrahams question asserts it strongly, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Other Judges may do righteously, but God cannot do otherwise. The wils of other Judges must be regulated by righteousnesse; but so righteous is God, that righteousnesse it selfe is regulated by his will, which is the root and rule of all righteousnesse.
2. This Judge shall make the day great as he is Man; greatly amazing and dismaying must his appearance, as Judge in mans nature, needs be, to sinners who have denyed him, persecuted, crucifyed, and put him to an open shame: all whose designes have been to crush and keep him under. With what horror shall the Jews then see their delusion, who would not heretofore beleive him to be the Messiah? Needs must they and others, who would not have this man to reign over them, to whom he was a stumbling stone, when low and small, contemptible in his former discoveries upon earth, now find and feel him a rock to fall upon them from heaven, and crush them to powder. Greatly comforting and refreshing must the appearance of this man be to beleevers; who shall not onely behold him to be the great Judge of the whole world, who hath taken upon him their nature; but who hath also given to them his spirit, whereby, through faith, they are mystically united unto him as their head, their husband; and upon whom they have fixed all their hopes and expectations of happinesse, for and with whom they have so long suffered from the world; whom they look upon, as their treasure, their portion, and for whose coming they have so long’d, and sigh’d, and groan’d. In a word, How greatly glorious shall his appearance in our nature be both to good and bad, when in it he shall be deck’d and adorn’d with Majesty, and clothed with unspeakeable glory, above all the Angels, he being to come in the glory of his father, Mat. 16.27. with power and great glory! Mat. 24.30. The glory of a thousand Suns made into one, will be but as sack cloth to that wherein Christ shall appear in mans nature that great day. The glory of the Sun scatters the clouds, but from the glory of Christs face the very earth and heaven shall flie away, Rev. 20.11. The beames of his glory shall dazzel the eyes of sinners, and delight the eyes of Saints; The wicked shall be punish’d with everlasting destruction from his presence, and the glory of his power, 2 Thes 1.9. and when his glory shall he revealed, the Saints shall be glad with exceeding joy, 1 Pet. 4.13.
2. The Judge shall make this day of judgement great, considering him, not only in himselfe, but as he is attended by others; and so he will make the day great, if we consider 1. by whom. 2. by how many he shall thus be attended.
1. By whom; They shall be creatures of great glory and excellency. The glorious Angels shall be Christs attendants at the great day; in which respect Christ is said to come (Luk. 9.26.) in the glory of the holy Angels: and Mat. 25.31. it’s said, that the Son of man shall come, and the holy Angels with him; and Luk. 12.9. that Christ will deny some before the Angels of God; and 2 Thes. 1.7. the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels. These angels that excell in strength, are his heavenly hosts, his Ministers to do the pleasure of Christ their great Lord and Commander. If at the time of his Nativity, Tentation, Passion, Resurrection, Luk. 2.13. Ascension, they readily gave Christ their attendance; how much more shall they do it at the great day, when all the glory of Christ shall be revealed! Luk. 7.53. Gal. 3.19. Deut. 33.2. Illi in obsequio, hic in gloriâ; Illi in comitatu, hic in suggestu: illi stant, hic sedet; hic judicut, illi ministrant, Ambros. lib. 3. de fid. Mat. 24.31. Psal. 103.20. 2 Thes. 1.7. 〈Greek〉. Col. 3.4. 1 Thes. 4.17. If at the promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai Angels waited upon him, how readily shall they serve him when he shall come to Judgment, for the execution of that Law! What glory shall be in that day, when the very servants of the Judge, who shall wait upon him, run at every turne, and upon every errand; who shall blow the Trumpet, summon to appear, bring the prisoners before the Bar, and take them away again; when even these waiters (I say) shall be Angels of power, the heavenly host, every one being stronger then an earthly army; holy Angels; creatures of unspeakeable agility and swiftnesse; glorious Angels, who as much exceed in glory the greatest Emperour in the world, as the Sun in the Firmament doth a clod of earth. Nor can it be, but the day must be very illustrious, if we consider that the Saints shall appear also with Christ in glory, that they shall meet the Lord in the air, and be witnesses for, nay assessors with Christ in judgement, and partakers of that victory, which in the last day he shall have over all his enemies. That all the enemies of Christ and his Church shall stand before the Saints to be justly judged, whom they in this world have judged unjustly; and in a word, that every one of these Saints shall in their spiritual bodies shine as the Sun, Mat. 13.43. when it appears in its perfect lustre.
But 2 Christ as attended, will make the day great, if we consider by How many he shall bee attended. At that great day there shall be a generall assembly, a great number, even all his servants waiting upon him, both Saints and Angels; hence 1 Thes. 1.13. is mentioned the Coming of the Lord Jesus with all his Saints: and Eph. 4.13. the meeting of all. In this glorious concourse, there shall not be one wanting. If Christ will raise up every Saint from the grave, then doubtlesse, shall every Saint appear in glory at the last day. Joh. 6.39. He will not lose his cost laid out upon them. But if he bestowes new liveries upon his servants, they shall all, when adorned with them, wait upon him. Nor shall there be one Angel but shall glorifie him in that day. Psal. 148.2. Heb. 1.6. If all the angels of God are commanded to praise and worship him, then undoubtedly will they performe this duty at that day wherein the glory of Christ shall be so eminently manifested; all the holy angels (Mat. 25.3.) shall come with the son of man. And if all the Angels and Saints must wait on Christ, the number must needs be vast, Heb. 12. and the multitude exceeding great: of angels there must be an innumerable company; Myriads, ten thousands of Saints, or holy ones, Dan. 7.10. Jude 14. (a definite number being put for an indefinite.) And about the throne (Rev. 5.11.) are said to be ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ten thousands of Saints. An innumerable company of Angels attended the solemn delivery of the Law at Mount Sinai, Deut. 33.2. Vid. Rivet. in loc. in allusion to which, the triumphant Ascension of Christ into heaven is described, Psal. 68. to be with twenty thousand Chariots, even thousands of angels; and of those who stood before the throne, clothed with white robes, and having palmes in their hands, there was (Rev 7.9) a great multitude, which no man could number, &c. Now if the glory of one angel was so great, Judg. 6.22.13.22. that those who of old time beheld it, expected death thereby; and if for fear of an Angel, whose countenance was like lightning, the keepers (Mat. 28.4.) did shake, and became as dead men; how great shall be the glory of all the millions of Angels and Saints at the great day, when God shall let out his glory unto them, and fill them as full of it as they can hold, that he may be admired in them! Who can imagine the greatnesse of that day, wherein the Judge shall be attended with so many millions of servants, every one of whom shall have a livery more bright and glorious then the Sun? The splendor of this appearance at the great day will ten thousand times more surpass that of the attendance of the greatest Judges and Kings in the world, than doth theirs excell the sporting and ridiculous acting of their more serious solemnities, by children in their playes.
2. This day of Judgement shall be great, in respect as of the Judge, so likewise of the Judged; and the judged shall make the day great, as they fall under a fourfold consideration, or in four respects:
1. In respect of the greatnesse of their company and number.
2. The greatnesse of their ranks and degrees.
3. The greatnesse of their faults and offences.
4. The greatnesse of their rewards and recompences.
1. In respect of the greatnesse of their numbers. When many persons are tryed and judged, many prisoners cast and condemned, we ordinarily say, that the Assizes or Sessions are great, though the number of the persons judg’d be not so great by an hundred parts, as the number of those who stand by to hear the Tryall. How great then shall the day of Judgement be, wherein all shall be tryed and judged? It was of old prophesied by Enoch, that the Lord would execute judgement upon all: Before the Throne of the Son of man all nations shall be gathered, Mat. 25.32. Rom. 14.10. 〈Greek〉. 2 Cor. 5.10 Act. 17.31. And 2 Thes. 2.1. the day of judgement is call’d the time of our gathering together unto Christ. We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, &c. He cometh with cloudes, and every eye shall see him. Rev. 1.7. He is call’d The judge of the whole earth, Gen. 18.25. All men are divided into two sorts or ranks, 2 Tim. 4.1. 1 Pet. 4.5. Apoc. 20.12. living, and dead; and both these shall Christ judge, Act. 19.42. Who hath power over all flesh, Joh. 17.2. Who shall reward every one according to his works, Mat. 16.27. And to whom God hath sworn, every knee shall bow, Isai. 45.23. Rom. 14.11. So that if there should but one be exempted from appearing before Christ at the last day, the oath of God should be broken, which is impossible. If God number all the hairs of our head, how much more all the persons whose those hairs are! Mat. 10.30. Psal. 56.10. Joh. 5.24. If he number all our steps, how much more all those who take those steps! And whereas it’s said, that the Beleevers shall not come into judgement, Psal. 1.5. and that the wicked shall not stand in the judgment; the former is to be understood of the judgement of condemnation (and Joh. 5.24. condemnation it is translated; or rather expounded (saith one) in our ordinary Bibles.) The later of prevailing in judgement, Causâ cadent. by receiving a judgement of absolution: men may hide themselves and flie from mens Courts and Tribunals, but the judgement seat of Christ cannot bee avoided. It will be in vaine to call for the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them and hide them, for the mountains shall melt like wax at the presence of the Lord. There’s no flying from this Judge, but by flying to him: and death it self which prevents judgment, among men, shall give up its dead to this great judgement.
2. The day shall be great in respect of the judged, as they are considered in the greatnesse of their ranks and degrees. Among men, not the judging of every meane, contemptible person, but of Noble men, Princes of the blood, or great Monarchs, makes the day of their judgment great. How solemn in this world is the judiciary tryall of a King! But how glorious and magnificent shal be the arraignment of great and small persons, Rev. 20.12. of all ranks and degrees at that great day! Angels and Principalities (as at large hath been shewed before) as well as men: Luk. 21.36. good as well as bad. Watch and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy—to stand before the Son of man. He that judgeth me is the Lord, 1 Cor. 4.4. and Every one of us must give account of himselfe to God, Rom. 14.12 They who have been high and mighty, Emperors, as well as the poorest outcasts. The tallest Cedar, the stoutest Oak, must bend, yea break, at that great day. Psal. 110.5. Christ he shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath. The grave and the Judgement-seat put no difference between Monarchs and vassals. The grave-dust of a Queen smels no sweeter then that of a beggar; none can difference between the ashes of an Oak, and those of an humble shrub. There will be no other crowns worn at that day, but the Crownes of righteousnesse; no other robes but those wash’d in the blood of Christ; and these will better fit the head and back of a Lazarus, than a rich Glutton. True greatnesse, (goodnesse I meane) will be the onely greatnesse at that truly great day. The glorious sunshine of this day will extinguish the Candle of worldly glory. Oh great day! wherein majesty shall lye and lick the dust of the feet of Christ; the stiffest knee bend before his majesty, and the strongest back of sinners break under his wrath; when the great swordmen and Emperors, the Alexanders, the Caesars, who once made the earth to tremble, shall now tamely tremble before him!
3. The day of judgement shall be great in respect of the judged, if we consider them as great offenders. When men are tryed before humane Judicatories for common crimes, as for pilfering, or stealing some small or inconsiderable summe, the day of their tryall is soon forgotten, and not greatly regarded; but when they are arraigned for such horrid and heinous offences, as the ears of the hearer tingles to hear, and his heart trembles to think of, some Sodomiticall villany, wilfull murder of some good King, the blowing up of a Parliament, &c. the day of their judgement is great, and greatly observ’d; there is great admiration at their boldnesse in sin, great indignation against them for it, great joy when they are sentenced, and greater when they are executed. How great then shall this judgement day be! for how great at that day shall every sin appear to be! Sin can never bee seen to be what it is, or in its due dimensions, but by the light of the fire of Gods wrath. In the dim and false light of this world, it’s nothing, it’s nothing, a trick of youth, a toy, a trifle; but at the appearing of the light of divine disquisition, when conscience shall be search’d with candles, and all paint, pretexts, and other refuges swept away, the least sin will appear infinite. The cloud (a while since) no bigger then a mans hand, will overspread the face of the heavens. The least breach of a law infinitely holy, and the smallest offence (unpardoned) against a God infinitely both just and powerfull, will then appear unconceivably more heinous then any breaches of the peace, or offences against the greatest of men; there’s nothing little which (as sin doth) kils and damnes the soul; yea, Omne peccatum est deicidium; the least sin will then be look’d upon as striking even at God himselfe. But how great shall that day be made by the judging of those prodigious abominations, the commissions whereof the earth groaned to bear! Scarlet, Crimson transgressions, at which even naturall conscience is affrighted, as blasphemies, murders, open oppressions, unnaturall uncleannesse! &c. How greatly shall the justice of God be magnified in the punishing of them! How great the joy of the Saints, when the enemies of that God, whom they so dearly love, and highly admire, shall be sentenced! against whom the soules under the Altar have so long prayed; when every Divel, Rev. 6.9. who hath here so often tempted them; and every adversary, who for their profession of Christ, have so cruelly persecuted them, shall be condemned?
4. Lastly, This day shall be great, in respect of the judged, if we consider the greatnesse of their rewards and recompences. The setencing to a slight punishment, as that of a small fine, a few stripes, burning in the hand, &c. is not regarded greatly, even by the sufferers or spectators: but the sentencing to a losse of all; even of life it self, a terrible death, as burning, pressing, rending limb from limb, starving, hanging in chaines, makes the judgment great. The sentence whereby a man for a while is reprieved, recovers a little losse, or hath small damages given, is little regarded, and soon forgotten; but that whereby a man hath his life, and with that, his estate and liberty, and all that is dear and desirable granted unto him; this his sentence and judgment (I say) is great, and makes the day wherein it passeth deservedly to bee accounted such. What are all the losses susteined by, or fines imposed on any, in comparison of the loss of Gods presence? He who loseth God, hath nothing besides to lose. He who is doom’d to the pains of those fires prepared for the divell and his angels, hath nothing left him more to feel; The torments of the body are no more comparable to those of the soul, then is the scratch of a pin to a stab at the heart; nor can there possibly be an addition made to the blessednesse of those, who shall be sentenced to enter into the joy of their Lord, whose presence not only is in, but is even heaven it selfe; in a word, there’s nothing small in the recompences of that great day; great woe or great happinesse; and therefore ‘tis a great day in either respect. But of this at large before.
3. This day of judgement is great in respect of the properties of it. As,
1. Its a certaine day; were it doubtfull, it would not be dreadfull; were it fabulous, it would be contemptible. 1. Naturall conscience is affrighted at the hearing of a judgement day. Act. 24.25. Τὸ ἔνδον βῆμα. Nazian. Sua quemque fraus, sua audacia, suum facinus, suum scelus, de sanitate, ac mente deturbat, hae sunt impiorum furiae, haeflammae, hae faces. Cicer. in Pison. Eccl. 1.2. Hab. 1.13. Felix trembled when Paul preached of it; and though the Athenians mocked when they heard of a Resurrection of the dead, yet not at the hearing of the day of judgement. The reason why men so much fear at death, is because they are terrifyed with the thoughts of judgement after death; were it not for that supreme and publick, the inward Tribunall of conscience should be in vaine erected. 2. The justice of God requires that every one shall receive according to his works. In this life the best men are of all men most miserable, and sinners oft most happy. All things fall alike to all. The wicked (saith Habbakuk) devoureth the man that is more righteous then himselfe. There must come a time therefore, when the righteous Judge will (like Jacob) lay his right hand upon the younger, the more despised Saint, and his left hand upon the elder, the now prosperous sinner. There is now much righteousnesse and oppression among Magistrates, Gen. 18.25. Job 34.10, 11, 12. Isai. 3.16, 11. but it would be blasphemy to say, that injustice shall take place to eternity. Every unrighteous Decree in humane Judicatories must be judged over againe, and from the highest Tribunall upon earth, the Saints of God may joyfully, and successfully appeal to a higher Bar. Jud. 14. Rom. 2.15. Eccl. 11.9. 2 Thes. 1 6, 7. Mat. 7.22.25.41.10.15. 2 Cor. 5.10. Rom. 14.10. Luk. 21.34. Luk. 9.26. 2 Pet. 3.9. Tit. 2.13. 1 Pet. 4.5. Omnia alia quae futura praedixerat Spiritus Sanctus. in Scripturis, ev•nerunt, ut de primo Christi adventu, &c. Cum ergo idem Spiritus Sanctus praedixerit secundum Christi adventum, utique certo eveniet. Aug. Ep. 42. Luk. 21.35. Mat. 25. The day of judgement shall set all things strait and in right order; It is a righteous thing with God (saith Paul) to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you that are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed, &c. To conclude this, The Scripture is in no one point more full and plentifull, then in assuring us that this day shall certainly come; and if the other predictions in Scripture, particularly those concerning the first coming of Christ, have truly come to passe, why should we doubt of the truth of Christs second appearance? and if the mercy of God were so great that he should repent of the evill intended against the wicked; yet even that mercy of his, would make the judgment so much the more necessary for the good of the Elect.
2. The judgement of this great day shall be Sudden. Christ will come as a thief in the night, who enters the house without knocking at the door. The judgement will come upon the secure world, as the snare doth upon the bird. The greater security is at that day, the greater will the day and the terror thereof be to sinners; the noise of fire is neither so usuall, nor so dreadfull as in the night. The approach of the Bridegroom at midnight increased the cry of the foolish and sleeping Virgins. Sudden destruction, or that which befals them who cry peace, is destruction doubled.
3. The judgement of this great day shall be Searching, exact, and accurate. There shall be no causes that shall escape without discussion, notwithstanding either their multiplicity, or secrecy, their numerousnesse or closenesse. The infinite swarmes of vain thoughts, idle words, Psal. 50.21. Mat. 12.36. Eccl. 12.14. 2 Cor. 5.10. and unprofitable actions shall clearly and distinctly be set in order, before those who are to be tryed for them. God shall bring every work to judgement, and every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evill. 1 Cor. 4.5. He will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse, and make manifest the counsels of the heart. But of this before.
4. It shall be righteous. As every cause shall be judged, so rightly judged. Christ is a righteous Judge; 1 Tim. 4.8. Psal. 72.2. Act. 17.31. Rom. 2.11. 2 Chron. 19.7 Psal. 82.2. Job. 34.19. In righteousnesse doth he judge, Revel. 19.11. The scepter of his kingdome is a right scepter; he loves righteousnesse, Psal. 45.6, 7 The day of judgement is a day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God; Righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loyns, it shall stick close to him. This Judge cannot be byass’d by favour; There is no respect of persons with God. The enemies of Christ justified him in this particular, that he regarded not the persons of men, Mat. 22.16. Kindred, Friend-ship, Greatnesse, make him not at all to warp and deviate from righteousnesse. He is not mistaken with error, he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, Isai. 11.3. Joh. 7.24. 2 Cor. 10.7. Jer. 17.9, 10. Gal. 6.7. neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. This Judg shall never be deluded with fair shews, and out sides, or misled by colourable but false reports, as earthly Judges may be, because they cannot pierce into mens hearts to discerne their secret intentions, as Christ can do, whom no specious appearance can deceive; he shall never acquit any, who is in truth faulty, or inwardly unsound; nor upon any flying report, or forged suggestion proceed to the censure of any. He shall never be in danger of being mis-informed, through untrue depositions, but he shall alwayes proceed upon certain knowledg, in passing of his own sentence upon any.
5. This judgement shall be open and manifest. There is nothing hid but shall be revealed. Sinners shall be openly sham’d, their secret sins, their speculative impurities, their closest midnight-impieties shall be publickly discovered, and their feined hypocriticall appearances shall then be unmasked. Then Saints shal be openly honour’d; the good which they have done in secret, shall be divulged; from their sins, against which they have mourn’d, pray’d, beleev’d secretly, they shall be acquitted openly and honourably; from all the censures, suspicions, aspersions, and wrong judgements upon earth, before all the world of men and Angels, they shall be publickly cleared. In a word; As the Judge is righteous, he will bee known to be so; and therefore not onely his sentencing, but the equity therof, shal be manifestly known. Every tongue shall confess to God the just proceedings of that day; and Christ shall be clear when he judgeth, and justified when sinners are condemned.
6. This judgement shall be immediate. Christ will not any more judge by man; They whom he hath intrusted with Judicature, have often miscarryed in the work; acquitting where they should condemne, and condemning where they should acquit; now therefore he will trust others with the work no more, but will take it into his own hands: Judgement here among men is the Lords mediately, but the great judgement shall be his immediately. Sinners might hope to escape, while sinners were their Judges; Saints might fear cruelty while sinners were their Judges. In a word; when frail, sinfull man is Judge, he, like the unjust steward in the Gospel, who cut off fifty in the hundred, punisheth malefactors by the halfs, and with him wicked men can tell how to deal; Ezek. 22.14. but can their hearts endure, or can their hands be strong in the day wherein the Lord shall deal with them? When Gideon commanding young Jether to slay Zebah and Zalmunna, and he feared to draw his sword against them, Judg. 8.20. being but a youth, Gideon himselfe ariseth and fals upon them, and as was the man, so was his strength, for hee instantly slew them; And God commands those who should resemble him in righteousnesse, to cut down sin, and cut off sinners; but alas, they are oft either unwilling, or afraid to draw the sword of Justice, and therefore the Lord himselfe will come and take the sword into his own hands, and as is he, so will his strength be found and felt to be, infinite. The mountaines and hills will be but light burdens to fall upon sinners, in comparison of this mighty God.
7. This Judgement shall be the last Judgement. The sentence that there shall be pronounced, is the finall conclusive and determinating sentence. The day of Judgement is frequently call’d, The last day; The last day, Joh. 11.24.12.48. and the Great day are sometimes put together, Joh. 7.37. Wicked men have had in this world many dayes of Judgement by the word, by temporall troubles, by the examples and warnings of the Saints; but now their last day, their last judgement is come, after which there shall be no more tryall. Former judgements might be reverst upon repentance, but this last is irrevocable. Repentance will not move the Judge to repent of his sentence; Jer. 11.7, 8, 9. repentance will be hid from his eyes. From his sentence there can be no appeal, nor is there any Judicatory above or after it.
8. This judgement is call’d Eternall. How great are those dayes wherein an earthly Judge sentenceth to a temporal punishment of a few minutes: Heb. 6.2. Judicium humanum est vix alphabetum illius ultimi. Luth. But Christ sentenceth to an eternall state, the effect of his judgement shall last for ever. An earthly Judge allowes men to put the sentenced to death out of their paine, at their execution; but this shall be the bitter ingredient into the sentence of the great day; namely, that the sentenced shall be executed, but never die. Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting fire; Departure for losse, and Fire for sense, are the greatest punishments; but this Everlasting is that which makes both insupportable. Dreadfull sentence! Without this everlasting departure, hell would not be hell. This Everlasting burnes hotter then the fire, or rather is the heat of the fire in hell; and oh the bottomelesse Ocean of sweetnesse in this word Ever, when joyned with Being with the Lord! this is that which (like the faggot-band) binds all the scattered parcells of heavens blessednesse together, and keeps them from dropping out; In a word, This stability of happinesse is that which makes it happinesse. Great day! wherein there is a sentence to no estate shorter then Eternity.
1. Great is the vanity of all earthly greatnesse. While we are in this world, troubles and comforts seem far greater then they are; Observ. 1. the former we think too great to bear, the other too great to forsake. How do men groan under small burdens, and how do they admire the poor enjoyments of the world! but when this great day is come, neither of these will seem great. How smal will former disgraces be esteem’d by those who shall bee honour’d before all the world! How contemptible shall then poverty be in the thoughts of those, who shall ever be inriched with the satisfying enjoyment of God himself! How slight, yea forgotten will the few bitter drops of pains be to those who shall be filled with Rivers of pleasures! What poor trifles will all the profits and revenues of the earth be esteem’d, when all the stately edifices and the richest treasures upon earth shall be consum’d in the flames! What a bubble, a shadow, will all worldly honour and dignities appear, when the faint candle light of the earthly glory of the greatest Monarchs shall be swallowed up in the glorious sun-shine of the appearance of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords! How will a sentencing to the everlasting flames of fire and brimstone blast those former dreams of pleasure in cool and pleasant Arbors, costly Perfumes, sumptuous Banquets, &c! To those who so admire earthly injoyments, I say, as Christ to his Disciple, Mar. 13.2. when he shewed him the buildings of the Temple; Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be one stone left upon another; the flame of that day wil devour them, as easily as the fire from heaven did consume the stones and sacrifice of, and lick up the water about Elijahs Altar.
2. Boldnesse in sin is no better then madnesse. The great Judgement day is by the Apostle call’d The terror of the Lord. Observ 2. Eccl. 12.14. Magna peccati poena metum fu turi judicii perdidisse. Aug. ser. 120. de Tem. And though it may be our sin to be afrighted at mens judgement days, and to be afraid of their terror; yet is it our folly not to fear this great day of the Lord, and a great punishment of sin, not to fear the punishment of sin: What Judge would not be incens’d, when the prisoners being warned of his solemn approach, should grow the more licentious and madly merry! Against that servant (saith Christ) who shall say in his heart, My Lord deferreth his coming, Luk. 12.45, 46 and shall eat and drink with the drunken; shall his Lord come in a day when he looketh not for him, and cut him in sunder, &c. Although Gaal and the Shechemites fortifying the City against Abimelech, eating and drinking, making merry, and cursing him, at the beginning of the approach of Abimelechs army, were told by Zebul that they saw the shadow of the mountains as if they were men; yet his army drawing neer, he who had before deluded, now terrifies them. Where (saith Zebul to Gaal) is thy mouth wherewith thou saidst, Judg. 9.26.28 Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Wicked men, who now sport in sin, and look upon judgment at a distance, make a mock of it, Adventum aeterni judicis tanto securiores quandoque videbitis, quanto nunc districtionem illius timendo praevenitis. Greg. mor. l. 14. c. 30. Bonum judicium quod illi districto judicio me subducit. Bern in Cant. ser. 55. and the Divel tels them, that all the terrifying sermons they hear concerning the day of judgment, are but the shadows of the mountains, and the dark productions of the melancholy fancies of some precise minister; but at the nearer approach of this great day, when judgement is at the door, and the armies of vengeance rushing in upon them; how will their mouths be stop’d, their confidences be rejected, and how great will their folly appear in being so weak, and yet presumptuous at the same time! Oh sinner! more fear of this great day would better become one that hath no more force to resist it. The way to be fearlesse hereafter, is to be fearfull here: Happy is that fear which prevents future trembling.
3 Our meditations of this great day should be deep and serious. Great things are greatly observed, Observ. 3. and make deep impression. Though feathers and cork being cast upon the water, are wont to swim, yet lead and iron sink into it; though slighter thoughts become matters of lesse concernment, yet serious things should be seriously regarded, and throughly admitted into our meditations. It’s said of the wicked, Psal. 10.5. that the judgements of God are far above out of his sight. Let not trifles expel out of the mind the thoughts of the eternal judgment, as the eye is sometimes hindred from viewing an object of the vastest extent, by putting of that before it which is not bigger then a single penny.
4. Observ. 4. 2 Pet. 3.12. • Non potest esse verus Christianus, nec recitare orationē dominicam; qui non toto corde hunc diem desiderat. Luth. Perversum est & nescio utrum verum, quem diligis timere ne veniat, orare adveniat Regnum tuum, & timere ne exaudiaris. Aug. in Euar. Psal. 147 Great should be our desires and longing after this great day. Christians only sin in seeking those things that are falsly and appearingly great; but the blessings to be enjoyed at this great day, are truly great. We should love the appearance of Christ, and look for, and hast to the coming of the day of God; if we would approve our selves for the Spouse of Christ, let our note be, Come, Oh, why is his Charriet so long in coming! Res dulcis, mora molesta, the sweeter the enjoyment, the stronger the desire. Be ashamed, oh Christian! that the day should bee so great, and thy desires so smal; that a spouse should so desire the day of her marriage, a prisoner his liberty, a Malefactor his pardon, a labourer his rest, an heir his inheritance; and that thou shouldst be so sluggish and remiss in regarding that day which removes every sorrow, supplies with every comfort!
5. Observ. 5. Judicandum se satis esse diffidit qui male vivit. Chrys. ser. 59. Rom. 8. Phil 3.8. Our chief care should be that this great day may prove a good day to us, even as good as its great. The judgement day cannot be a good day to those to whom the Judge is not good. There’s no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. The comfort of a Christian at the judgement day will be, to be one with the Judge, and to be found in him by faith not having his own righteousness. The Judge will not endure, that they who are his own members should be cut off. He who hereafter shall be the Judge, is now the Advocate of beleevers. It can never be a good day to those who are in love with that which makes it and every day evill: They who love sin, must needs fear judgement. If sinners cannot endure the light of the Word in the Ministry; how shall they endure the light of divine disquisition, at the day of Judgement? Men who have taken in uncustomed goods, or prohibited commodities, cannot desire the company of the searchers, who are appointed to open their packs. The fardels and packs of every sinner shall be opened at the great day; the hidden things of dishonesty shall be discovèred, and every conscience rip’d up. Empty your hearts of the love of every secret sin, if you would not fear a searching. Sins unthought of, will then seize upon the wicked unawares; Multa peccata tum proruent ex improviso quasi ex insidiis. Plus valebunt pura corda, quam astuta verba; & conscientia bona, quam marsu pia plena. Bern. At this great day, the purity of the heart will more profit, then subtilty of words; and a good conscience then a full purse. How happy were it that men would be repenting here, prevent repenting hereafter! It cannot be a good day, if the enjoyments of this world be accounted the chief good. He who hath no other Paradise but his gardens, no other mansions but his beautifull buildings, no other God but his gold and possessions, cannot delight to see those flames which shal consume them. He will certainly cry out as a man doth who hath laid up all his treasures in an house set on fire, I am undone, I am undone. Covetousnesse proclaimes, as the worlds old age, and its nearnesse to, so the unwelcomnesse of its dissolution. Wares laid up in a low, moyst room, will be corrupt and rotten; but those laid up in a high loft will be kept fafe: And if we lay up our treasures only in this world, Mat. 6.20. they will corrupt and come to nothing; but those which we treasure up in heaven, will be ever safe and sound. It cannot be a good day to them who are overtaken with it, upon whom it comes as a snare upon the birds, who are taken as the old world was with the Flood, whose wine was turned into water, Luk. 17.26. and whose drunken security was swallowed up in a devouring deluge. Lastly, it can be a Good day to none but to those who do good; Psal. 50.23. 2 Pet. 3.11. Tit. 2.12, 13. 1 Cor. 15.5, 8 who in the generall are persons of an holy conversation; To him who ordreth his conversation aright, will God shew his salvation. Christ will blesse people, not by the voice, when they shall say they are Christians; but by the hands; he will handle and feel them. And more particularly, it is a Good day to those only who have done good to the afflicted friends of Christ. No good duty is acceptable to Christ if we reject works of mercy. Psal. 16.3. 2 Thes. 1.5, 6, 7. How chearfully may he look upon the Judge, that hath saved the lives of the Judge his wife and children! The Saints are tyed to Christ in both relations. Phil. 4.5. Si tanta percussione digna est pietas non impensa, perpende quid mercatur, injustitia illata? What can cruelty and oppression expect from Christ at that day, but the measure which Zebah and Zalmunnah found from Gideon, who wereslain by him for slaying his brethren! If the not relieving of the Saints deserve a curse, what shall the robbing of them do?
6. Observ. 6. Great should be the consolation of every friend of Jesus Christ in thinking of this great day. It shall be to them a Good day. A day of clearing from all undue imputations. Moses being charged with ambition in taking too much upon him, comforted himself with the thoughts of the morrow; Numb. 16. 1 Cor. 4.4. To morrow (saith he) shall the Lord shew who are his; When the counsells of the heart shall be manifest, every one shall have praise of God. When a Christian is call’d a dissembler, and an hypocrite, he may say at the great day, the Lord shall shew whether it be so or no. All slanders & defamations shall fall off from the Saints, as do drops of water from an oyled post. The weight of their glory shall weigh down all their light & slight disgraces: In all the wants and losses of the faithfull for Christ in this life, how great may be their consolation! Great shall be their reward in heaven; Mat. 5.12. none shall be losers by Christ, that are losers for him. The day of Judgement shall be the day of restitution of all their comforts. God takes away nothing but what he gave, and what he will again restore, yea for which he will restore a thousand fold. This great day should relieve us against the length of our troubles, and the slownesse of deliverance. Though God asks day for the rewarding of his children, yet the greatnesse of the recompences of that Great day, shall infinitely more then countervail for the slownesse of the bestowing them. In all obscurity and contempt how may the Saints rejoyce, to consider that at the great day they shall appear with Christ in glory, and shine as the Sun in the Firmament? When a Master is absent from a School the Scholers are mingled together; those who are of the highest Form, are perhaps standing amongst those of the lowest; but when the Master comes into the School, every Scholer takes his right place; so at the last day, every one shal have their due place allotted to them, though now there be nothing but confussion. This great day may comfort Saints in their greatest distances. In this world they are oft far from one another, Eph. 4.13. both in respect of places, opinions, & affections; at this great day they shal all meet, yea and in the unity of the faith of the Son of God. In all the cruelties and unkindnesses of wicked men. Its the duty of the Saints in this life to be patient among; it shall be their priviledge hereafter to be freed from the company of the wicked; Quomodo Christus eum damnabit quem propriamors redemit. Ambros. lib. de Jacob. cap. 6. Quis venturus est judicare te, nisi qui venit judicaripro te? Aug. in Psal. 147. they shall neither be troubled with sin, nor sinners, nor sorrows: the day of Judgement shall be a day of redemption, Luk. 21.28. Eph. 4.30. of refreshment, Act. 3.19. the thoughts of this day may support them in their absence from Christ: At that great day they shall meet with their Redeemer, their Spouse, their Head: how shall not Christ save those from death, for whom he hath suffred death! Who shall come to judge the Saints, but he who came to be judged for them?
