BOOK 10. THE JUDGEMENT.
CHAPTER 1.
10.1.3. Of Christ's summoning of the Elect to come under Judgment.
Of Christ's summoning of the Elect to come under Judgment.
For Christ's summons of the elect to come under judgment: no sooner is he in the clouds, his throne of judicature, but there he stands, and thence "he sends his holy angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another," Matth. xxiv. 31. Christ's summons are effectual, if he will have the elect to meet him, they must come; to this purpose, he sends his angels, and they return with his saints back again to the judgment-seat. In the carrying on of this affair, we shall discuss these particulars. 1. His mission of the angels. 2. The manner of the mission. 3. The resurrection of the world. 4. The collection of the saints; wherein. (a). Whence, and, (b). Whither they are gathered.
1. For Christ's mission of his angels, "He shall send his angels." This was their office from their first creation, they were still sent of God this way and that way; and, indeed herein is one difference betwixt Christ and the angels, he was to sit on God's right hand, but they were sent abroad to minister to the saints and people of God, "to which of the angels, said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation," Heb. i. 13, 14. Now, according to their office, Christ puts them upon employment at this day, q.d. "O my angels! You that wait upon me, that excel in strength, that do my commandments, and hearken unto the voice of my word," Psal. ciii. 20. "Go your ways now into all the four winds of the world, gather all my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice," Psal, 1. 5. Search unto all the dusts of the earth, and leave not behind one dust that belongs unto any saint; search into the bottom of the sea, see what becomes of those drowned bodies of my dear ones; if either worms have eaten those in graves, or fishes have devoured them in the deep; why now restore them; am not I as able to recover them, as I was to create them? Is it not as easy for me to raise the dead, as to make heaven and earth, and all of nothing? Go then, and gather together all those dusts, and let every dust be brought home to its own proper body, and compact those dusts, as soft as they are, into solid bones; and prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, "O ye dry bones? hear the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord, behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live; and I will lay sinews upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord," Ezek. xxxvii. 4, 5, 6. Why, this is my will, and pleasure, and therefore be gone, O my angels, do your office, what, have not I commanded you.
2. The mission, or commission, or dismission given, the angels, swift messengers of his will, fall on the execution; and to that purpose immediately they sound the trumpet: so it follows, "and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet." Here is the manner of their mission; they go, and as they go, they give a shout; what this shout is, or how it is made, is a curious question, and sets many wits on work; in this scripture it is set out by the sound of a trumpet; (Anselmus, in eleucidario, Suarez, tuba ex aere. Doctor Slater, who saith I see not but we may take it properly, etc. Cornelius a lapide.) now, some would have it to be a material trumpet, because the scriptures frequently call it a trumpet, "he shall send his angels with the sound of a trumpet," (saith Christ) Matth. xxiv. 31. "And in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump we shall be changed (saith Paul) for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised," 1 Cor. xv. 52. "And the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God," 1 Thess. iv. 16. But whether this trumpet shall be of silver, or of brass, or of the air, or of the cloud, and meteors whereon Christ rides, they cannot agree. Others more probably look upon this trumpet as nothing else but a metaphor, or a sound formed in the air, like the sound of a trumpet. (Piscator, Estius, Aretius and alii fere omnes.) A voice it is without all controversy; and metaphorically it may be called a trumpet, both from the clearness and greatness of the sound; so loud shall it be, that it will pierce into the ears of the dead in their graves; "It will shake the world, rend the rocks, break the mountains, dissolve the bonds of death, burst down the gates of hell, and unite all spirits to their own bodies." (Cui omnia obediunt elementa, petras scindit, inferos aperit, etc. Chrysost. in 1 Cor. 15.) An horrible terrible voice shall it be. But how should angels, who are spirits, make a voice? By a collision of the air, which the angels can move at their pleasure; and who can tell, say some, but there may be some new-created instrument, trumpet-like, adapted for the angels, at the sides of which, by a force and collision of the air, this great shout may be, to convene all the world? Or, who knows, (say others) but that the Lord Jesus may fill the angels, even as trumpets are filled with a loud blast, and that through them this loud blast shall come rushing like a mighty wind upon the dead saints, and so waken their bodies out of the dust? We all know this was usual in all the Jews' solemnities, to convene the people by the sound of a trumpet. "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, make thee two trumpets of silver, that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly; -- and when thou shalt blow them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves. And if ye go to war, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets," Numb. x. 1, 2, 3, 9. And, in the same way, (say they) Christ now will convene all the world with the sound of a trumpet or, with the sound of some such instrument of divine power and virtue, whereby the dead shall be raised, and their bodies and souls reunited. Amidst all those authors, if I may deliver my opinion; I suppose the text that will clear all to us above all that is written, is that of 1 Thess. iv. 16. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God." Give me leave to insist on it, that we may come up yet to a more full and perfect knowledge of this passage. In these words is showed, or held forth the coming of Christ in three particulars, "with a shout, with a voice, and with a trumpet." Some think this to be one and the same set out in a variety of expressions; but I am of another mind. It is agreed by most, that the transactions at the giving of the law on mount Sinai, were a representation of the proceedings which shall be at the great day of judgment; now, in that transaction, we read of a threefold voice, "The voice of God, the voice of thunder, and the voice of a trumpet," (Exod. xix. 13. compared with Exod. xx. 1.) And accordingly we find the apostle speaking of a threefold voice, "Of the voice of Christ, of the voice of thunder, and of the voice of a trumpet."
(a). The Lord himself shall descend with a shout. Arius Montanus, and the vulgar translate it, with a command. Lyra, and others, think this to be the voice of Christ himself, saying, with a loud voice, "Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment." Thus Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth," John xi. 43. And with such a voice, will he call on the dead at the last day. So much Christ himself hath taught us, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live," John v. 25. The hour is, because by his voice he raised some at his first coming; and the hour is coming, because in the like manner he will raise up all men at the last day, "Marvel not at this, (saith Christ) for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth," John v. 28. As at the creation of the world, he said, "Let there be light, and there was light: so at the dissolution of the world, he will say, "Let the dead arise, let the sea give up the dead, that are in it, and death and hell deliver up the dead which are in them;" and it will be so.
(b). The Lord shall descend "with the voice of the archangel." Two questions here, First, Who is this archangel? Second, What is this voice?
(i). For the first, some argue this archangel to be Gabriel, others Raphael, others Michael. The Jews have an ancient tradition, that there are seven principal angels that minister before the throne of God, and therefore called archangels. The scriptures seem to speak much that way, calling than, "Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne" Rev. iv. 5. And "seven horns, and seven eyes of the Lamb: and the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth," Rev. v. 6. And "seven eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth," Zech. iv. 10. And yet more plainly, "Seven angels that stand before God," Rev. viii. 2. Now which of these seven is the archangel here spoken of, is hard to determine; only probable it is, that all the archangels, and all the angels are hereby understood, as comprehended under that one; to which agrees, Matt, xxiv. 31. Mr Ainsworth observes, That when things are done by a multitude, where one is chief, that the action is frequently ascribed either to the multitude, or to him that is chief, indifferently; as "Jehoida brought forth the king's son, and he put the crown upon him," 2 Kings xi. 12. or, "They brought forth the king's son, and they put upon him the crown," 2 Chron; xxiii. 11. So David "offered burnt-offerings," 2 Sam. vi. 17. or, "they offered burnt-offerings," 1 Chron. xvi. 1. And so, "he shall descend with the voice of the archangel;" or, "he shall send his angels with a great sound," Matth. xxiv. 3.
That there are seven principal angels, Mr Mede affirms, and that there is one which yet eminently is called the archangel. Some others affirm, as among devils, there is one chief devil, called, "The prince of devils;" and therefore the fire is said to be "prepared for the devil and his angels," Matth. xxv. 41. So from this text of 1 Thess. iv. 16, and of Dan. x. 13. and of Jude, ver. 9. Some probably conclude that the good angels have a prince, even Michael, whom Jude calls the archangel. But of this no more, the Lord keep me from "intruding into those things which I have not seen," Col. ii. 18. The day itself will discover it, and so I leave it, as having said enough to satisfy the sober minded.
(ii). For the second, what is this voice of the archangel? I conceive that thereby we are to understand thunder: Here is, (as we have said) a manifest allusion to the proceedings at the giving of the law; now, the voices there mentioned, besides the voice of God, and the voice of a trumpet, is the voice of thunder, "And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, there were thunders," Exod. xix. 16; -- xx. 18. In this sense some expound these words of the apostle, where the law is said to be spoken by angels, Heb. ii. 2. because the angels did raise up those extraordinary thunders, which happily were the matter of the articulate voice, in which the Lord spake to Israel: Or if the law was spoken by Christ (as I have delivered my opinion elsewhere: Book 3, Chapter 1, Section 4.) he being "the angel of the covenant," Mal. iii. 1. "And the angel of his presence," Isa. lxiii. 9. Yet this hinders not, but that created angels might speak the law too, if not in respect of the articulate voice, yet in respect of the voice of thunders which attended on it. Thus, thunder is often called, "the voice of God, and the voice of his excellency." Job xxxvii. 4, 5. Psal. xxix. 3-9.
(iii). The Lord shall descend "with the trump of God." Such a voice was used also at the giving of the law, Exod. xix. 16. and Exod. xx. 18. and so it will be now, when men are called to account for the keeping or breaking of it. For the understanding of this, our last translation tells us, that "Christ shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet," Matth. xxiv. 31. but in four Greek copies, as Beza confesseth, as also in the Hebrew gospel of Matthew, and in the vulgate, and in the margin of our last translation, it is read, that "Christ shall send his angels with a trumpet, and a great voice." And so the latter words are exegetical, q.d. with a trumpet, that is, "with a great voice, like the voice of a trumpet." So that this reading very probably proves, that the last trumpet is to be taken metaphorically. For the more full confirmation whereof, I argue thus, when anything is ascribed to the angels which is not suitable, to their spiritual nature, and which they have no need of for the work they are about, it is to be taken metaphorically, unless the context, or some other scripture force us to a proper acceptation: but a material trumpet of silver, brass, or the like metal, is not suitable to the spiritual nature of the angels; neither have they need of such a trumpet of producing a great sound in the air. It is evident, that without a trumpet they can make a great sound like the noise of a trumpet; and there is nothing at all in the scriptures that will force us, or probably lead us to a proper acceptation of the word. Add yet to what hath been said, that sometimes a great voice is set out by the similitude of a trumpet, "I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet," Rev. i. 10, and "the first voice which I heard, was as is it were of a trumpet," Rev. iv. 1.
But why is this sound as of a trumpet, called "the trumpet of God?" I answer, for the greatness of it; for it is usual in the Hebrew language, for the setting forth of greatness, excellency, or superlativeness of a thing, to add the name of God to the word whereby the thing is signified, as Gen. xxiii. 6. "A prince of God," i.e. a mighty prince, Gen. xxx. 8, "with the wrestlings of God," i.e. with great wrestlings; Psal. xxxvi. 6. "Mountains of God," i.e. great mountains, Psal. lxxx. 10. "Cedars of God," i.e. very high cedars, so here "the trump of God," i.e. A very great sound, like the sound of a trumpet. It is said in the law, There were "thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled," Exod. xix. 16, And if there was trembling at the giving of the law, Oh! What trembling will be at the general assize when sinners shall be condemned for breaking of it?
3. No sooner the shout made, but the saints arise: it is true, the saints that are alive need no resurrection, but upon them will this trumpet have its effect. Something like death shall seize upon them, and they shall be changed. The order of this is given in by the apostle from the Lord, "This we say unto you, by the word of our Lord, that we which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them into the clouds," 1 Thess. iv. 15, 16, 17. The first that shall be called, are the saints that sleep, and then the saints which are alive shall be immediately changed. Oh! What a day will this be? What a strange sight, to see all the dead ever since the beginning of the world rise out of their graves? For the wicked, I believe, they shall rise like toads from their holes, in a black, swarthy, ugly colour. A question is amongst the schools, whether reprobates shall rise again with all their deformities which they had in this life? As some of them being blind, halt, lame, maimed, deaf, dumb, etc. Whether now they shall rise in the self-same condition? For my part, I conceive, that whereas God the Author of nature, will at that day, restore human nature, that therefore there shall be no defects of natural parts. Certainly nothing shall be wanting in the damned which may impede the sense of torment in any part; now, a defect of any member would hinder these universal torments, that must seize on every part of the bodies of the damned in hell; their bodies therefore shall be whole, only the bodies of such shall be foul, ugly, heavy, lumpish bodies, as opposed to the glorious qualities of the bodies of saints. Why, what bodies (you will say) have they? I answer, glorious bodies; no sooner shall the bodies of the saints arise, but they shall exceed with singular qualities, "They were sown in corruption, but they are raised in incorruption; they were sown in dishonour, but raised in glory; they were sown in weakness, but raised in power; they were sown natural bodies, but raised spiritual bodies," 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44. The sun in its shining, doth but shadow forth the glory of their bodies; and this will in some measure torment reprobates to see the difference of their bodies, and the bodies of the saints. O! (will they say) yonder are they whom we despised, and now are they honoured. See a world of suns rising at once out of all parts of the earth; sometimes we lived on earth, and we never saw but one sun rising in the east, but, lo! millions of suns on east, and west, and north, and south; O! those are the glorious saints in heaven; see with what swift and agile bodies they are preparing to fly into the air to meet their Lord and Saviour there, whilst, in the mean time, we rise with such heavy, dull, and deformed bodies, that we cannot mount. O! what will become of us? Why, this is the day of resurrection. The angels have been here to unseal our graves, to roll away the stones, and at their shout, and sound of the trumpet our scattered dust have met together; and, lo! now we stand upon the earth.
4. No sooner the saints raised, and their souls and bodies re-united with excellent majesty, but then shall all the elect of God, from first to last, be gathered together. If you ask. Whence? And whither? I answer, --
(a). To the question, Whence? "From the four winds, from one end of heaven to another," i.e. From all parts of the world, from east, and west, and north, and south, "from one end of heaven to another." A vulgar term in regard of our sight; for in itself heaven is round, and hath no end: the meaning is, that not one saint in all the world, from Adam to the last man, shall be concealed or lie hid; from the most hidden, inward, secret bosom of the earth, all shall be gathered. Howsoever their dust may be scattered into a thousand thousand parts, yet the power of Christ shall restore all these dusts, and bring them together into their several compacted bodies.
(b). To the question. Whither they shall be gathered? Some say to the valley of Jehoshaphat, from that text, "Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there will I sit to judge the heathen round about," Joel iii. 12. But I believe, this text hath reference to a particular judgment of God upon Israel's enemies which dwell round about Jerusalem, and not the general day of judgment. Others say to mount Olivet, from that text, "This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven; then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet," Acts i. 11 , 12. But I believe this text speaks only of the manner how Christ shall come, and not of the place to which he shall come. Indeed, it is not probable that either the valley of Jehoshaphat, or mount of Olivet, can be sufficient places to contain all the men that ever were, are, and shall be; and therefore if such a thing can be determined, I should rather appeal to that text, "Then we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with them (that are raised) in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air," 1 Thess. iv. 17. When Christ was asked this very question, "Where, Lord?" Whither shall the saints be gathered? Where shall the general judgment be? He answers, "Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together," Luke xvii. 37. By the body, Christ means himself; and by the eagles, Christ means his elect; because their youth is renewed as the eagles. Now the elect must resort to Christ wheresoever he is, and the apostle is express, that Christ is in the air, and in the clouds: and therefore thither must the elect be gathered; they shall be caught up by the holy angels into the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.
Use. O my brethren! What sights are these? What changes, wonders, strange face of things will be this day? How is it that we are not as frequent in the meditation of this summons, as Jerome was, who, as he thought, heard daily that sound, "Arise ye dead, and come to judgment?" Methinks a sad and serious consideration of these passages might keep us close to Christ; come, try a little, if in the hurryings of the day we are so distracted, that we cannot reach the spiritual part of a meditation, yet in the evening, or morning, when all is still, or in the night-season, when all is quiet, then labour to prevent the day of doom; so realize it as if then we saw Christ in the clouds, sending his angels on this errand, away, and bring hither all the men and women in the world; and, in the first place, gather my saints together unto me, Adam, and Abraham, those fathers of the world, and of the faithful, let them see all their children, and let all their children see them, and bring them all to my throne: awaken the world, let them who have slept in their graves some thousands of years, be now roused and raised. Imagine then, as if we hear the trumpet of God sounded by the angels of God, and as the sound of it waxed louder and louder, that we saw the mountains skip like rams, and the little hills like young sheep! that we saw all the graves in churches, or church-yards, in fields, or plains, or seas, fly open; that we saw all the bodies of the dead beginning to stir, and to stand upon their feet, and presently the angels coming, and taking all the saints upon their wings, and so flying with them through the air, till they came to the throne and judgment-seat of Christ; is it possible that such a meditation should pass, without some tincture of it on our spirits? If my ears shall hear that sound, and if my eyes shall see these sights, is it not time for me to lay these things to heart, that I may be found faithful and well-doing? As sure as I have this book in my hand, I must be one of those that shall hear the sound of the trumpet, and away I must, from the mouth of my grave, wherever I shall be buried, to the cloud where Christ doth sit. Come then, How would I rise? As foul as a toad? Or, As an angel of God? O my God! set this home on my soul. O! where is my lamp? And where is my oil? Are all ready? And am I ready furnished, and prepared to meet the Lord in the air? Christians! If we have any life in us, let us act and realize this to the life. O! this would keep us close to Christ, and to the banner of Christ: who would not march under this banner, and adhere to him, that but reads over these summons of souls at the last dreadful day?