Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

Sixthly, There shall be a separation made betwixt the righteous and the wicked; the fair company of the elect sheep being set on Christ's right hand, and the reprobate goats on his left. There is no necessity to wait for this separation, till the trial be over; since the parties do rise out of their graves, with plain outward marks of distinction, as was cleared before The separation seems to be effected by that double gathering before mentioned; the one of the elect, Mark xiii. 27. the other of them that do iniquity, Matth. xiii. 41. The elect, being caught up together in the clouds, meet the Lord in the air, (1 Thess iv. 17.) and so are set on his right hand: and the reprobate left on the earth (Matth. xxv. 40) upon the Judge's left hand Here is now a total separation of two parties, who were always opposite to each other, in their principles, aims, and manner of life; who, when together, were a burden the one to the other, under which the one groaned, and the other raged: but now they are freely parted, never to come together any more. The iron and clay (allude to Daniel ii. 41, 43.) which could never mix, are quite separated: the one being drawn up into the air, by the attractive virtue of the stone cut out of the mountain, namely, Jesus Christ: the other left upon its earth, to be trod under foot.

Now let us look to the right hand, and there we will see a glorious company of saints, shining as so many stars in their orbs: and with a cheerful countenance beholding him, who sitteth upon the throne. Here will be two wonderful sights, which the world used not to see. (1.) A great congregation of saints, in which not so much as one hypocrite, There was a bloody Cain in Adam's family, a cursed Ham in Noah's family, in the ark; a treacherous Judas, in Christ's own family: but in that company shall be none but sealed ones, members of Christ, having all one Father. And this is a sight reserved for that day. (2.) All the godly upon one side. Seldom or never do the saints on earth make such a harmony, but there are some jarring strings among them. It is not to be expected, that men who see but in part, though they be all going to one city, will agree as to every step in the way: no, we need not look for it in this state of imperfection. But at that day, Paul and Barnabas shall meet in peace and unity, though once the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder, the one from the other.