USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Taunton > The ministry of Taunton, with incidental notices of other professions > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
5. THE day of judgment will be a great day ; because Christ will come in the character of a judge. Because he; that is, God, hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead .* And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he : that is Christ, which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead.t Agreeable to thesc texts are his own words. The Father judgeth no man ; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son .; When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him ; then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.§ To represent himself as sitting on a throne in the day of judgment, is representing himself as one that would act as king and judge. For a throne is a token of royalty and judgment.
WHEN he appeared in the flesh, he acted as a Saviour. He opened the way of life to mankind. He stated the terms of salvation, and invited sinners to return to the Lord in his name. He preached. He wept over sinners. He died on the cross to atone for their sins. After his resurrection, he sent his Heralds abroad among the nations
* Acts xvii. 31.
§ Mat. xxv. 31.
+ Acts x. 42.
# John v. 22.
101
JUDSON'S SERMON IN 1790.
to inform people, that they were sinful, helpless and ruin- ed, and going to endless destruction ; and inform them, who he was, and invite them to believe in him, and live for ever. He holds out the golden sceptre, and invites us to arise, touch it and live. He will continue to offer sal- vation to mankind to the end of the world. Then he will cease to offer mercy to sinners; for then he will appear as a judge to call mankind to his tribunal, to examine, and pass sentence, according to each one's character. Now he offers pardon and life ; he will then treat them as they treat his offer. Now he proposes eternal life, speaks with sinners by his word, and most kindly asks them to accept his glorious offer of mercy; then he will ask how they treated his offer. And all those, who, now in the day of grace, accept the proposal, he will sentence to eternal life, and those, who do not, he will cast into eternal misery. Thus his appearance will be for a very different purpose from what it was, when he came as Saviour.
6. IT will be a great day, because Christ will judge all moral beings, of which we have any account.
HE will judge every one of mankind. Adam with his numerous offspring will be present. Not a man will es- cape trial. The most worthless and respectable, the sin- ner and the righteous, must appear before Christ.
HE will judge the fallen angels. When God created the angels, it is supposed by some Divines, that it was re- vealed in heaven, that one would be born of man, whom the angels would be commanded to worship ; that many of the angels disdained the idea; that this pride in their hearts was their sin, and that which made them devils. Be this as it may. It is evident, that vast numbers of the angels turned rebels to God, and became devils. All
9*
102
THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
these evil beings will be judged in the great day. Not an individual will escape the penetrating eye of the judge. None can hide themselves in the dark regions. All must come forth and give their attendance at the tribunal of Christ. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlast- ing chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day .* If God spared not the angels which sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment.t
HE will judge the holy angels. They will all be pres- ent. He will lay open their amiable character to the as- sembled universe of intellectual beings ; and will most pub- licly approve of them as his friends, and faithful servants.
THUS three worlds, heaven, earth and hell will be judg- ed. This will be an event infinitely great. If one poor mortal is taken from a prison, and carried before a civil judicature, and tried for the life of his body, it engages the attention of many people, and renders the day of his trial memorable and great in his family and among his connections. But how much greater will that day be, when all mankind, and all good and bal spirits, shall ap- pear before Christ, and be tried, and be sentenced some to eternal happiness, and others to eternal misery.
7. Ir will be a great day ; because all the dead will be raised.
THAT the body must die, and be put into the ground, to be devoured by worms, is a most serious consideration. To day you live ; to-morrow you die, next day you are carried away, and laid in the cold earth. The heart of the vain, and the heart of the infidel, may laugh at the
* Jude, verse 6.
+ 2 Peter ii. 4.
103
JUDSON'S SERMON IN 1790.
idca; but both of them will feel distressed, beyond what human tongue can describe, when death comes to call them away.
BUT the time approaches when the dead will be raised. Elijah, a great Prophet in Israel, raised to life the son of the widow of Zarephath. Elisha, his successor, raised the son of the Shunammite. When Elisha was dead, and lay in his sepulchre, a dead corpse, which was let down into the same grave, revived, as soon as it touched the bones of Elisha. Those Prophets were a type of Christ. Their raising the dead, a type that Christ would raise the dead. At least, it shows that such an event is possible.
WE have passages of scripture, which expressly declare, that the dead shall be raised. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame, and everlasting contempt .* These words were spoken by the prophet Daniel, and pretty fully declare, that men will awake from their slumber in the grave. "The moment, that I was writing this sentence, struck the clock nine, in a few moments more said I, I shall retire to rest on my pillow, but may awake and arise in the morning. After a few days, at most, I shall retire to the cold earth, where my dust will remain till the day of judgment. Then I shall awake and come forth; for Christ says;" Verily verily I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the deud shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.t
CHRIST delivered these words in the days of his incar- nation. " The hour is coming, when those, who are dead and in the grave shall hear my voice and shall live. And now is, the hour now is; that is, in this time, while I am
Dan. xii. 2.
t John v. 25.
104
THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
among you the dead hear my voice and rise." He raised three in the time he was executing his commission as Sa- viour. Some were raised at his resurrection. At the end of the world he will raise every one. The venerable gray hair and blooming youth, the parent and child, will come forth out of the ground. That power, which quick- ened Lazarus, will be able to collect the dust of men, and call back their souls to take possession of their bodies. The multitudes of unhappy mortals, who have been buried in the seas, will be called into life. Vast plains, where dead bodies, slain in battle, have been left to putrify above ground, without the honor of a decent interment, will be covered with living men, whose dust now lies mingled with the common dust of the earth. Every plat of ground, devoted to receive the dead, will open its graves and send forth all that have been buried in them.
8. THE vast number of rational beings, that will be to- gether, will make the day great.
Now angels live in heaven ; devils in hell; mankind live in different ages of the world, and scattered all over the earth. Even people of the same family are separated ; some in the grave; and some among the living. Then angels, men and devils will be collected before the judg- ment seat of Christ. What an amazing number will be together. Xerxes collected an army of five millions. But what was that number, compared with the present inhabi- tants of the earth ? Still less, compared with all the gen- erations before the flood ; and from the flood to Christ; and from the days of Christ to this time; and from this time down to the end of the world. And less yet, if we add, as we must, the whole host of angels, and all the fal- len spirits. Truly the collection of the inhabitants of
105
JUDSON'S SERMON IN 1790.
three worlds, of heaven, carth and hell, at the judgment seat of Christ, will make the day great.
9. IT will be a great day ; because every one will be attentive.
ANGELS are now attentive to things of eternity. Their attention is employed in pleasing thoughts on God, and the things of religion. Devils attend to the things of eternity. They live in eternity ; and cannot help attend- ing to everlasting things. The souls of all good people, that are dead, attend to nothing else, but the things of religion. Perhaps, some of our departed christian friends are this day delightfully conversing together on the temp- tations, trials and dangers, through which they passed on their journey to heaven. Departed souls of wicked people attend to eternal things. They have no pleasing amuse- ments ; no hours of merriment ; no ambitious prospects ; no hopes of deliverance. To them all is eternity. And they have nothing, to which they attend, but eternal things. A few, in this world, attend. They wake up out of the sleep of security, attend, inquire, and feel concerned. But the great body of people will not attend. They know that they must die, but it gives them no trouble. To die, and appear before God, and be given up to eternal happi- ness, or misery, are matters of so little importance in their view, that they do not give them a serious thought, or one painful reflection. They are so stupid, that the most alarming considerations will not excite their fear, or put them upon serious inquiry, " what they shall do ?"
BUT in the day of judgment, all men will be roused into attention. There will not be a careless spectator among the whole. The call to come forward to the tribu- nal will excite the attention of every one. Who, when he
106
THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
sees the judge on his throne, surrounded with his refulgent glory, can feel indifferent and unconcerned ? Who, when he sees worlds in flames, and all moral beings waiting the final decision of the judge, can be inattentive ? When a town or society of people are awakened, and are under conviction of sin, it excites their attention to eternal things. They hear with solicitude; they converse, and are inquisitive. Such a day becomes memorable, and is esteemed a great day. But what is this compared to the day in which all intellectual existences will be awake to matters of the first magnitude. To see a few people awakened is really a great affair; but to see worlds awak- ened, is infinitely greater.
10. IT will be a great day on account of the joys and sorrows that will fill all hearts, at that time. Those that will weep, will weep most bitterly. And those that will rejoice, will rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
THE day will present the most brilliant scenes to all good beings. They will see the divine perfections shine most conspicuously, which will excite, in their joyful breasts, the highest happiness. Divine justice and sover- eignty, mercy and wisdom, which they will clearly see, will charm their souls, and fill them with the purest pleas- ure. They will see the wisdom of many providences, which now appear dark and mysterious. They will un- derstand the end, God has in view, in governing the world as he does. This will give them admiration and delight. Even God, himself, will take infinite delight in showing his true character in a clear light ; and he will take infinite pleasure in seeing the displays of himself; and he will take pleasure in that pleasure which good beings will take in beholding him. Thus there will be happiness in the breasts of all good beings.
107
JUDSON'S SERMON IN 1790.
WICKED beings will be filled with the deepest distress. A view of God gives pain to a sinner. In the day of judgment, sinners will have clear views of God, which will put them to the most distressing pain. The day will be a day of lamentation and woe. When sinners will be called forward for trial, they will not expect to be acquitted. As soon as their souls depart from this world, they know that they must be eternally miserable. And this idea will abide by them forever. When they go forward to the judgment seat for trial, they will know that the judge will not acquit them; but expose all their sins to the assembled universe of intellectual beings; that their badness may appear to all; that the sentence, which dooms to everlast- ing misery, may appear just. What horror will this give them! What shame and remorse will they feel ! when re- flecting that they are going before a judge, who will show what hateful, ill-deserving creatures they are, and that he will be just in punishing them forever.
11. Ir will be a great day; because of the conviction that will take place in the minds of sinners.
ONE great end of the day of judgment is to convict the wicked of their sins. Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him .*
SINNERS do many things now, which they think are right, who will be convinced, in the day of judgment, that they are wrong. Now sinners think it no sin to give themselves up to pleasure: then they will be convinced,
* Jude, verses 14, 15.
108
THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
that instead of pursuing their pleasures, they ought to have spent the time in prayer, reading and meditation. Now they think it is no sin to take advantage of others, and get good bargains for themselves, and cheat if they have an opportunity ; and some carry it so far as to say, it is no hurt to lie, if they can get something by it: then they will be convinced that such conduct is sinful, and that they ought to have regarded the good of others, as they did their own good. Now they think it well enough to recreate themselves upon the sabbath, and neglect the worship and ordinances of God: then they will be con- vinced of the sin of this conduct. Of the sin of these, and of all their other ungodly deeds, they will be convinc- ed.
AND they will be convicted of the sin of all their hard speeches against God. Sinners say a great deal against God. Volumes are written to find fault with his sacred truths. Some pulpits sound loud with such things as, at least, imply complaints against the Most High. Sinners complain of the peculiar, distinguishing doctrines of the gospel. In the day of judgment they will be convinced that it is wicked to talk about God as they do. Now they say " God is an hard master:" then they will be convinc- ed, that it is a sin to talk in this manner. Now they say, "that if he acts as a sovereign he is unjust :" then they will be convinced, that it is sinful to talk thus. Now they say, "it is unjust to be called upon to love God with all the heart, to repent of sin, and believe in the Lord Jesus, when," as they say, "they cannot:" then sinners will be led to see, that it was nothing but an evil heart, which kept them from loving, repenting and believing; and that to excuse themselves on account of a wicked heart is real-
109
JUDSON'S SERMON IN 1790.
ly criminal. Now they find fault with the way of life by Christ. "Must we," say they, " renounce our righteous- ness, heartily confess that we deserve to be cast into hell, and look to Jesus for salvation, and believe in him on pain of eternal ruin. This is hard. This is cruel." In the day of Judgment, they will be convicted of the sin of talking in this manner. Now sinners ridicule religion, call sober, conscientious people whimsical. And the man, who abides by the doctrines, which he professes, and pleads for the cause of religion, they call superstitious. Of the sin of all these hard speeches, which are in effect against God, they will be convinced in the day, when they appear before God. For Christ is to convince all that are ungodly of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. It will be really a great event to convince a world of sinful men, of all their vile deeds, and of all the hard things, which they say of God.
12. IT will be a great day; because there will be an end to the means of grace, an end to the world, and all things in it.
No more warnings will be given to sinners. Every saint will then go home to rest from trials and afflictions. Sabbaths will be swallowed up in one eternal sabbath in heaven. The heralds of the Lord Jesus will go forth no more to preach the terrors of the Law, and administer the balm of the gospel. No more opportunities for prayer will be granted to poor sinners; neither will the saints lift up one cry to the God of mercies in their behalf. The great work of redemption, as it relates to what is done in this world will be finished.
CHRIST will then have no further use for this earth, and worlds subservient to it. He will, therefore, destroy it
10
110
THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
and them. He will put in his sickle, reap the harvest, and give up the field to fire. The heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, re- served unto fire, against the day of judgment, and perdi- tion of ungodly men .* The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.t Fields and vineyards will be destroyed, and cultivated no more. The sun will forget to rise and set. The moon will not know her place The horrors of war, and the songs of the gay will totally cease. Like noble structures and lofty piles tumbling down in a city consuming in flames of fire, material worlds will tumble from their magnificence, and perish in one general confla- gration. How tremendous the scene! How great the day !
13. OTHER things, which will make the day of judg- ment great, will be the separation that the judge will make between the righteous and the wicked, and the sentence that he will pass.
He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats : and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.# In ancient days when people were tried by civil courts, the innocent were ordered by the judge to go over on the right hand ; the guilty on the left. In allusion to this practice, our Saviour speaks of placing the righteous on the right hand, the wicked on the left.
HE will separate families. He will set the pious parent on the right, and his wicked children on the left. The pious brother and sister on the right hand, the wicked pa-
* 2 Pet. iii. 7 + 2 Pct. iii. 10.
# Matt. xxv. 32, 33.
111
JUDSON'S SERMON IN 1790.
rent, brethren and sisters on the left. On the right hand will stand Enoch, Moses and all the saints, who lived be- fore Christ. Also all, who belong to the society of believ- ers in the days of the gospel. Our christian friends, who belonged to this town, who are departed, you will see on the right hand of the judge. On the left you see Judas, who sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. Judas, wouldst thou not give more than that goodly price to be delivered from thy Judge! There stands Pilate with pale face, and trembling limbs, who passed sentence, that Christ should be crucified. Wouldst thou not give worlds and all the equipage that once adorned thy court to be saved from the sentence, that Jesus is about to pass on thee. And what great multitude is that, which we behold? It is that which is composed of Jews, who insulted Christ on the cross, and all unbelievers, waiting to hear the dreadful sentence from him, whom in this life they despised.
WHEN the trial is finished, and the separation made, the judge will pass sentence. Come, ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world .* Songs of praise will burst from the vast host of the righteous, expressive of their joyful feelings, and of their admiration of the grace of God in their salvation. All become silent, the whole multitude of good and evil beings solemn and attentive. The judge with a voice, that will be heard through the vast host, passes sentence against the wicked. Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.t They sink under the sentence down to eternal woe. The righteous ascend in triumph to eternal joys.
* Mat. xxv. 34.
t Mat. xxv. 41.
112
THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
LET us now close this interesting and solemn subject with a very brief application.
I. CHRIST hath a great character.
WE often judge of characters by what they do. In this way, we may judge of the character of Christ. Will he raise the dead, and judge every moral being in heaven, earth and hell, he will do a great work, that infinitely tran- scends the ability of any finite being. Can any being, that is not infinitely powerful, wise and just, do such a great work ? The work is so great, that it gives the most exalted thoughts of him, and compels us into a belief, that he is God.
II. ARE we to be judged for what we do in this life, and to be treated according to the character, which we form here, the time of life is important.
WE live but a short time. The oldest person can say, that his days are few. But a few live to old age. Some die in youth. Others are cut off in the midst of their days. In this short life, every one of us are forming characters, in which we shall appear in the great day of trial. How important then is the time of life.
III. ARE we to appear before Christ to be judged, it highly concerns us to secure an interest in his favor.
HIS smiles will be life. His frowns will be death. Who, in his senses, wishes to spend his short life in sin, provoke Christ, and receive the sentence : Depart ye curs- ed.
IV. WE have a most interesting scene before us.
A SICK bed is interesting. Death is interesting. But the day of judgment is more interesting; for cach one of us must be present, and have a part in the transactions of the day. We now realize life. We shall realize death.
113
JUDSON'S SERMON IN 1790.
We shall realize the solemn things of the day of judgment. It is certain that the offers of mercy are made to us. But not more certain, than that we shall be judged. The day being distant does not lessen its interesting nature. When the time comes, it will be as important to us, as if it should begin to day. It was as interesting to Pilate, who lived seventeen hundred years ago, as it is to a man, who lives in this age. You will, dear friends, feel the truth of this observation, when you meet Christ in judgment. De- lays, objections and unbelief will not save you from the trial. Rocks and mountains cannot cover you from the knowledge of the judge. Be you, where you may, his summons will arrest, and carry you to the tribunal. AMEN.
10*
APPENDIX TO CHAPTER THIRD.
NOTE A. Page 38.
Ir does not comport with the plan of this work to enter mi- nutely into a history of the unhappy differences, which sprung up in town a little before the beginning of the present century. A few facts only, contained in the authentic Records of the times, will be given.
"Nov. 12, 1790. At a meeting of the church, convened at Dea. Robert Crossman's, the following questions were submit- ted to the church, and votes passed :
1st. Whether the church are satisfied with the doctrines, preaching, and christian conduct of the Rev. Ephraim Judson, the Pastor? Voted in the affirmative.
2d. Whether the church wish to continue him in the ministry, if it be thought consistent with his usefulness, and the good of the Congregational Society? Voted in the affirmative. In cach of the above votes," say the Records, " there was no dis- senting voice, excepting one brother, who chose not to vote, be- cause he did not like the MODE of proceeding."
At this meeting, the church appointed a Committee, of which Brig. Gen. George Godfrey was Chairman, "to prepare an ad- dress to the congregation, asking for their cooperation and aid in the support of Mr. Judson." In this address, they " deplore a disagreable dissolution of that connection which has now for some years been sustained. In that case," they continue, "it appears to us somewhat alarming, and that serious consequences will unavoidably be the effect of such a dissolution. Said church are unanimously of opinion, that should a separation
115
COUNCIL CALLED IN 1790.
between our present Pastor and us take place, by reason of the difficulties aforesaid, (they had enumerated some of them, ) the probability of a division in this society for the future will be the effect, although we the said members have not the remotest wish for such a separation. As embracers of the doctrines practiced by our forefathers of real religion, at their emigration over the Atlantic to this country, the church propose in no wise to be deficient according to their ability, in continuing our present Pastor in the work of the ministry. Notwithstanding, should you be of a mind very different, respecting his remaining in that relation to us, and in consequence thereof, contentions, separations and divisions take place among us, we are persuad- ed, you will by no means whatever, charge us as being accesso- ry thereto."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.