Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose: A View of the Everlasting Gospel.
Section 10.1.5. - Of Christ sentencing his Saints.


BOOK 10. THE JUDGEMENT.

CHAPTER 1.

10.1.5. Of Christ sentencing his Saints.


Of Christ sentencing his Saints.

For Christ sentencing of his saints: no sooner are they set on his right hand, but he prepares for sentence. In the opening of which we must consider, 1. The preparative. 2. The sentence itself.

1. The preparative, before sentence will be some exploration or trial of the parties to be sentenced. As, --

(a). The book must be opened, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life," Rev. xx. 12. It is spoken after the manner of men, in whose public judgments are produced all the writings of the process, informations, depositions of witnesses, to show that all actions, even the most secret ones, shall then be rehearsed and made manifest. Augustine (Aug. 1. 20. de civitate Die, cap. 14.) thinks these books to be the books of the Old and New Testament, wherein all things either to be done, or omitted, are prescribed by God: and then shall these books be opened, because, according to them, shall sentence be given, "In that day shall God judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel," Rom. ii. 16. Origen, (Orig. Com. ad Rom. 14.) and almost all with him, think these books to be the books of our consciences, which now are shut up and concealed from men, but then shall be made manifest to all the world. Whatsoever those books are, we find here one book opened, which is proper to the saints, called "the book of life:" this book contains in it the names of all that are elected from first to last: thou John, and thou Joseph, and thou Judith, and thou Mary, and thou Elizabeth, etc. you are all booked down, there is the particularity, and there is the certainty, "Your names are written in heaven, rejoice in it:" oh! what is the joy of saints, when once they see this book opened, and their names enrolled, engraven there in letters of glory! This very book clears it to me, that God from all eternity made choice of a particular and determinate number of persons to save them; and that none other can be saved but those who were so elected, and whosoever are so elected, they shall not fall away; "All that worship the beast, their names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, from the foundation of the world," Rev. xiii. 8; xvii. 8. On the other side, "He that overcometh, the same shall be written in the book of life, and I will not blot out his name, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels," Rev. iii. 5. This is the day when that book of life shall be opened, and Christ shall read the names of every elect person before God and angels; not that Christ needs a book, or indeed reads a name, but that his election stands so firm, that he knows every predestinated saint, as well as we know their names, whom for our memories we commit unto our books; and then he will so honour his saints that he will publish their names to all the world.

(b). All the actions, demeanours, graces, duties, and (it may be) sins of saints shall be produced, and laid open; the Holy Ghost tells us. That "the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books." It appears hence that not only names, but things were written, and these things were produced, and accordingly they were judged.

(i). As to evil things, unfruitful works of darkness. It is a question, and I dare not be too positive in it, viz. Whether the sins of God's people shall be made manifest at the day of judgment? Some are for the negative, because God in his promises speaks so expressly "of forgiving iniquities, of remembering them no more, of blotting them out, of throwing them into the bottom of the sea, of casting them behind his back," Isa. xliii. 25; xliv. 22; xxxviii. 17 In which respect, say they, the godly are said "not to come into judgment," John v. 24. I suppose this last text is ill urged, for by judgment is not meant discussion, but condemnation, and in our best translations so it is rendered: others are for the affirmative, upon these grounds;

If the balance weigh down on this side, (for my part I am not peremptory, but shall easily submit to the spirits of the prophets) yet this manifestation shall not be for the shame, grief, trouble, ignominy, or confusion of the godly, but only for the setting up of God's justice, and that the goodness and free grace of God in Christ may be made more illustrious; how will Christ then be exalted, when all the world shall see his righteousness and goodness, his truth and mercy, now again meeting together, and kissing each other? It was so at his first coming, and it will be so at his second coming; then shall his justice and mercy, his righteousness and goodness be manifested to all; in that by his own merits, notwithstanding their sins, he will bring all his saints to his heavenly glory.

(ii). As for good things, whether good works, duties or graces, there is no question but all these will be that day produced and laid open;

Thus far for the exploration or trial before sentence.

2. For the sentence itself, then shall the king say to them on his right hand, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," Matth. xxv. 24. Every word here is full of life and joy;

(a). "Come." This is the king's invitation of his saints to his court: he had summoned them before to his presence, and now they are about him, he will not part with them, they must come a little nearer yet, they must go with him into his presence-chamber; the mansions are ready, the supper of the Lamb is ready, and now he begins the solemn invitation of his bride, Come.

(b). "Come ye blessed of my Father." Christ blessed them when he went up to heaven, and whilst yet on earth he pronounced them blessed many a time, "Blessed be ye poor, blessed are ye that hunger, blessed are ye that weep," Luke vi. 20, 21. But now he calls them "the blessed of his Father;" not only Christ, but God the Father hath ever looked upon them as his children; it is the Father's will as well as Christ's that they should be blessed, "Ye blessed of my Father.

(c). "Inherit the kingdom." Christ had told them before, "It is your Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom," Luke xii. 32. But then they were only as servants, or as children under age, but now they are heirs, "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ," Rom. viii. 17. And now they are come to full age, "To the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Eph. iv. 13, and therefore they must have the inheritance in possession; they must all be kings; this very word speaks them kings, and makes them kings; it is the solemn coronation of the saints; it is the anointing, the setting of the crown upon the heads of the saints; "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not for me only, but unto them also that love his appearing," 1 Tim. iv. 8.

(d). "Inherit the kingdom prepared for you." As Tophet was prepared of old, so was this kingdom prepared of old; it was the first creature that ever God made, "In the beginning God created heaven," Gen. i. 1. His first work was to make heaven for himself and his saints to dwell in; he prepared it for them, and then he prepared them for it: but why for them? Were not the angels the first creatures that possessed it? Nay, were they not created in it, or together with it? Yes; but yet the angels are not properly the heirs, sons, members, spouse of God and Christ, as the saints are; the angels are but ministering spirits, and the servants of the bridegroom; but the saints are the bride herself, heirs and co-heirs with Christ.

(e). "Prepared for you from the foundation of the world." This was the great design of God and Christ from all eternity; before the foundations of the world, and at the first stone laid, and ever since they have been carrying on this mighty work; it is not a business of yesterday only; no, no, the eternal thoughts of God hath been upon it, "He hath chosen us in him before the foundations of the world."

Oh! what thoughts are in saints when this sentence is propounded! Oh! What joy enter into them when now they are to enter into their master's joy! Methinks if it were possible that tears could be in a glorified estate, the saints could not see Christ reach out a crown to set it on their heads, but they should weep, and hold away their heads, but Christ will have it so; "This honour have all the saints; praise ye the Lord."