presence of God, then it is under a terrible constraint. A wicked man
may be willing to come to public ordinances for many carnal ends, as to
comply with his superiors, to follow the custom of the family where he
dwells, to gain reputation among men, to satisfy the cries of an
awakened conscience; for his conscience, perhaps, will not be easy
without the performance of some duties; and so he makes use of divine
worship, and his public appearances before God, as a kind of opiate, to
stupify an uneasy conscience, and therefore he has some inclination and
willingness to come before God here on earth: but at death, and at the
general resurrection, he must appear whether he will or no; Heb. ix. 27.
_It is appointed for all men once to die, and after death the judgment_;
Rom. xiv. 10. and 2 Cor. v. 10. _We must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ. The angels shall gather the elect_ from the four
quarters of the world, and bring them near to the judge with pleasure;
but sinners shall be dragged toward that awful tribunal, and be forced
to abide the trial.
While the believer, who walks in lively faith, says, When shall I come
into that world of spirits, and appear there before God? the sinner
wishes that day may never come: O that I might live for ever on earth!
that I might for ever converse with men, and never see the face of that
God who hates me, and whom I have never loved. O that death might make
an utter end of me! O that the grave would cover me for ever, that I
might rise no more. And when that dreadful day comes, then, “Fall on us,
rocks; then, mountains press us down, and conceal us for ever from the
wrath of God and the Lamb;” as in Rev. vi. 15, 16. that outcry is
represented. But they must stand and see the terror; they are
constrained to hear the glorious and dreadful sentence, Dost thou
believe this, O my soul! and canst thou be content to live unprepared
for the solemnities of this day?
2. Here sinners appear like the saints of God in disguise; but there as
sinners, openly guilty, and exposed to light: Here not separated from
the saints in the place of worship, there sufficiently distinguished and
divided from all who love God, and that worship him in spirit: For when
a sinful soul goes out of the body to appear before God, every angel in
heaven knows him; he is naked without a covering of disguise, as well as
without the covering of a justifying righteousness; and upon this
account he appears all guilty, not only before the searching eye of God,
and the terror of his anger, but also before the blessed spirits who are
near the throne. Here those who are in the same assembly, know not
whether we are the children of God, or _the children of the devil_; but
in the world of spirits, all the children of Satan are as much
distinguished from the children of God as an angel of light is from a
spirit of darkness.
This flesh is a disguise to the soul, a thick cloud to cover a thousand
hypocrisies; but at the great day the naked soul must be known; _All
nations shall be gathered before him, and he shall separate them one
from another, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats_; Mat.
xxv. 32. Jesus shall separate the one from the other; and what will the
sinner say at that day? “I have on earth appeared before God among the
saints, but now I must for ever dwell with my companions in iniquity,
with my partners in _everlasting burnings_; I am so like to the spirits
of hell, now I am undressed, and divested of all disguise, that I see
myself justly divided for ever from the saints, and a fit companion for
none but devils.” O who can tell the torment that is contained in such a
self-condemning reflection as this?
3. Sinners appear now, and take no notice of God as Creator, or Christ
as Mediator and Saviour; but at the appearance in judgment it will be
impossible to stand before God, and not take notice of him. He appears
there as a God of terrible and incensed majesty, and they must see him;
and Jesus Christ sits there, and must be seen, not as the Saviour to
secure them, but the judge ready to condemn them to everlasting
punishment; Rev. i. 7. assures of this day, and speaks of it as already
come: _Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. I shall behold him_, says the wretched Balaam, _but not
nigh_; Num. xviv. 17. not as my God, near me, but as my enemy, afar from
me. “Now God speaks with the voice of mercy in the church, and I turn a
deaf ear to him, may the sinner say, but then it is the language of
justice and vengeance: O that my ears and my eyes were sealed up for
ever: for his looks, his words, his actions, smite my soul through with
a thousand torments.”
It is impossible for the wicked to turn their eyes from God in that day,
whereas now for a whole hour or two, in his worship, their hearts are
not once fixed upon him. A God of holiness will be seen on his seat of
judgment; and the sinner who _will not see, shall see_, and be
confounded at the sight. Think of this, O my soul! and when thou findest
thy thoughts wandering from God in the next duty of worship, take this
awful hint to recal them again.
4. Now the sinner appears before God as on a throne of grace; there on a
throne of justice: now in a state of trial: there for a final sentence.
He comes now to hear the general language of God to men; there to hear
his own particular judgment from the same God; now the sinner stands in
the church, in a general assembly: and he stands within the reach of a
general promise: _He that believes shall be saved; he that confesses,
and forsakes his sin shall find mercy_: But then the book of all the
promises is for ever shut, and it is declared by the Judge, that not one
of them belongs to him: He hath refused all the offers of grace, and the
day of grace is gone for ever.
Now he stands, and hears the general threatening of the word: _The soul
that sinneth shall die; the wages of sin is death: he that believeth not
shall be damned; he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption_: Yet he may escape all these threatenings. But in the great
and last day he hears his own name, as it were, read together with each
of these threatenings, and united to them all: “Thou art the impenitent
sinner, and thou must die for ever? thou hast not believed in Christ:
and thou art the person who shall be for ever damned.”
Now he appears before God, and though he is, as to his state; at a
distance from him, yet he may be converted and brought near; he hears
these blessed words; Mat. xi. 28. _Come all ye that are weary and heavy
laden, and I will give you rest._ Is. xlv. 22. _Look unto me, ye that
are at the ends of the earth_, and in immediate danger of hell, _and be
ye saved_. But there the only word is, _depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire_; for I have not one word of promise, of encouragement,
or of comfort for you.
Because he appears now in a state of trial, it is with some hope of
obtaining pardon; but there he stands only waiting for the sentence of
death, and therefore with everlasting despair: He appears there guilty
in open light, and his condemnation is certain and unchangeable.
Believe this, sinner, now in this life; the wrath of God lies heavy upon
you; John iii. 36. but this wrath may be removed; the condemnation that
is now upon you from the law, may be reversed: the gospel is ready to
take it off, if you receive this gospel: But there, before the judgment
seat, every soul who is found in his sins, falls under an eternal curse,
and without repeal: that condemnation shall never be removed; for
immediate execution follows upon the sentence. Now the sinner appears
before God, and hears such words of compassion as these are: “I delight
not _in the death of a sinner_, I would have him _turn and live_; I
propose the method of reconciliation and life;” But then the Lord sits
upon a throne of judgment, and he shall laugh at the calamity of the
wicked, and the obstinate sinner’s distress; for pity and compassion are
for ever hid from his eyes. Now, who is there among us able to bear the
sight of a provoked God, who is infinite in power, terrible in majesty,
and has abandoned all compassion.
5. The sinner now appears often before God; there but once, and is for
ever driven from his presence: Here, if you meet with no comfort from
God in one ordinance, you may find it in the next; but then you shall be
_punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and the glory of his power_; 2 Thess. i. 9. How will you long for such
seasons again, when you are for ever shut out from them? “O that I had
but one Lord’s-day more to spend in the service of God! how would I
labour and wrestle with God in prayer, that I might become a new
creature!” But in hell the days are all alike, they are all dark and
stormy; there is not one day of sunshine, not one sabbath, not one hour
of rest. “How did I mock God on earth, must the sinner say, when I
appeared before him! and after I had mocked him once, I trifled again
and again; but now I find he is a God who will not be mocked; I see he
is a terrible majesty, and I am driven for ever from all his grace and
compassion, and shall see his face no more.”
Use. All the use I shall make of this head, is only to urge upon your
minds a practical belief, and a lively sense of this appearance before
God at judgment. Must we all stand _before the judgment seat of Christ_?
Do we think we are ready? What answer do our own consciences give, when
we make that enquiry? Am I prepared to appear before God the Judge? Have
I but little hope, and yet can I satisfy myself to lie down at night,
and arise in the morning, and have this hope not increased? Have I so
little expectation of my appearing well there, and yet rest contented
under it?
Do I worship now with that sincerity and devotion, as those who must
hereafter come to be judged? Could we, dare we, indulge ourselves in the
neglect of any duty, or commission of any sin, or careless performance
of the religious services we owe to God, at the rate we now do, had this
great appearance before God at judgment been often upon our thoughts?
Alas! these things vanish from our minds, many times, together with the
breath and air that forms the words: Business, or cares, or the
diversions of this life, turn away the soul from God and judgment, We
dwell in flesh, we see not God, and we are ready, foolishly, to imagine
that we shall never see him: We thrust this hour at such a distance, as
though it would never come; we put it afar off as an evil day.
But let us stand still here, and consider a little: This evening we are
come to appear before God in worship; we see ourselves here, and see
each other; we are sure it is a reality, and not a dream; yet seven
years ago, this evening was at so vast a distance from us, that we
scarce knew how to realize it to our thoughts, and make it, as it were,
present: but now all that long distance is vanished, and this evening is
come; those days are all passed, and this hour is upon us. Thus it is in
the case of death and judgment. Seven years hence, it is most likely,
some one or more of us, and perhaps every one of us, shall appear before
the bar of God our Judge; that appointed hour will come however it seem
afar off now; and then it will be as real an appearance as this present
hour is, but a much more solemn one: we shall see and feel ourselves
there, and know it is not a dream, but an awful reality.
Consider further, that it can be but a few seven years more, before
every one of us must certainly appear at the judgment-seat of God; and
as long as these years seem now, yet they will quickly fly away, and the
last hour will be upon us.—Think how many of your acquaintance, in seven
years past, have made their appearance before God, have past their final
trial, and received their everlasting sentence: And each of us may say,
“Why should not I be the next? What is there in my nature, or in my
circumstances that can secure me against the summons of death and
judgment?” It may be but a few days before we are called; and is every
one of us here ready? This is a question of infinite importance, and let
us not give rest to our souls, till we can answer it to our
satisfaction.
O how should we live! how should we act! how should we speak! how should
we worship! if this were always upon our hearts? O that we could but
realize these awful things to our minds, and make them more familiar to
our thoughts daily! Could sinners then be one day contented without
converting grace, and without a justifying righteousness? Could they any
longer refuse the mercy of the gospel, and Jesus the Saviour? Could they
be satisfied to appear all guilty before God, and no friend there to
speak for them? no intercessor to plead for them? none to undertake
their cause? Could they go on to sin with a negligent mind, if they
thought the judgment-door just opening upon them, and Jesus Christ at
hand? Could it be possible we should have such cold and lazy desires
after a Saviour and his salvation, if we thought our everlasting
happiness or misery depended upon the next day, the next hour, or the
next moment? For we know not how soon the summons may come, and state us
before his tribunal.
II. The _second_ part of my discourse leads me to consider the blessed
difference that there shall be between a christian’s appearing before
God in heaven, and his appearance here in divine ordinances before God
on earth? and by a comparison of these two, may the Spirit of God awaken
our faith, our hope, our love, and our joy, and all join to promote our
sanctification! The differences then between our standing before God in
worship now, and our worshipping before God in heaven, are such as
these:
1. Now the true christian appears in a mixed assembly of saints and
sinners: there the assembly is all holy, and not one sinner amongst
them. Here sincere souls and hypocrites meet together in worship; there
the hypocrite is for ever banished. In the houses of God on earth, the
wicked Canaanites will mingle with the children of Israel; but in his
temple in heaven, every one is an Israelite indeed; _There shall no more
be found a Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts_; Zech. xiv. 21.
The children of God here, are under a veil of infirm and sinful flesh,
and in the likeness of sinners; there they are unveiled and acknowledged
to be _the sons and daughters of the Almighty_; 1 John iii. 1, 2.
_Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God! But the world knows us not_; nay, we
are not at many times known to ourselves; but when he comes whom we have
trusted, then we shall be known and distinguished from the world, as
God’s only begotten Son; and we shall be known and distinguished as the
children of God, all related and a-kin to him:—_When he appears we shall
be like him, for we shall see him as he is_; 1 John iii. 2. and shall
sufficiently be distinguished from all who belong not to Christ.
Here a child of God, in the sanctuary, is deeply humbled at the mention
of the name of God; but his humility is not seen. Here his zeal kindles
at the proposal of a duty, but it burns with a hidden flame: Here his
love is at work, his hope is arising, his joy is getting up to heaven,
when he is engaged in the meditation of a comfortable promise, or some
of the blessed privileges of the children of God; while those who are
around him, even his next neighbour who sits close to him, knows nothing
of the holy workings of his heart, and the breathings of his soul
towards God: But there the whole assembly shall worship with one heart,
and one soul, and not one wandering worshipper, or one wandering thought
in worship.
We are ready to complain here, that we ourselves know not whether we
shall be accepted or no; through the weakness of faith, want of
holiness, decay of zeal in our spirits, and that degeneracy we sometimes
find and feel in ourselves, we are often ready to doubt, and almost upon
the borders of despair. This is the case of many a poor, trembling
christian; but there every one shall worship with strength of joy,
liveliest delight, and warmest zeal and affections: and be assured his
graces are all true, for he shall see them all in the light of glory.
This suspicion or jealousy of ourselves, flattens our devotion many a
time here, and takes away the pleasurable sensations of religion,
because we ourselves know not whether God accepts us or no: There a full
assurance of our being beloved of God, and being for ever accepted of
him, shall make every exercise of devotion a most agreeable and perfect
pleasure. O my soul, how should it quicken thy race, and exalt thy joy,
to think how fast thou art removing from this world of sinners, and from
all thy own doubts and fears, to a glorious assembly of holy souls,
where not one doubt, or fear shall remain in their consciences, nor in
thine!
2. In this world the saint appears among a few to worship his God, but
then among millions. Now many times we have worshipped in a secret
corner, for fear of men; but then it is all in public glory: for there
all the worship that is paid, is the established worship of the whole
country; and honours, and kingdoms, and wealth, are all on that side:
All the inhabitants are made rich for ever, with the riches of heaven;
and all the children of God are the sons and daughters of a king, and
all heirs and possessors of glory, and reign together with the Lord
Jesus: Rom. viii. 17. 2 Tim. ii. 12. Here many times the children of God
are forced to be separatists from their neighbours and fellow-citizens,
they are divided from the multitudes and crowds of mankind, they are but
a _little flock_; but there they shall shine in the midst of the
_general assembly of the first-born, and a great multitude which no man
can number_; Rev. vii. 9. that with victories and songs are for ever
addressing the throne of God and the Lamb. O when shall I hear the voice
from heaven say, _Come up hither_?
3. Now we worship in a way of preparation; there for enjoyment and full
delight. Ordinances here are but slight shadows, and very faint and
imperfect resemblances of what the worship in heaven shall be. Now the
word of God is spoken by a man, and it loses much of the divinity and
power, by the means of conveyance; there it will be spoken by God
himself to our spirits, or by our Lord Jesus Christ, to the ears of our
bodies, raised, sanctified, and immortal; and our souls shall receive as
much of the express ideas, as God designs to convey by all his
conversation with that sanctified number: nor shall they miss of any of
the beauty, or spirit, or perfection, of those thoughts which God
himself would impress upon us.
Now in the letters of the bible we read the good-will and mercy of God
to sinners; but there, in a far brighter manner of conveyance, _in thy
light shall we see light_; Ps. xxxvi. 9. Here we seek the Father and the
Son; the one as our happiness, the other as the way to the enjoyment of
that happiness, as they are usually represented in the word of God:
There we shall say, We have _found him whom our souls desire_ and love,
and shall be for ever happy in his presence. Our business now in this
world is to get a right temper and frame: there to practise and indulge
the joy. Happy souls, who are thus prepared in the outer courts to draw
nigh and worship _within the veil_!
Now we appear with imperfect services, and poor improvements, there with
glorious and complete worship: For here _we see God but as in a glass
darkly_; there _face to face_; 1 Cor. xiii. 12. Now we can have his
glory, or his grace represented to us but in part, in a small measure,
and according to our poor capacities of receiving; there _we shall see
him as he is, and know as we are known_.
What are our prayers, what are our praises here? our praises when
offered up in a song, or in plainer language, in comparison with those
that are paid to God above? Now we speak of him _whom we have not seen_,
therefore we speak in so imperfect a manner: There we shall hear and
speak of him whom we see or know more intimately: Now we appear before
God, and bring too much of the world with us; there we _leave the world
and go to the Father_, God and Christ are too much forgotten, or they
are too often thrust out of our minds by vain thoughts, even when we
ourselves are never so desirous to spend an hour or two with God; what
interruptions do we find? What long blanks divide the several petitions
of our prayer, and break off the meditation while we stand before God to
worship him? We have many enemies within and without, who stand ready to
seize away our souls from God, and to rob him of our devotion: Vain
fancies call us aside, and our senses turn off our minds from heaven.
There shall be everlasting worship above, without one impertinence
interposing; no trifles there to divert us, and separate one part of our
worship from the other: there all the powers and faculties of nature
shall perpetually be engaged in the business and blessedness of that
state. Glorious worship, and blessed worshippers! fit for the presence
of the Majesty of heaven.
5. I might say, We come with very little comfort, and many
discouragements, to appear before God on earth; but there with
everlasting consolation. We come now to the word, and we go away again,
hardly hearing the voice of God in his word or seeing his countenance,
but there we shall be for ever near him; no wall of flesh, or of sin to
divide us.
Now we are defiled with guilt, and ashamed to lift up our faces towards
heaven, and blush even when our hearts are never so sincere; but there
we shall come near to God, even to God in glory, and not be afraid of
him; there we shall see a God undefiled, ourselves also being undefiled;
a God of spotless purity, and ourselves without blemish _before the
throne_; our _garments washed_ white _in the blood of the Lamb_, and
never, never to be defiled again; that is the glory and pleasure of a
christian. Then we shall appear _without spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing_; without guile in our mouths, or vanity in our hearts; _without
fault before God_, and therefore without pain; without sorrow, and
without fear for ever, even though we stand before God in all his
majesty; for we are assured of his mercy. Now we worship with prayers
and tears, because of many and heavy burdens, sorrows and sins; but
_then with everlasting songs and joy on our heads_; Is. xxxv. 10. If we
had a painful and living sense of these things, of the wanderings,
temptations, burdens, and defilements, that mingle with our worship
here, we should cry aloud, and say, _How long, O Lord, how long?_
6. _Lastly_, Now we appear and depart again, but then we shall abide
with God for ever. Now we go down from the mount of converse with God,
into the world of temptation, and sin, and business, and care: We appear
upon mount Horeb, or Pisgah, and we take a little view of the promised
land: but we go down again as the children of Israel did, to fight with
the Canaanites, the giants that are in the valley, our mighty sins, our
strong corruptions. In this valley of tears we must have a conflict
before we get to the promised land; there every worshipper has in his
hand a palm of complete victory; Rev. vii. 9. and he is for ever
discharged from fighting: _Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in
the temple of my God; and he shall go no more out_; Rev. iii. 12. So
necessary is the presence of the saints in heaven, that our Lord Jesus
Christ has represented them as pillars of that building. God dwelling in
the midst of his saints, counts himself dwelling in one of his glorious
heavens: and every saint there is, as it were, a pillar, and a support
of it: We are _lively stones_ in that building in which God will for
ever inhabit. Now we come to the house of God as visitants; but there as
inhabitants, as the _children_ of God, who _abide for ever in the
house_: There every saint obtains what holy David wished for, and that
in the literal perfection of it, that he might _dwell in the house of
the Lord for ever_; Ps. xxvii. 4. and xxiii. 6.