this world without an interest in the Son of God it would make you smite upon your thigh and in the bitterness of your souls cry out Acts 16. 29 30 31. Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved And not only so but thou wouldest not be comforted until thou didst find a rest for thy soul in the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosome Something in brief I have observed from the first part of this verse namely from these words And in hell he lift up his eyes And indeed I have observed but something for they are very full of matter and many things might be taken notice of in them There is one thing more that I might touch upon as touched in this saying and that is this Methink the Lord Jesus Christ doth hereby signify that men are naturally unwilling to see or take notice of their sad state I say by nature but though now they are willingly ignorant yet in hell they shall lift up their eyes That is in hell they shall see and understand their miserable condition and therefore to these words In hell he lift up his eyes he added being in torment As if he had said Though once they shut their eyes though once they were 2 Pet. 3. 5. willingly ignorant yet when they depart into hell they shall be so miserably handled and tormented that they shall be forced to lift up their eyes While men live in this world and are in a natural state they will have a good conceit of themselves and of their condition they will conclude that they are Christians that Abraham is their father Matth. 3. 7 8. and their state to be as good as the best they will conclude they have faith the Spirit good hope and an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ but then when they drop into hell and lift up their eyes there and behold first their soul to be in extream torments their dwelling to be the bottomless pit their company thousands of damned souls also the innumerable company of devils and the hot scalding vengeance of God not only to drop but to fall very violently upon them then they will begin to be awakened who all their life time were in a dead sleep I say when this comes to pass Lo it will then in hell they shall lift up their eyes in the midst of torments they shall lift up their eyes Again you may observe from these words And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torment That the time of the ungodly mens smarting for their sins will be in the torments of hell Now here I am put to a stand when I consider the torments of hell into which the damned do fall O unspeakable torments O endless torments Now that thy soul might be made to slee from these intollerable torments into which the damned do go I shall shew you briefly what are the torments of hell First by the names of it Secondly by the sad state thou wilt be in if thou commest there First the names It is called a never dying worm Mark 9. It is called an oven fire hot Malach. 4. 1. It is called a furnace a fiery furnace Mat. 13. It is called the bottomless pit the unquenchable fire fire and brimstone hell fire the lake of fire devouring fire everlasting fire eternal fire a stream of fire Rev. 21. First one part of thy torments will be this thou shalt have a full fight of all thy ill spent life from first to last though here thou canst sin to day and forget it by to morrow yet there thou shalt be made to remember how thou didst sin against God at such a time and in such a place for such a thing and with such an one which will be an hell unto thee Psal. 50. 21. God will set them in order before thine eyes 2. Thou shalt have the guilt of them all lye heavy on thy soul not only the guilt of one or two but the guilt of them altogether and there they shall lye in thy soul as if thy belly were full of pitch and set on a light fire Here men can sometimes think on their sins with delight but there with unspeakable torment for that I understand to be the fire that Christ speaketh of which shall never be quenched Mark 8. 43 44 45 46. While men live here O how doth the guilt of one sin sometimes crush the soul it makes a man in such plight that he is weary of his life so that he can neither rest at home nor abroad neither up nor in bed Nay I do know that they have been so tormented with the guilt of one sinful thought that they have been even at their wits end and have hanged themselves But now when thou comest into hell and hast not only one or two or an hundred sins with the guilt of them all on thy soul and body but all the sins that ever thou didst commit since thou camest into the world altogether clapt on thy conscience at one time as one should clap a red hot iron to thy breasts and there to continue to all eternity this is miserable 3. Again then thou shalt have brought into thy remembrance the slighting of the Gospel of Christ here thou shalt consider how willing Christ was to come into the world to save sinners and for what a trifle thou didst reject him This is plainly held forth in Esay 28. where speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ the foundation of salvation ver 16. he saith of them that reject the Gospel that when the overflowing scourge doth pass through the earth which I understand to be at the end of the world then saith he It shall take you morning by morning by day and by night shall it pass over you that is continually without any intermission And it shall be a vexation only to hear the report A vexation that is a torment or a great part of hell only to understand the report to understand the good tydings that came into the world by Christs death for poor sinners and you will find this to be verily the mind of the Spirit if you compare it with Chap. 53. of Esay verse 1. where he speaks of mens turning their backs upon the tenders of Gods grace in the Gospel he saith Who hath believed our report or the Gospel declared by us Now this will be a mighty torment to the ungodly when they shall understand the goodness of God was so great that he even sent his Son out of his bosome to dye for sinners and yet that they should be so foolish as to put him off from one time to another that they should be so foolish as to lose heaven and Christ and eternal life in glory for the society of a company of drunkards that they should lose their souls for a little sport for this world for a strumpet for that which
person or a man may have abundance of outward enjoyments and yet be carryed by the devils into eternal burnings Luke 12. 20. But this is the trap in which the Devil hath caught many thousands of poor souls namely by getting them to judg according to outward appearance or according to Gods outward blessings Do but ask a poor carnal covetous wretch how we should know a man to be in a happy estate and he will answer Those that God blesseth and giveth abundance of this world unto when for the most part they are they that are the cursed men Alas poor men they are so ignorant as to think that because a man is increased in outward things and that by a small stock therefore God doth love that man with a special love or else he would never do so much for him never bless him so and prosper the work of his hands Ah poor soul it is the rich man that goes to hell And the rich man dyed and in hell mark in hell he lift up his eyes c. Methinks to see how the great ones of the world will go stâ—nâ—â—ing up and down the streets sometimes it makes me wonder Surely they look upon themselves to be the only happy men but it is because they judg according to outward appearance they look upon themselves to be the only blessed men when the Lord knows the generality are left out of that blessed condition Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. Ah! did they that do now so brâ—g that no body dare scarce look on them but believe this it would make them hang down their heads and cry O give me a Lazarus's portion I might here enlarge very much but I shall not only thus much I shall say to you that have much of this World Have a care that you have not your portion in this world take heed that it be not said to you hereafter when you would very willingly have heaven Remember in your life time you had your good things in your life time you had your portion Psalm 17. 14. And Friend thou that seekest after this world and desirest riches let me ask this question wouldest thou be content that God should put thee off with a portion in this life Wouldest thou be glad to be kept out of heaven with a back well cloathed and a belly well filled with the dainties of this world Wouldest thou be glad to have all thy good things in thy life time to have thy heaven to last no longer then while thou dost live in this world Wouldest thou be willing to be deprived of eternal happiness and felicity If you say no then have a care of the world and thy sins have a care of desiring to be a rich man lest thy Table be made a snare unto thee Psal. 69. 22. lest the wealth in this world do bar thee out of glory For as the Apostle saith They that will be rich do fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6. 9. Thus much in general but now more particularly These two men here spoken of as I said do hold forth to us the state of the godly and ungodly the beggar holdeth forth the godly and the rich man the ungodly There was a certain rich man c. But why are the ungodly held forth under the notion of a rich man 1. Because Christ would not have them look too high as I said before but that those who have riches should have a care that they be not all their portion Jam. 1. 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 6. 17. 2. Because rich men are mostly able to the Devils temptations are most ready to be puft up with pride stoutness cares of this world in which things they spend most of their time in lusts drunkenness wantonness idleness together with the other works of the flesh For which things sake the wrath of God commeth upon the children of disobedience Col. 3. 6. 3. Because he would comfort the hearts of his own which are most commonly of the poorer sort But God hath chosen the poor despised and base things of this world 1 Cor. 1. 26. Should God have set the rich man in the blessed state his children would have concluded being poor that they had no share in the life to come And again had not God given such a discovery of the sad condition of those that are for the most part rich men we should have had men conclude absolutely that the rich are the blessed men Nay albeit the Lord himself doth so evidently declare that the rich ones of the world are for the most part in the saddest condition yet they through unbelief or else presumption do harden themselves and seek for the glory of this world as though the Lord Jesus Christ did not means as he said or else that he will say more than shall assuredly come to pass but let them know that the Lord hath a time to fulfill that he had a time to declare for the Scripture cannot be broken Joh. 10. 35. But again the Lord by this word doth not mean those are ungodly who are rich in the world and no other for then must all those that are poor yet graceless and vain men be saved and delivered from eternal vengeance which would be contrary to the word of God which saith That together with the Kings of the earth and the great men and the chief Captains and the mighty men there are bondmen or servants and slaves that cry out at the appearance of the Almighty God and his Son Jesus Christ to Judgment Rev. 6. 15. So that though Christ doth say There was a certain rich man yet you must understand he meaneth all the ungodly rich or poor Nay if you will not understand it so now you shall be made to understand it to be so meant at the day of Christs second comming when all that are ungodly shall stand at the left hand of Christ with pale faces and guilty Consciences with the vials of the Almighties wrath ready to be powred out upon them Thus much in brief touching the 19th verse I might have observed other things from it but now I forbear having other things to speak of at this time Verse 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores THis verse doth chiefly hold forth these things 1. That the Saints of God are a poor contemptible people There was a certain beggar If you understand the word beggar to hold forth outward poverty or scarcity in outward things the Saints of the Lord for they are for the most part a poor despised contemptible people But if you allegorize it and interpret it thus They are such as beg earnestly for heavenly food this is also the spirit of the Children of God and it may be and is a truth in this
is lighter then vanity and nothing I say this will be a very great torment unto thee 4. Another part of thy torment will be this Thou shalt see thy friends thy acquaintance thy neighbours nay it may be thy Father thy mother thy wife thy husband thy children thy brother thy sister with others in the Kingdome of heaven and thy self thrust out Luke 13. 28. There shall be weeping c. when you shall see Abraham your father and Isaac and Jacob together with your brethren the Prophets in the Kingdome of heaven and your selves thrust out Nay saith he There shall come from the East and from the West that is thâ—se that thou didst never see in all thy life before and they shall sit down with thy friends and thy neighbours thy wife and thy children in the Kingdome of Heaven and thou for thy sins and disobedience shâ—lâ— be shut nay thrust out O wonderful â—oâ—ment 5. Again thou shalt have none but a company of damned souls with an innumerable company of devils to keep company with thee While thou art in this World the very thoughts of the devils appearing to thee makes thy flesh to tremble and thine hair ready to stand upright on thy head But O what wilt thou do when not only the supposition of the devils appearing but the real society of all the devils in hell be with thee howling and roaring screeching and roaring in such a hideous manner that thou wilt be even at thy wits end and be ready to run stark mad again for anguish and torment 6. Again that thou mightest be tormented to purpose the mighty God of heaven will lay as great wrath and vengeance upon thee as ever he can by the might of his glorious power As I said before Thou shalt have his wrath not by drops but by whole showres shall it come thunder thunder upon thy body and soul so fast and so thick that thou shalt be tormented out of measure And so saith the Scripture 2 Thes. 1. 9. speaking of the wicked Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when the Saints shall be admiring his goodness and glory Again this thou shalt have as I said before without any intermission thou shalt not have any ease so long as while a man may turn himself round thou shalt have it alwayes every hour day and night for their worth never dyes but alwayes gnaws and their fire is never quenched As it is written in Mark 9. 7. Again in this condition thou must be for ever and that is as sad as all the rest For if a man were to have all his sins laid to his charge and communion with the devils and as much wrath as the great God of heaven can inflict upon them I say if it were but for a time even ten thousand years and so end there would be ground of comfort and hopes of deliverance but here is thy misery this is thy state for ever here thou must be for ever when thou lookest about thee and seest what an innumerable company of howling devils thou art amongst thou shalt think this again this is my portion for ever When thou hâ—st been in hell so many thousand years as there are stars in the firmament or drops in the Sea or sands on the sea-shore yet thou hast to lye there for ever O this one word ever how will it torment thy Soul Friends I have only given a very short touch of the torments of Hell O! I am set I am set and am not able to uâ—ter what my mind conceives of the torments of Hell Yet this let me say to thee accept of Gods mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ lest thou feel that with thy Conscience which I cannot express with my Tongue and say I am sorely tormented in this flame And seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosome When the damned are in this pittiful state surrounded with fears with terrours with torment and vengeance one thing they shall have which is this they shall see the happy and blessed state of Gods Children he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom which as I said before is the happy state of the Saints when this life is ended This now shall be so far from being an ease unto them that it shall most wonderfully aggravate or heighten their torment as I said before There shall be weeping or cause of lamentation when they shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and themselves thrust out 2. Observe those that die in their sins are far from going to Heaven He seeth Abraham a far off and Lazarus in his Bosom And indeed it is just with God to deal with them that die in their sins according to what they have done and to make them who are far from Righteousness now to stand far from Heaven to all Eternity Hearken to this ye stout-hearted that are far from Righteousness and that are resolved to go on in your sins when you die you will be far from Heaven you will see Lazarus but it will be afar off Again he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosome These are some of the things that the damned do behold so soon as they come into torment Mark And he seeth Lazarus in Abrahams Bosome Lazarus Who was he Why even he that was so slighted so disregarded so undervalued by this ungodly one while he was in the World he seeth Lazarus in his Bosome From whence observe That those who live and die the enemies of the Saints of God let them be never so great or stout let them bear never so much sway while they are in the World let them â—rag and boast never so much while they are here they shall in spight of their teeths see the Saints yea the poor Saints even the Lazarus's or the ragged ones that belong to Jesus to be in a better condition then themselves O who do you think was in the best condition or who do you think saw themselves in the best condition he that was in Hell or he that was in Heaven He that was in darkness or he that was in light He that was in everlasting joy or he that was in everlasting torments The one with God Christ Saints Angels the other in tormenting flames under the curse of Gods eternal hatred with the Devils and their Angels together with an innumerable company of howling roaring cursing ever burning Reprobates Certainly this observation will be easily proved to be true here in this World by him that looks upon it with an understanding heart and will clear it self to be true in the World to come by such as shall go either to Heaven or to Hell 2. The second Observation from these words And seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom is this They that are the persecutors of the Saints of the Lord now in this World shall see the Lords
sorrow of mind And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Nay thou wilt find worse things to thy wo then this Scripture doth manifest For indeed there is no tongue able to express the horrour terrour torment and eternal misery that those poor souls shall undergo without the least mitigation or ease and a very great part of it shall come from that quick full and continual remembrance of their sins that they shall have And therefore there is much weight in these words Son remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things From these words you see this is to be observed that the ungodly shall remember or have in remembrance the mispending their lives Remember that in thy life time thou hadst thy good things You may take these words good things either simply for the things of this world which in themselves are called and may be called good things or else with these words namely the things of this life all the pleasures delights profits and vanities which the ignorant people of the world do count their good things and do very much cheer themselves therewith Soul soul eat drink and be merry for thou hast much goods laid up for many years Luke 12. 20. Now I say God according to his glorious Power and Wisdome will make poor Creatures have alwayes in their minds a fresh and clear remembrance of their ill-spent life he will say unto them Remember remember that in thy life-time it was thus and thus with thee and in thy life-time thy carriage was so and so If Sinners might have their choice they would not have their sins and transgressions so much in remembrance as is evident by their carriages here in this Would for they will not endure to entertain a serious thought of their filthy life they put far away the evil day Amos 6. 3. Ezek. 12. 27. but will labour by all means to put the thought of it out of their mind but there they shall be made to remember to purpose and to think continually of their ungodly deeds And therefore it is said that when our Lord Jesus comes to Judgment it will be to convince the ungodly world of their wickel and ungodly deeds Mark To convince them Jude 14 15. They will not willingly take notice of them now But then they shall hereafter in spite of their teeth And also between this and then these that die out of Christ shall be made to see acknowledg and confess do what they can when they lift up their eyes in hell and remember their transgressions God will be a swift witness against them Mal. 3. 5. and will say Remember what thou didst in thy life-time how thou didst live in thy life time Ha Friend If thou dost not in these days of light remember the days of darkness Eccles. 11. 8. the days of Death Hell and Judgment thou shalt be made in the days of Darkness Death Hell and at the Judgment too to remember the days of the Gospel and how thou didst disregard them too to thy own destruction and everlasting misery This is intimated in that 25. of Matthew Remember that in thy life-time thou hadst thy good things The great God instead of giving the ungodly any ease will even aggravate their Torments first by slighting their perplexities and by telling of them what they must be thinking of Remember saith he O ye lost Souls that you had your joy in your life-time your peace in your life-time your comforts delights ease wealth health your Heaven your Happiness and your Portion in your life-time O miserable state Thou wilt then be in a sad condition indeed when thou shalt see that thou hast had thy good Things thy best Things thy pleasant Things for that is clearly signified by these words Remember that thou in thy life-time hadst thy good things or all the good things thou art like to have From whence take notice of another Truth though it be a dreadful one which is this There are many poor Creatures who have all their good sweet and comfortable Things in this Life or while they are alive in this World Remember saith hâ—â— that in thy life-time thou hadst thy good things Psal. 17. 14. The Wickeds good Things will shortly have an end They will last no longer with them than this Life or their Life-â—â—ne That Scripture was not written in vain It is like the crackling of Thorns under a Pot make a little blaze for a suddain a little heat for a while but come and consider them by and by and instead of a comfortable heat you will find nothing but a few dead Ashes and instead of a flaming fire nothing but a smell of smoak There is a time coming that the ungodly would be glad of a better portion when they shall see the vanity of this that is when they shall see what a poor thing it is for a man to have his portion in this World 'T is true while they are here on this side Hell they think there is nothing to be compared with Riches Honours and Pleasures in this World which makes them cry out Who will shew us any good Psal. 4. 6. that is comparable to the pleasures profits and glory of this World But then they will see there is another thing that is better and of more value then Ten Thousand Worlds And seriously Friends will it not grieve you trouble perplex and torment you when you shall see that you lost Heaven for a little pleasure and profits in your Life-time certainly it will grieve you and perplex you exceedingly to see what a blessed Heaven you left for a Dunghil World Oh! that you did but believe this that you did but consider this and say within your selves What shall I be contented with my portion in this World What shall I lose Heaven for this World I say consider it while you have Day-light and Gospel-light while the Son of God doth hold out Terms of Reconciliation to you least you be made to hear such a voice as this is Son remember that in thy life-time thou hadst thy good things Thy comforts thy joys thy ease thy peace and all the Heaven thou art like to have O poor Heaven O short pleasures what a pitiful thing it is to be left in such a case Soul consider is it not miserable to lose Heaven for 20 30 or 40 Years sinning against God When thy Life is done thy Heaven is also done when Death comes to separate thy Soul and Body in that day also thou must have thy Heaven and Happiness separated from Thee and Thou from That Consider these Things betimes lest Thou have thy portion
a word while thou wert making sure of Eternal Ruine he by Faith in the Bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ was making sure of Eternal Salvation Therefore Now he is comforted and thou art tormented Here then you may see that as the Righteous shall not be always void of comfort and blessedness so neither shall the ungodly go always without their punishment As sure as God is in Heaven it will be thus They must have their several portions And therefore you that are the Saints of the Lord follow on be not dismayed For asmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. last Verse Your portion is Eternal Glory And you that are so loath now to close in with Jesus Christ and to leave your sins to follow him Your day is coming Psal. 37. 13. in which you shall know that your sweet morsels of sin that you do so easily take down Job 20. 12 13 14. and it scarce troubles you will have a time so to work within you to your Eternal Ruine that you will be in a worse condition than if you had ten thousand Devils tormenting of you Nay you had better have been plucked Limb from Limb a thousand times if it could be than to be partakers of this Torment that will assuredly without Mercy lie upon you Vers. 26. And besides all this between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed so that they which would go from hence to you cannot neither can they come to us that would come from thence THese words are still part of that Answer that the Souls in Hell shall have for all their Sobbings Sighing â—grievous Cries Tears and Desires that they have to be released out of those intollerable pains they feel and are perplexed with And O methinks the words at the first view if rightly considered are enough to make any hard-hearted sinner in the World to fall down dead The verse I last spake to was and is a very terrible one and aggravates the Torments of poor sinners wonderfully Where he saith Remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things and Lazarus his Evill things c. I say these words are very terrible to those poor Souls that die out of Christ. But these latter words do much more hold out their sorrow They were spoken as to the present condition then upon the sinner These do not onely back the former but do yet further aggravate their misery holding forth that which will be more intollerable The former Verse is enough to smite any sinner into a swound but this to make him fall down dead Where he saith And besides all this There is still something to aggravate thy misery yet far more abundantly I shall briefly speak to the words as they have relation to the Terrour spoken of in the verses before As if he had said Thou thinkest thy present state unsupportable it makes thee sob and sigh it makes thee to rue the time that ever thou wert born Now thou findest the want of Mercy now thou wouldst leap at the least dram of it now thou feelest what it is to slight the Tenders of the Grace of God now it makes thee to sob sigh and roar exceedingly for the anguish that thou art in But besides all this I have other Things to tell thee of that will break thine heart indeed Thou art now deprived of a Being in the World Thou art deprived of hearing the Gospel the Devil hath been too hard for thee and hath made thee miss of Heaven Thou art now in Hell among an innumerable Company of Devils and all thy sins beset thee round Thou art all over wrapped in flames and canst not have one drop of water to give thee any ease Thou cryest in vain for nothing will be granted Thou seest the Saints in Heaven which is no small trouble to thy Damned Soul Thou seest that neither God nor Christ takes any care to ease thee or to speak any comfort unto thee But besides all this There thou art and there thou art like to lie never think of any ease never look for any comfort Repentance now will do thee no good the Time is past and can never be called again look what thou hast now thou must have for ever 'T is true I speak enough before to break thine heart asunder But besides all this there lye and swim in flame for ever these words Besides all this are terrible words indeed I will give you the scope of them in a similitude Set case you should take a man and tye him to a stake and with red hot pincers pinch off his flesh by little pieces for two or three years together and at last when the poor man cryes out for ease and help the tormentors answer Nay but besides all this you must be handled worse We will serve you thus these 20. years together and after that we will fill your mangled body full of scalding lead or run you through with a red hot spit would not this be lamentable yet this is but a flea-biting to the sorrows of these that go to hell for if a man were served so there would ere it were long be an end of him But he that goes to Hell shall suffer ten thousand times worse torments then these and yet shall never be quite dead under them There they shall be ever whining pining weeping mourning ever tormented without ease and yet never dissolved into nothing if the biggest devil in hell might pull thee all to peices and rend thee small as dust and dissolve thee into nothing thou wouldest count this a mercy But here thou mayest lye and fry scorch and broil and burn for ever For ever that is a long while and yet it must be so long Depart from me saith Christ into everlasting fire into the fire that burns for ever prepared for the devils and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Oh thou that wert loath to foul thy foot if it were but dirty or did but rain thou that wert loath to come out of the Chimney corner if the wind did but blow a little cold and wert loath to go half a mile yea half a furlong to hear the Word of God if it were but a little dark thou that wert loath to leave a few vain companions to edify thy Soul thou shalt have fire enough thou shalt have night enough and evil company enough thy belly full if thou miss of Jesus Christ and besides all this thou shalt have them for ever and for ever O thou that dost spend whole nights in carding and dicing in rioâ—ing and wantonness thou that countest it a brave thing to swear as fast as the bravest to spend with the greatest spend-thrift in the Countrey thou that lovest to sin in a corner when no body sees thee O thou that for by-ends dost carry on an hypocrites profession because thou wouldest be counted some body among the children of God but art an enemy to the
things of Christ in thine heart thou that dost satisfy thy self either with sins or a bare profession of godliness thy soul will fall into extream torment and anguish so soon as ever thou dost depart this world and there thou shalt be weeping and gnawing thy teeth Matth. 8. 11 12. And besides all this thou art like never to have any ease or remedy never look for any deliverance thou shalâ— dye in thy sins and be tormented as many years as there are stars in the firmament or sands on the sea-shore and besides all this thou must abide it for ever And besides all this Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they câ—me to us that would come from thence There is a great gulf fixed You will say what is that Answ. It is a nice question therefore first seek thou rather to enter in at the straight gate than curiously to enquire what this gulf is But 2dly If thou wouldest needs know if thou do fall short of heaven thou wilt find it this namely The everlasting Decree of God that is There is a Decree gone forth from God That those who fall short of heaven in this world God is resolved they shall never enjoy it in the world to come And thou wilt find this gulf so deep that thou shalt never be able to wade through it as long as eternity lasts As Christ saith Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him lest he hale thee to the Judg and the Judg deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into Prison I tell thee thou shalt in no wise come out thence there is the gulf the Decree thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing or very last mite Luke 12. 58 59. These words therefore there is a great gulf fixed I do understand to be the everlasting Decree of God God hath Decreed That those who go to Heaven shall never go from thence again into a worse place and also those that go to hell and would come out they shall not come out thence again And friend this is such a gulf so fixed by him that cannot lye that thou wilt find it so which way soever thou goest whether it be to Heaven or Hell Here therefore thou seest how secure God will make those who dye in the Faith God will keep them in Heaven but those that dye in their sins God will throw them to Hell and keep them there so that they that would go from Heaven to Hell cannot neither can they come from Hell that would go to Heaven Mark he doth not say they would not for oh how fain would these who have lost their souls for a lust for two pence for a jug of Ale for a Strumpet for this World come out of that hot scolding fiery Furnace of Gods eternal vengeance if they might but here is their misery they that would come from you to us that is from Hell to Heaven cannot They must not they shall not they cannot God hath Decreed it and is resolved the contrary here therefore lyes the misery not so much that they are in Hell but there they must lye for ever and ever Therefore if thy heart would at any time tempt thee to fin against God cry out no for then I must go to Hell and lye there for ever If the Drunkards Swearers Lyars and Hypocrites did but take this Doctrine soundly down it would make them tremble when they think of sinning But poor Souls Now they will make a mock at sin Prov. 14. 9. and play with it as a child doth play with a rattle but the time is comming that these rattles that now they play with will make such a noise in their ears and Consciences that they shall find that if all the Devils in Hell were yelling at their heels the noise would not be comparable to iâ— Numb 32. 23. Friend Thy sins as so many Blood-hounds will first hunt thee out and then take thee and bind thee and hold thee down for ever Prov. 5. 22. They will gripe thee and gnaw thee as if thou hadst a nest of poisonous Serpents in thy bowels Job 20. 14. and this will not be for a time but as I have said for ever for ever for ever Verse 27. Then he said I pray thee therefore father that thou wouldst send him to my fathers house THE Verses before I told you were spoken partly to hold forth a desire that the damned have to be freed of their endless misery Now this Verse still holds forth the Cries of those poor souls very vehement they would very fain have something granted to them but it will not be as will more clearly appear afterward Then he said I pray thee therefore Father c. As if he should say Seeing I have brought my self into such a miserable condition that God will not regard me that my exceeding loud and bitter cryes will not be heard for my self seeing I must not be admitted to have so much as one drop of cold water nor the least help from the poorest Saint And seeing besides all this here my Soul must lie to all Eternity broyling and frying Seeing I must whether I will or no undergo the hand of eternal vengeance and the rebukes of devouring fiâ—e seeing my state is such that I would not wish a dog in my condition Send him to my fathers house It is worthy to be taken notice of again who it is he desired should be sent namely Lazaruâ— O friend see here how the stout hearts and stomachs of poor Creatures will be humbled as I said before they will be so brought down that those things that they disdained and made light of in this world they would be glad of in the life to come He who by this man was so slighted as that he thought it a dishonour that he should eat with the dogs of his slock What shall I regard Lazarus scâ—ubbed beggarly Lazarus What shall I so far dishonour my fair sumptuous and gay house with such a scabbed creep-hedg as he No I scorn he should be entertained under my roof Thus in his life-time while he was in his bravery but now he is come into another world now he is parted from his pleasures now he sees his fine house his dainty dishes his rich neighbours and companions and he are parted asunder now he finds instead of pleasures torments instead of joy heaviness instead of heaven hell instead of the pleasures of 〈◊〉 â—he horrour and guilt of sin O now send Lazarus Lazarus it may be might have done him some good 〈◊〉 he might have been entertained in time past 〈◊〉 might have perswaded him at least not to have gone on so grievously wicked but he slights him he will not regard him he is resolved to disown him though he lose his Soul for so doing I but now send Lazarus if not
In my life time I did not care to hear that word that cut me most and shewed me mine estate aright I was vexed to hear my sins mentioned and laid to my charge I loved him best that deceived me most that said peace peace when there was no such thing Jer. 5. 30 31. But now Oh that I had been soundly told of it Oh that it had pierced both mine ears and heart and had stuck so fast that nothing could have cured me saving the blood of Christ It is better to be dealt plainly with then that we should be deceived they had better see their lost condition in the World then stay while they be damned as I have done therefore send Lazarus send him to my Fathers house Let him go and say I saw your son your brother in hell weeping and wailing and gnashing his teeth Let him beat them down in it and teâ—l them plainly it is so and that they shall see to their everlasting misery if they have not a special care Send him to my Fathers house Verse 28. For I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment THese words are if I may so say a reason given by those in hell why they are so restless and do cry so loud it is that their companions might be delivered from those intolerable torments which they must and shall undergo if they fall short of everlasting life by Jesus Christ. Send him to my Fathers house for I have five brethren c. Though while they lived among them in the world they were not so sensible of their ruine yet now they are passed out of the world and do partake of that which before they were warned of they can I say then cry out now I find that to be true indeed which was once and again told and declared to me that it would certainly come to pass For I have five brethren Here you may see that there may be and are whole housholds in a damnable state and condition as our Lord Jesus doth by this signifie Send him to my Fathers house for they are all in one state I left all my brethren in a pittiful case People while they live here cannot indure to hear that they should be all in a miserable condition but when they are under the wrath of God they see it they know it and are very sure of it for they themselves when they were in the world lived as they do but they fell short of Heaven and therefore if they go on so shall they Oh therefore send him quickly to my Fathers house for all the house is in an undone condition and must be damned if they continue so The thing observable is this namely that those that are in hell do not desire that their companions should come thither nay rather saith he send him to my Fathers house and let him testifie to them that are therein lest they also come c Quest. But some may say what should be the reason that the damned should desire not to have their companions come into the same condition that they are fallen into but rather that they might be kept from it and escape that dreadful state Answ. I do believe there is scarce so much love in any of the damned in hell as really to desire the salvation of any But in that there is any desire in them that are damned that their friends and relations should not come into that place of torment It appears to me to be rather for their own ease then for their neighbours good for let me tell you this I do believe that it will aggravate the grief and horrour of them to see their ungodly neighbours in the like destruction with them For where the ungodlie do live and die and descend into the pit together the one is rather a vexation to the other than any thing else And it must needs be so because there are no ungodlie people that do live ungodlie together but they do learn ill examples one of another as thus If there live one in the Town that is verie expert and cunning for the World why now the rest that are of the same mind with him they will labour to imitate and follow his steps this is commonlie seen Again If there be one given to drunkenness others of the Town through his means â—un the more into that sin with him and do accustom themselves the more unto it because of his inticing them and also by setting such an ill example before them And so if there be any addicted to pride and must needs be in all the newest fashions how do their example provoke others to love and follow the same vanitie spending that upon their lusts which should relieve their own and others wants Also if there be any given to jesting scoffing lying whoring backbiting junketting wantonness or any other sin they that are most expert in these things do oft-times intangle others that peradventure would not have been so vile as now they are had they not had such an example and hence they are called corruptors Isa. 1. 4. Now these will by their doings exceedingly aggravate the condemnation of one another He that did set his Neighbour an ill example and thereby caused him to walk in sin He will be found one cause of his friends destruction insomuch that he will have to answer for his own sins and for a great part of his Neighbours too which will still add to his destruction as that Scripture in Ezekiel sheweth where speaking of the watchman that should give the people warning if he did not though the man did die in his sins yet his blood should be required at the Watchmans hand Ezek 33. So here let me tell thee that if thou shouldest be such an one as by thy conversation and practices shalt be a trap and a stumbling-block to cause thy neighbour to fall into eternal ruine though he be damned for his own sin yet God may nay he will charge thee as being guiltie of his blood in that thou didst not content thy self to keep from Heaven thy self but didst also by thy filthy conversation keep away others and cause them to fall with thee O therefore will not this aggravate thy torment Yea if thou shouldest die and go to Hell before thy neighbour or companions besides the guilt of thine own sins thou wouldest be so â—oaden with the fear of the damnation of others to be laid to thy charge that thou wouldest cry cut O send one from the dead to this companion and that companion with whom I had society in my life-time for I see my cursed carriage will be one cause of his condemnation if he fall short of glory I left him living in foul and hainous offences But I was one of the first instruments to bring him to them Oh I shall be guilty both of mine own and his damnation too O that he might be kept out hence
must go to the devil and he will not neglect to fetch me away into those inâ—olerable torments Think thus with thy self What shall I lose a long Heaven for short pleasure shall I buy the pleasures of this world at so dear a rate as to lose my soul for the obtaining of that Shall I content my self with a Heaven that will last no longer than my life time What advantage will these be to me when the Lord shall separate soul and body asunder and send one to the grave the other to hell and at the Judgement-day the final Sentence of eternal ruine must be past upon me 6. Consider that the profits pleasures and vanities of this world will not last ever but the time is coming yea just at the doors when they will give thee the slip and leave thee in the suds and in the brambles of all that thou hast done And therefore to prevent this thy dismal state think thus with thy self T is true I do love my sins my lusts and pleasures but what good will they do me at the day of death and of judgement Will my sins do me good then will they be able to help me when I come to fetch my last breath What good will my profits do me and what good will my vanities do when death sayes he will have no nay What good will all my companions fellow jesters jeerers lyars drunkards and all my wantons do me will they help to ease the pains of hell will these help to turn the hand of God from inflicting his fierce anger upon me Nay will not they rather cause God to shew me no mercy to give me no comfort but rather to thrust me down into the hottest place of hell where I may swim in fire and Brimstone 3. Consider thus with thy self Would I be glad to have all every one of my sins to come in against me to inflame the justice of God against me would I be glad to be bound up in them as the three Children were bound in their clothes and to be as really thrown into the fiery Furnace of the wrath of Almighty God as they were into Nebuchadnezzars fiery Furnace 4. Consider thus Would I be glad to have all and every one of the Ten Commandements to discharge themselves against my soul The first saying damn him for he hath broken me The second saying damn him for he hath broken me c. Consider how terrible this will be yea more terrible then if thou shouldest have ten of the biggest Pieces of Ordnance in England to be discharged against thy body thunder thunder one after another Nay this would not be comparable to the reports that the law for the breach thereof will give against thy soul For those can but kill the body but these will kill both body and soul and that not for an hour a day a month or a year but they will condemn thee for ever Mark it is for ever for ever It is into everlasting damnation eternal destruction eternal wrath and displeasure from God eternal gnawings of conscience eternal continuance with devils O consider it may be the thought of seeing the devil doth now make thine hair to stand right up on thy head O but this to be damned to be among all the devils and that not only for a time as I said before but for ever to all eternity This is wonderfully miserable ever miserable that no tongue of man no nor of Angels is able to express it 5. Consider much with thy self not onely my sins against the law will be laid to my charge but also the sins I have committed in slighting the Gospel the glorious Gospel these also must come with a voyce against me As thus Nay he is worthy to be damned for he rejected the Gospel he slighted the free grace of God tendered in the Gospel How many times wast thou damned wretch invited intreated beseeched to come to Christ to accept of mercy that thou mightest have Heaven thy sins pardoned thy soul saved and body and soul glorified and all this for nothing but the acceptance and through faith forsaking those imps of Satan which by their embracements have drawn thee downward toward the gulf of Gods eternal displeasure How often didst thou read the promises yea the free promises of the common salvation How oft didst thou read the sweet counsels and admonitions of the Gospel to accept of the grace of God but thou wouldst not thou regardest it not thou didst slight all 2. As I would have thee to consider the sad and woful state of those thaâ— die out of Christ and are past all recovery so would I have thee consider the many mercies and priviledges thou enjoyest above some peradventure of thy companions that are departed to their proper place As first Consider thou hâ—st still the thread of thy life lengthned which for thy sins might seven years ago or more have been cut asunder and thou have dropped down among the flames 2. Consider the tearms of reconciliation by faith in Christ is still profered unto thee and thou invited yea intreated to accept of it 3. Consider the tearms of reconciliation are but bear with me though I say but onely to believe in Jesus Christ with that faith that purifies the heart and enables thy soul to feed on him effectually and be saved from this sad state 4. Consider the time of thy departure is at hand and the time is uncertain and also that for ought thou knoweâ—â— the day of grace may be past to thee before thou diest not lasting so long as thy uncertain life in this world And if so then know for certain that thou art as sure to be damned as if thou wert in hell already if thou convert not in the mean while 5. Consider it may be some of thy friends are giving all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure being resolved for Heaven and thou thy self endeavourest as fast to make sure of hell as if resolved to have it and together with this consider how it will grieve thee that while thou wert making sure of hell thy friends were making sure of Heaven but more of this by and by 6. Consider what a sad reflection this will have on thy soul to see thy friends in Heaven and thy self in hell thy Father in Heaven and thou in hell thy Mother in Heaven and thou in hell thy Brother thy Sister thy Children in Heaven and thou in hell As Christ said to the Jews of their relations according to the flesh so may I say to thee concerning thy friends There shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see your Fathers and Mothers Brethren and Sisters Husbands and Wives Children and Kinsfolk with your friends and neighbours in the Kingdom of Heaven and thou thy self thrust out Luk. 13. 27 28 29. But again because I would not onely tell thee of the damnable state of those that die out of Christ but
so freely profered to thee a little ground a few Oxen a Farm a Wife a two penny matter a Play nay the fear of a mock a scoff or a jeer is of greater weight to draw thee back than the Salvation of thy Soul to draw thee forward 7. And thou hast heard that Whosoever will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God Jam. 4. 4. But thou regardest not these things but contrariwise rather then thou wilt be out of the friendship and favour of this world thou wilt sin against thine own Conscience and get thy self inâ—o favour by fawning and flattering of the world Yea rather then thou wilt go without it thou wilt dissemble lye backbite thy Neighbour and an hundred other tricks thou wilt have 8. You have heard that the day of Judgement is near in which you and I all of us must appear before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ and there be made to give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead even of all that ever we did yea of all our sins in thought word and deed and shall certainly be damned for them too if we close not in with our Lord Jesus Christ and what he hath done and suffered for eternal life and that not notionally or traditionally but really and savingly in the power and by the operation of the spirit through faith Eccles. 11. 9. 12. 14. Heb. 9. 27. Acts 10. 42 Acts 17. 30 31. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the Books There is the Book of the Creatures the Book of Conscience the Book of the Lords Remembrance the Book of the Law the Book of the Gospel Rom. 1. 20. compared with Rom. 2. 12. 15. Rev. 6. ver 19. Joh. 12. 48. Then shall he separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left Mat. 25. 30 31 32. And shall say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed vers 34. But to the other go or depart ye cursed ver 41. Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures do so plainly plentifully speak of these things alas who is there that is weaned from the world and from their siâ—s and pleasures to fly from the wrath to come Mat. 3. 7. notwithstanding the Scripture saith also That Heaven and Earth shall pass away rather than one jot or one tittle of the word shall shall fail till all be fulfilled they are so certain Luke 21. 37. But leaving the threatnings let us come to the promises and speak somewhat of them and you may see how light men make of them and how little they set by them notwithstanding the mouth of the Lord hath spoken them As first Turn ye fools ye scorners ye simple ones at my reproof and behâ—ld I will pour out my spirit unto you Prov. 1. 24. And yet persons had rather be in their foolishness and scorning still and had rather imbrace some filthy lust then the holy undesiled and blessed Spirit of Christ thorow the promise though by it as many as receive it are sealed unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. And although he that lives and dies without it is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. 2. God hath said If thou do but come to him in Christ though your sins be as red as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow and he will by no meanes cast thee away compare Isa. 1. 18. with Joh. 6. â—7 yet poor souls will not come to Christ that they might have life Joh. 5. 41. but rather after their hardness and impenitent heart treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 4 5 6. 3. Christ Jesus hath said in the word of truth That if any man will serve and follow him Where he is there shall also his servant be Joh. 12. 26. but yet poor souls choose rather to follow sin Satan and the world though their companions be the devils and damned souls for ever Mat. 25. 41. 4. He hath also said Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added But let who so will seek after the Kingdom of Heaven first for them For they will take the first time while time serves to get the things of this life And if it be so that they must needs seek after Heaven or else be damned they will stay till they have more leisure or till they can better attend to it or till they have other things handsome about them or till they are older when they have little else to do or when they come to be sick and to die Then Lord have mercy upon them though it be ten thousand to one but they perish for ever For commonly the Lord hath this way to deal with such sinners who put him off when he is striâ—â—â—â— with them either to laugh at their calamity and mâ—â—k when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 send them to the gods they have served which are the devils Judg. 10. 13. 14. Go to the gods you have served and let them deliver you saith he compare this with Joh. 8. 44. 5. He hath said There is no man that forsaketh Father or Mother Wife or Children or Lands for his sake and the Gospels but shall have an hundred fâ—lâ— in this world with persecution and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10. 29 30. But men for the most part are so far off from believing the certainty of this that they will scarce lose the earning of a penny to hear the word of God the Gospel of salvation Nay they will neither go themselves nor suffer others to go if they can help it without threatning to do them a mischief if it lie in their way Nay further many are so far from parting from any worldly gun for Christs sake and the Gospels that they are still striving by hook and by crook as we say by swearing lying cousening stealing covetousness extortion oppression forgery bribery flâ—ttery or any other way to get more though they get together with these death wrath damnation hell the devil and all the plagues that God can pour upon them And if any do not run with them to the same excess of riot but rather for all their threats will be so bold and careless as they call it as to follow the wayes of God if they can do no more yet they will whet their tongues like a Sword to wound them and do them the greatest mischief they can both in speaking against them to neighbours to Wives to Husbands to Landlords and raising false Reports of them But let such take heed lost they be in such a state and woful condition as he was in who said
in vexation and anguish of soul One drop of cold water to cool my tongue Thus might I add many things out of the holy Wâ—it both threatning and promises besides those heavenly Counsels loving Reproofs free invitations to all sorts of sinners both old and young rich and poor bond and free wise and unwise All which have been now are and it is to be feared as long as this World lasts will be trampled under the feet of those Swine I call them not men who will continue in the same But take a review of some of them 1. Counsel What heavenly counsel is that where Christ saith Buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayst be rich and white rayment that thou mayst bâ— cloathed that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear Rev. 3. 17 18. Also that Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters Yea come buy wine and miâ—â— without money and without price Isa. 55. 1. Hear and your souls shall live Veâ—se 3. Lay hold of 〈◊〉 strength that you may make peace with me and yâ—â— shall make peace with me Isa. 27. 5. 2. Instruction What Instruction is here Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it nâ—t Blessed is the man that heareth me saith Christ watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors For who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Prov. 8. 32 33 34 35. Take heed that no man deceive you by any means Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth unto everlasting life Joâ— 6. 27. Strive to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13. 24. Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 31. Believe not every spirit but try the spirits Quench not the spirit Lay hold on eternal life Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. Take heed and beware of hypocrisie watch and be sober Learn of me saith Christ. Come unto me 3. Forewarning What forewarning is here Because there is wrath beware lest he take thee away with his stroak then a great ransome cannot deliver thee Job 36. 18. Be ye not mockers lest your bands be made strong for I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts a Consumption even determined on the whole Earth Isa. 28. 22. Beware therefore lest that come upon you that is written Behold ye dispisers and wonder and perish For behold I work a work in your dayes which ye shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you Act. 13. 40. 41. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation Luke 22. 40. Let us fear therefore lest a promise being made or left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4. 1. I will therefore put you in remembrance though you once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of Aegypt afterward destroyed them that believed not Jude 5. Hold fast that thou hast let no man take thy Crown Rev. 3. 11. 4. Comfort What comfort is here He that cometh unto me I will in no wise east out Joh. 6. Vers. 37. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11. 28. Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee I will never leave thee nor forsake thee for I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. I lay down my life for my sheep I lay down my life that they might have life I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee 2 Cor. 6. 2. Though their sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be as Crimson they shall be as Wooll For I have blotted out as a thick Cloud thy transgressions and as a Cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee Isa. 44. 22. 5. Grief to those that fall short O sad grief How have I hated instruction and mine heart despised reproof and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me Prov. 7. 11 12 13. They shall curse their King and their God and look upwards And they shall look to the Earth and behold trouble and darkness and dimness of anguish and they shall be driven into darkness Isa. 8. vers 21 22. He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his Righteousness endureth for ever The wicked shall see it and be grieved he shall gnash with his teeth and mâ—â—t away the desire of the wicked shall perish Psal. 112. 9 10. There shall be weeping when ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of Heaven and your selves thrust out Luke 13. 26 27 28. all which things are slighted by the world Thus much in short touching this that ungodly men undervalue the Scriptures and give no credit to them when the truth that is contained in them is held forth in simplicity unto them but rather cry out nay but if one should rise from the dead then they think something might be done when alas though signs and wonders were wrought by the hands of those that preach the Gospel these poor creatures would never the sooner convert though they suppose they should as is evident by the carriages of their fore-runners who albeit the Lord Jesus Christ himself did confirm his Doctrine by miracles as opening blind eyes casting out of Devils and raising the dead they were so far from receiving either him or his Doctrine that they put him to death for his pains though he had done so many Miracles among them yet they believed not in him John 12. 37. But to pass this I shall lay down some of the grounds of their rejecting and undervalâ—ing the Scriptures and so pass on 1. Because they do not believe that they are the Word of God but rather suppose them to be the inventions of men written by some Politicians on purpose to make poor ignorant people to submit to some Religion and Government Though they do not say this yet their practices testifie the same as he that when he hears the words of the curse yet blesseth himself in his heart and saith he shall have peace though God saith he shall have none Deut. 29. 18 19 20. And this must needs be for did but men believe this that it is the Word of God then they must believe that he that spake it is true therefore shall every word and tittle be fulfilled And if they come once to this unless they be stark mad they will have a care how they do throw themselves under the lash of eternal vengeance For the Reason why the Thessalonians
obedience not of thee but of another man viz. Jesus Christ. Secondly Then if the Law thou readest of tell thee in thy Conscience thou must do this and the other good work of the Law if ever thou wilt be saved Answer plainly that for thy part thou art resolved now not to work for life but to believe in the vertue of that bloud shed upon the Cross upon Mount Calvary for the remission of sins and yet because Christ hath justified thee freely by his Grace thou wilt seâ—ve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the dayes of thy life yet not in a legal Spirit or in a Covenant of Works but mine obedience say thou I will endeavour to have it free and chearful out of love to my Lord Jesus Thirdly Have a care thou receive not this doctrine in the notion only lest thou bring a just damnation upon thy soul by professing thy self to be freed by Christs bloud from the guilt of sin while thou remainest still a servant to the filth of sin For I must tell you that unless you have the true and saving work of the Faith and Grace of the Gospel in your hearts you will either go on in a legal Holiness according to the tenour of the Law or else through a notion of the Gospel the Devil bewitching and beguiling thy understanding will and affections thou wilt Ranter like turn the Grace of God into wantonness and bring upon thy soul double if not treble damnation in that thou couldest not be contented to be damned for thy sins against the Law but also to make ruine sure to thy soul thou wouldest dishonour the Gospel and turn the Grace of God held forth and discovered to man by that into licenticusness But that thou mightest be sure to escape these dangerous looks on the right hand and on the left see that thy faith be such as spoken of in Sâ—â—â—pture and that thou be not satisfied without thâ—t which is a faith wrought by the mighty operation of God revealing Christ to and in thee as having wholly freed thee from thy sins by his most pretious bloud Which Faith if thou attain unto will so work in thy heart thâ—â— first thou wilt see the nature of the Law and also the nature of the Gospel and delight in the glory of it and also thou wilt find an ingaging of thy heart and soul to Jesus Christ even to the giving up of thy whole man unto him to be ruled and governed by him to his glory and thy comfort by the Faith of the Lord Jesus The End Books printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Barre CHristianismus Redivivus or Baptizing and Inchurching believers after faith and repentance vindicated also the writings of Mr. Baxâ—er Dr. â—eatley Dr. Hilins Mr. Marshall Mr. Blake Mr. Cook Mr. Cotton answered with a Vindication of Ordinances till Christs Personal coming proved in Folio The Work of Faith with Power Wherein the nature of that dead Faith is detected by which multitudes that hope for Salvation are as is to be feared deceived Published on purpose to rectify some dangerous and Damning mistakes of Men about their Faith and to Awaken all to the Work of Faith with Power In quarto Means to prevent perishing or the usefulness of the saving knowledg of God discovered Shewing what blessed tendency the right knowledg of God hath to bring men to Salvation in 4to Sions groans for her distressed Proving it the undoubted right of Christian Liberty under different perswasions in matters Spiritual to have equal protection as to their civil Peace with the Testimony of 15. Antients humbly offered to the Kings Majesty Parliament and People in 4to Faith in Gods Promises the Saints best weapon or the great use and availableness of 〈◊〉 both for the support and growth of Saints in times most perilous With several considerations for the encrease of Faith 4to A Contention for Truth In two Publick Disputations before thousands of People between Dr. Gunning and Mr. Daâ—n touching the Baptism of Infants Whether Lawful or Unlawful 4to The free Grace of God to all the Sons of Adam vindicated In a plain discovery of that Truth with 20 Queries to all men concerned 4to A Plea for Toleration of Opinions and Perswasions in matters of Religion differing from the Church of England Shewing the unreasonableness of prescribing to other Mens Faith and the evil of persecuting differing Opinions Humbly Presented to the Kings Majesty 4to The great Case of Conscience Opened in the particular unfoulding of those two difficult Texts Matth. 5. 33 34. with Jam. 5. 12. about the lawfulness or unlawfulness of Swearing 4to Godly Adversity far better than Wicked Prosperity or The Rage of the Wicked should not hinder the Race of the Godly 4to An Epistle of Information and Consolation to all such as are distinguished by names of reproach Containing also A sober Rebuke for former Slothfulness 4to The 〈…〉 causes of Gods Foreknoâ—â—â—g of Election and Predestination and of Man's Salvation or Damnation As also Whether Christ Dyed for all or not for all with the Causes and Effects that may follow or not follow The fifth Edition 4â—0 Mr. Hooles Latine and English Grammer fitted not only for the use of Schools but very useful for any person that is desirous to learn the Latine Tongue being a more plain and speedy help than any yet extâ—nt The fourth Edition Octavo A Discovery of the Latitude of the Loss of the Earthly Paradice by Original Sin With 20 Characteâ—s of the true and false Ministry To which is added Siâ—ns Redemption with the manner of the Rice of the Man of Sin with a brief Description of Christs Personal Reign upon Earth a thousand years Symptomes of Growth and Decay to Godliness In LX. Signs of A Living and Dying Christian with the cause of Decay and Remedies for Recovery Octavo Laying on of Hands Asserted under New Testament Câ—nsiâ—erations viz. 1 Upon Persons for Healing With a brief Discovery of that Ordinance of Annointing with Oyl 2. Upon Persons to Office 3. Upon Believers Baptized as such A Profitable Concordance to the Bible With Doctrinal and Alphabetical Observations upon most Points material in the Holy Scriptures Oct. Saturday no Sabâ—â—â—â— or 〈…〉 Sabboth proved not to be 〈◊〉 force to Believing Gentiles neither by the Law of Nature Law of Moses nor Law of Christ Octavo The truth of the Resurrection of the Bodies both of Good and Bad at the Great Day Asserted and Proved by Gods Word also the manner and order of their coming forth of their Graves And a Discourse of the Last Judgment and final Conclusion of the whole World in Octavo A short Catechisme very teachable as well for young Christians as Children in seven particulars in Octavo Christian Beheaviour being the fruits of true Christianity teâ—ching Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants so to walk as to please God the 3d Edition in Twelves Prayer with the Spirit and Understanding also shewing what it is to pray with the Spirit and with Understanding the 2d Edition in 120. Prison Meditations directed to the heart of suffering Saints and raigning sinners in 120. Self 〈◊〉 the grand Enemy of Jesus Christ or a Treatise shewing what a heart-plague self is with special Remedies for its ruine in 12â— The Doctrine of Christianity teaching how to become a Christian how to lead a Christian life and what is the Government of Christs Church with the Articles of their faith in 12â— first 〈…〉 with the Rule of Three also the way to find the solid content of Board Glass Land Timber Stone Globes c. in 12â— 2d Edition One thing is needful or serious Meditations upon the Four last Things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell with a Conference between Christ and a sinner in 12â— The Line of Life and the Line of Death or a Map shewing the order and causes of Salvation and Damnation all cut in Brass The Poor Mans Physitian or the true Art of Medicine as it s Chimically prepared for the healing all Diseases incident to Man-kind A brief Confession of Faith as it was presented to the King in the name of many thousands commonly called Anabaptists Also their Apologie and Vindication against the injurious aspersions of being like some pretended German Anabaptists A Treatiise touching faâ—ling from Grace or 13 Arguments proving that Believers may fall from the truth of Grace with the most material Objections to the contrary Answered 4â—0 Gods Oracle and Christ's Doctrine or the Six Principles and beginning word of ever Christian Man shewing the Foundation every Convert is to lay
in thy Life-time For if in this life onely we have our portion we are of all people the most miserable â— Cor. 15. 19. Again consider that when other men the Saints are to receive their good things then thou hast had thine When others are to enter into joy then thou art to leave and depart from thy joy When others are to go to God thou must go to the Devil Oh miserable thou hadst better thou hadst never been born than to be an Heir of such a portion Therefore I say have a care it be not thy condition Remember that thou hadst thy good things and Lazarus evil things These words do not onely hold forth the misery of the Wicked in this Life but also great consolation to the Saints where he saith And Lazarus evil things That is Lazarus had his Evil Things in his Life-time or when he was in the World From whence observe 1. That the Life of the Saints so long as they are in this World is attended with many Evils or Afflictions which may be discovered to be of divers Natures as saith the Scripture Many are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all 2. Take notice that the Afflictions or Evils that accompany the Saints may continue with them their Life-time so long as they live in this Vale of Tears Yea and they may be divers that is of several sorts some outward some inward and that as long as they shall continue here below as hath been the Experience of all Saints in all Ages and this might be proved at large but I onely hint in these Things although I might enlarge much upon them 3. The Evils that do accompany the Saints will continue with them no longer than their Life-time and here indeed lies the comfort of Believers the Lazarus's the Saints they must have all their bitter Cup wrung out to them in their Life-time Here must be all their Trouble here must be all their Grief Behold saith Christ the World shall rejoyce but you shall lament but your mourning shall mark it shall be turned into joy Joh. 16. 2. You shall lament you shall be sorrowful you shall weep in your Life-time but your sorrow shall be turned into joy and your joy no man let him be what he will no man shall take away from you Now if you think when I say the Saints have all their Evil Things in their Life-time that I mean they have nothing else but Trouble in this their Life-time this is your mistake For let me test you That though the Saints have all their Evil Things in their Life-time yet even in their Life-time they have also joy unspeakable and full of glory while they look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen The joy that the Saints have sometimes in their hearts by a believing consideration of the good Things to come when this Life is ended doth fill them fuller of joy than all the Crosses Troubles Temptations and Evils that accompany them in this Life can fill them with grief 2 Cor. 4. But some Saint may say My troubles are such as are ready to overcome me Answ. Yet be of good comfort they shall last no longer than thy Life-time But my Trouble is I am perplexed with an heart full of corruption and sin so that I am much hindred in walking with God Answ. 'T is like so but thou shalt have these Troubles no longer than thy Life-time But I have a cross Husband and that 's a great grief to me Well but thou shalt be troubled with him no longer than thy Life-time and therefore be not dismaid be not discomforted thou shalt have no Trouble longer than this Life-time Art thou troubled with cross Children cross Relations cross Neighbours They shall trouble thee no longer than this Life-time Art thou troubled with a cunning Devil with unbelief yea let it be what it will thou shalt take thy farewel of them all if thou be a Believer after thy Life-time is ended O excellent Then God shall wipe away all Tears from your Eyes There shall be no more Death nor Sorrow nor crying nor any more pain for the former Things are passed away But now on the contrary if thou be not a right and sound Believer Then though thou should'st live a Thousand Years in this World and meet with sore Afflictions every day Yet these Afflictions be they never so great and grievous they are nothing to that Torment that will come upon thee both in Soul and in Body after this Life is ended I say be what thou wilt if thou be found in unbelief or under the first Covenant thou art sure to smart for it at the time when thou dost depart this World But the Thing to be lamented is For all this is so sad a condition to be fallen into yet poor Souls are for the most part sensless of it yea so sensless at sometimes as though there was no such misery to come hereafter Because the Lord doth no immediately strike with his Sword but doth bear long with his Creature waiting that he might be gracious Therefore I say the Hearts of some of the Sons of Men are wholly set upon it to do mischief Eccles. 8. 11. And that forbearance and goodness of God that one would think should lead them to Repentance the Devil hardening of them by their continuing in sin and by blinding their Eyes as to the end of God's forbearance toward them they are led away with a very hardned and sensless heart even until they drop into Eternal Destruction But poor hearts they must have a time in which they must be made sensible of their former Behaviours when the just Judgments of the Lord shall flame about their Ears insomuch that they shall be made to cry out again with anguish I am sorely tormented in this flame But now he is comforted and thou art tormented As if he should say Now hath God recompenced both Lazarus and you according to what you sought after while you were in this World As for your part you did neglect the precious Mercy and goodness of God you did turn your Back on the Son of God that came into the World to save sinners You made a Mock of preaching the Gospel You was admonished over and over to close in with the loving kindness of the Lord in his Son Jesus Christ. The Lord let you live 20 30 40 50 60 Years all which time you instead of spending it to make your Calling and Election sure Job 21. 29 30. did spend it in making of Eternal Damnation sure to thy Soul And also Lazarus he in his Life-time did make it his business to accept of my Grace and Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. When thou wast in the Alehouse he frequented the Word preached when thou wert jearing at goodness he was sighing for the sins of the times Eccles. 9. 4. While thou wert swearing he was praying In
also perswade thee to take hold of Life and go to Heaven take notice of these following Things 1. Consider that whatever thou canst do as to thy acceptance with God is not worth the dirt of thy shoes but is all as menstruous Rags Isa. 64. 6. 2. Consider that all the Conditions of the New Covenant as to Salvation are and have bin compleatly fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ and that for sinners 3. Consider That the Lord calls to thee for to receive whatsoever Christ hath done and that on free-cost Rev. 22. 17. 4. Consider That thou canst not honour God more than to close in with his proffers of Grace Mercy and Pardon of sin Rom. 4. Again That which will adde to all the rest Thou shalt have the very Mercy of GOD the Bloud of Christ the Preachers of the Word together with every Sermon all the Promises Invitations Exhortations and all the Counsels and Threatnings of the Blessed Word of God Thou shalt have all thy Thoughts Words and Actions together with all thy Food thy Rayment thy sleep thy Goods and also all hours days weeks Months and Years together with whatsoever else God hath given thee I say thy abuse of all these shall come up in Judgment against thy Soul For God will reckon with thee for every thing whether it be good or bad Eccles. 12. 14. 5. Nay farther it is so unreasonable a thing for a sinner to refuse the Gospel that the very Devils themselves will come in against thee as well as Sodom that Damned Crue May not they I say come in against thee and say O thou simple man O vile Wretch that had not so much care of thy Soul thy precious Soul as the Beast hath of his Young or the Dog of the very Bone that lyeth before him Was thy Soul worth so much and didst thou so little regard it Were the Thunder-Claps of the Law so terrible and didst thou so slight them Besides was the Gospel so freely so frequently so fully tendered to thee and yet hast thou rejected all these Things Hast thou valued sin at a higher rate than thy soul than God Christ Angels Saints and Communion with them in Eternal Blessedness and Glory Wast thou not told of Hell-fire those intollerable flames Didst thou never hear of the intollerable Roarings of the Damned Ones that are therein Didst thou never hear or read that â—oleful saying in the 16. of Luke how the sinful man cries out among the flames One drop of water to cool my tongue Thus I say may the very Devils being ready to go with thee into the Burning Furnace of Fire and Brimstone though not for sins of so high a nature as thine trembling say Oh that Christ had died for Devils as he died for Man And Oh that the Gospel had bin preached to us as it hath bin to thee How would we have laboured to have closed in with it But woe be to us for we might never have it proffered no nor in the least though we would have been glad of it But you you have had it proffered preached and proclaimed unto you Prov. 8. 4. Besides you have been intreated and beseeched to accept of it but you would not O simple Fools that might have escaped Wrath Vengeance Hell-fire and that to all Eternity and had no heart at all to do it 6. May not the Messengers of Jesus Christ also come in with a shrill and terrible Note against thy Soul when thou standest at the Bar of God's Justice saying Nay Thou ungodly one how often hast thou been forewarned of this day Did we not found an Alarum in thine Ears by the Trumpet of God's Word day after day How often didst thou hear us tell thee of these Things Did we not tell thee sin would damn thy Soul Did we not tell thee that without Conversion there was no Salvation Did we not tell thee that they who loved their sinnes should be damned at this dark and gloomy day as thou art like to be Yet did we not tell thee that God out of his love to sinners sent Christ to die for them that they might by coming to him be saved Did we not tell thee of these Things Did we not run ride labour and strive abundantly if it might have been for the good of thy Soul though now a damned Soul Did we not venture our Goods our Names our Lives Yea did we not even kill our selves with our earnest intreatings of thee to consider of thine Estate and by Christ to escape this dreadful day O sad doom when thou shalt be forced full sore against thy will to fall under the Truth of this Judgment saying O how have I hated Instruction and how hath my heart despised Reproof for indeed I have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers nor inclined mine Ear to them that instructed me Prov 5. 11 12 13. 7. May not thy Father thy Mother thy Brother thy Sister thy Friend c. appear with gladness against thee at the terrible day Saying Oh thou silly Wretch How rightly hath God met with thee O how righteously doth his Sentence pass upon thee Remember thou would'st not be ruled nor perswaded in thy Life-time As thou didst not care for us and our Admonitions then so neither do we care for thy Ruine Terror and Damnation now No but we will stand on God's side in sentencing of thee to that portion which the Devils must be partakers of The Righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the Vengeance he shal wash his foot in the bloud of the wicked Psal. 58. 10. O sad it is enough to make Mountains tremble and the Rocks to rend in pieces to hear this doleful sound Consider these Things and if thou would'st be loth to be in this condition then have a care of living in sin now How loth wilt thou be to be thrust away from the Gates of Heaven and how loth wilt thou be to be deprived of the Mercy of God How willingly wilt thou set foot forward towards the Lake of Fire Never did Malefactor so unwillingly turn off the Ladder when the Halter was about his Neck as thou wilt turn from God to the Devil from Heaven to Hell when the Sentence is passed upon thy Soul Oh how wilt thou sigh and groan How willingly would'st thou hide thy self and run away from Justice But alas as it is with them that are on the Ladder ready to be executed so it will be with thee They would fain run away but there are many Halberd-men to stay them And so the Angels of God will beset thee round I say round on every side so that thou may'st indeed look but run thou canst not Thou mayst wish thy self under some great Rock or Mountain Rev. 6. 15 16. but how to get under thou know'st not Oh how unwilling wilt thou be to let thy Father go to Heaven without thee thy Mother or Friends c. go to Heaven without thee How willingly would'st thou hang