SERMON XX.
And
before him shall be gathered, all nations; and he shall separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the
goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.—mat. XXV.
32, 33.
we now come to the
second general, the presenting the parties to be judged; and there we have
1. The congregation, and all nations shall be gathered before him.
2. A segregation.
[1.]
As to company, he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.
[2.]
As to place and posture, and he shall set the sheep on the right hand, and
the goats on the left.
First,
The congregation. All the dead shall rise,
and being risen, shall be gathered together into one place or great rendezvous.
According to the analogy of faith we may gather this point:
Doct. That in the general
judgment, all that have lived from the beginning of
the world unto that day shall without exception, from the least to the
greatest, appear before the tribunal of Christ. [Pg. 34]
This
point will be best illustrated and set forth to you by considering the several
distinctions of mankind.
1. The most obvious distinction of
mankind is of grown persons and infants; and if all these are presented to the
judgment, it will go-far in the decision of the point that we have in hand.
Grown persons are those whose life is continued to that age wherein they come
to the full use of reason; infants are those that die before they are in an
ordinary way capable of the doctrine of life. Now for grown persons, the
scripture is written purposely for them, and showeth
that they shall be judged according to the dispensation they are under; as to
infants or lesser children, the case is more difficult and obscure. It is
likely that all shall rise in the stature and condition of grown persons, that
is to say, in such a state of body and mind as they may see and hear and
understand the judge. When they were born, they were born· with a rational
soul, which though according to ordinary course lieth
idle for a while, and doth not discover itself in any human and rational
actions till the organs be fitted and matured, yet that it should be still
buried in the body, and perpetually sleep, as being hindered by its-organs or
instruments of operation, reason will not permit us to conceive, because it is
contrary to its natural aptness and disposition, as also the end of its
creation. We cannot conceive that God should form the spirit in man, which is immortal, in a body in vain and to no purpose;
therefore children shall rise again: we know God hath made a difference between
infants. The scripture seemeth to extend the merit of
Christ's death to his church, Eph. v. 26, 27; and that infants of believers are
born members of the church is out of question. To be sure, the covenant taketh in our children together with us: Gen. xxii. 7, 'I am thy God, and the God of thy seed.' And those
that never lived to disinherit themselves of that blessing, we have no reason
to trouble ourselves about them: God is their God, and knoweth
how to instate them in the privileges of the covenant. Look, as we judge of the
slip according to the stock upon which it groweth,
till it live to bring forth fruit of its own, so we judge of children according
to the parents' covenant, till they come to years of discretion to choose their
own way, and declare what have been God's counsels concerning them. The
parents' sprinkling the blood on the door-posts saved the whole family. It is
very reasonable therefore to think that infants, born in the church, dying
infants, obtain remission of original sin by Christ, whatever become of others;
for what reason have we to judge them that are without? 1 Cor. v. 12. And if God vouchsafe some the remission
of that sin which they have, out of his mercy and grace in Christ, they must in
the resurrection be in that state, that they may enjoy eternal felicity. The
sum of the whole matter is, that in this great congregation
children shall appear as well as parents. But children, dying children,
are reckoned to their parents as a part of them, or as an appendage and
accession to them, whose condition is likely to be the same with theirs as to
glorification and acceptance to life. And with the condition of others we
meddle not, but leave them to God. The scripture is sparing of speaking of them
to whom it speaketh not. God speaketh
more fully to grown persons, as those with whom he dealeth
and treateth in the gospel. He is not bound to give
us an [Pg. 35] account how he will proceed with others; yet for godly parents'
comfort, he hath more fully revealed his mind concerning their children than
the children of infidels or wicked and open enemies to his truth. What he may
do to them as to their original sin we cannot easily pronounce, as to their
condemnation or absolution. Many allege, indeed, that they have an evil heart,
and a nature that they would despise the gospel, if they had lived to receive
the offer of it. I answer— It is true they are by
nature children of wrath, as all are, Eph. ii. 3; and the gospel telleth us who are the serpentine brood of a transgressing
stock; but how far God may show grace to them we know not. But for what they
would do afterwards, that can make no argument in this case; for God being a
most just and most equal judge, doth not judge his creature for what is
possible and future, but only for things that are past and actually committed.
He punisheth nothing but sins; but things that are
not, cannot be sins. We crush serpents for their venomous nature before they
have actually done us any harm; so may God destroy children; but that he doth
not always do it, plain experience manifesteth.
2.
The next distinction is of those whom Christ shall find dead or alive at his
coming. Those that are dead shall be raised out of their graves, and have the
spirit of life restored to them, that they may come to judgment. Those that are
alive shall undergo a change like death: 1 Cor. xv.
51, 'We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed.' These bodies, as thus qualified, cannot brook the state of the other
world. Now, there will be found both good and bad alive at
Christ's coming. If all the faithful were dead before, there would be
some time when God would have no church upon earth. Now, it is foretold in the
scriptures that the
3. The third distinction is of good and bad. Both sorts shall
come to receive their sentence; only the one come to the judgment of
condemnation, the other to the judgment of absolution: John v. 28,29, 'They which are in the grave shall hear his voice, and
shall come forth;. they that have done good unto the
resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of
condemnation.' The word is clear in this point, that both the godly and wicked
shall live again, that they may receive a full recompense according to their
ways. None of the godly will be lost, but shall all meet in that general
assembly; nor shall any of the wicked shift or shun this day of [Pg. 36]
appearance, but both shall at the call of Christ be brought before his
judgment-seat; the godly rejoicing to meet their Redeemer, and the wicked
forced into the presence of their judge, who could otherwise wish that hills
and mountains might cover them. So Acts xxiv. 15, 'I believe the resurrection
of the just and unjust;' not aequabiliter boni; for Mat. v.
45, 'He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the
good, and sendeth his rain upon the just and unjust' Let us answer some places for the good: John iii. 18, 'He
that believeth in him, \~ou\~ \~krinetai\~, is
not judged;' mat is, with the judgment of condemnation; so we render it; and \~eiv\~ \~krisin\~ \~ouk\~ ercetao\~: John v. 24, 'He that believeth on
him shall not come into condemnation.' Yet for absolution they come. On the
other side, some of the ancients denied the wicked's
entering into judgment: Ps. i. 5, 'The
ungodly shall not stand in judgment (the latter clause expounds it),' nor
sinners in the congregation of the righteous.' This is the great bridle upon
the wicked when they are serious; they fear more the resurrection from the dead
than death itself.
4.
The next distinction of men whom Christ shall judge are
believers and unbelievers. To believers we reckon all those that lived not only
in the clear sunshine of the gospel, but those also to whom the object of faith
was but more obscurely propounded; to those that lived before the flood and
after the flood, as well as those that lived in Christ's time, and after the
pouring out of the Spirit. Abel and Enoch and Noah are mentioned in the
chronicle and history of faith, Heb xi., as
well as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and believers of a later stamp and edition.
And among unbelievers are reckoned all those that through their own obstinate
incredulity rejected the divine revelation made to them, as well those that
neglected the great salvation spoken by the Lord himself, as the world of
ungodly in Noah's time, 1 Peter iii. 20, who were disobedient
when Noah preached righteousness to them, or laid open the way of life and
salvation to them. Indeed, it concerneth most
those that have the gospel clearly preached to them, but others are not
excused. In short, this distinction will bring in several ranks of men.
[l.] Some that have heard of Christ, and of the grace of
God dispensed by him. These shall be judged by the gospel tenor and
dispensation, which clearly sets forth all men to be sinners, and therefore to
have deserved eternal death; and that 'there is no name under heaven whereby
men can be saved, but by the name of Jesus,' Acts iv.
12. And the great question propounded to them is, whether they have believed in
Christ, yea or no? Mark xvi. 16, 'They that believe not shall be
damned.' They are condemned upon a double account— partly by the law, and
partly by the gospel. Partly by the law, because they, being
under the wrath and curse of God, would not embrace the remedy. Besides,
the sentence of the law standeth in full force
against a man if he cometh not to Christ to get it
repealed: John iii. 18, 'He that believeth not is condemned already;' and the
sentence is ratified in the gospel: John iii. 36, 'He that believeth not the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth
on him.' To their other sins they added unbelief, which is a heinous crime;
yea, the great damning sin, 1 John v. 10. Those that say they believe are to
prove the truth of their faith by the power it hath upon their hearts and [Pg.
37] practice, James ii. 6-8, Rev. xx. 21; if that hath
drawn off their hearts from worldly vanities and fleshly lusts, and engaged
them to live unto God in the new and heavenly life.
[2.] All that have heard of Christ
have not the gospel alike clearly made known unto them. To some he is preached
clearly and purely, and without any mixture of errors that have any
considerable influence upon the main of religion. Others are in that communion
in which those doctrines are as yet taught that are indeed necessary to
salvation, but many things are added which are indeed pernicious and dangerous
in their own nature; so that if a man should possibly be saved in that
profession, 'he is saved as by fire,' 1 Cor. iii. 13.
And it is a strange escape; as if one had poison mingled among his meat, the
goodness of his digestion and strength of nature might work it out, but the man
runneth a great hazard. As the Papists acknowledge
Christ for the redeemer and mediator between God and men; they own his two natures
and satisfaction, though they mingle doctrines that strangely weaken these
foundations. The Turks deny not Christ to be a great prophet, but they deny him
to be the Son of God and the Saviour of the world,
and the Redeemer of mankind, and wickedly prefer their false prophet before
him. The Jews confess there was a Jesus the son of Mary, that gave out himself
in their country of
[3.]
Some lived under the legal administration of the covenant of grace, to whom two
things are propounded:—(1.) The duty
of the law; (2.) Some strictures and obscure
beginnings of the gospel. They shall be judged according to that
administration they are under; either for violating the law, or neglecting the
gospel, or those first dawnings of grace which God
offered to their view and study. Indeed the law 'was more manifest, but the
gospel was not so obscure but they might have understood it Therefore God will
call them to an account about keeping his law, by which who can be justified?
Or whether by true repentance they have fled to the mercy of God, which by divers ways was then revealed to them, and have owned the
Messiah in his types? Ps. cxliii.
2, 'Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man
living be justified;' Ps. cxxx. 3,4,
'If thou shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall
stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest
be feared.' Which, if not clear, they shall be condemned not
only for not keeping the law, but also for neglect of. grace. Though their unbelief and impenitency be not so odious as weirs is that lived under a clearer revelation,
yet a grievous sin it was, which will bring judgment upon them.
[4.] There are some that have no other discovery of God but
what they could make from the courses of nature and some instincts of
conscience, as mere pagans. The apostle having told us of the
righteous judgment of
[5.]
Men of all conditions, high and low, rich and poor, mighty and powerful, or
weak and oppressed, kings, subjects: Ijev. xx. 12, 'I
saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God.' No rank or degree in the
world can exempt us. These distinctions do not outlive time; they cease at the
grave's mouth; there all stand upon the same level, and are of the same mould.
To bridle the excesses of power, the scripture often telleth
us of the day of judgment, how the great men of the earth shall tremble, and
the hearts of the powerful then be appalled, Rev. vi. 15-17. They
shall then understand the distance between God and the creature, when his wrath
and terror is in its perfection. Who can stand when he is angry? Ps. lxxvi. 7. It is a wonder men
will live in a way of controversy with him, and are so little moved at it No
wrath so considerable as the wrath of the Lamb. When
their mediator is their enemy, none in heaven or earth can befriend them. Those
that, in the thoughts of men, are most secure, ringleaders to others in sin,
that swear and swagger, and bear down all before them, and persist in their
opposition to Christ with the greatest confidence, will be found the greatest
and most desperate cowards then. Now these gallants ruffle it as if they would
bid defiance to Christ and his ways. Oh! how
pusillanimous and fearful then! Appear they must, though they cannot abide it.
What torture do they endure between these two, the necessity of appearing, and
the impossibility of enduring! Oh! the great ones then
would gladly change power] with the meanest saint. Then they know
what an excellent thing it is to have the favour of God, and of what worth and value godliness is, and how much
a good conscience exceedeth all the glory of the
world, and what an advantage it is to have peace made with God.
[6.]
Not only some of all sorts, or of all nations, but every individual person. In
one place the apostle saith, 'All of us,' collective, 2 Cor. v. 10; in another place, distributive, 'Every
one of us,' Rom. xiv. 12; not only all, but every one; not all, shuffled
together in gross, but every one, severally and apart, is to give an account of
his ways and actions to God.
Use. If these things be so, that all places shall give up their
dead, and all those nations that differ so much one from another in tongues,
rites, and customs of living, and distance of habitation, shall be gathered
together into one place, and not left scattered up and down the world;—there
are many ways to shift men's courts and tribunals {they may fly the country, or
bribe the judge), but there is no shunning the bar of Christ;—oh! then, let the thought of this make us more watchful and
serious.
1. In
this judgment there is no exemption; for all are summoned, small and great; and
whether they will or no, they shall be gathered together. The faithful shall
willingly come, as to absolution; the wicked shall be violently haled, as to
condemnation.
2.
There is no appearing by a proctor or attorney; but every one in his own person
must give an account of himself to God.
3. No
denying; for the books shall be opened, Rev. xx. 12.
4. No excusing or extenuating; for Christ will 'judge the
world in righteousness,' Acts xvii. 31, according to terms of
strict justice. [Pg. 40]
5. No
appealing; for this is the last judgment.
No suing out of pardon, or no time of showing favour;
for this is too late; the day of grace is past; sinners are in termino; their work is over, and now come to receive
their wages. Oh! then,
now let us take care that this day may be comfortable to us. God's children have more cause to· look and
long for it than to dread it. Secondly, We now come to the segregation;
and there
First,
as to company, 'He shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd divideth between the sheep and the goats.' In these words there is
1. A
point intimated and implied, that Christ is represented as a shepherd and the
godly as sheep, but the wicked as goats.
2.
There is a second point expressed, that though there be
a confusion of the godly and wicked now, yet at the day of judgment there will
be a perfect separation.
For
the first of these, that Christ is represented to us under the notion of a
shepherd, so he is called, Zech. xiii. 7, 'Awake, O sword, against my shepherd:
I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered;' and 1 Peter ii.
25, 'But are now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.'
1. A
shepherd among men is one that is not lord of the flock, but a servant to take
care of them and charge of them. This holdeth good of
Christ as mediator; for he is -God's elect servant, the servant of his decrees:
the flock are his, not in point of dominion, right, and original interest, but
in point of trust and charge. So Christ is lord of the faithful as God; but as
mediator he hath an office and service about them, and is to give an account of
them to God, when he bringeth them home, and leadeth them into their everlasting fold, John vi 37-40, with 1 Cor. xv. 24, 25; Heb. ii. 13, 'Behold I and the children which God
hath given me;' Jude 24, 'Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory;' and Col. i. 22, 'To present you holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable in his sight.'
2.
The work of the shepherd is to keep the flock from straying, to choose fit
pasture and good lair for them; yea, not only to fodder the sheep, but to drive
away the wolf. To defend the flock is a part of his office; as David fought
with the lion and the bear, and slew them for the flock's sake. All these concur
in Christ, as you may see, Ps. xxiii. 1-4, 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall
not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
he leadeth me beside the still waters. Thy rod and
thy staff they comfort me.' There is guarding, and feeding, and defending. So
John x., there is leading, ver. 3, 4; then there is feeding them, ver. 9; and
defending them, ver. 12, 27-29.
3.
Christ is not an ordinary shepherd: he is \~o\~ \~poimhn\~
\~o\~ \~kalov\~, 'The good shepherd,' John x. 11; and Heb. xiii. 20, \~poimena\~ \~twn\~
\~probatwn\~ \~ton\~ \~megan\~,
'The great shepherd of the sheep;' and 1 Peter v. 4, \~arcipoimenov\~,
'The chief shepherd;' 'When the chief shepherd shall appear,' &c.
[1.] He is the good shepherd. Other shepherds are said to
be good when they perform their office well, or quit themselves faithfully in·
the discharge of their trust. But besides the resemblance in these [Pg. 41]
qualities, there are certain singularities in Christ's office that denominate
him the good shepherd.
(1.)
A good shepherd is known by his care and vigilance; if he know
the state of his flock, Prov. xxvii. 23. This
resemblance holdeth good in
Christ: he hath a particular care and inspection of every soul that belongeth to his flock: 'Calleth
his sheep by name,' John x. 3. He hath a particular exact knowledge of every
one of them, their persons, their state, their condition, their place, their
country, their conflicts, temptations, and diseases: 2 Tim. ii. 19, 'The Lord knoweth who are his;' John xiii. 18, 'I know whom I have chosen.'
Though there be so many thousands of them scattered up and down in the world,
yet he is acquainted with every individual person, every single believer, and
all their necessities; John, James, Thomas. As the high priest carried the
names of the tribes upon his bosom, so hath Christ the names of every one that belongeth to God's flock engraven-upon
his heart, though they may be despicable in the world, mean servants, employed
in the lower offices of the family: Ps. xxxiv. 6, 'This poor man cried unto the
Lord.' Poor soul! he lieth
under such temptations, encumbered with such troubles, employed in such a hard
task and service: My Father gave me a charge of him; I must look to him. Luke xv. we read, that when one was
missing, he left all to look after the stray lamb. His knowledge is infinite.
(2.)
The goodness of a shepherd lieth in his pity and
wisdom to deal tenderly with the flock as their state doth require; so is
Christ a good shepherd by reason of his tender respect and gentle conduct: Isa.
xi. 11, 'He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall
gather the-lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom; and shall gently
lead those that are with young.' He guideth
his people with dispensations suitable to them. In his lifetime he taught them,
\~kaywv\~ \~hdunanto\~
\~akouein\~, 'He spake the word unto them as they were able to hear it.'
Mark iv. 33; as Jacob drove as the little ones and
cattle-were able to bear, Gen. xxxiii. 14. He calleth to work and suffering according as he giveth grace and strength, 1 Cor.
x. 13. Proportioneth their temptations according to their growth and experience.
He sendeth great trials after large assurances, Heb.
x. 32. As castles are victualled before they are
suffered to be besieged. There is a sweet condescension in all his
dispensations to every one's state and condition.
(3.)
The goodness of a shepherd lieth in a constant
performing all. parts of a shepherd to them: Ezek.
xxxiv. 15,16, 'I will seek that which was lost, bring back that which was
driven away, bind up that which was broken, strengthen that which was sick: but
I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them with judgment' There is
all necessary attendance and accommodation conducing to the safety and welfare
of the flock; to protect them from violence from without, to prevent diseases
within, to keep them from straying by the inspirations of his Spirit and the
fence of his providence ('Blessed be God, that sent thee to meet me this day,'
saith holy David), and to reclaim and reduce them when strayed. It were endless to instance in all.
(4.)
There is this particularity in this good shepherd, of which
there is no resemblance found in others: John x. 11, 'I am the good shepherd,
that giveth my life for the sheep.' He doth not only
give life to [Pg. 42] them, bat his own life for them, by way of ransom. This
is a flock purchased by the blood of God, Acts xx. 28. He came from heaven to
find oat lost sheep; left a palace for the wilderness, and the throne for the
fold. David was called from the sheep-hook to the sceptre;
but Christ from the sceptre to the sheep-hook. Lost
man had never been found if Christ had not come from heaven to seek him. We
were forfeited, and therefore to be ransomed; and no price would serve but
Christ's own blood.
(5.)
There is this peculiar in this good shepherd, that he maketh
us become the flock of his pasture, and sheep of his fold, Ps. c. 3. When other
shepherds have the sheep delivered into their hands, he searcheth
up and down for them in the woods and deserts; wherever they are scattered
abroad, a lamb here and a lamb there; free grace findeth
them out: Ezek. xxxiv. 4, 'I will search out my sheep, and seek them out;' Zeph. iii. 10, 'I will look after my dispersed from beyond
the
[2.]
He is the great shepherd. (1.) Great in his person, the Son of God. Dominus exercituum fit
pastor ouium, saith Bernard—the Lord of hosts is
become the shepherd of the flock. He needed us not; if he had delighted in
multitudes of flocks and herds, there are ten thousand times ten thousand
angels that stand about the throne. He needed not leave his throne and die for
angels as for us. And (2.) He is great in regard of
the excellency of his gifts
and qualifications: he is king, priest, and prophet In the pastoral relation he
manifesteth all his offices; he feedeth
them as a prophet, dieth for them as a priest, defendeth them as a king; never sheep had better shepherd. Redimit preciose, pascit caute, ducit
solicite, collegit secure. Jacob
was very careful, yet some of his flock were lost, or torn, or stolen, or
driven away; but it cannot be so with Christ's flock; we are safe as long as he
is upon the throne. (3.) Great in regard of his flock: he is the shepherd of
souls; millions of them are committed to his charge, and one soul is more worth
than all the world.
[3.]
He is the chief shepherd. Though he doth employ the ministry of men to feed his
flock under him, yet doth he keep the place and state of arch-shepherd and
prince of pastors, as the chief ruler and feeder of his flock, from whom all
the under-shepherds have their charge and commission, Mat.
xxviii. 19, 20, their furniture and gifts, Eph. iv. 8,
11; upon whose concurrence dependeth the efficacy and
blessing of the ordinances dispensed by them, 1 Cor.
iii. 6, 7; and to him they give an account, Heb. xiii. 17, as he doth to God.
Now this is a great comfort, that Christ taketh the
prime charge of the flock. Some thrust in themselves, but he will require his
flock at their hands.
Use. Let all this
encourage you to look for your supplies by Christ. He professeth
by special office to take charge of you; and you may be confident of his care
and fidelity. Besides his love to the flock, he is bound as God's shepherd. By
distrust you carry it so as if Christ were unfaithful in his charge and office.
When you come to the ordinances, [Pg. 43] you do directly cast yourselves upon
Christ's pastoral care to feed you to everlasting life; and he will give you
strength and refreshing. Only be not
lean in Christ's pasture, nor faint, as Hagar, near a fountain. Secondly, The godly are as sheep.
1.
Sheep are animalia gregalia,
such kind of creatures as naturally gather themselves
together and unite themselves in a flock. Other creatures we know, especially beasts
of prey, live singly and apart; but sheep are never well out when they come
together and live m a flock. Such are Christians, and such as are partakers of
a heavenly calling. It is unnatural for them to live alone: they feed in
flocks, Heb. z. 25. Man by nature is \~zwon\~
\~politikon\~; be hath a nature that is apt to make him gather into a community
and society. We are social, not only upon interest, as weak without others, but
upon natural inclination. We have a desire to dwell and live together, Eccles. iv. 10. The voice of nature saith,
it is not good to be alone; so it is true of the new nature; there is a spirit
of communion that inclineth them to some other, and
to join with them.
2.
Sheep, they are innocent and harmless creatures. They that belong to Christ are
not bears and tigers and wolves, but sheep, that often
receive harm, but do none. Christ was holy and harmless, Heb. vii. 26, and so
are they.
3.
Sheep are obedient to the shepherd. The meek and obedient followers of Christ
are like sheep in this, who are docile and sequacious: John x. 4, 'He goeth
before them, and they know his voice;' and ver. 16, 'Other sheep must I bring
in also, and they shall hear my voice;' and ver. 27, 'My sheep hear my voice; I
know them, and they follow me.' All Christ's comforts, in all places and all
ages, have the same properties and the same impression.
4.
They are poor dependent creatures. They are ever attendant on the shepherd, or
the shepherd on them.
[1.]
Because of their erring property. They are creatures pliant to stray; but being
strayed, do not easily return. Swine will run about all day and find their way
home at night Domine, errare
per me potui, redire non potuissem, saith
[2.] Because of their weakness. They are weak and shiftless
creatures, unable to make resistance. Other creatures are armed with policy,
skill, or courage to safeguard themselves; but sheep
are able to do little for themselves; they are wholly kept in dependence upon
their shepherd for protection and provision. All their happiness lieth in the good wisdom, care, and power of the shepherd.
Wolves, lions, and leopards need none to watch over them. Briars and thorns
grow alone; but the noble vine is a tender thing, and must be supported,
pruned, and dressed. The higher the being the more necessitous,
and the more kept in dependence. There needs more care to preserve a plant than
a stone; a stone can easily aggregate and gather moss to itself. There needeth more supplies for a beast than a plant, and more
supplies to a man than to a beast [Pg. 44]
Thirdly,
The wicked are as goats. They are as goats both for
their unruliness and uncleanness. Unruliness: they have not the meekness of
sheep, are ready to break through all fence and restraint; so a wicked man is
yokeless. They are also wanton and loathsome; it is a baser sort of animal than
the sheep; therefore chosen to set forth a wicked and ungodly man.
The
second point expressed is this, that though now there
is a confusion of godly and wicked, as of goats and sheep in the same field,
yet then there shall be a perfect separation.
There
will not then be one of one sort in company with the other: Ps. 1. 5, 'He will gather his saints together;' and Ezek. xxxiv.
17, 'I will judge between cattle and cattle, the sheep and the goats;' Ps. i. 5, 'The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.' When the
saints meet in a general assembly, not one bad shall be found among them.
Though now they live together in the same kingdom, in the same village, in the
same visible church, in the same family, yet then a perfect separation.
The
reasons are briefly these two—(1.) The judge's wisdom and
perspicuity; (2.) His justice. They that will
not endure them now shall not then abide with them in the same fellowship.
Use 1. Here is comfort to them that mourn under the degenerate and
corrupted state of Christianity. The good and the bad are mixed together; many
times they live in the same herd and flock. It is a trouble to the godly that
all are not as they are; and we feel the inconveniency, for the carnal seed
will malign the spiritual, Gal. iv. 29. But God will
distinguish between cattle and cattle. Discipline indeed is required in the
church to keep the sound from being infected, and the neglect of it is matter
of grief! But the work is never perfectly done till then; then there is a
perfect separation, and a perpetual separation, never to mix more.
Use 2. This may serve to alarm hypocrites. Many hide the matter
from the world and themselves, but Christ shall perfectly discover them, and
bring them to light, and show themselves to themselves and all
the world. All their shifts will not serve the turn. Here are mixed
together the sheep and the goats, the chaff and the solid grain, tares and
wheat, thorns and roses, vessels of honour and dishonour. Many do halt between God and Baal. A man cannot
say, They are sheep or goats; neither do they
themselves know it. Therefore it calleth upon us to
make our estate more explicit. Yea, many that seemed sheep shall be found
goats. Then it will appear whether they are regenerated to the image of Christ,
or destitute of the spirit of sanctification, yea or no; whether they loved God
above all, or continued serving the flesh, making it their end and scope.
Use 3. Are we sheep or goats? There
is no neutral or middle estate. Is there a sensible distinction between us and
others? Then we shall have the fruit and comfort of it at that day: 1 Peter ii.
25, 'Ye were as sheep going astray; but now are returned to the bishop and
shepherd of your souls.' We all should look back upon our former courses, betaking
ourselves to Jesus Christ, seeking to enjoy his favour
and fellowship, submitting to him as our ruler and guide, resigning up
ourselves to be at his disposal, both for condition of life and choice [Pg. 45]
of way and course. I say, when by his powerful grace we are thus brought back
from our sinful way and course, and made to follow him as our Lord, we are his
flock, and he will mind us. Time was when you did run wild, according to your
former fancies and the bent of your unruly hearts, and were wholly strangers to
God, and could spend days, nights, and weeks, and months, and yet never mind
communion with him; but now the business of your souls is to give up yourselves
to him, or take the way which he hath prescribed to everlasting glory. Resolve
no longer to live to yourselves, but to be under his discipline.
Secondly,
As to place,' He shall set the sheep upon
the right hand, and the goats upon the left.
In
the right hand there is greater strength and ability, and fitness for all kind
of operations; therefore that place is counted more honourable.
So Christ himself is said to 'sit down at the right hand of God the Father;'
that is to say, hath obtained the highest place of dignity and power, above all
angels and men, in bliss, honour, and dominion.
Doct. The godly shall be
placed honourably at the day of
judgment, when the wicked shall have the place of least respect.
A
type and figure of this we have in Moses his division of the tribes. Some were
to stand on
Use. Let us then encourage ourselves when we are counted the scurf and offscouring of all things. We shall not always be in this condition, but Christ will put honour upon us in sight of all the world.