Part 47

As to what respects the fallen angels, they are to be brought as criminals before Christ’s tribunal, in order to his passing a righteous sentence upon them. Whether the charge of their apostacy from God, shall be again renewed, and hereby sin traced to the very first spring and fountain of it, we know not: but all the guilt that they have contracted since they were, by a former sentence, cast out of heaven, shall be laid to their charge: all that they have done against the interest of God in the world, begun in the seduction of our first parents, and continued ever since, with all those methods of revenge and subtilty whereby they have opposed the kingdom of Christ in the world, and endeavoured to ruin his people, will be alleged against them, as well as the bold attempt they made on him in his own Person, whilst he was in a state of humiliation. Thus the fallen angels, though represented as cast down to hell, are yet said to _be delivered into chains of darkness, and reserved unto judgment_, 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude, ver. 6. This they are, at present, apprehensive of, and are accordingly said _to tremble_, Jam. ii. 19. at the fore-thoughts of it: it may also be inferred from what they said to our Saviour, _Art thou come to torment us before the time_, Matt. viii. 29. and, as the result hereof, it is said, that _the devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone_, Rev. xx. 10. _i. e._ adjudged to endure a greater degree of torment in proportion to the increase of his guilt.

But that which is more particularly insisted on in scripture, in which we are immediately concerned, is what relates to men, as those who are to be judged by Christ. This is set forth in universal terms; the apostle says, _We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad_, 2 Cor. v. 10. men of all ranks and conditions, _small and great_, Rev. xx. 12. _quick and dead_, 2 Tim. iv. 1. _i. e._ those who died before, or shall be found alive at his coming, _the righteous and the wicked_, Eccl. iii. 17. and among these, not only them that have lived under the gospel-dispensation; but others, who have had no other light but that of nature; _As many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law_, Rom. ii. 12. We have no account, indeed, in scripture, of their being adjudged to eternal life, for their doing, by nature, some things that are contained in the law; to suppose this, is to be wise above what is written; and, indeed, it seems contradictory to those scriptures which assert the necessity of faith in Christ to salvation; but these are generally described as suffering punishment proportioned to their works. Thus we read of the _men of Nineveh_, Matt. xii. 41. _the queen of the South_, ver. 42. _the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon_, chap. xi. 22. and those of Sodom and Gomorrah, ver. 24. as _appearing in judgment_, and exposed to a less degree of punishment than those that sinned against greater light; but there is not the least intimation given of their being discharged from condemnation. Our Saviour, indeed, speaks of the ‘servant which knew his master’s will, and prepared not himself to do according to it, who should be beaten with many stripes,’ _i. e._ exposed to a greater condemnation; nevertheless, he, at the same time, intimates that _the servant who did not know_, _i. e._ who sinned under greater disadvantages for want of gospel-revelation, even he _should be beaten with few stripes_; or adjudged to suffer a less degree of punishment.

The Pelagians, indeed, have endeavoured not only to exempt the Heathen from the consequences of this judgment; but some have insinuated as though they were not concerned in it at all: thus one[187] supposes, that the persons who are represented as appearing at Christ’s tribunal, Matt. xxv. and sentenced, by him, according to their works, are only those who made a profession of the Christian religion. And the principal argument that he brings to support this opinion is, because they, on whom a sentence of condemnation is passed, are accused of not ministering to Christ’s members, which is interpreted as not giving him meat, when he was hungry, or drink when he was thirsty, _&c._ which charge could not have been brought against those that never heard of Christ; or if it had, they might have excused themselves by alleging that it was impossible for them to shew this respect to him whom they never knew. But to this it may be replied, that though our Saviour’s design here, is to aggravate the condemnation of those who sinned under the gospel, and to charge some with crimes of the highest nature; yet there is nothing mentioned, exclusive of others, so as to give occasion to suppose that the judgment of the great day will respect only those who have set under the sound of the gospel. Therefore we have ground to conclude, that as the resurrection of the dead will be universal; so all that have lived, or shall live, from the beginning to the end of time, shall be the subjects of the judicial proceedings in that solemn and awful day; which leads us to consider,

IV. The manner in which Christ shall proceed in judging the world. It is evident, that the design of this glorious transaction is to determine the final state of all men, which will be done in a public and visible manner, that it may appear that the Judge of all does right: this differs very much from that particular judgment that is passed on every one at death; in which, though their state be unalterably determined, yet it is not done in an open and visible manner; but with a design that the cause should be tried again in that day which is appointed for it. The account we have in scripture, of the manner in which this shall be done, bears some resemblance to the proceedings in human courts of judicature; accordingly the day is set in which causes are to be tried; the Judge appears with the ensigns of his authority; and being seated on the tribunal, the persons to be tried appear before him; the cause is heard; and since all are to be judged according to law, the law is supposed to be known, or the particular statute, which is the rule of judgment, must be produced; and whatever charge is to be brought against any one, it is drawn up in the form of an indictment, and supported by sufficient evidence, and the persons hereupon acquitted or condemned. In allusion hereunto we read of Christ’s appearing in a visible manner, seated on a throne of judgment; or, as it is expressed, of _the Son of man_, as _appearing with all the holy angels with him_; and his _sitting upon the throne of his glory, and all nations being gathered before him_, Matt. xxv. 31, 32. _the judgment seat, and the books opened_, Dan. vii. 26. Rev. xx. 12.

The righteous, who are a part of those that shall stand before Christ’s tribunal, shall be separated from the wicked; the former placed at his right hand, the latter at his left. With respect to the wicked, an indictment shall be brought in, in which they shall be charged with the violation of the holy law of God, with all the aggravating circumstances thereof, the subject-matter of which is contained in the books that are said to be opened. And this charge shall be supported by evidence; in which case men shall be witnesses against one another, so far as they have been apprised of each other’s behaviour, or immediately concerned therein: and it is not improbable, that since the holy angels are conversant in this lower world, as they are sometimes represented as being present in worshipping assemblies, 1 Cor. xi. 10. and observing the actions of men, 1 Tim. v. 21. that they shall appear as evidences against the wicked. And it may be farther observed, that the Judge himself will be a witness against the criminals, which is not usual in human courts of judicature; though it does not savour of the least injustice: thus it is said, ‘I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts,’ Mal. iii. 5. The divine Omniscience will put the charge out of all manner of doubt; from whence there can be no appeal; since it is impossible for God, either to be deceived himself, or to deceive others.

But besides this, there shall also be the testimony of conscience, whereby persons shall stand self-convicted; their ‘own hearts shall condemn them,’ as well as ‘God, who is greater than their hearts,’ 1 John iii. 20. Thus it is said, that ‘the consciences of men bear witness, and their thoughts, in the mean while, accuse or else excuse one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ;’ and accordingly ‘every mouth shall be stopped, and all the world’ of the ungodly ‘become guilty,’ Rom. ii. 15, 16. or appear, by their own confession, to be so, _before God_, chap. iii. 19. And in order hereunto, there shall be a particular dispensation of providence, whereby those sins which have been long since forgotten, shall be brought to remembrance: this seems intimated in our Saviour’s words in the parable; ‘Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things,’ _&c._ Luke xvi. 25. and also in God’s _setting the iniquities_ of sinners _in order before their eyes_, Psal. l. 21. and this will have a greater tendency to support the charge, than ten thousand witnesses.

As to the things that shall be brought into judgment, or be charged, and proved upon them; these are mentioned in a very particular manner, as it is said, ‘God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil,’ Eccl. xii. 14. And elsewhere, he is represented as ‘executing judgment upon all, and convincing all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him,’ Jude, ver. 15. And our Saviour particularly intimates, Matt. xxv. 42, 43. that their behaviour, under the means of grace, shall be enquired into, and what they have done against him, and his interest in the world, alleged against them.

But now we are speaking concerning those matters which shall be produced in judgment against the wicked, it may be enquired; whether the smallest sins committed by them, shall be brought into judgment against them? This seems to be intimated by our Saviour, when he says, that ‘every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment,’ chap. xii. 36. on which some take occasion to complain of the severity of the divine dispensations, as though it was intended hereby, that persons shall be condemned to suffer eternal punishments for a vain thought: but to this it may be replied, that no one will bring this as an objection against the methods of the divine proceedings in the great day, who duly considers the infinite evil of sin; or, that the least sin deserves a sentence of banishment from God, as it is an affront to his sovereignty, and opposite to his holiness. However let it be considered that no person in the world shall have reason to complain that he is separated from God, or rendered eternally miserable, only for a vain thought, or a sin of infirmity, as though he had been guilty of nothing else: therefore, when our Saviour says, that ‘every idle word shall come into judgment,’ the meaning is, that this shall tend to fill up the measure of their iniquity; so that the punishments which they shall be exposed to, shall be for this, in conjunction with all other sins. Every sin brings guilt with it; and all sins taken together, smaller, as well as greater, enhance the guilt: therefore, our Saviour’s meaning is this, that every sin exposes men to a degree of condemnation, in proportion to the aggravation thereof; though they which are of a more heinous nature, bring with them a greater degree of condemnation. Thus concerning the charge brought against the wicked.

The next thing to be considered is, the trial of the righteous, who are said to stand before Christ’s judgment-seat. Here it may be observed, that no indictment shall be brought against them, at least, with the judge’s approbation; for they have been before this acquitted and discharged, when brought into a justified state; and therefore, as the consequence hereof, _none_, as the apostle says, _shall lay any thing to their charge_, since _it is God that justifieth_, Rom. viii. 33. If any thing be alleged against them by the enemies of God, who loaded them with reproach, and laid many things to their charge in this world, of which some have been just, and others unjust and malicious: I say, if these things should be suffered to be alleged against them, the great and merciful Judge will appear as an advocate for, and vindicate them from those charges which are ungrounded; and will farther allege, as a foundation of their discharge from the guilt of all others, that he has made a full atonement for them; upon which account, when they are sought for, they shall not be found in judgment, or charged upon them to their shame, confusion, or condemnation; but they shall be pronounced righteous, as interested in Christ’s righteousness; and this shall be evinced by his producing those graces which are inseparably connected with, though not the foundation of their justification, that so the method of the divine proceedings, in this respect, may be vindicated, and it may appear, that as it is said, without holiness no one shall see the Lord; so these are holy, and therefore they have this internal quality, which denotes them such whom God designed to save: this I take to be the meaning of that expression of our Saviour to the righteous, when he pronounces them blessed, and invites them to _come and inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink_, &c. Matt. xxv. 34, 35. where the word _for_ is taken demonstratively, and, not casually; and denotes that they were such who might expect to be admitted to this honour and blessedness, as having those marks and characters of his children upon them, to which the promise of salvation was annexed; not as though any thing done by them was the cause of it. From hence it appears, that the graces of God’s people shall be published before angels and men, to the praise of the glory of him who was the author of them.

But there is a difficult question which is proposed by some, namely, whether the sins of God’s people shall be published in the great day; though it is certain they shall not be alleged against them to their condemnation? This is one of the secret things which belong to God, which he has not so fully or clearly revealed to us in his word; and therefore we can say little more than what is matter of conjecture about it. Some have thought that the sins of the godly, though forgiven, shall be made manifest, that so the glory of that grace which has pardoned them, may appear more illustrious, and their obligation to God for this, farther enhanced. They also think that the justice of the proceedings of that day, requires it; since it is presumed and known by the whole world, that they were prone to sin, as well as others; and, before conversion, as great sinners as any; and after it their sins had a peculiar aggravation: therefore, why should not they be made public, as a glory due to the justice and holiness of God, and being infinitely opposite to all sin? And this they farther suppose to be necessary, that so the impartiality of divine justice may appear. Moreover, since God by recording the sins of his saints in scripture, has perpetuated the knowledge thereof; and if it is to their honour that the sins there mentioned were repented of, as well as forgiven, why may it not be supposed that the sins of believers shall be made known in the great day? And besides, this seems agreeable to those expressions of every word, and every action, as being to be brought into judgment; whether it be good, or whether it be bad, as in the scripture before-mentioned.

But it is supposed by others, that though the making known of sin that is subdued and forgiven, tends to the advancement of divine grace; yet it is sufficient to answer this end, as far as God designs it shall be answered, that the sins which have been subdued and forgiven, should be known to themselves, and this forgiveness afford matter of praise to God. Again, the expressions of scripture, whereby forgiveness of sin is set forth, are such as seem to argue, that those sins which were forgiven, shall not be made manifest; thus they are said to be _blotted out_, Isa. xliii. 25. _covered_, Psal. xxxii. 1. _subdued_, and _cast into the depths of the sea_, Micah vii. 19. and _remembered no more_, &c. Jer. xxxi. 34. Besides, Christ’s being a Judge, doth not divest him of the character of an advocate, whose part is rather to conceal the crimes of those whose cause he pleads, than to divulge them. And to this we may add, that the law which requires duty, and forbids the contrary sins, is not the rule by which they who are in Christ, are to be proceeded against; for then they could not stand in judgment; but they are dealt with according to the tenor of the gospel, which forgives and covers all sin. And furthermore it is argued, that the public declaring of all their sins before the whole world, notwithstanding their interest in forgiving grace, would fill them with such shame, as is hardly consistent with a state of perfect blessedness. And lastly, the principal argument insisted on, is, that our Saviour in Matt. xxv. in which he gives a particular account of the proceedings of that day, makes no mention of the sins, but only commends the graces of his saints. Such-like arguments as these are alleged to prove that it is probable the sins of the saints shall not be exposed to public view, in the great day. But after all that has been said, it is safest for us not to be too peremptory in determining this matter, lest, by pretending to be wise beyond what is clearly revealed in scripture, we betray our own folly, and too bold presumption, or assert that which is not right of this glorious Judge. Thus concerning the method in which Christ shall proceed in judging the world. We are now led to consider,

V. Some circumstances relating to the place where, and the time when, this great and awful work shall be performed, at least, so far as it is convenient for us to enquire into this matter, without giving too much scope to a vain curiosity, or desire to be wise above what is written. And,

1. As to the place; it does not seem probable that it shall be upon the surface of the earth; because we read, that _they which are_ found _alive_ at Christ’s coming, _shall be caught up together with them_, that is, the others who are raised from the dead, _in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air_; which immediately follows after the account which the apostle gives of the Lord’s _descending from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God_, 1 Thes. iv. 16, 17. which is the signal to be given of the immediate appearance of the Judge: therefore, their being _caught up in the clouds_, denotes that Christ shall judge the world, in some place above this earth; otherwise they must be supposed to be caught up thither, and afterwards obliged to descend from thence, to the place from whence they were taken, to be judged; which does not seem probable. This is all that we dare assert, concerning the place where this great and solemn transaction shall be performed.

And I the rather observe this, because some are of opinion, that the valley of Jehoshaphat is designed to be the place, from the application of that prediction mentioned in the prophet Joel, in chap. iii. 2. _I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people_:[188] but that seems to be a prophesy of some signal victory which the church should gain over its enemies; which shall have its accomplishment before Christ come to judgment, and be no less remarkable than that which God gave Jehoshaphat over the Moabites, Ammonites, and the inhabitants of mount Seir, mentioned in 2 Chron. xx. upon which occasion the place where it was obtained, was called _the valley of Berachah_, which signifies blessing: and the prophet does not seem by _the valley of Jehoshaphat_, to point out any particular place known by that name; but rather to allude to the signification of the word, as importing the judgment of the Lord: so that nothing else is intended by it but that God shall, in the latter day, probably when those scriptures shall have had their accomplishment, which relate to the conversion of the Jews, execute some remarkable judgment against the heathen, amongst whom they were scattered. Therefore it cannot, with the least shadow of justice, be argued from hence, that this is the place where all nations of the earth shall be gathered to judgment. Besides, some have observed, that how great soever this valley may be, it is not large enough to hold the vast multitudes that shall be convened on this occasion.

As to what concerns the time when Christ shall judge the world; this is called, in scripture, _a day_, Acts xvii. 31. not to signify that the whole work shall be performed in that space of time, which we generally call _a day_; for that can hardly be sufficient for the performing the many things that are to be done in it. Some have thought that the whole process shall take up no less than a thousand years; and suppose, that the apostle Peter intimates as much, when speaking concerning the day of judgment, he says, _One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day_, 2 Pet. iii. 8. Thus the excellent Mr. Mede understands that scripture:[189] but since this is not more clearly explained by other scriptures, speaking to the same purpose, I dare not be too peremptory in giving into this opinion; but would rather conclude, that the time of the continuance thereof, is called _a day_, as denoting a season appointed for the dispatch of a work, whether it be longer or shorter. Thus Christ calls that season, in which the gospel was preached to the Jews, _their day_, Luke xix. 42. And therefore it is the safest way for us to acknowledge this to be a secret which belongs not to us to enquire into.