ravished with transporting joy which no heart now can conceive 5. Rejoyce believers rejoyce when Christ dâ—â— appear yee shall be judged by him yee shall not be condemned by him but yee shall be judged by him your advocate will be your judge Who shall then lay any thing to your charge God will then justify you who then shall condemn you Christ will acquit and absolve you You will openly be declared righteous on that day through the righteousness of Jesus Christ which here hath been imputed to you Christ will own you then for his redeemed people whom he hath purchased with his own blood then all your works of mercy will be made mention of all your services of Christ in the World will be had in remembrance all your graces will be taken notice of and the Lord will kindly accept of the improvement of the smallest talents which he hath intrusted you withall Well done good and faithfull Servants yee have been faithful in a few things enter into the joy of your Lord Matth. 25. 21. And if you have been persecuted for righteousness sake if you have been imprisoned banished reproached and greatly afflicted for Christs sake if you have left Father Mother Wife Children Houses Lands yea and have laid down your lives for the testimony of Jesus and that you might keep a good conscience think what entertainment the Lord Jesus will give to you at that time and O how will you rejoyce that the Lord should confer so great honour and dignity upon you as to call you forth and enable you to suffer for his name and think how sweetly the sentence which Christ shall pronounce upon you will sound in your eares Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World 6. Rejoyce Believers rejoyce when Christ doth appear he will reward you he will give you a crown of glory which fadeth not away he will not only judge and sentence you to inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but he will receive you into the Kingdome he will give you possession thereof he will carry you along with him unto glory he will lead you and bring you into the new Ierusalem he will show you the Father unto your full satisfaction and you shall behold his glory and share in it he will put you into those mansions which he hath prepared for you Then and never till then shall you be perfectly happy and the fore-thoughts of this is matter of exceeding great comfort especially if you consider these four properties of Heavens happiness 1. Believers consider the greatness of the happiness of Heaven it will be full and you will be filled therewith unto your utmost capacity yea beyond what here you are capable of consider these particulars in your happiness of Heaven 1. Think what bodies you will have they will be most beautiful and glorious bodies they will be most healthful strong and immortal bodies you will then bear the image of the Heavenly Adam in regard of your bodies as well as in regard of your souls Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though some of you have crooked and deformed bodies now what though some of you are blinde or lame or maimed or have your bodies filled with irksome pains and weakned with long sickness what though you live in expectation of death and these bodies whatever their mold and shape be must ere long be carried to the cold stinking grave and be turned into putrefaction yet rejoice you that are believers because your bodies will be made so glorious in the resurrection when all blemishes of nature will be healed and all sickness and pain will be removed because they will be raised in incorruption and freed from any more dominion of death for ever 2. Think what Souls you shall have you will be glorious without your bodies will shine but you will be far more glorious within your souls will shine much more then your souls shall be washed clean from all remainders of sin so that they shall not have the least spot or stain then you shall be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and arrive unto perfection of holiness then the feeds of grace will be grown up into the flowers of glory and O what a fragrant garden will your souls be when the rude draught as it were of Christ here in your hearts shall be finished and perfected by Gods Pensil and your spirits shall be made perfectly like unto your glorious Lord O how beautiful will they be in the eyes of God! Rejoice then believers rejoice it grieveth you when you look within you and perceive so much remaining defilement when you feel such strong opposition of the flesh against the spirit and you finde your selves sometimes foiled thereby your weaknesses and infirmities trouble you but rejoyce believers because in Heaven you will be perfectly freed from sin you will never be foiled nor defiled with it any more but you will be made perfectly holy and perfectly happy 3. Think what habitations ye shall have you shall have Mansions in the Fathers house Joh. 14. 2. A building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. your persons will be glorious and your habitations will be glorious Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though some of you live in poor and mean cottages then you shall live in the glorious Pallace of the King of Kings what though your houses have been burned with fire and some of you have not where to lay your head and none of you have a certain dwelling place which you can secure to your selves yet rejoyce because there are Mansions provided for you out of which it will be impossible for you to be burned or turned out for ever The City which is above hath foundations which cannot be over turned and the building of God which is not made with hands cannot be destroyed by hands neither is exposed to flames of fire which may demolish the fairest City in the world 4. Think what Company you shall have you shall have the presence of the Father you shall dwell with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God will dwell in you for ever you shall have the company of holy Angels and all the glorified Saints all your companions will be most lovely and glorious Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though wicked men separate you from their company and think you unworthy of their fellowship God will not think you unworthy of his fellowship nor separate you from his presence what though some of you are forced to dwell in Meseck and are linked in neer relations to some ungodly persons and are every day vexed with their ungodly conversation Rejoyce for in Heaven you will be freed from such company no wicked person will be permitted to come into that place 5. Think what Treasures you shall have you shall have Treasures which cannot be corrupted by moth nor stoln by thief your riches
reign in them though sometime it did rage and domineer that they had chosen God for their chief good above the whole world and the byas of their wills was towards him and that they had a sincere love to him though they fell short in the fervency which they desired to have that they did walke and keep on in heavens way if sometimes they wandred that they found their way again if some times they stumbled that they got up again and this book of the Gospel will give all true believers such acquittances as that they shall not come into condemnation Iohn 3. 16. Whosoever believeth in the Son shall not perish but have everlâ—sting life And Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And the like But the unbelievers will get no benefit by this book they may finde great and sweet promises but not one promise in the whole Book of the Gospel belonging to them because they do not belong to Christ they lived and died in impenitency and unbelief and neglect of Christ and salvation and now they cannot finde one favourable word for them and therefore they will be sent back to be tried by the Book of the Law only the Gospel will double the condemnation of such as have not yielded up themselves unto its obedience 5. A Fifth Book which will be opened will be the Book of Life Where all the names of the Elect are enrolled which when they read how will they adore the riches of the free grace of God in choosing them before the foundation of the world was laid and all those whose names are not enrolled in this Book shall be condemned and cast into the lake of Fire Rev. 20. 12 15. 5. The fifth thing proposed and the chiefest is to speak more particularly of Christs judging both the righteous and the wicked at his second appearance And here I shall speak 1. of their particular judgment 2. Of the execution of their sentence pronounced in judgement 1. Concerning the judgment of the righteous and the wicked CHAP. V. THe judgment of the righteous will be first and therefore I shall first treat of it and here speak 1. Of the immediate antecedents to their judgment 2. Of the judgement it self 1. Concerning the immediate Antecedents to the judgment of the righteous 1. The first Antecedent to the righteous judgment will be their resurrection from the dead 1 Thes. 4. 16. The dead in Christ shall rise first when Christ descends from heaven the souls of the righteous shall descend with him 1 Thes. 4. 14. Them that sleep in Iesus will God bring with him The spirits of all the just men and women made perfect shall then come down and finde out their own bodies which have been sleeping in the bed of their graves and they shall enter again into their old habitations they went out of them it may be with fear and trembling with grief and sorrow being unwilling to leave them behind though they were so rotten and ruinous but O with what joy will they return and enter again when the building shall be repaired when their bodies shall be raised by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and healed of all infirmities when they shall be made incorruptible and immortal see 1 Cor. 15. 52. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed And vers 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory then shall they triumph over death and the grave saying vers 55. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory The Lord Jesus will then make them victorious over this conquerour vers 57. Thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. The parting of soul and body was never so sad unto any of the Saints at their death as the meeting will be sweet at their resurrection O how will the soul wonder at the sudden and strange metamorphosis of the body when the soul left the body vile to putrify and corrupt in the grave and shall finde it come forth more bright and glorious than gold after it hath been refined in a Furnace when the vile body shall be fashioned like unto Christs most glorious body Phil. 3. 21. O how will the soul delight in the beauty strength and immortality which then shal be put upon the body whereby it will be more suited to its nature and fitted for its operations and participation in its glory and how will the body delight in the wonderful glories and shining excellencies which the soul hath attained since its separation If the love between the soul and the body were so great when the body was so vile and the soul so sinful what will it be when both are glorified If the conjunction between the soul and body were so sweet vvhen the body vvas so frail and subject to death and the soul a spiritual and never-dying substance vvhat vvill it be vvhen the body shall be made immortal and in some sort spiritual O with what pleasure will the body awake out of its long sleep and arise and shake off its dust and put on its beautiful garments of immortality and glory with what delight and joy will it first open its eyes upon those beautiful and glorious objects which vvill quickly present themselves to its vievv Thus concerning the resurrection of the righteous bodies 2. The second Antecedent to the Iudgment of the righâ—eous will be their meeting with the Angels at their Graves mouth Matth. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with the great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather the Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other no sooner are they awakened and risen out of their Graves but they are entertained by Angels those holy and excellent creatures who have such a dear love to them and before have done many good offices for them though when before in the body they did not perceive it and were too low and unfit for their acquaintance but they will then know them and be able to discern the beauty of those lovely spirits who for so many years have been beholding the face of their Father in heaven which will have cast such a lustre upon them that will be matter of their admiration and these shall be part of their acquaintance and companions in glory instead of Devils those Angels of darkness which used to assault buffet and molest them when in the body before they shall now have Angels of light with them and about them to joyn together in the Love and praise of the great Jehovah The Angels will be sent to call them and gather
with me into Heaven and ye shall live and reign with me for ever and ever Come along and enter now into your Masters joy come and I will shew you the Father and bring you into his house and presence where there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore And now Beloved think with your selves what joyes what exultations what clapping of hands what shouâ—ings what Hallelujahs what Hosannahs what triumphing acclamations the Saints will make upon the hearing of these words But here words fail conceptions fall short who can utter what the affections and behaviour of the righteous will be when they have their sentence and hear such sweet and gracious words from the mouth of their Judge and Redeemer Thus concerning the Judgment of the righteous CHAP. VII 2. COncerning the judgment of the wicked at the second appearance of Jesus Christ in treating hereon I shall as in the judgment of the righteous speak 1. Of the immediate antecedents 2. Of the Iudgment it self 1. The immediate Antecedents of the judgment of the wicked will be 1. The Resurrection of their Bodies from the grave all the wicked that are dead shall be raised though not so soon yet as certainly as the righteous Ioh. 5. 28 29. The hour cometh that all that are in their graves shall hear his voice not only they that have done good shall come forth to the Resurrection of life but also they that have done evil to the resurrection of demnation When the wicked die their bodies are clapt up in the Prison of the Grave where they rot and putrifie under the chains of death which are laid upon them and their souls are shut down into the Prison of Hell where they are bound up in chains of darkness and wo and reserved unto the judgment of the great day when the Lord Jesus shal appear to judge the World he will bring the keys of death and hell along with him and open both these Prison doors not to give liberty and releasâ— to the Prisoners but as Prisons are opened at Assizes to bring them forth unto Judgment he will open the Prison of Hell and all the souls of the wicked shall come forth like so many Locusts out of the bottomless Pit and he will open the Prison of the Grave and all their bodies shall creep like so many ugly â—oades out of the Earth and then soul and body shall be joyned together again and this meeting will be sad beyond expression the meeting of the souls and bodies of the righteouâ— will not be more joyful than the meeting of the souls and bodies of the wicked will be doleful possibly some of the wicked had no bands in their death and their souls went forth of their bodies without much pain or fear but their entrance into their bodies again will be with unexpressible horrâ—ur and if some of the wicked had their consciences awakened at death and they lay down with terrour when they awake and rise again from the dead it will be with far greater terrour The old World dyed in a fright with the deluge of Water which over-whelmed them Corah Dathan and Aliram with their Company died in a fright at the cleaving and opening of the Earths mouth which swallowed them up Iudas and other despairing souls died in a fright at the apprehensions of the open mouth of Hell ready to receive their guilty spirits but none of the wicked could go forth of their bodies in such a fright as they will enter into them again at the last day the damned souls have been lying in Hell many years full of anguish in their separation and they know that their anguish will be encreased by the torment of their bodies in their union and no wonder if they be exceedingly unwilling and fearful to enter into their old lodging their bodies have been sleeping all this while in the dust and have felt no pain at all and O how unwelcome a guest will their souls then be never was death so terrible unto them as life will be at that day they had rather sleep still in their grave and continue in their rottenness and corruption they had rather lie hid for ever in the dust of oblivion or be quite annihilated like beasts than to arise again unto such torments as now they must undergo but they must arise willing or unwilling It is said that the vile bodies of the righteous shall at the last day be fashioned like unto Christs most glorious body Phil. 3. 21. They shall be made like unto Christs body in beauty and glory but the bodies of the wicked will have another hue and fashion if it were possible to fashion bodies like Devils those impure and foul spirits such spiritual bodies the wicked should have be sure their bodies shall have no glory put upon them but as they lay down vile bodies they shall rise up far more vile they lay down in dishonour and they shall be raised in far greater dishonour indeed they will be raised incorruptible and immortal but this will not be for their glory but that they may be capable of the greater and longer torment and misery their bodies will be so far from being made beautiful like unto Christ that I believe they will not regain that natural beauty which they had here upon the Earth now some of them ouâ—-shine Gods own Children whose chief beauty lies inward in external comeliness then none but the bodies of Gods children will shine the bodies of the wicked most probable will be swarthy black ugly monstrous bodies if there be a ghastliness upon the bodies of the most beautifull when they are dead what a ghastliness will there be upon the bodies of all the wicked when the second death shall seize upon them were their bodies never so beautiful in themselves yet their features would quickly be altered by the horrible passions of their minde the blackness and dread of the soul would quickly appear in their countenance besides the impressions which the Fire of Hell will have upon them The soul will finde nothing in the body which will give it any delight or ease or in the least contribute unto the asswagement of its anguish it will return into the body as into a Prison or Dungeon where there is no pleasure to be found and if the body be black how black will the soul be after so long abode with foul Devils in the lower Regions of darknesse And when such foul souls and such vile bodies meet what a meeting what a greeting will there be we may fancy a kinde of language to be between them at that day The soul to the body Come out of thy hole thou filthy dunghil flesh for the pampering and pleasing of whom I have lost my self for ever who hast stollen away my time and thoughts and heart from God and Christ and Heavenly things to feed and cloath and cherish thee and make provision to satisfy thy base deceitful lusts when I should have
thousands with a few Loaves of bread the calming of the Sea the raising of the dead afteâ— burial and the like all which did exceed the power of nature and however wonderful things might be wrought by Men in a praestigiatory way which God may permit some to be deluded withâ—all yet all true Miracles as these were could bâ— wrought by none without his immediate power which he would never put forth for the confirmâ—â—tion of lies and deceits therefore we may strongâ—ly argue from hence that the Scriptures whicâ— have been confirmed by these Miracles are indeeâ— the Word of God I know the great questioâ— then will be whether there were ever such Miraâ—cles wrought which the Scriptures makes mentioâ— of whether the historical relation both of Propheâ—sies and Miracles be not a forgery for the introdâ—â—ction of the worship which the Scriptures cals foâ— therefore 3. I might show at large the rationally unquestiâ—â—nable certainty of Scripture-History as handâ— to posterity But in brief when these things weâ— so notable and remarked in their times when theâ— were not done in corners when they were the oâ—â—ject of sense when they were so many wheâ— they had so many spectators and witnesses whâ—â— there are divers records of the same things anâ— all in the main agreeing when the way they 〈◊〉 declared in speaketh so much simplicity in the relators when there were so many Copies of the Records dispersed into so many divers places when Enemies could not deny the truth of things recorded only imputed them to other causes when mention is made of these things in profane Histories when we have the Writings of the ancient Fathers by us who lived in all the Centuries between us and the time of Christ and with one consent acknowledge these things who might easily have found out the deceit had there been any when they lived some of them so neer to the days wherein the chief of these things were done when we cannot rationally assign an end which should move Christians to deceive themselves and posterity since they exposed themselves to such losses persecutions reproaches and afflictions by their profession of Christianity neither can we rationally imagine how all the Christians in the World could meet together from so many Counâ—ries for the forging of things which were never done much less how they should agree together â—bout it and least of all how they should keep his secret but their adversaries would have found â—t out and made it known some hint of it would â—ave been given in History all these things being â—aid together we may rationally conclude that â—he History of the Scripture is as certain yea more â—ertain than any profane History which we â—ave the least doubt of and if the Histories of â—rophesies fulfilled and Miracles wrought be â—â—ue it is a strong Argument that the Scriptures which hereby are confirmed are indeed the word â—f God These Arguments for the Divine Authoâ—â—ty of the Scriptures may be sufficient to stop the mouths of gain-sayers but without the testimony of the spirit in and by them none will be sufficient to effect a saving faith Thus it is evident from the truth and divine Authority of the Scriptures which do so clearly reveal and foretel it that the Lord Jesus Christ will certainly appear to Judgment The second Argument to prove the certainty of Christs appearance may be drawn from the certainty of the Resurrection 2. Arg. If all the dead shall certainly le raised at the last day and the Lord Iesus Christ shall raise them then the appearance of the Lord Iesus Christ to do it is certain but all the dead shall certainly be raised at the last day and the Lord Iesus Christ shall raise them therefore the appearance of the Lord Iesus Christ is certain 1. That all the dead which are or shall be brought into that state shall be raised at the last day is a truth so clear in the Scripture that nothing is more clear The general Resurrection of the dead is one great Article of our Christian Faith one Principle of the Doctrine of Christ made mention of by the Apostle Heb. 6. 1 2. The dead smâ—â—l and great shall be raised and stand before God Rev. 20. 12. We read of the Resurrection of the Iâ—st Luke 14. 14. Of the Resurrection of the Iust and Vnjust Acts 24. 15. I might multiply many Scriptures to prove this Doctrine of the Resurrection but I shall further speak but of two places which purposely treat thereof and being so full of Arguments I shall make use of no other than there I finde for the evidencing of this truth 1. The former Scripture is in Matth. 22. from vers 23. to the 34. The same day came the Sadduces to him which say there is no Resurrection and asked him saying Master Moses said If a Man die having no Children his Brother shall marry his Wife and raise up Seed to his Brother Now there were with us seven brethren and the first when he had married a Wife deceased and having no issue left his Wife unto his Brother Likewise the second also and the third unto the seventh And last of all the Woman died also Therefore in the Resurrection whose Wife shall she be of the seven for they all had her Iesus answered and said unto them Yee do erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God For in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the Angels of God in Heaven But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have yee not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living And when the multitude heard this they were astonished at his Doctrine And vers 34. it is said He put the Sadduces to silence Here we have a Disputation concerning the Doctrine of the Resurrection wherein we may take notice of 1. The opponents and they were the Sadduces who denied the Resurrection they denyed the immortality of the Soul for they said there was no Angel nor Spirit Acts 23. 8. And they denyed the Resurrection of the body 2. The Respondent and that was the Lord Iesus Christ the wisdome of the Father he that when he was but twelve years old did dispute with the Doctors in the Temple and filled all that heard him with astonishment at his understanding and answers Luke 2. 46 47. And much more now when he was so much encreased in wisdome was he able to deal with the Sadduces and answer them about this truth of which he coming out of the bosome of the Father and being acquainted with his secrets he had so perfect knowledge he had answered the Herodians before most wisely to their ensnaring question whether it were lawful to pay tribute to Caesar and he was able to give answer to the Sadduces about the Resurrection 3. The Objection
them and we may â—ationally imagine that they will salute them at their rising and welcome them out of their graves we read of the Angel Gabriel's salutation of Mary Luke 1. 28. Hail thou that arâ— highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst Women and the same Angels words to Daniel chap. 9. 23. Thou art greatly beloved Such salutations possibly the Angels may give to the Saints at their resurrection Arise you that are highly favoured of God come forth yee that are greatly beloved welcome welcome yee happy ones ye that are blessed amongst the children of men your Lord is come down and stayethâ— for you he hath sent us to call you and convey you into his presence bring you where he is that you may see and share in his glory O how will such words make their hearts to glow within them how joyfull will such a message be unto them O happy they that ever they were born or rather that ever they were new born O happy they that they should live that they should be raised to see such a day as this will be O what looks what speeches what joyes will they have when they are entertained by the Angels 3. The third Antecedent to the Righteous Iudgment will be their meeting one with another Matth. 24. 31. The Angels will be sent to gather the Elect together 2 Thes. 2. 1. I beseech you â—rethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and our gathering together unto him the Saints will be all gathered together and we shall be gathered with them if we be found in that number there we shall meet with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the holy Kings and Prophets and Apostles and Martyrs and holy Men who have lived in all Generations and all these in another hue than when they lived upon the Earth they will arise like so many shining Suns ouâ— of the Earth O how shall we be delighted with the â—ight of such a glorious train and company when we see the Image and picture of the Lord upon them drawn so to the life what sweet greetings shall we have and mutual congratulations of our old acquaintance in the flesh who were with us acquainted with the Lord and is this the end of our hearing and fasting and praying and self-denial and mortification and the poor services we have done for the Lord Is this the issue of our pains and labour O happy we that ever we repented and believed and closed with Jesus Christ O happy we that laid up our Treasure and waited for our glory and happiness till this time 4. The fourth Antecedent is that the righteous shall be caught up together in the aire all the righteous shall be caught up they that are raised from the dead and they that remain alive upon the Earth on that day 1 Thess. 4. 16 17. The dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the aire we read of the two witnesses which were slain after three dayes and a half the spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood upon theâ—r feet and they heard a great voice from Heaven saying unto them come up hither and they ascended up to Heaven in a Cloud c. Rev. 11. 11 12. In the morning of the resurrection the spirit of life from God will enter into the bodies of all the Saints and they will stand up and possibly they may hear a voice from Christ in the aire Come up hither and then they will be caught up and ascend into the aire to meet with their Lord O what unexpressible pleasure and delight will they finde when they Feel themselves begin to move upwards when they are leaving the Earth and wicked men and so many glorious persons of them together ascending to meet their most glorious Lord 5. The fifth antecedent to the judgment is their meeting with the Lord in the aire 1 Thess. 4. 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the aire We have spoken of the meeting of the soul and the body of the meeting of the Saints with the Angels of the meeting of the Saints with the Saints all which meetings will be very delightful but the meeting of the Saints with the Lord himself will be beyond all O how sweet will the sound of Christ's coming be unto them before they see him When they hear the long expected shouâ— and the sound of the last Trump This this will be musick indeed in their eares Then then they will lift up their heads with joy and do but think how transporting the first glance of their eye will be upon the Lord Jesus Christ when they see him yet afar off cloathed with such brightness and beauty never did their eye behold such an object before they admired to see the Saints and to see themselves so transformed but how will they admire to see the Lord in such glory if so be that some of his Disciples did gaze after him with wonder when he was taken from them and ascended into Heaven Acts 1. 11. With what wonder will all his Disciples most of which never saw him in the flesh none of which saw him in such glory then gaze upon him when he shall come down from Heaven Yee Men of Galilee why stand yee gazing up into Heaven Say the Angels this same Iesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as yee have seen him go into Heaven if you look and wonder now at his going how will you look and wonder at his coming which will be as surely but far more gloriously But when they are come neerer unto Christ and have a fuller view of him O vvhat thoughts What affections What joyes vvill there then fill their souls O what workings what beatings of heart what transports and ravishment of spirit will they have O how would they be overwhelmed with this sight and utterly unable to bear it if they were not strengthened beyond their present capacity And is this the Saviour and Redeemer of the world O glorious Son of righteousness Did this most excellent Person who thus appears in the brightness of his Fathers glory and is now come down from his glorious habitation with such a glorious train of Angels once vouchsafe to dwell with men and vaile his glory in the flesh Did this eternal Son of God stoop so low as to take upon him our nature yea to take upon him the forme of a Servant Did he live in such meanness and obscurity and indure such hardship contradiction reproach and injury when he was upon the earth O infinite condescention Did this Lord of life and glory in the dayes of his flesh so weep and pray and cry sweat and bleed and die though with such pain anguish and disgrace yet with such willingness and
Dâ—pâ—rt yee cursed into everlasting Fire Mark 9. 43 44. Then to go into Hell where their worm dyeth not and the Fire is not quenched Rev. 14. 10 11. They shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God which shall be poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation and be tormented with Fire and Brimstone and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever The punishment then will be Gods wrath which the damned shall drink of so as to feel the immediate impressions thereof upon their souls and Fire and brimstone kindled by the breath of God the impression whereof they shall feel upon their bodies but what tongue can express the punishment of the wicked in Hell if some expressions in Scripture concerning it be metaphorical surely they fall short of what the real punishment will be the drops and sprinklings of Gods wrath here are but small in comparison with the Ocean which the wicked shall be cast into the top of the Cup hath nothing of the bitterness which they will finde in the dregges never was there such a Fire on Earth as the Fire of Hell never was there such a pain endured by those which have undergone the more exquisite torments as the pains and torments which shall be inflicted hereafter upon the damned Yet though we are not able here to conceive how dreadful this punishment will be we may conceive it to be unexpressibly more dreadful than any punishment on Earth if we consider 1. The Inflicter of it 2. The subject of it 3. The properties of it 1. Concerning the Inflicter of the punishment which the wicked shall go into and that will be the most holy just powerful and sin-revenging God the wicked will then fall into his hands immediately and O how fearful a thing will it be to fall into the hand of the living God Heb. 10. 31. Wicked men now have no fear of God before their eyes though their sins and affronts to God be great and his anger and displeasure against them be great yet because his goodness and patience towards them is also great because he keeps silence and doth not speedily execute his vengeance upon them therefore they are secure and insensible of his displeasure and have slighter thoughts and lesser fear of him than of weake dying worms like themselves but when their eyes shall be opened at the last day and a discovery of God shall be made unto them in his infinire Majesty and greatness and power and holiness and fiery indignation against them O how fearful then will it be to fall into his hands It will be very sweet to fall into the arms of his Love but very dreadful to fall into the hands of his displeasure when God doth execute his vengeance himself he will do it very terribly especially if we consider 1. That he will glorifie his infinite wisdom in the punishment of the damned which will contrive such tortures for them that if all the men in the world should joyn their wits together and take to their help all the Devils in hell they could not invent the like dreadful ingredients will his wisdom finde out to put into the cup which he will put into the hand of the wicked to drink 2. That he will glorifie his infinite power he will make bare his arm and smite with an infinite force the blow of a childe will take little impression but if a Goliah smite with a Goliah's sword he will smite to the ground the weightier the hand the heavier the stroke there is more difference between the power of God and the strongest creatures than between the strongest creature and the weakest childe It would be dreadful to be delivered up to the power of some strong fierce and cruel creatures what will it be to be delivered up to the power of the omnipotent and most furious God God will glorifie the power of his anger in the destruction of the wicked Rom. 9. 31. What if God willing to show his wrath and to make his power known c. God will show what his power can do in the punishing of the wicked his last work of power in punishing will be as glorious as his first work of power in creating and he will glorifie the power of his anger in hell as he will glorifie his goodness and love in heaven in heaven he will open the treasures of his love and in hell he will open the treasures of his wrath God will inflict the punishment 2. Concerning the subject of the punishment which the wicked shall go into and that will be both soul and body 1. The souls of the wicked will be punished not only with the loss of the glorious and comfortable presence of God and the happiness of heaven but also I conceive that they will be filleâ— with anguish through the impressions of Gods wrath upon them they will be filled up to the brim with the fierce wrath of God the Arrows of the Almighty will be shot up to the head in them and pierce them thorow and thorow we read Rom. 2. 8 9. Of indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish which at the day of wrath shall be upon every soul that doth evil The impressions of Gods indignation and wrath on the soul will effect tribulation and anguish such wounds they will have in their spirits as will be unsupportable such tribulation as will be horrible such anguish as is inconceivable when the hand of the Lord is upon them when they see the frowns of his brow when he strikes them with the blow of his anger Christ tasted the bitterness of Gods wrath in his soul for the sins of others which caused his bloody sweat in the garden and such roarings upon the cross O how bitter will the wrath of God be to the wicked when their souls taste of it for their own sins It will be Gods wrathful presence which the souls of the damned will feel the impressions of which will make Hell to be Hell as it will be the glorious and comfortable presence of God which the souls of the righteous will feel the impressions of which will make Heaven to be Heaven 2. The bodies of the wicked shall be punished they have been sharers in sin and they must share in torment they must lie in the Lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8. the torment of the bodies of the wicked will be dreadful besides the impression which the anguish of soul will make upon them they will have their own proper torment through the sense of the fire which will be kindled about them and burn more horribly than Londons fire did when it had got into the heart of the City their torment will be greater than if scalding lead were poured into their bowels than if they were torn in pieces with wild horses than if their breasts were ript up and their heart were pluckt out with burning pincers it will be worse than if they were
is this the Hell which Ministers warned us to flie from and yet trould we needs run our selves into such flames Is this the wages of our sin hath our drunknness and swearing and whoring and lying and unrighteous dealing such a dreadfull consequent as this Is this the company we must take up our eternal abode withall and this the place of our eternal habitation must we then dwell in this devouring Fire and inhabit these everlasting burnings O miserable miserable forlorn wretches we would God we had never been born O that we had been Dogs or Swine O that we had been Serpents or Toads O that we had been the meanest Worms or Stones or anything without Souls who are now annihilated O that we had been nothing or might be turned to nothing O that we could recall our time how would we improve it O that it were with us as once it was when our being and abode was upon the Earth when the day of grace did shine upon us and the meanes of grace were afforded to us how would we pray and hear and watch and strive and live how would we forsake sin accept of Christ and deliver up our selves unto universal obedience But alas time is fled the day is spent the door is shut we are bound up in Chains which cannot be loosened we are now in torments which cannot be remedied and are extream and will never be ended O the pains of my eyes would I had none O the pains of my tongue would it were out and I were dumb O the torture of my hands and feet would they were off and my whole body were consumed O I am sick I am sick and here is no Physician I am sad I am sore troubled and here is none to pitty me my head doth burn my heart doth ake O the terrours which I feel O the gripes and tearings of the never dying worm within me But who can conceive what the thoughts and complaints of the damned will be at their first entrance into the punishment of Hell Thus concerning the execution of the sentence pronounced by Christ upon the wicked CHAP. X. 2. THe second thing is to speak of the execution of the sentence pronounced by Christ upon the righteous Matth. 25. 46. These shall go away into everlasting punishment There is the execution of the sentence on the wicked But the righteous into life eternal there is the execution of the sentence on the righteous And hear I shall speak 1. Of the righteous going away 2. Of the righteous going into life eternal 1. Concerning the righteous going away The wicked shall go away and the righteous shall go away too the wicked shall go away from Christ and Saints and the happiness of Heaven and the righteous shall go away from Devils and wicked Persons and the misery of Hell which with some considerations will be unspeakably comfortable unto them 1. The righteous shall go away from Devils Christ doth here redeem them and deliver them from that tyrannical power which the Devil had over them before conversion yet they are not wholly freed in this life from all his assaults and baits and snares some of them are much buffeted and oppressed by him most part if not all their dayes but at the last day they shall all go away from Sathan the Devil and all his Angels will be lockt up in the bottomless Pit and the righteous will never be molested with any of them any more however the righteous sometimes are foiled by Sathan here and receive some wounds in their spiritual combat yet then they will be victorious and triumph over principalities and powers and leave them bound in Chains behind them they shall go away from Devils 2. The righteous shall go away from all the wicked Persons some of the wicked separated them from their company when they lived on Earth now God will separate them from the company of all the wicked they were hated by the wicked and troubled by them and some of them suffered much under their reproaches and persecutions then the wicked will cease from troubling them any more their hearts were grieved with their oaths and filthy lewdness and ungodly conversation in the World but now they shall go away from the wicked no Devil nor wicked Persons shall be admitted into their society or have any room in the place whether they are going 3. The righteous shall go away from that place and state of misery which the wicked shall go into they shall be delivered from the damnation and punishment of Hell and all fears of it for ever and herein their joyes will be unconceivable in that 1. They shall have deeper apprehensions of the punishment of Hell than ever did here enter into their hearts to imagine they were told by the Word and Ministers what a dreadful punishment was preparing for the damned and they did believe it and fear it and flee from it but the one half was not told them the Fire which they conceived was but as it were a painted Fire in comparison with that which they will see the wicked cast into the pains they fancied were but flea-bitings in comparison with those which they will see the wicked undergo they guessed something at the wrath of God by the little scortchings thereof in their first conviction of and contrition for sin by the sweetness of Gods smiles of love afterwards they judged that his displeasure and fury would be unsupportable but their thoughts were mean and short of that fiery vengeance and dreadful wrath which then will break forth into a flame to consume the ungodly as the wicked wil have high apprehensions of the glory and happiness of the righteous beyond whatever entred into their hearts to conceive here in this World and it will be their unutterable grief to be deprived thereof and shut out for ever from the Kingdome of Heaven which the righteous with joy and triumph shall go into so the righteous shall have deep apprehensions of the sufferings and misery of the wicked beyond whatever they did imagine here and it will be no small part of their joy that they are delivered from this misery and saved from the torments of Hell into which they shall see the wicked go into with such dread and horrour Lazarus will then see Dives tormented the other Apostles will see Iudas thrust into Hell and all the righteous will be Spectators of the vengeance which the Lord Jesus will execute upon the ungodly World and O how will they then adore Gods electing love how will they value the blood of Christ which was shed for the redemption of them how will they bless God for pardoning mercy how will they hugg the feet of their Saviour who hath delivered them from this so dreadful wrath and fearful torments which they will see inflicted then upon the damned especially 2. When they consider in their going away that they were by nature Children of wrath even as others Eph. 2. 3.
a planke they passed over them that if they had slipped but a little aside they had fallen into the lake from whence they could never have got out when they shall remember how neer they were to Hell and how narrowly they have escaped such horrible torments â—urely they will be struck with such admiration and joy which now they could not bear but would over-whelm their spirits and bring immediate death upon them but then their nature will be strengthned to bear this joy which might be enough to sweeten an eternity if they had no other happiness than the consideration of the misery from which they have been so wonderfully delivered Thus concerning the going away of the righteous from the wicked and the miseries which they shall enduâ—e 2. Concerning their going into eternal life and here I shall speak 1. Of the eternal life they shall go into 2. Of their going into eternal life 1. Concerning the eternal life which the righteous shall go into Eternal life is taken in Scripture frequently for the life of grace but chiefly and so here for the life of glory by eternal life we are to understand the glory and happiness which the righteous shall have in Heaven of which happiness in Heaven I shall speak 1. Subjectively 2. Objectively 3. Formally 1. Subjectively The subject of the happiness in Heaven will be both the bodies and the souls of the righteous 1. The bodies of the righteous will be subjects of the happiness of Heaven 1. They shall be most glorious bodies 1 Cor. 15. 43. They are sown in dishonour when they die they shall be raised in glory at the resurrection some glory and Majesty is put upon the bodies of men now in comparison with the bodies of inferiour creatures but the bodies of the righteous shall then be made a thousand-fold more glorious there is not so great a difference between celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies between the body of the glorious Sun and the body of the meanest fly or worm as then there will be between the bodies of the righteous on earth and in heaven they will be celestial bodies they will shine like Stars Dan. 12. 3. Yea like the Sun in the Kingdom of their father Matth. 13. 43. their bodies will be transformed whereby their dirty hue will be changed more than if all the stones in the street were turned into Diamonds Phil. 3. 21. Their vile bodies will be fashiâ—ed like unto the glorious body of Christ Now their bodies are vile being so frail especially as they are the instruments of sin they are earthy as they bear the image of the earthy Adam then they shall be glorious because they shall bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam the bodies of some doe now shine with Gold and Pearls and costly Apparrel which are about them and yet under all their bodies remain vile bodies but hereafter the bodies of the righteous shall shine with a mâ—rvellous brightness and glory through the qualities which shall be in them beyond what the richest attire can give 2. And by consequence the bodies of the righteous shall be most beautiful bodies they shall have a perfect beauty beyond whatever eye did behold in the fairest women that ever lived upon the face of the earth Their bodies will have the most exact symetrie of parts those which were mis-shapen here shall then be healed of that imperfection in their bodies the crooked back shall then be made straight the members which now are wanting shall be supplied and the parts which now are dissolved shall be put into the right place and all joined so exactly together especially the lineaments of the face shall have such a figure and composition as shall render their feature most lovely and graceful beyond what the greatest observers and admirers of beauty can conceive in their fancy Moreover the bodies of the righteous shall have a most sweet mixture of colours there will be no black skin no swarthy complexion no pale face no wan look their colour will be most lovely without change or fading there will be no wrinkles of old age but they will be alwaies young fresh and blooming if the composition of these elements which are so dreggish doth give forth in some such loveliness of colour what wil the more refined composition of the bodies of the righteous do and when the Lord will fashion their bodies after the pattern of his Sons body and therefore I conceive further that the bodies of the righteous shall have a most comely stature not dwarfish not gigantick but according to the measure of the stature of Christ And lastly to compleat their beauty I doubt not but they wil have most graceful gestures and sparkling motions in their countenances they wil have no grief to deaden their beauty no anger or envy or the like to change and transform their visage but love and joy wil continually look out at their eyes which will marvellously add to the lustre and sweetness of their beauty they shall have most beautiful bodies 3. The bodies of the righteous shall be most strong that they may be sutable to their great soul and fit for such works as in heaven they must be employed in were they weak as now they are they would never endure such works and motions they would tire and faint their spirits would quickly be spent but in Heaven there will be no lassitude and weariness no fainting or failure of spirits all their motions though never so great and continual will be sweet and delightful and therefore their bodies must be strong that they may be sutable hereunto Moreover the glory of Heaven which they shall have in their eye would sinke a weak body and the ravishing joyes and love the transports of their souls in the visions which they shall have would crack a weak vessel to pieces they must be strong to bear the glory of the place and when besides they must endure unto all eternity and all this without reparation by meat or drink or sleep I conceive that no bodies visible to us are made so strong as the bodies of the righteous will be made at the last day 4. Hence it follows that their bodies will be most healthfull bodies they will be free from all pain and disease which may in the least weaken them the temperature of their bodies will be so exact that there will be no fighting of contrary qualities within them no flowing of ill humours In Heaven there will be no plague nor ague not feaver nor gout not stone nor strangury nor any distemper no need of food to preserve health nor physick to recover it 5. The bodies of the righteous will be spiritual bodies I Cor. 15. 44. not absolutely spiritual for then they would cease to be bodies but comparatively to what they are now they will be spiritual that is I conceive they will be quick and nimble in their motions like spirits now they are dull and slow and heavy and a
clog to the spirit I conceive that hereafter they shall be like Angels for quick and nimble motion they may be so qualified as in a moment to move many thousand miles why may not they move so quick then as well as the Sun and other Stars in the Firmament do so now which are bodies of many thousand times greater magnitude 6. The bodies of the righteous will be incorruptible and immortal 1 Cor. 15. 43. It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption And v. 52 53. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump the dead shall be raised incorruptible for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality And v. 54. Then shall come to pass the saying which is written Death is swallowed up in victory Now death is unavoidable and unto some is very terrible death hath all the children of men in the chase and shoceâ— his arrows at the righteous as well as the wicked and though they be delivered from the sting of death which is sin yet they are not delivered from the stroke of death but however death play the tyrant here on the earth and spare none yet he will have no footing in Heaven the bodies of the righteous when raised up again will be impassible and immortal immortality will be swallowed up of life and the life of the body as well as of the soul will be everlasting 2. The souls of the righteous will be the subjects and the chief subjects of the glory and happiness of Heaven if their bodies shall be glorious their souls shall be much more glorious as being their more excellent part and capable of more glory than their bodies will be we read Rom. 8. 18. Of the glory which shall be revealed in us that is in the soul and the Apostle tells us that The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with this glory the greatest sufferings and calamities in this World have not that evil and misery in the least shaddow of comparison with the happiness of the glory which shall be put into the souls of the Saints indeed the Apostle doth compare them and see how he makes this future glory to out-ballance 2 Cor. 4. 17. These light offlictions which are but for a moment do work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory The afflictions are light but the glory will be weighty the afflictions are but for a moment but the glory will be eternal the weight of glory will be exceeding more exceeding far more exceeding here the Apostle layes one high expression upon the back of another and another upon that like so many great Mountains upon the back one of another and when he hath got upon the top of the highest of them yet he is too low to look into the glory of Heaven and his expressions and apprehensions fall short of the glory which shall be revealed in the soul when it shall be received into the new Ierusalem for it is yet to be revealed and therefore as the Apostle Iohn saith I Ioh. 3 2. It doth not yet appear what we shall be but when Christ shall appear we shall be made like him not only the body shall be made like his glorious body but also the soul shall be made like his glorious soul for we shall see him as he is as the eye doth receive the image of the object which it looks upon so the soul in its vision of Christ shall receive the Image of Christ and have a perfect similitude and likeness unto him the soul will be made most beautiful the perfect lineaments of Christ will be drawn upon it if grace makes the soul to shine here how much more will glory which is grace in the perfection of it make the soul to shine in Heaven and therefore grace is called glory it is glory begun 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. The Vail which was under the Law is now taken away and with open face we behold the glory of the Lord that is I conceive the Lord Jesus Christ who is the glory of the Father the brightness of the Fathers glory which glory was more dark to our view under the Law represented by the cloud which filled the Temple but now there is more clear revelation of Christ without the Vail and clouds of types and figures whom we now see in the Glass of the Word and Ordinances and hereby are changed into his Image and receive froâ— him impressions of grace which is glory begun through the operation of his spirit in his Ordinances upon us yet stil we see him in a Glass and therefore there is a darkness through this interposition and the eye of our faith which looks thorow this Glass upon Christ is weak and therefore our Graces are imperfect and our similitude to him is imperfect but when the Glasse shall be removed and instead of the sight of faith we shall have an immediate Vision then our souls will be changed into a perfect conformity unto his Image and it will not be from glory to glory from one degree unto another but glory will be arrived unto its heighth and the souls of the righteous will be made perfectly glorious their souls will then have perfection of holiness without the least remainders of sin which in this World the most holy Persons are not wholly free from 1. Their thoughts shall be holy no blaâ—phemous thoughts shall then arise in their minde no filthy thoughts no eâ—vious and malicious thoughts yea they shall not have the least vanity or impertinency in their thoughts all their thoughts shall then be brought into pâ—rfect obedience unto Jesus Christ. 2. Their understandings shall be holy there shall not be the least Cloud or mist of ignorance or errour to darken and â—ully them when they appear before the glorious Sun of righteousness the brightness which will issue forth from his face will dispel all clouds and they will have a clear understanding of all things which will be needful foâ— them to know to make them happy God will then unlock his treasures open his Books which â—â—w are sealed and open their understandings too that they may conceive those mysteries of his word and that manifold wisdome of God which now do exceed their comprehensions 3. Their memories shall be holy they shall be strengthnâ—d to retain and bring forth continually out of their treasures whatever things new or old shall tend to feed them with love and joy and elevate their souls in the praiâ—es of God 4. Their wills shall be perfectly holy there shall be a sweet harmony between their wills and â—he will of God a perfect compliance with the sweet Law which they shall be under without the least contranitency or contradiction they shall not
the design of them whence it is evident that they were not neither could be the Contrivers of what they revealed but that the Revelation was from the spirit of God which did inspire the Prophets and was the same in all the Pen-men of the holy Scriptures whom Men of insight in the Scriptures may plainly perceive to be guided and acted by the same spirit in their Revelation of the contrivement and way of Mans salvation by Jesus Christ. 4. A Fourth Character of Divinity in the Scriptures is the Purity and Holiness of them the Scriptures are like Silver or Gold purified and seven times tried in the Fire wherein no dross doth remain Psal. 12. 7. the Scriptures are pure and holy from the beginning of them to the end In no Histories shall we finde such examples of holiness as the Scriptures do record in no Writings of moral Philosophers shall we finde such precepts of holiness as in the Scriptures are enjoyned Indeed the light of nature hath been improved by some Heathens so far that they have given excellent rules for the restraining of vice and obtaining of moral vertues and the ordering their conversations in such a vertuous way that those persons who have observed these rules have been illustrious in their generations and have shined with some kinde of brightness in the dark places where they have lived but in no book that ever issued from the brain of man shall we finde such exact rules for holy living as in the Book of the Scriptures In this Book we finde the moral Law summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandements which was written by God himself on the Tables of Stone when Moses was with him in the Mount in which there are such holy precepts as no Heathen author can show the like the Heathens were blinde as to the duties of the first Table of the Law which have a reference unto God and in observance of which mans holiness doth chiefly consist in the second Table duties they had some understanding yet they were much mistaken in some things accounting some sins as ambition self-murder in some cases and the like to be vertues and they had not so deep an insight into sin they did not apprehend the inclination of the heart and the previous motions to the consent of the will to evil which the Scriptures do discover to be sinful and offensive in the eyes of a pure and holy God Moreover in the Scriptures we finde the holy precepts of the Gospel which the Heathens were strangers unto and a way discovered not only for the obtaining the pardon of sin but also for the subduing and mortifying of sin where means are made known not only for the restraining of a vicious nature but also for the changing of it for the regenerating of the soul of man and forming it after the Image of the holy God in knowledge righteousness and true holiness the making men partakers of the divine nature which Heathens never understood the meaning of the Scriptures show the way of obtaining the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit which do further exceed the moâ—all vertues of the Heathen in lustre than the Sun doth exceed the lesser Stars in brightness and glory Marvellous is the purity and holiness of the word such as doth not savour of any thing terâ—ene and humane yea it is such as is directly opposite to the natural biass of the hearts of all men and women in the world whilst they are in a state of nature such as doth contradict carnal affections and against which the carnal mind hath a natural enmity and unto which all such and none but such have a liking and love as are â—egenerated by the Spirit of God whence it strongly follows that the Scriptures could not proceed from men but that this holy Book did proceed from the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost in those holy men which were the Pen-men thereof 2. It will appear that the Scriptures are the word of God from the marvellous power and efficacy of them Such a power and spirit hath and doth accompany the preaching of the Gospel which in the Scriptures is contained as doth evidence them to be from God alone we read 1 Pet. 1. 12. of them which preached the Gospel with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven This hath been this is unto this day 1. The wonderful power of the Gospel in the first preaching of it doth evince that it was from God when so great a part of the world was in so shoâ—â— a time subdued unto the obedience thereof wheâ— the Gospel prevailed not only amongst many 〈◊〉 the Jews after Christs ascension and the effusion of the holy Ghost more largely upon the Apostles so that three thousand people were converted to the faith by one Sermon of the Apostlâ— Peter Acts 2. 41. and five thousand moâ—e Act. 4 4. but especially in that it prevailed amongâ—â— the Gentiles and Heathens and so many Churches of Christ were planted and brought not bâ— carnal weapons but by Spiritual to the subjection and obedience of the Lord Jesus This power will appear to have been from God if we consider 1. How few men were employed in the firsâ— preaching thereof there were not many whicâ— we read of besides Paul and Sarâ—abas who preached unto the Gentiles at the first If there haâ— been multitudes of witnesses it might have given the more credit to the Doctrine when the testimony of a few is not easily believed and received 2. That these men were but of little esteem in the world that they were Jews whom the Gentiles had an antipathy against and so were not so ready to believe their report and entertain their message that their persons were contemptible in their eyes that they were like crucified persons to the world and therefore unlikely to finde acceptation 3. That whatever humane Learning and Wisdom any of them were endowed withall yet they did not make use of it in their preaching they did not come with excellency of speech and wisdom in declaring the testimony of God but used all plainness which was not likely in it self to produce such great effects 4. That the doctrine which they preached was 1. New to the world and tended directly to pull down the old religion and superstitious worship of the heathenish gods which they had been brought up in and wedded unto which could not be done by any humane power 2. Strange they preached such things as were above reason and therefore the world might have had much show and pretence of reason to have excused themselves from yielding obedience thereunto 3. Strict severe and contrary unto natural inclination and interest they taught the world to deny themselves to crucifie the flesh to mortifie the deeds of the body to take up the cross to mourn and weep for sin to endure hardship to forsake father and mother and wife and children and houses and lands if they stood in competition with Jesus Christ to venture imprisonments
yea to lay down their life for Christ as many of necessity must and did do that would be Christians indeed in those daies and when the Doctrine of the Gospel was such surely it was not likely of it self to receive entertainment unless the power of God had accompanied it 5. The power of the Gospel in the first preaching appears in that it met with so much opposition the Devil stirred up instruments against it the powers of the Earth were against it as well as the powers of Hell great men did oppose it Philosophers were against it Learned men did oppose it the Iews were against it and raised up persecution against the Apostles and the hearts of all men naturally were against it and when there was such an opposition against it surely it was none but the power of God which could cause it to prevaile and conquer and cause so many Nations to bow and yield obedience hereunto 2. The wonderful power and efficacy of the word where it is preached unto this day is a strong argument that it is the Word of God 1. The power of the Word to search the heart and convince of sin Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart there is a light in the Word which discovereth the dark filthy corners of the heart and convinceth of secret sins and there is a sharp edge in the word to cut and wound no word in the world searcheth and pierceth like the word in the Scriptures 2. And especially the power of the Word doth appear in the work of conversion and regeneration which it effecteth it is called the incorruptible seed by which men are born again 1 Pet. 1. 23. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth Iam. 1. 18. there is a great power goeth along with it â—o break rockie hearts to bow stubborn wils to spiritualize carnal affections to subdue strong lusts to work a gracious and thorow change in the heart of man which exceedeth the power of nature or moral suasion and in so much as all are not wrought upon by it which read or hear it yea sometimes the more disposed subject receiveth no impression thereby and the less disposed subject is effectually changed which shows that the â—ower doth proceed from God and that the work is effected by his Spirit and proves the diâ—ine Authority of this Word 3. The Word is powerful not only for the first working of grace but also for the encrease thereof for the building up believers Act. 20. 32. for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying the body of Christ there is Milk in the Word for babes and strong meat for strong men wholsome words which have much spiritual nourishing vertue in them the Word is powerful for the â—uenching Sathans fiery darts for the repelling and driving back the tempter for the comforting and rejoycing of distressed and disconsolate souls â—hen they are brought even to the brink of deâ—air there are no such joyes in the world as â—â—ose joyes which Christians sometimes finde in â—eading and applying the Word when they mingâ—e it with faith and have the breathings of the Spirit therewith and there is no book in the world that can produce such powerful effects aâ— the Scriptures do wherefore it must needs follow that these Scriptures are indeed the Word oâ— God 3. The Scriptures appear to be the Word of God from the Historical relation in them of Prophecies fulâ—filled of miracles whereby they were confirmed aâ—â— the rationally unquestionable certainty of this History as it is handed down to pâ—sterity 1. In the Scriptures we have relation of Prâ—â—phecies and the fulfilling of them which doâ—â— prove these writings to be from God alone because he alone can certainly foretell futuâ—â— things indeed wise men may guess and througâ— prudence foresee the effects of some thingâ— in their causes and foretell some things thâ— are not very far off yet not certainly and wiâ—â— all their circumstances But it is Gods prerogâ—â—tive to foresee and foretell such things certainlâ— and with their circumstances and long before 〈◊〉 time for which no cause in nature can be aâ—signed sucâ— as many of the Prophesies of 〈◊〉 Scriptures were By this argument God doth 〈◊〉 the Prophet Isaiah prove the Heathenish gods 〈◊〉 be no gods because they could not foretell fuâ—ture events Isa. 41. 21 22 23. Produce your cauâ—â— saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons 〈◊〉 them shew us what shall happen and declare to 〈◊〉 things to come shew the things which are to 〈◊〉 hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods 〈◊〉 v. 26. There is none that sheweth there is none thâ—â— declareth c. Therefore he concludeth v. 29 Behold they are all vanity their works are nothing their molten Images are winde and confusion 〈◊〉 The Prophesies of Scripture as they prove the Lord who spake them by the Prophets to be God so they prove the Scriptures in which they are spoken to be of Divine authority It would take up too much room in this small Treatise to enumerate all the Prophesies of Scripture take two or three instances See Gen. 15. 13 14. God foreâ—elling to Abraham that his seed should be strangers in a Land which was not theirs and serve them and be afflicted by them four hundred years and that afterward they should come forth with great substance This Prophesie is fulfilled Exod. 12. So also the return of the children of Israel â—rom the Babylonish captivity after seventy years was foretold Ier. 25. 12. and the name of Cyrus who should deliver them before he was born â—sa 45. 1 2. So also the name of Iosiah who â—hould destroy the Altar which Ieroboam had reaâ—ed and burn the bones of the Priests upon it was foretold three hundred thirty and three years before he was born the Prophesie is in 1 King â—3 2. the fulfilling of it 2 King 23. 17. But â—specially the Prophesies in the Scripture concerâ—ing the Messiah are remarkable of his birth lâ—fe death and the fulfilling of them in the History of the Evangelists the Prophesie of the destruction of the Temple and Ierusalem by Daâ—iel and especially by our Saviour and the â—ulfilling thereof before that generation wherein our Saviour lived were all in their graves 2. In the Scripture we have relation of Miâ—â—cles whereby they were confirmed such as the â—lague of Egypt the dividing of the Sea for the â—â—raelites to pass â—horow the raining of Manna from Heaven the standing still and going back of the Sun the preservation of the three Children in the fiery Furnace and the like in the old Testament especially the Miracles wrought by our Saviour and his Disciples which the new Testament do record such as healing the sick the lame blinde deaf leprous by a word the feedinâ— many
you into Hell into the Ocean of Gods wrath and can you secure your selves a moment from the stroke of death when you are most secure may not death be most neer when you think you shall live many years to eat and drink and take your pleasure like the rich fool in the Gospel may not deatâ— knock at your door that night and break in upon you and fetch away your bodies to the grave and Devils drag your souls to Hell Awake then before you sleep the sleep of death awake out of the sleep of sin think with yoâ— selves this night we may be in Hell and free â— rather bound in Chains of Darkness and horroâ— amongst the damned or to morrow we may bâ— in torments with Cain and Iudas with the Devâ—â— and his Angels and therefore give not sleep 〈◊〉 your eyes nor slumber to your eye-lids until yoâ— have redeemed your selves out of the snare of thâ— Devil and sin as a Bird out of the snare of thâ— Fowler or a Roe out of the hand of the hunter 4. Sinners consider the everlastingness of yoâ— punishment in Hell when your Souls are onâ— in they shall never come forth until they 〈◊〉 brought forth unto the last Judgment at Christs aâ—pearance and when soul and body are joyneâ— and sentenced to this place of torment and thruâ— into it the Door will be shut upon you and yoâ— will be locked in so that it will be impossible sâ— you to get forth for ever your bodies as well 〈◊〉 souls will be immortal and the Fire of Hell wiâ— be everlasting those flames will never be quencâ—ed and your torments will never be ended whâ—â— you have been ten thousand times ten thousaâ—â— millions of years in Hell it will not bear the pâ—â—â—portion of a moment of time to the unmeasuâ—rable space of Eternity in which you must be tormented for sin your punishment will alwayes be in the beginning of it never never never will it come to a conclusion nor your to any hopes of it as long as God lives and Heaven continues which will be for evermore so long will Hell continue and you abide in extremity of torments without any possibility of release and deliverance Awake sinners awake think how horrible the thoughts of Eternity in Hell will be Extremity and Eternity will be the great aggravation of your misery methinks the danger of such torment should fill you with such fear and terrour that nothing should be able to remove until you had secured your selves by an interest in him who alone can deliver from the wrath to come and yet can you be secure when you are in the greatest danger Awake think whether the pleasures of sin for a season are to be compared with the eternal torâ—ments of Hell or the uncertain treasures of Earth with the eternal store of Gods wrath or the empty vanishing wordly honour with the exceeding and everlasting weight of misery which the damned shall sink under in Hell If any sleepy sinners begin to startle with such thunder-claps of Judgment and being unwilling to part with their sins feel their hearts to rise within them against the message and Messengers for thrusting such harsh things into their eares for molesting their spirits and disturbing the peace which they have hitherto had in their sinful way cannot Ministers let us alone will they be called to an account for us will they suffer for us and why do they thus affright us with Peales of Judgment Beloved we Ministers are set as Watchmen to sound the Trumpet and warn you of Judgment which if we should neglect to do your blood would be required at our hands Ezek. 33. from the 1. vers to theâ—â— 1. And we shall be called to an account for the Souls committed to our charge Heb. 13. 17. And therefore having notice given us by God in his Word of the coming of Christ to judge and punish the ungodly World at the last day and knowing the terrour of the Lord how terrible the day of Judgment will be unto you if you be found amongst the ungodly and how terrible the day will be unto us if we be sound unfaithful to your souls we warn you and perswade you to flee from the wrath to come and can you blame us then for using harsh language when we cannot omit it without danger to our selves and your souls when otherwise we cannot be faithful to you nor to our Master who hath sent us to declare these things we might indeed like some slaâ—ter you and sooth you up in a way of sin we might speak smooth things unto you and prophesie deceits but what advantage would it be unto you to be deceived if you were pleased with us and did commend us here I am sure you would curse us for our unfaithfulness hereafter Sinners it is not cruelty but pitty and mercy to shoot the sharp arrows of Gods threatnings into your consciences it is not out of hatred but tender love to your souls that we endeavour to thrust the sword of the spirit into your bosomes that if possible we might wound sin to the heart and fetch forth the blood thereof as it were which if it still live in you will be your ruine Christ will certainly and quickly be here and when he doth appear we shall appear to be judged and is it not good you should know it before hand that you might be prepared If any be so awakened by this Doctrine concerning Christs coming to Judgment that they begin to feel a sting and wound in their spirits and are so perplexed with fear of being condemned for their sins which their consciences do accuse them of that they know not what to do yet are willing to take any course to prevent their ruine and those dreadful miserics which they are in danger of at that day I shall speak unto such by way of Counsel and Exhortation 3. For the Exhortation of Sinners Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear to Judgment there are two things I would exhort sinners unto that they may escape the wrath of God which on that day will be revealed and inflicted upon all the wicked of the Earth 1. Flee from Sin 2. Flee unto Christ If you would flee from wrath and Hell Or 1. Repent of Sin 2. Get an interest in Christ. And then you may be able to stand with confidence before the Son of Man at his appearance yea whatever your sins be now do these two things effectually and when Christ doth appear you also shall appear with him in glory 1. Sinners repent of sin Acts 17. 30 31. God commandeth all Men every where to repent this is a duty which God requires of all Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in righteousness c. This is the Argument to enforce the duty It is your duty to repent because you have sinned and God commandeth you to do it and it is your interest and
concernment to repent because God will judge the World by Jesus Christ for sin and condemn you if you be found impenitent Sinners you have tasted the sweetness of sin in the Commission of it O labour to taste the bitterness of sin in your repentance for it your sins have been displeasing to the holy and jealous Godâ—et them be displeasing to your souls your sins have wounded the Lord Jesus Christ let them pierce your hearts the spirit of God hath been grieved and quenched by them be you grieved and troubled for them grieve for sin not only because of its consequential evil but also because of its incrinsecal evil not only because it is like to damn you but also because it hath so much defiled you not only because it is likely to sink you into Hell amongst Devils but also because it hath debased you and made you more vile than the Beasts that perish Sinners mourn for sin Be afflicted mourn and weep Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heavinesse Jam. 4. 9. Get your proud hearts humbled and your hard hearts broken for those sins whereby you have broken Gods Law get your hearts broken for sin and get your hearts broken from sin Break off your sins by Repentance Cast away all your transgressions like menstruâ—us cloathes saying get ye hence Isa. 30. 22. Let the wicked forsake his way the unrighteous man his thoughts turn to the Lord c. Isa. 55. 7. Thrust these Iuhabitants out of doors who have so long had possession suffer not to lodge any longer within you remember that they are Vipers which will poyson you that they are enemies which will wound and kill you Do not harbour sin any longer do not entertain it with smiles and a pleasing countenance but with teares and frownes Get your hearts set against sin labour for deep-rooted hatred of it and accordingly behave your selves towards it get the strong holds of sin demolished in your hearts get the rooms in which your lusts have scattered defilement washed with the teares of Repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ let Christ have his Throne where sin hath reigned let your thoughts and affections be brought into captivity and obedience unto Jesus Christ Keep the door of your hearts with all diligence least your old enemy enter again upon you Flee from sin as from a Cockatrice and if you be pursued manâ—ully resist resist even unto blood striving against sin never parley with sin hearken not to any tearms of composition Be not enticed unto sin by pleasing baits neither be affrighted to sin by frowns and threatnings Fight the good fight of Faith Turn by repentance from sin break off the course of sin and walk not in the way thereof and turn by repentance unto the Lord let the Biass of your hearts be turned unto him Deliver up your selves unto the obedience of his Law yield your selves unto God c. Rom. 6. This is Repentance And that you may repent of Sin 1. Examine your selves Christ will examine you at the last day and you must give an account unto him examine your selves and call your selves to an account that you may repent and prevent the future misery which will be the consequent of sin Finde out your sins that you may mourn and turn that which the eye seeth not the heart will not cannot be affected withal Consult the Register of your consciences turn over the leaves and read what is recorded in that Book open your hearts to the beams of the light of the Word and be ready to receive the convictions of the Spirit Find out your sins your original sin the defilement of your natures your actual sins your great Conscience-wounding sins find out your bosome-sins which your hearts are most nearly joined unto and are most loth to part withal finde out your Constitution-sins your Calling-sins the sins which bear the greatest sway and are most supported by the interest of the flesh and your hearts are ready to cloak and cover under the veil of excuses and plausible pleas Think how you will be able to answer for them at the great Day to the Heart-searching Judge Sinners finde out your sins otherwise your sins will finde you out and Christ will finde you out and Wrath will finde you out and then woe be unto you 2. Iudge and condemn your selves for your sins this is the way to escape the judgement of God 1 Cor. 11. 31. If you judge others you shall be judged Matth. 7. 1. but if you judge your selves you shall escape and therefore 3. Make confession of sin Spread the black Catalogue of your sins before the Lord come with ropes about your necks and tears in your eyes and sorrow in your hearts unto the Throne of Grace and fill your mouthes with humble acknowledgements of your sins rip up your hearts before the Lord open before him your soars stand noâ— in your own defence and justification but fall down prostrate at God's feet and confess what sinfull natures you have what vile hearts what wicked lives you have lead confesse how you have broken his Law and disobeyed his Gospel charge upon your selves the guilt of your particular and most heinous sins and do not extenuate but aggravate them with all the circumstances you can think of look upon your selves as cursed wretches whilest under the guilt of sin as miserable lost forlorne creatures whilest God is your enemy and his wrath abideth on you acknowledge your sins and the demerit of your sins that you have deserved not only temporal plagues but also eternal torments that you have forfeited all outward mercies and are unworthy of the least grace and favour much more unworthy of eternal life Lye very low before God â—ick the dust look upon your selves as Wormes as Toads yea as more vile and more full of poyson 4. If under the view of sin and confession thereof you finde your hearts hard and senslesse like rocks or Adamantine stones within your hearts yet be not discouraged the sense of hardnesse is some beginning of softnesse but do not rest in beginnings take pains with them to get them melted throughly to get them broken to pieces Read and consider and apply and urge at the Throne of Grace the gracious Promise Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh Be sensible of your own inability of your selves to repent of sin and perswaded thâ—â— it is Goâ—s grace remember it is free but withal that 〈◊〉 promised beg the influence of his Spirit upon your hearts to melâ— them beg the application of the blood of Christ to mollifie them the blood of the Goat only can break an Adamaâ—t stone and it is the blood of Christ the Scape-goat which alone can break the hard hearts of sinners If any be discouraged with the difficulty of Repentance that it is hard to obtain and a very grievous thing to