rowl away the stone from the grave but it was done in a legal and judiciary way and therefore he is said to be justified He is near that justifies me 1 Tim. 3.16 Isa 50.8 And by this he doth convince the World of righteousness because the Lord delivered him from death Because he doth go to the Father Sixthly For a Soul by an Almighty power of God to rest upon this satisfaction of his and to plead it before God for himself at his judgment seat First To look upon Christ as dying not for himself but as a surety for in justification and the purging of Conscience from the guilt of sin the eye of Faith is mainly set upon Christ crucified Christ as dying and that as a surety to make satisfaction 1 Cor. 2.2 Heb 9.22 I desire to know nothing but Christ and Christ crucyfied for without sheding of blood there is no remission For though it is true that the personal excellencies that be in Christ are the objects of Faith yet that Faith as it comes to Christ in the act of justyfication and being quit of the guilt of sin it mainly looks upon Christ dying Christ satisfying Secondly To look upon Christ as a representative head as one in whom I died as a surety so as one in whome I rose he was justyfied and I in him because as he dyed for me so for me he was justified also and Christ was formerly condemned therefore there must an act of aquiting pass upon Christ and therefore Heb. 9.28 That it was so apeared plainly for he did bear the sins of many in respect of the guilt of them and he shall apear the second time without sin that is have the guilt of no sin charged upon him in oposition unto his former bearing our iniquities he shall be aquitted before men and angels and therefore he rose as the first fruits as a person representing all the rest of the elect and he was justified in the spirit that is raised up by the power of the divine nature thereby he was manifested to be justified and as he is sanctified as a common person and receives an Image for us that we must bear the Image of the heavenly there is life eternal laid up in him so he is justified as a common person from the guilt of sin that not any iniquity remains unsatisfied for in his behalf that is the ransom in his death is fully paid and as we were condemned in Adam a common person so it is reason we should be justified by Christ as in a common person also now when a soul by an almighty work of the spirit of God looks upon all these acts of Christ and the soul rests upon them in respect of the guilt of sin he doth put his sins upon the head of his surety and looks upon himself as acquitted in his justification and casts himself upon it that he may attain it thus the blood of Christ is said by a mighty work of the spirit on Christs part and faith on ours to be sprinkled upon our Consciences to purge them from the guilt of dead works Quest But how shall I know whether there be such an almighty power put forth in me that I may stay my soul upon Christs blood thus satisfying that I might be able thereby to see my Conscience purged and pacified and the terrour of sin taken away Answ A man shall know this almighty work of the spirit sprinkling this blood of Christ upon the Conscience by enabling a man unto that which all the power and improvement of a natural Conscience cannot perform and it will be seen in three things First When a mans Conscience awakened and convinced of sin doth yet make after reconciliation with God and union with Christ for a natural Conscience can find it easie to believe while he goes on still in his sins and Conscience is a sleep and indeed the faith of most men is but a good conceit of themselves from the self flatery of their own hearts but as soon as Conscience is awakened by and by they fly from God and look upon him as an enemy Luke 3.5 there are Mountains to be made a plain and there are Valleys to be fill'd now when a soul considers himself under the condemnation of sin the curse of the Law and looks upon God as an angry judge and yet saith I have heard that the Lord of Israel is a mercifull God and if mercy save me I shall be saved and if mercy destroy me I shall but dye I will fly to him whom I have offended and lye down at his footstool there is nothing in the world that I desire like unto reconciliation with him and I would be reconciled to him in his own way the way of union with Christ I would he found in him not having my own righteousness I would submit to the way of the Gospel Oh blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord imputes this righteousness and he is made the righteousness of God in Christ when a soul thus convinced of sin saith God be mercifull to me a sinner I will now go to him and leave my self with him let him do as it seemeth good to him as David said if the Lord delight in me he will save me c. truly all the power of nature improved can never make men leave themselves with God in this manner Secondly When a mans sins are discovered and the Lord leads a man into the wardrope of Christs righteousness and enables him to see how there is enough therein to cover them all and as God saw enough of Christs righteousness to satisfie him in point of justice so the Lord doth by a glorious light shew unto the soul enough of Christs righteousness to satisfy also in point of guilt that the soul can in some measure in Christ answer all the objections that Conscience can make by some spiritual reasonings drawn from the Lord Jesus Christ as when Conscience objects sin is a transgression of the Law but the soul answers the sufferings of Christ are the humiliation of the Law-giver sin is a dishonour to God in point of goods but Christ that made all things with him and had the same title unto all that God the Father had he laid down all and became poor and took a new title unto all he had more then a world to lay down sin did wrong God in point of honour but he that was the brightness of his glory did abase himself and made himself of no reputation and did bring thereby more honour to God he being subject to him then the subjection of all the creatures could have done it was a higher honour to the Soveraignty of God to have his son a servant then could have been to have had the service of all the creatures and he can do him more service and bring him in more glory in an hour then all the creatures could have done if man had stood to eternity sin did offend
do conceive much rather the meaning to be as I sin every day and thereby do daily contract a new guilt so grant that I may have the righteousness of Christ imputed unto me every day and a penitent heart given me that thereby I may have the qualifications that God requires unto pardon and my iniquities be blotted out For though I conceive it a truth that justification as far as it respects a mans state is done at once and is perfect in instanti that a man is but once justified that is put unto a state of pardon and righteousness and acceptation as soon as made one with Christ yet I conceive the pardon of sin to be a continued act that as a man doth sin daily so he has an actual pardon daily by the imputation of Christ's righteousness unto him anew The sacrifice indeed was offered but once and never to be repeated but the imputation of it is continued to the end of the World and the application of it is the act of every day and therefore some say that God does give us the same things over and over again daily as we sin daily and stand in daily need of it as he doth the Sun it had as much light in it the first day it was made as it hath now and God has not given us a new Sun but the same daily shines so it is with the imputation of Christs obedience who is the Son of Righteousness So that though a man be for his state once for all put into a state of justification yet remission of sins is an act that is continued daily and shall never be perfected till sin shall be done away and till the soul shall cease to say Lord forgive us our trespasses and then God shall cease forgiving but while the Saints do sin so long there is a daily remission upon a daily repentance and a renewed application So if a man sins daily and would have the guilt of his sins taken off his Conscience it must be by a daily confession a daily repentance and humiliation a daily application of the righteousness of Christ and therein by prayer seeking unto God for pardon daily for I know no other means to take the guilt of sin off the Conscience These things I speak partly to awaken the people of God that are justified freely by grace that they might not dare to pass a day in a way of sinning and that they may not dare to lye down with any sin unrepented of also and partly that those abominable and dangerous doctrines that are now abroad in the world to turn the grace of God and the promises of the Gospel into wantoness may be avoided when men say all our sins are pardoned allready and therefore though we may have sin in our conversation yet we have none in our Conscience God sees no iniquity in his people and he loves them in Christ and therefore loves them never the worse for all their sins c. And therefore they need not pray for pardon for they have it already but onely they must believe that they are pardoned and must believe that they need not repent for all is done away in Christ and it is onely for persons that are unregenerate to repent for sin and to ask pardon but for them that are in Christ their sins are pardoned c But let me tell you and the Lord will make you know that as you sin every day and contract a new guilt so there is no way to get this guilt taken off thy Conscience but by a daily repentance for it and a daily application of the righteousness of Christ that thy sins may be blotted out from the presence of the Lord for though thou be washed yet thou hast daily need to wash thy feet There is nothing that the heart of man is more willing and ready to shift off then the duty of repentance though as Tertullian saith he was nulle rei nisi penitentiae natus and yet it is with men as Luther says of himself there was no word that he did hate and abhor so much as that word Repent it is that the heart of man goes against and you have most need to be exhorted to it Thirdly There is another way to keep the Conscience pure from the guilt of sin and that is for a man to get assurance of Gods favour the light of his countenance and to walk in it all day long Psal 89.15 Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound They shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance When a man hath the witnesses either of blood and water which are more remote and the spirit of God speaks in them and in all ordinances of the Gospel or else when a man has a more immediate testimony from the spirit of God the Lord saying to his soul be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee the Lord sends his spirit that speaks to the soul as the prophet Nathan to David God hath taken away thy sin and this is Gods speaking to the soul pardon and peace which is the portion of many of the Saints when a mans soul draws near to the grave and his life to the destroyers and the Lord comes in and says deliver his soul from death for I have found a ransome and truly there are souls that do walk in the light of Gods countenance all the day long and their souls are as the upper Region quiet and are allways Calme though sin they do yet they speedily repent and humble their souls for it and their peace is never interrupted nor the light of Gods Countenance taken from them but they receive of his pardoning mercy dayly and dayly bear witness to it that their sins are done away and so their Consciences are never clogged with them But as soon as God withdraws the light of his countenance from any poor soul by and by the guilt of sin ariseth and Conscience is terrified and there is a thick cloud over spreads the whole soul and a mans heart is like unto a troubled Sea that cannot rest see what restless tossings David was in while his sin lay upon his Conscience and God hid his face day and night they are so heavy upon me that all the night long I make my bed to swim with my tears oh take me not out of thy presence will the Lord cast off for ever and his mercy is it clean gone will he be gracious no more Thus a man that would have a clear Conscience in respect of guilt must make it his business to walk in the light of Gods Countenance all the day Having thus far seen how a man may keep a Conscience pure from the guilt of sin Let us now come to the second how a mans Conscience may be preserved pure from the defilement and the pollution of sin And here we are to consider that there are two things in Conscience and answerable unto them there is a
created so if a mans miseries after this Life were only in the creatures all created miseries would never make Hell but still the Soul would live under them all But it is only under the wrath of the great God that the soul dies Fourthly Consider the torments of the Devils whence is all their Torments now For Jude tells us they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day c. And they are not wholy freed Now Doth God apply any creature to this work Mar. 8.29 Doest thou come to torment us before the time There was nothing tormented them but his presence and power c. And this wrung from them this great complaint Now they do not torment themselves though they have a Conscience yet this is not the great tormenter and we do not read that they are executioners one of another or that God doth use the ministry of the good Angels in the punishment of the evil though the good Angels strive with them for the preservation of the Saints now what Creature has power enough to torment the Devils such great and mighty Creatures as they are surely it is nothing else but the wrath and indignation of the great God which is the fire that is reserved for the Devil and his Angels to be made objects of and lye under for ever this the Lord doth suspend here in this life by the Kingdom of Christ because now there is a time of patience and the Lord has service to imploy them in as vessels of dishonour which if they should lye under the wrath of God perfectly poured out they would not be able to perform and therefore the Lord doth forbear them that at last wrath may come upon them to the uttermost Fifthly Consider the first fruits and inchoations of Hell in this life and that either in wicked men or in the Saints in wicked men Heb. 10.27 there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some sparkles of Hell a certain fearfull looking for of Judgment and fiery indignation c. As the people of God have here some sparks of Heaven by the Spirit of adoption some earnest and glimpses of Heaven see it in Cain Gen. 4.13 and Judas his Soul is filled with horror and amazement that they would rather chuse all the miseries of the Creatures and to lye under the whole Creation call to Mountains to cover them to be freed of it and therefore they cry out it is too late for me to repent is' t possible for me to be pardoned I know God will never have mercy upon me and therefore their soul chooseth strangling any thing to put them out of this torment what did Judas aise who did hurt him he had money in his purse there was no evil of the Creature upon him he gratified the high Priests and many of that crew only there was a secret touch of Gods own finger upon him an immediate drop of wrath let in upon his Conscience c. And not only in wicked but in godly men as Job and Heman Job 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty stick in me and the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me and surely inward terrors are the most terrible and there are no medicines in the whole creation that can heal a wounded spirit all friends estates honours relations will be to a man as the white of an Egge in the day when the terrors of Gods wrath do compass a man about as if God speak peace to the Soul none can speak terror no not all the Creatures and the most exquisite miseries that can be inflicted by them â—s appears by Martyrs so if God speak terrors there is none can speak comfort nothing in the Creature can help or ease as appears by men that have had all things the world can afford and yet their spirits were 〈◊〉 wounded in them they had â—or he least relief thereby so 〈…〉 Heman Psal 88.5 We know of no pressure that was upon him by the Creatures and yet he complains he was free among the dead as a man in Hell already while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted there was something beyond what all the Creatures could inflict Now there is joyes that the Saints receive here from God under Heaven joy unspeakable and glorious and of the same kind though they differ in degree with those in glory so the terrors here are of the same kind only they differ in degree from the torments of Hell they have a taste of the Cup which in Hell they shall drink of it a full drought and therefore as the one is joy unspeakable and full of glory so is the other torments unspeakable and full of sorrow and in this God uses the ministerie of no Creature neither doth the hearts of men discerne any thing but the wrath and terrors of the Almighty Sixthly It doth more fully appear in the suffering of Christ if we look upon him as in the Garden he was in an agony Mat. â—6 38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soul was invironed and compassed about with sorrow now all the misery that can come from the Creature can never compass the Soul about there will be some door open but here he sees no way our and therefore Mark 14.33 he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sore amazed under the apprehension of wrath and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Spirit failed within him Psal 40.13 His heart in the middle of his body was melted as wax and this anguish of spirit so wrought upon his body that it made him to sweat drops of blood whence is all this affliction that was upon Christ we read of no Devils that were let loose upon him to torment him his very presence was their tormenter here and his wrath shall be their tormenter hereafter we read of no Angels that had commission to afflict him nay we read of an Angel that appeared from heaven to comfort him Luke 22.43 which would have been enough to have raised up a mans Spirit under the greatest afflictions of the Creatures nor was it from any inward unquietness in his own Spirit for there was no seeds of such fearfull distempers in him for he knew no sin there was no guile in his mouth it could not be from any bodily pain for in the Garden the Jews had not laid hold upon him there was no evil upon him and it could not be fear of a bodily death for it was for this cause that he came into the world and it was that which he did desire and long for with desire have I desired to eat the Passeover with you I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straightned till it be accomplished but the cause was the sence of the wrath of God lying upon his spirit Isa 53.10 it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief to beat him to pieces and to grind him to powder as his Soul was made an
the whole man body and soul for to keep one member or to please one pleasant gainfull darling Lust In the torments of hell there are two parts First something Privative a privation of all good whatsoever might make them happy and something Positive an addition of whatever might make them miserable The first is expressed by Christ depart from me ye cursed Mat. 25.41 The Positive part of the torments of hell are set forth in these words where their worm dyeth not wherein we may observe First the torment of the Creature from God 2dly From himself something principal and something accidental that from God which is the principal part of heâ—l torment is the fire the less principal the worm In the words therefore is discribed the positive part of the torments of hell First that which is Essential and principal the Fire Secondly That which is less Principal the Worm Thirdly The eternity of them both the fire is never quenched nor the Worm never dies I will take them as they lye in the Text and begin first with that which is less principal the Worm their worm never dyes Here we may note two things First the torment it self a Worm Secondly the particularity of the torment Their Worm Every man shall have his own Worm The words are taken out of Isa 66.24 The Lord had promised the glorious deliverance of the Church and had threatned the utter destruction of his enemies and when they were destroyed the Saints should look upon them and triumph over them the Saints shall have dominion over them in the morning and they shall go forth in their contemplation and consider not only their present outward condition and misery but their eternal condition Their Worm never dyes and their fire is not quenched to all Eternity and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh To begin with the Torment it self it 's a Worm which is not to be understood literally but metaphorically of something that holds some resemblance and some analogy to it Now a Worm in Scripture is put to resemble two things First something that is despicable and to be contemned fear not thou worm Jacob Secondly something that is tormenting and continually vexing and so it 's in this place here the Phylosophers tell us Nihil est in intellectu c. And therefore the Lord is pleased to help our understandings to express spiritual things by earthly similitudes and resemblances as Christ saith of the Misteries of the Gospel he could not speak them as they were but by earthly things that is in respect of the manner of delivery though the things were in themselves spiritual and if the Lord do it by things that men have experience of in this life how much more the things that are reserved for the World to come as the joys of Heaven by all good things the torments of hell by all evill things Whatever is most terrible to sence and most tormenting as Fire Brimstone darkness and a Worm which are only to help our understanding in those things which both pass fear and knowledge as after death it is set forth as a thing dreadfull to nature to have worms breed out of a man and feed upon him Job 24.20 as Job speaks The Worms shall feed sweetly on him he shall be no more remembred c. And the greatest persons that have lain upon beds of Ivory and have had Tapistry for their covering must say unto the worms ye are my sisters the Moth eats them as a garment and the Worm devours them as wooll c. Now to have these bodies that have been cloathed sumptuously and fed delicately to be cloathed with worms and to become their food is sad and even dismal to nature after a mans dissolution But if these worms should breed in a man and feed upon him whilst he were alive it would be much more terrible as it was a torment invented by a Tyrant to keep a man in a Coffin and feed him till by his own filth he breed worms and these worms devoured his flesh and he dyed by them The judgement that came upon Herod by the immediate stroak of an Angel Acts 12.23 and the same judgement is said to be inflicted upon Maximinus the Emperor that his body putrify'd bred worms continually Now this is a fearfull thing and dreadfull to nature to come upon the body but what will it be for a worm to be gnawing upon the soul for ever For in respect of that fire in Hell our fire here is but a painted fire it 's true also in reference to the Worm therein This being a Metaphorical expression let us come to open it a little what it is and wherein the resemblance doth consist This Worm is generally to be understood of the furious reflection of the soul upon it self in consideration of it's by past life neglected opportunities and it 's present hopeless and unrecoverable condition and so the tormenting acts of Conscience upon the man are resembled by the Worm and the resemblance lies in two things First a Worm is bred out of the putrifaction of the subject in which it is now in the conscience of men there is much corruption the conscience is as it were the sink where all the evil in a man is there is first much of the filthiness and defilement of sin in the conscience Tit. 1.15 Their conscience is defiled Mat. 23.27 like whited Sepulchres outwardly fair but inwardly full of rottenness and all uncleannesse they may easily breed worms Heb. 9.14 Secondly All the guilt of sin in the soul settles upon the conscience and it needs purging for all the works done by an unregenerate man are dead works because they proceed from a dead nature and because they all tend unto death and though these things be the work of the whole soul and every faculty yet the guilt of them all is laid upon the conscience and if there be so much filthiness and putrifaction both of guilt and defilement in the conscience it is no wonder if it breed a worm as all other putrifactions do and this being the worst it is not strange if it breed the worst and the most devouring Worm Secondly It doth alwayes gnaw upon the subject in which it is bred and so it is with this Worm it is alwayes feeding upon the soul and that for ever For it is with a mans spirit as with mill-stones when there is nothing else it grindes it self c. Now God will stop the current of all the creatures after this life Luke 16.25 There shall be nothing from without for the spirit of a man to feed upon and then it will turn in upon it self for ever Here most of the acts of a mans soul are direâ—â— upon objects without him there are few reflexe acts man will not turn in upon himself But then a mans acts shall be full of reflection upon himself for ever Now this furious reflection of the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do not speak this with my mouth and my conscience gives me the lye but Conscience speaks the same thing and joint with me in the testimony 2 Cor. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the World but more especially to you-ward c. Conscience brings his carriage towards them to the rule and judges of it to agree and to be consonant thereunto and therefore gives testimony within him and into this Court the spirit of God commonly comes to assist conscience to pronounce the sentence For conscience is defiled and so over-awed and bribed and blinded by lust that it cannot many times pronounce a right sentence till the Spirit of God comes into the Court and acts Conscience and causeth it to judge aright of his estate and and wayes also and therefore Rom. 9.1 My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost doth witness with Conscience and Conscience in the power of the Spirit does witness to the man so in a wicked man it is a Spirit of bondage that is does cause Conscience to witness bondage which else by reason of the self love and self flattery that is in the man it will never do and in a godly man it witnesseth grace and adoption which of it self it can never do and therefore the spirit is a witness in Heaven and in earth also even in a renewed Conscience the spirit does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We come now to give the reasons or the grounds of the point which will be best done by answering these Questions First As inordinate love unto a mans self has been the great cause of all a mans sins 2 Tim. 3.2 So it is self loathing that is the cause of all a mans Torment a man shall be a burden to himself Job 7.20 A terror to himself Jer. 20 4. As by self love they have corrupted themselves so by self loathing they shall torment themselves for ever and so the Lord will take the same way in punishing that they have taken in sinning That the sin that a man hath here taken most pleasure in shal hereafter be to him the matter of his his greatest torment as we see it here immediately as soon as God does awaken the Conscience there is no sin so dreadful to a man as his darling and he fears nothing like that which he has most loved and desired so it will be hereafter in a mans punishment also as nothing was so loved admired and deifi'd as himself so there shall be nothing that he shall loath and abhor like himself for ever and answerable to a mans self love so will his self loathing be for Revel 8.8 so much pleasure so much torment No sin wil will pierce Herods heart like to his rodias And there is no sin that a man spares more here than his darling and there is none will be more cruel to them hereafter and as a worm feed upon their hearts and eat up their inward man for ever and so it is in it self also as there is nothing they have loved more and spared more here they have wholly been cruel unto others but unto themselves sparing they shall not be so hereafter but above all others they shall be cruel to themselves for ever Quest 2d Secondly Seeing God will torment a man by himself why is the main of a mans torment in his Conscience above all other faculties It is true that as every faculty hath been filled with the fruits of all unrighteousness so every faculty shall be a Vessel filled with wrath but above all others why the Worm in the Conscience Answ First Because it is the spirit of the man and that wherein his main strengh lyes Prov. 18.14 Secondly Because it is the tenderest part of the soul it 's resembled to the eye Matth. 7.3 And therefore most sensible it is capable of more torment than any other of the faculties and powers of the soul what soever Thirdly There the Lord will inflict the punishment where the sin mainly is now of all the faculties of the soul there is none so defiled as the Conscience Tit. 1.15 For the guilt of all the sins of the whole soul is there Jer. 17.1 Heb. 9.4 There are the Treasures of sin therefore there wil the Lord power out the Treasures of wrath c. Quest 3. Thirdly But if the Lord will torment the Conscience why doth not the torment rest there But he will make that the instrument to torment the whole man Why shall that do it rather than the wil or affections c. But the torment of the whole soul must come in by the Conscience this is the Flood gate or as I may call it the Funnel of wrath Answ First Because God has given unto Conscience he greatest honour in the soul and has exalted it above all other powers and abilities of the soul whatsoever The main of the Image of God was stampt upon it at first if we judge by the renewing of it for the great effect of redemption is there Heb. 9.14 And of renovation also Ephes 4 23. It is called the Spirit of the mind 1 Thes 5.23 The Spirit Pro. 18.14 It is to be referred ad illam partem que nobilissima est Calv And therefore the main work of Sanctification lies in the Conscience a pure Conscience Now the Image of God in Sanctification is renewed therefore where this Image is most renewed there it was most planted for we are renewed according to the Image of him that created us And the main thing that God respeâ—â—s in all Ordinances Heb. 9 8. is to make the man perfect according to his Conscience and that is Conscientiam puram pacatam râ—ddere to pacifie it and purifie it this is the perfection of the Conscience and the perfection of the Conscience is the perfection of the man Now that which was the great glory of the soul that shall be the shame of it God will turn a mans glory into shame and that which should have been his perfection that shall become his torment for ever Secondly Conscience has the greatest Office and power and authority in the soul it is Gods Vicegerent every man is as it were a petty Kingdome and as God has set Princes upon earth in their several Kingdomes so he has in the man also and he has committed unto Conscience the whole Law of God and the whole duty of man and Conscience is that in joyns it upon all the faculties and that sees it executed Rom. 13 5. You must be subject that is not only ratione externae coactionis but internae obligationis Conscience is subject unto none but God but the whole soul is put in subjection unto the Conscienceâ— and let men the greatest upon earth command yet if Coscience gives it non plaeet it is no law in the man it shall never be obeyed Dan.
alone but it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.14.15 Rom 1. as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hence it is that the same thing hath such different effects upon the spirits of men There were many in the company of Belshazar when the hand-wrighting apeared Dan. 5.5.6 and yet none that we read of was affected with it but the King and it was not the hand-wrighting that troubled him but at the same time the spirit of God did come into his Conscience and his own thoughts troubled him stir'd up and acted his Conscience and they sudenly terrisie him as the word doth here signify And â—rov 18.14 We reaâ— of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sad anâ— troubled broaken and tender spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And who has power over the spirits of a man It is subject unto none but God and the spirit of God and therefore none is able to wound the spirit of a man no more then they can command it without the spirit of God come in with it Therefore one man is moved by a threatning and another man is not one man is pricked in his heart and the other feels it not It is as tâ—e spirit of God doth come into the Conscience of men Now as there is a twofold Covenant so there is a twofold Spirit That is in respect of the double effect that the spirit of God works upon the spirits of men for every man hath the spirit of God working in him answerable to the Covenant under which he stands Christ having the administration of both Covenants the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works and the spirit of Christ being the Prorex of Christ in the administration of all things in his kingdom the spirit that accompanies the first Covenant and works in all that are under it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.15 2 Tim. 1.7 But the spirit that acompanies the Covenant of grace and works in all those whose Covenant is changed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.45 2 Cor. 3.17 And the liberty or the bondage of a mans spirit lies mainly in his Conscience The spirit of God coming in to a mans Conscience gives him boldness and a manuduction into the presence of God the boldness of a man that has a spirit of adoption Job 2 it makes him lift up his face in the presence of God and the spirit coming into a mans heart as a spirit of Bondage it casts upon a man chains of darkness Jude 6. Heb. 2.15 Now As here in this life the spirit of God as a spirit of Sonship and Adoption comes into the soul but by degrees and we do but receive the first fruits Rom. 8.23 The earnest Ephes 9.4 All is but as a spark to the Fire a drop to the Ocean and the spirit of God works and withdraws it self and the man is diserted so now the coming of the spirit of God into the Conscience is but a pledge and the first fruits of wrath which now a man receives but in the first fruits in a weak measure and with much intermission We have our well and our ill dayes c. And men have their deversions notwithstanding the pangs of their Consciences Caine can build Cities to drown the cry of Conscience but hereafter as the spirit of God in Heaven shall be perfectly a spirit of Adoption so in Hell it shall be perfectly a spirit of Bondage and Fear and that without intermission or interception for ever Secondly After this Life Conscience shall be perfectly inlightned and perfectly awakened There are two great evils that hinder the working of Conscience in this Life First A blindness and that both sinful and penal Luk 19.11 They would not know the things of their peace in the day of their peace therefore they were now hid from their eyes and so men go hoodwinckt to Hell and fall into distruction ere they apprehend their danger Mal. 3.8 Will a man rob God c. And they say wherein have we rob'd thee Isa 26.11 The hand of the Lord is lifted up but they will not see and Isa 5.20 They call evil good and good evil put darkness for light and light for darkness and they Math. 6.7 Did think they had prayed well when they babled much for they did expect to be heard for it and so there is a great deal of blindness that does sease upon men Judicially Rom. 11.7 Secondly There is also a spirit of stumber Isa 29.10 The word in the Hebrew is the same that is used of Adam when God took out a rib from him Gen. 2.21 Let God threaten judgment and terrour out of his word and the man awakes not but is in a deep sleep still But there are some spiritual Judgments that are also eternal a man being forsaken of God and God leaving him to the willful wickedness of his own spirit But there are some that are but temporal and only for the time of this Life God gives men over to Atheism and the Fool says there is no God But though there are Atheists here there are no Atheists in Hell God gives men over to blindness here that they will not see that sin is so great an evil and the wrath of God is so dreadful as it is But they shall see and the blindness of their minds shall be done away and they shall be awakned and the spirit of slumber removed and Conscience shall never sleep again Thirdly All the faculties of the soul shall be inlarged here they are streightned by sin and are of a narrow capacity and it is little either joy or sorrow that they are capable of also Conscience renewed is capable of a little Grace there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a measure a pitch to which they come and that is but little before they be translated to Glory it is but a taste that the Lord is gracious it is but the first fruits of the spirit but after this life all the faculties shall be inlarged that they shall be made vessels prepared for Glory So wicked men Cain and Judas they are capable of a little wrath here as a man cannot see God and live he is not capable of the glory of Heaven so neither is a man capable of the torments of Hell and live a child is capable of more wrath in Hell then the wickedest man that ever was whilest he lived here therefore they shall be vessels fitted for destruction c. And hence it is that men cannot call to mind the offers of grace and opertunities neglected rejected motions the duties omited the sins commited Sermons heard the truths that were offered to be disposed the several checks of a mans own Conscience and the several admonitions of friends reproaches of enemies c. A man cannot conceive how it should be but then our faculties shall be inlarged and we shall put off our houses of Clay by which the soul is streightened and it shall be conversant
God but Christs righteousness did please him in him his soul delights and is well pleased sin blotted out Gods Image in man Christ restored it again we were full of all unrighteousness and he fulfilled all righteousness my sins are all hainous but greater were charged upon Christ he was a sufferer as a Traytor a blasphemer a Drunkard a Seducer a Conjurer a Devil he was made sin for us he made his grave with the wicked and thy heart was very wicked and full of enmity when thou didst commit sin but Christs heart was holy and full of love to God when he satisfied for it thou didst delight in sin and so did Christ delight to suffer he was payned till his sufferings were ended thou didst sin openly at such a time and such a place c. The Lord suffered without the gate openly in the view of all and as thy sin is the greatest sin so is his most shamefull suffering in the most solemn time as it were before all the world and in a most infamous place as the greatest malefactor as it were at Tyburne and for the company he suffered in it was between two Theeves c. when a soul is able to silence the guilt and clamour of his Conscience by answering all that Conscience can object by finding out something in the righteousness and satisfaction of Christ to answer it and faith is not nonplussed truly this is a work of an almighty power for while men go on in the pleasures of sin so long sin is nothing sin sits with no weight upon them but when their Conscience is awakened to it by and by their spirits are overwhelmed with it as Judas was now for a man to see sin in its utmost dimensions and not to spare and be streightned in his humiliation and yet when Conscience has said its worst yet for him to be able to look into Christ and see something in him that shall answer all its accusations with as great strength of spiritual reason as the other can be objected and for a mans soul to be stay'd by such thoughts when he is even going down to the pit this is an almighty power Thirdly When a man is convinced of sin and sees himself to be an undone man knows not whether God will be mercifull unto him or no he walks in darkness in point of justification and yet his heart is kept in a constant awe of sinning against God he would do nothing that should displease him for a world his darling lust doth yield and strike sail to the contrary grace Sam. 50.10.11 he fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant he would do nothing that should displease him for a world and yet he knows not whether he shall find mercy with him or no but his soul takes up an unchangeable resolution against sin and sayes I will walk no more in a way of sinning saved or damned I will be willing to obey him and count it my happiness to do him service and I will be willing to wait upon him let him do with me as it seems good in his sight if casting a mans self upon Christ make a man fear to sin against him there is an almighty power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all the power of a natural Conscience will never make the man to yield up his darling-lust as there is a Conscience moleste mala full of perplexity in respect of guilt and the purging of the Conscience therein lies in its pacification when a man looking upon sin in its greatness and exceeding sinfulness and yet can see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the satisfaction of Christ unto which as a City of refuge he flyes being pursued Heb. 6.18 and upon that he casts himself and pleads it before the judgment seat of God that the debt is paid and the surety acquited and this he doth either by an act of recombancy and reliance or else by an act of assurance as the Lord is pleased to clear his interest and so the man is for ever perfected according to his Conscience that is Heb. 9.6 though sin doth cleave to him and the guilt of sin may by Satan be presented to him yet conscience flying unto Christ for a refuge and finding in him a perfect satisfaction the man casts all upon his surety and his Conscience is calm and serene as a man himself indebted must needs be when he knows that his surety hath paid his debt and though there be a dayly application of this unto the soul yet there is but one oblation and the man upon this ground hath no more Conscience of sin in respect of the guilt of it for ever and this pacification of the Conscience is the perfection of the man c. But there is a Conscience also that is vitiose mala full of the defilement and pollution of sin 1 Tit. 1.15 All evil is put under too heads malum triste afflicting evil or malum turpe defiling evil and sin has in it both these as it binds a man over unto all afflicting evil so there is a guilt and as it doth fill a man with all polluting evil so there is a defilement a macula a stain and filthiness of sin and it hath all the filthiness in the World in it it is leprosy pollution in blood a sepulcher and the rottenness thereof it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very excrement of wickedness Jam. 1.21 that if there could be any thing more filthiness then naughtiness it self it is sin it has defaced the image of God and the native beauty of the soul and it hath brought upon a man positive filthiness even the image of the Devil and the dreadful marks of hellish deformity that cannot be washed away with Niter and much Sope Jer. 17.1 Though this be an universal pollution that overspreads the whole man defiles body and soul and spirit yet the main defilement of sin lyes in the Conscience and where every sin doth add to the pollution as every act intends the habit above all the faculties the defilement of the Conscience is increased thereby Now the great pollution of the soul lyes in a spirit of slumber Conscience letting a man commit evil and not to tell him it is evil and in his sencelesness under sin Isa 29.10 Ephes 4.19 Being bribed by Lust and passions and pleasures to give consent to a sin and to plead for it for Conscience to pass sentence for a sin and that in the name of God 1 Joh. 16.2 and say that it is a duty and stirs up a man to it which it may be is one of the greatest sins of his Life Conscience pleads for sin and excuses a man falsly speaking peace to a man in a corrupt and cursed state saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to add drunkenness to thirst c. In a reprobate sense to be in such a mind that Conscience approves things that
heed of some special sins that above others do most defile the Conscience though indeed all sins defile the Conscience but some sins are of a more bewitching and a more defiling nature then others as First Secret sins will provoke God to give thee up to the judgment of a defiled Conscience as he did Judas because he was a Devil Secondly Idolatry Take heed of hankering after that abomination either to worship an Idol a false god or the true God in a false manner and it is this last that you are most in danger of therefore let it not be said of any of you you know not what you worship but be able to say we know what we worship and how we worship God in spirit and truth and do not set up mans post by Gods post away with all traditious and inventions of men in the worship of God If you would keep Gods presence observe his order let all be done according to the pattern to the Law and to the Testament c. Else God may in just judgment send us strong delusions to believe lies which I fear is like to befall many of this nation who have not received the truth in ths love of it Thirdly Take heed of drunkenness and Whoredome Hos 14.12 Whoredome and Wine and new Wine Prov 2.19 take away thy heart none that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of Life c. Flee fornication and be not drunk with Wine there is a woe to the drunkards c. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge These sins besot men c. Lastly Be much in a secret judging of your selves and in a private examination Hag. 1.7 the Lord saith consider your ways and set your hearts upon them and turn in upon your actions and overlook them again bring them to the Light prove your selves and judge your selves and do it often there is a daily judicatory to be erected a cultus conscientiae which a man should be busied about every day Matt. 25.7 Then all those Virgins arose and trimmed their lamps the wise as well as the foolish c. Ego de terrenis negotiis simpliciter accipio Calv. Whilest men are in this World there is a daily defilement that will cleave unto them a squallor there will be something out of order that there must be a daily and a continual triming the wise as well as the foolish Virgins must be found in it and truely if a man neglects it but a while and keeps not a constant course in it a man shall find a strange averseness in his spirit thereunto all his life after for the way to sin's defilement is mainly by insensibleness a man is hardened by the deceitfulness of sin and walks with God at a venture and truely if Satan brings a man to that once he hath prevailed very farr and will exceedingly defile the man We have spoken of keeping a good Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards God let us now come to consider also what it is for a man to keep a good Conscience towards man for both these must go together he must keep a good Conscience in all things as was hinted formerly and be holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a dead fly spoils the whole Box of Oyntment and a good Conscience is like to the eye it hates motes and they disquiet it as well as beams It 's an errour in the common sort of men to think all Religion lyes in their just and upright carriage towards men as the Pharisees did and to such I say doth your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the cribes and Pharisees if not you shall never enter into the Kingdom of God c. Indeed there is a civil honesty a sweet and an ingenious carriage towards men that is very lovely and these are commonly called the worlds Saints and indeed they have nothing amongst them appears so pleasing Mar. 10.21 Christ loved the young man and yet peculiar Grace he had none for he was under the reigning power of covetousness and therefore there was something in him that was more general for which Christ loved him he had restraining grace and a sweet outward carriage that even the spirit of God had wrought in him habent filii concubinarum sua munera c. and yet Christ said to him for all these accomplishments one thing thou lackest c. and if thou walk never so uprightly before men that thou be esteemed the worlds Saint and thou couldest bring a testimony of thy good behaviour from all the ingenious men of thy age yet without an inward work of grace and regeneration and a heart inlivened by a spirit of faith so that all these works flow from union with Christ and from a principle of love wrought in thee to God truly all that thou dost is abominable to God in non renatis non solum peccata sed bona opera sunt mortalia for fides est caput bonorum operum and if that be wanting all of it is but nature improved and new dressed and so can never please God semen naturae non consurgit in fructum gratiae for a mans duties do proceed from the same principles that his sins do and there must be a renewing in the spirit of his mind before God accepts any service of him And there are some men do turn to the other extream and they say that all obedience is mainly towards God and therefore they are much in prayer and hearing and run from Ordinance to Ordinance and they do speak much also of keeping a good Conscience before God but yet they are negligent and loose in their carriages towards men they are as censorious and unjust and deceitfull busie-bodies in other mens matters proud boasters false accusers whisperers c. Yet these men would pass for Saints and think themselves in the highest form of professors Now this is a sure rule a pure Conscience though he cannot keep all the commandments of God yet he has a respect unto them all as Psal 119.6 with a care to walk answerable unto them and there is none that he doth wholly neglect as the word in the Hebrew signifies that man therefore whose profession for God is never so high and talkes never so much of having a good heart to Gods word and would be accounted in his religious duties even Angelical he prays much hears much fasts much c. Yet if he practise it not in his particular place in his relations in his shop in his dealings with a man I shall strongly suspect that man of hallowness and hypocrisie how ever he may tip his Tongue like a Saint yet he may boldly be reckoned amongst the sinners and such are spots in our feasts c. Now To stir you up to this Duty of keeping a good Conscience towards men let me exhort you to observe these particulars First Take special care of the souls that are committed to your
seat and will exalt the humble and lowly Sixthly Keep a good Conscience towards enemies Job 3.129 30. it was a brave temper in Job If I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me or lift up my self when evil found him c. and our Saviour bids us Mat. 5.44 pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you c. forgive them and be willing to do them good if thine enemy hunger feed him for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good if they be thy enemies without a cause or for telling them the truth they are more their own enemies then thine therefore pity them The accidental part or less principal part of the torments of Hell we have hear under the Metaphor of the never dying Worm And now I come unto the principal part and that which is essential to it and that is the fire that never can be quenched and here I must mind you of what Christ sayes Joh. 3.12 I have spoken to you Earthly things and you believe not Spiritual things under Earthly resemblances for our weak eyes need to have the species condensed by such spectacles as these are spiritualia capere non possumus nisi adumbrata c. How shall you believe if I tell you of Heavenly especially when the joys of Heaven and the pains of Hell are laid down in any measure before you this latter I am now to speak to the fire which cannot be quenched it 's a thing disputed amongst Divines and the fathers of old have differ'd in it and the Schoolmen after them whether the fire by which the damned in Hell shall be tormented be not Material and Corporeal fire but Metaphorical only some of them say that it is Corporeal and of the same nature with that fire we have here because it must torment the bodies of men and others say that it cannot be Corporeal for then it cannot work upon Spirits as the Devils and the Souls of men are and hence Durandus and others have found out a way that by the power of God he can elevate Corporeal agents in their operations so that they shall work upon Spiritual subâ—â—ances and as the Soul is affected here by its union with the body so it shall be hereafter c. But these things seem not at all to agree with the word of God nor the manner of the speaking of the Spirit of God therein who hath wholly expressed Heaven and Hell to us by Metaphors because in its proper Speech and if the Lord should speak of things as they are we could not understand them it 's questioned by some Divines by what names the estate and condition of the damned was expressed in the Old Testament and it is wholly resolved into certain Metaphors taken from some exemplary acts of vengeance upon sinners the first remarkable judgment that came upon the world was the Deluge now we read in Gen. 6. Of Giants that were in the Earth men of renown whose wickedness was so great upon the Earth that the Lord repented that he had made man and takes up a resolution in judgment to destroy them that he had created from the Earth and these being the first that did eminently and remarkably perish therefore Pro. 21.16 't is said The man that wanders out of the way of understarding shall remain in the Congregation of the dead the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place receives its name from those wicked men who were in the eyes of all men remarkably the first inhabitants and this is conceived to be the first title that in Scripture is any where given to the place of the damned the next judgment was the destruction of Sodom God condemning them with an overthrow and turning it into a dead Sea a fiery and Sulphurious Lake where every thing dyes nor can any thing live in it and a smoak that continually ascends up and by that also in Scripture Hell is expressed the Lake that burns with fire and Brimstone for ever and it is Jude 7. suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire There is another expression of it that is very famous there was near Jerusalem a place that was called Tophet as Schal conceives from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tympano because of the several Musical Instruments that were used there when the Jews did sacrifice their children unto Molech and burnt them caused them to pass through the fire unto the Devil and to testifie that they did it from the heart though they were never so dear yet they must rejoyce in it and dance at the sacrifice it was the Valley of the sons of Himon this place was thus polluted by sin and with the blood of men poor inocent ones And this place of Idolatry Josiah did pollute and commanded all the dead bodies and all the unclean things of the City to be cast therein and for the consuming of those a continual fire was kept there and God did execute special vengeance in this place because in it the Lord destroyed 185000. of the Assyrian Camp and there the Jews were slain themselves when the Babylonish Army took the City and hence Isa 30. and last verse For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he has made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it this place that was so famous for judgment and vengeance is used to express the torments of Hell the place of the damned it is called Tophet and hence also I conceive the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath its name from Himon for the greatness of the misery it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grave and destruction Pro. 15.11 There is nothing done in Hell and in the bottomless pit but it is open to the Lord he knows and orders all in it and therefore is the Devil called Abadon the destroyer for the terror and unquietness thereof it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.4 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to trouble vex and disquiet a man and it s called for the uncomfortableness and continual fear of it darkness by which all misery is expressed in the Scripture and to set forth the perfection of it it is called utter darkness Mat. 8.12 but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness c. That is extra Ecclesiam regnum Christi for the Kingdom of God is an inheritance in light Col. 1.12 so all the miseries of men without Christ are called darkness and a darkness that is without even there where all the wicked of the world shall be so Cartwright and some think that it is Comparativum Superlativi loco and it signifies maximas profundismas and so Pareus c. And for the eternity of it its called the deep Luke 8.31 and Rev.
offering for sin there is a sacrifice and there is a fire that must consume it Christ was the sacrifice and the wrath of God was the fire to consume him and these are the extremities of the sufferings of Christ now in all this Christ dyed as our surety and paid our debt Lâ—k 23.3 and if this fire did burn so fiercely in him that was the Green Tree that was not so fit Fuel to burn because there was no sin in him what will it do in us that are dry Trees now if the main of Christs sufferings were from the wrath of God immediately we may safely conclude that the sufferings due to us and which the wicked shall undergo in Hell for the substance of them shall be the same from the wrath of God immediately upon the Soul though there be no Creature in Heaven or Earth to set it on this wrath that did seize so siercely upon the green Tree will surely consume the dry And it must needs be so Reasons that the wrath of God upon wicked men in Hell shall be their great and immediate torment for none can do it but God alone and that if we consider the offence to be punished or else the subject of this punishment First if we consider the offence that deserves it it is sin which is committed chiefly against God and the punishment of it must be a recompence The Wages of sin is death 2 Thes 1. 't is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to every sinner c. Now who is able to take an estimate of the evil that is in sin and the wrong that it has done unto God there are two things in sin damnum injuria a wrong in point of goods and in point of honour sin has destroyed all the Creatures who is able to value the loss of a whole world but only he that made it and the loss of a Soul but he that purchased it and who is able to judge of the glory of God and the infinite wrong that is done him by sin no Creature in Heaven or in Earth can and therefore if all the powers of the Creatures were put into one to torment a man but for one sin they were never able to give unto him the wages and the recompence of one sin proportionable unto the wrong that God has susteined thereby either in point of goods or honour for there is more evil in one sin then there is or can be good in any of the Creatures therefore God must put his own Power the power of his wrath unto the work if he will have the wages of any one sin payd Judges here do condemn men themselves and pass the sentence upon them but they leave it unto others to execute them because they can do it as effectually as themselves but it is not so here if God will have a sinner pay the utmost farthing he must exact it of him himself for sin is out of measure sinful it passeth the thoughts of Men and Angels to conceive and therefore the punishment is greater then they can inflict it is God alone can do it Secondly If we respect the subject upon which this punishment is to light That is chiefly to be punished that has the chief hand in the sin Now Sin is mainly the sin of the Soul Mic 6.7 Rom 6.16 Though the creature might punish the body yet the mâ—â—â— torment is to be laid on the Soul but the Soul is capable of more to recent then all the creatures in Heaven and Earth can inflict God only is the Father of Spirits and the correction and discipline of Spirits do belong to him alone we commonly say that the Devils in Hell shall be the tormenters of souls there as if there work there were only to torment men for ever whereas they shall be chiefly tormented themselves for there is a Lake of fire and brimstone prepared for the Devil and his Angels and yet you say he can torment the soul being a spirit but alass the torment must be destruction 1 Thes 1.9 from the presence of the Lord c. Now all the devils in Hell could never inflict any thing that should distroy the soul or take away all good from the soul and fill it full of misery they can never satisfy the capacity of the Soul in good nor in evil the Soul is a vessel of wrath and will hold more then all the creatures can put into it and will live it 't is only under the wrath of God that the Soul dyes and therefore they that can kill the Body they are not able to kill the Soul God only can create Mat. 10.28 therefore God only can annihilate therefore God only can inflict a punishment worse then annihilation Mat. 26.24 It had been good for that man he had not been born that thus comes under the punishment of God this is a dreadful confideration Secondly It is an act fit for none but God for it is First An act of justice 2 Thes 1.5 In the day of Revelation of the righteous judgement of God when God will manifest his justice to the utmost Now Who is able to shew forth the justice of God in the extent and glory of it but himself When God will manifest an attribute to the World he doth it by himself immediately if he would shew his Power he will make a World if he would shew his Holyness he gives his Son and if his Glory he makes Heaven and if his Justice he makes Hell Now As nothing can do the former but Gods immediate hand so nothing can do the latter also for to manifest an attribute is an act and glory of God for as none can shew forth his mercy so none can shew forth and declare his Justice but himself Secondly It is an act of wrath Rom. 3.5 Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath Now no creature is able to shew forth the wrath of the great God here there is a little wrath manifested in them his wrath is kindled but a little Psal 2. last c. And he corrects in measure but when the Lord shall cause his whole wrath to arise and punish man out of measure that no creature is capable of doing no creature can pour out all the grace of God neither and therefore God made choice of Christ who was God and man to lay up all his treasures of grace and mercy in answerable to those infinite thoughts of mercy and grace that were in himself 1 John 5.11 And this life is in his Son and so no creature can shew forth all Gods wrath he must do it by himself Thirdly It must be an act of vengeance which is the royalty of God that he claims to himself and he will not give unto any other Heb. 10.30 For we know him that has said vengeance belongs unto me I will recompence saith the Lord and
therefore he will suffer his whole displeasure to arise Now if it be so fearful a thing when the Lord lets out but a little of his wrath if his wrath be kindled but a little How much more when he doth stir up all his wrath and deals with men by fury poured out Fourthly The subject upon which this wrath shall light shall be the Souls of men but especially a mans Conscience which is the tenderest part even the eye of the Soul and the Soul of man is capable of wrath beyond what all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth can inflict there is not enough in this world to fill the sences of man Eccle. 1.8 the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing for there is nothing beneath God will satisfie it Ps 17. last but as in Heaven the Soul shall be satisfied and fill'd with his love so in Hell it shall be satisfied and fill'd with his wrath and it 's this filling the Soul with misery that is properly the death of the Soul and therefore Christ saith that the Creatures can but kill the body and there is no more that they can do they cannot kill the Soul because they cannot fill it neither with good things nor with evil as there is nothing but the glory of God can make a man perfectly and fully happy so there is nothing but the wrath of God that can make a man fully and perfectly miserable Fifthly Rom. 2.5 It is wrath by long patience treasured up the patience and goodness of God should lead to repentance which a man despising treasures up wrath against the day of wrath c. The Lord doth bear long and because sentence against evil workers is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of men are fully set in them to do evil and therefore they mock at the coming of the Lord to take vengeance 2 Pet. 3 3. where is the promise of his coming he is pressed under their abominations as a Cartfull of sheaves and yet he bears still and lets men despise his goodness fill up their measure and out-stand the day of his patience which has its Period and then caesa patientia fit furor if once he doth whet his glittering Sword and his hand take hold of judgement a fire is kindled in his anger that will burn for ever and the more his patience and goodness has been despised the greater treasure of wrath is laid up and the more will be brought forth at the day of payment for it must be a just recompence of reward Sixthly This wrath doth come upon men very suddenly and unavoidably 't is sudden destruction swift damnation 2 Pet. 2.1 though a man may have gone on and prospered in a way of sinning long but yet a hand of vengeance will overtake them as the swelling in a great wall that comes suddenly down wrath has hung over a man a long time the decree has travelled with judgement long but it comes suddenly as the travel of a woman God feeds them as sheep in a large Pasture and then brings them forth to the slaughter Rev. 14.18 19. there is a fatting time and there is a killing time there is a ripening time and a reaptime gather the Grapes and trample the Wine-press for her Grapes are fully ripe thrust in the Sicle c. and the Angel thrust in his Sicle and cast it into the great Wine-press of the wrath of God and that comes upon men suddenly when they expect it not and they are ensnared and taken and it will come unavoidably there is no way to escape it when the day of vengeance is come though men have scaped it before but now all the power of the Creaturts cannot relieve a man Neh. 1.10 But though they be solded as thorns yet they shall be devoured as stubble that cannot resist the fire as the dust to the Beesom Isa 14.24 so will the Lord sweep them to destruction in his wrath Psal 80.10 They perish at the rebuke of thy Countenance look when God will cast a man into destruction that man will become a humble petitioner to the Mountains to fall upon him and hide him from the wrath of him that is upon the Throne and from the Lamb. Lastly It shall be pure wrath judgment without mercy Joh. 2.13 Rev. 14.10 They shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God without mixture for there shall be utter darkness that is purae tenehrae and it shall be inflicted upon them with delight the Lord saith I will ease me of my adversaries and he will laugh at your calamity smiling wrath is dreadfull and his spirit shall be quieted thereby Zach. 6.8 a judge here though he condemn the malefactour yet he pities the man but the Lord will laugh at him they that are children of wrath are a sacrifice of a sweet savour to God But you will say What should we do to escape it 1 Thes 1.10 There is no way but Christ to diliver us from the wrath to come and there is no way but by being one with him and that is First By being cut off from the old root Rom 11.24 Rom. 7.4 divorced from the old Husband by a work of conviction showing a man that he is under the curse and Hell is his proper place and by a work of humiliation for all the pleasures of sin which are now damp'd and a man is now under the apprehension of the displeasure of God and of self-loathing for it Rom. 7.9 Sin revived and I dyed sath the Apostle Secondly Upon this there is a discovery made of Christ unto the soul that there is redemption in him to be had that we perish not and that he is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto him And all this is but the fruits of the ancient agreement between Christ and the Father God was in Christ reconciling the World God did love to have is so and this is seeing the Son Joh. 6.36 Joh. 12 4â— The drawing of the Father John 1.44 No man can come to me except the Father draw him c. Thirdly The soul has an instinct after union has received a touch of the spirit of God Elijahs mantle has fallen upon him so that nothing will satisfie him but union with Christ Phil. 3. he looks at that in all ordinances in which he is conversant to win Christ is his only aim and he will not be bribed with any other thing as a false spirit will be if he have gifts and some raisedness in parts and qualifications and a name to live among men he is satisfied and Conscience is very quiet but a soul that has received this magnetick touch from the spirit is put off with nothing besides Christ it moves to him as naturally as the stone unto its center Fourthly He accepts of Christ upon his own terms gives up it self to him Receives Christ with all his promises and all
heart can wish waters of a full cup are wrung out unto them Now they count this their happiness and the other the misery of the saints of God whereas 1 Cor. 11.31 When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that me might not be condemned with the World God doth it to deliver their souls from going down into the pit Now That 's a happy man whom the Lord will not suffer to perish And they know that there is a fatting time and a killing time and that the Lord will bring other men forth as sheep to the slaughter And that they are men not appointed unto wrath and in that they rejoyce whereas there is wrath reserved for them to eternity who are the men who have had their good things in this Life and have fared deliciously every day Thirdly Men fear it not and it doth not in the consideration of it imbitter either the pleasures or the proffits of sin or the comforts of the creatures unto them which as soon as ever these serious thoughts do feise upon other men that have another spirit it will quickly do and therefore men do put far from them the evil day and when the greatest judgments of God are threatned they say he prophesieth of things long to come it is of dooms-day that the Prophet speaks the wrath of a King Solomon says is as a messenger of death but so is not the wrath of the great God who is a consuming fire There is a story of a certain Christian King of Hungary Who was exceeding sad and pensive and had a Brother a wild-Courtier who comes in merrily and asked him why he was so melancholly he answered him that he had been a great sinner before the Lord and he knew not how to appear before him when he should come to judgment but the young Gallant made light of it and that night his Brother the King sent an executioner to sound a Trumpet at his door which was the the manner in those Countries to do to men that were to be led forth to execution at this the young man that was so resolute and regardless of the wrath of God yet he hastned into his brothers presence with a great deal of fear and amazement of spirit to know wherein he had offended that he was summoned by the executioner to whom his Brother answered if to me that am your Brother and one whom your Conscience tells you you have not wronged How much should I be afflicted that am to come before a God And one who am in my own soul so many ways accused and condemned But as in all temporal judgments that are threatned Gen. 19. â—4 men seem to the wicked as they that mock so it is in eternal also Now If the Lord will please to come in and perswade your hearts to believe it take these arguments and consider them seriously First From the preparations of God which he makes for all sinners Isa 30. last Tophet is prepared of old that is from the foundation of the World as Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ yesterday that is backward unto the beginning of the World so it is here and it is for the King the greatest person though never so much exempted from the common lot in the World yet they shall not escape this judgment and so Deut. 32.24 Is not this laid up by me and sealed among my treasures truely the Lord doth not lay up treasures in this manner but their will come a time of expence c. Secondly The Lord has told us in his Word that there are some that are vessels of wrath Judâ— 4. and persons fore-ordained by God thereunto and the Potter has power over his Clay to the glory of his grace and satisfaction of his justice and men cannot find fault and he has said vengeance is mine and I will repay and to his word he has added his oath as well as his promises that in the one we might have strong consolation and in the other strong conviction Deut. 32.40.41 For I lift up my hand to Heaven and say I live for ever I will render vengeance to my enemies and will reward them that hate me Amos. 8. â— c. I have sworn by the excellency of Jacob surely I will never forget any of their works c. O miseros nos qui nec juranti Deo credimus Tert. That neither believe the word of God nor tremble at the oath of God Thirdly Consider the capacity and the immortality oâ— the soul of man for its capacity it is capable of more happiness or misery then all the creatures in Heaven and Earth can aford they are not able to satisfie the sences much less the soul Now Why has God made so great a vessel Not in vain surely it shall be filled and nothing but God can fill it God in glory can fill it with joy and God in wrath can fill it with sorrow for animam capacem quicquid est minuâ— Deo non implebit It is true of good things it is true of evil also And for the immortality of the soul of man Why hath God made it of such a duration shall this be but time to sleep it out and has the Lord made the soul to live so long in vain the time of this life is but a span to eternity in which either men are made vessels of mercy prepared for glory or vessels of wrath fitted to distruction and the foundation of a mans eternal happiness or misery is laid in this Life Fourthly Consider whether or no thou hast never had any of the first fruits of it God letting in a glimpse of his wrath upon thy Conscience some grudgings of that burning-feaver that thou shalt lye under for ever there are unregenerate men that have a taste of the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. by powers are meant powerful and mighty workings upon the spirits of men by the spirit of God and how mightily these apprehensions do work upon men either of the joys of Heaven or of the torments of Hell men receiving a pledg and an earnest in themselves before hand Heb. 10.27 Receiving a sentence of condemnation in their own souls the wrath of God has a venome in it and it drinks up their spirits and the Lord comes upon them as a Lyon and breaks all their bones that though they Love sin never so dearly yet they can take no delight in it Fifthly It will appear in the Lord Christ Why did he come from Heaven and take the nature of man upon him The great end was not legem docere Luth. miracula facere for this others did as well as he though from him and by his spirit but it was legem vincere abolere Gal. 4.4 He was made under a Covenant of works and that for two things First That he might pay the debt that was due by us to God Secondly That he might cancel the bond Now he was made