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death_n	eternal_a	life_n	lord_n	11,091	5	3.8914	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49289	An alarm to slumbring Christians, or the parable of the wise and foolish virgins and of the talents, sheep and goats; being a plain and practical exposition of the whole XXV chapter of St. Matthews gospel, calling upon all professors to a strict and constant watchfulness, lest their Lord at his certain and second coming, find them not ready, but with their lamps gone out. By Samuel Loveday	Loveday, Samuel, 1619-1677.; Gosnold, John, 1625?-1678.	1675 (1675)	Wing L3231; ESTC R216910	188,072	322

Because that overthrow and punishment is never recovered they have as it were an entrance into eternal punishment as the Devils are said to be reserved in chains of darkness unto the Judgment of the great day To further strengthen this position that the punishment of reprobates is endless I urge these Arguments following as reasons of the Doctrine First From the Judgment it self pronounced at that day it is eternal so called Heb. 6.2 Eternal Judgment without exception and it is a principle to be believed that the Judgment indefinitely considered is eternal not eternal to the righteous and temporal to the wicked Secondly The bodies of each are at that day raised in an immortal estate redeemed by Christ from mortality where Adam left them To this Daniel speaks ch 12.2 Many of them that slept in the dust awaked some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shom and contempt Thirdly It is endless with respect to the circumstance of time when it is pronounced when the day of grace is past and the day of wrath takes place the sentence at that day is irrevocable no appeal from this Bar as Abraham tells Dives in the Parable there is a great gulf fixed so as that they that are in Hell cannot come where Abraham is Fourthly The sentence then pronounced is to endless pain because there can be no means to expiate sin no Christ to dye again If a person dye in his sins he rises in them and is condemned for them and there can be no after means to expiate them but the wrath of God remaineth on them Jo● 3.36 Fifthly From this second death there is no redemption none but the Son of God could redeem man from the first death but who shall redeem him from the second We read of no redemption from the second death not man by all he can do or suffer Psal 49. No man can redeem his Brother nor give a ransom to God There remains no more sacrifice for sin But some will frame an Objection from Christs words Mat. 5. that we may suppose a payment of our debt by punishment hereafter because Christ saith he shall not come out till thou hast paid the utmost farthing From whence some in my hearing have pleaded a possibilily of escaping by paying To which I answer by explaining the Period untill which bears a twofold acceptation in Scripture sometimes it is understood for a limited time and sometimes for an endless As when it is spoken of Michal the daughter of Saul wife of David who despised David dancing before the Ark it is said She had no Child until or till the day of her death It might as well have been said she never had a Child more at all And it is sometimes understood in a limited time as Psal 123. Our eyes wait upon the Lord till he have mercy on us We read of another place Luk. 12. where Christ speaks of few and many stripes some shall be beaten with many stripes others with few stripes from whence it is argued that some shall have less and some shall have more from whence some urge difference of periods To which I answer That Christ in that place hath not respect to length of time but weight of misery though in his speaking he alludeth to the custom of the Jews paying by stripes who gave many or few according to the fact And this is more clear if it be considered with the future state of the Saints for though it be concluded on all hands that the happiness and glory of the Saints is endless yet the glory of the Saints differs in the degrees of it as one Star differs from another not in truth of continuance But it is further objected that it cannot agree with the Justice and equity of God Almighty to punish a moments sin with an endless torment To which I answer in three words thus First As to the design of the sinner he deserves it he would have sinned longer if he had lived longer he sinned out his own eternity and as the Hebrew phrases it he must be punished God's eternity As for instance a Company of Gamesters are set down to play at Cards or Dice all night but one comes and blows out the Candle and so they can proceed no further The question is whose fault it was they did not play all night Not the Gamesters So if the sinner were not prevented by a short life he would still sin When men lived nine hundred or near a thousand years they were as bad at last as at first Secondly Consider that the God he sins against is an infinite eternal God which doth greatly aggravate the sin As for instance for a person to speak against an ordinary person is easily past by but to speak against a King is death The Majesty of God whom the sin is committed against doth greatly magnifie the sin Thirdly Such a person who is so punished is but punished according to his own choice He had eternal life and eternal death set before him to take his choice Deut. 11.26 27. ch 30. Life or death was Gods offer to him and he chose this part Joh. 3.14 He chose darkness rather than light And Christ complains they will not come to me that they may have life therefore they must needs have deat● These things considered do instruct us that to Preach Hell and damnation is to Preach Gospel Doctrine it is the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus the only Gospel Minister This was the Doctrine of St. John Mat. 3. Mat. 5.25 Christ perswades his enemies to make peace with him for fear of this Prison This is Christs Doctrine to the bad in the Church Mat. 13. and to others Mat. 23.14 15 33. Christ Preacht damnation Joh. 3.36 Such Doctrine doth St. Paul Preach Rom. 2. Tribulation and wrath upon every Soul of man that doth evil And see that thundring execration threatned by him 1 Cor. 16.22 Anathema Maranatha So 2 Thes 1.8 9. Heb. 10. ch 12. Rev. 14. The Gospel is not only glad tidings but threatning upon refusal Secondly If the punishment of reprobates is endless then how doth this serve to set out the folly and madness of those that for a moments pleasure expose themselves to this eternal endless pain Of which sort are most men notwithstanding Well might Solomon call them Fools who make a mock of sin Thirdly Study and confer much with eternity seeing such a state will be consult it dayly and in particular study this torment so as to avoid it let this terror of the Lord perswade men Fourthly Information to those on this side the grave and this eternal torment know this for thy encouragement that God hath not necessitated thee to this state of torment but on the contrary he is taking pains with thee that thou mightest escape it We have one Circumstance more considerable in order to the Close of our Lords Sentence to them on the left hand which is in these words prepared for the Devil

fain fasten upon his Disciples minds in order to the duty of vvatchfulness and therefore we have it repeated over again and again you may see Math. 24. three times in that Chapter ver 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man ver 42. Ye know not what hour your Lord doth come ver 44. In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh Mark 13.32 33. This is a secret lockt up in the breast of the Father alone this is not known to Angels no not to Christ himself but the Father only ver 36. therefore when Christs Disciples would have known the time Christ only gives them predictions and forerunners not a precise time and when the Disciples asked Christ again Act. 1.7 it is not saith he for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath kept in his own hands Quest But why may not Christs Disciples know the day and hour and why is it so inculcated upon them as aforesaid First Because he would not have persons pry into it God would not have man to pry into this secre● of Christs Second coming Deut. 29.19 Secre● things belong to God this is one of them There hath been a double evil amongst men in the Apostles times concerning his coming some put the day too far from them as those 2 Pet 3. others brought it too near as those 2 Thes 2. now to prevent both our Lord would not have us busie our selves too nicely about it telling of us the knowledg is not attainable Secondly It is thus reiterated and inculcated the uncertainty of Christ coming that we might always be ready for it this is the scope of our Text therefore persons in general have their deaths concealed that they may with Job all their appointed time wait till their change come The Thief doth not use to tell when he will come which calleth upon the house-holder to be always ready and provided for him which is Christs Argument to his Disciples Object But doth not Christ seem to intimate Luk. 21.30 31 32. that his disciples may as easily know his coming and day as the Husbandman may know when Summer is near I Answer he may know the season in general not the day or hour so a man that grows grey may judge death is near but he knows not the day nor hour nor you neither in which he shall dye so we in like manner may judge our Lords coming is not far off this day by those forerunners which are as the grey hairs preceeding a mans death Vse We have two things implyed in this verse First That Christ comes when he cometh suddainly Secondly When he comes he comes as the Son of man the consideration of both which may be profitable to us that we may so look for him First As coming suddenly Secondly As coming as the Son of man So I have done with the thirteenth verse and with the first Parable The Parable of the Talents c. We now proceed to vers 14 15. For the Kingdom of Heaven is as a man travelling into a far Country who called unto him his own Servants and delivered unto them his goods 15. verse And unto one he gave five Talents to another two and to another one to every one according to his several ability and straightway took his Journey Our Lord Jesus was much affected with this parabolical speaking when he was on earth we find him laying down eight Parables in one Sermon of his Mat. 13. if we take in one omitted by Mat. taken in by Mark 4.26 and indeed he was so frequent in this kind of speaking that it is said vvithout a parable spake he not Mat. 13.34 and he knevv this vvas a profitable speaking no vvay like this to insinuate and command the Judgment and affections There are tvvo original vvords to signifie a parable the first vvord as the learned tells us signifies to rule or to govern as a Prince others derive the original vvord vvhich vve render parable from a Root vvhich signifies to be li●e or make like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich agreeth vvith the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parable therefore this was the very vvay that Nathan took vvith David vvhen he had sinned by the Parable of the Evve Lamb 2 Sam. 12. this ruled him and overcame him Every Parable is made up of three Circumstances First The Rind or bark the vvord in vvhich it is spoken Secondly The root and occasion of it Thirdly The moral and application of it vvhich is the chief thing that vve are to inquire after in 〈◊〉 Parable vvhat it teacheth us We are novv come to our Lords second Parable contained in this Chapter vvhich is the Parable of the Talents repeated also by Luk. chap. 19. And this Parable seems to rise from a double root if vve take in Luke vvhich is a Parallel place to this in Luk. 19. Christ seems to ansvver to a secret thought arising in their hearts from somevvhat forespoken by our Lord from vvhence they gathered that his Kingdom should immediately appear see Luk. 19.11 vvhich to take off he tells them he must first take a great Jouney to receive it Secondly Taking this Parable according to our Context Mat. 25. the great scope and design of it is to provoke to industry in his absence If any should question or be at a loss in themselves for what cause the foolish Virgins were excluded Christ doth in this following Parable powerfully assert that the ground of their loss and disappointment lay here that they did not improve the stock committed to them to trade with for idleness not for spending but hiding what thy were intrusted with The Kingdom of Heaven These words are not in the original in most Copies extant yet it may be judged a rational and necessary supplement because it agrees with the first verse of this Chapter and is the preface of most other Parables see Mat. 13. Kingdom of Heaven it is that unto which those things may answer But I shall omit speaking unto this preface part●y because I have spoken to it before upon ver 1. and partly because it is not in the original Text. We now proceed to the words which are a Parable and in this Parable we have eight circumstances considerable First The Journey taken Secondly The end for which according to Luk. 19. Thirdly We have the house set in order for his absence Fourthly We have the behaviour of his Servants in his absence Fifthly We have the return of the Master Sixthly The reckoning called for by the Master Seventhly The reward of the industrious and faithful Eightly The severe punishment of the slothful Servant These are the considerable parts of this Parable which I shall speak unto as I proceed But before I come closely to this Parable give me leave to inquire into these four things relating to this Parable First Who is this man Secondly What is this Journey Thirdly Who be these Servants Fourthly What are the

people 1 Cor. 29.14 All things 〈◊〉 of thee and of thine own have we given thee And whereas many are apt to Judg that this Pa● doth incourage man to trust to his own righteouness I Answer That our own righteousness must su●pose a righteousness without faith or distinct 〈◊〉 faith and that trusted in without an eye to Christ and his righteousness but know this that there in righteousness called the Righteousness of Saints and this Righteousness of Saints upon true and right beses hath an honourable esteem with Christ Rev. 19.8 the white linnen is the righteousness of Saints and John saith he that doth righteousness is righteous ● he is righteous Now because this part seems to border upon the former I shall leave but a brief word of application unto it and that is this That God 〈◊〉 no respecter of persons according to Acts 19.35 that is a certain truth which we ought to receive Now herein doth God clear himself from respect of persons in that he doth dispense to each person according to his works Part. 2. From hence we may take great incouragement to righteousness and holiness Study what St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 15.58 Your labour is not is vain in the Lord. Part. 3. The Consideration of this part may be 〈◊〉 means to caution persons against sin because thou shalt be certain to receive according to thy works Part. 4. And the main is drawn from the reason ●here given by Christ which doth center in Charity the Part was this That Mercy Charity and Almes extended to Christs true brethren whilst here on earth is above all services acceptable to God and brings in greatest profit to a person at Christs appearance these services of Charity are superintendent above all other services whatsoever in Christians This part is sounded upon 3 Circumstances in this Text First we have the grac● of Charity only made mention of by Christ at this day therefore it must needs be mighty acceptable to him Secondly we have Christs favourable aspect and amicable Countenance on these thereupon Thirdly The Kingdom is received upon this very ground Almes and Charity Distribution to the poor is compared to Sowing 2 Cor. 9. which doth naturally produce increase it is a casting seed into the earth or as Solomon upon the waters In handling this part I shall speak to these five heads a few words First prove the Point in both parts the acceptance to God and profit to our selves Secondly shew the nature and root of our Alms and Charity in order to this end Thirdly offer some Scripture-Reasons why it is so Fourthly speak something to the Subjects of our Charity Fifthly make some use of the whole 1. That Charity is so acceptable to God when rightly performed See James 28. this is Called pure religion and undefiled before God or in his right this is pure Religion or the highest Re●●gion 2. This is Called good Works Works of Cha●● above all works are Called good Works they most 〈◊〉 all resemble God who is good to all That they a●● called good works see Acts 9.16 spoken of Dorc● who the text saith was full of good works 1 Tim● But which becomes women professing Godliness 〈◊〉 good works Heb. 13. But to do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is 〈◊〉 pleased 3. The person found in the services is in Scripture called a good person Psal 112. a good man he 〈◊〉 called that is found in it 4. This service is very acceptable from those imp●tations put upon it see Luke 11.41 But rather give almes of such things as you have and behold all thing are clean unto you It appears to be of a cleaning nature Moreover it bespeaks God to be his friend it is a pregnant place which we have Luke 16.9 Maks to your selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness it makes God thy friend after death if it be performed from a right root 5 It appears to be acceptable in that the Lord bears those works in mind Heb. 6. God is not forgetful of your work and labour of Love shewed to his name is that you have ministred to the Saints and do Minister 6. These services appear to be an acceptable service to God because he doth declare that he loves a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9. It is said of Cornelius that his prayers and his almes were come up in remembrance before God Acts 10. We have an eminent place Phil. 4.18 but I have all abound and I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God 2ly Charity is not only pleasing to God but it is profitable to our selves 1. Here 2. Hereafter at Christ's coming 1. It is profitable here many Mercies are promised here See the singular favour shewed from God to Abimelech Jer. 39.17 18. foreshewing favour to Jeremiah when he was in the Dungeon he shall be delivered in the day of God's judgments for that reason So we have it Psal 41. He that remembreth the poor shall have many Mercies in this life preservation in sickness and deliverance from death strengthning upon the bed of languishing God will make all his bed in his sickness If these be the Qualifications God will not deliver him to the will of his enemies Oh the many merciful Promises a charitable person is under at present therefore saith Solomon Eccl. 11.2 Give a portion to seven and to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be in the Earth that is to say that so thou mayest have mercy in an evil day See what a special present priviledg belongs to such Psal 112. Such a one shall not be afraid of evil tidings these Mercies he shall receive from God as tokens of his acceptance he shall procure the love and esteem of Men at present Oh how is a charitable person in the affections of persons the Apostle saith Rom. 5. That for a good man some would even dare to dye that is a charitable man he is so in the affections of men These are Priviledges here But 2ly Hereafter it is profitable according to our Text there is a profit Eccles 11.1 After many dayes thou shalt find it that is afte● this life these in the Text and Parable after many dayes shall find Psal 112. Such a one as hath dispersed to the poor his righteousness endures for ever Matth. 6. God shall reward him openly Luke 12.33 Sell the you have and give Alms provide your selves Bagg● which wax not old Treasures in Heaven that 〈◊〉 not where no thief approacheth nor moth corrupteth 2. Cor. 9.6 But this I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that they do good that

sentence and condemnation but this one omission the omission of Charity Though doubtless this sin doth not go alone yet this is that which is with weight upon Christs heart in this day and the reason is because there is no evil more contrary to Christs nature than this for he is made up of goodness and that appears by that pleasure and delight that he takes in the contrary Heb. 13. With Sacrifices of charity God is well pleased But us to Covetousness which is the contrary see what he speaks of that Psal 10. The Covetous man the Lord abhors See how Nabals unkindness to David when in distress was relished God sent death upon him for that very cause see Sam. 25.38 The Lord struck Nabal that he died for that evil Thus I have done with vers 42 43. I now hasten to the close of the whole There remain but three Circumstances more to be spoke unto and that which I am next to do in order to prosecute them is the answer and reply of these left hand uncharitable Goats They seem to stand in their own justification as if this ground upon which ou● Lord proceeds were not true they had not been wanting in this duty of Charity they plead an universal justification to the whole charge in all the several Circumstances of it We may put a double construction upon these words First They may be taken in the last sence of this grounding their plea upon their ignorance of Christ in his members laying the whole of the Word there to intend Christs person When saw we thee in thy person so want we never saw thee in thy person hungry or thirs●y or naked and we did not dream in the least that thou wast so immmediately concerned in these pitiful poor inconsiderate indigent Souls had we but imagined that they had belonged to thee they should have been fed and cloathed And this opinion seems to be favoured in Christs reply by way of explanation shewing them for certain that these did belong to him whatever they thought though so poor But Secondly It may be taken in the worst sense that they had no love to Christ nor any that did bear his Image and so were wholly negligent herein and this latter sense seems most clearly to agree to Christs severe proceedings in this Context Taking of it as a bold pertinacious plea and defence we may note this Doctrine It is the property of a corrupt heart to plead his justification even to God himself and Christ himself This was seen in Adam in the first transgression Gen. 3. and followed in Saul 1 Sam. 15. This is that Spirit we read of Mat. 7. We have prophesied in thy name and in thy name have cast out Devils See the vast difference herein between those on the right hand they are wholly upon a disclamour of their own righteousness which Christ imputes to them Christ can hardly fasten any belief upon them that they had ever done such good as Christ chargeth upon them These are the quite contrary Self-justification is the property of one most guilty in Christs sight But all these pleas are in vain our Lord proceeds to take them off which is our third Circumstance ver 45. it is a silencing reply not one word more after this This reply hath two par●s considerable First The manner of it Secondly The matter First The manner Verily or Amen This word was much used by Christ when he was on earth and it seems shall be used by him on his Throne Verily that is as much as to say it is an infallible truth Secondly It is considerable as to the matter that Christ doth so certainly assert that neglect of charity to the poorest member of Christ was a neglect to Christ himself This was so hard a truth to be received that Christ had need to confirm it wi●h a Verily or Amen From this verse with an eye to the former I no●e this Doctrine 1 Doct. That all pleas arguments and strivings with Christ in the last day will be unavoidable and successless Christ will have the casting voice the last word every mouth must be stopped 2 Doct. That it is certain and u●deniable that neglect of Charity to Christs poo● needing indigent members is a neglect offered to Christ himself That all pleas are in vain at that day I think I need not say much unto it will be easily granted and the truth appears Mat. 7. Luk. 13. and in all this Chapter all calls to Christ at that day are ineffectual because his have been so before and Christ does but retaliate Prov. 1. I called ye refused Oh consider this in time for this day will most certainly come The 2. Doctrine I shall speak a very brief word to Th●t neglect of charity is as to Christ whilst as to hi● poor members As he that shews pitty to the poor lends to the Lord so be that is wanting in it is wanting to the Lord. The fourth Circumstance is the confirmation of both Sentences verse last From which last sentence of Christ there is no appeal it stands unalterable to all eternity And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into lise eternal FINIS