here much more then when we are with our Saviour our Jesus being passed from death to life John 5. 24. 1 John 4. 18. Secondly The Saints at this day shall have their hearts and Souls so wrapped up in the pleasure of God their Saviour that it shall be their delight to see all things though once never so near and dear unto them yet now to perish if not according to his word and will Thy will be done is to be always our Language here but to delight to see it done in all things though it tend never so much to the distruction of what we love to delight I say to see it done in the height and perfection of delight it will be when we come to Heaven or when the Lord shall come to judge the World Mat. 6. 10. But thirdly The sole end of the counting of the Saints at the day of God it will be not onely for the vindication of the righteousness holiness and purity of the Word neither will it center onely in the manifestation of the knowledg and heart-discerning nature of Christ though both these will be in it Revel 2. 22 23. But their very remembrances and sight of the sin and vanity that they have done while here it shall both set off and heighten the tender affections of their God unto them and also increase their joy and sweetness of Soul and clinging of heart to their God Saints while here are sweeâ—ly sensible that the sense of sin and the assurance of pardon will make famous work in their poor hearts Ah what meltings without guilt what humility without casting down and what a sight of the creatures nothingness yet without fear will this sense of sin work in the Soul The sweetest frame the most heart-indearing frame that possibly a Christian can get into while in this World is to have a warm sight of sin and of a Saviour upon the heart at one time Now it weeps not for fear and through torment but by vertue of constraining grace and mercy and is at this very time so far off of disquietness of heart by reason of the fight of its wickedness that it is driven into an extasie by reason of the love and mercy that is mingled with the sense of sin in the Soul The heart never sees so much of the power of mercy as now nor of the vertue value and excellency of Christ in all his Offices as now and the Tongue so sweetly inlarged to proclaim and cry up grace as now now will Christ come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe 2 Thes. 1. 10 11. Wherefore though the Saints receive by Faith the forgiveness of sins in this life and so are passed from death to life yet again Christ Jesus and God his Father will have every one of these sins reckoned up again and brought fresh upon the stage in the day of Judgment that they may see and be sensible for ever what grace and mercy hath laid hold upon them And this I take to be the Reason of that remarkable saying of the Apostle Peter Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ who before was preached unto you whom the Heaven must receive till the restitution of all things spoken of by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the World began Acts 3. 19 20 21. If a sense of some sin for who sees all Psa. 19. 12. and a sight of the love of God will here so work upon the spirit of the godly What will a sight of all sin do when together with it they are personally present with their Lord and Saviour Yea if a sight of some sins with a possibility of pardon will make the heart love reverence and fear with guiltless and heart-affecting fears what will a general sight of all sin and together with them an eternall acquittance from them work on the heart of the Saint for ever Yea I say again if a sight of sin and the love of God will make such work in that Soul where yet there is unbelief blindness mistrust and forgetfulness what will a sight of sin do in that Soul who is swallowed up of love who is sinless and temptationless who hath all the faculties of Soul and Body strained by love and grace to the highest pin of perfection that is possible to be in glory injoyed and possessed O the wisdom and goodness of God that he at this day should so cast about the worst of our things even those that naturally tend to sink us and damnus for our great advantage All things that shall work together for good indeed to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. Those sins that brought a curse upon the whole World that spilt the heart-blood of our dearest Saviour and that laid his tender Soul under the flaming wrath of God shall by his wisdom and love tend to the exaltation of his Grace and the inflaming of our affections to him for ever and ever Revel 5. 9 10 11 12 13 14. 'T will not be thus with Devils 't will not be thus with Reprobates the saved onely have this priviledge peculiar to themselves wherefore to vary a little from the matter in hand will God make that use of sin even in our counting for it that shall in this manner work for our advantage why then let Saints also make that advantage of their sin as to glorifie God thereby which is to be done not by saying Let us do evill that good may come or let us sin that Grace may abound but by taking occasion by the sin that is past to set the Crown upon the Head of the Christ for our justification Continually looking upon it so as to press us to cleave close to the Lord Jesus to grace and mercy through him and to the keeping of us humble for ever under all his dispensations and cariages to us Now having counted for all their evil and confessed to Gods glory how they fell short and did not the truth in this or that or other particulars and having received their eternall acquittance from the Lord and Judg in the sight of both Angels and Saints forthwith the Lord Jesus will make inquiry into all the good and holy actions and deeds they did do in the World Now there shall all things be reckoned up from the very first good thing that was done by Adam or Abel to the last that will fall out to be done in the World The good of all the holy Prophets of all Apostles Pastors Teachers and helps in the Church here also will be brought forth and to light all the good Cariages of Masters of Families of Parents of Children of Servants of Neighbours or what ever good thing any man doth but to be general and short first here will be a recompence for all that have sincerely laboured in
for me this is the man that overcame the flatteries and threats allurements and inticings of a whole World for me behold â—iâ— he is an Israelite indeed the top man in his Generation none like him in all the Earth It is said that when King Ahasuerus had understanding of how good service Mordeeai the Jew had done to and for him he commanded that the royall Apparel and the Crown with the Horse that the King did ride on should be given to him and that he should with that Crown Apparel and Horse be had through the City in the presence of all his Nobles and that Proclamation should be made before him thus shall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour Esth. 6. 9 10 11. Ahasuerus in this was a Type to hold forth to the Children of God how kindly he will take all their labour and service of love and how he will honour and dignifie the same as Christ saith Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning and you your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh ye may open to him immediately blessed are those servants whom their Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and shall make them sit down to meat and shall come forth and serve them Luke 12. 35 36 37. The meaning is that those souls that shall make it their business to honour the Lord Jesus Christ in the day of their temptation he will make it his business to honour and glotifie them in the day of his glorification Verily I say unto you that he will make them sit down to meat and shall come forth and serve them if any man will serve me saith he him will my Father honour Joh. 12. 26. Job 1. 8. Joh. 1. 47. Mark 14. 9. Rev. 3 4. Rev. 14. 12. 3 4 5. It hath bin Gods way in this World to proclaim the acts and doing of his Saints in his Word before all in this World and he will do it in that which is to come Thirdly Another thing that shall be yet added to the glory of the Saints in the Kingdom of their Saviour at his coming is they shall every one of them then have his Throne and place of degree on Christs right hand and on his left in his glorious Kingdom according to the relation they stand in to Christ as the members of his Body for as Christ will have a special eye on us and a tender and affectionate heart to recompence to the full every good thing that any man doth for his name in this World so also he will have as great regard that there be to every member of his body the place and state that is comely for every such member When the Mother of Zebedees Children petitioned our Saviour that he would grant to her that her two Sons might fit the one on his right hand and the other on his left in his Kingdom though he did not grant to her the request for her Children yet he affirmed that there would be places of degrees and honour in Heaven saying To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father See Mat. 20. 20 21 22 23. In the Temple there were Chambers bigger and lesser higher and lower more inward and more outward which Chambers were types of the Mansions that our Lord when he went away told us he went to prepare for us In my Fathers House are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you c. Joh 14. 1 2 3. The foot here shall not have the place prepared for the eye nor yet the hand that which is prepared for the ear but every one shall have his own place in the Body of Christ and the glory also prepared for such a relation order as it is comely in Earth so much more in the Kingdom of the God of Order in Heaven where all things shall be done in their utmost perfections Here shall Euoch Noah Abraham Moses Joshuah David with the Prophets have every one his place according to the degree of old Testament Saints As God said to Daniel Go thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the lot at the end of the days Dan. 12. 13. And here also shall Peter Paul Timothy and all other the Church-Officers have their place and Heavenly state according as God hath set them in the Church in the New Testament As Paul saith of the Deacons They that use the Office of a Deacon well they purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ. 1 Tim. 3. 13. And so of all other Saints be they here of what Ranck Quality or place in the Church soever they shall have every one his state his Heavenly State according as he standeth in the Body As he saith seeing those members that are most feeble are necessary to them shall be given more abundant honour 1 Cor. 12. 22 23. Of this Heavenly Order in the Kingdom of Christ when his Saints are risen from the dead was Solomon a notable Type in his Family and among his Servants and Officers who kept such exactness in the famous order in which he had placed all about him that it did amaze and confound beholders For when the Queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon and the House which he built and the meat of his Table the sitting of his Servants and the attendance of his Ministers and their Apparel his Cup-bearers also and their Apparel and the ascent by which he went up into the House of the Lord there was no more spirit in her 2 Chron. 9. 3 4. Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God Having gone thus far I shall now come to the second part of the Text to wit that there shall be a Resurrection of the wicked There shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the Just and unjust For as the Just go before the unjust in Name and Dignity and Honour so they shall in the last day go before them in the Resurrection Now then when the Saints have thus risen out of their Graves given up their accounts received their glory and are set upon the Thrones for there are set Thrones of Judgement the Thrones of the House of David Psal. 122. 5. When I say they are all of them in their royall Apparel with Crowns of glory every one presenting the Person of a King then come the unjust out of their Graves to receive their Judgment for what they have done in the body As Paul saith We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one both Saints and sinner may receive the things done in the body whether it be
namely under the black Rod in the Kings black Book where he hath Recorded all his Enemies and Traytors It shall be said of this man of this ungodly man that he was born there Psal. 87. 4. That he lived and dyed in the state of nature and so under the curse of God even as others for as he said of wicked Coniah Jer. 22. 30. Write this man childless so he saith of every ungodly man that so departeth out of this World Write this man Graceless Wherefore I say among the Babylonians and Phylistians among the unbelieving Moors and Pagans his name will be found in the day when it will be inquired where every man was born for God at this day will divide the whole World into these two Ranks the Children of the World and the Children of Zion Wherefore here is the honour the priviledge and advantage that the Godly above the wicked will have at the day of their counting When the Lord maketh mention of Zion it shall be then acknowledged that this and that good man was born in her the Lord shall count saith the Prophet when he wrighteth up the People that this man was born there Psal. 87. 5 6. This man had the work of Conversion of Faith and Grace iâ— his Soul This man 〈◊〉 Child of Zion of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is also written in Heaven Blessed is the People that are in such a case Gal. 4 26 Heb 12. 22 23. Psal. 144. 1â—â— But poor Soul Counters will not go for Gold now for though so long as thou didst judge thy self by the crooked rule of thy own reason fancy and affection thou wast pure in thy own eyes yet â—ow thâ—u must be judged alone by the words and rule of the Lord Jesus Which word shall not now as in times past be wrested and wrung both this way and that to smooth thee up in thy Hypocrites hope and carnall confidence but be thou King or Keser be thou who thou wilt the Word of Christ and that with this interpretation onely It shall judge thee in the last day Joh. 12. 44. Now will sinners begin to cry with loud and bitter cryes Oh! ten thousand Worlds for a saving work of Grace Crowns and Kingdoms for the least measure of saving Faith and for the love that Christ will say is the love of his own Spirit Now they will begin also to see the work of a broken and a contrite spirit and of walking with God as living 〈◊〉 in this World But alas these things appear in their hearts to the damned too late as also do all things else This will be but like the repentance of the Thief about whose neck is the â—alter and he turning off the ladder for the unfortunate hap of the damned will be that the glory of Heavenly things will not appear to them till out of season Christ must now indeed be shewed to them as also the true nature of Faith and all Grace but it will be when the door is shut and mercy gone they will pray and repent most earnestly but it will be in the time of great Waters of the flouds of eternall wrath when they cannot come nigh him 1 Tim. 6. 15. Matth. 25. 10 11. Psal. 32. 6. Well then tell me sinner if Christ shouâ—d now come to judge the World canst thou abide the tryal of the Book of Life Art thou confident that thy Profession that thy Conversion thy Faith and all other Graces thou thinkest thou hast will prove Gold Silver and precious Stones in this day behold he comes as a Refiners fire and as Fullâ—rs Soap shalt thou indeed abide the melting and washing of this day Examine I say before hand and try thy self unfeignedly for every one that doth â—ruth cometh to the light that their deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. Thou sayest thou art a Christian that also thou hast repented dost believe and love the Lord Jesus but the question is whether these things will be found of equall length heighth and bredth with the Book of Life Or whether when thou art weighed in the ballance thou wilt yet be found wanting Dan. 5. 27. How if when thou comest to speak for thy self before God thou shouldest say Siboleth instead of Shiboleth that is though almost yet not rightly and naturally the Language of the Christians Judg. 12. 4 5 6. If thou miss but one letter in thy evidence thou art gone for though thou mayst deceive thy own heart with Brass instead of Gold and with Tin instead of Silver Gal. 6. 7. yet God will not be so put off You know how confident the foolish Virgins were and yet how they were deceived They herded with the Saints they went forth from the gross pollutions of the World they every one had shining Lamps and all went forth to meet the Bridegroom and yet they mist the Kingdom They were not written among the living in Jerusalem they had not the true powerful saving work of Conversion of Faith and Grace in their Souls they that are foolish take their Lamps but take no Oyl no saving Grace with them Mat. 25. 1 2 3 4. Thus you see how sinners will be put to it before the Judgment-Seat from these two parts of this Book of Life But Thirdly There is yet another part of this Book to be opened and that is that part of it in which is Recorded those noble and Christian acts that they have done since the time of their Conversion and turning to Christ. Here I say is Recorded the Testimony of the Saints against sin and Antichrist their suffering for the sake of God their love to the members of Christ their patience under the Cross and their faithful frequenting the Assemblies of the Saints and their incouraging one another to bear up in his wayes in the worst of times even when the proud was called happy and when they that wrought wickedness were even set up As he there saith Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a Book of Rememrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name Mat. 3. 14 15 16. For indeed as truly as any person hath his name found in the first part of this Book of Life and his Conversion in the second so there is a third part in which there is his noble spiritual and holy actions Recorded and set down As it is said by the Spirit to John concerning those that suffered Martyrdom for the truth of Jesus Write blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them Rev. 14. 13. And hence it is that the labours of the Saints and the Book of Life are mentioned together signifying that the travels and labours and acts of the godly are Recorded therein Phil. 4. 3. And hence it is again that the Lord
Souls as appears by the grace that was in your hearts For I was an hungred and you gave me meat was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and you visited me and in Prison and you came unto me Matth. 25. 34 35 36. you owned me stood by me and denyed your selves to nourish me and my poor members in our low and weak and most despised condition This I say the World shall see hear and be witnesses of against themselves and their Souls for ever for how can it be but these poor damned sinners should be forced to confess that they were both Christless and Graceless when they shall find both in the book of life and in the hearts of the holy and beloved Souls that which themselves are quite barren of and greatest strangers to The Saints by the fruits of Regeneration even in this World do testify to the World not only the truth of conversion in themselves but also that they are yet Christless and so heavenless and salvationless that are not converted 1 Tim. 6. 12. 1 Thess. 2. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 2. But alas while we are here they will evade this testimony both of our happiness by calling our Faith fantacy our communion with God delusion and the sincere profession of his Word before the World hypocrisy pride and arrogancy yet I say when they see us on the right hand of Christ commingled among the Angels of light and themselves on his left hand and commingled with the Angels of darkness and I say when they shall see our hearts and wayes opened before their eyes and owned by the Judg for honest hearts and good wayes and yet the same wayes that they hated slighted disowned and contemned what will they or what can they say but thus We fools counted their lives madness and their end to be without honour but how are they numbred with the Saints and owned by God and Christ. And truly was it not that the world might by seeing the turn that is wrought on the godly at their Conversion be convinced of the evil of their wayes or be left without excuse the more in the day of God with some other reasons they should not I am perswaded stay so long from Heaven as they do nor undergo so much abuse and hardship as frequently befalls them God by the lengthening out the life of his people that are scattered here and there among men in this world is making work for the day of Judgment and the overthrow of the implacable for ever and ever and as I have said will by the Conversion life patience self-denyal and heavenly mindedness of his dear children give them a heavy and most dreadful blow Now When God hath thus laid open the work of Grace both by the booâ— of life and the Christians heart then of 〈◊〉 self will fall to the ground their pleading what gifts and abilities they had in this world they will now see that gifts and grace are two things and also that whosoever is graceless let their gifts be never so excellent they must perish and be lost for ever wherefore for all their gifts they shall be found the workers of iniquity and shall so be judged and condemned Matth. 7. 22 23. That is a notable place in the Prophecy of Ezekiel Thus saith the Lord saith he If the Prince the Prince of life give a gift to any of his sons that is to any that are truly gracious the inheritance oâ— the profit that he gets thereby shall be his sons that is for the exercise of his gift he shall receive a reward but if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants that is not a son then it shall be his but to the year of liberty after it shall return to the Prince c. Ezek. 46. 16 17. This day of liberty it is now when the Judg is set upon the throne to Judgment even the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8. 21. wherefore then will Christ say to them that stand by Take from him the pound and give it to him that hath ten pâ—unds this servant must not abide in the house for ever though with the son it shall be so Joh. 8. 35. Luke 19. 24. A man may be used as a servant in the Church of God and may receive many gifts and much knowledg of the things of heaven and yet at last himself be no more than a very bubble and nothing 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. But now I say at this day they shall clearly see the difference between gifts and grace even as clearly as now they that have eyes can see the difference between gifts and ignorance and very foolishness This our day doth indeed abound with gifts many sparkling wits are seen in every corner men have the Word and truths of Christ at their fingers ends but alas with many yea a great many there is naught but wits and gifts they are but words all their Religion lyeth in their tongues and heads the power of what they say and know it is seen in others not in themselves these are like the Lord on whom the King of Israel leaned they shall see the plenty the blessed plenty that God doth provide and will bestow upon his Church but they shall not tast thereof 2 Kings 7. 17 18 19 20. Before I conclude this matter observe that among all the objections and cavils that are made and will be made by the ungodly in the day of the Lord Jesus they have not one hump abouâ— election and reprobation they murmur not at all that they were not predestinated to eternal life and the reason is because then they shall see though now they are blind that God could in his Prerogative Royal without prejudice to them that are damned chuse and refuse at pleasure and besides they at that day shall be convinced that theâ—e was so much reality and downright willingness in God in every tender of Grace and mercy to the worst of men and also so much goodness justness and reasonableness in every command of the Gospel of grace which they were so often intreated and beseeched to imbrace that they will be drowned in the conviction of this that they did refuse love grace reason c. love I say for hatred grace for sin and things reasonable for things unreasonable and vain Now they shall see they left glory for shame God for the Devil heaven for hell light for darkness Now they shall see that though they made themselves beasts yet God made theâ— reasonable Creatures and that he did with reason expect that they should have adhered to and have delighted in things that are good and according to God yea now they shall see that though God did not determine to bring them to Heaven against their hearts and wills and the love that they had to their sins yet then they shall be convinced that
the Word and Doctrine I say a recompence for all the Souls they have saved by their Word and watered by the same Now shall Paul the Planter and Apollo the Waterer with every one of their Companions receive the reward that is according to their works 1 Cor. 3. 6 7 8. Now all the Preaching praying watching and labour thou hast been at in thy endeavouring to catch men from Satan to God shall be rewarded with spangling glory Not a Soul thou hast converted to the Lord Jesus nor a Soul thou hast comforted strengthned or helped by thy wholsom Counsel admonition and comfortable speech but it shall stick as a Pearl in that Crown which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give thee at that day 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. That is if thou dost it willingly delighting to lift up the name of God among men if thou doest it with love and longing after the Salvation of sinners otherwise thou wilt have onely thy labour for thy pains and no more if I do this willingly I have a reward but if against my will a dispensation of the Gospel is committed to my charge 1 Cor. 9. 17. Phil. 1. 15. But I say if thou do it graciously then a reward followeth for what is our hope or joy or Crown of rejoycing are not even ye saith Paul in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for ye are our glory and joy 1 Thes. 2. 19 20. Let him therefore that Christ hath put into this Harvest take comfort in the midst of all his sorrow and know that God acknowledgeth that he that converteth a sinner from the errour of his way doth even save that Soul from death and covereth a multitude of sins Wherefore labour to convert labour to water labour to build up and to feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind and when the chief Shepheard shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away Jam. 5. 20. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 4. Secondly And as the Ministers of Christs Gospel shall at this day be recompensed so shall also those more private Saints be with tender affections and love looked on and rewarded for all their work and labour of love which they have shewed to the name of Christ in ministring to his Saints and suffering for his sake Whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Heb. 6. 10. Ephes. 6. 8. Ah! little do the People of God think how largely and thorowly God will at that day own and recompence all the good and holy acts of his People Every bit every drop every rag and every nights harbour though but in a wisp of straw shall be rewarded in that day before men and Angels Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a Cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you saith Christ He shall in no wise loose a Disciples reward Mat. 10. 40 41 42. Therefore when thou makest a Feast saith he Call the poor the maimed the lame and the blind and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the Resurrection of the Just. Luk. 14. 13 14. If there be any repentance among the godly at this day it will be because the Lord Jesus in his person members and word was no more owned honoured entertained and provided for by them when they were in this World For it will be ravishing to all to see what notice the Lord Jesus will then take of every Widows mite He I say will call to mind even all those acts of meâ—cy and kindness which thou hast shewed to him when thou wast among men I say he will remember cry up and proclaim before Angels and Saints those very acts of thine which thou hast either forgotten or through bashfulness wilt not at that day count worth the owning He will reckon them up so fast and so fully that thou wilt cry Lord When did I do this and when did I do the other When saw we thee a hungry and fed thee or a thirst and gave thee drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee and the King shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it unto one of the least of these my Brethren ye did it unto me Mat. 25. 37 38 39 40. The good works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid 1 Tim. 5. 25. Whatever thou hast done to one of the least of these my Brethren thou hast done it unto me I felt the nourishment of thy food and the warmth of thy fleece I remember thy loving and holy visits when my poor members were sick and in prison and the like When they were strangers and wanderers in the World thou tookest them in Well thou good and faithful Servant enter Thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Matth. 25. 21 22 23 34 35 36. Thirdly Here also will be a reward for all that hardness and Christian induring of affliction that thou hast met with for thy Lord while thou wast in the World Here now will Christ begin from the greatest suffering even to the least and bestow a reward on them all from the blood of the suffering Saint to the loss of an hair nothing shall go unrewarded Heb. 11. 36 37 38 39 40. 2 Cor. 4. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. For these light afflictions which are but for a moment they work out for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. Behold by the Scriptures how God hath recorded the sufferings of his People and also how he hath promised to reward them Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce Luk. 6. 22 23. leap for joy and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 16 17 18. And every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Laws for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19. 29. Fourthly There is also a reward at this day for all the more secret and more retired works of Christianity there is not now one act of faith in thy Soul either upon Christ or against the Devil and Antichrist but it shall in this day be found out and praysed honoured and glorified in the face of Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 7. 2. There is not one groan to God in secret against thy own lusts and for more grace light spirit
sanctification and strength to go thorow this World like a Christian but it shall even at the coming of Christ be rewarded openly Matth. 6. 6. 3. There hath not one tear dropped from thy tender eye against thy lusts the love of this World or for more Communion with Jesus Christ but as it is now in the bottle of God so then it shall bring forth such plenty of reward that it shall return upon thee with abundance of increase Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh Thou tell est my wonderings and puttest my tears into thy Bottle are they not in thy Book They that sow in tears shall reap in joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again bringing his sheaves with him Psal. 56. 8. Psal. 126. 5 6. Luk. 6. 21. Having thus in brief shewed you something concerning the Resurrection of the Saints and that they shall count with their Lord at his coming both for the burning up what was not according to the truth and rewarding them for all their good It remains that I now in few words shew you something also of that with which they shall be rewarded First then those that shall be found in the day of their Resurrection when they shall have all their good things brought upon the stage they I say that then shall be found the People most laborious for God while here they shall at that day injoy the greatest portion of God or shall be possessed with most of the glory of the God-head then For that is the portion of Saints in general Rom. 8. 17. Lam. 3. 24. And why shall he that doth most for God in this World injoy most of him in that which is to come but because by doing and acting the heart and every faculty of the Soul is inlarged and more capatiated whereby more room is made for glory Every Vessel of Glory shall at that day be full of it but every one will not be capable to contain a like measure And so if they should have it communicated to them would not be able to stand under it for there is an eternall weight in the glory that Saints shall then injoy and every Vessel must be at that day filled that is have its heavenly load of it 2 Cor. 4. 17. All Christians have not the same injoyment of God in this life neither indeed were they able to bear it if they had it 1 Cor. 3. 2. But those Christians that are most laborious for God in this World they have already most of him in their Souls and that not onely because diligence in Gods wayes is the meanes whereby God communicates himself but also because thereby the senses are made more strong and able by reason of use to understand God and to discern both good and evill Heb. 5. 13 14. Mat. 13. 11 12. To him that hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance He that laid out his pound for his Master and gained ten therewith he was made Ruler over ten Cities but he that by his pound gained but five he was made Ruler over but five Luk. 19. 16 17 18 19. Dan. 1. 3 4. Often he that is best bred in his youth he is best able to manage most when he is a man touching things of this life but alwayes he that is best bred and that is most in the Bosom of God and that so acts for him here he is the man that will be best able to injoy most of God in the Kingdom of Heaven It is observable that Paul saith Our afflictions work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Our afflictions do it not onely because there is laid up a reward for the afflicted according to the measure of affliction but because afflictions and so every service of God doth make the heart more deep more experimentall more knowing and profound and so more able to hold contain and bear more Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour 1 Cor. 4. 17. Psal. 119. 71. 1 Cor. 3. 8. And this is the reason of such sayings as these Lay up for your selves a good foundation against the time to come that you may lay hold on eternall life which eternall life is not the matter of our Justification from sin in the sight of God for that is done freely by Grace through Faith in Christs bloud but here the Apostle speaks of giving of Alms but it is the same that in the other place he calls the far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory And hence it is that he in his stirring them up to be diligent in good works doth tell them that he doth not exhort them to it because he wanted but because he would have fruit that might abound to their accoâ—â—nâ— as he saith also in another place Beloved Brethren be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Tim. 6. 18 19. Phil. 4. 16 17. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore I say the reward that the Saints shall have at this day for all the good they have done it is the injoyment of God according to their works though they shall be freely justified and glorified without works Secondly As the injoyment of God at that day will be to the Saints according to their works and doings I speak not now of Justification from sin so will their prayse and commendations at that day be according to the same and both of them their degrees of glory for I say as God by communicating of himself unto us at that day will thereby glorifie us so also he will for the adding all things that may furnish with glory every way cause to be proclaimed in the face of Heaven and in the presence of all the holy Angels every thing that hath for God his ways and people been done by us while here we have been Whatsoever hath bin spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which ye have spoken in the ear in Closets shall be proclaimed upon the House tops Again he that shall confess me saith Christ before men him will I confess before the Angels of God Now as he of whom Christ is ashamed when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the holy Angels will then lie under unconceiveable disgrace shame dishonour and contempt so he whom Christ shall confess own commend and prayse at that day must needs have very great Dignity Honour and Renown for then shall every man have prayse of God to wit according to his works Luke 12. 2 3. Mark 8. 38. Mat. 10. 32. 1 Cor. 4 5. Now will Christ proclaim before thee and all others what thou hast done and what thou hast suffered what thou hast owned and what thou hast withstood for his name This is he that forsook his goods his Relations his Country and life
God was far from infusing any thing into their Souls that should in the least hinder weaken obstruct or let them in seeking the welfare of their Souls Now men will tattle and prattle at a mad raâ—e about election and reprobation and conclude that because all are not elected therefore God is to blame that any are damned but then they will see that they are not damned because they were not elected but because they sinned and also that they sinned not because God put any weakness into their Souls but because they gave way and that wilfully knowingly and desperately to Satan and his suggestions and so turned away from the holy Commandment delivered unto them yea then they will see that though God at sometimes did fasten his cords about your heads and heels and hands both by godly education and smarting convictions yet you rusht away with violence from all saying Let us break these bonds asunder and cast their cords from us Psal. 2. 1 2 3. God will be justified in his sayings and clear when he judgeth though thy proud ignorance thinks to have and to multiply cavills against him Psal. 51. 4. But secondly as the whole body of the Elect by the nature of conversion in their hearts shall witness a non-conversion in the hearts of the wicked and as the ungodly shall fall under the conviction of this cloud of Witnesses So to increase their conviction there will also be opened before them all the labours of the godly both Ministers and others and the pains that they have taken to save if it had been possible these damned wretches and now will it come burning hot upon their Souls how often they were forewarned of this day now they shall see that there was never any Quarter-Sessions nor general Goal-delivery more publickly foretold of then this day You know that the Judges before they begin their Assizes do give to the Countrey in Charge That they take heed to the Laws and Statutes of the King Why Râ—bel thou shalt be at this day convicted that every sermon thou hast heard and that every serious debate thou hast bin at about the things of God and Laws of eternity they were to thee as the Judges Charge before the Assizes and Judgment began Every exhortation of every Minister of God it is as that which Paul gave to Timothy and commanded hiâ— to give in charge to others I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Elect Angells saith he that thou observe these things and again I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Ponâ—us Pâ—laâ—e witnessed a goâ—d confession that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable untill the appearing of Jesus Christ these things give in charge saith he that they may be blameless 1 Tim. 3. 21. and c. 6. v. 13. This I say hast thou heard and seen and yet thou hast not held fast but hast cast away the things that thou hast heard and hast bin warned of alas God will multiply his Witnesses against thee 1. Thy own Vows and Promises shall be a Witness against thee that thou hast contrary to thy light and knowledg destroyed thy Soul as Joshuah said to the children of Israel when they said the Lord should be their God Well saith he Ye are Witnesses against your selves that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him that is if now you turn back again even this Covenant and resolution of yours will in the great day be a witness against you and they said we are witnesses Jos. 24. 20 21 22. 2. Every time you have with your mouth said well of godliness and yet gone on in wickedness or every time you have condemned sin in others and yet have not refrained it your selves I say every such word and conclusion that hath passed out of thy mouth sinner it shall be as a witness against thee in the day of God and the Lord Jesus Christ as Christ saith Matth. 12. 36 37. By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned I observe that talk with who you will they will with their mouth say serving of God and loving of Christ and walking in wayes of holiness is best and best will come of it I observe again that men that are grosly wicked themselves will yet with heavy censures and Judgments condemn drunkenness lying coveâ—ousness pride and whoring with all manner of abominations in others and yet in the mean time continue to be neglectors of God and imbracers of sin and the allurements of the flesh themselves Why such souls every time they speak well of godliness and continue in their sins they do pass Judgment upon themselves and provide a witness even their own mouth against their own Soul at the Judgment seat Out of thy own mouth saith Christ will I judg thee thou wicked servant thou knewest what I was and that I loved to see all my servants zealous and active for me that at my comming I might have received again what I gave thee with increase thou oughtest therefore to have bin busying thy self in my work for my glory and thy own good but seeing thou hast against thy own light and mouth gone contrary Angels take this unprofitable servant and cast ye him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth he sinned against his light he shall go to hell against his will Matth. 25 26 27 28 29 30. The very same I say will befall all those that have used their mouth to condemn the sins of others while they themselves live in their sins Saith God O thou wicked wretch thou didst know that sin was bad thou didst condemn it in others thou didst also condemn and passe Judgment upon them for their sin Thou art therefore inexcusable a man whosoever thou art that hast thus Judged for thou that judgest dost the same thing Wherefore wherein thou hast judged another thou hast condemned thy self I must therefore saith Christ look upon thee to be no other but a sinner against thy own mouth and cannot but judge thee as a despiser of my goodness and the riches of my forbearance by which means thou hast treasured up wrath against this day of wrath and Revellation of the Righteous Judgment of God He that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Rom. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. Thus will God I say judge and condemn poor sinners even from and by themselves to the fire that Lake of Brimstone and fire Thirdly God hath said in his Word that rather then there shall want witness at the day of Judgment against the works of iniquity The very dust of their City that shall cleave to his Messengers that publish the Gospel shall it self be a witness against them and so Christ bid his Servants say into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you not go your wayes out into the streets of the same