here much more then when we are with our Saviour our Jesus being passed from death to life John 5. 24. 1 John 4. 18. Secondly The Saints at this day shall have their hearts and Souls so wrapped up in the pleasure of God their Saviour that it shall be their delight to see all things though once never so near and dear unto them yet now to perish if not according to his word and will Thy will be done is to be always our Language here but to delight to see it done in all things though it tend never so much to the distruction of what we love to delight I say to see it done in the height and perfection of delight it will be when we come to Heaven or when the Lord shall come to judge the World Mat. 6. 10. But thirdly The sole end of the counting of the Saints at the day of God it will be not onely for the vindication of the righteousness holiness and purity of the Word neither will it center onely in the manifestation of the knowledg and heart-discerning nature of Christ though both these will be in it Revel 2. 22 23. But their very remembrances and sight of the sin and vanity that they have done while here it shall both set off and heighten the tender affections of their God unto them and also increase their joy and sweetness of Soul and clinging of heart to their God Saints while here are sweeâ—ly sensible that the sense of sin and the assurance of pardon will make famous work in their poor hearts Ah what meltings without guilt what humility without casting down and what a sight of the creatures nothingness yet without fear will this sense of sin work in the Soul The sweetest frame the most heart-indearing frame that possibly a Christian can get into while in this World is to have a warm sight of sin and of a Saviour upon the heart at one time Now it weeps not for fear and through torment but by vertue of constraining grace and mercy and is at this very time so far off of disquietness of heart by reason of the fight of its wickedness that it is driven into an extasie by reason of the love and mercy that is mingled with the sense of sin in the Soul The heart never sees so much of the power of mercy as now nor of the vertue value and excellency of Christ in all his Offices as now and the Tongue so sweetly inlarged to proclaim and cry up grace as now now will Christ come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that believe 2 Thes. 1. 10 11. Wherefore though the Saints receive by Faith the forgiveness of sins in this life and so are passed from death to life yet again Christ Jesus and God his Father will have every one of these sins reckoned up again and brought fresh upon the stage in the day of Judgment that they may see and be sensible for ever what grace and mercy hath laid hold upon them And this I take to be the Reason of that remarkable saying of the Apostle Peter Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ who before was preached unto you whom the Heaven must receive till the restitution of all things spoken of by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the World began Acts 3. 19 20 21. If a sense of some sin for who sees all Psa. 19. 12. and a sight of the love of God will here so work upon the spirit of the godly What will a sight of all sin do when together with it they are personally present with their Lord and Saviour Yea if a sight of some sins with a possibility of pardon will make the heart love reverence and fear with guiltless and heart-affecting fears what will a general sight of all sin and together with them an eternall acquittance from them work on the heart of the Saint for ever Yea I say again if a sight of sin and the love of God will make such work in that Soul where yet there is unbelief blindness mistrust and forgetfulness what will a sight of sin do in that Soul who is swallowed up of love who is sinless and temptationless who hath all the faculties of Soul and Body strained by love and grace to the highest pin of perfection that is possible to be in glory injoyed and possessed O the wisdom and goodness of God that he at this day should so cast about the worst of our things even those that naturally tend to sink us and damnus for our great advantage All things that shall work together for good indeed to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. Those sins that brought a curse upon the whole World that spilt the heart-blood of our dearest Saviour and that laid his tender Soul under the flaming wrath of God shall by his wisdom and love tend to the exaltation of his Grace and the inflaming of our affections to him for ever and ever Revel 5. 9 10 11 12 13 14. 'T will not be thus with Devils 't will not be thus with Reprobates the saved onely have this priviledge peculiar to themselves wherefore to vary a little from the matter in hand will God make that use of sin even in our counting for it that shall in this manner work for our advantage why then let Saints also make that advantage of their sin as to glorifie God thereby which is to be done not by saying Let us do evill that good may come or let us sin that Grace may abound but by taking occasion by the sin that is past to set the Crown upon the Head of the Christ for our justification Continually looking upon it so as to press us to cleave close to the Lord Jesus to grace and mercy through him and to the keeping of us humble for ever under all his dispensations and cariages to us Now having counted for all their evil and confessed to Gods glory how they fell short and did not the truth in this or that or other particulars and having received their eternall acquittance from the Lord and Judg in the sight of both Angels and Saints forthwith the Lord Jesus will make inquiry into all the good and holy actions and deeds they did do in the World Now there shall all things be reckoned up from the very first good thing that was done by Adam or Abel to the last that will fall out to be done in the World The good of all the holy Prophets of all Apostles Pastors Teachers and helps in the Church here also will be brought forth and to light all the good Cariages of Masters of Families of Parents of Children of Servants of Neighbours or what ever good thing any man doth but to be general and short first here will be a recompence for all that have sincerely laboured in
Matthew at the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus gives us a notable fore-fore-word of the Resurrection of the Just Saith the Text And the graves were opened and many BODIES of Saints which slept arose and came out of their graves after his Resurrection and went into the holy City and appeared unto many Matth. 27. 50 51 52 53. When the Authour to the Hebrews had given us a Catalogue of the Worthies of the Old Testament he saith at last These all died in Faith In the faith of what That they should lie and rot in their graves eternally No verily this is the Faith of Ranters not of Christians They all died in faith that they should rise again and therefore counted this World not worth the living in upon unworthy terms that after death they might obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11. 13 35. 'T is also worth the Considering that of Paul to the Philippians where he saith That he was Confident that that God that had begun a good work in them would perform it untill the day of Christ Phil. 1. 6. Which day of Christ was not the day of their Conversion for that was past with them already they were now the Children of God but this Day of Christ it is the same which in other places is called the Day when he shall come with the sound of the last Trump to raise the Dead For you must know That the Work of Salvation is not at an end with them that are now in Heaven no nor ever will untill as I shewed you before their Bodies be raised again God as I have told you hath made our Bodies the Members of Christ and God doth not count us thoroughly saved untill our Bodies be as well redeemed and ransomed out of the grave and death as our Soul from the Curse of the Law and dominion of Sin Though Gods Saints have felt the power of much of his grace and have had many a sweet word fulfilled on them yet one word will be unfulfilled on their particular person so long as the grave can shut her mouth upon them But as I said before when the gates of death do open before them and the barrs of the grave do fall asunder then shall be brought to pass that saying that is written Death is swallowed up of Victory and then will they hear that most pleasant voyce Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the Earth shall cast forth her dead Isa. 26. 19. Thus much touching the truth of the Resurrection of the Just with the manner of their rising Now you must know That the time of the rising of these Just will be at the Coming of the Lord For when they arise nay just before they are raised the Lord Jesus Christ will appear in the Clouds in flaming fire with all his mighty Angels the effect of which appearing will be the rising of the dead c. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout saith Paul and with the voice of the Arch-Angell and with the Trump of God and the dead shall rise 1 Thess. 7 8. 2 Thess. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 52. Now at the time of the Lords Coming there will be found in the World alive both Saints and Sinners As for the Saints that then shall be found alive they shall so soon as all the Saints are raised out of their graves not die but be changed and swallowed up of incorruption immortality and glory and have the Soul-spiritual Translation as the raised Saints shall have as he saith We shall not all die or sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye For the Trump shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed And again For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Ayr and so shall we ever be with the Lord. As he saith also in another place He shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome 1 Cor. 15. 52. 1 Thess. 4. 15 16 17. and 2 Tim. 4. 1. Now when the Saints that sleep shall be raised thus incorruptible powerful glorious and spiritual and also those that then shall be found alive made like them Then forthwith before the unjust are raised the Saints shall appear before the Judgment Seat of the Lord Jesus Christ there to give an account to their Lord the Judge of all things they have done and to receive a reward for their good according to their labour They shall rise I say before the Wicked they being themselves the proper Children of the Resurrection that is Those that must have all the glory of it both as to preheminencie and sweetness and therefore they are said when they rise to rise from the dead that is in their rising they leave the reprobate World behind them Luke 20. 35 36. Acts 3. 15. Acts 4. 10. Acts 13. 30. Joh. 12. 1 9 17. And it must be so because also the Saints will have done their Account and be set upon the Throne with Christ as Kings and Princes with him to Judge the World when the wicked world are raised The Saints shall Judg the World they shall judge Angels yea they shall sit upon the Thrones of Judgment to do it But to pass that 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Psal. 122. 5. Now when the Saints are raised as ye have heard they must give an account of all things in general that they have done while they were in the World Of all things I say whether they be good or bad First of all their bad but mark not under the Consideration of Vagabonds Slaves and Sinners but as Sons Stewards and Servants of the Lord Jesus That this shall be it is evident from divers places of the Holy Scriptures First Paul saith We must all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ We Saints For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bowe to me and every tongue shall confess to God So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Again Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him for we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one of us may receive the things done in his body according to what he hath done whether it be good or whether it be evil Rom. 14. 10 11 12. 2 Cor. 5. 10. 'T is true God loveth his People but yet he loveth not their sins nor any thing they do though with the greatest zeal for him if it be contrary to his Word Wherefore as truly as God will give a reward to his Saints and Children for all that they
namely under the black Rod in the Kings black Book where he hath Recorded all his Enemies and Traytors It shall be said of this man of this ungodly man that he was born there Psal. 87. 4. That he lived and dyed in the state of nature and so under the curse of God even as others for as he said of wicked Coniah Jer. 22. 30. Write this man childless so he saith of every ungodly man that so departeth out of this World Write this man Graceless Wherefore I say among the Babylonians and Phylistians among the unbelieving Moors and Pagans his name will be found in the day when it will be inquired where every man was born for God at this day will divide the whole World into these two Ranks the Children of the World and the Children of Zion Wherefore here is the honour the priviledge and advantage that the Godly above the wicked will have at the day of their counting When the Lord maketh mention of Zion it shall be then acknowledged that this and that good man was born in her the Lord shall count saith the Prophet when he wrighteth up the People that this man was born there Psal. 87. 5 6. This man had the work of Conversion of Faith and Grace iâ— his Soul This man 〈◊〉 Child of Zion of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is also written in Heaven Blessed is the People that are in such a case Gal. 4 26 Heb 12. 22 23. Psal. 144. 1â—â— But poor Soul Counters will not go for Gold now for though so long as thou didst judge thy self by the crooked rule of thy own reason fancy and affection thou wast pure in thy own eyes yet â—ow thâ—u must be judged alone by the words and rule of the Lord Jesus Which word shall not now as in times past be wrested and wrung both this way and that to smooth thee up in thy Hypocrites hope and carnall confidence but be thou King or Keser be thou who thou wilt the Word of Christ and that with this interpretation onely It shall judge thee in the last day Joh. 12. 44. Now will sinners begin to cry with loud and bitter cryes Oh! ten thousand Worlds for a saving work of Grace Crowns and Kingdoms for the least measure of saving Faith and for the love that Christ will say is the love of his own Spirit Now they will begin also to see the work of a broken and a contrite spirit and of walking with God as living 〈◊〉 in this World But alas these things appear in their hearts to the damned too late as also do all things else This will be but like the repentance of the Thief about whose neck is the â—alter and he turning off the ladder for the unfortunate hap of the damned will be that the glory of Heavenly things will not appear to them till out of season Christ must now indeed be shewed to them as also the true nature of Faith and all Grace but it will be when the door is shut and mercy gone they will pray and repent most earnestly but it will be in the time of great Waters of the flouds of eternall wrath when they cannot come nigh him 1 Tim. 6. 15. Matth. 25. 10 11. Psal. 32. 6. Well then tell me sinner if Christ shouâ—d now come to judge the World canst thou abide the tryal of the Book of Life Art thou confident that thy Profession that thy Conversion thy Faith and all other Graces thou thinkest thou hast will prove Gold Silver and precious Stones in this day behold he comes as a Refiners fire and as Fullâ—rs Soap shalt thou indeed abide the melting and washing of this day Examine I say before hand and try thy self unfeignedly for every one that doth â—ruth cometh to the light that their deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. Thou sayest thou art a Christian that also thou hast repented dost believe and love the Lord Jesus but the question is whether these things will be found of equall length heighth and bredth with the Book of Life Or whether when thou art weighed in the ballance thou wilt yet be found wanting Dan. 5. 27. How if when thou comest to speak for thy self before God thou shouldest say Siboleth instead of Shiboleth that is though almost yet not rightly and naturally the Language of the Christians Judg. 12. 4 5 6. If thou miss but one letter in thy evidence thou art gone for though thou mayst deceive thy own heart with Brass instead of Gold and with Tin instead of Silver Gal. 6. 7. yet God will not be so put off You know how confident the foolish Virgins were and yet how they were deceived They herded with the Saints they went forth from the gross pollutions of the World they every one had shining Lamps and all went forth to meet the Bridegroom and yet they mist the Kingdom They were not written among the living in Jerusalem they had not the true powerful saving work of Conversion of Faith and Grace in their Souls they that are foolish take their Lamps but take no Oyl no saving Grace with them Mat. 25. 1 2 3 4. Thus you see how sinners will be put to it before the Judgment-Seat from these two parts of this Book of Life But Thirdly There is yet another part of this Book to be opened and that is that part of it in which is Recorded those noble and Christian acts that they have done since the time of their Conversion and turning to Christ. Here I say is Recorded the Testimony of the Saints against sin and Antichrist their suffering for the sake of God their love to the members of Christ their patience under the Cross and their faithful frequenting the Assemblies of the Saints and their incouraging one another to bear up in his wayes in the worst of times even when the proud was called happy and when they that wrought wickedness were even set up As he there saith Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a Book of Rememrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name Mat. 3. 14 15 16. For indeed as truly as any person hath his name found in the first part of this Book of Life and his Conversion in the second so there is a third part in which there is his noble spiritual and holy actions Recorded and set down As it is said by the Spirit to John concerning those that suffered Martyrdom for the truth of Jesus Write blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them Rev. 14. 13. And hence it is that the labours of the Saints and the Book of Life are mentioned together signifying that the travels and labours and acts of the godly are Recorded therein Phil. 4. 3. And hence it is again that the Lord
doth tell Sardis that those among them that stood it out to the last gasp in the Faith and Love of the Gospel should not be blotted out of the Book of Life but they with the work of God on their Soul and their labour for God in this World should be confessed before his Father and before his Angels Rev. 3. 5. This part of this Book is in another place called The Book of the Word of the Lord because in it I say is Recorded those famous acts of the Saints against the World flesh and the Devil Numb 21. 14. You find also how exact the Holy Ghost is in Recording the travels pains labour and goodness of any of the Children of Israel in their Journey from Egypt to Canaan which was a Representation of the Travels of the Saints from nature to Grace and from Grace to Glory King Ahasuerus kept in his Library a Book of Records wherein was wâ—it the good Service that his Subjects did for him at any time which was a Type also of the manner and order of Heaven And as sure as ever Mordecai when search was made in the Rolls was found there to have done such and such service for the King and his Kingdom Esth. 6. 1. 2. so surely will it be found what every Saint hath done for God at the day of inquiry You find in the Old Testament also still as any of the Kings of Judah dyed there was surely a Record in the Book of Chronicles of their memorable acts and doings for their God the Church and the Common-wealth of Israel which still doth further hold forth unto the Children of men this very thing That all the Kings of the New Testament which are the Saints of God have all their acts and what they have done for their God c. Recorded in the Book of Chronicles in the Heavenly Jerusalem Now I say when this part of the Book of Life shall be opened what can be found in it of the good deeds and Heaven-born actions of wicked men Just nothing for as it is not to be expected that Thorns should bring forth Grapes or that Thistles should bear as Figs so it cannot be imagined that ungodly men should have any thing to their Commendations Recorded in this part of the Book of Life What hast thou done man for God in this World Art thou one of them that hast set thy self against those strong struglings of pride lust covetousness and secret wickedness that remain in thy heart like Job and Paul Job 1. 8 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. 2. And do these struglings against these things arise from pure love to the Lord Jesus or from some legall terrours and conviction for sin Gal. 5 6. 3. Doest thou I say struggle against thy lusts because thou doest in truth love the sweet holy and blessed leadings of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus its leadings of thee I say into his blood and death for thy Justification and deliverance from wrath to comâ— Phil. 3. 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 4. What acts of self-denyal hast thou done for the name of the Lord Jesus among the Sons of men I say what house what friend what Wife what Children and the like hast thou lost or left for the Word of God and the Testimony of his truth in the World Matth. 19. 27 28. Revel 12. 10 11. 5. Wast thou one of them that didst sigh and afflict thy self for the abominations of the times and that Christ hath marked and Recorded for such a one Ezek. 9. 3 4. Zeph. 3. 18. 6. In a word Art thou one of them that wouldest not be won by neither fear frowns nor flatteries to forsake the wayes of God or wrong thy Conscience or art thou one of them that slightest those opportunities that Satan and this World did often give thee to return to sin in secret Heb. 11. 14 15. These be the men whose prayse is in the Gospel and whose commendable and worthy acts are Recorded before the Judge of all the World Alas alas these things are strange things to a carnal and wicked man Nothing of this hath bin done by him in this life and therefore how can any such be Recorded for him in the Book of Life wherefore he must needs be shut out of this part also As David saith Let them be blotted out of the Book of the living and not be written with the Righteous Psal. 69. 28. Thus I say the wicked will find nothing for their comfort either in the first part of this book where all the names of the Elect are neither will they find any thing in the second part thereof where is recorded the true nature and operation of effectual Conversion of Faith or Love or the like and I say neither can any thing be found in this third part wherein is recorded the worthy acts and memorable deeds of the Saints of the Lord Jesus Thus when Christ therefore hath opened before them this book of life and convinced the ungodly at this day out of it he will then shut it up again saying I find nothing herein that will do you good you are none of my Elect you are the sons of perdition For as these things will be found clear and full in the book of life so they will be found effectually wrought in the hearts of the Elect all whose conversion and perseverance shall now be opened before â—hy eyes as a witness I say of the truth of what thou here seest opened before thee and also of thy unregenerate estate Now thou wilt see what a turn what a change and what a clinging to God to Christ and his Word and wayes there was found in the Souls of the saved ones here shall be seen also how resolvedly unfeignedly and heartily the true child of God did oppose resist and war against his most dearest and darling lusts and corruptions now the Saints are hidden ones but then they shall be manifest this is the morrow in which the Lord will shew who are his and who they are that fear the Lord and who that fear him not Psal. 83. 3. Sam. 8. 19. Numb 16. 5. Mal. 3. 18. Now you shall see how Abraham left his Country how close good Lot did stick to God in prophane and wicked Sodom Heb. 11. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. Mat. 19. 29. how the Apostles left all to foâ—low Jesus Christ and how patiently they took all crosses afflictions persecutions and necessities for the Kingdome of Heavens sâ—ke how they indured burning starving stoning hanging and a thousand calamities how they manifested their love to their Lord his Cause and people in the worst of times and in the dayes when they were most rejected slighted abused and abased then shall the King say to them on his right hand and that when all the Devils and damned sinners stand by Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World you are indeed the truly converted
THE Resurrection of the Dead AND Eternall Judgement OR The truth of the Resurrection of the Bodies both of Good and Bad at the last day Asserted and proved by Gods Word Also the manner and order of their coming forth of their Graves as also with what Bodies they do arise Together with a Discourse of the last Judgement and the finall Conclusion of the whole World By John Bunyan a Servant of the Lord's Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 51 52. Behold I shew you a Mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trump shall sound and the Dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed John 5. 28 29. Marvel not at this for the houre is coming in which all that are â—n their Graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill to the Resurrection of damnation London Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Barre Courteous Reader THough this be a small Treatise yet it doth present thee with things of the greatest and most weighty concernment even with a Discourse of Life and Death to Eternity opening and clearing by the Scriptures of God that the time is at hand when there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust even of the Bodies of both from the Graves where they are or shall be at the approach of that day Thou hast also in these few lines the order and manner of the rising of these two sorts of People wherein is shewed thee with what Body they shall then rise as also their states and condition at this day with great clearness For here thou shalt see the truth and manner of the terrible Judgement the opening of the Books the examining of Witnesses with a finall conclusion upon good and bad Which I hope will be profitable to thy Soul that shall read it For if thou art godly then here is that which will through Gods blessing incourage thee to go on in the faith of the truth of the Gospel but if thou art ungodly then here thou mayst meet with conviction yea and that of what will be without fail thy end at the end of the World whether thou continue in thy sins or repent If thou continue in them blackness and darkness and everlasting destruction but if thou repent and believe the Gospel then light and life and joy and comfort and glory and happiness and that to Eternity Wherefore let me here beg these things at thy hand First That thou take heed of that spirit of mockery that saith 2 Pet. 3. 4 5. Where is the promise of his coming Secondly Take heed that thy heart be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon thee unawares Luke 21. 34 35. Thirdly But be diligent in making thy Calling and Election sure that thou in the day of which thou shalt read more in this Book be not found without that glorious Righteousness that will then stand thee instead and present thee before his glorious presence with exceeding joy to him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus World without end Amen John Bunyan OF THE Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgement But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Father believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Acts 24. 14 15. MY Discourse upon this Text will chiefly concern the Resurrection of the Dead wherefore to that I shall immediately apply my self not medling with what else is couched in the words You see here that Paul being upon his Arraignment accused of many things by some that were violent for his blood and being licenced to speak for himself by the then Heathen Magistrate he doth in few words tell them that as touching the Crimes wherewith they charged him he was utterly faultless onely this he confessed that after that way which they call Heresie so he worshipped the God of his Fathers believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and that he had the same hope towards God which they themselves did allow that there should be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust Whence note by the way That an hypocritical people will persecute the power of those truths in others which themselves in words profess I have hopes towards God and that such a hope which themselves do allow and yet I am this day and that for this very thing persecuted by them But to come to my purpose there shall be a Resurrection of the dead c. By these words the Apostle sheweth us what was the substance of his Doctrine to wit that there should be a Resurrection of the dead and by these words also what was the great argument with his Soul to carry him through these temptations afflictions reproaches and necessities he met with in this World even the Doctrine of a Resurrection I have hope towards God saith he and there is my mind fixed for there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust The reason why I cannot do what these Jews would have me also why I cannot live as do the Gentiles it is because I have in my Soul the faith of the Resurrection This is the Doctrine I say which maketh me fear to offend and that is as an undergirder to my Soul whereby I am kept from destruction and confusion under all the storms and tempests I here go through In a word this is it that hath more awe upon my Conscience then all the Laws of men with all the penalties they inflict Vers. 17. And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men Now here seeing this Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead hath that power both to bear up and to awe both to incourage and to keep within compass the Spirit and Body of the People of God It will be requisite and profitable for us to inquire into the true meâ—ning and nature of this word the Resurrection of the dead And for the better compassing of this matter I shall briefly inquire First what this place is meant by the dead Secondly What is meant by the Resurrection Thirdly Why the Apostle doth here speak of the Resurrection of the dead as of a thing yet to come there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust For the first The dead in Scripture go under a five-fold Consideration as 1. Such as die a natural death or as when a man ceaseth to be any more in this World
is another Wherefore I say at our rising we shall not change our nature but our glory We shall be equal to the Angels Luke 20. 36. Not with respect to their nature but glory The nature also of the Moon is one thing and the glory of the Moon is another and so one Star also differeth from another in glory A Beggar hath the same nature as a King and Gold in the Ore the same nature with that which is best refined but the Beggar hath not the same glory with the King nor yet the Gold in Ore the same glory with that which is refined But our state will be far more altered than any of these in the dayes when we like so many Suns in the Firmament of Heaven arise out of the heart and bowels of the Earth These things thus considered do shew you how vainly they argue that say our humane nature consisting of Body and Soul shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and also how far from their purpose that saying of the Apostle is which saith That flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And now also because I am fallen upon the Objection it self I shall not passe it but with a short dash at it Wherefore Reader whoever thou art consider that frequently in Scripture the word flesh and blood as also in the place alledged is not to be understood of that matter which God made which flesh cleaveth to our bones and blood runs in our veins but is taken for that corruption weakness mortality and evil that cleaveth to it Which weakness and corruption because it possesseth all men also wholy ruleth where the Soul is unconverted therefore it beareth the name of that which is ruled and acted by it to wit our whole man consisting of Body and Soul yet I say is a thing distinct from that flesh and blood which is essential to our being and without which we are no men As for instance he that is Christs saith Paul Gal. 5. 24. hath Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Who is so vain as to think that the Apostle by these words should mean our material flesh that hangeth on our bones and that is mixed with our natural blood sinews and veins And not rather of that inward fountain of sin corruption and wickedness which in another place he calleth the old man with his deceitful lusts Ephes. 4. 22. Again The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Is it our flesh that hangeth on our bones which lusteth against the spirit and that also against which the spirit lusteth Certainly if the spirit lusteth against our material flesh then it is our duty not to nourish it at all because by nourishing of it we nourish that against which the Spirit of God fighteth and warreth Nay if the spirit lust against the flesh on our bones simply considered as flesh and if it be our duty to follow the spirit as it is then we must needs kill our selves or cut our flesh from our bones For whatever the Spirit of God lusteth against it must be destroyed yea it is our duty with all speed to destroy it But wilt thou know O vain man that by flesh here is to be understood not the nature that God hath made but the corrupt apprehension and wisdom with those inclinations to evil that lodg within us Which in another place is called the Wisdom of the flesh Yea in plain termes flesh and blood where Christ saith flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16. 16. Nay observe it all these places with many others do rather point at a corrupt Soul then a corrupt Body for indeed sin and all spiritual wickedness they have their seat in the heart and soul of a man and by their using this or that member of the body so defile the man the weaknesses of the body or that attend our material flesh and blood they are weaknesses of another kind as sickness aches pains soars wounds defection of members c. Wherefore where you read of flesh and blood as rejected of God especially when it speaks of the flesh and blood of Saints you are not to understand it as meâ—nt of the flesh which is their proper humane nature but of that weakness which cleaveth to it Paul in another place reckoneth up the works of the flesh in many things as in Witchcraft hatred variance strife emulation fornication and many others But can any imagine that he there should strike at that flesh that hangeth on our bone or rather at that malignity and rebellion that is in the mind of man against the Lord Gal. 17 18 19 20. by reason of which the members of the Body are used this way and also sometimes that to accomplish its most filthy and abusive deeds They are Enemies in their Minds by wicked Works Col. 1. 21. Thus you see that Flesh and Blood is not to be taken always for the Flesh that is upon our hands and feet and other parts of our Body but for that sinne weakness and infirmity that cleaveth to our whole man Further then touching our reall substantiall flesh it may be either considered as God's Creature purely or as corrupted with sinne and infirmity Now if you consider it as corrupted so it shall not inherit the Kingdom of God but yet consider it as God's Creature and so all that God hath converted to himself through Jesus Christ shall even with that Body when changed inherit the Kingdom of God The Woman whose Cloaths are foul can yet distinguish between the Dirt and the Cloth on which it hangeth and so deals God with us 'T is true there is not one Saint but while he liveth here his Body is arrayed and infected with many corrupt and filthy things as touching bodily weaknesses yea and also with many sinful infirmities by reason of that body of Sin and Death that yet remains in us But yet God I say distinguisheth between our weaknesses and his Workmanship and can tell how to save the whole Man of his People while he is destroying the Corruption and Weakness that cleaveth to them And now to return to the place objected Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God It cannot be truly understood that that flesh which is Man's Nature shall not enter the Kingdom For then as I said before Christ must lose his Members the purchase of his Bloud the Vessels and Temples of his Spirit for all this is our Body Again then Christ also in that his Body which is also our Flesh and Blood is not in Glory contrary to the whole Current of the New Testament Heb. 2. 14 15. Heb. 7. 24 25. Heb. 8. 3 4. Heb. 10. 10 11 12. Rev. 1. 18. Rev. 2. 8. Yea it would be Non-sence to say there should be a Resurrection and that our vile Body shall be changed and made like to the Glorious Body of the
the Word and Doctrine I say a recompence for all the Souls they have saved by their Word and watered by the same Now shall Paul the Planter and Apollo the Waterer with every one of their Companions receive the reward that is according to their works 1 Cor. 3. 6 7 8. Now all the Preaching praying watching and labour thou hast been at in thy endeavouring to catch men from Satan to God shall be rewarded with spangling glory Not a Soul thou hast converted to the Lord Jesus nor a Soul thou hast comforted strengthned or helped by thy wholsom Counsel admonition and comfortable speech but it shall stick as a Pearl in that Crown which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give thee at that day 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. That is if thou dost it willingly delighting to lift up the name of God among men if thou doest it with love and longing after the Salvation of sinners otherwise thou wilt have onely thy labour for thy pains and no more if I do this willingly I have a reward but if against my will a dispensation of the Gospel is committed to my charge 1 Cor. 9. 17. Phil. 1. 15. But I say if thou do it graciously then a reward followeth for what is our hope or joy or Crown of rejoycing are not even ye saith Paul in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for ye are our glory and joy 1 Thes. 2. 19 20. Let him therefore that Christ hath put into this Harvest take comfort in the midst of all his sorrow and know that God acknowledgeth that he that converteth a sinner from the errour of his way doth even save that Soul from death and covereth a multitude of sins Wherefore labour to convert labour to water labour to build up and to feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind and when the chief Shepheard shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away Jam. 5. 20. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 4. Secondly And as the Ministers of Christs Gospel shall at this day be recompensed so shall also those more private Saints be with tender affections and love looked on and rewarded for all their work and labour of love which they have shewed to the name of Christ in ministring to his Saints and suffering for his sake Whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Heb. 6. 10. Ephes. 6. 8. Ah! little do the People of God think how largely and thorowly God will at that day own and recompence all the good and holy acts of his People Every bit every drop every rag and every nights harbour though but in a wisp of straw shall be rewarded in that day before men and Angels Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a Cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you saith Christ He shall in no wise loose a Disciples reward Mat. 10. 40 41 42. Therefore when thou makest a Feast saith he Call the poor the maimed the lame and the blind and thou shalt be blessed for they cannot recompence thee for thou shalt be recompenced at the Resurrection of the Just. Luk. 14. 13 14. If there be any repentance among the godly at this day it will be because the Lord Jesus in his person members and word was no more owned honoured entertained and provided for by them when they were in this World For it will be ravishing to all to see what notice the Lord Jesus will then take of every Widows mite He I say will call to mind even all those acts of meâ—cy and kindness which thou hast shewed to him when thou wast among men I say he will remember cry up and proclaim before Angels and Saints those very acts of thine which thou hast either forgotten or through bashfulness wilt not at that day count worth the owning He will reckon them up so fast and so fully that thou wilt cry Lord When did I do this and when did I do the other When saw we thee a hungry and fed thee or a thirst and gave thee drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee and the King shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it unto one of the least of these my Brethren ye did it unto me Mat. 25. 37 38 39 40. The good works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid 1 Tim. 5. 25. Whatever thou hast done to one of the least of these my Brethren thou hast done it unto me I felt the nourishment of thy food and the warmth of thy fleece I remember thy loving and holy visits when my poor members were sick and in prison and the like When they were strangers and wanderers in the World thou tookest them in Well thou good and faithful Servant enter Thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Matth. 25. 21 22 23 34 35 36. Thirdly Here also will be a reward for all that hardness and Christian induring of affliction that thou hast met with for thy Lord while thou wast in the World Here now will Christ begin from the greatest suffering even to the least and bestow a reward on them all from the blood of the suffering Saint to the loss of an hair nothing shall go unrewarded Heb. 11. 36 37 38 39 40. 2 Cor. 4. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. For these light afflictions which are but for a moment they work out for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. Behold by the Scriptures how God hath recorded the sufferings of his People and also how he hath promised to reward them Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce Luk. 6. 22 23. leap for joy and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 16 17 18. And every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Laws for my names sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19. 29. Fourthly There is also a reward at this day for all the more secret and more retired works of Christianity there is not now one act of faith in thy Soul either upon Christ or against the Devil and Antichrist but it shall in this day be found out and praysed honoured and glorified in the face of Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 7. 2. There is not one groan to God in secret against thy own lusts and for more grace light spirit
sanctification and strength to go thorow this World like a Christian but it shall even at the coming of Christ be rewarded openly Matth. 6. 6. 3. There hath not one tear dropped from thy tender eye against thy lusts the love of this World or for more Communion with Jesus Christ but as it is now in the bottle of God so then it shall bring forth such plenty of reward that it shall return upon thee with abundance of increase Blessed are ye that weep now for ye shall laugh Thou tell est my wonderings and puttest my tears into thy Bottle are they not in thy Book They that sow in tears shall reap in joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again bringing his sheaves with him Psal. 56. 8. Psal. 126. 5 6. Luk. 6. 21. Having thus in brief shewed you something concerning the Resurrection of the Saints and that they shall count with their Lord at his coming both for the burning up what was not according to the truth and rewarding them for all their good It remains that I now in few words shew you something also of that with which they shall be rewarded First then those that shall be found in the day of their Resurrection when they shall have all their good things brought upon the stage they I say that then shall be found the People most laborious for God while here they shall at that day injoy the greatest portion of God or shall be possessed with most of the glory of the God-head then For that is the portion of Saints in general Rom. 8. 17. Lam. 3. 24. And why shall he that doth most for God in this World injoy most of him in that which is to come but because by doing and acting the heart and every faculty of the Soul is inlarged and more capatiated whereby more room is made for glory Every Vessel of Glory shall at that day be full of it but every one will not be capable to contain a like measure And so if they should have it communicated to them would not be able to stand under it for there is an eternall weight in the glory that Saints shall then injoy and every Vessel must be at that day filled that is have its heavenly load of it 2 Cor. 4. 17. All Christians have not the same injoyment of God in this life neither indeed were they able to bear it if they had it 1 Cor. 3. 2. But those Christians that are most laborious for God in this World they have already most of him in their Souls and that not onely because diligence in Gods wayes is the meanes whereby God communicates himself but also because thereby the senses are made more strong and able by reason of use to understand God and to discern both good and evill Heb. 5. 13 14. Mat. 13. 11 12. To him that hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance He that laid out his pound for his Master and gained ten therewith he was made Ruler over ten Cities but he that by his pound gained but five he was made Ruler over but five Luk. 19. 16 17 18 19. Dan. 1. 3 4. Often he that is best bred in his youth he is best able to manage most when he is a man touching things of this life but alwayes he that is best bred and that is most in the Bosom of God and that so acts for him here he is the man that will be best able to injoy most of God in the Kingdom of Heaven It is observable that Paul saith Our afflictions work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Our afflictions do it not onely because there is laid up a reward for the afflicted according to the measure of affliction but because afflictions and so every service of God doth make the heart more deep more experimentall more knowing and profound and so more able to hold contain and bear more Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour 1 Cor. 4. 17. Psal. 119. 71. 1 Cor. 3. 8. And this is the reason of such sayings as these Lay up for your selves a good foundation against the time to come that you may lay hold on eternall life which eternall life is not the matter of our Justification from sin in the sight of God for that is done freely by Grace through Faith in Christs bloud but here the Apostle speaks of giving of Alms but it is the same that in the other place he calls the far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory And hence it is that he in his stirring them up to be diligent in good works doth tell them that he doth not exhort them to it because he wanted but because he would have fruit that might abound to their accoâ—â—nâ— as he saith also in another place Beloved Brethren be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Tim. 6. 18 19. Phil. 4. 16 17. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore I say the reward that the Saints shall have at this day for all the good they have done it is the injoyment of God according to their works though they shall be freely justified and glorified without works Secondly As the injoyment of God at that day will be to the Saints according to their works and doings I speak not now of Justification from sin so will their prayse and commendations at that day be according to the same and both of them their degrees of glory for I say as God by communicating of himself unto us at that day will thereby glorifie us so also he will for the adding all things that may furnish with glory every way cause to be proclaimed in the face of Heaven and in the presence of all the holy Angels every thing that hath for God his ways and people been done by us while here we have been Whatsoever hath bin spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light and that which ye have spoken in the ear in Closets shall be proclaimed upon the House tops Again he that shall confess me saith Christ before men him will I confess before the Angels of God Now as he of whom Christ is ashamed when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the holy Angels will then lie under unconceiveable disgrace shame dishonour and contempt so he whom Christ shall confess own commend and prayse at that day must needs have very great Dignity Honour and Renown for then shall every man have prayse of God to wit according to his works Luke 12. 2 3. Mark 8. 38. Mat. 10. 32. 1 Cor. 4 5. Now will Christ proclaim before thee and all others what thou hast done and what thou hast suffered what thou hast owned and what thou hast withstood for his name This is he that forsook his goods his Relations his Country and life
the Judge is appointed their deeds are written the deep Dungeon is with open mouth ever waiting for them wherefore at the day appointed neither Earth nor Death nor Hell can hinder There shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Lastly Besides what hath been said I cannot but believe there shall be a Resurrection of the wicked at the last day because of the ungodly consequences and errours that do most naturally follow the denyal thereof For first He that taketh away the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the wicked he taketh away one of the main Arguments that God hath provided for to convince a sinner of the evill of his wâ—yes for how shall a sinner be convinced of the evill of sin if he be not convinced of the certainty of eternall Judgement and how shall be he be convinced of eternall Judgement if you perswade him that when he is dead he shall not at all arise especially seeing the Resurrection of the Dead and eternall Judgement must unavoidably be one the forerunner of the other Heb. 6. 2. It was Pauls reasoning of Righteousness Temperance and Judgement to come that made Felix tremble 'T is this also he calleth the Argument of terrour wherewith he perswaded men This was Solomons Argument and Christs also where he saith That every idle word that man shall speak he shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgement Acts 24 25. 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. Eccles. 11. 9. Mat. 12. 36. Secondly They that deny the Resurrection of the wicked they do both allow and maintain the chief Doctrine of the Ranters with most of the debauched persons in the World For the Ranters deny it both in principle and practice and the other in practice at least Now to me it is very strange that these men above all other should both know and live in the Doctrines of the Kingdom of God especially seeing the denyal hereof is an evident token of one appointed to wrath and destruction 2 Tim. 2. 18. But to be plain There shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Wherefore whatever others may say or profess being beguiled by Satan and their own hearts yet do thou fear him that can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Matth. 10. 28. There shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Rev. 20. 13. And the Sea gave up the Dead that were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead that were in them Having in the first place shewed you that the wicked must arise I shall in the next place shew you the manner of their rising And observe it as the very Title of the just and unjust are opposites so they are in all other matters and in their Resurrections First then as the just in their Resurrection do come forth in incorruption the unjust in their Resurrection shall come forth in their corruptions for though the ungodly at their Resurrection shall for ever after be incapable of having Body and Soul separate or of their being annihilated into nothing yet it shall be far from them to rise in incorruption for if they arise in incorruption they must arise to life and also must have the Conquest over sin and death 1 Cor. 15. 54. But that they shall not for it is the Righteous onely that put on incorruption that are swallowed up of life The wickeds Resurrection it is called the Resurrection of damnation Joh. 5. 28. These in their very Resurrection shall be hurt of the second Death They shall arise in death and shall be under it under the gnawings and terrours of it all the time of their Arraignment As it were a living death shall feed upon them they shall never be spiritually alive nor yet absolutely dead but much after that manner that natural death and Hell by reason of guilt doth feed on him that is going before the Judge to receive his Condemnation to the Gallows You know though a Felon go forth of the Goal when he is going to the Bar for his Arraignment yet he is not out of prison or out of his Irons for that his Fetters are still making a noise on his heels and the thoughts of what he is to hear by and by from the Judge is still frighting and afflicting his heart Death like some evil Spirit of Ghost doth continually haunt him and playeth the Butcher continually in his Soul and Conscience with frights and fears about the thoughts of the sudden and unsupportable after-clap by and by he is to meet withall Thus I say will the wicked come out of their Graves having yet the Chains of eternal death hanging on them and the talons of that dreadful Ghost fastned in their Souls So that life will be far from them even as far as Heaven is from Hell This morning to them is even as the shadow of death They will then be in the very terrours of the shadow of Death Job 24. 17. As Christ saith Their Worm never dies and their fire is never quenched Mark 8. 43 44. From Death to Eternity it never shall be quenched their bed is now among the flames and when they rise they will rise in flames while they stand before the Judge it will be in flames even in the flames of a guilty Conscience they will in their coming before the Judge be within the very Jaws of death and destruction Thus I say the ungodly shall be far off from rising as the Saints for they will be even in the Region and shadow of Death The first moment of their rising Death will be ever over them ever feeding on their Souls and ever presenting to their hearts the heights and depths of the misery that now must seize them and like a bottomless Gulf must swallow them up They shall come out of their holes like worms of the Earth and be afraid of the Lord our God Micah 7. 17. Secondly As the Resurrection of the godly shall be a Resurrection in Glory So the Resurrection of the wicked it will be a Resurrection in dishonour Yea as the glory of Saints at the day of their rising will be glory unspeakable so the dishonour of the ungodly at that day it will be dishonour beyond expression As Daniel saith The good shall arise to everlasting life but the wicked to shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12. 2. And again When thou O God awakest that is to judge them Thou shalt despise their Image Psal. 73. 20. Never was Toad or Serpent more loathsome to any then these will be in the eyes of God in their rising forth of their Graves When they go to their Graves saith Job their bones are full of the sin of their youth which lyeth down in the dust with them Job 20. 11. And a rise they shall in the same noisom and stinking condition foras Death leaves so Judgment finds them At the Resurrection then of these ungodly they will be in a very
loathsom condition The ungodly at their death are like the Thistle-seed but at their rising they will be like the Thistle grown more noysom offensive and provoking to rejection abundance Then such dishonour shame and contempt will appear in them that neither God nor Christ Saints nor Angels will so much as once regard them or vouchsafe one to come near them He beholdeth the wicked a far off because in the day of Grace they would not come to hand and be saved therefore now they shall all as thorns be thrust away as with fences of Iron 2. Sam. 23. 6 7. Their rising is called the Resurrection of the unjust and so they at that day will appear and will more stink in the nostrils of God and all the Heavenly Hosts then if they had the most irksome Plague-soars in the World running on them If a man at his Birth be counted as one cast forth to the loathing of his person how loathsom and irksom dishonourable and contemptible will those be that shall arise Godless Christless Spiritless and Graceless when the Trumpet sounds to their Judgement they coming out of their Graves far more loathsom and filthy then if they should ascend out of the most filthy hole on Earth Thirdly As the Just shall arise in power so the wicked and unjust in weakness and astonishment Sin and guilt bringeth weakness and faintness in this life how much more when both with all their power and force like a Gyant fasten on them as God saith Can thy hands be strong and can thy heart indure in the day that I shall deal with thee Eccless 22. 14. Now will the gastly Jaws of despair gape upon thee and now will condemnings of Conscience like Thunder-claps continually batter against thy weary Spirit It is the Godly that have boldness in the day of Judgement but the wicked will be like the Chaffe which the Wind driveth away 1 John 4. 17. Psal. 1. 4. O the fear and the heart-aking that will seiz them in their rising the frightful thoughts that then will fill their throbbing hearts Now must that Soul that hath been in Hell-fire among the Devils possess the body again Possess it I say with the hot scalding stink of Hell upon it They shall not be able to lift up the head for ever pangs shall take hold on them all their hands shall faint and every mans heart shall melt They shall be amazed one at another their faces shall be as flames Isa. 13. 6 7 8. Every thing they see hear or think of shall tend to their discomfort They must needs be weak whom God hath left whom guilt hath seized and whom death is swallowing up for ever Fourthly As the Just shall arise spiritual Bodies so the unjust shall arise onely as meer and naked lumps of sinful nature not having the least help from God to bear them up under this condition Wherefore so soon as ever they are risen out of their Graves they will feel a continual sinking under every remembrance of every sin and thoughts of Judgement in their rising they fall fall I say from thenceforth and for ever And for this Reason the Dungeon into which they fall is called bottomless Rev. 20. 1. Because as there will be no end of their misery so there will be no stay or prop to bare them up in it Onely as I said before they shall not now as afore be separate Body from Soul but both together be bound in the cords of sin and iniquity in which they shall now tremble as Theeves and Murderers c. as they go before the Judge to hear what he will say unto them Now when the wicked are thus raised out of their Graves they shall together with all the Angels of darkness their fellow Prisoners be brought up being shackled in their sins to the place of Judgement where there shall fit upon them Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Lord chief Judge of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth On whose right hand and left shall fit all the Princes and Heavenly Nobles the Saints and Prophets the Apostles and Witnesses of Jesus every one in his Kingly Attire upon the Throne of his Glory Joel 3. 11 12 13 14. Then shall be fulfilled that which is written As for these my enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them before me to slay them Luk. 19. 27. When every one is thus set in his proper place the Judge on his Throne with his Attendants and the prisoners coming up to Judgement forthwith there shall issue forth a mighty fire and tempest from before the Throne which shall compass it round about Which fire shall be as Bars and bounds to the wicked to keep them at a certain distance from the Heavenly Majesty As David saith Psal. 50. 3. Our God will come and not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him And again Dan. 7. 9. His Throne was like the fiery flame and his Wheels like burning fire A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him c. This Preparation being made to wit the Judge with his Attendance on the Throne the Bar for the Prisoners and the Rebels all standing with gastly Jaws to look for what comes after Presently the Books are brought forth to wit the Books both of Death and Life And every one of them opened before the sinners now to be judged and condemned For after that he had said before Dan. 7. 10. A fiery stream issued and came â—orth from before him he adds thousands thousands ministred to him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Judgement was set and the Books was opened And again I saw a great white Throne and him that sate upon it from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no more place for them and I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book were opened which is the Book of Life And the Dead were Judged out of the things that were written in the Books according to their works Rev. 20. 11 12. He doth not say the Book was opened as of one but the Books as of many And indeed they are more than one two or three out of which the Dead shall in the Judgement be proceeded against First then there is the Book of the Creatures to be opened Secondly The Book of Gods Remembrance Thirdly The Book of the Law And fourthly The Book of Life For by every one of these that is out of what is written in them shall the World of the ungodly be judged And the Books were opened First The Book of the Creatures shall be opened and that first it concerns mans nature and next as it relates to all other Creatures First he will shew in what the principles if nature were as they were Gods Creation
and how contrary to these principles the World have walked acted and done The principles of nature are concluded under these three generall heads First That man by his own natural Reason and Judgement may gather that there is a God a Deity a chief or first or principal Being who is over all and supreme above all This instinct I say man meerly as he is rational Creature findeth in himself and hence it is that all Heathens that mind their own natural Reason do conclude that we are his off-spring that is his Creation and Wormanship That he made Heaven and Earth and hath made of one blood all Nations of men That in him we live and move and have our Being c. Acts 17. 24 25 26 27 28. It appears further that man by his own nature doth know that there is such a God 1. By his being able to judge by nature that there is such a thing as sin as Christ saith Why do ye not even of your selves judge that which is right as if he had said you are degenerated even from the principles of nature and right reason as Paul saith in another place Doth not even nature it self teach you Luke 12. 57. 1 Cor. 11. 14. Now he that can judge that there is such a thing as sin it must of necessity be that he understandeth that there is a God to whom sin is opposite for if there be no God there is no sin against him and he that knowes not the one knowes not the other 2. It is evident further that man by nature knowes that there is a God by those fits of fear and dread that is often begotten in themselves even in every man that breatheth in this World for they are by their own Consciences and thoughts convicted and reproved judged and condemned though they know neither Moses nor Christ. For the Gentiles which have not the Law these are a Law to themselves and shew the works of the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14 15. that is by this very thing they hold forth to all men that God created them in that state and quality that they might in and by their own nature judge and know that there is a God And it further sheweth it self saith he by those workings of heart convictions of Conscience and accusations that every thought maketh within them together with the fear that is begotten in them when they transgress or do those things that are irrational or contrary to what they see they shall do I might add further that the natural proneness that is in all men to Devotion and Religion that is of one kind or another doth clearly tell us that they by the Book of nature which Book is themselves do read that there is one great and eternall God Secondly The second principle of nature is that this God should by man be sought after that they might injoy Communion with him for ever As I said before the light of nature sheweth man that there is a great God even God that made the World and the end of its shewing him this is that they might seek the Lord if happily they may feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of them c. Acts 17. 26 27. Thirdly This light of nature teacheâ—â— that men between themselves should do that which is just and equall As Moses said and that long before the Law was given Acts 7. 26. Exod. 2. 13. Sirs ye are Brethren why do ye wrong one another as who should say you are of equall Creation you are the same flesh you both judge that it is not equally done of any to do you wrong and therefore ought to judge by the same Reason that ye ought not to wrong one another Now against every one of these three principles hath every man in the whole World transgressed as Paul saith For both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin Rom. 3. 9. For as touching the first who is he that hath honoured reverenced worshipped and adored the living God to the heighth both of what they saw in him and also according to the goodness and mercy they have as men received from him Rom. 1. 25. All have served and worshipped the Creature more then the Creator who is blessed for ever and so have walkt contrary to and have sinned against this bond of nature in this first principle of it Secondly Men instead of minding their own future happiness as nature teacheth they have through their giving way to sin and Satan minded nothing less for though Reason teacheth all men to love that which is good and profitable yet they contrary to this have loved that which is hurtfull and destructive Yea though sense teacheth to avoid the danger that is manifest yet man contrary to Reason and sense both even all men have both against light and feeling rejected their own happiness as Paul saith Though they knâ—w the Judgements of God that they which do such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but take pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1. 33. Thirdly Man instead of doing equity and as he would be done by which nature it self teacheth he hath given up himself to vile affections being filled by refusing the dictates of nature with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murder debate deceit malignity whispering backbiting to hate God to be dispiteful proud bosters inventors of evill things disobedient to Parents without understanding Covenant-breakers without naturall affections implacable unmerciful Rom. 1. 28 29 30 31 32. And observe it he doth not say that all these things are by every man put into practice but every man hath all these in his heart which there defile the Soul and make it abominable in the sight of God They are filled with all unrighteousness which also appears as occasion serveth sometimes one of them sometimes more Now man having sinned against that natural Light Judgement Reason and Conscience that God hath given him therefore though as I said before he neither knew Moses nor Christ yet he shall perish As many saith Paul as have sinned without Law they shall perish without Law Rom. 2. 12. Yea here will man be found not onely a sinner against God but an 2 Tim. 12. 25. opposer of himself a contradictor of his own nature and one that will not do that which he judgeth even of himself to be right Their sin is written upon the Tables of their own heart and their own wickedness and back-sliding shall both correct and reprove them Jer. 17. 1. Jer. 2. 19. It is marvellous if we consider how curious a Creature man was made of God to behold how much below besides and against that state and place man acts and does in this state of sin and degeneracy Man in his Creation was made in the Image of God Gen. 1. 26. but man by reason of his yielding to the tempter hath made himself the very figure
and Image of the Devil Man by Creation was made upright and sinless but man by sin hath made himself crooked and sinful Eccless 7. 29. Man by Creation had all the faculties of his Soul at liberty to study God his Creator and his glorious Attributes and Being but man by sin hath so bound up his own senses and reason and hath given way for blindness and ignorance of God so to reign in his Soul that now he is Captivated and held bound in alienation and estrangedness both from God and all things truly spiritually good Because saith he That when they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish he arts were darkened And again having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them through the blindness of their hearts Rom. 1. 21. Ephef 4. 18. Now for this abuse of the Workmanship of God shall man be brought forth to the Judgement shall be convicted cast and condemned as a Rebel against both God and his own Soul as Paul affirmeth and that when he reasoned but as a man Rom. 3. 5 6. When this part of the Book touching mans nature is opened and man convicted and caft by it by reason of his sinning against the three general principles thereof then forthwith is the second part of the Book opened which is the mystery of the Creatures for the whole Creation that is before thee are not onely made to shew the power of God in themselves but also to teach thee and to preach unto thee both much of God and thy self as also the Righteousness and Justice of God against sin For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternall Power and God-head so that they are left without excuse Rom. 1. 18. 19 20. The Creation then of the World namely of the Heavens Earth Sun Moon Stars with all other the Creatures of God they preach aloud to all men the Eternal Power and Godhead of their Creator Psal. 8. 3. In Wisdom he hath made them all to be teachable and carrying instruction in them and he that is wise and will understand these things even he shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord for the Works of the Lord are great and sought out of all them that have pleasure therein Psal. 104. 24. Psal. 107. Psal. 111. 2. Secondly As the Creation in generall preacheth to every man something of God so they do hold forth how man should behave himself both to God and one to another and will assuredly come in in the Judgement against all those that shall be found crossers and to thwarters of what God by the Creatures doth hold foâ—th to us As first The obedience of the Creatures both to God and thee first to God they are all in subjection set Devils and men aside even the very Dragons and all Deeps Fire Hail Snow and Vapours fulfilling his Word Yea the Winds and Seas obey him Psal. 148. 7 8. Psal. 147. 15 16 17 18. Mark 4. 41. Thus I say by their obedience to God they teach the obedience and by their obedience shall thy disobedience be condemned in the Judgement 2. Their obedience to thee also teacheth thee obedience to all Superiours For every kind of Beasts and of Birds and Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and hath been tamed and brought into obedience by mankind Man onely remains untamed and untruly and therefore by these are condemned Jam. 3. 7 8. Secondly The fruitfulness of all the Creatures in their kind doth teach and admonish thee to a fruitful life to Godward and in the things of his holy Word God did but say in the beginning Let the Earth bring forth fruit Grass Herbs Trees Beasts creeping things and Cattell after their kind and it was so Gen. 115. 24. But to man he hath sent his Prophets rising early and sending them saying O do not this abominable thing that I hate but they will not obey Jer. 44. 4 5. For if the Gentiles which have not the Law do by some acts of obedience condemn the wickedness of those who do by the Letter and Circumcision break the Law how much more shall the fruitfulness of all the Creatures come in in the Judgement against the whole World As Job saith By the obedience and fruitfulness of the Creatures he judgeth and so will judge the people Job 36. 27 28 29 30 31. Thirdly The knowledge and wisdom of the Creatures do with a check command thee to be wise and do teach thee wisdom 1. The Stork in the Heaven the Swallow and the Crane by observing the time and season of their coming do admonish thee to learn the time of grace and of the mercy of God Jer. 8 7. 2. The Ox and the Ass by the knowledge they have of their Masters Crib do admonish thee to know the Bread and Table of God and both do and shall condemn thy ignorance of the food of Heaven Isa. 1. 3. Fourthly The labour and coyl of the Creatures doth convict thee of sloath and idleness Go to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and be wise for she provideth her food in the Summer and layeth up against the day of tryall Prov. 6. 6 7. But thou spendest the whole Summer of thy life in wasting both time and Soul All things are full of labour saith Solomon onely man spendeth all the day idle and his years like a tale that is told Eccles. 1. 8. Mat. 20. 6. Psal. 90. 9. Rom. 10. 21. The Cony is but a feeble folk yet laboureth for a House in the Rock to be safe from the rage of the Hunter The Spider also taketh hold with her hands and is in Kings Palaces 'T is man onely that turneth himself upon the bed of sloath as the door doth it self upon the hinges 't is man I say that will neither lay hold on the Rock Christ as the Coney doth teach nor lay hold on the Kingdom of Heaven as the Spider doth bid him Prov. 30. 26. 28. Joh. 5. 40. Fifthly The fear that is in all Creatures when they perceive that danger is near it teacheth men to fly from the wrath to come in vain is the snare laid in the sight of any Bird Prov. 1. 17 18. but man man onely is the fool-hardy Creature that layeth wait for his own blood and that lurketh privily for his own life How I say will every Creature flie run strive and struggle to escape the danger it is sensible of 't is man onely that delighteth to dance about the mouth of Hell and to be knowingly smitted with Satans snare Rom. 1. 33.
Sixthly The dependence that all the Creatures have upon God they teach thee to depend on him that made thee yea and will in the Judgement condemn thee for thy unlawful practices and dealings for thy preservation The young Ravens seek their food from God and will condemn thy lying cheating over-reaching defrauding and the like they provide neither Store-house nor Barn but thâ— art so greedy of these things that thou for them shuttest thy self out of the Kingdom of Heaven Psal. 147. 9. Job 38. 41. Luk. 12. 24. Prov. 17. 16. Seventhly The love and pitty that is in their hearts to their young and one another will judge and condemn the hard-heartedness that is in thee to thy own Soul What shall I say The Heavens shall reveal thy iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against thee Job 20. 27. That is all the Creatures of God they will by their fruitfulness and subjection to the will of their Creator judge and condemn thee for thy disobedience and rebellion against him Now as these Creatures do every day call unto thee and lay before thee these things so he hath for thy awakening in case thou be asleep and senseless Creatures of another nature as 1. Thy Bed when thou lyest down in it preacheth to thee thy Grave thy sleep thy death and thy rising in the morning thy Resurrection to Judgement Job 14. 12. Job 17. 13. Isa. 26. 19. 2. The Goal that thou seest with thy eyes and the Felons that look out at the Grate they put thee in mind of the Prison of Hell and of the dreadful state of those that are there Luke 12. 58 59. 3. The fire that burns in thy Chimney it holds forth the fire to Hell unto thee Isa. 10. 16. Rev. 20. 14. 4. The ugly smell stench and steam of the burning Brimstone it shews thee the loathsom odious and dreadful torments of Hell Rev. 19 20. 5. The darkness of the night in solitary places and the fears that do commonly haunt those that walk therein it preacheth to thee the fears and frights the scares and amazements that will for ever attend all damned Souls Matth. 8. 12. Deut. 28. 65 66 6. 7. 6. By thy delighting when thou art cold to lay sticks on the fire to warm thy self not caring how fiercely they flame therein so thou canst be warm and be refreshed thereby by this I say God preacheth to thee with what delight he will burn sinners in the flames of Hell for the easing of his mind and the satisfaction of his Justice Ah! saith he I will ease me of my adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Isa. 1. 24. 7. Yea by thy blowing the fire that it may fasten upon the wood the better thou preachest to thy self how God will blow the fire of Hell by the rigour of his Law to the end it may be its flames to purpose kindle upon damned sinners Isa. 3. 33. All these things as inconsiderable and unlikely as they may appear to you now yet in the Judgement will be found the Items and warning words of God to your Souls And know that he who could overthrow the Land of Egypt with frogs lice flies Locusts c. will overthrow the World at the last day by the Book of the Creatures and that by the least and most inconsiderable of them as well as by the rest This Book of the Creatures it is so excellent and so full so easie and so suiting the capacity of all that there is not one man in the World but is catched convicted and cast by it This is the Book that he who knows no letters may read in yea and that he who neither saw New Testament nor Old may know both much of God and himself by 'T is this Book out of which generally both Job and his friends did so profoundly discourse of the Judgements of God and that out of which God himself did so convincingly answer Job Job was as perfect in this Book as we are many of us in the Scriptures yea and could see further by it then many now a dayes do see by the new Testament and old This is the Book out of which both Christ the Prophets and Apostles do so frequently discourse by their Similitudes Proverbs and Parables as being the most easie way to convince the World though by reason of their ignorance nothing will work with them but what is set on their heart by the holy Ghost One word further and I have done with this and that is God hath sealed the Judgement of the World by the Book of the Creatures even by mans own carriage unto such of them which through any impediment have disappointed his expectations As thus if thou hast but a Tree in thy Orchard that neither beareth fruit nor ought else that is good why thou art for hewing it down and for appointing it as fewel for the fire now thou little thinkest that by thy thus judging thou shouldest passe sentence upon thy own fruitless Soul but it is so For now is the Ax laid to the Roots of the Trees and every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire For as truly as thou sayest of thy fruitless Tree cut it down why doth it cumbet the ground so truly doth thy Voyce cause Heaven to Eccho again upon thy head Cut him down why doth he cumber the ground Mat. 3. 10. Luk. 13. 6 7 8. Ezek. 15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Further The inclination of thy heart towards fruitless and unprofitable Creatures doth fore-preach to thee the inclination of the heart of God towards thee in the Judgement If thou hast either Cow or any other Beast that is now unprofitable to thee though thou mayst suffer them for some time to be with thee as God suffereth sinners in the World yet all this while thy heart is not with them but thou wilt take thy time to clear thy hands of them Why just so shall thy Judgement be as God saith Though Moses and Samuel stood before me that is to pray me to spare this People yet my heart could not be towards them therefore cast them out of my sight and let them go forth Jer. 15. 1. Ezek. 14. 13 14. Thus I say will God judge the World at the last day he will open before them how they have degenerated and gone back from the Principles of nature in which he created them Also how they have slighted all the instructions that he hath given them even by the obedience fruitfulness wisdom labour fear and love of the Creatures and he will tell them that as to their Judgement they themselves have decided it both by their cutting down that which was fruitless and by the withdrawing of their hearts from those things which to them were unprofitable As therefore the Tarâ—s are gathered and burned in the fire so shall it be in the end of this World As men deal with weeds and rotten Wood so will God
speaking for themselves behold how earnestly they groan how gastly they look and how now the brinish tears flow down like Rivers from their eyes ever re-doubling their Petition Lord Lord Lord Lord first thinking of this thing and then of that ever contending seeking and striving to enter in at this strait Gate As Christ saith When once the Masters of the House is risen up that is when Christ hath laid aside his mediation for sinners and hath taken upon him onely to judge and condemn then will the wicked begin to stand without and to knock and contend for a portion among them that are the blessed Ah how will their hearts twitter while they look upon the Kingdom of Glory and how will they ake and throb at every view of Hell their proper place still crying O that we might inherit life and O that we might escape eternal death But now to take away alâ— cavils and objections that of this nature will arise in the hearts of these men forthwith the Book of Life is brought ouâ— for a conclusion and a finall end of eternall Judgment As John saith The Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judgâ—â— out of those things that were written in the Books according to their works Rev. 20. 12. But this Book of Life it is not at this time opened because there are not any godly to be tryed for as I have shewed before their Judgment is past and over before the wicked rise The Book of Life then it is now opened for further conviction of damned Reprobates that their mouths may be stoped for ever as touching all their cavils contendings and Arguments against Gods proceeding in Judgement with them For believe it while God is judging them they will fall to judging him again but he will be justified in his sayings and will overcome when he is judged at this day Rom. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Yet not by a hasty and and angry casting them away but by a legall and convincing proceeding against them and overthrowing all their cavils by his manifest and invincible truth Wherefore to cut off all that they can say he will now open the Book of Life before them and will shew them what is written therein both as to Election Conversion and a truly Gospel-Conversation And will convince them that they neither are of the number of his Elect neither were they ever regenerate neither had they ever a truly Gospel-Conversation in 〈◊〉 World By these three things then out of this Book thou who art not saved must at last be judged and overcome First Here will be tryed whether thou art within that part of this Book wherein all the Elect are Recorded for all the Elect are written here as Christ saith Rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven And again in thy Book saith he to his Father are all my members written Luk. 10. 20. Psal. 139. 16. Heb 12. 22 23. Now then if thy name be not found either among the Prophets Apostles or the rest of Saints thou must be put by as one that is cast away as one polluted and as an abominable branch Isa. 14. 18 19. Thy name is wanting in the Genealogies and Rolls of Heaven Ezra 2. 62. Thou art not prickt for everlasting life therefore thou must not be delivered from that Soul-amazing misery for there are no Souls can though they would give a thousand Worlds be delivered at the day of God but such that are found written in this Book Every one of those that are written though never a one of those that are not written shall in that day be delivered from the wrath to câ—me Dan. 12. 1. But O methinks with what careful hearts will the damned now begin to look for their names in this Book Those that when once the long suffering of God waited on them made light of all admonition and slighted the Counsel of making their Calling and Election sure would now give thousands of Treasures that they could but spy their names though last and least among the Sons of God but I say how will they fail how will they faint how will they die and languish in their Souls when they shall still as they look see their names wanting What a pinch will it be to Cain to see his Brother there Recorded and he himself left out Absalon will now sound and be as one that giveth up the Ghost when he shall see David his Father and Solomon his Brother written here while he with all is written in the Earth among the damned Thus I say will sadness be added to sadness in the Soul of the perishing World when they fail of finding their names in this part of the Book of the life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Secondly The second part of this Book is that in which is Recorded the nature of Conversion of Faith Love c. And those that have not had the effectual Word of God upon them and the true and saving operation of Grace in their hearts which is indeed the true life which is begun in every Christian they will be found still not written in this Book for the living the holy living Souls are they onely that are written therein as the Prophet saith And he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem Isa. 4. 3. Eternal life is already in this life begun in every Soul that shall be saved as Christ saith He that believeth in me hath everlasting life And again Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 54. And hence they aâ—e called the living that are written in this Book Here then the Lord will open before thee what Conversion is in the true and simple nature of it which wher thou beholdest thou wilt then be convinced that this thou hast mist of for it must needs be that when thou beholdest by the Records of Heaven what a change what a turn what an alteration the work of Regeneration maketh on every Soul and in every heart where the effectual Call or the Call according to his purpose is that thou who hast lived a stranger to this or that hast contented thy self with the notion onely or a formal and feigned profession thereef I say it cannot be but that thou must forthwith fall down and with grief conclude that thou hast no share in this part of the Book of Life neither the living onely are written herein There is not one dead carnall wicked man recorded here No but when the Lord shall at this day make mention of Rahâ—b of Babylon of Philistia and Ethiopia that is of all the cursed â—abble and crue of the damned then he will say that this man was born there that is amongst them and so hath his name where they have theirs
Souls as appears by the grace that was in your hearts For I was an hungred and you gave me meat was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and you visited me and in Prison and you came unto me Matth. 25. 34 35 36. you owned me stood by me and denyed your selves to nourish me and my poor members in our low and weak and most despised condition This I say the World shall see hear and be witnesses of against themselves and their Souls for ever for how can it be but these poor damned sinners should be forced to confess that they were both Christless and Graceless when they shall find both in the book of life and in the hearts of the holy and beloved Souls that which themselves are quite barren of and greatest strangers to The Saints by the fruits of Regeneration even in this World do testify to the World not only the truth of conversion in themselves but also that they are yet Christless and so heavenless and salvationless that are not converted 1 Tim. 6. 12. 1 Thess. 2. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 2. But alas while we are here they will evade this testimony both of our happiness by calling our Faith fantacy our communion with God delusion and the sincere profession of his Word before the World hypocrisy pride and arrogancy yet I say when they see us on the right hand of Christ commingled among the Angels of light and themselves on his left hand and commingled with the Angels of darkness and I say when they shall see our hearts and wayes opened before their eyes and owned by the Judg for honest hearts and good wayes and yet the same wayes that they hated slighted disowned and contemned what will they or what can they say but thus We fools counted their lives madness and their end to be without honour but how are they numbred with the Saints and owned by God and Christ. And truly was it not that the world might by seeing the turn that is wrought on the godly at their Conversion be convinced of the evil of their wayes or be left without excuse the more in the day of God with some other reasons they should not I am perswaded stay so long from Heaven as they do nor undergo so much abuse and hardship as frequently befalls them God by the lengthening out the life of his people that are scattered here and there among men in this world is making work for the day of Judgment and the overthrow of the implacable for ever and ever and as I have said will by the Conversion life patience self-denyal and heavenly mindedness of his dear children give them a heavy and most dreadful blow Now When God hath thus laid open the work of Grace both by the booâ— of life and the Christians heart then of 〈◊〉 self will fall to the ground their pleading what gifts and abilities they had in this world they will now see that gifts and grace are two things and also that whosoever is graceless let their gifts be never so excellent they must perish and be lost for ever wherefore for all their gifts they shall be found the workers of iniquity and shall so be judged and condemned Matth. 7. 22 23. That is a notable place in the Prophecy of Ezekiel Thus saith the Lord saith he If the Prince the Prince of life give a gift to any of his sons that is to any that are truly gracious the inheritance oâ— the profit that he gets thereby shall be his sons that is for the exercise of his gift he shall receive a reward but if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants that is not a son then it shall be his but to the year of liberty after it shall return to the Prince c. Ezek. 46. 16 17. This day of liberty it is now when the Judg is set upon the throne to Judgment even the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8. 21. wherefore then will Christ say to them that stand by Take from him the pound and give it to him that hath ten pâ—unds this servant must not abide in the house for ever though with the son it shall be so Joh. 8. 35. Luke 19. 24. A man may be used as a servant in the Church of God and may receive many gifts and much knowledg of the things of heaven and yet at last himself be no more than a very bubble and nothing 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. But now I say at this day they shall clearly see the difference between gifts and grace even as clearly as now they that have eyes can see the difference between gifts and ignorance and very foolishness This our day doth indeed abound with gifts many sparkling wits are seen in every corner men have the Word and truths of Christ at their fingers ends but alas with many yea a great many there is naught but wits and gifts they are but words all their Religion lyeth in their tongues and heads the power of what they say and know it is seen in others not in themselves these are like the Lord on whom the King of Israel leaned they shall see the plenty the blessed plenty that God doth provide and will bestow upon his Church but they shall not tast thereof 2 Kings 7. 17 18 19 20. Before I conclude this matter observe that among all the objections and cavils that are made and will be made by the ungodly in the day of the Lord Jesus they have not one hump abouâ— election and reprobation they murmur not at all that they were not predestinated to eternal life and the reason is because then they shall see though now they are blind that God could in his Prerogative Royal without prejudice to them that are damned chuse and refuse at pleasure and besides they at that day shall be convinced that theâ—e was so much reality and downright willingness in God in every tender of Grace and mercy to the worst of men and also so much goodness justness and reasonableness in every command of the Gospel of grace which they were so often intreated and beseeched to imbrace that they will be drowned in the conviction of this that they did refuse love grace reason c. love I say for hatred grace for sin and things reasonable for things unreasonable and vain Now they shall see they left glory for shame God for the Devil heaven for hell light for darkness Now they shall see that though they made themselves beasts yet God made theâ— reasonable Creatures and that he did with reason expect that they should have adhered to and have delighted in things that are good and according to God yea now they shall see that though God did not determine to bring them to Heaven against their hearts and wills and the love that they had to their sins yet then they shall be convinced that
and say even the very dust of your City which cleaveth to us we do wipe off against you c. But I say unto you saith he to his Ministers It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at the Judgement then for that City Luk. 10. 10 11 12 13 14. It may be that when thou hearest that the dust of the street that cleaveth to a Minister of the Gospel while thou rejectest his word of Salvation shall be a witness against thee at the day of Judgment though wilt be apt to laugh and say the dust a Witness Witnesses will be scarce where dust is forced to come in to plead against a man Well sinner mock not God doth use to confound the great and mighty by things that are not and that are despised And how sayst thou if God had said by a Prophet to Pharaoh but two years before the Plague that he would shortly come against him with one Army of Lice and a second Army of Frogs and with a third Army of Locusts c. and would destroy his Land dost thou think it had bin wisdom in Pharaoh now to have laughed such tydings to scorn Is any thing to hard for the Lord hath he said it and shall he not bring it to passe You shall see in the day of Judgment of what force all these things will be as witnesses against the ungodly Many more witnesses might I here reckon up but these at this time shall suffice to be nominated for out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established And at the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death 2 Cor. 13. 1. Deut. 17. 6. Joh. 8. 17. Thus then the Books being opened the Laws read the witnesses heard and the ungodly convicted forthwith the Lord and Judge proceeds to execution And to that end doth passe the sentence of eternall death upon them saying Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels You are now by the Book of the Creatures by the Book of Gods Remembrance by the Book of the Law and by the Book of Life adjudged guilty of High Treason against God and me and as murderers of your own Souls As these faithful and true witnesses here have testified every one of them appearing in their most upright testimony against you Also you never had a saving work of Conversion and faith past upon you you died in your sins neither can I find any thing in the last part of this Book that will serve your turn no worthy act is here Recorded of you When I was an hungred you gave me no meat When I was a thirsty you gave me no drink When I was a stranger you took me not in I was naked but ye cloathed me not I was sick and in prison but ye visited me not I have made a thorow search among the Records of the Living and find nothing of you or of your deeds therein Depart from me ye cursed c. Mat. 25. 41 42 43. Thus will these poor ungodly Creatures be stript of all hope and comfort and therefore must needs fall into great sadness and wailing before the Judge yea crying out as being loath to let go all for lost and even as the man that is fallen into the River will catch hold of any thing when he is struggling for life though it tend to hold him faster under the water to drownd him So I say while these poor Creatures as they lie strugling and twining under the ireful countenance of the Judge they will bring out yet one more faint and weak groan and there goes life and all their last sigh is this Lord when saw we thee an hungred and gave thee no meat or when saw we thee thirsty and gave thee no drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee not in or naked and cloathed thee not or when wast thou sick or in prison and we did not minister unto thee Mat. 25. 44. Thus you see how loath the sinner is now to take a Nay of life everlasting He that once would not be perswaded to close with the Lord Jesus though one should have perswaded him with tears of blood behold how fast he now hangs about the Lord what Arguments he frames with mournful groans how with shifts and words he seeks to gain the time and to defer the execution Matth. 25. 10 11. Lord open unto us Lord Lord open unto us Lord thou hast taught in our streets and we have both taught in thy name and in thy name have we cast out Devils Mat. 7. 21 22 23. VVe have eat and drank in thy presence And when did we see thee an hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to thee Luk. 13. 25 26 27 28. O poor hearts how loath how unwillingly do they turn away from Christ how loath are they to partake of the fruit of their ungodly doings Christ must say depart once and depart twice before they will depart When he hath shut the door upon them yet they knock and cry Lord open unto us when he hath given them their answer that he knowes them not yet they plead and mourn Wherefore he is fain to answer again I tell you I know you not whence you are depart Luk. 13. 25 26 27. Depart O this word depart how dreadful is it with what weight will it fall on the head of every condemned sinner for you must note that while the ungodly stand thus before the Judge they cannot chuse but have a most famous view both of the Kingdom of Heaven and of the damned wights in Hell Now they see the God of Glory the King of Glory the Saints of Glory and the Angels of Glory and the Kingdom in which they have their eternal aboad Now they also begin to see the worth of Christ and what it is to be miled upon by him from all which they must depart and as I say they shall have the view of this so they will most famously behold â—he pit the bottomless pit the fire the Brimstone and the flaming beds that Justice hath prepâ—red for them of old Jud. 4. Their Associates also will be very coâ—spicuous and clear before their watery eyes They will see now what and which are Devils and who are damned Souls now their great Grandfather Cain and all his brood with Judas and his Companions must be their fellow-sighers in the flames and pangs for ever O heavy day O heavy Word This word depart therefore it looketh two wayes and commands the damned to do so too Depart from Heaven depart to Hell depart from life depart to death depart from me now the Ladder doth turn from under them in deed The Saviour turns them off the Saviour throwes them down He hath given him authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of man Joh. 5. 27. Depart from me I
the like and cut off all opportunity of good leaving no place for mercy or amendment these shall go away into everlasting punishment c. Mat. 25. 40. This word depart c. is the last word the damned for ever are like to hear I say it is the last voice and therefore will stick longest and with most power on their slaughtered souls there is no calling of it back again it is the very wind-up of Eternall Judgement Thus then the judgement being over the Kingdom ceaseth to be any longer in the hand of the Man Christ Jesus for as the Judges here among men when they have gone their Circuit do deliver up their Commission to the King so Christ the Judge doth now deliver up his Kingdom to his Father And now all is swallowed up of Eternity Mat. 21. 8. The damned are swallowed up of eternal justice and wrath the saved of eternal life and felicity and the Son also delivereth up I say the Kingdom to the Father and subjects himself under him that did put all things under him that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 24 25 26 27 28. For now is the end come and not before even the end of the reign of death it self for Death and Hell and sinners and Devils must now together into the Lake that burns with fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 14 15. And now is the end of Christs Reign as the Son of Man and the end of the Reign of the Saints with him in this his Kingdom which he hath received of his Father for his work sake which he did for him and for his Elect. Then cometh the end faith Paul when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father But when shall that be why he answers saying When he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power for he must reign saith he untill he hath put all his enemies under his feet which will not be untill the finall Sentence and Judgment be over for the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death For God hath put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under him it is manifested he is accepted that did put all things under him And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject to him that did put all things under him that God may be all in all All things being now at this pass to wit every one being in its proper place God in his Christ in his the Saint in his and the Sinner in his I shall conclude with this brief touch upon both the state of the Good and Bad after this Eternal Judgment 1. The Righteous now shall never fear Death the Devill and Hell more And the Wicked shall never hope of life 2. The Just shall ever have the Victory over these things But the Wicked shall everlastingly be swallowed up of them 3. The Holy shall be in everlasting Light But the Sinner in everlasting Darkness Without light I say yet in Fire ever burning yet not consumed always afraid of death and hell vehemently desiring to be annihiâ—â—ted to nothing Continually fearing to stay long in Hell and yet certainly sure they shall never come out of it Ever desiring the Saints happiness and yet alwayes envying their felicity They would have it because it is easie and Comfortable yet cannot abide to think of it because they have lost it for ever Ever loaden with the delight of sin and yet that is the greatest torture alwayes desiring to put it out of their Mind and yet assuredly know they must for ever abide the guilt and torment thereof 4. The Saints are always inflamed with the Consideration of the Grace that once they imbraced but the Wicked most flamingly tormented with the thoughts of rejecting and refusing it 5. The Just when they think of their sins they are comforted with the thoughts of their being delivered from them but the Ungodly when they think of their righteousness will gnaw themselves to think that this would not deliver them from Hell 6. When the Godly think of Hell it will increase their Comfort but when the Wicked think of Heaven it will twinge them like a Serpent Oh this Eternal Judgment What would a damned Soul give that there might be though after Thousands and Hundreds of Thousands of Millions of Years an end put to this Eternal Judgment But their misery is they have sinned against a God that is Eternal they have offended that Justice that will never be satisfied and therefore they must abide the Fire that never shall be quenched Here is Judgment Just and Sad. Again As it will be thus with Good and Bad in general so again more particularly when the Wicked are thus adjudged and Condemned and also received of the Fiery Gulph then they shall find That as he that busieth himself to do good shall have more glory than others So they that have been more busie and active in sin than others they shall have more Wrath and Torment than others For as doing good abundantly doth inlarge the Heart to receive and hold more Glory So doing evil abundantly doth inlarge the Heart and Soul to receive Punishment so much the more And hence it is that you have such Sayings as these It shall be more tolerable in the Judgment for Sodome than for others that is then for those that had sinned against much greater Light and Mercy For these as he saith in another place shall receive greater Damnation Yea it standeth to reason that he who had most Light most Conviction most means of Conversion and that was highest towards Heaven he must needs have the greatest Fall and so sink deepest into the Jaws of Eternal Misery Luke 10. 12. Luke 20. 47. As one Star that is as one Saint differeth from another in Heaven so one damned Soul shall differ from another in Hell It is so among the Devils themselves they are some worse than others Matth. 9. 34. Mar. 3. 22. Belzebub is the Prince or the Chief of the Devils That is One that was most glorious in Heaven Chief among the reprobate Angels before his Fall Isa. 14. 2. and therefore sinned against the greater Light Mercy and Goodness and so became the Chief for wickedness and will also have as the wages thereof the Chief of Torments For that will be true of the damned in Hell which is prayed for against Babylon Revel 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Can it be imagined that Judas should have no more torment who betrayed the Prince of Life and Saviour of the World than others who never came near his Wickedness by ten thousand degrees He that know his Masters Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many stripes With many moâ—e stripes than others that through ignorance did commit sin worthy of many stripes But what should I thus discourse of the degrees of the Torments of the damned Souls in Hell For he that suffers least will the waters of a full Cup be wrung out to him The least measure of wrath it will be the Wrath of God eternal and fiery Wrath insupportable wrath it will lay the Soul in the Gulph of that Second Death which will for ever have the Mastery over the poor damned perishing Sinner And Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire which is the Second Death And whosoever was not found in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of fire Rev. 20. 14 15. FINIS See more of this in their Judgement The first Book opened in its first part Mans nature is a Book or law to it self The Book of Gods Remembrance opened The Witnesses give in their Evidence The sinners plea for himself at the Judgment-Seat The Book of Life opened
Nay further we do not onely see what operation the Spirit will have in our Body by the carriage of Christ after his Resurrection but even by many a Saint before their Death The Spirit used to catch Elijah away no man could tell whether It carryed Ezekiel hither and thither It carryed Christ from the Top of the Pinacle of the Temple into Galilee through it he walked on the Sea the Spirit caught away Philip from the Eunuch and carryed him as far as Azotus 1 King 17. 11 12. 2 King 2. 11. Ezek 3. 14. Luke 4. 14. Matth. 14. 25. Act. 8. 39. 40. Thus the great God hath given us a Tast of the power and glory that is in himself and how easily it will help us by its possessing of us at the Resurrection to act and do like Angels as Christ sâ—ith They that shall be counted worthy of that World and of the Resurrection from the Dead they shall not die but be equal to the Angels Luk. 23. 36. Further as the Body by being thus spiritualized shall be as I have said so again it must needs be that hereby all the Service of the Body and Faculties of the Soul must be infinitely inlarged also Now we shall see him as he is and now we shall know even as we are known 1 Joh. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 13. 12. First now we shall see him to wit Christ in his Glory Not by Revelation onely as we do now but then Face to Face and he will have us with him to this very end Joh. 17. 24. Though John was in the Spirit when he had the Vision of Christ Rev. 1. 17. yet it made him fall at his Feet as dead and also turned Daniel's Beauty into Corruption Dan. 10. 8. It was so glorious and so over-weighing a Glory that he appeared in but we shall at the Day of our Resurrection be so furnished that we shall with the Eagle be able to look upon the Sun in his strength We shall then I say see Him as he is who now is in the Light that no Eye hath seen nor any man can see till that Day 1 Tim. 6. 16. Now we shall see into all Things There shall not be any thing hid from us there shall not be a Saint a Prophet or saved Soul small or great but we shall then perfectly know them Also all the Works of Creation Election and Redemption and shall see and know as throughly all the Things of Heaven and Earth and Hell even as perfectly as now we know our A B C. For the Spirit with which we shall in every Crany of Soul and Body be filled I say that searcheâ—h all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. We see that strange Things have been known by the Prophets and Saints of God and that when they knew but in part Abraham could by it tell to a day how long his Seed should be under Persecution in Egypt Gen. 15. 13. Elisha by it could tell what was done in the King of Assyria's Bed-Chamber 2 King 6. 12. Ahijah could know by this Jeroboam's Wife so soon yea before her Feet entred within his Door though he saw her not 1 King 14. 1 2 3 4 5. The Prophet of Judah could tell by this what God would do to Bethel for the Idolatry there committed and could also point out the man by name that should do the Execution long before he was born 1 Kin. 13. 2. What shall I say Enoch by it could tell what should be done at the end of the World Jud. 14 15. How did the Prophets to a circumstance prophecie of Christ's Birth his Death his Burial of their giving him Call and Vinegar Of their parting his Raiment and piercing his Hands and Feet Isa. 53. Of his riding on an Ass Also all this they saw when they spake of him Joh. 12. 41. Peter also though half asleep could at the very first word call Moses and Elias by their Names when they appeared to Christ in the Holy Mount Luk. 9. 33. He is very ignorant of the operation of the Spirit of God that scrupleth these Things But now I say if these Things have been done seen and known by Spiritual men while their knowledge hath been but in part how shall we know see and discern when that which is perfect is come Which will be at the Resurrection It is raised a Spiritual Body Thus in few words have I shewed you the truth of the Resurrection of the Just and also the manner of their Rising Had I judged it convenient I might have much inlarged on each particular and have added many more For the Doctrine of the Resurrection however question'd by Hereticks and Erroneous Persons yet is such a Truth that almost all the Holy Scriptures of God point at and center in it God hath from the beginning of the World shewed to us that our Body must be with him as well as our Soul in the Kingdom of Heaven I say he hath shew'd first he hath shewed us how he will deal with those that are alive at Christs coming by his translating of Enoch Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 1. 5. and taking him Body and Soul to himself As also by his catching of Elias 1 King 2. 10 11. up Body and Soul into Heaven in a Fiery Chariot Secondly He hath often put us in remembrance of the Rising of those that are Dead at that Day First By the Faith he gave Abraham concerning the Offering of his Son For when he offered him he accounted that God was able to raise him up even from the Dead From whence also he received him in a Figure In a Figure of the Resurrection of Christ for Abraham's Justification and of Abraham's Resurrection by Christ at the last Day for his Glorification Heb. 11. 19. Secondly By the Faith he gave Joseph consuming his Bones which Charge the Godly in Egypt did diligently observe and to that end did keep them four hundred years and at length carryed them I say from Egypt to Canaan Heb. 11. 22. which was a Tipe of our being carryed in our Body from this World to Heaven Besides How oft did God give power to his Prophets Servants and Christ Jesus to raise some that was now dead and some that had been long so and all no doubt to put the present Generations as also the Generations yet unborn in mind of the Resurrection of the Dead To this end I say how was the Shunamites Son raised from the dead 2 King 4. The man also at the touching of the bones of Elisha 2 King 13. 20 21. Together with the body of Lazarus with Jairus Daughter and Tabitha and many others Luke 8. 53 54 55. Joh. 11. 43 44 45. Acts 9. 40 41. who after their Soul was departed from them Lazarus lying in his grave four dayes were all raised to life again and lived with that very Body out of which the Soul at their death had departed But above all that notable place in
God was far from infusing any thing into their Souls that should in the least hinder weaken obstruct or let them in seeking the welfare of their Souls Now men will tattle and prattle at a mad raâ—e about election and reprobation and conclude that because all are not elected therefore God is to blame that any are damned but then they will see that they are not damned because they were not elected but because they sinned and also that they sinned not because God put any weakness into their Souls but because they gave way and that wilfully knowingly and desperately to Satan and his suggestions and so turned away from the holy Commandment delivered unto them yea then they will see that though God at sometimes did fasten his cords about your heads and heels and hands both by godly education and smarting convictions yet you rusht away with violence from all saying Let us break these bonds asunder and cast their cords from us Psal. 2. 1 2 3. God will be justified in his sayings and clear when he judgeth though thy proud ignorance thinks to have and to multiply cavills against him Psal. 51. 4. But secondly as the whole body of the Elect by the nature of conversion in their hearts shall witness a non-conversion in the hearts of the wicked and as the ungodly shall fall under the conviction of this cloud of Witnesses So to increase their conviction there will also be opened before them all the labours of the godly both Ministers and others and the pains that they have taken to save if it had been possible these damned wretches and now will it come burning hot upon their Souls how often they were forewarned of this day now they shall see that there was never any Quarter-Sessions nor general Goal-delivery more publickly foretold of then this day You know that the Judges before they begin their Assizes do give to the Countrey in Charge That they take heed to the Laws and Statutes of the King Why Râ—bel thou shalt be at this day convicted that every sermon thou hast heard and that every serious debate thou hast bin at about the things of God and Laws of eternity they were to thee as the Judges Charge before the Assizes and Judgment began Every exhortation of every Minister of God it is as that which Paul gave to Timothy and commanded hiâ— to give in charge to others I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Elect Angells saith he that thou observe these things and again I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Ponâ—us Pâ—laâ—e witnessed a goâ—d confession that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukable untill the appearing of Jesus Christ these things give in charge saith he that they may be blameless 1 Tim. 3. 21. and c. 6. v. 13. This I say hast thou heard and seen and yet thou hast not held fast but hast cast away the things that thou hast heard and hast bin warned of alas God will multiply his Witnesses against thee 1. Thy own Vows and Promises shall be a Witness against thee that thou hast contrary to thy light and knowledg destroyed thy Soul as Joshuah said to the children of Israel when they said the Lord should be their God Well saith he Ye are Witnesses against your selves that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him that is if now you turn back again even this Covenant and resolution of yours will in the great day be a witness against you and they said we are witnesses Jos. 24. 20 21 22. 2. Every time you have with your mouth said well of godliness and yet gone on in wickedness or every time you have condemned sin in others and yet have not refrained it your selves I say every such word and conclusion that hath passed out of thy mouth sinner it shall be as a witness against thee in the day of God and the Lord Jesus Christ as Christ saith Matth. 12. 36 37. By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned I observe that talk with who you will they will with their mouth say serving of God and loving of Christ and walking in wayes of holiness is best and best will come of it I observe again that men that are grosly wicked themselves will yet with heavy censures and Judgments condemn drunkenness lying coveâ—ousness pride and whoring with all manner of abominations in others and yet in the mean time continue to be neglectors of God and imbracers of sin and the allurements of the flesh themselves Why such souls every time they speak well of godliness and continue in their sins they do pass Judgment upon themselves and provide a witness even their own mouth against their own Soul at the Judgment seat Out of thy own mouth saith Christ will I judg thee thou wicked servant thou knewest what I was and that I loved to see all my servants zealous and active for me that at my comming I might have received again what I gave thee with increase thou oughtest therefore to have bin busying thy self in my work for my glory and thy own good but seeing thou hast against thy own light and mouth gone contrary Angels take this unprofitable servant and cast ye him into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth he sinned against his light he shall go to hell against his will Matth. 25 26 27 28 29 30. The very same I say will befall all those that have used their mouth to condemn the sins of others while they themselves live in their sins Saith God O thou wicked wretch thou didst know that sin was bad thou didst condemn it in others thou didst also condemn and passe Judgment upon them for their sin Thou art therefore inexcusable a man whosoever thou art that hast thus Judged for thou that judgest dost the same thing Wherefore wherein thou hast judged another thou hast condemned thy self I must therefore saith Christ look upon thee to be no other but a sinner against thy own mouth and cannot but judge thee as a despiser of my goodness and the riches of my forbearance by which means thou hast treasured up wrath against this day of wrath and Revellation of the Righteous Judgment of God He that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Rom. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. Thus will God I say judge and condemn poor sinners even from and by themselves to the fire that Lake of Brimstone and fire Thirdly God hath said in his Word that rather then there shall want witness at the day of Judgment against the works of iniquity The very dust of their City that shall cleave to his Messengers that publish the Gospel shall it self be a witness against them and so Christ bid his Servants say into whatsoever City ye enter and they receive you not go your wayes out into the streets of the same