3. The nature of the business requireth our appearance. Partly, because in a regular judgment no man can be judged in his absence. Therefore in this great and solemn judgment we must stand as persons impleaded to hear what is alleged, and what we can say in our defence. David saith, Ps. cxxx. 3, 'If thou shouldest mark our iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?' that is, appear in the judgment, so as to be :able to make a defence. So, Ps. i. 5, ' The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment ; ' that is, the wicked shall not be able to abide the trial, have nothing to plead for themselves in the day of their final doom. And yet it is said, Eom. xiv. 10, ' We must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.' We shall stand and not stand ; stand, that is, make an appearance ; and not stand, not able to make any just defence. Festus saith, Acts xxv. 16, 'It is not the manner of the Komans to deliver any man to die before that he which is accused Jiave the accusers face to face, and have license to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.' This wasjtis gentium, not to give sentence of capital punishment against any man till he were fully heard. Their rule was, they condemned no man unheard. Surely there is all right in this solemn judgment ; he that is to be judged is to be brought into the judgment. When God arraigned our first parents (which is a type of the general judgment), he called Adam coram ; Gen. iii. 9, 10, 'Adam, where art thou? ' He brought him
YeR. 10.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 65
out of his liivking-hole where he had hid himself ; he must come into his presence and answer. And partly, because we cannot appear by a proctor. The sentence is a sentence of life and death, and there is no reason or catise of absence: Rom. xiv. 12, 'Every one must give an account of himself to God.' Now in the day of God's patience we have an advocate who appeareth for us, Heb. ix. 2i. He doth prevent wrath, represent our wants, and recommend our affairs. But now the judge Cometh to deal with every one in person.
4. The ends of the judgment require our appearance. They are two : (1.) The conviction of the parties judged. God will go upon clear evidence, and they shall have a fair hearing. When there was but one that came without a wedding garment, and he was examined, the man was speechless, Mat. xxii. 12. When every one is particularly observed and tried, there is nothing to reply, but glorifying (^od, Jude 1.5. (2) Satisfaction of the world in the righteousnesb and justice of God's proceeding. When every person is arraigned and every work is manifest, it cleareth God's justice in rewarding his own, and in punishing the wicked and ungodly ; it cleareth his justice in reward- ing the faithful ; they undergo the trial, and though they have failings, yet for the main their faith is found to ' praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ,' 1 Peter i. 7. When his people come to be judged, and have been found obedient to his commands, faithful under trials, patient under all sufferings and inconveniences, it is a faith that may be owned before men and angels. Christ will confess them before God, men and angels, Rev. iii. 5. So in punishing the wicked : Josh. vii. 19. God is glorified by the creature's conviction and acknowledgment: Ps. li. 4, 'I acknowledge mine iniquity, that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and clear when thou jiidgest.' God is justified when the creature is rewarded according to iiis own deservings. God overcometh, and we are cast in the plea and suit.
Secondly. The word signifieth to be made manifest ; and so importeth that we must all be manifested or laid open before the judgment-seat of Christ ; our persons must not only appear, but our hearts and ways be tried. It is said, Luke xii. 2, ' Tliere is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor hid, which shall not be made known.' It is brought as a reason against hypocrisy ; the innocency of God's servants is beclouded for a while, and the sin of men lieth hid for a while, but at length all shall be open, hypocrisy shall be disclosed, and sincerity shall be rewarded. So 1 Cor. iii. 13, 'Every man's work shall be manifested.' All the ways and works of wicked- ness, though acted in ever so secret a manner, shall be laid open. The scripture telleth us, at the judgment, Eccles. xii. 14, ' God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil' The final doom shall repeal all the judgments of this life, and repair them abundantly; many things that are varnished with a fair gloss and pretence here, shall then be found filthy and abominable ; and many things disguised with an ill appear- ance to the world, shall be found to be of God, approved and allowed by him. So it is said, 1 Cor. iv. 5, ' That Christ will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the