A practical discourse concerning a future judgment by William Sherlock ...

SECT. III. The Day God has appointed, is a General Day of Iudgment.

II. THIS Day God has appointed is a General Day of Judgment, or a Day to Judge the whole World; all Man∣kind shall be summoned before the Tribu∣nal of Christ, and be tried and condemned, or acquitted in the general Assembly of Men and Angels.

What an amazing sight will this be! to see all Mankind start out of their Graves, and appear before their Judge: to have one view of the whole Race of Men, of all successive Generations from Adam to the end of the World. Such an Assembly as never was before, never will be till that day, and never will be after it: Could we look on as unconcerned Spectators at that day, what an Enter∣tainment would here be, only to see all Mankind together; all the Men of Name and Renown, whose Fame is recorded in Story; who have signalliz'd themselves in their several Ages by their Piety and Vertue, and Wisdom and Valour, or it may be by their Vices; but this will be no time to gratifie our Curiosity, when

we all meet to receive our final Doom.

It more concerns us at present to draw another Scene of things, and to imagine how differently Men will appear at the Day of Judgment, from what they do in this World. We shall see all Man∣kind together, rise with their own Bodies, just the same Men that they were, but yet quantum mutatus ab illo, they won't look altogether as they did; there will be some change in their Countenance, which will betray very different Passio••s, and give a very different Air and Aspect to them.

We may easily imagine, that Atheis••s and Infidels, who have disputed very Sub¦tilly and Philosophically against a God and Religion, and broke many a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Jest upon Heaven and Hell, will be not a little amazed, when they shall see all their Philosophy confuted, and their Jests quite spoiled by the appearance of their Judge▪

What surprize and astonishment will then be seen in the looks of secure Sin∣ners, who never thought of Judgment; but reckoned themselves very safe by banishing the thoughts of it? as if God would not Judge them, unless they though•• of being judged.

The brave and the bold Sinners, who mocked at Fear, especially at the Fear of God, as a base and unmanly Passion, will not be able to conceal their Fears then; but even those mighty Hectors, the great Disturbers of Mankind, who carried Fear and Terrour in their Looks, and made the World tremble before them, will then stand trembling before their Judge, and call to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the wrath of the Lamb.

On the other hand, with what triumph will good Men lift up their Heads; the poor, the despised, the persecuted, the re∣proached, the vilified Worshippers of the Crucified Jesus, and the Disciples of the Cross: their Sorrows will then flie away like the Shades of Night, at the approach of the Sun, their Tears will be dried up, and we shall see nothing but secure Joy give Lustre and Brightness to their Looks.

We are extreamly imposed on by the present appearances of Things; Vice looks gay, and bold, and fearless in this World, and Vertue many times as mean and con∣temptible, as Injustice and Oppression can make it; that it would be of great use to us sometimes to remove the Scene from this World to the Day of Judgment;

when all Mankind shall appear together; the greatest Appearance that ever was, and therefore it is much more consider∣able, how we shall appear then, than how we appear in this World.

But the Enquiry here is, why GOD judges all the World at once, and sum∣mons all Mankind together to receive their final Sentence? Now that God will do so, is very plain; why he does it, he has not told us; but whoever wisely con∣siders this matter, will discover great and excellent ends which may be served by such a publick Judgment, and that may satisfie us, that there is great reason why God should do it; and these may be refer∣red to two general Heads: 1. With re∣spect to God himself. 2. With respect to Men, both good and bad Men.

I. With respect to God: And this uni∣versal Judgment greatly tends to advance the Divine Name and Glory:

1. As I hinted to you before, this will justifie the Divine Providence, and display all the various Wisdom, and expound and unriddle all the secret Mysteries of it: when God comes to judge the World, i•• is to justifie himself, as well as to judge Men; for what St. Paul says, is most pro∣perly

applicable to the last Judgment, Let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged, 3 Rom. 4. And St. Iude makes this one great end of the last Judge∣ment, The Lord shall come with ten thou∣sands of his saints, to execute judgment up∣on all, to convince all that are ungodly a∣mong them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, Jude 14, 15. How many such hard Speeches do we daily hear against the Divine Providence; and how hard are good Men, who know but little of the matter, put to it to answer the Cavils and Reproaches of Atheists and Infidels; we can indeed say enough in ge∣neral to vindicate the Divine Wisdom, and Justice, and Goodness; but there are a thousand particular Cases which seem ve∣ry hard, which we can say nothing to, because we know nothing of them.

But when all the World shall be sum∣moned before God's Tribunal, all the Ages and Generations of Men, we shall then have a perfect History of Providence, and that will expound the Reasons of Things, which are now obscure: when we shall

hear how every particular Man, every Age and Generation of Men, every Coun∣try and Nation, have behaved them∣selves, and how God dealt with them; what Talents they were entrusted with, and what Account they give; then all Mouths will be stopped, and the whole World will become guilty before God, 3 Rom. 19. Then we shall see an entire Chain of Providences, and all the various and intricate Turnings of the Divine Wis∣dom in its different Forms and Admini∣strations, but still within the Sphere and Circle of Justice and Goodness. How shall we then admire God, when we shall see all these wonderful and curious Scenes unfolded; when we shall observe the gra∣dual and regular Advances of Goodness in the several Ages of the World, proporti∣oned to the Wants and Capacities of Men, till it came to the full Maturity and Per∣fection of Gospel-Grace: what a delight∣ful Prospect will this be to good Men! how will it enlarge their Knowledge! en∣crease their Wonder! inflame their Devo∣tions! How will it confound bad Men, e∣specially all the prophane Scoffers at God and his Providence; how will this aggra∣vate and encrease their Torments, that they will be forced to admire and justifie God

in their own Damnation, which must turn all their rage and fury upon themselves.

This is reason enough why God should judge the World all together, to justifie himself to all his Creatures, and to make a glorious Discovery of all the Wonders and Mysteries of his Grace and Provi∣dence: good Men see enough at present to admire and praise God; but now as St. Paul tells us, We know in part, and we prophesie in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known, 1 Cor. 13.9, 10, 11, 12. The Divine Wis∣dom will never appear so glorious as at the Day of Judgment, because it will ne∣ver be so perfectly known as then, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe, 2 Thess. 1.10. What good Man would not long to see that blessed Day, which will perfect his Soul with the Knowledge, and Love, and Admiration of God; and give him such clear raised and divine Thoughts

and Passions, as are fit for Heaven and the immediate Presence of God, whither he is a going: what wise Man will not re∣selve to be very good, that at that Day he may see the Glory of God with out Terrour and Astonishment; with all those Raptures and Extasies with which such new and bright Appearances of the Divine Wisdom will fill the Soul.

2. God summons all Mankind toge∣ther to Judgment, that Men and Angels may be Witnesses of his equal and impar∣tial Justice. We are all equally God's Creatures, the Rich and the Poor, the Honourable and the Vile, and the Prince and the Subject are alike to him; and Justice requires, that they should be alike; that the just Judge of the World should respect no Man's Person in Judgment: Now there is no such way to convince all the World, that God is an equal and im∣partial, that is, a very just and righteous Judge, as to judge all the World together; for then they themselves may see whether God be partial or not.

But there is a great deal more I mean by this; for the Providence of God in this World is very liable to the Charge of Partiality; that he has not an equal Regard to all his Creatures; I do not

mean with reference to their Fortune and Station in this World, that some are Rich, others Poor, some Princes and Nobles en∣trusted with great Powers, others Sub∣jects, and exposed to the Wills and Lusts of Princes, for this is more easily account∣ed for, such different Ranks of Men being necessary to good Order and Govern∣ment in the World; but I mean with re∣spect to their Souls, and their eternal State; that God has not taken equal care to Instruct all Mankind in their Duty, to acquaint them with the Danger of Sin, and the Rewards and Punishments of the next Life, and the Certainty of a Future Judgment; and this is too visible to be denied.

God suffered Mankind to fall into Ido∣latry, and when they had corrupted their Natural Notions of Good and Evil, sent no Prophet among them to Instruct them better; and when after some Ages, he called Abraham out of Vr of the Chal∣dees, and having tried his Faith and Obe∣dience, entred into Covenant with him; yet he confined his Covenant to his Po∣sterity, whom he chose for his peculiar People, and took no visible care of the rest of the World; and though this was a great Priviledge of Israel, above the rest

of Mankind; yet the Mosaical Law was but a weak and imperfect Dispensation, but a Childish Pedagogie, and the Iewish Church but in the State of Servants, or of an Heir under Age.

And though God did at last send Christ into the World to make a perfect Reve∣lation of his Will, yet it was towards the end of the World; and what a wonderful difference has this made between those who enjoy the Light of the Gospel, and the rest of Mankind; as if they had not all the same Maker, or were not equally his Creatures: and yet how little a part of the World is there still, which have the Gospel preached to them; and how much less, which have it sincerely preached!

The Justice of God, I confess, cannot be impeached upon this account, for God was not wanting to any of them in what was necessary: he made them reasonable and understanding Creatures, gave them sufficient Natural Evidence of his own Be∣ing and Providence; and the Natural No∣tices of Good and Evil, and the Natural Expectations of Rewards and Punishments, which St. Paul tells us is enough to render hem inexcusable; That the invisible things of God, from the creation of the world, are known by the things that are seen, e∣ven

his eternal power and god-head, so that they are without excuse, 1 Rom. 20. and what is more than this, is pure Grace, which God may give or deny, when and where he pleases: Nor is the Goodness of God, and Care of his Creatures to be blamed upon this score, for in every Age he did what was wise and fit to be done; for the several Ages of the World, re∣quired different Dispensations of Grace, and in the fulness of Time, when the World was prepared for it, he sent his Son. But yet we must confess, that God has done more for Iews than he did for Heathens, and more for Christians than he did for either: which is an Objection that troubles the Minds even of some good Men, who do not thoroughly con∣sider things, and darkens and obscures their Notions of the Divine Goodness.

And when all the World is met toge∣ther to Judgment, it seems at first view to be a very plausible Objection, that God has not dealt equally with them all, especially when their eternal State de∣pended on it; and the want of those Means of Grace, which God afforded o∣thers, though he owed them to neither, made no less a difference between them, then Heaven and Hell.

This indeed is a very great Difficulty, but I doubt not, but the equal Justice of the last Judgment will answer it; for o∣therwise I cannot imagine, that God would summon all the World togther before his Tribunal, if he did not intend to deal e∣qually by all: The last Judgment will not be over-ruled by Power and Sove∣raign Prerogative, for that removes no Objections, but onely silences them; whereas God at the last Day will justifie himself, as well as judge the World; and therefore whatever difference and variety there has been in the external Admini∣stration of his Grace; the final Judgment shall be very equal; and he will appeal to Men and Angels for the Equality, as well as Justice of it.

How God will bring all these Uneven∣nesses of his Grace and Providence to an Equality, is hard for us to say, but yet we know there are some possible ways of doing it: To make great Abatements and Allowances for invincible Ignorance and Mistake, for the Faults and Miscarriages of Education, for the Wickedness and Cor∣ruption of the Age, wherein Men live, and for want of the Means of Grace and Knowledge; and to exact Improvements proportionable to our Receits, and to

those greater Advantages we enjoy, and to encrease and lessen Rewards and Pu∣nishments by these Measures, will bring Men pretty near an equal Level, accord∣ing to our Saviour's Rule, That servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is gi∣ven, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more, 12 Luke 47, 48. So much are those Nominal Christians mistaken, who are so far from thinking, that God expects more from them, then from ignorant Heathens that they hope to escape with those Vices, for which they themselves think fit that Heathens should be damned: No, Beloved, God will judge all the World together; and that is a De∣monstration to me, that he will be very equal in his Justice; and then he must de∣mand more from Christians, than from Hea∣thens, because we have received more.

3. A General Judgment is most for the Glory of God in punishing bad Men, and rewarding the good: When a whole World of Sinners stand trembling before God's

Tribunal, and receive their final Doom and Sentence from his Mouth, this is a more visible Triumph of his Justice, then had they all silently dropt into Hell, as they went out of this World, and we had heared no more of them to Eternity. The Wisdom of all Governments has taught them the Necessity of publick Ex∣ecutions; and when God would make himself known in the World, he executes some publick and visible Judgments, which may command our Notice and Obser∣vance: Thus he did, when he spared Pharaoh from the destruction of those numerous Plagues he sent on AEgypt, and reserved him for a more glorious Execution, when he overthrew him, and all his Host in the Red Sea: Thus he did, when he sent Fire from Heaven to de∣stroy Sodom and Gomorrah; and in nu∣merous other instances: These terrible Executions indeed are intended by God as publick Warnings to the World, to teach Men to fear God, and reverence his Power and Justice, and prevent their own Ruin by a timely Repentance; now this end they cannot serve in the other World; when the Devil and his Angels, and all bad Men are involved in the same Ruin, and there are no Sinners left to take

warning, and to learn Righteousness by it: but Saints and Angels are Spectators and Witnesses of the Vengeance, and a∣dore and praise the righteous Judge of the World; and Devils and all wicked Men see and feel it too, and tremble and flie before him, are forced to confess his Power and Glory, though with anguish and despair. This is a glorious and vi∣sible Triumph over all his Enemies, and all the Powers of Darkness.

And how glorious is God in his Saints, when he publickly rewards their Faith and Patience, their Obedience and Suffer∣ings for his Name sake; when in the sight of all the World he cloths them with pure Light, and receives them into his E∣ternal Kingdom; the Glory of God is the publick Manifestation of his Justice and Goodness and Power; now there cannot be a more unquestionable Demonstration of the inflexible Justice of God, then the final Destruction of the Devil and his An∣gels, and all wicked Men; there cannot be a more glorious Manifestation of the Goodness of God, then in the final Re∣wards of Piety and Vertue; and nothing can be more publick and visible, than that which is done before all the World. And this makes it reasonable for God to

summon all the World before his Tribu∣nal, to make himself visibly glorious to all his Creatures.

God has been greatly dishonoured in the World; some have denied his Being and Providence, others have set up Rival and Opposite Gods, and given his Wor∣ship to Devils, to dead Men, to Wood and Stone, nay, to the vilest and most con∣temptible Creatures; others have framed very unworthy Notions of God, and cloth∣ed him with their own Weaknesses and Passions, made him either a Tyrant and a Devil, or such a tame, easie, fond Being, as Men may make bold with without danger; others prophane his Name, cor∣rupt his Worship, or neglect and despise it; some think themselves too big to serve God, others too little to be observed by him; some ridicule his Laws, others take no notice of them; and there are very few who are sincere Worshippers of him, and acknowledge and submit to his Au∣thority and Power; and when God has been so much dishonoured in the World, I think it is very fit, that when he judges the World, he should vindicate his own Glory, make it publick and visible, and force all his Creatures to own and con∣fess it; and the most effectual way to do

this, is by summoning all Mankind before him, and judging them according to their Works. Thus we see what reason there is, with respect to God, why he should not judge Men singly, and send them pri∣vately and silently to Heaven or Hell, but appoint a general Day of Judgment.

II. There is great reason for this too, with respect to Men, both to good and to bad Men; for this is part of the Re∣ward of Vertue, and of the Punishment of Vice.

Many good Men have been used with the utmost Contempt and Scorn; if they cannot comply with their Company, and do as their Neighbours do; if they boggle at popular and fashionable Vices; they are gazed on as so many Comets and Prodi∣gies, and would be contented to be gazed on, were they as far out of the reach of danger too, as those Meteors are; some call them Fools, others Knaves and Hy∣pocrites, and treat them accordingly: and is it not fit that God should vindicate these Men, who have suffered Infamy and Reproach for his sake; that he should publickly own them, applaud and reward their Vertue: And what a glorious Vin∣dication is this, if we can but have pati∣ence

to expect it: what a little contem∣ptible Scene is this World, nay, this little Corner of the World where we live; for whether we be praised or reproached, it is likely we are never heard of out of the Parish and Neighbourhood, or City, o•• Kingdom, where we live; and can't we be contented to let a whole Parish, or Ci∣ty, or Kingdom despise us, to be publick∣ly owned by God in the General Assemb∣ly of Men and Angels.

Good Men do a great many good acti∣ons privately, which few or none are con∣scious to, but God and themselves, and therefore they lose the Praise which is due to such secret Vertues in this World; but our Saviour has promised, that such Men shall have praise of God, that if we Pray, and Fast, and give Alms in secret, Our F••∣ther which seeth in secret shall reward 〈◊〉〈◊〉 openly, 6 Matth. And this is a great en∣couragement to the practice of the mo•••• secret Vertues, that we shall be openly to∣warded for them.

Good Men are many times great Suf∣ferers in this World, are not only re∣proached, but persecuted, lose their E∣states, their Liberties, their Lives, fo•• Christ's sake; and though God has strict∣ly forbid them to avenge themselves, yet

he will execute Vengeance on their Ene∣mies, and do it publickly, and make them the Spectators and Witnesses of it.

On the other hand, Wickedness is ma∣ny times very glorious and triumphant in this World, is so far from suffering Shame, which is the just Reward of it, that it is applauded and courted; and the greatest Prodigies of Wickedness are a∣dored for their prosperous Villanies; but yet Shame is the just Reward of Sin, and it must have it at one time or other, and nothing can more effectually cast Shame and Contempt upon Sinners, then a Ge∣neral Judgment, when they shall be pub∣lickly arraigned and condemned in the great Assembly of Men and Angels: This will confound the most glorious Sinner, who never blushed before; for though while bad Men are supported with Pow∣er, or are the most numerous Party, and can out Vote and out Laugh the rest of the World, they can secure themselves a∣gainst the sence of Shame; yet when they appear before such a Judge, and have their Villanies exposed to all the World; when they are stript of their Riches, and Honours, and Power, and see all their Ad∣mirers and Companions past Laughing and Flattery, and themselves despised and

scorned by God and his holy Saints and Angels, and condemned to everlasting Miseries, it will then be impossible for them any longer to glory in their Shame; Confusion will then cover their Faces▪ and it would be thought very mercif••l to be damned privately without seeing their Judge, and being exposed to publick Scorn and Censure.

Thus there are a great many wicked things done privately, and concealed from the Eyes of Men, and many times gilde•• over with a form and counterfeit appear∣ance of Religion; and such secret Villai•• not only escape publick Shame, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thought very extraordinary Men, and great Saints: now it is very fitting, that such Men also should have their Masqu•• and Disguise taken off, and be exposed to the View of the World just as they are; and this God will do in that Day, whe•• he will judge the Secrets of Mens Hearts▪ and bring to light the hidden Works o•• Darkness: And then what will it ava•••• them to pass for Saints in this World when at the Day of Judgment, they shal•• be known, and be doubly scorned, bot•• for their Wickedness, and for their Hy∣pocrisie.

What a severe Aggravation will it be of the Condemnation of the Wicked, to see good Men, whom they despised and per∣secuted, whose Lives they thought Folly and Madness, now owned and rewarded by God; as our Saviour speaks, To see them come from the East and from the West, from the North and from the South, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Ia∣cob, in the kingdom of God, and themselves s••ut out. This will be a confounding Sight at that Day, and as little as such Men now value Heaven, to see the bright and dazling Crowns of those blessed Saints, will pierce their Souls, and wound them to Eternity.

This justifies the Wisdom of God in ap∣pointing a general Day of Judgment to reward good Men, and to condemn the wicked: but there is one good natured Objection against this, which respects good Men; for there are few good Men, but may have some very wicked Relati∣ons, who yet are very dear to them; and how can they bear to be Witnesses of their final Condemnation; to hear that Sentence pronounced on them, Go ye cur∣sed into everlasting fire; prepared for the Devil and his angels. We tremble at the thoughts of it now; and one would think

it should over-cast the Glory of that Day to such blessed Saints, to see such a ter∣rible Execution upon those who were so dear to them: but this is such a Mistake as the Sadduces Objection against the Resurrection, concerning the woman who had had seven husbands, whose wife she should be of the seven at the resurrection, for they all had her: but our Saviour told them, at the resurrection they neither mar∣ry,* 1.1 nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven: Thus it is here; those natural Affections and Passi∣ons which are of so great use in this World, and make us so nearly concern∣ed for Children, and other Relations, are not the Measures of our Kindness, and Friendship, and Concernment in the o∣ther World; they are necessary here ma∣ny times to supply the place of Reason and Vertue, and to prompt us to do those good Offices by the impatience and un∣easiness of a Passion, which the generali∣ty of Mankind would not do from wiser Principles: but the end of these Passions is served in this World, and there is no occasion for them in the next; and there∣fore we shall feel no uneasiness or disturb∣ance from them: good Men will have no Friends, no Relations in the other World,

but those who are truly good, who are Members of the same Mystical Body of Christ, the Children of God, and Heirs of the same Happiness and Glory.

To conclude, I shall only observe this farther, How vain it is for bad Men to hope to defend themselves from Shame and Punishment, by their Numbers; they may, I confess, do it in this World, when they have to deal with Men, tho' when God comes to judge them even in this World, the most powerful Combinations of Sinners are but like Chaff before the Wind: But if ever Numbers would do, it would be at the Day of Judgment, when the Devil and his Angels, and all bad Men shall be summoned together; and if they cannot then defend themselves when their whole Force is united, but stand as Cri∣minals before their Judge, and receive their Sentence from him; it becomes us to fear and tremble before that powerful Judge, who has all Nature at his com∣mand, and all Devils and wicked Men in Chains, and with the Word of his Mouth can condemn them to Eternal Torments.

Notes

• * 1.1

  22 Matth. 30.