terrible will the substance thereof and the execution thereof this last judgment be See Ioel 2. 1 2. 31. c. Zeph. 1. 14 15 16. This judgement is resembled and likened to terrible things as Lightening Theeves in the night the Child-birth of a Woman the comming of a Iudge to guilty Persons c. Notable is that place in Rev. 6. from v. 12. to the end of the chapter upon the opening of the sixt Seale being a prophecy of temporall judgments only to come upon the Roman Empire already fulfilled upon divers great men and others therein enemies of Christ and his Members And I behold and there was a grâ—at earthquake and the Kings of the earth great men rich men chiefe Captaines mighty men c. notwithstanding their valour power wit riches and friends 〈◊〉 themselves amongst the Râ—cks and said to the mountaines fall on us and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth on the Throne anâ— from the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand Esay 34. 6. 8. Ezek. 10. 11 12. chap. 30. 2 3. 9. Esay 13. 6 7 8 9 10. Of this day then we may say much more who shall stand who shall be able to abide it Mal. 3. 2. This day therefore in 2 Cor. 5. 11. is called the terrour of the Lord. But the dayes of temporall judgments the great and terrible dayes of the Lord. Terrible this judgment will be 1. For the things which shall go before it 2. For the things which shall accompany it 3. For the things which shall follow after it For the things which shall precede it we will not speak of those foregoing but remote signs Which Divines say are 8. To wit 1. The preaching of the Gospell 2. The Apostacy of professors 3. The revealing of Antichrist 4. Great wars and troubles in the world 5. Great trouble in the Church 6. False Christs 7. The calling of the Iewes 8. Strange signs in Heaven But of the immediate signs which shall appeare a little before Christs comming to judgment For some think that alittle before this the powers of Heaven shall be shaken the Sun and the Moon shall be darkened and the Stars shall fall from Heaven out of Mat. 24. 29 30. Luke 21. 26. and that these Prophesies are to be taken litterally that there shall be strange events in Heaven and Earth that the frame of the whole universe shall shake as a house that gives a Crack when it is ready to fall And it is most probable that that which the Apostle 2 Pet. 3 10. prophesieth concerning this day The day of the Lord will come as a Thiefe in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a noise like a mighty Whirl-wind or Tempâ—st roaring and carrying all before it and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt up And after v. 11. That day of God by the which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved answerable to that in Mat. 24. 29. 30. The Sun shall be darkened and the powers of heaven shall be shaken By which is understood the purging renewing and changing of their form and not their utter destruction by comparing these places with Psal 102. 26. Rom. 8. 21. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Rev. 20. 11. After this there shall be new heavens and a new earth This thing we say it is probable is to go immediatly before Christs comming or that Christ shall come in this fire And as the day of Iudgment is the last day so it is likely the judgment it self is one of the last acts of this day For the text â—aith that 〈◊〉 â—â—ely after these strange signes and sights the on of man shall appear Matth. 24. 29 30. and in and by this change of all things it is probable that change shall be made of the Saints whereof the Apostle speaks 〈◊〉 15. 51 52. We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a 〈◊〉 c. Some understand by the signe of the Son of man Matth. 24 30 some exâ—â—â—ding glory which shall appear in heaven before the appearing of the Soâ—â—e of man himself which others take to be meant of the dreadfull dissolution of the world by 〈◊〉 immediatly to forego his appearing 2. The comming of the judge shall be terrible For 1 it shall be cons 〈◊〉 as the Lightning for he shall appear in his humane shape so that every eye and those that have 〈◊〉 him shall 〈◊〉 him Rev. 1. 7. Acts 1. 11. 2. It is not improbable as we have touched that he shall discend and come in the clouds in the middest or at the end of that 〈◊〉 Psal 50. 3. God shall coâ— and shall not keep silence a fire shall 〈◊〉 before him and a mighty tempest shall be round about him 2 Thess 1 6 7. When the Lord Iâ—sus shall shew himself from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flaming fire 3. his comming shall be suddain like the comming of the Lightning Matth. 24 27. 4. his comming shall be with great power bâ—â—ghtnes majestre and glory Psal 18. 7 8 c. So Matt. 24. 30. Chap. 25. 31. He shall coâ—e 〈◊〉 and sit mounted on the clouds as on a stately Throne Acts 1. 9. 11. envâ—â—oned as with a flame of fire attended with an 〈◊〉 hâ—â—t of heavenly Angels there shall not one of them be left in heaven but they shall all minister to him in this work What a bright day will this be when so many glorious Suns shal shine in the â—â—rmament together and 〈◊〉 all the Sun of righteousnes outâ—â—â—ning them so much that the Sun shall 〈◊〉 but a 〈◊〉 to him 2 Thess 1. 7 8. 1 Thess 4 17. Matth. 6. verse 27. Luke 21. 27. Matth. 25. 3◠〈◊〉 15. 16. 3. An unconceivable and unspeakable horâ—our and fear shall seize upon all especially upon all wicked men Luke 21. 25 26 27. And there shall be signes in the 〈◊〉 and in the 〈◊〉 and in the Stars and upon the Earth dâ—â—â—resse of 〈◊〉 wâ—th 〈◊〉 the Sea and the Wavâ— roaring mens hearts failing them for 〈◊〉 and â—or 〈◊〉 after the thingâ— which are comming on the earth For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be 〈◊〉 c. Matth. 24. 30. Then shall the signe of the Son of man apâ—ear in Heaven and all the tribes of the Earth shall 〈◊〉 Revel 20. 10. 〈◊〉 and Earth shall â—â—e away before him Rev. 6. 18. The King Captains 〈◊〉 great men shall run into holes and corners 4. There will be a long 〈◊〉 terrible â—â—und of a Trumpet made by Christs 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christs voice and the last Trump like unto that at the giving â—t the Law Exo. 19. 15. and as at their solemn meetings they did 〈◊〉 men together â—y a Trumpet so nâ—w by this Trump the dead in Christ shall be first raised and called before Christ and the rest of the dead afterwards Iohn 5 28. And by the Ministery of this and the rest of
OF THE FOURE LAST AND GREATEST THINGS Death Iudgement Heaven and Hell The Description of the Happinesse of Heaven and misery of Hell by way of Antithesis WITH The way or means to passe through Death and Judgement into Heaven and to avoid Hell By VVILLIAM SHEPHEARD Esquire Revel 21. 7 8. Hee that overcometh shall inherite all things And I will be his God And he shall be my Sonne But the fearfull and unbelieving and abhominable Murderers Whoremongers Sorcerers Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death LONDON Printed by G. Dawson for Thomas Brewster and are to be sold at his Shop a little within Creed-lane neare the West end of Pauls at the signe of the three Bibles 1649. To the Right Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House of PARLIAMENT Worthy Gentlemen WHen the World was shaken by Adams sin God secured it by the promise of his Son When Canaan was distressed by the Gen. 3. 15. Judg. 6. Midianites he sent his servant Gideon a Saviour to it Now England is distracted and her foundations out of course he hath raised you up the unwearied Worthies of our Nation to repair the breaches and settle the foundations thereof A work albeit very honourable yet as your selves have very well experimented very hardly accomplished For whaâ— from the rage of professed adversaries the inconstancy ingratitude ignorance and wilfulnes of seeming friends blinded with their own unruly passions whereby they have foolishly mistaken the men and their meaning Your selves have been somtimes by the mutinous distempers of the common multitude brought into great perill of destruction those whom you have saved who for your safety ought to have sacrificed themselves being willing to have you destroyed and sacâ—â—ficed But unsearchable providence hitherto your Sanctuary amidst these perils hath wheeled and driven on though in somwhat a dubious method your great Counsels through your adversaries attempts And it s often appearing for you and your Armies as from under a Cloud doth assure my self the many thousands that love and honour you that a work carryed on with so many hands and heaâ—ts so much prayer life and spirit so much faith and patience cannot by the rage of man which in all times hitherto hath praised Psal 76. 10. God be disappointed of its end And now Right honourable sith this providence hath given you in appearance some hope of a little breathing time I crave leave humbly to present you with this smal Treatise of the â—oâ—re last things Death Iudgement Hell and Heaven wherein are plainly but profitably handled things of highest concernment and therefore well becomming men of choisest imployments I know your wisdoms and piety need not be minded in whose presence you stand whose part in the managing of the weighty affairs of the Math. 12 16. Kingdom you act to what strength you are engaged for all your glorious and never to be forgotten deliverances Rom. 2. 6 and to whom ere long for the work you have done words you have spoken and ends you have had therein you must give an account You nâ—â—d not be minded that for every word you speak an account must be given by you who by speaking one word may make or mar a Kingdomâ— Wee need not tell you that it is a double crime which is committed under the sacred name of authority and greatnes that the sins of great ones in the pollitique are as dangerous as pestilent Feavers to the natural body Ps 82. 8. Shall we minde you Gods amongst men that you shall â—hâ—râ—v die like men and that impartiall Death knoweth no faces that Heaven is the reward of the righteous Tophet is prepared of old for Kings That you and we must all appear before â—he highest bar where all your judgments shall be rejudged your secrets discovered and your selves rendered responsable not onely for all the good you have not done but for the evill you have not hindred have we need to comfort you under your matchlesse labours and to tell you of Beds and rest at hand you know how to Esa 57. 2 arm your selves against Reproaches Censures and Slanders with the meditation of the day of Revelation when the Lord shall bring to light the hidden things of darknes Rom. 2. 5 1 Cor. 4. 5. Math. 10 â—â—â—â—6 and then shall every man that deserves it have praise of God And that there is nothing â—â—dâ— but shall bee then made knowâ— These generall truths and such like as these largely discuâ—â—ed in this Treatiâ—e albeit you do very well know already and are established in themâ— yet since the best of men to so easily forget them and are at some time or other to seek in them shall I beg leave in these few lines to become your remembrancer thereof The Lord hath many times Right Honourable remembred you in your low estate his people from all places are mindfull of you you have the blessing of many thousand prayers upon you you are engaged in as acceptable a service to God and good men as ever any Assembly was as great expectation there is from you as ever was from any Parliament of England and as likely you are to have opportunity to render your names renowned to succeeding generations as ever any Parliament of ours had There are still those amongst us that would again cast us into the Fire and Water Marke 9. 22. And we say to you our Masters help us save or else we perish If you can do any thing have compassion on this almost expired Kingdome the Lord grant you may keep back nothing from us that may do us good and that your own wayes ends wils and interests may be sâ—â—allowed up in that work you are called unto and that therein your motion may be like that of the Heavens intrinsical and from within swift with the primum mobile but slow with your own And if herein you may have any furtherance by these plain meditations it can be no dishonour to you but will be much honour and comfort to me who begging pardon for my boldnes and plainnes Pray that the God of Heaven will give you all such a spirit as is fearlesse of danger faithfull to your trust and succesfull in your great work Which will be the daily Prayer of Your most humble Servant WILLIAM SHEPHEARD To the Reader Christian Reader THou hast here presented to thy view a plain but profitable Treatise of the foure last things Death Judgement Hell and Heaven And these if they having respect to Saints or Sâ—nners wereever needfull and usefull then in this evil and peâ—ilous time wherein albeit the foundations of the world seem to shake and Heaven Luke â—â— â—â—â— 26. and Earth to bee passing away and alâ—eit there bee trouble â—mongst the Nations with perplexity the Sea and Waters roar insomuch as mens yea godly mens hearts faile for fear and
14. 7 8. 5. And we are then like the Swan to endeavour to sing sweetest by our devout prayers and praises to God and gratious speeches to men So Iacob Gen. 49. David 2 Sam. 23 Christ Luke 23. 34. Stephen Acts 〈◊〉 56. Isaac Heb. 11. 22. Iob. Iob. 1. 21. we shall say somewhat more to this pâ—â—nt in the next branch which we are now to descend unto 4. The fourth thing we are to be exhorted unto from this doctrine of the necessity of dying is to make a virtue of this necessity and not to fear death but when we see our time is come to die let us resolutely patiently and willingly undergo â—t A naturall and moderate fear of it as it is an Enemy to nature 〈◊〉 be chaâ—ged as an evill upon us being no other but what was in the 〈◊〉 hâ—â—rt of Christ Jesus but an immoderate afflicting distracting fear of it is to be avoyded of all Christians And for the Cure hereof and our further fitting for death let us be well instructed in the nature thereof to a beleever as it is set forth in the Gospell wherein we have these considerations 1. That there is a necessity of it and it cannot be avoyded Psal 49. 7. 2. It is sanctiâ—ed and sweetned by Christs death so as it is not now a curse but a blessing a passage a departure a change of roomes a going out of a worse place into a better 3. Assoon as the body goeth out of this world it goeth to a place of rest where it shall be troubled no more and then Gods Covenant of peace shall be made good to it And to speak properly the beleeving Christian doth not die he lyeth down to sleep in his bed for his death is but the bodies going to bed and to sleep after the many labours of the day of this life are ended out of which he shall awake after the night of death is past at the morning of the râ—surrection to everlasting life and no sâ—oner is the soule out of the body then it is in possession thereof Esay 57. 2 3. The righteous are taken away c. he shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds c. 2 King 32. 20. Thou shal s be gathered to thy fathers inâ—eace Matt. 9. 24. Acts 7. 60. He fell asleepe 4. The body by death is not reduced to nothing as the body of a beaâ—t is but it is only resolved to earth again where the â—otting of it is only to refine it that as the Corne which first diâ—â—h it may arise more glorious 1 Cor. 15. 36. Gen. 3. 19. So that death to the Saints is neither totall but of the body only nor perpetuall but for a time only Rom. 8. 10. 5. God is as much the God of the dead as of the living beleever Mat. 22. 34. God is not the God of the dead but of the living i. his Covenant is with them to make them happy in communicating to them grace life and glory and this Covenant is with the body as well as with the soul Rom. 14. 8. Whether we live or die we are the Lords 6. The body and soul of a beleever notwithstanding the death of the body is still a member of Christ Ephe. 5. 30. Rom. 14. 8. Death devides us not from God but brings us home to him 7. God hath the power of death and the grave and his providence doth dispose thereof and of everything therein and he will be with the beleever in this estate to support him under and deliver him out of it and to turn it to his good and he wâ—â— not leave him till he hath settled his soul and body in heaven Rev. 18. I have the Keyes of Hell and Death i. power to keep from or deliver to death Iude verse 9. Acts 4. 28. Psalm 16. 10. 11. Thou wiâ—â— not leave my Soule in grave nor suffer thiâ—â— holy one to see corruption Heb. 2. 14 15. Acts 2. 24. Psalm 116. 15. The death of his Saints is pretious to him 1. either God will preserve them from wicked hands or will sharply revenge their death on them that kill them Acts 20. 24. 2 Kings 1. 13. Psal 72. 14. 8. The death of the beleever cannot seperate his soul from Christs love to it or its love to Christ Iohn 11. 5. 20. 3. 1. Rom. 8. 38. 39. What shall sepâ—rate us from the love of Christ Shall death c. 9. Death reacheth to the body only and not to the soul Mat. 10. 28. Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soule c. 10. By death God requireth again of us that soul he â—â—usted us with and every honest man will willingly deliver up his trust when it is required Eocles 12. 12. 11. The sting of death is now taken away to the beleever that it cannot hurt him 1 Cor. 15. 55. Buzze it may snake whose sting â—â— pulled out 1â— The Angels will be ready to receive and carry the beleevers sould into the presence of the God of peace in Heaven Luke 16. 22. 23. Death shall be destroyed and it is the last Enemy that shall be destroyed â—evel 20 v. 14. â— Câ—rinâ—h 15. v. 26. Rev. 20. 14. 14. The body of the beleever shall be gloriously raised after death to die no more for then death shall be swallowed up into victory and body and soul united and placed in eternall felicity for the soul being loosed out of prison the body may not be kept in prison 2 Cor. â— 1. Rev. 21. 4. 20. 13. 1 Thes 4. 13. Psalm 49. 14 15 16. 8 9. 1 Cor. 15. 43. Iohn 6. 39. Rom. 8. 11. To say all in one word death to the beleever makes a happy change and doth infinitly better his condition for it â—reeth him from all evill and puts him in possession of all good It â—reeth him from the evill of sin and punâ—â—â—ment felt and feared present and to come and puts an end to all his cares fears teares labours griefs combats with sin the world and the Devill for in death he gets beyond and above them all It is a passage and going from Aegyt to Canaan out of an old rotten house wherein a man hath no estate at all into a glorious Mansion and Kingly pallace of his own inheritance the going out of a base prison to a glorious liberty the return from a banishment to his own Country and home the comming to the haven after a long and dangerous voyage by sea It is a going to bed after a man hath laboured hard all day and is â—yred and weary It is a going from corruption to incorruption from mortallity to immortallity from death to life from earth to heaven from a miserable to a happy life It is the putting off a mans old ragged Cloathes to put on princely robes It is a loosing from the shore and a lanching out into the main to take possession of a Kingdome It is the
10. Lastly this doth discover to us Gods goodnes in forewarning man of this day for by this means he may be prepared for to receive the good of it and forearmed against the evill of it so we have done with the Use of Instruction Vse 2 In the next place let it be to exhort and perswade us and that to divers things 1. This point of the last judgment and Christs comming thereunto being an unquestionable truth an Article of our Creed and Principle of our Christian faith let us not doubt of it but stedfastly beleeve it Heb. 6. 2. 2. It being a point of so great moment and high concernment to us let us meditate and consider of it and this let us do 1 Pupâ—sely and willingly as Iob did Iob 19. 25. I know that my redeemer liveth c. not accidentally and unwillingly as divels and wicked men do â—â—mes 2. 19. Acts 24. 25. 2. Beleevingly so Iob 19. 25. not doubtfully as those wicked in 2 Pet. 3. 4. There shall be mâ—ckers who shall say where is the promise of his comming 3. Desirously as a good day to be wiâ—â—ed for so the Church Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say come not fearfully as an evill day to be avoyded as Foelix did Act. 24. 25. And as he disputed of the judgement to come Foelix trembled and answered goe thy way for this time and when I have a convenient time I will call for thee 4 Often and continually Mat. 24. 44. not once a yeare once a moneth or once a week only let us think we ever hear this voyce sounding in our ears awake ye dead and come to judgment 5. Seriously so as to prepare for it Luke 12. 35. 40. Be ye ready also for the Sonne of man commeth at an houre when ye thinke not 2 Pet. 3. 10 11 12. The day of the Lord will come as a Thiefe in the night c. what manner of persons ought ye thâ—â— to be in all holy conversation anâ— godlynesse c. looking for the comming of this day c. not scoffingly as those 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3. 4. And in the meditation of this day let us think of 1. The certainty and unavoydablenesse of it Acts 1. 11. 2. The terriblenesse of it 2 Cor. 5. 11. 3 The neernesse of it at least to every man in particular Rev. 1. â— To prâ—vâ—le us to consider much of this time we are to knâ—w 1 That it is a wise profitable and usefull meditation and will certainly leave some good impression behind it upon the heart Deut 32. 29. For it serves 1. To take of our hearts from the vanities of this life he will not much care for that house which is shortly to be burnt down about his cares 2 Pet. 3. 1â— 2. It will serve to make us patient under our present troubles to consider that this time will put an end to them Iob 19. 25. 3. It will make us have a â—are to keep our Accounts always in a readinesse whilst we are still in expectation of the comming of our Master to call us to 〈◊〉 account Rom. 14. 12. 4. And finally it will much serve to forward the work of grace restrain us from evill and make and keep us good Rom. 14. 10. 12 13. Why doest thou condemne brother or why doest thou despiâ—â—thy brother For we shall all appeare before the judgement Sâ—ate of Christ so then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Let us not therefore judge one another any more c. Math. 3. â— Who hath forewarned you to fly from the wrath Gods judgement to come in this but especially in the next life 1 Thess 1. 10. Mat. 23. 23. Acts 3. 19 Amend your lives therefore and 〈◊〉 that your sins may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Iesus Christ c. whom the heavens must containe untill the time 〈◊〉 all things be restored c. Acts 17. 30 31. And the time of this ignorance God regarded not but now he admonisteth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousnâ—s by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath given 〈◊〉 assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Remarkable for this is that place Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man thou that presumest of thy agâ— and puttest far of the evill day of Death and Iudgmentâ— and let thine heart chear thee c. like the fool in the Gospel Luke 12. 〈◊〉 please thy self in thine own vain concelts and wilfulnes walk in the 〈◊〉 of thine own heart pursue thy pleasures and satisfie thy lusts without 〈◊〉 but know that for all these things God will bring thee to Iudgment Now to help us in this meditation let us use these means 1. Let us read and hear often those Scriptures and other books which treat of this subject 2. Let us speak much of it with them who do most think of it 3. Let us observe much those things amongst men which do resemble it as the Lightning Iudicatures of men and the like 4. Let us still pray to God to put and keep this meditation in our hearts In the third place we are to be exhorted that believing and thinking of this last Iudgment and Christs comming to it we do prepare for it This is Christs counsel Matt. 24. 44. Therefore be ye also ready for in an houre that yee think not will the Son of mâ—n come Luke 12 40. Be ye also prepared therefore Matth. 25. 13 Watch therefore c. for ye know not the day nor the â—ouâ—â— when the son of man commeth Luke 21. 6. Watch yee therefore and pray alwayes And this we must do for these reasons 1. because this day hasteth and will steale upon vs unawares if we look not to it Luke 21. 35. As a snare it shall come on them that dwâ—â— on the earth Rev. 3. 3. If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thiefe and thou shalt not know what houre I will come upon thee 〈◊〉 â—â—y the moâ—e suddain the more terrible for 1 it amazes and exanimates a man as an unexpected storm doth the Mariner 2. it cannot be prevented 2 That which we do in the mater of preparation must be done before that day come for it will be then too late to do any thing to it and delay in this case is very dangerous for though we could be sure of time yet we cannot be sure of grace as we have set forth to us in the instance of the foolish Virgins Matt. 25. 9 10. They which neglect to get grace here have no way left to get any then And no other mans goodnes will then stand them in any stead Psal 95. 11. Matt. 24 43 44. it will be too late to bolt the door when the thieves are broken into the house 3.
10. 25. To these Christs comming and the last judgement will be very joyfull and acceptable But such as are not called out of the world and from their sins that are secure unregenerate that hate Gods people rejoyce in iniquity have not the spirit of Christ forsake the fellowship of Gods saints and ordinances profit not under them but grow worse and worse do not imploy or misimploy the Tallents God hath trusted them with are hurtfull intemperate filthy fierce that are impenitent unbeleeving Apostates hypocrites Idolaters whoremongers murderers lyars and such like have little cause to rejoyce in this day To all these Christs comming will be terrible and the judgement day a sad day as we shall shew you by and by Io. 3. 3. 1 Ioh. 2. 9. 1 Cor. 1â— 6. Rom. 8. 9. Matt. 25. 14. c. 44. 49. c. 2 Thes 1. 8. Luke 13. 5. Rev. 21. 8 Heb. 10. 25. Matth. 24. 51. Luke 21. 34. The next Use shall be a use of Comfort to all believing Christians that have the characters of Christs Sheep we have before given upon them and truly to them theâ—e doe issue forth many streams of comfort from this doctrin of the last judgment and Christs Comming thereunto 1. It may comfort and quiet them against the fear of Condemnation for their sin for he that is their Saviour that dyed for them their intercessor their brother their friend their husband and head shall come to be their Iudge What need have they then to fear his severity or a hard or harsh sentence from him Or what reason have they to doubt of their cause how it shall go with them Io. 5. 22. The Father hath committed the judgment to him 2. It may comfort them against the meanesse and contempt of Christ the Christians God when he was in the world for he albeit he did then appear in weaknes and in a mean condition yet shall he appear the second time with power and great glory to the admiration of his friends and terrour of his enemies 2 Thess 1. 7 8 1â— When the Lord Iesus shall shew himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels Inflaming fire c. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvelous in all them that believe 3. It may comfort them against the horror of the grave and the corruption of the body for at Christs comming it shal be brought before him therefore it must be raised and restored Iob 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last day on the earth c. 4. It may comfort them against persecutions for when Christ comes the persecuted shall be delivered and rewarded and the persecutor punished 2 Thess 1. 4 5. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with us When the Lord Iesus shall shâ—w himself from heaven c. 5. It may comfort them against the â—ast Iudgment of men and things evill men and evill things are now called good and good evill Esay 5. 20. But at this last Iudgment all men and things shall appear in their colours and be seen to be as they are Matth. 10. 25 26. There is nothing covered that shall not be disclosed nor â—id that shall not be known and when shall this be if not at this day which shall be the day of the declaration of the just judgment of God Rom. 2. 5. and the time when God will lighten things that are hid in darknes and make the counsell of the heart manifest and then shall every man have praise of God 1 Cor. 4. 5. Rom. 14. 12 13. Then the righteous cause and person trodden down here shall have the upper hand Psal 49. 14. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning i at the day of the resurrection after the night of death and the grave is past Then it shall be known who was in fault Ioseph or his Mistress Gen. 39. 7 8. c. 17 18 19. Whether it were Ahab or Eliah that troubled Israel 1 Kings 18. 17 18. And whether Christ or the Scribes and Pharisees that did so much censure him were most faulty Then will it be seen who indeed is the hypocrite the factious seditious 〈◊〉 person who is the truly foole and who is the truly wise man there will be a resurrection of names as well as of bodiâ—s 6. It may comfort them against the injuries they suâ—â—er by unjust Iudges and their unjust sentences Iam. 5. 6 7 8. Eccless 3. vers 16 17. 5. 8. Esdras 7. 32. the most high shall appear upon the seat of Iudgment and misery shall vanish 7. It may comfort them against all manner of misery and sorrow when Christ shall come to judgement all sorrow shall be done away and perfect deliverance shall come to them Then shall all tears be wiped away from their eyes Luke 21. 28. When yee see thâ—se things lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh It is called therefore a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3. 19 20 21. This held up Iobs head above water who otherwise had been overwhelmed with the flouds of affliction Iob. 19 25. and Daniel 12. 1 2. and those Saints in Hebr. 11. 35. and as the summer after the winter so Heaven after these sorrows will be much the sweeter 8. This may comfort them against the dissolution of Heaven and Earth these shall be dissolved but we shall have new Heavens and a new Earth i we shall have them with renewed qualities shining with brightnes and glory somwhat proportionable to the Saints to delight their eyes and minds Wherein shall dwel righteousnesse i. none but righteous persons 2 Pet. 3. 12. Esay 1. 21. 9. This may comfort them in respect of all the good they do and evill they suffer it is perhaps little heeded of men they do as much as they can obscure it and the glory of the Saints for it when Christ comes to judgement he will trumpet out their praise Matth. 25. 35. I was hungry and yee fed me c. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Then shall every one have praise of God The next and last use we shall make of this point of the last judgment is a use of discomfort and reproof to two sorts of people 1. It is for the great terrour and fear and sharp reproof of all such as viewing themselves in the glass of the former discoveries find themselves to be not the Sheep of Christ but Goats as Murtherers Whoremongers Pornicators Sorocrers Lyars Persecutors Oppressors Buggerers Thieves Drunkards Raylors Extortioners Disobedient Unbelieving Idolatrous Ignorant Unregenerate Unpenitent Fearfull Hypocriticall Apostate Unprofitable Formall Persons and such as are haâ—ers and despisers of Christ his People his Graces and Ordinances And yet if they think at all of the day of judgment and of Christs comming it is as of a day far off or a day that will not
it is one note and mark of our being in the state of grace and our going to the state of glory as we have shewed to be of this making Psal 51. 13. Gal. 4. 19. Luke 22. 32. grace is communicative for there is love in it which is bâ—utifull and good and he that hath tasted the sweetnes of Gods goodnesse himself hath so much love to others that he desireth that all others should caste thereof with him it is the nature and temper of all the heavenly passengers Let us every one of us therefore be of this heavenly minde not to hinder men in the way by laying blocks of ill example or bad councel but rather by all good perswasions and examples labour to have as many with us to heaven as we can the father his children the husband his wife the wife her husband one friend and neighbour another and for this purpose let us instruct reprove and admoniâ—â— them our selves and let us draw and bring them to Iesus Christ who is the way and for this purpose let us pray for them and draw them to the means and ordinances of grace the word prayer and sacraments by which as by a Conduit pipe grace and glory Christ and all is conveyed and derived to us So let us bring the sick souls of our friends now to Christ as men did the sick bodies of their friends to Christ heretofore and were healed let us perswade them to wash in that heavenly bath that is open for sin and transgression Zach. 12. 1. Let us say Come let us go up to the house of the Lord c. Esay 2. 3. In the last place since it is so that there be degrees of glory in heaven and some shall have more then others Let it then be to perswade us to labour for the utmost degree of glory by doing and suffering let us not onely labour to be good but to be passing good to do good but to doe much good to doe all the good we can not onely to suffer for Christ and righteousnes sake but to suffer gladly and willingly any thing for Christs sake We will end with the Apostles exhortation in the 1 Cor. 15. 59. therefore my beloved brethren be yee stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the works of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord i. not without a reward from God seeing there is an eternal life That there are degrees of torments in hell IT is most certain that the torments of hel shall be imposed upon every impenitent sinner and he that bears least thereof shall bear an intollerable burden yet it is more then probable that as some sin more then others so they shall be punished more then others and therefore that there shall be degrees of torments in hell Matth. 23. 14. woe unto you Scribes c. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation Matth. 11. 22. It shall be easier for Tyre and idon in the day of judgement thou for you Matth. 5. 22. Reas For Gods justice so requireth and the judge of all the earth will do right If then it be demanded who shall have most torment The answer will be he that hath most sinned And the aggravation of sin will rest upon these circumstances 1 Upon mens knowledge for they that have much knowledge and yet sin much must look for much torment Luke 12. 48. 2 Upon mans will for the more of the heart runs to a sinne the greater is that sin in which respect some sinfull thoughts are deemed greater then other sinfull works 3 Upon the means of amendment for they that have had much means of amendment yet are as â—ad as ever they have been must look for a great share of hell 4 Upon the hurt they doe by their sin for the more hurt they doe by their sin the more torment they must expect to suffer in hell for their sin hence it was as it is conceived by some that Dives would have had his friends admonished least they being hurt by his counsell or example this might cause increase of this torments in after time Now having made it to appear that there is a hell and that it is such a hell a miserable and intollerable condition And that there are degrees of this misery Let us bâ—ing home this a little neâ—rer to our selves and consider what use the Holy Ghost in the Word of God teacheth us to make of all this Use 1. First then let his be to set forth the folly and madnesse of those men who though they hear before of such a state and condition and are forewarned thereof yet wilfully run themselves upon the hazard of everlasting undoing therein to have the fulfilling of a few base lusts here these shew plainly that either they beleeve none of these things or if they doe that they suppose they have made a Covenant with death and are at agreement with hell that it shall not touch them Esay 28. 15. They run upon all this danger as the horse unto the battell Ier. 8. 6. Being ignorant of Gods judgement ver 7. What will it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 26. Will we not think that man mad who being told that if he go such a way he will fall into a dangerous 〈◊〉 it or be torn in pieces of wilde beasts that haâ—ing no need will notwithstanding adventure that danger doubtlesse every man will think him so Bolton Ah then is it not madnesse above admiration and that which may justly astonish heaven and earth that men who are reasonable creatures that have eyes in their heads to foresee and hearts in their bodies to tremble consciences capable of horrour and bodies and souls that can burn in hell that may by taking lesse pains in the right way then a drunkard wordling or other wicked man in the wayes of hell escape everlasting pains yet will not be warned or moved untill tho fire of that infernall lake flame about their ears O monstrous madnesse and mercilesse cruelty to your own souls 2. Let us then consider of this see and beleeve this For whatsoever men may pretend or imagine they do not beleeve there is any such place as hell is for if they did they could not so desperately and inconsiderately run into evil as they do Deut. 32. 29. Esay 27. 11. Let men therefore know and beleeve as a part of Gods infallible truth that there is a hell and that the torment thereof is extream and perpetuall and let them labour to avoid it cries Ward In hell there is nothing heard but 〈◊〉 In hel the fire nere slakes nor worm 〈◊〉 dies But where this hell is placâ—d my muse stop there Lord shew me what it is but never where Let us then spend many thoughâ—s in the meditation of this also and for this also pray that God will open â—he eyes of our minde that we may see that which