Ver.4.] CHRIST THE JUDGE OF OUR SPIKITUAL CONDITION. 543
one part of the soul's depths to have false apprehensions of its condi- tion. Sin is a madness, Eccles. ix. 3 ; so far as any one is under the power of it, he is under the power of madness. Madness doth not sooner nor more effectually discover itself in any way or thing than in possessing them in whom it is with strange conceits and appre- hensions of themselves. So doth this madness of sin, according unto its degrees and prevalency. Hence some cry, " Peace, peace," when "sudden destruction is at hand," 1 Thess. v. 3. It is that madness, under whose power they are, which gives them such groundless ima- ginations of themselves and their own condition. And some say they are lost for ever, when God is with them.
Do you, then, your duty, and let Christ judge of your state. Your concernment is too great to make it a reasonable demand to com- mit the judgment of your condition to any other. When eternal welfare or woe are at the stake, for a man to renounce his own thoughts, to give up himself implicitly to the judgment of men fal- lible and Hars like himself, is stupidity. But there is no danger of being deceived by the sentence of Christ. The truth is, whether we will or no, he will judge; and according as he determines, so shall things be found at the last day: John v. 22, " The Father judgeth no man" (that is, immediately and in his own person), " but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." All judgment that respects eternity, whether it be to be passed in this world or in that to come, is committed unto him. Accordingly in tliat place he judgeth both of things and persons. Things he determines upon, verse 24, " He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation ; but is passed from death unto life." Let men say what they please, this sentence shall stand; faith and eternal life are inseparably conjoined. And so of persons, verse 38, " Ye have not" (saith he to the Pharisees, who were much otherwise minded) " the word of God abiding in you."
Take not, then, the office and prerogative of Christ out of his hand, by making a judgment, upon your own reasonings and conclusions and deductions, of your estate and condition. You will find that he oftentimes, both on the one hand and on the other, determines quite contrary to what men judge of themselves, as also to what others judge of them. Some he judgeth to be in an evil condition, who are very confident that it is well with them, and who please them- selves in the thoughts of many to the same purpose. And he judg- eth the state of some to be good, who are diffident in themselves, and, it may be, despised by others. We may single out an example or two in each kind:^
1. Laodicea's judgment of herself and her spiritual state we have.
544! AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver.4).
E.ev. iii. 17: "I am rich, anJ increased with goods, and have need of nothing." A fair state it seems, a blessed condition ! She wants nothing that may contribute to her rest, peace, and reputation : she is orthodox, and numerous, and flourishing; makes a fair profession, and all is Avell within ! So she believes, so she reports of herself; wherein there is a secret reflection also upon others whom she despiseth : " Let them shift as they list, I am thus as I say." But was it so with her indeed ? was that her true condition, whereof she was so persuaded as to profess it unto all? Let Jesus Christ be heard to speak in this cause, let him come and judge. " I will do so," saith he : verse 1 4, " Thus saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness." Coming to give sentence in a case of this importance, he gives him- self this title, that we may know his word is to be acquiesced in. " Every man," saith he, " is a liar: their testimony is of no value, let them pronounce what they will of themselves or of one another, ' I am the Amen,' and I will see whose word shall stand, mine or theirs." What, then, saith he of Laodicea? " Thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Oh, woful and sad disappointment ! Oh, dreadful surprisal ! Ah ! how many Laodicean churches have we in the world ! how many professors are members of these churches! not to mention the generality of men that live under the means of grace; all which have good hoj^es of their eternal condition, whilst they are despised and abhorred by the only Judge. Among professors themselves, it is dreadful to think how many will be found light when they come to be weighed in this balance.
2. Again: he judgeth sojue to be in a good conditio)!, be they themselves never so diffident. Kev. ii. 9, saith he to the church of Smyrna, " I know thy poverty." Smyrna was complaining that she was a poor, contemptible congregation, not fit for him to take any notice of. " Well," saith he, " fear not. ' I know thy poverty,' whereof thou complainest ; ' but thou art rich.' That is my judgment, testimony, and sentence, concerning thee and thy condition." Such will be his judgment at the last day, when both those on the one hand and on the other shall be surprised with his sentence, — the one with joy at the riches of his grace, the other with terror at the seve- rity of his justice. Matt. xxv. 37-40, 44, 45. This case is directly stated in both the places mentioned in the entrance of this discourse; as in that, for instance, Isa. xlix. 14, " Zion said, The Lord hath for- saken me." That is Zion's judgment of herself, and her state and condition ; a sad report and conclusion. But doth Christ agi'ee ^nth Zion in this sentence? The next verse gives us his resolution of this matter: " Can," saith he, " a woman forget her sucking chikl, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb I yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." The state of things, in