SERMON XIX.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. —mat. XXV. 31.
I come now to the second point:
Doct. 2. That Christ's
appearance for the judgment of the world shall be glorious and full of majesty.
I
shall prove it by opening the circumstances of the text. Three things are
offered here:
1.
His personal glory.
2.
His royal attendance.
3.
His glorious seat and throne.
First,
His personal glory. Let us see what it is,
and why he will come in such an appearance.
First,
What it will be. We cannot fully know till we see it;
but certain we are this glory must be exceeding great, if we consider
1.
The dignity of his person. He is God-man; and now that mystery is to be
discovered to the utmost; therefore he must needs have
such a glory as never creature was capable of, nor can be; but «t that day the
creatures are capable of great glory; for it is said, Mat. xiii. 43, 'The
righteous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of the Father.' And if it be
thus with the saints, how shall it be with Christ? The saints are but
creatures; they are not deified when they are glorified; but he is God-man in
one person. The saints are but members of the mystical body, but Christ is the
head; and therefore he must needs far excel the glory
of all the creatures. Ours is but a derived ray; the body of light is in himself. We read, 2 Thes. i. 10, that 'he will be admired in the saints;' that is, in
the glory he puts upon them. All the spectators shall stand admiring at the honour he puts upon them, that are
but newly crept out of dust and rottenness. But how much more may he be admired
for his own personal glory!
2. The quality of his office. He is the judge of the world,
who now cometh to appear upon the throne, to be seen of all; therefore there
must be a glory suitable. We read, Acts xxv. 23, that Agrippa and Bernice came to the judgment-seat, \~Meta\~ \~pollhv\~ \~fantasiav\~, with
a great deal of pomp and state. And we see in earthly judicatures, when
great malefactors are to be tried, the whole majesty and glory of [Pg. 24] a
nation is brought forth; the judge in gorgeous apparel, accompanied with nobles
and gentry and officers, and a great conflux of people, to make it more
magnificent and terrible. So here is a conflux of the whole
world, angels, devils, men from all corners of the earth; all the men that ever
were and ever shall be; and Christ cometh forth in his greatest glory.
3. Consider the greatness of his work, and that will show
that his glory must needs be discovered. His work is,
on the one side, to gather together, to convince, to judge, and punish
creatures opposite and rebellious; and to honour and
reward his servants, on the other. There is not such a union and confederation
of miracles in any one point and article of faith, so much as there is in this
of the general judgment The mighty power and dominion of God is seen in dissolving
the elements, in raising the dead bodies, and giving every dust its own flesh,
and bringing them together that they may be arraigned and judged; and then in
separating them into their several ranks, in which his omnisciency
and wisdom is seen, that not one of the reprobate shall lie hid among the elect
In judging them his justice cannot be eluded; he that seeth
all things in the light of the Godhead cannot want evidence. Then one of the
books that is opened is in the parties' custody; and
yet they cannot deface it, or blot it out. And then for execution, the majesty
of his person and presence will be enough to confound a wicked man. How will
the wolves tremble at the sight of the pure and unspotted Lamb! Rev. vi. 16. Oh! it will be a piercing
sight to them to see him whom they have despised upon the throne! That Jesus
whose word they have scorned, whose ordinances they have neglected or
corrupted, whose servants they have molested! When Joseph, who was so great and
high in Egypt, discovered himself to his brethren,—'I am Joseph,'—they were
abashed and confounded because of the injury they had done him; much more shall
sinners be confounded when he shall tell them, 'I am Jesus,' and that he is
come on purpose to be revenged on all the abusers and despisers of his grace,
and the troubles of his people. How can they then look him m the face?
We read, that when they came to attack Christ, John xviii. 6, as soon as he had
told them, 'I am he,' they went backward, and fell to the ground. He would
convince his enemies in the midst of his greatest abasement how full of majesty
and terror his presence is, if he should let out the glory of it upon them. If
the Lamb's voice be so terrible, how dreadful will he be when he roareth as a lion! And if then, when he
was taken and led to be judged, you may guess how glorious his presence will be
when he cometh in all his glory to judge others. And by this you may
understand the apostle's expression, 2 Thes. i. 9, 'That the wicked shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.' From
there is as much as by; it doth not signify there the kind of the
punishment, the paena
damni, but the cause. The majesty of
Christ is the cause of their torments; and his look and face will be terror
enough to sinners. And as he cometh in glory to shame and punish those that
despised him, so to comfort and reward his people who have trusted in him, and
served him, and suffered for him. He shall come from heaven in [Pg. 25] state
to lead them into those blessed mansions with honour:
1 Peter iv. 13, 'Rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers
of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad
also with exceeding joy.' They have seen him in his worst, and now in his best
also. The glory of Christ's appearing is sometimes expressed by fire, and
sometimes by light To the saints it is as light, and as a comfortable sunshine;
but to the wicked it is a dreadful fire, \~en\~ \~puri\~
\~flogov\~: 2 Thes. ii. 8,
'And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord
shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of his coming.'
4. If you consider some foregoing appearances of Christ As
for instance, at the giving of the law, it was the second person that managed
that appearance; for it is said, Acts vii. 38, that it was 'an angel that
appeared in
Secondly, Why he will come in this
great glory? I answer
1. To take off the scandal and ignominy
of the cross, and to recompense him for his humiliation. He that was
once despised in the world for his outward and despicable estate will then be
glorious, when he shall declare his power in raising the dead by his voice, and
all the elements burning about him, and all the saints and angels attending
him, every one as bright as the sun; a glorious high throne set in the air for
him, and all the creatures presented before him, and bowing to him. Ransacking the consciences of sinners, and bringing forth the story
of all his administrations in the world. Then there will be a full
recompense for all his sufferings. To make this evident, let us compare the two
comings of Christ Christ's first coming was so obscure,
that it was scarce observed and understood by the world. The second will be so conspicuous and glorious as to be seen of all. In the
former, he came in the form of a servant, and the contemptible appearance of a
mean man; in the second, he cometh as the Lord and heir of all things, clothed
with splendour and glory as with a garment At his
first coming he had a forerunner, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness;'
in the second he hath a forerunner also; there the Baptist, here an archangel
with his trumpet, 1 Thes. iv. 10. In his first coming
he was accompanied with a few poor fishermen, twelve disciples, persons of mean
condition and rank in the world; now with legions of angels, and with his holy ten
thousands of his saints, Jude 14. Heretofore he raised three to life; now all
the dead. Then he was scorned, buffeted, spit upon; now crowned with glory and honour. In the former he was to act the part of a minister
of the circumcision, to preach the gospel to the people of
2. He
appeareth in this great glory to beget a greater
reverence and fear in the hearts of all those that shall be judged by him. He telleth them aforehand, that 'the
Son of man will come in great glory and majesty;' to daunt and quell the
haughty minds and proud conceits of the potentates, oppressors, and great ones
of the earth, who often abuse 1 heir power to wrong and violence: Eccles. v. 8,
'If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the
violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter;
for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and
there be higher than they.' Here is swaying and swaggering, and bearing high
upon the thought of their title and greatness; but there they and all their
greatness and power shall meet with a judge that is able by the breath of his
mouth to consume them. What meaneth the insolency of the mighty, the pride of the great heroes of
the earth, that swell and grow haughty with their greatness, to look and speak
so big? Nothing is so profitable to allay the excesses of power, or to fortify
us against the fears of it, as the consideration of this mighty judge, who will
review all matters, and cause the great men of the earth to tremble. Power is
an unwieldy thing, apt to degenerate, and to put men upon unwarrantable practices;
therefore, it needeth to be allayed and balanced with
the consideration of a greater power. Alas! all the
power and glory of the world is but a fancy, a vain pageantry, compared to
Christ's power and glory. What is their authority to his, their splendour to his, their guard to his? Nothing can excuse
them; this judgment must and shall pass upon them.
3. For the comfort of his people; for Christ is a pledge
and pattern of what shall be done in them; in all things he must first it, Rom.
viii. 29; and we are made conformable to his image and likeness. All privileges
come to us not only from Christ but through Christ: he as mediator is the first
possessor. Are we elected? he was elected first: 'My
elect servant,' Isa. xlii. 1. Are we justified? so was
he as our surety: 1 Tim. iii. 16, 'Justified in the
Spirit.' Are we sanctified? first he received the
Spirit of holiness. Are we glorified? so was he: Col.
iii. 4, 'When Christ, who is our life, shall appear,
we shall appear with him in glory;' 1 John iii. 2, 'We shall be like him, for
we shall see him as he is.' There will be a manifestation of the sons of God,
Horn. viii. 19; first the first-born, then all the rest of the brethren. Yea,
we participate of his judicial power: the saints shall not only be judged, but
the judges, 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3. The evil spirits a long time [Pg. 28] ago had their
punishment, but then their solemn doom. The saints shall sit down with him as
justices upon the bench. Here the saints judge the world by their doctrine and
conversation, there by their vote and suffrage. There is the relation between
Christ and the church of wife and husband; uxor
fulget radiis mariti; as the husband riseth
in honour so doth the wife: of head and members, when
the head is crowned all the members are clothed with honour.
His mystical body shares with him, that there may be a proportion in the body.
He is the captain of our salvation, and he will dignify and reward his
soldiers, Heb. ii. 10. David, when he was crowned at
Secondly,
His royal attendance, 'And
all the holy angels with him.' Chrysostom saith the
whole court of heaven removeth with him; surely there
are many of them: Jude 14, 'The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints to
execute judgment on all, to convince all that are ungodly.' It is likely these
angels will put on some visible shape, for the greater glory and majesty of
Christ's appearing; for as he will appear in a body upon his glorious throne,
so will his legions round about him; whose order, power, and formidable hosts
must some way or other be seen of the wicked for their greater terror. Their
attendance upon Christ seemeth to be for these reasons:
1.
Partly for a train, to make his Appearance the more full of majesty. We find
angels waiting upon Christ at his ascension, and so at his return to judgment.
Public ministers of justice are made formidable by their attendance, and Christ
will come as a royal king in the midst of his nobles. And—
2. Partly that by their ministry the work of the day may be
the more speedily and powerfully despatched. They are
to 'gather the elect from the four winds,' Mat xxiv. 31. The angels that
carried their souls to heaven shall be employed in bringing their bodies out of
the graves: Luke xvi. 22, 'Carried by angels into Abraham's
bosom.' They are still serviceable about the saints; this is the last
office they perform to them; they are as it were, under Christ, guardians of
their bones and dust. Now, to the wicked, they are to bind the tares in
bundles, Mat. xiii. 41, that they may be burnt in the fire. They force und
present wicked men before the judge, be they never so obstinate. They are
witnesses; they attend upon congregations, 1 Cor. xi.
10. In assemblies there is more company meets than is visible; devils and
angels meet there; the devils to divert your minds as soon as they begin to be
serious, to catch the good word out of your heart; and angels observing you;
here should be no indecency. So in your ordinary conversations they are
conversant about you. And then for execution, no sooner is sentence pronounced
but executed; as Haman's face was covered, and he led
away to execution us soon as the king [Pg. 29] had but said the word. Thus the
scripture, in a condescension to our capacity, representeth to us the ministry of angels in that great and
terrible day. We can better understand the operations of angels than of God
himself; they being nearer to us in being, and of an essence finite and
limited, their acts are more comprehensible.
3.
There may be a third reason imagined why the angels should come to this
judgment, which will give us an occasion for handling a question, Whether they
shall be judged, yea or no?
I
answer—For the good angels, I think not; for the bad,
the scripture is express and plain.
[l.] For
the good angels, it is clear, by what hath been said already, that they shall
be present at this action, not to be judged, but to bring others to judgment;
as officers, not as parties. I suppose this, if men had continued in their innocency and integrity of their creation, such a, day
of uuiversal judgment had been needless, for then
there had been none to be condemned, because none had sinned; the covenant of
God would have been enough to have secured their happiness: so the good angels
continuing in that state wherein they were created, there is nothing doubtful
about them that needeth any judiciary debate and
discussion; and being already confirmed in the full fruition of God and
happiness as to their whole nature, their estate is not to be put to tiny
trial: whereas good men, though their souls be in heaven, yet their bodies are
not admitted there; some part of them as yet lieth
under the effects of sin, and their glorification is private, and God's
goodness as yet hath not been manifested to them in the eyes of all the world,
nor their uprightness sufficiently vindicated; therefore a judgment needeth for them, but not for the angels, who were never as
yet censured and traduced in the world, and they in their whole nature and
person enjoy most absolute felicity in God's heavenly sanctuary: no such great
change will happen to them after the judgment as happeneth
to the saints when their whole persons are taken into glory. It is true they
have a charge and ministry about the saints, Heb. 1.14; but of that ministry
and charge they give an account daily in the sight of God, to whom they do
approve themselves in it; so that there is no cause for further inquisition
concerning that thing, there being no necessity of judgment concerning them; I
think they shall not be judged.
[2.] For the evil angels, the scripture is express: 1 Cor. vi. 3, 'Know ye not that we
shall judge angels?' that is, as evil men, so evil angels. So
2 Peter ii. 4, 'God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them
down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved to the
judgment of the great day.' Though they are imprisoned in the
pit of hell, yet reserved for further judgments. God's irresistible
power and terrible justice overruleth, tormenteth, and ι estraineth
them for the present These are the chains of darkness; yet there is a more high
measure of wrath that shall light upon them at the day of judgment Where any
accession or considerable increase shall be made either to the happiness or
punishment of any creature, there that creature shall be judged. Now, there is
no such considerable alteration or increase of happiness to good angels as to
men; and on the other side, there is a considerable alteration as to wicked
angels: Mat. viii. 20, 'Art thou come to torment us before the time?' They [Pg.
30] know there is a time coming when they shall be tormented more than they are
yet. And besides, God's justice was never publicly
manifested, and by any solemn act glorified, as to the punishment of the evil
angels for their rebellion against him. but was
reserved for this time. Besides, as God would now receive into glory the good
and holy among men, and therefore would first begin with their head, which is
Christ, sending him in power and great glory, so, on the other side, when God
would punish the disobedient, he would begin with condemning their head, who is
the devil, and is first cast into hell as a pledge of what should light upon
all those that follow him, and are seduced by him. I could say more, but I
forbear.
Thirdly,
There remaineth
one circumstance in the text, and that is,
Christ's throne of glory; which, because it is wholly to come,
and not elsewhere explained in scripture, we must rest in the general expression.
The cloud in which he cometh possibly shall be his throne; or, if you will have
it further explained, you may take that of the prophecy of Daniel, chap. vii.
9, 10, 'I beheld all the thrones were cast down, and the ancient of days did
sit; whose raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure
wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A
fiery stream issued, and came forth from him: thousands ministered unto him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The judgment was set, and
the books were opened.' I cannot say this prophecy is intended of the day of judgment; but as they said of the blind man, John ix.
9, 'Either it is he, or it is very like him,' so this is it, or very like it.
And in the general you see it describeth that which
is very glorious. Or you may conceive of it by the description of Solomon's
throne: 1 Kings x. 18-20, 'Moreover, the king made a great throne of ivory, and
overlaid it with the best gold: the throne had six steps, and the top of the
throne was round behind; and there were stays on either side of the place of
the seat, and two lions stood behind the stays: and twelve lions stood on the
one side, and on the other, upon the six steps: there was not the like made in
any kingdom.' It was high and dreadful, but not worthy to be a footstool to
this tribunal.
The Use
of all is exhortation. To press you to propound this truth —(1.) To your faith; (2.) To your fear and caution; (3.) To your
love; (4.) To your patience; (5.) To your hope. That all these graces may be the more
exercised upon this occasion, that you may believe it, and consider it
1. Propound it to your faith; be persuaded of it We are
so-occupied in present things, that we forget or do not mind the future and men
that are in love with their lusts and errors love to be ignorant of those
truths, the knowledge whereof might disquiet them in following those lusts: 2
Peter iii. 5, 'This they are willingly ignorant of.' But we had need to call upon you again and again to believe these
things, that the Lord Jesus shall come in his glory with his angels. They that
are slaves to their lusts strongly desire an eternal enjoyment of the present
world, and labour to banish out of their hearts the
thoughts of the day of judgment. The sound belief of
it is not so much encountered with doubts of the understanding, as the lusts
and inclinations of their carnal and perverse hearts. But, beloved, I hope [Pg.
31] it will not be tedious to you to tell you again and again of these things,
and to press you to rest your hearts upon them; to you that have set your
hearts to love Christ, and to wait for his coming; to you that know there is no
such powerful help to the mortification of your lusts as to consider the day of
judgment, no such special encouragement in your difficulties as the comfort,
glory, and sweetness of it. Oh! therefore, press your
hearts with this truth: Hath not the mouth of truth averred it? Would Jesus
Christ assure us of that which shall never be? He that hath been so punctual on
his word in lesser truths, would he deceive us in this main article? Sure it
should be no hard thing to persuade you that are assured of his fidelity and
love that what he hath spoken will come to pass. If it were not so, he would
never have told you so. You will find no less than he hath promised. If we did
deceive you with sugared and golden words, it were
another matter. Expect not that I should bring arguments from nature to prove
it to you: God's word is sufficient. Faith is built upon God's testimony, and
nothing else. Though other arguments have their use, and at other times I have
produced them, now I shall forbear: only, because there are godless mockers,
who suspect all, and do not so much reason against this article of our
Christian faith, as· scoff at it, and you may meet with some of those, I think
it not amiss to answer their cavils. A carnal and devilish wit will find out so
many reasons, plausible to themselves and others like themselves; otherwise it
were enough to reject them as blasphemies with detestation. But, because they
please themselves in their atheistical conceits, you
shall see they make rather against them than for them.
[1.]
If they should urge that reason in the apostles' days, when blasphemy was not
grown so bold and witty: 2 Peter iii. 3,4, 'All things continue as they were
from the beginning of the creation;' we might answer, as, the apostle did, that
it is fit that things should keep one constant course in the day of the Lord's
patience and mercy; but' the day of the Lord will come as a thief.'
Shall there never be a change because the preparations are not presently
visible? This is a manifest lie. Particular judgments on some wicked men do
prove that there shall be a general judgment on all; for seeing some are justly
punished, and others deserving no less are spared, he who is immutably good and
impartially just must have a day for punishing these afterwards; and God hath
fire in store as well as water, to burn up as well as to drown the object of
their lusts and pleasure.
[2.] Their great argument is the blemish of providence in
their eyes, the seeming neglect of the good, and evil done amongst men. I
answer—That will prove it which they bring to disprove
it; for the apostle telleth us, 'This is a manifest
token of the righteous judgment of God,' 2 Thes. i. 5. What! even the calamity of
good men? Solomon made another the quite contrary use of it: Eccles. iii. 16r
17, 'Moreover, I saw the place of judgment, that wickedness was there;
and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there: I said in my heart,
God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time for every
purpose and for every work.' The wicked prosper, and destroy the just. You make
it an argument for your infidelity; but it is an argument against it. Stay till
the assizes come. It followeth,' [Pg. 32] not there
is no government because the thief and murderer is not
hanged as soon as he hath done the fact. God's day will come, and then they go
to prison. When you see malefactors drinking, dancing, frolicking in prison,
will you say, I see there is no government in this
kingdom?
[3.]
Many think this is a state-engine to keep the world in better order and
government. But I answer—Needeth
there a lie to establish so great a benefit to mankind? It cannot be. Doth
interest or virtue govern the world? If mere interest, what a confusion would
there be of all things? Then men might commit all villany,
take away men's lives and goods at pleasure, when it is their interest, when
they could do it safely and secretly; then servants might poison their masters,
if they could do it without discovery; and we might prey one upon another if it
were in the power of our hands, and so live like wild and ravenous beasts; and
by this rule, catch he that catch can here would be the best, and vice and
impiety would be the greatest wisdom. But if virtue govern
the world, it is a clear case virtue cannot be supported without thoughts of
the world to come; and can we imagine that God would make a world that
cannot be governed but by falsehood and deceit, as you suppose the opinion of
judgment to come is?
2.
Propound it to your fear and caution. Great ones, that are most powerful and
unruly, there is a power above them: Jer. v. 5, 'I
went to the great ones, that had altogether broken the
yoke.' They should tremble now at this glorious coming, to prevent trembling then,
Ps. ii. 10-12. It is your wisdom to observe the Son,
not to oppress his truth, interest, and people. Take heed of living in
opposition to Christ: he will come in great power and great glory. If you
neglect, if you stumble upon the rock you should build upon, and reject your
own mercies, perish for want of a little care, you shall see the excellency of Christ, but have no benefit by it; see the
happiness of the saints with your eyes, but shall not taste thereof, 2 Kings
vii. 19; as Haman was forced to be Mordecai's lacquey, and cry before him, 'Thus shall it be done to the
man whom the king will honour.'
3.
Propound it to your love, that you may long for it.
The saints are described to be those 'that love his appearing,' 2 Tim. iv. 8. And the apostle biddeth
them 'hasten to the coming of the day of the Lord.' 2 Peter
iii. 12. These will be days of refreshing to the saints. Send forth your
wishes after it. 'The Spirit in the bride saith, Come.' Rev. xxii.
17. Nature saith not, Come, but, Tarry still. If it might go by voices whether
Christ should come, yea or no, would carnal men give their voice this way? No; the voice of corrupt nature
is, Depart, Job xxii. 14. They are of the devils' mind, cannot endure to hear
of it, Mat. viii. 24. If malefactors were to choose whether there should be
assizes, yea or no, there would never be none. But
you, my beloved, should desire to see him whom you have heard so much of. When
Christ took his leave of us, his heart was upon meeting and fellowship again,
John xiv. 2. So should we be affected towards his appearing.
4. Propound it to your patience, fortitude, and
self-denial. Have no cause to think shame of Christ's service, though you
suffer disgrace for it; he will appear worthy of all the respect you show to
his person ways. He is disgraced indeed that is refused by Christ when he [Pg.
33] cometh in great glory. The judgment of the blind world is not to be
regarded. The Lord will show who are his condemned in the world on purpose to
try you, though now you are accounted the scurf and offscouring
of all things. I know it is a great temptation to persons of honour and quality; but Christ suffered greater
indignities: therefore let us resolve to be more vile
for the Lord. Chiefly consider the glory reserved for us in the life to come, 1
John iii. 2. Then is the day of the manifestation of the sons of God. Christ is
contented for a while to lie hid, and will not show himself in his full glory
till the end of the world. In the days of his flesh his person was trampled
upon by wicked men; and now he is in heaven, he is despised in his cause and
servants: his person is above abuse and contempt, but not his members. Christ
came in disguise to try the world. Satan would not have had the boldness to
encounter him, the Jews to reject him, carnal Christians to neglect him, nor
the faith of the elect found to such praise and honour,
if all were honourable, glorious, and safe here in
the world. But the day of manifestation is hereafter. Let us be patient
therefore, and bear all the harsh usage we meet with. There will be honour: 'When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we
shall meet with him in glory.'
5.
Propound it to your hope, and stand ready to meet with him and wait for him;
and comfort yourselves with the hopeful expectation. This will be when all
things are ready. And you should look every day and long every day for his
appearing. I have a Saviour in heaven,
that will come again, with all his saints with him: 'Even so come, Lord
Jesus, come quickly.'