And it will be with all such ungodly wretches as it was wdth Bel- shazzar : Dan. v. 5, 6, ' In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace : and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.' Just thus shall it be with ungodly wretches, that 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 : therefore 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, be- cause their glorious appearance at the last luiU make much for the lionour 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, fulness, 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 uncomely 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 un- comely thing would it be to see the bridegroom in all his glorious apparel, and the bride in her rags, or her mourning weeds ! 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 that had no form nor comeliness nor beauty, that
322 CHRIST IS THE LIFE OF BELIEVERS. [CoL. III. 4.
men should desire liim, Isa. liii. 2, 3. And such a state was the church in to whom lie 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 bride- groom.
6. And then, again, another reason why believers shall appear glorious, is, because that is the very time ivherein the most ivicked shall jiLsl if u the goodness and mercy of God in his dealings towards his own jjcojyle. Oh, here many say with those in Job xxi. 15, ' What profit is there in serving of God ?' Who would be as those men are, to carry their lives in their hands ? Who would run through so many miseries; and all for others? 'What profit is there in honour- ing of God ?' Mai. iii. 14. It is a strong affirmation that there is no profit. They are ready to say, when they look upon the sorrows, miseries, and evils that attend the saints in this wilderness, that it is madness and folly to walk holily as they walk, and to do righteously as they do. Isa. lix. 15, ' Truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil makctli himself a prey,' or a proverb, as the original hath it.i Oh, the world accounts them a company of mad, foolish people that 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 that they accounted monsters and wonders of the world, men not w^orthy 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 teeth, and say. Oh ! we thought them fools and madmen, that thus waited on God, and walked with God ; but now we see ourselves the only fools, the only mad ones, that have turned our backs on God, and kicked at God, and that have said, ' There is no profit in serving of God.' Therefore the saints shall ap])ear glorious at the last.
7. Then, the last reason why they shall appear glorious, is, because theij shall be employed about glorious icork : 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3, ' Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?' Nay, he goes higher, * Know ye 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. 0 ungodly souls, the day is coming when those that 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 Avhen all those that have rejoiced in the fall of this worthy, and those treacherous wretches that 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, and this worthy among
Col. hi. 4] christ is the life of believers. 323
the rest, to pass a rigliteoiis sentence upon such unrighteous, bloody wretches. That is another reason why they shall ai)pear 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 use of the point is the main thing I shall speak to. Is it so that the saints at last shall appear glorious ?
1. First, This serves to bespeak the 'people of God to he glorious. Oh that you would strive to be glorious now, who at last shall appear so glorious ! Oh that your words might be more glorious, that your thoughts of God might be more giorious, that your conversations might be more glorious, that your actings towards God and man might be more glorious ! The day is coming, 0 blessed souls, whenas you shall appear glorious ! Oh that you would labour now to shine in glory, who at the last shall transcend the sun in glory ! But I shall hasten to that w^iich I chiefly intend, and that is this : Is it so that believers at last shall appear glorious ? Then,
2. Second, This serves to bespeak all believers to do gloriously whiles you are Ae»'e, for you shall appear- glorioles. In this I shall endeavour these three things : —
First, To lay down some motives to move you to do gloriously here, who shall appear glorious in heaven.
Secondly, We shall shew when a man may be said to do gloriously.
Thirdly, I shall lay down some directions and helps to enable you while you are here to do gloriously ; and so proceed to other things that remain.