not enough to persecute them with the tongue but you must persecute them with the hand What could you betray them like Judas for a piece of money or out of malice which was worse Could you disturb them in their service and worship of me when they were praying for your conversion and salvation Could you hale and drag them to Prison who endeavoured to keep you out of the Prison of Hell Could you seek the ruine of such as were the best Friends of your souls when you never received injury from them could you be so injurious to them Do you know whom yee persecuted It was mâ— it was me whom you persecuted when you persecuted my Disciples it was me whom yee wounded thorow their sides it was me you betrayed in betraying them it was me yee imprisoned in imprisoning them it was me you spurned at when yee lifted up the heel against them and did you ever think to prosper in this way You you have been above all other Persons upon the Earth my professed Enemies and most like your Father the Devil Come yee Wretches gird up your loines like Men gather your forces together put on strength and courage if you have any and life up your hand if you dare against me do you finde strength to faile you now and your forces too weak to niake resistance and were you so foolish as to engage in battel where you might have known you should certainlie be conquered at the last doth your courage faile you upon the sight of the Captain and should you not have been afraid to touch my anointed ones my lifted Souldiers You served the Devil and fought under his banner against me and mine and can be deliver you now out of mine hand can be defend you against my rage and fury or would he do it if it lay in his power had you ever more spight and malice against my people than the Devil had against you in setting you about persecution worke did not he design your ruine herby did not he think of this day and on purpose drew you to this sin that you might be the more horriblie tormented and doth not be with his Angels wait now for you that they may drag you unto torments Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 8. Come forth all yee intemperate and licentious Persons who have indulged your slesh and laid no restraint upon your sensual appetite who have made provision for your flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof but made no provision for my glorie and took no câ—re to fulfill my commands did you never hear of such a dutie as self-denial which I required of all my Disciples and followers Were you never told that if you followed the inclinations and obeyed the commands of carnal self it would be to your ruine and destruction that bitterness and sorrow would be the issue of flesh-pleasing that lust if it conceived would bring forth sin and sin when perfected would bring forth death did you never read that if yee lived after the flesh yee should die and that you must through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the bodie otherwise life and happiness could not be obtained and yet would you lay the reines on the neck of your lusts if you had no faith had you no reason neither to keep you from intemperance if you did not live like Christians would you not live like Men would you needs be bruits and live as if you were all body and had no soules of such high capacity were you so blinde as not to see afar off before this day of Iudgment when I should call you to an account or to see a little before you to the day of your death which would put a conclusion to all your sensual pleasures Could you bribe and muzzle conscience and lay it asleep whilst you took your pleasures Could you tread reason under foot and resolve you would not be controuled by any light or law or government from your eager prosecution of your carnal delights Come forth all ye Gluttons who have pampered your flesh with delicious food but never had the least regard to seed your souls which had more need who have sâ—eâ— many hours and dayes in feasting your bodies nourishing your selves against the day of slaughter but when you were invited by my Messengers to the marriage feâ—st to the feast I had prepared for you of the richest and most câ—stly spiritual dainties you had no stomack no appetite and could not would not come what did you indeed make your belly your God and can such a God save and make you happy did you think that food which perisheth could give happiness to a never-dying soul did you not know that both meat and belly would be destroyed and that your bodies would become food for worms and yet could you make it the chief business of your lives to feed your bodies you were allowed food convenient and something for delight that your bodies might serve your souls with strength and vigour and both their Lord and Master but excess you were forbidden which did distemper both body and minde and unfit you for the service of the Lord and yet would you overcharge your selves now reap the fruit of this intemperance and taste the Gall and Wâ—rmâ—ood which your sweet bits are turn'd into Come forth yee Drunkards who if you have not overcharged your bellies with excessive eating yet have often entoxicuted your brains with the fumes of excessive drinking who have drowned your understanding wit and fancy your natural parts and ingenuity which might have rendered you useful in the Church or Common-wealth where you lived and made your selves meer sots by your drunkenness and what account can you now give of the talents you were entrusted withall what excuse can you finde for this sin were you entited to it And overtaken before you were aware but who could entice you to drink a potion which would kill your bodies and was not the death and damnation of your souls more to be avoided would you be enticed to that unto which a very Beast will not be forced but were you not forward of your selves to the sin did you not like the company well that joyn'd with you therein did not you overtake the sin by your desires did not the liquor please your appetite did not you sâ—â—ill it in without perswasion if you had cen overtaken would you have been so often guilty would you have come so often into the places and company where you fell into it was not your chiefest mirth amongst your Cups and drunken Companions were not you melancholick and troubled when your meetings of good-fellowship were disappointed you would have your Cups and drink Wine in Bowles and strong Drink without measure and now also you shall have a Cup to drink of even the Cup of the Wine of the wrath of the angry Allmighty God now yee shall drink of the dregs of this Cup which hath ten thousand times more
Subjectively body 153 to 157 soul 158 to 160 2. Objectively 161 3. Formally 162 to 166 2. Of their entring into eternal life p. 167 chapter 11 2. Concerning the certainty of Christs appearance proved by 3. Arguments where concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures and the Resurrection c. from p. 168. to 206 chapter 12 3. Concerning the speediness and suddenness of Christs coming where is a Description of the Old Worlds drowning and Sodom's burning applied c. from p. 207. to 224 chapter 13 4. The Application 1. More generall from 225 to 229 2. More particularly 1. To sinners 1. To discover them from p. 230 to 234 2. To awaken them from p. 235 to 246 3. To exhort them from p. 247 to 263 chapter 14 2. To believers 1 For the trial of them from p. 264 to 269 2. For the comforting of them from p. 270 to 28◠chapter 15 3. To both sinners and believers to perswade them 1. To believe 2. To consider 3. To prepare where twelv◠Duties requisite in order 〈◊〉 preparation From 283. 〈◊〉 the end Christ's certain and sudden Appearance to Judgment Revel 22. 20. Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Iesus CHAP. I. THe last words of a Dear friend are usually most remarked and best remembred especially when they speak great affection these are the last words of Jesus Christ the best friend that the children of men ever had which he sends his Angel from Heaven after he had been some yeers in glory with the Father to speak in his Name unto his Churches upon the earth v. 16. I Iesus have sent mine Angel to testifie these things in the Churches and of all the things which he testifieth by his Angel this is the last and the sweetest in the Text Surely I come quickly Which words of Promise comming down from Heaven and expressing so much Love to the Church are followed with 〈◊〉 Eccho and resound of the Churches earnest desire Amen Even so come Lord Iesus c. Hence observe Doct. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear Doct. 2. That there is an earnest desire and longing in the Church after Christs appearance D. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear Here I shall speak 1. Concerning Christ's appearance 2. Show that he will certainly appear 3. Show that he will quickly appear 4. And lastly Apply 1. Concerning Christs appearance There is a twofold appearance of Christ which the Scripture makes mention of 1. In the Flesh. 2. In Glory CHAP. II. 1. THe first appearance of Christ was in the flesh above sixteen hundred years ago in the Land of Iudea unto the people of the Jews the only-then-visible-Church upon the Earth There it was that the Word was made Flesh and amongst that people he dwelt for a while some of whom beheld his Glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth There it was that the eternal Son of God was made man being conceived miraculously by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary without the contamination of original sin which all ordinary conceptions do introduce His real Mother and supposed Father were both of the Tribe of Iudah and of the lineage of David and he was born in the Town of Bethlem according to the Scripture predictions who after he had lived thirty years in obscurity was baptized by Iohn Baptist his Fore-runner and Harbinger in whose Baptism when Iohn saw the Heavens opened and the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him and heard the voice from the excellent Glory saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He gave his testimony concerning him that he was the Son of God and the Lamb of God who taketh way the sins of the world Who after his own baptism and temptation and Iohns imprisonment made his appearance more openly unto Israel shewing forth his glory not in outward pomp and splendour but in a more high eminent and wonderful manner altogether Divine exceeding the imitation of any Earthly Monarch in the World He shewed forth the glory of his power in the Miracles which he did work namely in opening the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf in loosning the tongue of the dumb and the bonds of other infirmities in cleansing the Lepers and healing other diseases with a word in casting out Devils after long profession in calming the Sea and Winds when boisterous and stormy in raising up the dead before and after burial for some daies and the like He shewed forth the glory of his Knowledge in looking into the hearts of those which came unto him being able to perceive their most secret thoughts and imaginations and needed not that any should restifie of man for he knew what was in man He shewed forth the glory of his Wisdom in his most wise answer to the ensnaring questions of the Pharisees and others in the most excellent and heavenly doctrine which he preached wherein he did not teach his Disciples subtile and empty speculations which the greatest wits in the world have busied themselves about but great soul-saving truths indeed he revealed some great and deep mysteries above the reach of the highest wit of the greatest Schollar without the teachings of his Spirit which were momentous and needful in order unto practice but the greatest part of his doctrine was plain and easie He shewed forth the glory of his Holiness in his exact walking and perfect obedience unto the Law of God without the least deviation or sin He shewed forth the glory of his Goodness and tenderness towards the children of men in going about to do them good and give succour to them which were in misery casting out none which came unto him Especially he shewed forth the glory of his Mercy and infinite Love to his own people in submitting to so low a condition as he liv'd in for their sakes in humbling himself and becomming obedient unto death even the cursed disgraceful painful death of the Cross besides the soul miseries which he endured through sense of Gods wrath due for their sins that he might satisfie Gods justice and deliver them from eternal death and wrath to come and purchase Life and Glory for them Thus Christ lived and thus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and being dead the bonds of death could not hold him neither did the holy one see corruption but the third day rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures and after his resurrection was seen of Mary Magdalen of Peter Iames all the Apostles of five hundred brethren at once according to the Scriptures After forty daies was taken up into Heaven and is there in his humane nature at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens making intercession for his people where he will abide untill the second appearance Thus concerning Christs appearance
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
be accompany him with a loud shout Even so Amen or say with one voice Go yee cursed into everlâ—sting Fire and so pass from you into Heaven and leave the Devil and his Angels to drag you unto torments and when you see there is no remedy no reversing of your condemnation and the Devils seize upon you and tear you and hale you away O how terrible will this Judgment be unto you O how will the terrours of the All-mighty flow in upon you how will your consciences gnaw and sting and torment you how will your spirits fail and sink within you and hearts melt like drops of water How will you weep and wail and gnash your teeth and cry out in the fearfulness and horrour of your spirits Woe woe woe be unto us that ever we were born Woe woe woe be unto us that ever we have sinned 6. Awake sinners awake The execution of the Sentence which Christ will pronounce upon you for your sins at the last day will be in Hell and do you know what Hell is what tongue can express the future torments which the damned shall endure what heart can conceive the miseries which God hath prepared for sinners in Hell yet look into the Perspective-Glass of the Word and you may perceive something of the dreadfulness of the punishment which will be inflicted upon you if you be found in your sins at Christs second appearance 1. Sinners consider the greatness of the punishment you must dwell with devouring Fire and inhabit most horrible burnings and think with your selves how you will be able to endure to have those bodies unto whom the prick of a Pin is so irksome and a little scorch of a culinary Fire is so painful cast into the great Furnace of Fire which God will kindle with his breath which will turn them it may be into a burning Coal that shall not waste neither ever be coâ—sumed be sure will torment them with a thousand-fold more accute sense of pain than the body is capable now of feeling under the most exquisite torments think what the overwhelming grief what the horrible anxiety what the despairful agonies what the hideous terrour and unexpressible anguish of your souls will be under the immediate sense of Gods wrath and indignation and the thoughts of that glory and happiness of Heaven once proffered unto you but refused by you which you will then perceive your selves shut out from for ever Awake sinners awake will you sleep in sin until you are awakened in the midst of flames will you not leave off sinning until you have sinned your selves into Hell will you needs run into these burnings Awake open your eyes a little and look down and see how deep the Pit is into which you are leaping it is a bottomless Pit from whence there will be no returning consider how hot the Fire of Hell will be unto which you are hastning it will be an inconceivable hot Fire of which there will be no avoiding if you go on in that broad way of sin which is leading you thereunto Awake and look up sinners there is a Door open the Door of mercy is open and the Door of Heaven is open and will you shut your eyes and turn your backs upon God and refuse the proffers of grace which are made to you will you trample Crowns under your feet and slight future glory and happiness which now is possible for you to obtain will not this tear your hearts in Hell to remember that you have been the cause of your own ruine and brought misery upon your selves that you suffered your selves to be cheated by the Devil and your own deceitful lusts of the unspeakable joyes and glory of Heaven which God did once make tenders of unto you 2. Sinners consider the sureness of the punishment of Hell it is most certain that God hath prepared such a punishment and it is certain that you shall endure this punishment if you abide under the guilt and persevere in the way of sin which you now are walking in God hath threatned this punishment and his justice doth require it and his truth doth engage him to execute his threatned wrath and inflict this deserved punishment upon you and can you then have the least hopes to escape it will God can God prove a lyar to save you from the torments of Hell Iâ— it not equal that you should reap that which you have sown that you should gather and taste the bitter fruits of your own evil wayes if you sowe to the flesh will not torment be the fruit hereofâ— if you sowe sin will not you reap Hell Awake sinners awake are not all your hopes of happiness in the uncertain and empty Cisterns of the Creatures meet dreams when such dreadfull miseries are so surely prepared for you and what senseless dreames then are your hopes of Heaven and Salvation whilst you are going on in the way of sin to Hell and destruction Is there any mercy for impenitents Is there any pardon for unbelievers Doth God love those which are haters of him shall those live with him who have no likeness unto him to joyn these things together which God hath never joyned is like the senseless fancies in the sleep of strange Chimaeraes and Monsters which nature never produced Awake sinners it is but an idle fancy to joyn Heaven to the end of a sinful course no! the footsteps of sin will certainly take hold of Hell and without holiness none shall see God and as one saith Sooner may Angels turn Devils Men beasts and Beasts stones and all the World just nothing than that an unholy Person should have an entrance into Heaven yea and that it is as possible that God should cease to be God as that any Man not made after the Image of God should be received into the blessed Vision Possession and fruition of him in Glory Sinners if there be no room for you in Heaven and your entrance there is impossible whilst you are in a state of nature then your punishment in Hell is sure which methinks should awaken you 3. Sinners consider the neerness of the punishment of Hell I mean the soul-punishment which will be the greatest part of the punishment the perfect and full punishment of body and soul cannot be far off because the time of Christs comâ—ng is not far off but the punishment of your souls will begin so soon as your lives come to an end no sooner will your souls be separated from your bodies but they will appear before God to â—eceive their particular judgment and they will â—e banished his glorious and comfortable presence and filled with horrour through the impressions of Gods wrath Awake sinners awake you lie upon the brink of â—he Pit you are sleeping over the burning Lake you are like Saylors which drop asleep on the top of a Mast whom a great wind would blow into â—he Sea so the wind of death which may sudâ—enly beat upon you will blow
CHRIST'S Certain and sudden Appearance TO JUDGMENT By Thomas Vincent sometime Minister of Maudlins Milstreet London Heb. 10. 37. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry LONDON Printed for George Calvert and are to be sold at the Bible in Iewen-street 1667. TO THE Citizens of London YOu have heard God's Terrible Voice in the City expressing it self in the late dreadful desolating Judgments of Plague and Fire the sound of which hath gone forth not only into every corner of the Land but I believe also by this time unto the farthest end of the World Give me leave to sound another Trumpet in your ears and to forewarn you of a ten thousand times more dreadful Judgment I mean the last and general Judgment of the whole World at the second appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ who will most certainly and very quickly be revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire to take vengeance upon all them which shall be found ungodly on that Day Could I have certainly foretold the many thousands that sell by the Plague in the year 1665 of their so neer approaching death surely they would have endeavoured to prepare that the sting and fear of death might have been removed could I have foretold the Citizens of London of the many thousand Houses which should fall by the Fire in the year 1666 surely they would have endeavoured to prevent the Fire or at least have removed all their goods before-hand but these things could not be foreseen and therefore as the Judgments were unexpected so they took the most unprovided But I can certainly foretell you from God who cannot lie of the future 〈◊〉 Judgment by the Lord Jesus Christ at the last day which is the subject of this ensuing Treatise And when you have warnings hereof out of the Word of Truth and awakening motives to prepare by dreadful temporal Judgments you should neglect to do it and after all be found unprovided at the appearance of Christ as your sin will be the greater and more inexcusable so your dread will be the greater at the sight of your Judge whom those very eyes which read these lines will behold ere long coming in the Clouds and your punishment will be the more intollerable But if the Lord encline your hearts to follow the directions and counsels of his Word to prepare for this great and notable day you shall lift up your heads with joy when the greatest part of the World shall be filled with terrour and confusion and when the Lord Jesus doth appear you also shall appear with him in glory The design of these sheets is to set forth the glorious appearance of Christ with the certainty and suddenness thereof that sinners might be awakened to repent and believers might be comforted with the hopes of it and all might be in a readiness for the day which is so sure and near which that you may be and that my endeavours may be blessed for your help herein is the prayer of an earnest well-wisher to your souls Thomas Vincent The Contents chapter 1 Introduction 2. Doctrines Doct. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear Doct. 2. That there is an earnest desire and longing in the Church after Christs appearance pag. 1 2. 1. Concerning Christs appearance 1. In the Flesh. p. 2 3 4. chapter 2 2. In glory where concerning 1. The manner of his appearance p. 5. 1. With great Power 1. Over Death p. 6. 2. Over Men and Devils p. 7 8. 2. With great glory p. 8 9. 1. He will be attended with a glorious retinue of Angels p. 10. 11. chapter 3 2. He will come with a glorious brightness and great noise 9. 12 13 14. 2. The end of Christs appearance and transactions of that day p. 15. 1 He will raise the dead p 16 to 19 2 He will gather all Nations before his judgment Seat p 19 3 He will separate the righteous from the wicked p 20 21 4. He will open the Books 1. Of Gods remembrance p. 22. to 27. 2. Of Mens consciences p 27 3 Of the Law p 28 4 Of the Gospel p 28 29 5 Of life p 30 5. He will judge both the righteous and wicked p. 30 Where 1. Concerning their particular Iudgment 2. Concerning the execution of their sentence pronounced p. 30. chapter 5 1 Concerning the Iudgment of the righteous 1 The immediate Antecedents are 1 Their Resurrection p 31 32 2 Their meeting with the Angels p 33 3 Their meeting one with another p 34 4 Their being caught up together into the air p 35 5 Their meeting with the Lord p 36 to 40 chapter 6 2 The Iudgment it self p 40 1 He wil take an account of them p 41 1 Of their graces p 42 2 Of the improvement of their talents ibid. 3 Of their works of mercy p 43 4 Of their afflictions p 44 2 He will pronounce the Sentence upon them p 44 45 chapter 7 2 Concerning the Iudgment of the wicked 1 The immediate antecedents are 1 Their resurrection and meeting of body and soul p 46 to 50 2 Their meeting with Devils p 50 51 3 Their meeting one with another p 52 4 Their seeing the righteous caught up to meet the Lord p 53 to 61 5 Their seeing the Lord Iesus Christ coming to judge them p 59 to 64 6 Their seeing the Iudgment of the righteous p 64 chapter 8 2 The Iudgment it self here concerning 1 The Iudge in 8 properties p 64 to 72 2 The Assessors p 73 3 The Malefactors p 74 75 4 The crimes p 76 77 5 The accusers 1 God p 78 79 2 Men good Minist p 80 to 83 godly friends p 83 to 87 bad 3 Devils ibid. 4 Their own consciences p 87 6 The conviction where twenty sorts of sinners are called forth and convicted by the Iudge from p. 87 to 115 7 The sentence p 116 117 chapter 9 2 Concerning the execution of the sentence pronounced upon both righteous and wicked in judgment 118 1. The execution of the sentence on the wicked 1. Of the wicked going away 1. From whom viz. 1. Christ ibid. 2. Saints 119 2. From what ibid. 3. Six vexing considerations in their going away from p. 120 to p. 130 2. Of the wickeds going into punishment 1. Of the punishment they shall go into p 131 1. The Inflicter p. 132 133 2. The Subject Soul p 134 Body p. 135 3. The properties 1. Universal 2. Extream 3. Continual 4. Remediless 5. Eternal p. 136. to 142 chapter 10 2. Of their entrance into this punishment p. 143 144 2. The execution of the sentence on the righteous p. 145 1. Of the righteous going away 1. From whom viz. Devils p. 146 Wicked p. 147 2. From what ibid. 3. Three sweet considerations in their going away from p. 147. to 152 2. Of the righteous going into eternal life 1. Of the eternal life they shall go into or their happiness 1.
from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord Luke 5. 8. And others in the Ship to worship him acknowledging of a truth thou art the Son of God Mat. 14. 33. And often filled his Disciples with fear and astonishment but he was so disguised in flesh that few knew him at all none knew much of him when he was so disrobed and so meanly attired and attended It is said the Princes of this World knew him not else surely they would have laid down their Scepters at his feet had they known him they would not have dared so disgracefully to have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. But at his second appearance the Vail will be so drawn aside that the Deity of Christ will shine forth with amazing splendour to the view of the whole World his humane nature will be glorious beyond any other Creature but oh how glorious will his Divine nature be when the eyes of the whole World shall be opened to see God in such a way as now we are not able to conceive He will appear in the brightness of his Fathers glory so that they which see him will see the Father the Mâ—jesty Authority Dominion Power Holiness Justice and love of the Father will be like so many sparkling gems to deck the Crown of Christ at his appearance but who can conceive the royalty and surpassing excellency of Jesus Christ when he comes down out of his Fathers Pallace into the World He will come in great glory God will come down in him and with him the Throne of God will be removed the Pallace will be below Heaven will be upon the Earth where Christ is there is Heaven there is God in his greatest glory to be seen he will come in great glory never was there such glory seen upon the face of the Earth never did the eye of man behold such a sight as then it will behold we read of great and pompous showes which some Princes have made in their triumphs but never was there such pomp in the World as there will be at this appearance of Jesus Christ when he cometh triumphing over all his enemies when he cometh with the spoiles of principalities and powers making a show of them openly and decked with such excellent glory A little further to set this forth 1 He will come attended with a glorious retinue of Angels we read Mâ—tth 26. 53. Of more than twelve legions of Angels And Dan. 7. 10. Of thousand thousands yea ten thousand times ten thousands which Minister about the throne of God yea further Rev. 5. 11. Of a number of ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of Angels and Heb. 12. 22. Of an innumerable company of Angels All these Angels will attend upon Jesus Christ at his second appearance It is said Mâ—tth 25. 31. That all the holy Angels shall come with him Now the Angels are dispersed in several places some of them are upon the Earth ministring unto the saints which shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. Others are in heaven beholding the face of the Father ready to execute his will some are ascending some descending but then they will all be gathered together into one company and like so many Courtiers attend upon this great King in this his glorious appearance in the World all will descend with Christ Heaven will be emptied of Angels they will all come forth and come down from their old habitation and oh how glorious will this train be he will come with all the holy Angels Angels that are holy and glorious not like those rotten Courtiers which attend upon some Earthly Kings who have no other glory upon them but what lies in their rich and splendid apparel the bodies of some of which if they were uncas'd would appear to be full of loathsome diseases but whose souls are monstrously ugly and deformed full of loathsome and noisome lusts besmeared with dung and filthiness who could their inside be turned outward and the deformity of sin be seen with bodily eyes would appear too hideously black and swarthy and more mis-shapen than those which are born with the greatest blemishes of nature who carry Hell in their bosomes and like so many bears and ugly hounds are led about by the Devil in chains such such follow many Kings on earth when they appear abroad with hearts full of lust vvith eyes full of adultery vvith mouths full of oaths and filthy ribauldry vvho are like so many spots in the faces of their Princes or like a Cloud about their brow vvhich darkneth their glory in the eyes of the serious and sober minded but Christ vvill come attended vvith millions of holy Angels arrayed in such pure and vvhite garments as shall not have the least spot or tincture of sin upon them he vvill come vvith holy Angels who vvill be like so many flames of Fire full of holy svveet burning Love and covered vvith such Light and glorious excellency as will not darken but illustrate the glory of their Lord and Prince they attend upon 2 Christ will come with a glorious Brightness and great noise such a light will shine in him and about him as will a thousand fold surpass the light of the Sun when it shineth in its full strength we read Matth. 13. 43. That the righteous shall shine like the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father how then will the Sun of righteousness shine from whom they wil receive all their brightness by reflection as the Moon and some other Stars do from the Sun in the firmament It is said Mat. 24. 29 30. That at the coming of Christ the Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars of the Heaven shall fall and Rev. 6. 12 13 14. That the Sun shall be black as Sackcloath of hair and the Moon shall be like blood and the Stars of the heaven shall fall to the earth even as a Fig-tree casteth her untimely Figges when she is shaken of a mighty winde and the Heavens shall depart as a scroll when it is rolled together and every Island and Mountain shall be moved out of their places At the coming of Christ there will be such a brightness as will darken the Sun and other Luminaries in the Heavens even as the Sun doth darken the lesser Stars who though shining all night with a twinkling light and like so many Candles in the Firmament yet upon the Suns first lifting up his head in a morning and casting about its beames they presently sink in their sockets and disappear so the Sun it self and other Luminaries of Heaven will disappear when this more glorious Sun doth arise in the morning of the last day they will then lose their light and what further need of them in Heaven it will be all day Rev. 2. 22. In the City of the new Ierusalem there will be no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of
shall live and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded and as I prophesied there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones camè together bone to his bone And when I beheld â—o the sinews and flesh came upon them and the skin covered them above but there was no breath in them Then said he unto me Prophesie unto the Winds Prophesie Son of man and say to the Winds Thus saith the Lord God come from the four Winds O breath and breathe upon these slain that they may live So I prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came into them and they lived and stood upon their feet an exceeding great Army Something like this will the Resurrection be at the last day Now the bones and bodies of all former generations are scattered up and down in the valley of the shadow of death some are sunk into the deep others are buried in the earth the flesh is consumed and resolved into its first elements and the bones of some remain of other are mouldred into earth now when the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God shall come down from Mount Sion which is above into the valley of this inferiour World he will Prophesie over all the bodies and bones of all the children of men that are dead and speak unto them to live he will say unto them whilst they lie rotting in their graves Live he will say Awake ye that sleep in the dust and O what a noise and shaking will there be then in the ground what a clattering of bones together in the coming of bone to his bone If the body hath been quartered and buried part in one place and part in another as the Levites concubine who was divided into twelve parts and sent to the twelve Tribes of Israel and it is likely buried in twelve distinct places the bones will fly through the air out of all those places and meet together in one body O what a great part of the air water and earth will there run into conjunction by the command of Christ and be turned into those very bodies which were resolved into them by death and the corruption of the Pit but with the addition of such new qualities as shall sublimate spiritualize and refine them from all that dreggishness and ill humour that shall be the foundation of any sickness or death for ever then the bones will come together and be made like stones for strength then the sinews will be as it were Iron sinews and the flesh brasse such strength will be put into them as I conceive is not to be found in the strongest creatures which hitherto God hath made that they might be fitted the bodâ—es of the righteous for an eternal life of happiness and bearing the glory of Heaven the bodies of the wicked for an eternal life of misery and bearing the torments of Hell either of which the body now as it is would sink under Then the Sea will give up her dead and the Earth will give up her dead Rev. 20. 13. As the Whale cast Ionah upon the shore after he had lain three daies in his belly so the Sea will cast up all the dead that for so many years have been buried in its bowels but what a stâ—rring will there be in the earth those which are alive will wonder to see such a strange metamorphosis of the ground to feel men and women stirring and moving under their feet arising and crouding for room amongst them Then will the Lord bring down all the souls of the righteous which have been in Paradise with him many years and they shall finde out their own bodies and he will open the prison of Hell and let out the souls of the wicked for a while that they also may finde out their own bodies which shall be prepared for both that they might both be prepared for the last judgment of which more when I come to the particular judgment of the righteous and wicked Thus Christ will raise up all the dead out of their graves 2. Christ at his second appearance will gather all Nations before his Iudgment seat Rev. 20. 11 12. I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it And I saw the dead small and great stand before God 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Iudgment seat of Christ. And Matth. 25. 31 32. When the Son of man shall sit on his throne all Nations shall be gathered before him O what a vast number will there be when so many hundred generations of people shall be alive together and gathered together into one place if so be the multitude of the righteous will be so great when they are got together into one body that no man can number them Rev. 7. 9. After I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palms in their hands What then will the multitude of the wicked be when they are gathered together in comparison with whom the righteous are but few All Nations shall be gathered before Christs Judgment seat 3. Christ at his second appearance will separate the righteous from the wicked the Chaff shall be purged from the Wheat Matth. 3. 12. the Tares shall be gathered from the good Corn. Matth. 13. 30. the bad Fish shall be divided from the good v. 48. The Goats shall be separated from the Sheep Matth. 25. 32. By the Chaff Tares bad Fish Goats we are to understand the wicked by the good Corn good Fish Sheep we are to understand the righteous who will be separated one from another however they are now in some places mingled and linked together the elect shall be gathered together into one company from the four winds Matth. 24. 31. and they shall stand on the right hand of Christ and the reprobate wicked shall stand on the left Mat. 25. 33. In which gathering and separation there shall be no mistake as there may be now Many close hypocrites may in this world pass for true children of God they may live together and hear together and pray together and receive the Sacrament together and make the same profession of Religion yea some hypocrites may as to ourward appearance seem to outgo some of Gods own children in zeal and forwardness the lamps of the foolish Virgins may seem to shine with a greater blaze than some of the lamps of the wise when they have not the least dram of the oyl of true grace in the vessel of their hearts Matth. 25. at the beginning yea some of Gods own children may here be mistaken for hypocrites their chiefest life being secret and out of view by them which are uncharitable and they may also mistake themselves through the temptations of the devil and the doubtings of their mis-giving unbelieving hearts but at the last day there will
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
been making provision for thine and mine everlasting happiness Awake and come forth of the dust thou bewitching dirty flesh who didst lull me asleep so long in thy pleasing chains until thou didst suddenly open thy doores and thrust me out where I was awakened in torments â—efore I was aware now I must come into thy doores again that thou maist share and taste the bitter issue of sinful pleasures and delights And O how will the body be affrighted so soon as the soul is entered never did the soul taste so much of the bodies delights as the body will then feel of the souls anguish The body to the soul And hast thou found me out O my enemy Couldst not thou have let me alone to lye still at rest in this sweet sleep hast thou used me as a slave and employed all my members as servants of iniquity and unrighteousness and art thou come now to torment me and is this the fruit of all the pleasures we have taken together shouldst not thou have been more wise and provided better for thy self and me O what cries and shreeks will the tongue give forth so soon as it hath recovered its use O what fearful amazing sights will there appear before the eyes so soon as they are opened when they first peep out of the Grave and sinners see Heaven and Earth on Fire about them and Christ coming in â—laming Fire to take vengeance upon them O how dreadful will the shout and the voice of the Arch-angel and the sound of the last Trumpet summoning them to judgment be unto the eares O how will every joynt and member of the bodies of the wicked tremble when they are raised again at the last day 2. The second Antecedent to the judgment of the wicked will be their meeting with Devils the righteous will meet with Angels to welcome them out of their Graves the wicked will meet with Devils to entertain them at their resurrection and then they will not appear unto them like Angels of light as sometimes here they have done but like foul Angels of darkness as they ever were since their first fall they will not then entertain the wicked with pleasing baits and sweet alluring temptations and pretend to be their friends who consult their good and satisfaction beyond God himself the chief good of mankind as they did when their abode was in the world before but they will spit forth their venome and malice then in their faces possibly they may buffet their bodies and lay painful strokes upon them surely they will terrify their soules for those sins which they have drawn them unto the commission of O hovv vvill they mock and deride their folly and madness for opening their eares to their vvhispers for opening their heart so readily vvhen they have knockt at the door and entised them unto sin then the damned will perceive that the Devils design vvas their ruine and misery vvhen the pretence and show was consultation for their good and happiness that he laboured to please and delight them not out of love but malice that he might undo them that he lull'd them asleep that they might not perceive their misery till it was too late that poison was in his sweetest baits and that their softest pleasures were Sathans silken cords by which he was dravving them unto endless wo and bitterness then they vvill perceive hovv the Prince of Darkness hath blinded their eyes and deluded them hovv the old Serpent hath beguiled them through his subtilty and deceived them how they have been gull'd of a Crown and Kingdome they had the proffers of and vvere in a capacity to obtain then they will perceive whose slaves they have been whilst they were serving divers lusts that the Devil was their Lord and Master and led them captive at his will and now they will meet with their Masters whom they have served unto their terrour and amazement how will they be affrighted at the apparition of so many Devils about them When they shall throw into their thoughts such hideous apprehensions and lash their spirits with horrible scourges when they shall seize upon their bodies and tear them and drag them to the Judgment-seat and there is none to rescue and deliver them 3. The third Antecedent to the judgment of the wicked will be their meeting one with another as the Elect so all the reprobates will be gathered together into one company O what an innumerable company of Rebels and Traytors and Villains will then be got together how fiercely and horribly will they look one upon another and if they speak what language of Hell will there issue forth of their lips they may meet with their old companions and fellow-sinners but it will not be like such as they now call meetings of good-fellowship when they get together in a Tavern and Ale-house or some house of wickedness to drink and sing and daunce and sin and make merry in the pleasing of their flesh they shall not then have Ale and Wine and Women and Musick or any incentives to mirth and sensual pleasures the last meeting will be no merry meeting but sad and dismal the pleasing affections which they formerly had to their friends will be changed their love will be turned into hatred and the joy they have found in them will be turned into grief and anger O the angry countenances the wicked will have on that day it is said the Nations shall be angry O the angry speeches how will they rage and storm at one another especially at those who have drawn them into sin how will they curse and ban one another O the horrible noise that will be amongst the damned crew when they are got together It may be from words they fall to blows and tear one anothers â—air and spurn at one anothers bellies and bite one anothers flesh and even claw out one anothers eyes we cannot conjecture so much of the miâ—ery of the wicked as will be on that day 4. The wicked that are alive on the earth at the â—econd appearance of Christ shall see the righteous â—hat are dead arise out of their graves with marâ—ellous beauty and joy and those which are alive wonderfully changed into the likeness and fashiâ—n of Christ and all of them suddenly caught â—p together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the â—ir which â—ight will be fearful and amazing to â—hem when they perceive themselves to be left â—ehind We read Rev. 11. 11 12. When the two witnesses after they had lain dead for some time â—ad the spirit of life put into them and they stood â—pon their feet and were called up and ascended â—p into Heaven it is said their enemies beheld â—hem and great fear fell upon them so when all â—he witnesses and servants of the Lord shall have 〈◊〉 spirit of life put into them and stand upon â—â—eir feet and be called up and caught up in the â—â—ouds to meet the Lord their enemies and the
they were hid from their eyes they slept in the harvest they loitered away and sinned away their time and wasted their day in which they should have made provision for their souls O how will they be then ready to tear themselves in pieces that they should neglect so great salvation in the day when salvation was attainable yea that they should refuse the proffers of grace and pardon and peace and life and happiness which in that day were so frequently and earnestly made unto them then they will wish that they had opened their ear and heart that they had regarded and accepted such gracious proffers whatever they had neglected or parted withall then they will wish they had imbraced and improved the opportunities which once they had for prayer and hearing and attendance upon Gods Ordinances that they had been in the Church when they were in the Ale-house that they had associated themselves with Gods people when they frequented the company of the leud and ungodly that they had been upon their knees with grief confessing sin when they took so much delight in the commission of it that they had taken time from their sports to make their peace with God that they had worshipped God in their Closets and worshipped God in their Families and laid up for themselves treasures in Heaven and horrible will their vexation be that they did not so 4. In going away they will remember for what it was that they refused this happiness that it was only for the satisfaction of some foolish and unprofitable lust If two Kingdomes of equal worth and glory were proposed to a Mans choice it would not trouble him that he had refused the one to obtain the other but if a Man were to chuse whether he would be a King or a slave if he should refuse the former and chuse the later when he came to feel the misery of his bondage this would trouble him more than the bondage that he might have avoided it that he hath chose this thraldome and parted with a Kingdome for it they will then perceive that they have chosen to be slavesunto sin and Sathan rather than to be Heires unto the Kingdome of Glory I know that though now they are slaves and serve divers lusts and though their bondage is a thousand fold worse than if they were Vassals to the cruellest Tirant upon Earth yet they are not sensible neither are they weary of their bondage because their wills are in thraldome and their affections are captivated and though heirdome to the glory of Heaven be the choicest priviledge upon Earth and most desirable yet they do not desire it but prefer their slavery before it because they are blinde unbelieving besorted sinners and judge of things according to sense yet on the day of Christs appearance all things will appear with a new face and they will look upon things with a new eye they will then perceive that they were slaves all their dayes and that there was no such drudgery as that which they were employed in and that there was no such glory and happiness as that which they refused and foolishly cast away then it will sting them indeed to remember that they have chosen rather to do the work of the Devil and yield obedience to the basest lusts for which they must now be repayed with the wages of death and eternal misery than to do the work of the Lord who would have rewarded them with eternal life and a Crown of glory and immortality Then they will say What profit have we got by those things whereof we are now ashamed What fruit doth all our labour and toile in the World now yield unto us What are we the better for our riches and great estate on Earth for our honour and high esteem amongst men for our luscious pleasures and delights now vanished and gone which we bought at so dear a rate as the loss of our precious and immortal souls and the forfeiture of an Inheritance in the kingdome of Heaven Then they will cry out O bewitching World O deluding Devil O deceitfull hearts and lusts O what fools and mad-men have we been that we should trample Iewels under our feet like Swine and in stead of them put dross and dung into our Cabinet that we should so greedily drink the sweet poison of sin to the bane and ruine of our souls and refuse to taste of the Cup of salvation which all our dayes was held forth unto us Then they will cry out of their voluptuousness their covetousness their pride and haughtiness and the like lusts which have kept Christ out of their hearts and kept them out of the Kingdome of Heaven 5. In going away some of them shall remember how neerly they missed of this happiness that they were almost perswaded to be Christians in deed as well as in name and to accept of Christ upon his own termes that they were not far from the Kingdome of Heaven that they were come even within fight of the Heavenly Canaan and yet died in the Wilderness that they were come even to the Gate of the new Ierusalem but finding it too strait for them and the luggish of their sins together there they stuck and could not enter in that they climbed up a great way of the Hill to Zion but did not reach the top and tumbling down their fall was the greater they will remember the means of grace which they enjoyed the Ordinances which they sate under and the treaties which the Lord did make with them by his word and spirit about their life and salvation and the carriage of their hearts towards the Lord in those treaties some of them will remember what convictions the Lord wrought in them of sin and what tremblings of conscience for fear of Hell and wrath to come and if they had followed that preparative work they might have quickly been acquainted with Christ and escaped the misery which they feared but they â—tifled convictions and shook off their troubles they shut their eies against the light and stilled the noise of their consciences and calmed their spirits with the delights and pleasures of the World and so grew more hardned in sin than before and gave such repulses to the spirit that the spirit quite departed from them Others will remember that they were perswaded to ascend some steps higher under the Ministry of the Word when they were reproved for such and such gross sins which they lived in the practise of that they could have no ease in their consciences until they had broken off that wicked course that they left off their drunkenness and their swearing their uncleanness and unrighteous dealing and were in a great measure reformed in their lives but there were some lusts in their hearts which they hugged secretly and delighted in and could not be perswaded to leave which were their undoing pride revenge uncharitableness covetousness or the like remained in their reigning power which were inconsistent with
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
cast into a caldron of boiling pitch or lead or put into Phalaris Bull or Nebuchadnezzars fiery Furnace the torture of the damned's bodies will be far beyond the sharpest pain now incident to humane nature by racking diseases or have been inflicted upon any of the children of men by the most cruel tyrant for the bodies of the wicked when raised again will be strengthned unto a greater capacity for punishment when they will be made incorruptible and immortal and punishment will be the end of their resurrection but more of this punishment under the properties 3. Concerning the properties of the punishment which the wicked shall go into 1. It will be universal it will not onely be in soul and body but also in every part of both in every faculty of the soul in every member of the body O the black thoughts the dismal apprehensions the grisly fancies the heavy griefs the sinking fears the dreadful terrors the hellish gripes the utter despair the horrible anguish and confusion which the soul will have when the wrath of God shall be poured in upon it like water the wicked will not only be in hell but they will have a hell in themselves in their consciences they will have a never dying worm which will gnaw and tear them they will have a storm in their spirits raised by the winde of Gods wrath which will blow most fiercely upon them every faculty of the soul will be afflicted according to its capacity and every member of the bodies of the wicked will be tormented O how will their eyes glare their tongues roar their hands and feet fry their flesh rost no part will be free from the devouring flames of this horrible burning Fire There are many diseases which the body is exposed unto in this world but very seldome do they meet together in the same subject if the head ake the members may be free if the foot be pained the hand may be at ease and ready to contribute some relief unto the pained part and if the body be sick the soul may give some consolatory arguments to alleviate the irksomeness of the disease but in hell the punishment of the wicked will be universal it will be in every member of the body and every faculty of the soul. 2. The punishment of hell will be extream the souls of the wicked will be filled with anguish as full as they can hold their capacity will be larger and they will be filled up to the height of their capacity and their bodies also will have the most exquisite pain as it is possible for them to endure their sense of pain will be quicker and their strength to endure pain greater and their pain will be in the uttermost extremity some pains of the body here are not very acnte and some troubles of mind may well enough be born but any disease in extremity is very irksome the pain of the head or the tooth in extremity the gout stone chollick in extremity especially the troubles of the mind in extremity will make a man weary of his life but to have every part afflicted in extremity and the uttermost extremity and that beyond our now capacity or conception this will be very dreadfull 3. The punishment of the wicked will be continual without any intermission or alleviation the wicked will have no rest day nor night Rev. 14. 11. there will be nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Matth. 22. 13. The most painful diseases here have their fits which do not continue long the diseased finde after their fits some ease and asswagement they have intermissions sometimes some lucida intervalla lightsome intervals but the wicked in hell will have no ease or asswagement no lightsome intervals of their grief and pains there will be no mixture of comfortable ingredients in the cup of God's wrath which the damned must drink of there will be but one fit in their disease and this fit will alwaies be at the height they will not have the least drop of water to cool so much as the tip of the tongue which shall be tormented in flames their grief will not have any allay they will not have one comfortable thought no eye to pitty them none to bring any relief unto them O how bitter will their sins be to them here they are but bitter sweets then they will be nothing but bitterness and gall and worm-wood unto them Their punishment will be continuall 4. The punishment of the wicked will be remediless there will be no escaping or flying from the wrath of God now sinners may flee from the wrath which is to come but when it is once come and hath got hold on them it will hold them down so that they shall never get loose from it now they may agree with their adversary upon the way they may make their peace with God in this world there is no sin for which they may not obtain a pardon but the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost which carries men away from God but hereafter in hell there will be no more sacrifice for sin the Saviour of mankind will be their judge and pass an irreversible sentence of condemnation upon them it is possible now for the wicked to be delivered from this punishment but it will be impossible then to be delivered out of it their punishment will be remediless 5. The punishment of the wicked will be eternal hell fire will be unquenchable Mark 9. 43. everlasting Matth. 25. 41. the smoak of the torment will ascend up for ever and ever Rev. 14. 11. This eternity of punishment will be a fearful aggravation of it If you saw a malefactour torn to pieces with wilde horses or thrown into a fiery furnace and there burned to ashes you would say that either of these were dreadful punishments though the pain possibly might not endure a quarter of an hour for death concludes all bodily pains here what then will it be to endure the torments of hell for ever a small pain if it should last long would be very irksome much more some racking pains by the stone strangury gour cholick and the like if they should continue for a year or a moneth together how miserable would they make the life to be yea if a man should hold but one of his fingers in the fire but for a day it would afflict him more than all outward comforts could delight him the torments of Hell will not be in one part only but in every part not in a weaker degree but in the greatest extremity not for a day or a month or a year but for ever the wicked will be alwaies dying never dead the pangs of death will be ever upon them and yet they shall never give up the ghost if they could die they would think themselves happy they wil alwaies be roaring and never breathe out their last alwaies sinking and never come to the bottome alwaies burning in those flames and never consumed
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
this glorious day who will be the Spectators of these great things whose eyes shall behold this blessed sight who shall see the Lord Jesus come in such glory many Kings and Prophets and righteous Men desired to-see Christ come in the flesh and did not see him and to hear the things which he taught but they did not obtain their desire many Generations were asleep in their Graves before Christs first appearance the righteous saw him afar off and darkly in types and figures few lived in the dayes when our Saviours abode was upon the Earth he had not many Disciples whom he made happy with his personal acquaintance and abode with them A great access there hath been since Christs departure unto the Church who though they have loved him and believed in him yet they never saw him with bodily eyes Three things one desired to see Christ in the flesh Paul in the Pulpit and Rome in its glory but past things are fled out of sight and the wishes of such things are â—o no purpose death hath closed the eyes of many millions of Christs Disciples who have heard the report of him but never saw him And is not their hopes of seeing Christ perished in the Graves with their bodies which are turned into rottenâ—ess and purrefaction and are not we all hastâ—ing towards those dark Chambers where no â—eam of light doth shine and nothing can be seen the righteous indeed which remain when Christ doth come down will be happy when they see their Lord in the aire but if we die before the time what shall we be the better Beloved let me tell you or rather believe the Word of God which doth tell you that all of you will be spectators of the great things which shall come to pass at the last day all Generations of Men and Women that ever lived upon the face of the Earth and are sleeping in the dust shall then be awakened and raised and be alive together and you shall be found alive amongst them that which our Saviour spake to the chief Priests and Elders of the Iewes before whom he was accused and stood as a Prisoner Hereafter yee shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven Matth. 26. 64. The same may I say unto all you that hear me this day hereafter yee shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him These very eyes with which you look upon me or one upon another shall see the Lord Jesus Christ come in the aire these very cares with which you hear me preach this Doctrine unto you shall hear the sound of the last Trumpet and the great shout with which Christ will descend out of his Fathers Pallace into this inferiour World these very bodies which are standing or sitting in this place must stand before Christs Tribunal Seat at the last Day Death hath a Commission from God to pull you out of your habitations and drag your bodies into its Prison and this enemy is upon the way and hath you all in pursuit and how neer he is come to your Doors you do not know his arrows are flying about your eares and you will be smitten sooner or later either when you are younger or older none can escape his stroke your time is wasting your Glass is running and ere long you will be expiring your last breath and these bodies which you are cloathing and feeding and providing for every day will lie a dying and be carryed by your mourning friends to your Graves And as certain as Death so certain will your Resurrection be at Christs coming Christ hath received a Commission from God to judge the World and he will come down from Heaven with the Keyes of Death and Hell and open the Doores where you shall have your lodging and bring you forth to judgment I must awake on that day if I fall asleep into my Grave before and arise and give an account of my self and the souls committed to my charge unto my Lord and Master and you must awake also and give an account of your selves and actions unto the glorious Judge your lives then will be reviewed your actions will be examined and it will be known then what you have been doing ever since you came into the World how you have spent your time how you have improved the seasons and means of grace then it will appear who are Christs sheep and who the Goats however they now flock together sometimes in one company who are wise and who the foolish Virgins however now all have Lamps shining then it will be known who have been wise unto salvation who have made their peace with God in the way who have furnished their hearts with grace laid up their treasure in Heaven and improved their talents for their Masters use upon the Earth and who have foolishly slipt and sinned away the harvest and day of grace neglecting Christ and the things which belonged to their peace and happiness until they were hid from their eyes who have been hypocrites and unbelievers and served divers lusts instead of serving the Lord of life and glory and all ungodly sinners will be found out and punished then all of you yea the whole World will believe the doctrine which we now preach concerning the vanity of the Creatures the evil of sin the necessiry of Christ the excellency of grace the happiness of Gods Children and O what will the pardon of sin the favour of God the least measure of grace be worth then our Doctrine concerning these things is as true now and the worth to Christ and grace and salvation as great though then Mens valuation will be greater because the worth will be more apparent But give me leave to apply this Doctrine concerning the certainty and speediness of the coming of Christ to Judgment 1. To Sinners 2. To Believers 3. To both 1. I shall speak to sinners 1. To discover them 2. To awaken them 3. To exbort them 1. For the Discovery of Sinners Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear to Judgment and must the whose World be summoned unto his Bar surely then it doth above all things concern all of you to sit down and consider how you are provided for this day all of you will be spectators of Christ and his glory on that day but you will not be idle spectators as sometimes you have been of great shows in the City whilst it was yet standing which have passed away and you have gone away without much regard of the things you have seen No you will all be most highly concerned in this appearance of Christ more then Persons who are to be tryed for their lives are concerned at the appearance of the Judge who comes to paâ—s sentence upon them you will all be tryed on that day and your everlasting weal or wo will depend
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
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
live with him all the powers of earth and hell cannot separate you from his love and therefore cannot keep you out of heaven Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. 7. Ye are justified by faith Rom. 5. 1. and therefore absolved from the guilt of sin therefore freed from the condemnation of hell Rom. 8. 1. therefore shall not perish seeing the cause thereof is removed therfore you shall have eternal life Ioh. 3. 16. whom God justifieth them he also glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. 8. Yee are the adopted children of God Gal. 3. 26. For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And if children then heirs Rom. 8. 17. and if heirs you shall be sure to have the inheritance 9. Ye are called with a Holy calling and sanctified with the holy Spirit and thereby in some measure fitted and qualified for this happiness by the work of grace consormity to the Lord in holiness grace is glory begun and is called eternal life and God hath promised to perfect it Philip. 1. 6. grace hath relation to Heaven as sin hath relation to hell and as sin will certainly bring men to hell if it be not pardoned and subdued so grace will certainly bring men to heaven because it cannot be wholly eradicated 10. You have made choice of Heaven for your portion you have laid up there your treasure and God hath set your souls a longing after it and given you hopes of it and therefore you shall not miss it your desires shall be satisfied and your hopes shall not make you ashamed Rom. 5. 5. 11. And if besides all this you have the witness and seal and earnest of the spirit giving you some first fruits and foretastes of this happiness though all believers do not obtain it then you may know without question that this is a sure happiness both in its self and unto you Therefore believers exercise your faith that you may be filled with all joy and peace in believing 3. Believers consider the neerness of the happiness of Heaven Christs appearance is not far off but your happiness may be neerer I mean the happiness of your souls in Heaven which will begin so soon as your lives come to an end the wicked walk upon the brink of Hell every day when they die thither they are carried you walk upon the borders of the Heavenly Canaan the Paradise which is above when you die thither you shall be conveyed and you may die suddenlie and as sâ—ddenlie you will be in glory Rejoice then believers rejoice you may be in Heaven before you are aware it may be to morrow God will send for you within a few daies you may be out of the body and present with â—he Lord Jesus and amongst the spirits of just Men made perfect when you break Prison from the body you will be delivered into the marvelous light of Gods glory rejoice to think how neer your happiness is 4. Believers consider the everlastingness of the happiness of Heaven there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal. 18. 11. When you are come to Heaven there you shall abide your happiness will be constant and eternal without diminution intermixture of sin or sorrow without interruption or possibility that ever it should be brought to an end It would alleviate the torments of the damned if they had any hopes of ever being let out of Hell and it would weaken the joyes of the Saints yea fill them with unspeakable grief if there were any danger and fear of being ever thrust out of Heaven Rejoice then yee believers yee shall rejoice for evermore in the eternal vision and fruition of God labour to begin your Heavens joyes now let faith so realize and bring neer the things which you hope for and make evident the things which as yet you do not see but shall possess that you may have a sweet foretaste of this happiness and begin your Heavens work to praise the Lord for his great and undeserved love wherewith he hath loved you and for those things beyond conception which out of love he hath prepared for you CHAP. XV. LAstly to conclude I shall speak a word both to Sinners and Believers Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear to judgment let me then in his name perswade you to three things 1. Believe that Christ will appear mingle the Doctrine you have heard or read with faith you have had evident proofs of it believe the thing Sinners believe that Christ will come to judge and condemn you if you be found in your sins did you believe it effectually you would quickly become Saints Believers labour for more faith in this truth did you believe it more strongly you would live at a higher rate 2. Consider that Christ will appear meditate on this thing let it dwell in your thoughts let it lie down with you at night and arise with you in the morning let it sit down with you at Table and walk with you abroad think often of the antecedents of Christs coming the judgment it self and the consequents thereof and get a deep impression of the last Judgment upon your spirits Sinners consider how the wicked will be judged think how they will be accused and condemned think of the dreadful sentence and the execution thereof in Hell and then think that you are in the number of those that are in such danger unless you speedily secure your selves by making your peace Believers consider how the Saints will be judged think how Christ will acquit them and invite them to take possession and then will give them possession of Heaven and then think that you are in the number of these blessed ones which shall be made thus happy 3. Prepare for the appearance of Christ to judgment and that you may be prepared as a conclusion to this Doctrine take these directions 1. Be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace it is the advice of the Apostle after his discourse of the coming of the Lord and the glorious things of that day Wherefore beloved seeing that yee look for such things be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3. 14. 1. Make your peace with God sinners God is your enemy make your peace with him you have offended him by your sins and his justice must be satisfied O labour to geâ— an interest in the satisfaction of Christ that your sins may be pardoned and God may be reconciled lay hold on Christ by faith as yet you may be welcome to him hereafter it will be too late Believers make sure of a pardon you cannot be too sure in a thing of such concernment 2. Diligently endeavourâ—after peace in your consciences sinners get the wounds which fin hath made there healed with the blood of Christ Believers take heed of making any breaches there maintain peace within when you have obtained it 3. Diligently follow after peace one with another take heed of hatred variance