Glorious Day of the Saints Appearance
Part 2 Glorious Day of the Saints Appearance
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"But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead." Isaiah 26:19
"So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." 2 Peter 3:14
The Epistle Dedicatory
To Thomas Fairfax, General of all the Parliament's Forces in England; such honor and happiness as is promised to all who love and honor the Lord Jesus.
Sir, I purpose not to insinuate myself or my poor endeavors into your favor by fine words and feigned commendations of your virtues. A sincere heart abhors it, and a wise heart accounts it base. When I preached upon this subject of the saints' glorious appearance at the last, He who knows all hearts and thoughts, knows that I had not the least thought to put it to the press. And that partly because the meditations following were not the meditations of a week, no, nor of two days—but of some few hours—I having but short warning to provide, and other things falling in within the compass of that short time, which did divert my thoughts some other ways—but mainly because of that little little worth that is in it. And yet, the intentions of some to put it to the press, in case I would not consent to have it printed—by which means truth and myself might have been co-partners in suffering—and the strong importunity of many precious souls, has borne me down and subdued me to them. They besieged me so strongly that they have taken away this little thing, which they are pleased to call a good prize—but it will be well if they be not mistaken. I shall look upon it as free grace and mercy to them and me, if they, having made a prey of it, find it worth their having. I stood out against them, not because I prized it—but because I thought it not good enough for them. But since it is fallen into their hands, my desire is, that the rich blessing of God may so accompany it, as that it may reach their hearts, and be better to them than the choicest riches of this world.
I shall much rejoice if this poor mite may in any measure help forward your faith and joy in the Lord Jesus: which that it may, I shall humbly supplicate the throne of grace. Sir, this is your greatest honor, that you account the opportunities of service for God and his people your greatest honor upon earth: that you have appeared, in the darkest night and in the greatest storms, for the honor, the safety, the sound peace and liberty of the saints and this kingdom—and that notwithstanding all the discouragements you have met with, through the neutrality, apostasy, and treachery of men, high and low, in this kingdom. Ah! Sir, what a mercy is this, that the true nobility of your Lordship's spirit, scorning such baseness, has delivered you from those checks, wounds, and lashes of conscience which those forenamed wretches lie under, and from that shame and confusion of face which has already begun to seize upon them here—but shall more fully and dreadfully seize on them in the great day of account, when the books shall be opened, and all the treachery and baseness to enslave the saints and this kingdom shall be discovered!
Sir, through the glorious presence of God with you, you have done gloriously in endeavoring the full rescue of the people of God from the hands of cruel and unreasonable men, who have left no stone unturned, that their lusts and will upon the people of God might be satisfied. Sir, as you have pleaded the cause of the people of God, and as you have appeared for them, do so still: for the Lord will side with those who side with his saints, and those who seek their lives seek yours also. But the comfort is, God will make Jerusalem "a cup of poison unto all the people round about:" he will make Jerusalem "a burdensome stone: and all who burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth gather together against it," Zech. 12:2-3.
Sir, for the great things you have already done for this kingdom, the high praises of God are in the mouths of the saints, and the children unborn shall bless you, and bless God for you. And when the name of tyrants, malignants, and apostates shall rot--the memorial of your name shall be forever precious among the "precious sons of Zion." And that you may do yet more and more gloriously, the breathing and desire of my soul to God for you is, that the Lord would take up your spirit into such sweet and full enjoyment of himself and of that glory above, that may enable you divinely to trample upon all those things that may any way hinder you from solacing and delighting your soul in the love, light, and sweetness that is in the bosom of Christ; that the Lord will take you by the hand, whenever you are in the dark, and lead out your spirit in such ways that may be for the honor of his name, for the joy of his people, and for the real happiness and welfare of this kingdom. That in all your times of temptation you may find the power of the lively prayers of the saints—in which and in whose affection you have as great a share as any mortal that breathes—strengthening and raising you above them all. That no weapon nor device nor counsel that is formed against you may prosper; that the eternal God will be your refuge, and that under you may be his everlasting arms; that your soul may be swallowed up in the sweet enjoyment of God, so that every bitter may be made sweet unto you, and that your last days may be your best; that the longer you live, the more glorious for God and his people you may act; that God will "guide you by his counsel here, and after all receive you to glory."
Sir, you know that God does not "despise the day of small things;" and I believe that the fear of the great God is so strong upon your spirit that you will not despise the day of small things. I humbly crave that those who read this sermon, shall overlook the mistakes of the printer, I having no time to wait upon the press to correct what by accident may be found amiss.
Thomas Brooks, London, 1648
Christ is the Life of Believers
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:1-4
The apostle tells them that their "life is hidden with Christ in God." These saints might object: but when shall that hidden life be revealed? when shall that life of glory be manifested? He answers in the text: "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." The words do speak out the time when the glorious life of believers shall be manifested, and that is, when Christ shall appear in glory. I have observed from these words this point—namely, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the life of believers.
"When Christ, who is your life, shall appear." Life here is, by a metonym, put for the author of life.
Jesus Christ is first the author of a believer's spiritual life. In the 14th of John, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," (ver. 6.)
Secondly, Jesus Christ, he is the matter of a believer's spiritual life: in John 6:48, "I am the bread of life." The original has it more elegantly—"I am the bread of that life," that is, of that spiritual life of which before the Lord Jesus Christ had spoken.
Thirdly, Jesus Christ is the exerciser and actor of the spiritual life of believers: John 15:5, "Without me you can do nothing." The original is, separate from me, or apart from me, you can do, etc.
Fourthly, The Lord Jesus Christ, he is the strengthener and the cherisher of a believer's spiritual life, Psalm 138:3, "In the day when I cried, you answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul."
Lastly, The Lord Jesus Christ, he is the completer, he is the finisher of the spiritual life of a saint, Heb. 12:2; Phil. 1:6.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ a believer's life? Why, then--this serves to bespeak all believers not to repent of anything they have done, or suffered, or lost, for the Lord Jesus. Oh, is the Lord Jesus Christ a believer's life? Why, then--let no believer be disquieted, nor overwhelmed and dejected, for any loss or for any sorrow or suffering that he meets with for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake. What a base and unworthy spirit is it, for a man to be troubled and disquieted for anything that he shall do or suffer for his own natural life! Oh, Jesus Christ is your life; do not say this mercy is too dear for Christ, nor that comfort is too great for Christ. Christ is the life of a believer: what will you not do for your life? The devil hit it right when he said, "Skin for skin, and all that a man has will he give for his life." Oh, what should a man then do for Jesus Christ, who is his life! You noble hearts in this sad loss, remember this, that Christ is a believer's life; Christ is that glorious champion's life. Therefore be not overwhelmed, for doubtless he is now triumphing in the love, in the light, in the goodness, and in the glory of him who is his life. Let the sense of this sad loss kindly affect you—but let it not discourage you.
But, secondly--Is the Lord Jesus Christ a believer's life? Why, then--this serves to bespeak all believers highly to prize the Lord Jesus. Oh, it is this Christ, who is your life; it is not your husband, it is not your child, it is not this or that thing; neither is it this ordinance or that that, which is a believer's life. No! it is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the author, who is the matter, who is the exerciser, who is the strengthener, who is the completer--of a believer's life.
You prize great ones; the Lord Jesus Christ is great—he is King of kings, and Lord of lords. You prize others for their wisdom and knowledge--the Lord Jesus has in himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. 2:3. You prize others for their beauty--the Lord Jesus Christ is the most beautiful of ten thousand, Cant. 5:10. You prize others for theirusefulness--the Lord Jesus Christ is the right hand of a believer, without which he can do nothing. The believer may say of Christ as the philosopher said of the heavens, Take away the heavens, and I shall be nobody; so take away Jesus Christ, and a believer is nobody—nobody to perform any action, nobody to bear any affliction, nobody to conquer corruption, nobody to withstand temptation, nobody to improve mercies, nobody to joy in others' grace. Oh, prize Jesus Christ!
Again, Consider the Lord Jesus Christ highly prizes you; you are as the apple of his eye; he accounts you his fullness; you are his jewels; therefore prize him who sets such a high price on you. But I hasten to my main point—
In the last place, Remember a Christ highly prized--will be Christ gloriously obeyed. As men prize the Lord Jesus Christ--so they will obey him. The great reason why Jesus Christ is no more obeyed--is because he is no more prized. Men look upon him as a person of no worth, no dignity, no glory; they make slight of him, and that is the reason they are so poor in their obedience to him. Oh, if men did but more divinely prize Christ, they would more purely, and more fully, and more constantly obey him. Let this bespeak all your hearts highly to prize the Lord Jesus, who is your life.
But I shall pass from this, to that main point which I desire to speak to: "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you appear also with him in glory." The observation that I shall speak to at this time is--that believers shall at last, appear glorious.
It is a very choice point, and a useful point, in order to the present providence. I shall not be long in the doctrinal part, because the application is what I have my eye most upon. The scriptures which speak of this truth I will but name them; at your leisure you may read them: Judges 15:14; 1 Cor. 15:43-44, 51-55; 1 Thes. 4:13, seq.; Mat. 19:26-28. These scriptures clearly speak out this truth, that the people of God shall at last, appear glorious.
The REASONS why they shall appear glorious, are these which follow. They shall appear glorious—
1. First of all, because that day is the day of the marriage-day of the Lamb. I may allude to Rev. 19:6-8. It is true, believers in this life, they are spiritually married to the Lord Jesus—but this marriage is not celebrated until this day, when the saints shall appear in their glory. God the Father has put off the celebration of this glorious marriage to this last day, when believers' mourning attire shall be taken off, and their glorious robes shall be put on; when God himself shall, as a Father, be more fully and gloriously present among all his children; where as he shall have all his attendants visible, I mean his angels, which now are not visible, in that spiritual marriage between his Son and believers.
2. A second reason that believers at last shall appear glorious, is this--because they shall all appear at the last as KINGS crowned! Here believers are kings elected—but at that last day they shall all appear as kings crowned. Here believers have a crown promised—but at the last they shall have a crown in possession; the Lord himself will set it upon their heads: 2 Tim. 4:7-8, "I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished my course; henceforth is laid up for me"—the Greek word is "safely laid up"—"a crown of glory which he shall give me at that day." I have now, says he, a crown promised—but at that day I shall have it in possession; then it shall be set upon my head, and then angels and devils and murderers shall say, "Lo! here is the man who God is pleased to honor!"
3. Then a third reason why believers at the last shall appear glorious--is for the terror and the horror of all ungodly wretches who have opposed, persecuted, and murdered them. They shall appear glorious for the greater torment of such ungodly souls. Oh, there is nothing which will make sinners in that great day more to tear their hair, to beat their breasts, to wring their hands, and to gnaw their own hearts, than this--when they shall behold those advanced and those appearing in their glory, whom they have slighted, and despised, and most treacherously persecuted, here below. I doubt not but there are some base, unworthy persecuters here—but let them know that there is a day coming when the saints shall appear in glory, and then the persecuted ones shall appear--to the terror, horror, and confusion of these murderous wretches who have brought the guilt of their blood upon them.
It will be with you and with all ungodly wretches as it was with Haman: he, like an ungodly wretch, had plotted and contrived the destruction of the Jews; he had sold them, as it were, to bondage, tyranny, and slavery—but the Lord wheels things gloriously around, and Haman comes to the king, and says the king to him, "What shall be done to the man whom the king is pleased to honor?" Says he, "Let the king's horse be brought, and glorious robes put on him, and let the chief nobles of the kingdom lead him and proclaim before him--Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king is pleased to honor." "Go," says the king, "and do thus to Mordecai!" But mark, (Esther 6: 11), "So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, "This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!" But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief." This is but an emblem of the punishment of wicked men, when they shall behold the saints of God, his glorious worthy ones, in their glory at this great day. Then shall they, with Haman, have their heads covered in grief, which was a sign of shame and confusion of face.
And it will be with all such ungodly wretches as it was with Belshazzar: Dan. 5:5-6, "Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way." Just thus shall it be with ungodly wretches, who oppose and murder and destroy the righteous ones. Oh! when they shall see them in glory—as when he saw the handwriting, his countenance was changed, his thoughts were troubled, his loins were loosed, and his knees dashed against one another—thus shall it be when the saints shall appear in glory! They at last shall appear glorious--to the terror, horror, and inexpressible confusion of all ungodly, bloody wretches!
4. A fourth reason why they shall appear glorious at last, is, because their glorious appearance at the last will make much for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus.The more glorious the body is--the more it makes for the glory of the head: the more glorious the bride is--the more it makes for the glory of the bridegroom: for the glory of his power, wisdom, fullness, and goodness; and therefore they shall appear glorious.
5. Then, again, they shall appear glorious at the last day, that there may be some suitableness between the head and the members. Oh, what an unlovely thing would it be to see the head to be all of fine gold, and the hands of iron, and the feet of clay! What an unlovely thing would it be to see the bridegroom in all his glorious apparel, and the bride in her rags, or her mourning dress! The Lord will have it so, that his people at last shall appear glorious, that they may be suitable to their glorious head, unto their precious bridegroom!
It is true, when Christ came first, he came clothed with flesh, and was looked upon as one who had no beauty or loveliness, that men should desire him, Isaiah 53:2-3. And such a state was the church in to whom he came. Oh! but now when he shall appear "the second time, without sin, to salvation," then he shall appear glorious; and so shall all his saints, that there may be a suitableness between the members and the head, between the bride and bridegroom.
6. And then, again, another reason why believers shall appear glorious, is, because that is the very time wherein the most wicked shall justify the goodness and mercy of God in his dealings towards his own people. Oh, many say with those in Job 21:15, "Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?" It is a strong affirmation that there is no profit. They are ready to say, when they look upon the sorrows, miseries, and evils which attend the saints in this wilderness--"Who have so many miseries, as Christians do? It is madness and folly to live holily as they live, and to do righteously as they do!" Isaiah 59:15, "Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey!" Oh, the world accounts them a company of crazy, foolish people, who refrain from evil. But God will have his people at last appear glorious, that the mouths of ungodly wretches may be stopped, that they may justify God in his goodness and mercy towards his own people. When they shall see those who they accounted monsters and fools of the world, men not worthy to live in the world, when they shall see crowns set on their heads, and glorious robes put on their backs, oh how will ungodly men gnash their teeth, and say, "Oh! we thought them fools and madmen, who thus served God, and walked with God—but now we see that we ourselves are the only fools, the only mad ones, who have turned our backs on God, and kicked at God, and that have said, "It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?" Malachi 3:14. Therefore the saints shall appear glorious at the last.
7. Then, the last reason why they shall appear glorious, is, because they shall be employed about glorious work. 1 Cor. 6:2-3, "Know you not that the saints shall judge the world?" Nay, he goes higher, "Know you not that the saints shall judge the angels?" There is a day coming when the saints shall judge the world. They shall be employed in a glorious work. Therefore they shall appear glorious; for the work in which they shall be employed shall be glorious. They shall sit as so many fellow-judges with the Lord Jesus Christ, to say Amen to the righteous sentence that Christ shall pass upon all treacherous and bloody murderers. O ungodly souls, the day is coming when those who now you have persecuted, murdered, and destroyed, they shall sit upon thrones and shall judge you; they shall say Amen to that glorious sentence that Christ at the last day shall pass upon you. There is a day coming when all those who have rejoiced in the fall of this worthy man, and those treacherous wretches who had a hand in this unparalleled butchery, when they shall hold up their hands at the bar of God's tribunal. There is a day a-coming when the saints shall appear glorious, to pass a righteous sentence upon such unrighteous, bloody wretches. That is another reason why they shall appear in glory, because they shall be employed in a glorious service, in judging the wicked world, however they have been scoffed at and despised here.
The PRACTICAL APPLICATION of this point is the main thing I shall speak to. Is it so that the saints at last shall appear glorious?
Part 2 Glorious Day of the Saints Appearance
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