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THE ISSUE OF THE FINAL JUDGMENT
THE great duty of a Christian Minister is, to set forth the Lord Jesus Christ in all his characters, and to impress on the minds of all the necessity of believing in him for the salvation of their souls. But the view which we give of the Saviour should be altogether such as is exhibited in the Holy Scriptures. If, at one time, we represent him as a propitiation for sin, saying, with the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world;” or, at another time, exalt him as the Head of his Church, ready to “baptize men with the Holy Ghost and with fire;” we must not fail to proclaim him also as the Judge of quick and dead; and to declare, with the Baptist, that “his fan is in his hand, and that he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner: but that he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
This is a subject to which we cannot too often call your attention, seeing how deeply we are interested in,
I. The discrimination which will be made at the last day—
Men are here divided into two classes, under the images of “wheat and chaff”—
[These images are just: for though all men spring from one common root, yet is there a great difference between them: some, as righteous, resembling wheat; and others, as wicked, answering rather to the chaff.
The righteous may fitly be considered as wheat: for they are solid in the whole of their experience: their repentance is deep and genuine: their faith is lively and operative: their self-dedication to God is uniform and entire. They have in themselves a real and intrinsic worth.
The wicked, on the contrary, whether they be merely nominal Christians or hypocritical professsors, may well be compared to chaff: for they are light, unsubstantial, worthless. They may, to a superficial observer, appear like solid grain: but they will not bear a scrutiny. Examine their repentance: it has no depth in it: they have never known what a broken and contrite spirit means. Examine their faith: it has nothing beyond a bare assent to certain truths: they have never fled to Christ, as the manslayer to a city of refuge: they have never been cut off from their old stock, and been grafted into Christ, as scions; and been made to live by him, as branches of the living vine: such “a life of faith on the Son of God” is altogether unknown to them. Examine their obedience too: it goes to externals only; whilst the heart, instead of being given to him, is set upon the things of time and sense. In a word, they may “have the form of godliness; but they have not the power:” they may “have a name to live; but they are really dead.”]
In this world, however, they lie in one promiscuous mass—
[After that the corn is threshed, it lies on the floor, mixed together in one indiscriminate heap. Thus, in the house of God, persons of every character are assembled: nor is any man such a discerner of spirits, as that he can separate the evil from the good. The two are united in the same works of charity and beneficence; yea, and compose the members of the same family: they even join frequently in the same religious society; and sit down together, like Judas with the eleven, at the same supper of the Lord. This we are taught by the Lord Jesus Christ to expect, as long as we continue in the world: “the tares and the wheat grow together in the field;” nor is it in the power of man to separate them.]
But the Lord Jesus Christ, in the day of judgment, will discriminate infallibly between them—
[The husbandman, by the simple process of winnowing the corn, makes the wished-for separation. Thus, at the last day, the Lord Jesus Christ will “purge his floor;” yea, already is the fan in his hand, prepared for the work: and so perfect will the operation be, that not a single grain of wheat will be found among the chaff; nor the smallest atom of chaff be left among the wheat. The least and weakest of God’s people are infallibly distinguished by him here; as it is said, “I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted with a sieve: yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth [Note: Amo_9:9.].” And shall not the same care be taken by the Judge of quick and dead hereafter? On the other hand, “nothing that is unclean, or that defileth, shall enter into the mansions of bliss [Note: Rev_21:27.]; and therefore we are sure that no hypocrite can find admittance there. The distinction between the wheat and the chaff will be unerring and complete.]
Let us proceed to contemplate,
II. The final issue of it to the souls of men—
“The wheat will be treasured up in his garner”—
[The husbandman regards the wheat as the object for which he has laboured, and as the recompence of all his toils; and he considers it as a treasure whereby he is enriched. It is in this light that the Lord Jesus Christ regards his faithful and obedient people. When the separation of them shall be made, and he shall behold them all assembled in one vast body, with what delight will he view them! How will he call to mind his own labours and sufferings in their behalf! and how will “he be satisfied, when he sees in them the travail of his soul [Note: Isa_53:11.].” It was with a view to this, that “he endured the cross, and despised the shame,” when he was in this lower world: to “this joy” he had then respect [Note: Heb_12:2.]: and no feeling of regret will occupy his mind, when he shall see their number, their safety, their felicity. And shall not the saints themselves rejoice, when they shall find themselves thus approved of their Lord, and have no more wintry blasts to menace, or noxious blights to endanger, their security? O, blessed day! The Lord prepare us for it, and grant us all to behold that day in peace!]
But “the chaff will be burned up with unquenchable fire”—
[The chaff, as being altogether worthless, was burned [Note: Isa_5:24.]. And what other end can the wicked hope for in that day? Can they suppose, that, after all the labour that has been bestowed upon them, and bestowed in vain, they shall meet with the same favour as the grain by which the labourer’s toil has been repaid? Can it be hoped that there shall be no “difference put between those who have served their God, and those who serve him not?” No: for them is a fire prepared; and happy would it be for them if they might be consumed by it speedily, like chaff! but, though ever burning, they will never be consumed: they themselves will be as imperishable, as “the fire is unquenchable;” and to all eternity will they endure the justly-merited wrath of an avenging God. Then shall be fulfilled in them the prediction of the Prophet Malachi, “Behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven: and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch [Note: Mal_4:1.].” “The worm,” that is in their consciences, “shall never die; and the fire that shall torment them shall never be quenched [Note: Mar_9:43-48.].”]
See, then, Brethren,
1. What need there is to examine the real state of your souls—
[Nothing would be more easy than to ascertain this, if you would listen to the voice of conscience: but what a fearful thing will it be to dream of heaven, till you awake in hell! [Note: Unfold the idea contained in Mat_7:22-23.]]
2. What need there is to live in a preparation for the eternal world—
[Whilst you are here, your character may be changed, and your bliss secured: but in the grave there is no work,” &c. As you are found in death, you will exist for ever.]