THE BOOKS OPENED Being several DISCOURSES on REV. 20.14 By HENRY PENDLEBURY A. M. late Minister of the Gospel at Rochdale in Lancashire Author of the Plain Representation of Transubstantiation LONDON Printed by J. D. for Ann Vnsworth of Manchester and sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1696. The EPISTLE to the Reader Christian Reader THere are two things which if firmly believed and duly considered would have a great Influence upon Men and Womens Lives viz. First That they are mortal Secondly Accountable Creatures It is the indispensible Statute-Law of Heaven that never will be repealed or dispensed withal Heb. 9.27 Death is a Debt which all Men owe and how soon the great Creditor may exact it none can tell We are all here as Tenants at Will in Cottages of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dust These earthly Tabernacles are continually mouldring down about our Ears do what we can by Food and Physick to patch them up for a little while There is no Man liveth and shall not see Death And Death hath always Judgment attending at the very Heels of it And as the Tree falls so it lies As Death leaves us Judgment will find us And as it is with us when we go out of this World so it will fare with us for ever This short uncertain Life we have here is the only time of Preparation we have for another World Death sets Men on the other side the Water there will be no working there no praying nor repenting and believing and seeking to get our Sins pardoned and an Interest in Christ and a Right to Heaven if this Work be to be done then we shall be undone to all Eternity If we once die in a Christless and graceless Condition we shall perish for being so to all Eternity There will be no Time then to correct former Mistakes At Death we must all appear before an impartial Judg to receive our final conclusive determining Sentence to a fixed eternal unchangeable State of Misery or Happiness in another World And things will then appear quite otherwise than they were stated and did appear here Then all Vizards and Masks will be pluck'd off and naked Breasts will be in fashion What hath been here concealed will then be made manifest what hath been spoken in secret will then be told on the House-top Nothing hid but shall then be made manifest At this opening Day there will be a Manifestation of the Sons of God then all the Sincerity and secret Graces and Holiness of Believers will be openly declared and all those Marks and Evidences of the Truth of Grace which here are often clouded and obscured will evidently appear And all the secret Wickedness and Hypocrisy and False-heartedness of Vnbelievers will then be discovered and laid open And the Apostle lets us know what an Influence the Belief and Consideration of this had upon himself and other Ministers of the Gospel to quicken them to Diligence and Faithfulness in their Ministerial Function 2 Cor. 5.9 10. We must all appear 1st All without Exception High and Low Rich and Poor Young and Old Ministers and People there will be no declining or escaping of it 2dly All in our own Persons without a Proxy there will be no hiring of another to appear for us every one of us must give an Account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 Now the great Design of the worthy Reverend Author in these ensuing Sermons is to quicken and direct Persons to prepare and make ready for this opening Day And herein he shews himself a skilful Workman that needeth not to be ashamed dividing the Word of Truth aright and giving to every one their Portion He doth not put the two-edged Sword of the Spirit into a silken Scabbard and flourish it in the Air but dexterously weilds it that it might reach the Consciences of Men he speaks plainly but pertinently and substantially his Words are not only intelligible but also penetrating And tho these plain Discourses are posthumous and want the polishing that he was able to have given them had he designed them for the Press yet they are genuine copied from his own Notes and you have the truest Character of him in the constant Course of his Preaching amongst his People Some serious Christians that were affected with them themselves have desired to have them printed that others might share in the like Benefit with them And that thy Heart may be warmed as others have been upon the reading of them and thou be quickned and helped in this Preparation for the great opening Day as it was the Design of the Author in preaching of them so it is of others in the publishing them and of none more than of one of the meanest and unworthiest of Christ's Ministers R. S. THE BOOKS Opened REV. xx 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 which were written in the Books according to their Works THE Apostle Paul tells us that we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Of this Judgment to come and which we must all come unto we have a Description in this part of Sacred Writ as it was shewed unto John in a Vision where are set forth 1. The Person of the Judg ver 11. who is described 1. By his Posture Sitting the ordinary Posture of Judges in the Administration of Justice and Judgment and a Token of Dominion and Authority 2. By the Place where he sat a great white Throne Not in a Manger as at his first Coming not on the Ground as when in Flesh he dwelt amongst us nor on a Cross as at his leaving the World but on a great white Throne He that lay in a Manger that stood at Man's Bar falsly accused and wickedly condemned he that hung upon the Tree shall sit supreme Judg Sedebit Judex qui stetit sub Judice What this Throne is or of what it shall be made tho some say the Angels others a glorious Rainbow others a bright Cloud Scripture being silent you must not know of me 3. By his Power and Glory From whose Face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no Place for them At his first Appearance Herod seeking his Life he is forced to fly Mat. 2.14 At his second and glorious Coming Heaven and Earth shall flee away not being able to abide his Majesty and Power 2. The Persons to be judged ver 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God the Dead of all sorts and degrees We must here include those that shall be found alive at this day who shall pass through a Change that shall be to them instead of Death 3. The Form
Silver is cankered and the Rust thereof shall be a Witness against you and shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire This will be brought as an Evidence of your Covetousness and will beget in you such stinging Reflections as shall gnaw upon you with Anguish and Torment Ver. 4. And behold the Hire of your Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the Cries of them which have reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth One observes that the same word in the Hebrew signifies both a Wedg of Gold and a Tongue and some say that Achan's Wedg had the shape of a Tongue Surely Gold Wealth Estates ill got will have many Tongues and cry aloud at the great Day of opening the Books Then the corrupt Judg will hear of his Bribes and perverting Justice then the unjust Lawyers Estate will cry against him then the Possessions of Oppressing Landlords will declare that they were got by wracking poor Tenants then 't will be the Language of the full Bags of idle Ministers that they were fill'd by starving immortal Souls then the Treasures of Covetous Mammonists will acknowledg themselves to be the Products of Usury Oppression c. 6. The Book of the Talents wherewith Men are intrusted shall be opened at this opening Day and these when opened will bring to light all the Days Means Advantages and Opportunities of Grace that Men have had all the Truths and Duties that have been preached to and pressed on them what Pains have been taken and how much done that they might be saved One observes that God is very curious in Scripture to record the Time how long his faithful Servants lived on Earth and says he among other Reasons this is not the least sc to convince us that he intends to reckon with those who lived with them for every Year yea Day and Hour they had them amongst 'em they shall know they had a Prophet a Husband a Parent a Master that was Godly and that they had them so long and God will know of them what Use they made of them Gurn. Christ Arm. Part 2. Pag. 262. Another observes that the Year and Month and Day when the Word of the Lord came to the Prophets stands upon record in Sacred Writ as Ezek. 1.1 2. to teach us that all our Betrustments with all their Circumstances are now recorded and will at this Day be made manifest Then will be declared the Year the Month the Day when such a Sermon was preached such a Truth urged when such a Minister was sent with the Lord's Message among you In this opening Day Ministers will open their Mouths We preached so long to you Sabbaths and Sermons will speak We were continued so long to you Prayers will witness that they were put up for you so often to the Throne of Grace Truths now imprisoned shall then speak yea the Dust shaken off from the Feet of those Ministers you despise and will not hear shall speak against you Mat. 6.11 Thirdly The Books shall then be opened whereby all things shall be examined try'd and judged As in earthly Courts when Matters of Fact are opened and proved then the Statutes are also produced and Sentence is past on such Matters according to the determination of the Law So at the great Tribunal when the Books of Record the Books of Evidence and Proof are opened then shall also be opened the Law whereby Matters shall be finally adjudicated and this is the Holy Scripture The Holy Bible being the Law-Book of the great King is now the Rule of our Lives and shall be the Rule of Judgment at the opening Day Christ himself who is the Judg tells us John 12.48 The Word that I have spoken the same shall judg him at the last Day This the Apostle Paul witnesses Rom. 2.16 In the Day when God shall judg the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Who shall judg God What shall he judg The Secrets of Men not only their outward Actions which are manifest to all but their most hidden Sins and secret Duties their inward Purposes Designs and Aims By whom By Jesus Christ By what Rule According to my Gospel the Gospel committed to and preached by me Men shall be judged according to their Works their Works by this Word The final Sentence passed at this Day shall be but a more solemn and manifest Declaration of that Judgment which the Lord hath in his Written Law already passed upon Men that which is now said shall then be done Now the word says He that believeth on him shall have everlasting Life John 3.16 Then Believers shall be crown'd with a Crown of Life Now the word says That the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 That the Wicked shall be turned into Hell Look what Sentence this Law now passes on thee the same will Christ pronounce in this Day for this is the Book that must be opened and which he will proceed by in giving Judgment Thus you see what Books are to be opened II. The next thing to be considered is what the opening of the Books implies and it doth denote 1. A manifestation of Mens Works that they shall come to Light While a Book is shut we are ignorant what is in it but when it 's open every one may see and know what 's therein writ So many of Mens Works both Good and Bad are like a clasped or sealed Book secret and unknown but in this Day they shall be like a Book open legible to every one 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore judg nothing before the Time come until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of Darkness and will manifest the Counsels of the Heart When the Lord comes he will make great Discoveries and bring to light things that are now Secret Some Mens Sins says the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.24 25. are open before hand going before to Judgment and some Men they follow after Likewise also the good Works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid Tho these Verses are taken to have another meaning yet I may as some make this Gloss on them i. e. Some Mens Sins are open notorious appear to all now in this Life they shew their Sin as Sodom and some Mens Sins they are kept secret to the Day of Judgment there 's no noise heard no notice taken of them in the World but these follow after to be opened at this Day Likewise the good Works of some are evident cannot be denied and they that are otherwise cannot be hid i. e. those good things in the Saints that are not manifest but are either concealed by themselves or mistaken and misrepresented by others shall come to light secret Duties shall come abroad wronged Innocence and Integrity shall be cleared This is the first thing this opening imports sc a discovery of Mens Doings a
that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation There is says the Apostle no Condemnation to those who are in Christ who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 Nor yet 2. To their Shame and Reproach they shall not be produced to their Infamy or Disgrace Sinners rise to everlasting shame and contempt but Saints to Glory Dan. 12.2 They may lift up their Face and have boldness in the Day of Judgment 1 John 4.17 Nor 3. To the abatement of their Joy in that Day The appearance of their Sins in that Day of the Lord shall no more abate their Joy than the appearing of the dead Carcases of the Egyptians on the Sea-shore did the Joy of the delivered Israelites Neither 4. To the damping or diminishing of their Love to the Lord. If the Woman to whom many Sins were forgiven loved much Luke 7.47 then the Saints shall not love God less when they see how much hath been forgiven them Now these things being thus premised I say I conceive it is probable that the Sins of the Saints shall be opened at this opening I 'll give you my Grounds for it and leave it to that Day that will fully open this and other things yet in the dark 1. Because the Expressions concerning the Objects of this opening are Universal The personal Objects are thus spoken of Rom. 14.10 We shall all stand before the Judgment-Seat of God The real Objects are express'd in the same Terms of Universality every thing whether open or secret every Work whether good or evil Eccles 12.14 every Man and every thing of every Man is to come to this opening Day 2 Cor. 5.10 2. Because there is such a Mixture of the Sins of many wicked and godly Men that the Sins of the Wicked cannot be disclosed with their several Circumstances and the Sins of the Godly remain closed but if the one come fully out the other must Those who are for the Negative think the Strength of the former Argument is fully discharged by this Distinction that the Terms and Notes of Universality in the Places mentioned are not to be taken collectively as asserting that the Sins of the Godly as well as Ungodly shall be manifested but distributively thus that the good Works only of the Good and the evil Works of the Wicked shall be manifest But this Key will not for ought I see sit all the Wards of that Lock Yet they confess that all the Works of wicked Men shall be proclaimed Now many Sins of wicked and godly Men lie so mingled together and are so concatenated several ways that it 's not easy to conceive how the Sins of the Wicked can be laid open and the other not come out too It 's sure a gross Abuse of Scripture and a great Sin in wicked Men to justify and harden themselves as many have done in Drunkenness by the Example of Noah in their customary Oaths by the Example of Joseph in Uncleanness by the Example of David but how can these Sins come out and the Sin of Noah Joseph and David not be made known It was a Sin in the High-priest to grant Letters of Persecution to Saul Acts 9.1 2. yet how can these Letters be produced but it will appear that Saul was once a Persecutor I will suppose thee who art now a Convert to have been when unregenerate guilty of Folly and Lewdness with such a Man or Woman and the Person with whom thou committedst it to have died in an impenitent State how can that Party's Folly be exposed and thine with whom it was committed lie hid 3. Because the blotting out of Sin is referred to this opening Day Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the Times of refreshing come from the Presence of the Lord. Here you have 1. A Duty proposed and press'd Repent 2. A Motive annexed taken from the profitable Consequent that your Sins may be blotted out 3. The Time when this Benefit is to be received and injoyed When the Times of refreshing come from the Presence of the Lord at this opening Day The Scriptures speak of a blotting out of Sins at that Day not but that the Saints injoy a real blotting out of Sin before that Day not that their Pardon of any Sin is not plenary but imperfect having part of its Guilt remaining then to be done away but the Meaning is that then they shall solemnly openly and publickly before Men and Angels be cleared from every Charge of all accusing Adversaries and their Absolution proclaimed before the World Now this Blotting out implies some Appearance of the Sins from which they shall then be solemnly acquitted This may be the Meaning of that Mat. 12.32 It shall not be forgiven neither in this World nor in the World to come i. e. An Act of Pardon shall neither now be really passed nor then solemnly proclaimed and by his declaratory Sentence ratify'd Sins that have been blotted out intentionally from Eternity in the Decree of God and virtually from the Passion and Resurrection of Christ by his Satisfaction and formally or actually in themselves from their Union to Christ shall in this opening Day be publickly and solemnly blotted out to all Eternity 4. Because this seems to make much for the Illustration and Exaltation of the Grace and Glory of Christ 2 Thess 1.10 to manifest the glorious Effects of his Passion and Satisfaction When it appears what Sins how many and how various have been laid at their Door the Love Passion and Merits of Christ will be more elevated Glory and Honour will redound on Christ then it shall appear what Strength was in his Love what Value in his Blood I might yet further urge the opening of the Books the impartial Manifestation of the Sins of Saints as well as others in the Holy Scriptures the dangerous Tendency of the contrary Tenent the Aggravation it will be to the Horror and Sting of the Reprobate when they see others that have sinned alike in some things admitted to Glory and themselves for their Unbelief and Impenitence shut out But the fore-mentioned are the Arguments that sway most with me in this case Now what remains but that we apply this Truth thus explained in those Uses that it gives us which are of Information Reproof Exhortation First Of Information Shall the Books be opened Then we may hence learn 1. That all our Actions are of a lasting Nature These die not in the Birth but are abiding and for many Days to come There are many things in this Life which as to the acting of them are transient and soon over yet are durable in regard of their Issue A Lease is writ over in two or three Hours yet the Concernment of it may be for many Years yea for some Lives So it is with our Thoughts Words and Actions they do not die as soon as they are
be for hiding his Brother's Blood a Covetous Achan for hiding his Golden Wedg an Oppressing Ahab for hiding his Naboth's Vineyard a Drunken Nabal for hiding his Vomit the filthy Fornicator for hiding his Uncleanness O where where will one cry may I hide my Gain of Oppression Where will another say may I now hide my Tricks and Sleights that I raised my Estate by Where will a third cry may I now hide my Lies and Oaths O where may I hide my profaned Sabbaths mis-spent time of Grace abused Seasons of Salvation Where may I hide this Sermon and that Ordinance that are ready to rise up and condemn me Where may I who have lived in a Time of great Gospel-light hide my Ignorance O I would give all that I have for some where to hide these things so as they may never come to light But all this will be in vain there will be no Place to hide either your selves or Sin in 6. That you must come to an Account and Reckoning for all As all must out so all must be accounted for to the very last and least idle Word Matth. 12.36 You must be accountable for all the Evil you have committed of all the Good you have omitted of all the Talents you have been betrusted with as Time Health Wealth Gospel Sabbaths Sermons and Ordinances all must be accounted for 7. That as you must come to Account so you can in no wise answer for what you have done Alas Sirs your Doings your Lies your Oaths your Drunkenness will be unanswerable Matters all your witty Distinctions Shifts and Excuses will be of no Use when God shall say Why have you done so and so why were you drunk at such a time in such a Place why did you defraud one another why did you profane my Day I say you 'l then be silent The Man who had not on the Wedding-Garment was speechless Matth. 22.12 This shows how little you can answer for Sin how shiftless and speechless Guilt will make you O think on this and let the Consideration of the Unanswerableness of your Doings put you to break from your sinful Ways And that the rather because as you cannot answer for them your selves so 8. There will be none to answer for you Job 5.1 To which of the Saints wilt thou turn Alas it will be in vain to turn to any of them None of them will answer in thy Behalf nor can they if they would Only Christ Jesus can answer for Souls in this case but if thou come to this Opening in thy Sins he will not then answer for thee Acts 5.31 God hath now indeed exalted him with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance unto Israel and Forgiveness of Sins But when this opening Day comes it will be the great Day of his Wrath and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.17 This will be a Day wherein he will not come to plead for them that are found in their Sins but to render Vengeance to them 9. You are sure to be cast and fall in the Judgment This will be the Issue you 'l not be able to answer for your selves Christ will not answer for you God will abate you nothing therefore surely you cannot stand Psal 1.5 There are but two ways of Standing in the Judgment either First by Christ's Righteousness apprehended by Faith and they who have this shall stand For he that believeth on him is not condemned John 3.18 He says Christ that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation John 5.24 Or Secondly by our own Righteousness or the Works of the Law an absolute and every way perfect Conformity to the Law if a Man had this he might stand thereby But now Sirs the Ungodly can stand neither of these two ways Not by Christ's Righteousness for they are Christless Creatures Not by their own Righteousness for they are Transgressors of that Law that curses for the least Breach thereof Gal. 3.10 This way of standing is and ever hath been impossible for all Mankind since the Fall Therefore says the Apostle Rom. 3.20 by the Deeds of the Law there shall be no Flesh justified in his Sight Therefore wherefore why ver 19. That every Mouth may be stopped and all the World become guilty before God This way the most eminent of Saints cannot stand Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand David himself says Psal 143.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be justified Thus Sinners you are sure to fall in the Judgment you have not Christ's Righteousness and Man is not justified by the Works of the Law Gal. 2.16 And 10. If once you fall in Judgment you must fall into Hell where you must lie till you have paid the uttermost Farthing Mat. 5.26 And when will that be Why never the Punishment there will be everlasting ch 25.46 Your Damnation everlasting Damnation because you can never make Satisfaction Well Sirs these are the things I would intreat you to take into your Thoughts they are certain Truths and will you yet continue in your sinful States and ungodly Ways Will you tho you know that the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men Will you tho your Ungodliness and Unrighteousness be on Record Will you tho you be bound over to this opening Day and must unavoidably come to it Tho you must there meet all your Actings fairly writ in the Books Tho all your Deeds of Darkness and wicked Works shall be fully displaid before God Angels and Men Will you tho you must come to a Reckoning for all tho you 'l not be able to answer for your selves neither will there be any to answer for you Will you tho you are sure to fall in Judgment and to be cast into Hell Will you I say notwithstanding all this persevere in Sin Truly if this be your Resolution it 's a sad Resolution You are resolved to damn your selves to all Eternity But O! if you knew but what Damnation is if you had but once seen what 's doing in another World or but felt that one Hour which the Damned are groaning under and have to groan under to Eternity you would be of another Mind 3d Vse is of Exhortation First General to all Secondly Particular 1. To Sinners 2. To Saints First General to all Shall the Books be opened Then 1. Remember this Opening and carry it on your Thoughts every day This is the first Word I would leave with you Think O think much of this Day this Day that never had the like before nor ever shall again have after it You have probably heard of that Saying Whether I eat or drink whether I wake or sleep methinks I hear that Voice sounding in mine Ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment Jerom. Why so Sirs