LIBRARY
Brigham Young University
DANIEL C. JACKLING LIBRARY
IN THE
FIELD OF RELIGION
;**€«£
O^c CHRIST'S
SUDDEN AND CERTAIN
Uppearance to K[uD0ment.
BY THOMAS VINCENT,
Sometime Minute)* of Maudlin, JMilk-Street, Jjondon.
For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, arid Will
not tarry, Heb. x. 37.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,
A SKETCH
OF
THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.
Wheeling, (Va.)
printed and published by davis & m'carty.
1823.
***1$S**
p *tovo
v tah ^tt*
LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.
The Rev. Thomas Vincent, the subject of the
presentbrief memoir, was born at Hertford, Eng-
land, in the month of May, 1634. He was the son
of a pious minister, the Rev. John Vincent, who
died in the valuable living of Ledyfield in the
bishoprick of Durham, and brother of the just-
ly celebrated Nathaniel Vincent, once Rector of
Langly Marsh, in Buckinghamshire — A man
whose praise is still in all the Churches of the
Living God.
Of his early education, his habits of piety, and
how he was brought to a knowledge of the Truth
as it is in Jesus, we have no particular account
He graduated at Christ' s Church, Oxford, and
as he appears to have entered into the ministry
very early, and was soon distinguished in his ho-
ly vocation, in a very conspicuous manner ; it is
but fair to infer, that from a " child he knew the
Scriptures/' and that the instructions of a pious
father, had produced in him, under the blessing
of God, an abundant fruit of ministerial gifts
and graces. It is indeed said of him, that he had
the whole of the New-Testament as well as the
Psalms by heart ; that he commanded by his emi-
nent usefulness, and pure zeal for the good of
others, the respect and veneration of men of all
parties, though so widely separated in those dis-
tracting times : and that in the midst of the se-
verest trials and persecutions, he was a pattern
IV SAFE OF THE AUTHOR.
of humble submission to the dispensations of his
Divine Master, as well as in his active diligence
in the cause of righteousness and truth.
Sometime previous to the restoration of Charles
II, though the date is not mentioned, he succeed-
ed the Rev. Thomas Case to the sequestered Rec-
tory of St. Mary Magdalen , in Milk-Street, Lon-
don. Here he remained until he was ejected by
the fatal Bartholemew act of the 24th August,
1662. A day which has so often been shrouded
in darkness, and which for the awful singulari-
ty of its disasters, can never be forgotten by the
christian church to the end of time.
On being driven from his beloved employment,
of preaching " Christ crucified/' he united with
his no less pious and learned friend, the Rev.
Thomas Doolittle, in the education of youth.
From this duty he was however soon called by
the awful judgment which visited London in the
year 1665. Then indeed it was, that ''Pesti-
lence walked in darkness, and destruction wast-
ed at noon-day." On every hand were to be
heard the groans of the dying ; the lamentations
and the distress of the survivors. In vain did
thousands look for consolation in their last mo-
ments from those who had ministered to them
the word of life. Dismay and terror had alike
seized the Pastor and his Flock ; and a place of
safety from the plague, was all that either the
one or the other had time, or in general inclina-
tion to seek. In this momentous crisis, calcu-
lated to shake the strongest faith, Mr. Vincent
resolved to commit himself to the protection of
his God, in order to administer spiritual relief to
the wretched and the dying. He gave notice of
his intention to his colleague, who representing
LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. V
to him the danger to which he would be expos-
ed, and the necessity of reserving himself for
more extensive services, strongly urged him to
abandon the idea. Mr. Doolittle's reasons not
being satisfactory to Mr. Vincent, they mutually
agreed to refer the case to their brethren in,
and about the city. Mr. Doolittle first stated to
these brethren his objections at large to the plan
of his affectionate friend — To which Mr. Vin-
cent replied ; that before he had resolved, he had
seriously weighed the whole matter ; that having
examined the state of his own soul, he could
cheerfully look death in the face. lie said that
he thought it absolutely necessary that some
comfort should be administered to such multi-
tudes of his dying fellow beings ; and that as he
could have no prospect in the exercise of his
ministry, equal in usefulness to the one which
now offered, he had committed himself and his
case to God in prayer, solemnly devoting him-
self to his service, and that of immortal souls on
this occasion. He then added, " that he there-
fore hoped that none would endeavour to weaken
his hands in this work." His reasons produced
such conviction on the minds of his brethren,
that with one voice they declared their belief in
his being called of God to this trying duty, and
uniting their prayers for his preservation and
success, they committed him to that God, with-
out whose permission not a hair of his head could
be touched.
Thus encouraged, he at once commenced his
work with correspondent zeal and firmness.
Without fear he rushed into the scenes of con-
tagion, and entered the dwellings of disease and
of death. Throughout the whole sickness he
1*
VI t-If£ OF TtiE AUTHOtt.
regularly preached every Lord's-day in some of
the parish churches. His subjects, suited to the
occasion, solemnized by the awful scenes around
his auditors, and enforced by his own persuasive
and searching address, produced powerful and
lasting effects. Multitudes crowded to hear
him : and it is remarkable that he did not preach
one sermon in whicii there were not some seals
to his ministry. To this good man's faith, as well
as to the prayers of his brethren, God was pleased
to do honour ; for though upwards of sixty-eight
thousand, died in London of the plague that
year, and seven persons in the house in which
Mr. Vincent resided, yet did he continue in
perfect health during the whole season of the
visitation : the Lord thus fulfilling his own pro-
mise to his servant, in Psalms xci. from the 3d to
the 7th verse, and preserving him for future
usefulness to a numerous congregation ; among
whom he laboured until it pleased his Master to
call him to his rest in the year 1678.
TO THE CITIZENS OP LONDON,
You have heard God's terrible voice in the
city, expressing itself in the late dreadful deso-
lating judgments of plague and fire ; the sound
of which hath gone forth, not only unto every
corner of the land, but I believe also by this time
unto the farthest end of the world. Give me
leave to sound another trumpet in your ears, and
to forewarn you of a ten thousand times more
dreadful judgment, I mean the last and general
judgment of the whole world, at the second ap-
pearance of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
most certainly and very quickly be revealed from
Heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance upon
all them which shall be found ungodly on that
day.
Could I certainly have foretold the many thou-
sands that fell by the plague, in the year 1665,
of their so near approaching death, surely they
would have endeavoured to prepare, that the
sting and fear of death might have been re-
moved ; could I have foretold the citizens of Lon-
don, of the many thousand houses which should
fall by the fire in the year 1666, surely they
would have endeavoured to prevent the fire, or
at least have removed all their goods beforehand ;
but these things could not be foreseen, and there-
fore as the judgments were unexpected, so they
took the most unprovided : but I can certainly
foretel you from God, who cannot lie, of the fu-
ture last judgment by the Lord Jesus Christ at
ihe last day, which is the subject of this ensuing
Vill TO THE CITIZENS OF LONDON.
Treatise ; and when ye are not warned hereof
out of the word of truth, and awakening motives
to prepare by dreadful temporal judgments, if
you should neglect to do it, and after all be found
unprovided at the appearance of Christ ; as your
sins shall be the greater and more inexcusable,
so your dread will be the. greater at the sight of
your Judge, whom these very eyes which read
these lines, will behold ere long coming in the
clouds, and your punishment will be more intol-
erable ; but if the Lord incline your hearts to
follow the directions and counsels of his word,
to prepare for this great and notable day, you
will lift up your heads with joy, when the great-
est part of the world shall be filled with terror
and confusion, and when the Lord Jesus doth
appear, you shall also appear with him in glory.
The design of these sheets is to set forlh the glo-
rious appearance of Christ, with the certainty
and suddenness thereof, that sinners might be
awakened to repent, and believers might be
comforted with hopes of it, and all might be in
readiness for the day, which is so sure and near :
which that you may be, and that my endeavours
may be blessed for your help herein, is the prayer
of an earnest well-wisher to your souls.
THOMAS VINCENT.
vMsaafSPB
SUDDEN AND CERTAIN APPEARANCE^
CHAPTER I.
Rev. xxii. 20. Surely I come quickly : Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
THE last words of a dear friend are usually
most remarked, and best remembered, espe-
cially when they speak with great affection.
These are the last words of Jesus Christ, the
best friend that the children of men ever had ;
when he sent his angels from Heaven, after he
had been some years in glory with the Father,
to speak his name unto his Churches upon the
earth, verse 16. i I Jesus have sent mine angel
to testify these things, which he testifieth by his
angel, this is the last and sweetest in the text/
' Surely I come quickly ;' which word of pro-
mise coming down from Heaven, and express-
ing so much love to the Church, is charged with
an echo and re-sound of the Church's earnest
desire, Amen. ' Even so, come Lord Jesus/' &c„
Hence observe,
Doct. 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ, wiH
certainly and quickly appear.
10
Doct. 2. That there is an earnest desire and
longing in the Church after Christ's appearance.
Doct. 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ will
certainly and quickly appear.
Here I shall speak,
1. Concerning Christ's appearance.
2. Show that he will certainly appear.
3. Show that he will quickly appear.
4. And lastly apply it.
1. Concerning Christ's appearance. There
is a two-fold appearance of Christ which the
Scriptures make mention of.
1. In the flesh. — 2, In glory.
CHAPTER IL
The first appearance of Christ was, in the
flesh, about seventeen hundred years ago, in the
land of Judah, unto the people of the Jews, the
only then visible Church upon the earth. There
it was that the word was made flesh ; and amongst
that people he dwelt for a while, some of whom
beheld his glory, ' The glory of the only be-
gotten of the father, full of grace and truth. 9 —
There it was that the eternal Son of God was
made man, being conceived miraculously by the
power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the
virgin Mary, without the contamination of ori-
11
ginal sin, which all ordinary conception- do in-
troduce ; his real mother, and supposed father,
were both of the tribe of Judah, and the lineage
of David. And he was born in the town of
Bethlehem, according to the Scriptures predic-
tion ; who, after he had lived thirty years in ob-
scurity, was baptized by John the Baptist his
forerunner, and harbinger, in whose baptism,
when John saw the heavens opened, and the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, lighting
upon him, and heard the voice of the excellent
glory saying, ' This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased/ he gave his testimony
concerning him, that he was the Son of God,
and the Lamb of God, who taketh away the
sins of the world ; who after his own baptism
and temptation, and John's imprisonment, made
his appearance more openly unto Israel, show-
ing forth his glory, not in outward pomp and
splendour, but in a more high, eminent and
wonderful manner, altogether divine, exceeding
the imitation of an earthly monarch in the world.
He showed forth the glory of his power, in the
miracles which he did work, namely ; in open-
ing the eyes of the blind, and ears of the deaf,
in loosing the tongue of the dumb, and the bonds
of other infirmities, in cleansing the lepers, and
healing other diseases, with a word, in casting
out devils after long possessions, in calming the
sea and wind when boisterous and stormy, in
12
raising up the dead before and after burial, for
some days, and the like.
He showed forth the glory of his knowledge
in looking into the hearts of those which came
unto him, being able to perceive their most se-
cret thoughts and imaginations, and needed not
that any should testify of man, for he knew what
was in man.
He showed forth the glory of his wisdom in
his most wise answers to the ensnaring questions
of the Pharisees and others, in the most excel-
lent and heavenly doctrine which he preached,
wherein he did not teach his disciples subtle
and empty speculations, which the greatest wits
in the world have busied themselves about, but
great soul-saving truths : indeed he revealed so
great and deep mysteries above the reach of the
highest wit of the greatest scholar, without the
teaching of his spiritwhich were momentous and
needful in order unto practice, but the greatest
part of his doctrine was plain and easy.
He showed forth the glory of his holiness in
his exact walking, and perfect obedience unto
the law of God, without the least deviation of sin.
He showed forth the glory of his goodness
and tenderness towards the children of men, in
going about to do them good, and give succour
to them which were in misery, casting out none
which came unto him.
Especially he showed forth the glory of his
13
mercy, and infinite love to his own people, in
submitting* to so low a condition as he lived in
for their sakes ; in humbling himself, and becom-
ing obedient unto death, even the cursed, dis-
graceful, painful death of the cross, besides the
soul miseries which he endured through a sense
of God's wrath due for their sins, that he might
satisfy God's justice, and deliver them from eter-
nal death and wrath to come, and purchase life
and glory from him.
Thus Christ lived, and thus Christ died for
our sins, according to the Scriptures ; and being
dead the bonds of death could not hold him,
neither did the holy one see corruption, but the
third day rose again from the dead, according
to the scriptures, and after his resurrection was
seen of Mary Magdalene, of Peter, of James,
all the apostles, of five hundred brethren at
once, according to the Scriptures ; after forty-
days was taken up into heaven, and is there in
hi£ human nature, at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty in the heavens, making inter-
cession for his people, where he will abide
until the second appearance. Thus concerning
Christ's appearance in the flesh.
t
14
CHAPTER III.
The second appearance of Christ will be in
glory, at the last day, when the world shall come
to an end ; this is the appearance we are treat-
ing of, and therefore I will speak of it more large-
ly, and show,
1. The manner of this appearance.
2. The end and transactions of this appearance.
1. Concerning the nature of Christ's second
appearance, What tongue of man or angel is
able to set forth, what heart can conceive the
splendour thereof ? Something the Scripture
doth reveal, and taking the Scripture for my
guide, I shall essay to speak something of it. —
See Luke xxi. 27. 'Then shall they see the
Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and
great glory/
1. Christ at his second appearance will come
with power, with great power ; he hath all pow-
er put into his hands, in heaven and on earth
now, and doth exercise it more secretly ; then
he will exercise it more visibly and apparently
in the sight of the whole world ; to give instance.
He will come with power over death. Death
hath had great power since the fall, and is the
greatest conqueror in the world ; death hath
made universal conquest over all the sons and
daughters of Adam, Enoch and Elias only ex-
15
cepted, which lived in former generations, and
have led them captive, binding their faces in se-
cret, chaining their hands and their feet, and
clapping them up close prisoners in the grave,
and none have been able to make resistance ; yea
death did assail the Lord of life himself, and got
the victory for a while, and shut him up in pri-
son, but he got loose before three days were at
an end, broke open the doors, and gave death a
deep wound, as it were an abolishing stroke it}
his resurrection, 1 Tim. i. 10. Pursuing the
complete victory which afterwards he would ob-
tain over this enemy of mankind. Now when
Christ makes his second appearance in the world
at the last day, he will exercise his power over
death, he will lead captivity captive, he will lay
first his hands on death, and tread this conquer-
or under his feet, and strip him of all his force,
and spoil which he hath been treasuring up for
so many years, he will snatch the keys of the
grave out of the hands of death, and open the
prison doors, and let forth all his captives, he
will loosen all the bonds of death, and knock
off his chains, and bring out all his prisoners in-
to freedom and enlargement, as it is said, Hos.
xiii. 14, ' I will ransom them from the power
of the grave : I will redeem them from death.
O death ! I will be thy plague : O grave ! I will
be thy destruction. ' And it is said, 1 Cor. xv.
25,26, ' That all enemies, shall be put under
16
the feet of Jesus Christ, and the last enemy
which he shall destroy, is death/ And verse 24,
'When this mortal shall put on immortality,
then death shall be swallowed up in victory/
And surely Christ must needs come with great
power to get victory over such a potent enemy.
He will come with power over men and de-
vils. He will have power over all his enemies,
which have rebelled against him ; over all the
principalities and powers on the earth, that ex-
ercise lordship and dominion in the world ; he
will bring the kings of the earth down from their
seats, and pluck off the robes of princes, he will
take the staff and the sword out of their hand,
and divest them of all their royalty and great-
ness, and they who have employed their bor-
rowed power against him, how will they quake
and tremble before him ! See Rev. xi. 15, 16,
17, 18- When the seventh angel sounded, there
were great voices in heaven, saying, 'The
kingdoms of the world are become the kingdom
of our Lord, and of his Christ ; and he shall
reign for ever and ever.' And the four and
twenty elders fell on their faces, saying, ' We
give thee thanks, O Eord God Almighty, which
art, and wast, and art to come, because thou
hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast
reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy
wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that
they should be judged, and that thou shouldst
17
give rewards unto thy servants the prophets^
and to thy saints, and them that fear thy name,
small and great, and shouldst destroy them,
which destroy the earth/
The kings of the earth, and great potentates,
will be angry when they will be dethroned ; and
the wicked of the earth will be troubled, when
the Lord Jesus shall come down from heaven to
call them to judgment: if all the powers of wick-
ed men and devils too, who are greater in power
than men, could they, would make head, and
resist the Lord Jesus Christ, and pull him from
his throne, and put him to death, as the Jews at
his first appearance ; if they had but any hopes
of making their party good against him, how
would they call their forces, and gather their
armies, and wage war with this great king, es-
pecially when all the wicked shall be raised up,
and the ancient rebels, the giants of the old
world, shall come forth of their dust, and the
prison of hell, where some of them have been
tormented by him many years! O how would
they combine their strength, and so many mil-
lions of them together, rush upon him with rage
and violence, and endeavour to avenge them-
selves upon him, at least defend themselves
against him, when he comes to torment them ;
but Christ will come with so great power, that
he will be able to deal with the whole world of
wicked men together, when they are raised and
2*
18
united in one body, and have obtained more
strength of body, and are filled with more rage
and spite of mind than here they had, and are
out of all hopes of making peace with him, and
have the whole stock of all the devils in hell to
join in their company : I say, Christ will come
with sufficiency of strength to bind them all in
chains, and so to hold them all down, that they
shall not be able to make the least resistance ;
he that hath power to raise the wicked from the
dead, will have power to keep all his enemies
from rebellion. He will come with power.
2. Christ will come at his second appearance
with great glory ; at his first appearance he came
like a servant, yea, like a servant of servants ;
at his second appearance, he will come like a
Lord. Yea, like a Lord of Lords, like the great
Lord of glory ; at his first appearance he was
cloathed with great dishonour, and a chain of
contempt was put about him ; but at his second
appearance he will be cloathed with glory and
honour, and most excellent majesty will be put
upon him ; at his first appearance his deity was
veiled, his beauty was masked with infirm flesh,
his brightness was under a cloud, though some-
times some beams did break forth with such a
dazzling lustre, as made Peter to fall at his feet,
saying, 4 Depart from me, for I am a sinful man,
O Lord/ Luke v. 8. And others in the ship to
worship him, acknowledging, of a truth * thou
19
art the son of God/ Mat. xiv..33. And often
filled his disciples with fear and astonishment ;
but he was so disguised in flesh, that few knew
him at all, none knew much of him, when he
was so disrobed, and so meanly attired and at-
tended. It is said, the princes of the world knew
him not, else surely they would have lain down
their sceptres at his feet, had they known him,
they would not have dared so disgracefully to
have crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. ii. 8.
But at the second appearance the veil will be
so drawn aside, that the deity of Christ will
shine forth with amazing* splendour to the view
of the whole world ; his human nature will be
glorious beyond any creature ; but ! how glo-
rious will his divine nature be, when the eyes
of the whole world shall be opened to see God
in such a way as now we are not able to con-
ceive ? He will appear in the brightness of his
Father's glory, so that they which see him,
will see the Father, the majesty, authority, do-
minion, power, holiness, justice, and the love of
the Father Will be like so many sparkling gems
to deck the crown of Christ at his appearance ;
but who can conceive the royalty and surpass-
ing excellency of Jesus Christ, when he comes
down out of his Father's palace into the world?
He will come in great glory, God will come
down in him, and with him ; the throne of God
will be removed, the palace will be below, the
20
heaven will be upon the earth, where Christ is,
there is heaven, there is God in his greatest glo-
ry to be seen ; he will come in glory, never was
there such glory seen upon the face of the earth ;
never did the eye of man behold such a sight,
as then it will behold : we read of great and
pompous shows which some princes have made
in their triumphs, but never was there such
pomp in the world, as will be at this appearance
of Jesus Christ, when he cometh with the spoils
of principalities and powers, making a show of
them openly, and decked with such excellent
glory. A little further to set this forth.
1. ' He will come attended with a glorious
retinue of angels ;' we read, Mat. xvii. 53, of
more than of twelve legions of angels, and Dan.
vii. 10, of thousand thousands, yea, ten thou-
sand times ten thousands, which minister about
the throne of God : yea, further, Rev. vii. of a
number of ten thousand times ten thousands of
thousands of angels. All these angels will at-
tend upon Jesus Christ at his second appear-
ance : it is said, Mat. xxv. 31, ' That all the ho-
ly angels come with him/ Now the angels are
dispersed in several places ; some of them are
upright on the earth ministering unto the saints,
which shall be heirs of salvation, Heb. i. 14.
Others are in heaven beholding the face of the
Father, ready to execute his will ; some are as-
cending, some descending, but when .they will
21
•
be all gathered together into one company, and
like so many courtiers, upon this great King in
this his glorious appearance to the world, all
will descend with Christ ; heaven will be emp-
tied of angels, they will all come forth., and come
down from their old habitation : and O ! how
glorious will the train be ! He will come with
all the holy angels, angels that are holy and
glorious ; not like those rotten courtiers, which
attend upon these earthly kings, who have no
other glory upon them, but what lies in their rich
and splendid apparel ; the bodies of some of
which, if they were uncased, would appear to
be full of loathsome diseases ; but whose souls
are monstrously ugly and deformed, full of loathe
some and noisome lusts, besmeared with dung
and filthinesSj who, could their insides be turn-
ed outward, and the deformity of their sin be
seen with bodily eyes, would appear to be hi-
deously black and swarthy, and more misshapen
than those that are born with the greatest blem-
ishes of nature, who carry hell in their bosoms,
and like so many bears and ugly hounds, are
led about by the devil in chains ; such follow ma-
ny kings on earth, when they appear abroad
with hearts full of lust, with eyes full of adul-
tery, with mouths full of oaths, and filthy ri-
baldry ; who are like so many spots in the faces
of their princes, like a cloud about their brow,
which darkeneth their glory in the eyes of the
22
serious and sober-minded ;but Christ will come
attended with millions of holy angels, arrayed
in such pure and white garments, as will not
have the least spot or tincture of sin upon them ;
he will come with his holy angels, who will be
like so many flames of fire, full of sweet burn
ing love, covered with such light and glorious
excellency as will not darken, but illustrate the
glory of the Lord and prince they attend upon.
2. ' Christ will come with a glorious bright-
ness and great noise ; such a light will shine in
him, and about him, as will a thousand fold
surpass the light of the sun, when it shinetb in
its full strength.' We read, Mat. xii. 43, that
the righteous shall shine like the sun in the king-
dom of their Father ; how then will the Son
of righteousness shine, from whom they will
receive all their brightness by reflection, as
the moon and some other stars do from the
sun in the firmament. It is said, Mat. xxvi. 29,
30, that at the coming of Christ, 'The sun
will be darkened, and the moon shall not give
her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall;'
and Rev. vi. 12, 1 3, 14, ' That the sun shall be
black as sackcloth of hair, the moon shall be
like blood, and the stars of the heavens shall
fall to the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth
her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a
mighty wind, and the heavens shall depart away
as a scroll when it is rolled together, and
every island and mountain shall be removed out
of their places/ At the coming of Christ, there
shall be such brightness as will darken the
sun and other luminaries in the heavens, even
as the sun doth darken the lesser stars, who
though shining all night with a twinkling light,
and like so many candles in the firmament, yet
upon the sun first lifting up its head in the morn-
ing, and casting about its beams, they present-
ly sink in their sockets, and disappear ; so the
sun itself, and other luminaries of heaven will
disappear, when this more glorious Son doth
arise in the morning of the last day, they will
then lose their light, and what further need of
them. In heaven it will be all day, Rev. xx. 23,
' In the city of the new Jerusalem, there will be
no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine
in it, for the glory of God will enlighten it, and
the Lamb will be the light of it/ and Chap,
xxii. 5, ' There shall be no light there, and they
shall need no candle nor the light of the sun,
but the Lord God giveth them light, and they
shall reign for ever and ever/ In hell it will be
all night and no day, there will be blackness and
darkness for ever, and not the least beam of light
shall shine into that place ; and if the sun and
other stars, be given for the measure and dis-
tinction of time and seasons, when the last day
is come, time will be no longer, and all must
launch forth from the confines of time, into
24
the vast ocean of eternity, which cannot be
bounded, nor measured. It is said, Rev. xx. 11,
c When the great white throne shall be set, and
Christ placed thereon, that the heavens and the
earth shall flee away from before his face, and
no more place be found for them/ 2 Peter 10,
c When the day of the Lord cometh, that the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the
earth with all its work shall be burnt up/
Christ will come with a glorious light, and a
roaring dreadful noise, which will further set
forth the glory of his appearance; see this expres-
sed, 1 Thess. iv. 16, 'The Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of archangels, and with the trump of God.'
And Mat. xxiv. 31, 'He shall send forth his
angels with a great sound of a trumpet, who
shall gather his elect from the four winds/
Never was there such a noise heard in the
world, as will be then heard ; when Christ shall
appear, the heavens will roar, the earth will be
in flames of fire; there will be a great shout,
and the sound of the last trump in the air; this
shout will be given by Jesus Christ himself,
as is likely, for it is said, John v. 28, 29, c The
houris coming, in the which all that are in their
graves shall hear his voice, and shall come
forth/
25
We read, John xi. 13, when Christ came t6
rai^e Lazarus, that he cried with a loud voice,
c Lazarus come forth f surely when he comes to
raise the world, he will cry and shout with a
much louder voice ; such a voice likely will come
down from him in a roaring shout. ■ Awake ye
dead, and come to judgment, or, arise ye chil-
dren of men, and come forth out of your graves/
Never was there such a shout given, as then
will be given, which shall be accompanied with
the sound of the last trumpet, the angels shall
sound the trumpet. We read, Exod. xix. 16,
When the Lord gave the law from mount Sinai,
that there were thunderings and lightnings, and
the voice of a trumpet, exceeding loud, which
made the people which were in the camp to
tremble. O what thunderings will there be in
th r ; air at Christ's second appearance ! And how
exceeding loud will the sound of this last trum-
pet be, when Christ comes to judge them which
have broken his law ! That trumpet was only
heard by the nation of the Jews, which were to-
gether about the mount ; this trumpet will be
heard by all nations throughout the world ; that
trumpet was heard only by those that were alive
at that time ; this trumpet will be heard not on-
ly by them that shall remain alive upon the
earth at the last day, but also by those which
died throughout all generations, from the be-
ginning of the creation. Such a noise there will
3
26
be, as will awaken all that shall be asleep in
their graves. Such a noise as will mate all the
corners of the earth to ring, and the pillars of
the world to tremble ; but O! how will it startle
the wicked when they hear it, and fill them with
terror and amazement ! Thus you have some-
thing in the manner of Christ's second appear-*
ance set forth unto you, ' He shall come with
power and great glory. 7
CHAPTER IV.
The second thing is to speak of the end of
Christ's second appearance, and the transactions
of that day. The end of Christ's second appear-
ance will be to judge the world ; the end of his
first coming was not to judge but to redeem and
save as he tells his disciples, when they desired
him to execute some judgment from heaven up-
on those Samaritans, which would not receive
him, Luke ix. 55, 56. ' Ye know not what spirit
ye are of, the Son of man came not to destroy
men's lives, but to save them/ John vii. 47. € If
any man hear my words and believe not, I
judge him not, for I came not to judge, but to
save/ But when Christ will appear the second
time, he will come to judge the world. Jude, 14.
c Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of
27
his saints to execute judgment upon all/ &c.
Mat. xxv. 31, 32. '.When the Son of man shall
come in his glory, and all his holy angels with
him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glo-
ry, and before him shall be gathered all nations/
.And so he goeth on in description of the last
judgment. In speaking of Christ's judging of
the world, and the transactions of that day, I
will show,
1 . That Christ will raise up all the dead, out
of their graves.
2. That he will gather all nations before his
judgment-seat.
3. That he will separate the righteous from
the wicked.
4. That he will open the books, out of which
all must be judged.
5. I shall speak more particularly of the
judgment of the righteous and of the wicked.
1 . Christ at his second appearance, will raise
up all the dead out of their graves ; there shall
be a general resurrection, John v. 28,29. 'The
hour cometh, in the which all that are in their
graves shall hear his voice and come forth ; they
that have done good, to the resurrection of
life, they that have done evil, to the resurrec-
tion of damnation/ Something hath been spo-
ken already concerning Christ's victory over
death, and loosing all his prisoners ; but give me
leave to illustrate the resurrection a little fur-
28
ther : and here I shall endeavour to set it forth
with an allusion to that notable place, Ezek.
xxx vii. l 9 to the 1 1 . ' The hand of the Lord was
upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the
Lord, and set me down in the midst of the val-
ley, which was full of bones, and caused me to
pass by them round about, there were very
many in the open valley, and io they were ve-
rvdry, And he said unto me, Son of man can
these bones live ? And I answered, O Lord
God, thou knowest. And he said unto me,
prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them,
O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord : thus
saith the Lord God unto these bones, behold I
will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall
live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and
bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with
skin, and put breath in you : and ye shall five*
and know that I am the Lord ; so I prophesied
as I was commanded : And as I prophesied,
there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and
the bones came together, bone to his bone. And
when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh,
came upon them, and the skin covered them
about, but there was no breath in them. Then
he said unto me, phrophesy unto the wind, pro-
phesy, son of man, and say to the winds, Thus
saith the Lord God, come from the four winds,
breath, and breathe upon these slain, that
they may live. So I prophesied as he command-
29
ed me, and the breath came into them, and they
lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding
great army/ Something like this will the re-
surrection be at the last day. Now the bones and
bodies of all former generations, are scattered
up and down in the shadow of the valley of death,
some are sunk into the depth, others are buried
in the earth, the flesh is consumed, and dissolv-
ed, into its first elements, and the bones of
some remain, of others are mouldered into earth;
now when the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, shall come down from mount Sion which
is above, into the valley of this inferiour world,
he will prophesy, over all the bodies and bones
of the children of men that are dead, and speak
unto them to live ; he will say unto them whilst
they lie rotting in their graves, live ; he will say,
Awake ye that sleep in the dust : and O what a
noise and shaking will there be then in the
ground ! What a clattering of bones together in
the coming of bone to his bone ! If the body hath
been quartered and buried, part in one place,
and part in another as the Levite's concubine,
who was divided into twelve parts and sent to the
twelve tribes of Israel and it is likely buried
in twelve distinct places, the bones will fly
through the air out of all these places, and
meet in one body. O what a great part of the
air, water, and earth will there run into conjunc-
tion by the command of Christ, and be turned
3*
30
into those very bodies which were dissolved
into them by death and the corruption of
the pit : but with the addition of such new
qualities as shall sublimate, spiritualize, and
refine them from all the dreggishness and
ill humour that shall be the foundation of
any sickness, or death forever ; then bones
come together, and be made like the stones for
strength ; then the sinews will be as it were
iron sinews, and the flesh brass : such strength
will be put into them, as I conceive is not found in
the strongest creatures hitherto God hath made;
that they might be fitted, the bodies of the right-
eous for an eternal life of happiness, and bear-
ing the glory of heaven ; the bodies of the wick-
ed for an eternal life of misery, and bearing the
torments of hell ; either of which the body, now
as it is, would sink under. Then the sea will
give up her dead and the earth will give up her
flead. Rev. xx. 13. As the whale cast Jonah
upon the shore after he had lain three days in
his belly ; so the sea will give up all the dead
that for so many years have been buried into ite
bowels. But what a stirring will there be in
the earth ! those which are alive, will wonderto
see such a strange metamorphosis of the ground,
to feel men and women stirring and moving un-
der their feet, arising* and crowding for room
amongst them. Then will the Lord bring down
all the souls of the righteous, which have been
31
in Paradise with him many years. And they
shall find out their own bodies, and he will
open the prison of hell, and let out the souls of
the wicked for a while, that they also may find
out their own bodies, which shall be prepared
for both, that they might be both prepared for
the last judgment ; of which more when I come
to the particular judgment of the righteous and
wicked. Thus Christ will raise up all the dead
out of their graves.
2. Christ at his second appearance, will gath-
er all nations before his judgment-seat. Rev. xx.
11, 12, 'I saw a great white throne, and him
that sat on it. And I saw the dead, small and
great stand before God/ 2. Cor. v. 10, 'We
must all appear before the judgment-seat of
Christ/ Mat. xxv. 31, 32, 'When the Son of
man shall sit on his throne, all nations shall be
gathered before him/ O what a vast number
will there be, when so many hundred genera-
tions of people shall be alive together, and
gathered together in one place ! If so be the
multitude of the righteous will be so great when
they are got together into one body, that no
man can number them. Rev. vii. 9. ' After I
beheld and lo, a great multitude which no man
could number, of all nations and kindreds, and
people, and tongues stood before the throne,
and before the Lamb, cloathed with white robes>
and palms in their hands f what then will the
$2
multitude of the wicked be, when they are gath-
ered together, in comparison with whom the
righteous are but few ! All nations shall be gath-
ered before Christ's judgment-seat
Christ at his second appearance, will sepa-
rate the righteous from the wicked, the chaff
will be purged from the wheat, Mat. iii. 12. —
'The tares shall be gathered from the corn/
Mat. xiii. 30. ' The bad shall be divided from
the good.' Ver. 38. ' The goats shall be sepa-
rated from the sheep/ Mat. xxv. 32. By the
chaff, tares, bad fish, goats, we are to under-
stand the wicked ; by the good, corn, good fish,
good sheep, we are to understand the righteous,
who will be separated one from another ; how-
ever they are now in some places mingled and
linked together ; the elect will be gathered to-
gether into one company from the four winds.
Mat. xxv. 31. And they shall stand on the
right hand of Christ, and the reprobate wicked
shall stand on the left. Mat. xxv. 33. In
which gathering and separation, there shall be
no mistake, as there may be now. Many close
hypocrites may in this world pass for the true
children of God ; they may live together, and
hear together, and pray together, and receive
the sacrament together, and make the same
profession of religion : yea some hypocrites may
as to outward appearance, seem to outgo some
Of God's own children in zeal and forwardness*
33
the lamps of the foolish virgins may seem to
shine with greater blaze than some of the lamps
of the wise; when they have not the least particle
of the oil of true grace in the vessel of theirhearts,
Mat. xxv. at the beginning ; yea some of God's
own children may here be mistaken for hypo-
crites, their chiefest life being secret and out of
view, by them that are uncharitable ; and thejr
may also mistake themselves through the temp-
tations of the devil, and the doubting of their
misgiving, unbelieving hearts ; but at the last
day there will be no mistake : not only the more
profane, and notorious vile generation of the
wicked, who are even professed enemies of
God's people, and shun their company, and
separate themselves now, shall be separated
themselves by Jesus Christ at the last day ; but
also all those that were more sober, and had
-some kind of love to them, but none unto Jesus
Christ ; yea, all hypocrites who seemed to be
of their company, shall be parted from them f
Christ will look upon them all with a piercing
distinguishing eye ; he will easily discern and
discover all the hypocrites, however they may
plead that the) have eaten and drank in his pre-
sence, and some of them cast out devils in his
name ; he will not judge according to the outward
appearance, but according to the truth which
hath been in the heart, and they which have so
much deceived men, shall not be able to deceive
u
him ; hone of them shall twine themselves un-
perceivably, and crowd into heaven among the
righteous ; then the lamps of the foolish virgins
will be gone out ; then the vail and mask of an
outward show, will be rent and torn to pieces ;
then the sheep skin will be plucked off, and
they will appear unto the whole world, to have
been but goats, and amongst the goats they must
go : Christ will not leave one of the goats
amongst the sheep, and he will not leave one of
the sheep amongst the goats : all that belong to
his fold shall be gathered into one society. Of
their meeting more in their particular judgment.
4. At the second appearance of Jesus Christ,
the books must be opened out of which all must
be judged, Rev. xx. 12. 'I saw the dead, small
and great, stand before God ; and the books
were opened ; and another book was opened,
which is the book of life ; and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written
in the books according to their works/ There
are five books, which then will be opened. —
1. The book of God's remembrance. 2. The
book of men's own consciences. 3. The book of
the law. 4. The book of the gospel. 5. The
book of life.
1. The book of God's remembrance will be
opened^his we are to understand in a spiritual
sense, not as if there were a real book which
God did make use of, for his remembrance of
35
things as men do, who have frail and weak me-
mories which would let slip many things of note
without such help ; but hereby we are to under-
stand that God doth take an exact notice of
things, and remembers them as if he had them
written in a book by him. The book of God's
remembrance will be opened, wherein will be
found recorded. 1. The names of all the
sons and daughters of Adam, whatever age
and generation they have lived in, from the
beginning of the creation unto the consuma-
tion of all things, as also the relations they
stood in, and the charge committed to them.
Such and such were magistrates, and had
such and such subjects under them ; such had
the sword of justice put into their hands, and
their charge was to rule under Christ, to encou-
rage and reward them that did rule well, to pun-
ish evil doers. Such and such were ministers,
and they were entrusted with the care of souls,
they were set by the Lord for watch-men to for-
warn the people of judgment, stewards to dis-
pense the food of the word, and to give every
one their portion ; such and such were govern-
ours of families, whose work was to set up reli-
gion, and the worship of God in their houses, and
labour in their places after the salvation of their
souls, as well as to set those under them about
their civil work, and to provide for their bodies;
such and such were children and servants whose
36
charge was to yield obedience to parents and
goyernours in the Lord, with meekness and fear,
With readiness and diligence.
2. There will be found recorded the place
where such persons lived ; such indeed lived in
the dark places of heathenism and idolatry ; but
such and such lived in Israel in a Goshen, in a
land of light ; such and such lived in England,
in London, in such a religious family : there will
be recorded the means of grace which they have
enjoyed in those places : such lived under such a
powerful ministry, heart awakening and heart
warming sermons, and had such sweet showers
of the word dropping upon them, they were
planted in a fertile soil, and they had fat pas-
tures to feed in.
3. There will be found recorded, the various
dispensations of God's providence towards them
for their good ; such and such had not only God's
word, but also God's rod to teach them ; they
lived under the sound of awakening judgments ;
they lived in London when the plague raged so
sorely, and when the fire broke forth and con-
sumed the city. And such were preserved when
thousands fell into the pit ; they were brought
down to the doors of the grave, and eternity,
and they were brought up again ; they were
preserved and provided for, and every day tast-
ed the cup of God's goodness ; they were loaded
with his mercies.
37
5. And especially there will be found record-
hd, all the actions of the children of men, and
their carriage towards God, and towards one
another, in those places, in those relations^ un-
der those ordinances and providences.
1. There will be found recorded, all the
good that hath been found in, or done by any,
from the day of their childhood to their dying
hour. Such and such, they were obedient to
parents when they were young ; they were dili-
gent in learning their catechism, and ready to
receive instruction in the principles of religion ;
such were acquainted with the Scriptures when
thev were but children : such had tender hearts
in their tender years ; such loved God and fol-
lowed God when they were but youths ; such
and such had their hearts opened in hearing of
the word, and enlarged hearts in prayer ; such
were awakened by such sermons, and con-
vinced and humbled for sin, and persuaded to
repent and turn to the Lord ; such opened
the door to Jesus Christ when he knocked, and
set up his throne in their hearts, put their necks
under his yoke. Such and such were frequent*
ers and lovers of the ordinances, and ministers
of Jesus Christ. Such made it their business
to be religious ; such walked with God in their
families, and were upright in their dealings in
the world ; such used to deny themselves and
took up his cross, and laboured to follow Jesus
4
38
Christ wherever he led them ; such mourned for
the sins they could not reform ; were thankful in
the relations they were placed; were faithful un-
der the means they enjoyed ; were merciful to
theirbrethren in misery; were patient and cheer-
ful under the rod which was laid upon them,
and all the good actions of men will be had in
remembrance.
2. There will be found recorded, all the evil
actions, all the sins of the children of men ; such
and such were disobedient and froward children,;
slighted the commands of God, and their pa-
rents, were idle and careless of instruction, and
would not open their ears to discipline ; such
were old in sin, when young in years ; were
strong and skilful in wicked and sinful prac-
tices, when their bodies are but weak, and minds
sottishly ignorant in the things of God ; such
had good examples before them, but they
would not follow them ; they saw dreadful judg-
ments, but were hardened under them ; they
received many mercies, but they abused them ;
they had seasons of grace, but they mispent
them ; they had calls, but they shut their ears
against them; they had convictions of conscience,
but they stifled them ; they had motions of the
spirit, but they quenched them ; they had prof-
fers of Christ, and pardon, and salvation, but
they refused them, and turned God's glory to
shame, and his grace into wantonness. Such
39
■and such were sabbath breakers ; such were
swearers, such were drunkards, such were un-
clean persons, and adulterers; such were thieves;
such were covetous persons and idolaters ; such,
were unjust and unrighteous in their dealings ;
such were bitter and reproachful in their speech-
es ; such were injurious in their actions. All
the sins of men and women will be found in the
book of God's remembrance. J)eut. xxxii. 34.
4 Is not this laid up with me, and sealed amongst
my treasures?' God stores and treasures up the
sins of the wicked and ungodly against the day
of his wrath and their perdition; it is said, Job
xiv. 16, 17. ' Thou numberest my steps ; dost
thou not watch aver my sin? My transgressions
are sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up my
iniquities/ God numbereth the steps of sinners,
one by one, sin by sin, as a man would number
every step ; and he watcheth that he may num-
ber aright, he takes exact notice of the footsteps
of every sin, which leave an impression in the
book of God's remembrance, as the footsteps
of the body do, when a man walketh in soft
clay. He putteth the transgressions in a bag ;
seweth the bag, and sealeth the bag ; all which
expressions denote God's exactness in record-
ing and laying up the sins of men. It is said,
Jer. xvii. 1. 'That the sin of Judah is written
with a pen of iron, and with the point of a dia-
mond/ All secret siss will be found there re-
40
Corded, for nothing is secret to God, whose eyes
are like a flame of fire, which give light to every
dark corner ; darkness hideth not from him but
the night shipeth as the day ; he looks into eve-
ry corner of the earth, and into every corner of
the heart, and hath set the secret sins in the
light of his countenance ; and all open sins will
be found there recorded. No man hath taken
so much notice of others sins, as God hath done;
he doth, as it were, book all down in his remem-
brance ; and when Christ comes at the last day,
the book of God's remembrance will be opened.
2. The second book which will be opened at
Christ's coming, will be the book of men's con-
sciences, and this will be the counter-part to
every man's particular of what is written in the
book of God's remembrance, they will find the
same thing there registered. Indeed conscience
may now seem to be asleep, and say nothing
whilst men are eating and drinking and sinning;
yet conscience is secretly awake and busy in
writing, and taking notice of every man's ac-
tions, every day ; conscience hath its day book,
which hath not an empty page ; the mouth of
conscience may be shut, and with much ado, for
the present restrained from speaking and biting;
but the eye of conscience cannot be shut from
seeing, nor the hand of conscience restrained
from registering what it takes notice of ; every
one in the world hath as it were whole volumes
41
of his own actions in his bosom, written down
by conscience; and though the letters of some
things done long ago, may seem to be razed and
worn out, so that a man cannot read them now ;
yet when this book shall be opened at the last
day, they will appear in very legible charac-
ters ; like as when a man writes with the juice
of a lemon upon fair paper, the juice is white,
and the paper is white, and he cannot read a
word when it is written, or while it is writing ;
but let him keep the paper many years by him,
and after bring the paper close to the fire, the
white letters will turn black, and become very
legible ; so the consciences of wicked persons
are writing whilst they are sinning, and they
do not perceive it after it is written ; they forget
many of their old sins, yea, they do not take
notice of them as sins, whilst they are commit-
ting them, but when the last day is come, and
Christ is come, who will be revealed from hea-
ven in flaming fire, to take vengeance upon
them, and the book of their consciences shall be
opened before them, and all the notes of con-
science will be plain and easy to be read, and a
ready confirmation, conscience will give all that
is written in the book of Gods remembrance ;
and O how sweet will the testimony of con*
science be of good actions ! How bitter will ife
records be of sin !
4*
42
3. The third book which will be opened will
be the book of the law, which requireth per-
fect and perpetual obedience, will condemn
all, both righteous and wicked, because all have
sinned, and by the law are cursed. Gal. iii. 10.
'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law
to do them ;' but then an appeal will be made.
4. The fourth book which will be opened,
is the book of the gospel ; and there the righteous
will firid the merits of Christ, though they have
had none of their own ; they will find exceed-
ing great and precious promises of pardon and
salvation, and eternal happiness, which have
been made to all them that did repent and be-
lieve in Christ, and testify the same by their sin-
cere love to God ; making choice of him for their
chief good and happiness, and laying up their
treasures in heaven, and by their sincere obedi-
ence to his commands, and walking in heaven's
way ; and then conscience will give an evidence,
and God's remembrance will confirm it, and the
spirit will witness, and Christ himself will ac-
knowledge it, that all his true disciples have
had the qualifications, which have shown their
interest in the promises ; yea, the weakest of
believers, whatever doubts and fears they have
now, will then certainly know, and confidently
plead these qualifications which they have had,
they will be able to say, that they had true faith,
43
though it were but weak ; that they did truly
lay hold on Christ, though it were but with a
trembling hand ; that they had the faith of reli-
ance and recumbance, though they had not the
faith of assurance and strong confidence ; that
they did heartily repent and grieve for sin,
though they had not the measure of godly sor-
row which they desired ; that sin did not reign
in them, though sometimes it did rage and do-
mineer; that they had chosen God for their
chief good, above the whole world, and the bias
of their wills was towards him; and that they
had a sincere love to him, though they fell short
in the fervency which they desired to have ;
that they did walk and keep on in heaven's way ;
and if sometimes they wandered, that they found
their way again ; if sometimes they stumbled,
that they got up again , and this book of the
gospel will give all true believers such acquaint-
ance as that they shall not come into condem-
nation. John iii. 16. ' Whosoever believeth in
the Son shall not perish, but have everlasting
life/ And Rom. viii. 1. 'There is no con-
demnation to them that are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit/
And the like.
But the unbelievers will get no benefit by this
book ; they may find great and sweet promises,
but not one promise in the whole book of the
gospel belonging to them, because they do not
u
belong to Christ ; they lived and died in impeni-
tency arid unbelief, and neglect of Christ and
salvation, and now they cannot find one favour-
able word for them ; and therefore they will be
sent back to be tried by the book of the law,
only the gospel will double the condemnation
of such as have not yielded up themselves unto
its obedience.
5. A fifth book which will be opened, will be
the book of life. Where all the names of the
elect are enrolled, which when they read, how
will they adore the riches of free-grace of God,
in choosing them before the foundation of the
world was laid ; and all those whose names are
not enrolled in this book, shall be condemned
and cast into the lake of fire. Rev. xx. 12, 13.
6. The fifth thing proposed, and the chiefest,
is to speak more particularly of Christ's judg-
ing both the righteous and the wicked, at his
second appearance.
And here I shall speak, 1. Of their parti*
cular judgment.
1. Concerning the judgment of the righteous
in judgment.
2. Concerning the judgment of the righteous
and the wicked.
45
CHAPTER V.
The judgment of the righteous will be first.,
and therefore I shall first treat of and here speak,
1. Of the immediate antecedents to their
judgment.
2. Of the judgment itself.
1 . Concerning the immediate antecedents of
the judgment of the righteous.
1 . The first antecedent of therighteous judg-
ment, will be the resurrection from the dead.
1 Thes. iv. 16. 'The dead in Christ shall rise
first when Christ descends from heaven, the
souls of the righteous shall descend with him.
1 Thes. iv. 14. Them that sleep in Jesus will
God bring with him. The spirits of all the just
men and women made perfect, shall then come
down and find out their own bodies which
have been sleeping in the bed of their graves ;
they shall enter again into their old habitations ;
they went out of them, it may be with fear and
trembling, with grief and sorrow, being unwil-
ling to leave them behind, though they w r ere so
rotten and ruinous ; but with what joy will
they return and enter again, when the building
shall be repaired, when their bodies shall be
raised by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and healed of all infirmities, when they shall be
wade incorruptible and immortal. See 1 Cor,
46
*v. 52. * In a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trump : for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorrupti-
ble, and we shall be changed, and verse 54. So
when this corruptible shall have put on incor-
ruption, and this mortal shall have put on im-
mortality, then shall be brought to pass the say-
ing that was written, death is swallowed up in
victory. Then shall they triumph over death
and the grave, saying, verse, 55. ' O grave,
where is thy victory ?" The Lord Jesus will
then make them victorious over this conqueror,
verse 57. ' Thanks be to God who hath given
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ : ?
the parting of soul and body, was never so sad
unto any of the saints at their death, as the
meeting, will be sweet at the resurrection : O
how will the soul wonder at the sudden and
strange metamorphosis of the body ! When the
soul left the body vile, to putrify and corrupt in
the grave, and shall find it come forth more
bright and glorious than gold, after it had been
refined like unto Christ's more glorious body.
Phil. hi. 31. O how will the soul delight in the
beauty, strength and immortality which then
shall be put upon the body, whereby it will be
spore suited to its nature, and fitted for its ope-
rations and participations in its glory : and O
how will the body delight in the wonderful glo-
ries and shining excellencies which the soul hatk
47
attained since its separation ! If the love be-
tween the soul and the body were so great, when
the body was so vile, and the soul so sinful,
what will it be when both are glorified ? If the
conjunction between the soul and the body were
so sweet, when the body was so frail and sub-
ject to death, and the soul a spiritual and never
dying substance, what will it be when the body
shall be made immortal and in some sort spiritu*
al ? ! with what pleasure will the body awake
out of its long sleep and arise and shake off its
dust and put on its beautiful garments of im-
mortality and glory ! With what delight and joy
will it first open its eyes upon those beautiful
and glorious objects which will quickly present
themselves to its view ! This concerning the
resurrection of the righteous bodies.
2. The second antecedent to the judgment of
the righteous, will be their meeting with the an-
gel at their graves mouth. Mat. xxiv. 31. 'He
shall send his angels with the great sound of a
trumpet, and they shall gather the elect from
the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other/ No sooner are they awakened and raised
out of their graves, but they are entertained by
angels, those holy and excellent creatures, who
have such a dear love to them, and before have
done many good offices for them, though, when
before in the body, they did not perceive ir^
and were too low, and unfit for their acquaint-
48
ance ; but they will then know them and be able
to discern the beauty of those lovely spirits, who
for so many years have been beholding the face
of their Father in Heaven, which will have cast
a lustre upon them, that will be matter of their
admiration, and these shall be part of their ac-
quaintance and companions in glory. Instead of
devils, those angels of darkness, which used to
assault, buffet and molest them when in the body
before, shall now have angels of light with them,
and about them, to join together in the love and
praise of the great Jehovah. The angels will
be sent to call them, and gather them, and we
may rationally imagine that they will salute
them at their rising, and welcome them out of
their graves : we read of the angel Gabriel's sa-
lutation of Mary. Luke i. 28. ' Hail, thou that
art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee :
blessed art thou amongst women ;' and the same
angel's word to Daniel, chap. ix. 23. 'Thou
art greatly beloved.' Such salutations possibly
the angels may give to the saints at the resur-
rection. 'Arise ye that are highly favoured of
God, come forth ye that are greatly beloved :
welcome welcome ye happy ones : ye that are
blessed amongst the children of men : your Lord
is come down and stayeth for you, he has sent us
to call you, and convey you into his presence,
and bring you where he is that you may sec and
share in his glory.' O how will such words
49
make their hearts to glow within them ! How
joyful will such a message be unto them !
happy they that ever they were born, or rather
that ever they were new born ! O happy they
that should live, that they should be raised to
see such a day as that will be ! O what looks,
what speeches, what joys will they have, when
they are entering by the angels !
3. The third antecedent to the righteous
judgment, will be their meeting one with another,
Mat xxiv. 3 1 . The angels will be sent to gath-
er the elect together, 2 Thes. ii. 1. I be-
seech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto
him. The saints will be all gathered together,
and we shall be gathered with them, if we be
found in that number, there shall we meet with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the holy
kings^and prophets, and apostles, and martyrs,
and holy men, who have lived in all generations;
and all these in another hue than when they
lived upon earth ; they will arise like so many
shining suns out of the earth. O how shall we
be delighted with the sight of such a glorious
train and company, when we see the image and
picture of the Lord upon them, drawn so to the'
life. What sweet greetings shall we have, and
mutual congratulations ofourold acquaintances
in the flesh, who were with us acquainted with
the Lord ! And this is the end of our hearing,
5
50
and fasting, and praying, and self-denial, and
mortification, and the poor services we have
done for the Lord. Is this the issue of our pains
and labours ? O happy we that ever we repent-
ed, and believed, and closed with Jesus Christ.
O happy we that laid up our treasure, and wait-
ed for the glory and happiness till this time.
4. The fourth antecedent is, that the righte-
ous shall be caught up together in the air ; all the
righteous shall be caught up, they that are rais-
ed from the dead, and they that remain alive
upon the earth on that day, 1 Thes. iv. 16, 17.
* The dead in Christ shall rise first ; then we
which are alive and remain, shall be caught up
together with them, to meet the Lord in the air.*
We read of the two witnesses which were slain ;
after three days and a half, the Spirit of life
from God entered into them, and they stood up-
on their feet, and they heard a great voice from
heaven, saying unto them, 'come up hither/ and
they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, &c.
Rev. xi. 11, 12. In the morning of the resur-
rection, the spirit of life from God will enter in-
to the bodies of all the saints, and they will
stand up and possibly they may hear a voice
from Christ in the air,— Come up hither, and
then they will be caught up, and ascend into the
air to meet with the Lord. O what inexpressi-
ble pleasure and delight will they feel, when
they find themselves bea;in to move upwards
51
when they are leaving the earth and wicked*
men, and so many glorious persons of them to-
gether ascending, to meet their most glorious
Lord.
5. The fifth antecedent to the judgment ia
their meeting with the Lord in the air, 1 Thes>
iv. 1 7. * Then we which are alive and remain^
shall be caught up together with them, to meet
the Lord in the air/ We have spoken of the
meeting of the soul and the body, of the meeting
of the saints with the angels, of the meeting of
the saints with the saints, all which meetings
will be very delightful, but the meeting of the
saints with the Lord himself, will be beyond all
O how sweet will the sound of Christ's coming
be unto them before they see him, when they
hear the long expected shout, and the sound of
the last trump ! This, this will be music indeed
in their ears ; then they will lift up their heads
with joy ; and do but think how transporting the
first glance of the eye will be upon the Lord
Jesus Christ, when they see him yet afar off,
clothed with such brightness and beauty ; ne-
ver did their eye behold such an object before;
they admire to see the saints, and lo see them-
selves so transformed; but how will they admire
to see the Lord in such glory ? If so be htat
some of his disciples did gaze after him with
wonder when he was taken from them and as-
cended into heaven, Acts i. 1 1, with what won-
52
der will all his disciples, most of which never
saw him, in the flesh, none of which saw him in
such glory, then gaze upon him when he shall
come down from heaven ; ye men of Galilee^
why stand ye gazing up into heaven ? say the
angels, this same Jesus which is taken up from
you into heaven, shall so come in like manner,
as ye have seen him go into heaven ; if you look
and wonder at his going, how will ye look and
wonder at his coming, which will be as surely,
but far more gloriously ? but when they are
come nearer to Christ, and have a fuller view
of him, O what thoughts ! what affections !
what joys will there then fill their souls ! O
what workings, what beating of heart, what
transports and ravishment of heart will they have!
O how would they be overwhelmed with this
sight, and utterly unable to bear it, if they were
not strengthened beyond their present capacity?
And is this the Saviour and Redeemer of the
world ? O glorious Son of Righteousness, did
this most excellent Person, who thus appears in
the brightness of his Father, and is now come
down from his glorious habitation, with such a
glorious train of angels, once vouchsafe to dwell
with men, and veil his glory in the flesh ? Did
this eternal Son of God stoop so low, as to take
upon him our nature ; yea to take upon him the
form of a servant ? Did he live in such mean-
ness and obscurity, and endure such hardship,
53
contradiction, reproach and injury ; when he
was upon the earth ? infinite condescension !
Did this Lord of life and glory, in the days of
his flesh, so weep and pray, and cry, sweat,
bleed and die, though with such pain, anguish
and disgrace ; yet with such willingness and pa-
tience in our steads, that he might redeem us
from sin and death, and wrath to come, that we
might not perish, but have everlasting life ! O
wonderful, inconceivable love ! What so glori-
ous a person to be made man ! to be made a
curse ! to do such things ! to suffer such things!
for such men, vile, cursed sinners, as we
are, that we might be blessed and happy
with him. O surpassing superlative kindness!
Is this he who made choice of us, when
he chose so few ; that called us, when the most
were passed by ; that pitched his love upon us,
when there was nothing attractive in us, no-
thing to move him, but his own bowels; that re-
vealed his secrets to us, when he hid them from
the wise and prudent; that brought us nigh
when we were afar off; and made us fellow ci-
tizens and fellow heirs with the saints, and of
the household of God, who were by nature the
children of wrath; even as others! astonish-
ing free grace! Is this he who clothed us when
we were naked, even with the robes of his own
righteousness ? That washed us when we were
defiled, even in the fountain of his own blood?
5*
54
That cleared us when we were troubled, even
with the comforts of his own spirit ? That
strengthened us when we were weak, even with
his might and glorious power in our inner man.
Was it from this person that we received our
pardon and peace, our supports, our graces, our
encouragements, and all the sweet refreshments
we have found in ordinances ? Is this the advocate
whom we made choice of, relied and trusted up-
on for life and salvation ? Is this the master
whom we have followed, and whose work we
were employed about? Is this the captain
whose colours we wore, and under whose ban-
ner we fought ? Is this the Lord whom we obey-
ed ? The friend the husband whom we loved ?
And is he so glorious ? O how will the saints be
wrapt up in admiration and joy ! O how will
they all be in a flame of burning love and affec-
tion, when they come to behold the Lord Jesus
Christ himself, and viewing him in such glory,
as then he will be decked withal, when they
come to see him face to face, who hath such
loveliness in his face, and such love in his heart
to them. It is said, 1 Pet. i. 8. 'Whom having
not seen, ye love, in whom though you now see
him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy un-
speakable, and full of glory.'
If so be that the saints do now love Christ,
whom they never saw, only have heard of, and
believe .the report of the world ; how will they
55
love him when they have a sight of him, and
see a thousand fold more beauty in him than was
reported, or could be imagined ? If so be, that
now sometimes they rejoice with glorious and
unspeakable joy in believing ; what will they
do when they come to see him in his glory ?
If they can now rejoice in tribulations, and take
pleasure in the cross and reproach of Christ;
what will they find in their Masters joy, and
the crown that ho now comes to put on their
heads ? O how glad will they be that they have
been counted worthy to suffer any thing for
such a Saviour ? It will be a joyful time indeed
unto the saints, when they are caught up into
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And the joy of Christ will be no less to meet
with them. O with what an eye will he view
them, when they are arising and ascending
with so much of his beauty and luster upon them !
None can conceive the love and delight which
the Lord Jesus will take in them in that day ;
he will look upon them, as those that were
beloved by the Father himself from all eternity ;
as those who fetched him out of heaven, before
to redeem them, and now to glorify them. He
will look upon them as the travail of his soul,
the price of his blood ; he will look upon them
as his jewels, as spoils taken out of the hands
of his enemies ; he will look upon them as plants
grown up into perfection, as servants who have
56
done their work, as those who have kept hi&
honour in the world ; he will look upon them
as his dearest spouse, and most beautiful bride,
who now cometh to be joined to him more near-
ly, and to live with him forever. ! the love
and joy of Christ at this meeting. If so be,
that Christ so dearly loved his spouse, and
could delight in her too, when she was black
and sooty > when her clothes were black and
sooted, when her affections were weak, low and
inconstant ; how will he love and rejoice in her,
when she is made perfectly like himself, and so
beautiful with his comeliness ? When her stains
are all washed off, and she is presented before
him without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, or any
such thing ? When she shall be arrayed in white
and hath put on her shining garment, and ap-
pear so lovely, and her love shall be so high,
and full, and strong, and flaming ? Never did
lovers meet with such delight and joy on their
wedding day, as Christ and his spouse will
meet at the day of his second appearance. O
the sweet smiles the saints will see in the face
of Christ ! such smiles upon them, such glances
of love will sparkle forth from his eyes, as will
ravish their hearts. O the sweet words they
will hear ! The welcome he will give them when
they first meet ; when they are come, he will
place them at his right hand. So much con-
cerning the more immediate antecedent of the*
judgment of the righteous.
61
CHAPTER VI.
The second thing is to speak concerning
the judgment itself of the righteous. And there
are two things the Scriptures speak of which
Christ will do at his second appearance in the
judgment of the righteous.
1 . He will take an account of them.
2. He will pronounce the sentence upon them..
1. Christ will take an account of the righte-
ous, Rom. xiv. 10 — 12. 'We shall all stand
before the judgment-seat of Christ, and every
one of us shall give an account of himself unto
God ;' though the righteous shall not be brought
to condemnation, yet they* shall be brought into
judgment, which will be for their Master's hon-
our and their own ; especially of those who can
give a good account of all the talents the Lord
hath entrusted them withal.
I know it is a question among divines, whe-
ther the sins of God's people will be mentioned,
and made manifest at the day of judgment. I
shall not determine the question, since the Scrip-
ture is not so plain ; possibly the Lord having
pardoned them, covered them, blotted them out
of the book of his remembrance, he will not
mention them on that day ; but sure I am, if
they should be mentioned, it will not be to their
5&
disgrace arid grief, but to their more abundant
joy in the Lord, who hath forgiven them. If
they should read their sins in the book of God's
remembrance, they would find them like so
many debts crossed out with the #ed lines of
Christ's blood. If the devil should be permit-
ted to accuse them at that time, who is now
the accuser of the brethren, and rip up their se-
cret faults, the Lord himself will stand up and
plead for them . He will make known the suffi-
cient value of his merit for their ransom, and
publicly acquit them from all guilt and condem-
nation. c Who shall lay any thing to the charge
of God's elect ? It is God that justifieth ; who is
he that shall condemn ? It is Christ that died
for them/ Rom. viii. 33, 34.
But these four things Christ will take an ac*
count of, in the judgment of the righteous.
1. He will take an account of their graven
The vessels of the virgins will be looked into,
what oil they have got ; the hearts of the saints
will be looked into, what graces they have ob-
tained. Christ will then take notice what godly
sorrow they have had for sin, their secret weep-
ing and mourning will then be made manifest.
He will then take notice what humility and
meekness, what self-denial and patience they
have had, especially what faith, and love, and
hope, and spiritual joy they have had, and all
their raised affections towards himself! and hea-
59
venly things in his ordinances, and his judgment
of grace will be according to truth ; and then the
saints shall be ranked, not according to their
esteem and dignity in this world, but according
to the measures of the graces they have obtained.
2. Christ will take an account of the improve-
ment of the talents of graces and gifts, and op-
portunities of service which he hath entrusted
them withal. Mat. xxv. 9> And Christ will
then take chief notice of those who have been
most industrious and faithful, and instrumental
for doing most good, and bringing much glory to
his name ; and though all shall have a full re-
ward that are found truly faithful, and shall en-
ter into their Master's joy ; yet they shall have
a more full reward, and be capable of more joy
and glory, than the other.
3. And especially he will take an account of
their works of mercy, Mat. xxv. 34, 35. c I
was hungry and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger, and
ye took me in \ naked and ye clothed me ; I
was sick, and ye visited me ; I was in prison,
and ye came unto me/ &c.
It will even astonish and confound the right-
eous, to hear such language as this from the
Lord Jesus Christ, when he appears in such
glory ; they will be ready to question ; When
was he in any want, and received relief at their
hands ? When saw we thee an hungered, or
60
athirst, or naked, and ministered any help ? we
received all from thee ; but we could give no-
thing to thee ; thou didst relieve us, and redeem
us out of the deepest poverty and misery in
which we were sunk, and should have perished
without help ; but what relief hadst thou from
us. Then the king will answer and say unto
them, ver. 49. ' Verily I say unto you, in as
much as ye have done it to one of the least of
these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. —
At such a time and such a time, the poor came
to you for relief, making use of my name, whose
back for my sake ye clothed, and whose bellies
ye refreshed, and whose necessities ye supplied,
and that was done unto me. Though they were
poor they were my brethren. Some of my ser-
vants were brought into straits for conscience
sake, and you received them, or sent to help
them ; you received me then, or gave help to
me ; that money was not thrown away, it was
given to me, and I am come to give you a thou-
sand fold reward/ Were this truth more effec-
tually believed, what forwardness would there
be in christians to works of mercy. Surely they
would look upon that part of their estate as best
improved, which in such work is bestowed. —
Christ doth not mention any other use which
they put their money into, which, if worthy to
be compared, will be made mention of; he doth
not speak of so much laid out in building, so
01
much laid out in clothing, so much laid out for
food, so much laid up in portions for children ;
all this the wicked can do ; but so much laid out
to the poor, and me in them, which is the only
part you have laid up for yourselves, and which
I am now come to return to you with usury >
4. Christ will take an account of the afflictions
which the righteous have endured ; especially of
their sufferings for his sake. Such reproaches,
such losses , imprisonments, banishments, buffer-
ings ; but so they have suffered death, with what
honour will this be made mention of ; with what
great esteem will he receive and speak unto
them which have come out of great tribulation.
And O the joy in this morning after the tears
of the night ; then will they find that their c light
afflictions which they have endured for a mo-
ment, have wrought for them a far more exceed-
ing and eternal weight of glory/ 2 Cor. iv. 17.
2. The second thing in Christ's judgment of
the saints, is the sentence which he will pro-
nounce upon them, which will be a most gra-
cious invitation of them, to take possession of the
kingdom of heaven, which he hath prepared for
them, Mat. xxv. 34. Then shall the king say
unto them on his right hand, ' Come ye blessed
of my Father ; inherit the kingdom prepared for
you before the foundation of the world/
All Christ's invitations in scripture are very
sweet. ' Come unto me all ye that labour and
6
62
are heavy ladened ; and I will give you rest." Mat
xi. 28. How sweet is this to a troubled con-
science, and an oppressed spirit ready to sink
under the burden of sin. ' Ho every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money come buy wine and milk with-
out money and without price/ Isa. lv. 1. O
what sweet words are these to those that are
parched, and pained, and ready to die with spi-
ritual thirst ; and can find nothing in the crea-
tures which can give them any satisfaction or
ease. But of all the words that ever Christ did
speak, of all the invitations that ever Christ did
make, this will be the sweetest, which he will
give to the disciples at the last day, ' Come ye
blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom pre-
pared for you from the foundation of the world.
Come ye blessed and happy ones, however ac-
counted miserable ones by men yet blessed pf
my Father ; Come inherit the kingdom pre-
pared for you from the foundation of the world,
Take possession of your eternal inheritance \
<jome enter into the kingdom of glory which the
Father hath chosen you unto, and called you
unto, and which I have purchased, and now
fitted and made ready for you. Come along
with me, and I will show you my glory ; and
where I am there ye may be also. Come along
with me into heaven, and ye shall live and
Veign with me for ever and ever. QJome along
63
and enter now into your master's joy. Come,
and I will show you the Father, and bring you
into his house and presence, where there is
fullness of joy, and pleasures for evermore. 3
And now beloved, think with yourselves, what
joys, what exultations, what clapping of hands,
what shoutings, what hallelujahs, what hosan-
nas, what triumphing acclamations the saints
will make upon hearing of these words. But
here words fail, conceptions fall short. Who
can utter what the affections and behaviour of
the righteous will be, when they have their sen-
tence, and hear such sweet and gracious words
from the mouth of their Judge, and Redeemer.
Thits concerning the judgment of the right-
eous
CHAPTER VIL
Concerning the judgment of the wicked af
the second appearance of Jesus Christ. — In
treating hereon, I shall, as in the judgment of
the righteous, speak :
1 . Of the immediate antecedents.
2. Of the judgment itself.
1. The immediate antecedents of the judg-
ment of the wicked will be ;
64
1. The resurrection of their bodies from the
grave : All the wicked that are dead shall be
raised, though not so soon, yet as certainly as
the righteous, John v. 28, £9. ' The hour com-
eth, that all that are in their graves shall hear
his voice, not only they that have done good
shall come forth to the resurrection of life, but
also they that have done evil, to the resurrection
of damnation/ When the wicked die, their
bodies are clapt up in the prison of the grave,
where they rot and putrify under the chains of
death, which are laid upon them, and their souls
are shut down into the prison of hell, where they
are bound up in chains of darkness and wo, and
reserved unto the judgment of the great day.
When the Lord Jesus shall appear to judge the
world, he will bring the keys of death and hell
along with him, and open both of these prison
doors, not to give liberty and release to the pri-
soners, but as prisons are opened at assizes, to
bring them forth unto judgment ; he will open
the prison of hell, and all the souls of the wick-
ed shall come forth, like so many locusts out of
the bottomless pit ; and he will open the prison
of the grave, and all their bodies shall creep
like so many ugly toads out of the earth ; and
then soul and body shall be joined together
again, and this meeting will be sad beyond ex-
pression ; the meeting of the souls and bodies of
the righteous will not be more joyful than the
65
meeting of the souls and bodies of the wicked
will be doleful. Possibly some of the wicked
had no hands in their death, and their souls
went forth out of their bodies without much
pain or fear ; but their entrance into their bodies
again will be with inexpressible horror ; and if
some of the wicked had their consciences awa-
kened at death, and they lay down with terror ;
when they awake and rise again from the dead,
it will be with far greater terror. The old
world died in a fright, with the deluge of water
which overwhelmed them : Corah, Dathan,
and Abraham, with their company, died in a
fright, at the cleaving and opening of the earths
mouth, which swallowed them up ; Judas and
other despairing souls died in a fright, at the
apprehensions of the open mouth of hell ready
to receive their guilty spirits ; but none of the
wicked could go forth of their bodies in such at
fright, as they will enter them again at the
last day. The damned souls have been lying
in hell many years, full of anguish in their sepa-
ration, and they know that their anguish wilt
be increased by the torment of their bodies in
their union ; and no wonder if they be exceed-
ingly unwilling and fearful to enter into their
old lodging. Their bodies have been sleeping
all this while in the dust, and have felt bo pain
at all ; and O ! how unwelcome a guest will their
souls be. Never was death so terrible unto then),
' 6*
66
as life will be at that day ; they had rather sleep
still in their graves, and continue in their rot-
tenness and corruption ; they had rather lie hid
for ever in the dust of oblivion, or be quite an-
nihilated, like beasts, than to rise again unto
such torments, as now they must undergo. But
they must arise, willing, or unwilling. It is said,
that the vile bodies of the righteous shall at the
last day be fashioned like unto Christ's glorious
body, Phil. iii. 21. They shall be made like
unto Christ's body in beauty and glory ; but the
bodies of the wicked shall have another hue and
fashion. If it were possible to fashion bodies
like devils, those impure and foul spirits, such
spiritual bodies the wicked should have. Be-
sure, their bodies shall have no glory put
upon them ; but they lay down vile bodies, they
shall rise up far more vile ; they lay down in dis-
honour, and they shall be raised in far greater
dishonour ; indeed they will be raised incorrupti-
ble and immortal ; but this will not be for their
glory, but that they may be capable of the great-
er and longer torment and misery. Their bodies
will be so far from being made beautiful like
unto Christ's, that I believe they will not regain
that natural beauty which they had here upon
earth. Now some of them outshine God's own
children (whose chief beauty lies inward) in ex-
ternal comeliness ; then none but the bodies of
<5od's children will shine ; the bodies of the
67
wicked most probably will be swarthy, black,
ugly monstrous bodies. If there be a ghastli-
ness upon the bodies of the most beautiful, when
they are dead, what ghastliness will there be
upon the bodies of all the wicked, when the se-
cond death shall seize upon them. Were their
bodies never so beautiful in themselves, yet their
features would quickly be altered by the horri-
ble passions of their mind ; the blackness and
dread of the soul would quickly appear in their
countenance ; beside the impressions which the
fire of hell will have upon them. The soul
will have nothing in the body which will give it
any delight or ease, or in the least contribute
unto the assuagement if its anguish ; it will re-
turn into the body as in a prison, or dungeon,
where there is no pleasure to be found — and if
the body be black, how black will the soul be^
after so long abode with the foul devils in the
lower regions of darkness. And when such foul
souls and such vile bodies meet, what a meeting,
what a greeting will there be ! We may fancy
a kind of language to be between them at
that day, the soul to the body; 'Come out
of thy hole, thou filthy dung-hill, flesh, for
the pampering and pleasing of whom, I have
lost myself for ever ; who hath stolen away
itoy time and thoughts, and heart from God
and Christ, and heavenly things, to feed, and
clothe,, and cherish thee, and make provk
68
sion to satisfy thy base deceitful lusts, when
I should have been making provision for thine
and mine everlasting happiness. Awake, and
come forth out of the dust, thou bewitching
dirty flesh, who didst lull me asleep so long in
thy pleasing chains, until thou didst suddenly
open thy doors, and thrust me out, w r here I was
awakened in torment, before I was aware ; now
I must come into thy doors again, that thou
may est share and taste of the bitter issue of sin-
ful pleasures and delights/ And O ! how will
the body be affrighted, so soon as the soul is
entered. Never did the soul taste so much of
the bodies delight, as the body will then feel
of the soul's anguish. The body to the soul,
4 And hast thou found me out, O ! mine ene-
my ? Couldest thou not have let me alone to lie
still at rest in the sweet sleep ? Hast thou used
me as a slave, and employed all my members as
servants of iniquity and unrighteousness ;and art
thou now come to torment me ? And is this the
fruit of all the pleasures we have taken togeth-
er ? Shouldst thou not have been more wise, and
provided better for thyself and me ? 9 O ! what
cries and shrieks will the tongue give forth so
soon as it hath recovered its use ! ! what fear*
ful amazing sights will there appear before the
eyes, so soon as they are opened, when they
first peep out of the grave, and sinners see hea-
ven and earth ou fife about them, and Christ
69
coming in flaming fire, to take vengeance upon
them ! O ! how dreadful will the shout, and the
voice of the archangel, and the sound of the
last trumpet, summoning them to judgment, be
unto the ears ! O ! how will every joint and
member of the bodies of the wicked tremble.,
when they are raised again at the last day !
2. The second antecedent to the judgment of
the wicked, will be their meeting with devils ;
the righteous will meet with angels, to welcome
them out of their graves ; the wicked will meet
with devils, to entertain them at their resurrec-
tion ; and then they will not appear unto them
like angels of light, as sometimes here they
have done, but like foul angels of darkness, a&
they ever were since their first fall. They will
not then entertain the wicked with pleasing baits
and sweet alluring temptations, and pretend
to be their friends, who consult their good and
satisfaction, beyond God himself, the chief good
of mankind, as they did when their abode \yas
in the world before ; but they will spit forth their
venom and malice then in their faces ; possi-
bly may buffet their bodies, and lay painful
strokes upon them ; surely they will terrify their
souls, for those things which they have drawn
them into the commission of. O ! how will
they mock and deride their folly and madness
for opening their ears to their whispers, for
opening their hearts so freely, when they have
70
knocked at the door, and enticed them to sin J
Then the damned will perceive, that the de
viPs design was their ruin and misery, when
the pretence and show was consultation for
their good and happiness ; that he laboured to
please and delight them, not out of love, but
malice, that he might undo them ; that he lulled
them asleep, that they might not perceive their
misery, till it was too late ; that poison was in
its sweetest baits ; and that their softest plea-
sures, were Satan's silken cords, by which he
was drawing them into endless wo and bitter-
ness. Then they will perceive how the prince
of darkness hath blinded their 6yes, and de-
luded them ; how the old serpent hath beguiled
them through his subtiily, and deceived them ;
how they have been gulled of a crown and a
kingdom they had the proffer of, and were
in a capacity to obtain ; then they will perceive
whose slaves they have been, whilst they were
serving divers lusts ; that the devil was their
Lord and master, and led them captive at his
will ; and now they will meet with their masters
whom they have served unto their terror and
amazement. How will they be affrighted at the
apparition of so many devils about them ! when
they shall throw into their thoughts such hi-
deous apprehensions, and lash their spirits
with horrible scourges, when they shall seize
upon their bodies, and tear them, and drag them
^1
to the judgment seat, and there is none to res-
cue and deliver them.
3. The third antecedent to the judgment of
the wicked, will be their meeting one with an-
other ; as the elect, so all the reprobates will be
gathered together into one company. ! what
an innumerable company of rebels and traitors,
and villains, will then be got together ! How
fiercely and horribly will they look one upon
another ! And if they speak, what language of
hell will there issue forth of their lips ! They
may meet with their old companions, and fellow
sinners ; but it will not be like such as they now
call meetings of good fellowship when they get
together in a tavern or ale-house, or some
house of wickedness, to drink and sing, and
dance and sin, and make merry in the pleasing
of their flesh : They shall not then have ale, and
wine, and women, and music, or any incentives
to mirth and sensual pleasures ; the last meeting
will be no merry meeting, but sad and dismal
The pleasing affections which they formerly had
to their friends will be changed, their love will
be turned into hatred, and the joy they have
found in them, will be turned into grief and an-
ger. ! the angry countenances the wicked
will have on that day ! It is said the nations will
be angry. O! the angry speeches! How wilt
they rage and storm at one another ; especially
at those who have drawn them into sin ! O ! hew
72
will they curse and ban one another ! ! the
horrible noise that will be among the damned
crew, when they are got together ! It may
be from words they fall to blows, and tear one
anothers hair, and spurn at one anothers bel-
lies, and bite one anothers flesh, and even claw
out one anothers eyes ; we cannot conjecture so
much of the misery of the wicked, as will be on
that day.
4. The wicked that are alive on the earth at
the second appearance of Christ, shall seethe
righteous that are dead, arise out of their graves
with marvellous beauty and joy ; and those that
are alive, wonderfully changed in the likeness
and fashion of Christ, and ah of them suddenly-
caught up together in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air ; which sight will be fearful and
amazing to them, when they perceive themselves
to be left behind. We read, Rev. xi. 12, 13.
When the two witnesses, after they had laid
dead for some time, had the spirit of life put in-
to them, and they stood upon their feet, and
were called up, and ascended up into heaven ;
it is said their enemies beheld them, and great
fear fell upon them ; so when all the witnesses
and servants of the Lord shall have a spirit of
life put into them, and stand upon their feet,
and be called up, and caught up in the clouds
to meet the Lord, their enemies and the wicked
on the earth will behold them ; and great fear
73
will fall upon them. But ! the fear and trou-
ble which will be upon the spirits of those un-
believing, Christless, graceless sinners, whose
abode shall at that day be amongst the believ-
ers, and some of them linked in the nearest re-
lations to them, when their believing relations
shall be caught away from them, and carried up
into the air, with the rest of the glorious train of
saints, when themselves shall remain below up-
on the earth. It is said, that at the time of
Christ's coming, Luke xxii. 34, 35, 36. ' Two
men shall be in one bed, the one shall be taken
and the other left ; Two women shall be grind-
ing together, the one shall be taken, and the
other left ; Two men shall be together in the
field, the one shall be taken, and the other left/
Friends may be together at that day, as at other
times, not expecting Christ's coming, and it
may be less expecting it than before they did,
some will be in the fields together, some in
houses together, some will be in beds together,,
some will be in churches together, it may be
ministers preaching and people hearing, as you
are hearing me this day.
Suppose that the heavens should just now
open and you should hear the sound of the last
trumpet ; and Jesus Christ shall descend with
a glorious train of angels into the air, then all
you that are believers, and have got an interest
in Christ, would immediately be caught up in
7
74
the clouds to meet with the Lord ; but all you
that are impenitent and unbelievers, would be
left behind ; and think what terror would fail
upon you, to see us caught away from you ; it
may be some of you might come hanging about
me and others, when you see us arrayed in
shining garments, and suddenly changed into
glorious likeness of our Lord, and called by the
angels to go up to him. O take us up along with
you, what, will ye leave us behind ? Alas !
what can I do for you then ? I must say, I told
you of this time and thing before ; but you did
not seriously regard it so as to prepare ; I called
you often to repentance, and preached Jesus
Christ to you, and showed you the way of sal-
vation ; but you would not accept of him, ye re-
fused him, and lived in the neglect of your own
salvation. I told you if you did not forsake such
and such sins, they would be your ruin ; and ye
would not be persuaded to leave them. I fore*
warned you of the miseries which would come
upon you at Christ's coming, but you would
not take warning. Fain I would have had
you up all along with me, to meet my Lord,
and if I could have been instrumental to con-
vert and turn you unto him, my joy and crown
would have been the greater. how glad would
I have been of your company in this triumph I
Some did hearken and believe, some did awa-
ken when they were called, and repent, and re-
7£
form their lives ; some were wise, and did fore-
think, and made provision for this day, and now
see how they shine, see the mirth and joy in
their countenances, see the fruit of their tears,
and self-denial, of their faith and love, and holy
walking: Now, now, we are going together to
our Lord whom we have sought, served, and
trusted with our happiness ; and O that you
would have hearkened, and been persuaded to
have joined yourselves to our number, that we
might have gone together : O that you would
have joined yourselves to our Lord, and have
had fellowship with the Father and his Son
Jesus Christ, and broken off your fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness, and work-
ers of iniquity ; but you would go on in the
broad way, because it was easy ; the way t<?
heaven was too narrow and difficult for you. —
If profession would have been enough, and ex?
ternal joining yourselves to God's people, would
have brought you to heaven, this some of you
could do with readiness sufficient : but when
you must have a power as well as a form, and
when you must mourn for sin, crucify the flesh,
mortify the deeds of the body, and deny your-
selves, take up the cross, be so strict in your
lives, make conscience of thoughts, words, and
all your actions, this you could not away with ;
you could brook to be religious sometimes by
the bye, and when you had nothing else to do ;
76
but to make it your business to be religious,
you could not endure : You could put on a form,
and outward vizard of godliness on the Sab-
bath day ; but to be religious on week-days, and
every day to be holy in all manner of conver-
sation, this was too much, and a hard saying,
that you could not bear. And if you did not
like the terms of the gospel, and would be the
servants of the devil whilst you seemed to be
the servants of Christ, and go on covertly in the
way to hell, whilst you seemed to be going in
the way to heaven ; what can I do for you now ?
I thought you would have shined and gone with
us, when you shined so much in profession ;
and are your lamps now gone out, when the
bridegroom is come ? Alas ! who can supply
you now with oil ? I have little enough for my-
self, and none to spare for you, and do you ask
me for oil ? Alas ! if I had enough, I could
not part with it, and put any into your vessels :
Now, now, it is too late, I came with oil often
to sell for my Lord and Master, and you might
have had it for nothing, you might have bought
it without money, and without price ; but then
ye slighted and refused all proffers of grace
which were made, you valued your lusts,
which jou have parted withal for it, at a high-
er rate ; you refused the oil altogether, or at
least took no more than would light your lamps :
You would not receive any into the vessels of
77
your hearts. And do you think I can supply
you with oil now ! Some of you had conviction$
once in the time of the plague, when death rag-
ged amongst you, and some good work was be-
ginning then in you : And is it now worn off,
and come to nothing, and dwindled into an emp-
ty profession ? Alas ! what shall I do for you now ?
You know I ventured my life for you, to preach
for you, when the arrows were flying so thick
about you ; I ventured my liberty for you, my
health for you, and was often spent for you, and
amongst you, that I might be instrumental to call
and save you : But when the thunder of judgment
was a little over, and out of hearing, you quickly
dropped asleep, and the voice of preaching could
not enter your ears, and awaken you : Alas! why
do you look upon me now with such rueful
countenances, and stand with such rumbling
joints, and speak so earnestly unto me, as if
something might yet be done for you, and are
loath to let me go from your company ? Alas !
what can I do for you now ? Should I stay and
preach to you again, and call and invite you
again to Jesus Christ, and open the treasures of
the gospel, and now you will open your ears
and hearts to receive ? Alas ! now the mystery
of Cod is finished ; the treasures of the gospel
are shut up and sealed, and the day of grace is
quite spent and gone, and cannot be recalled :
Could not you have opened before, when you
7 *
78
knew I knocked often and hard in my Master's
name for entertainment ? I called, but ye re-
fused, I stretched out my hand, and lifted up my
Voice like a trumpet, but you did not regard
and follow the counsels which were given unto
you, and now my preaching work is done
for ever. Should I stay and pray with you,
and for you, that God would pardon your sins^
or defer your judgment but a little while, if it
were but for a week, or a day, that you may
prepare your accompts, and O how presently
would you make your peace with God ! How
readily wouldyou accept of Christ on any terms \
Bo any thing* suffer any thing, deny self,
take up your cross : how diligently would
you be in the service of God, and resist Satan,
and take heed of sin ! Alas, poor souls ! All these
desires are too late. I have prayed with you,
and for you, and you have had time and warn-
ing to prepare for your accompts, and have been
called to these duties before ; but now the oath
is sworn by him who liveth forever and ever,
that time shall be no longer ; now the ear of God
is shut, and no prayer can enter.
NoW Christ has come down from the mercy-
seat, from the right hand of the Father, where
he made intercession ; and the throne of grace
is now turned into a judgment-seat. Now there
remaineth nothing but a fearful looking for of
judgment to devour the wicked* Alas! why do
79
you hang about me with tears and weeping ?
What can I do for you now ? Can I carry you
all up with me in my arms ? Would not th*j load
be too great for me ? And if all of us together
could hand and help some of you up into the air
with us, and bring you into the presence of
our dear and glorious Redeemer ; with what
confidence could you stand before him ? With
what face could you look upon him, when you
are so black and filthy, and have such guilt up-
on your consciences ? Would not your looks be-
tray you to be none of our numbers ? Would not
your black and trembling joints speak what you
are ? And would not Christ then frown you away
from our company ? And then we must of neces-
sity let you fall from on high among your fel-
low hypocrites and unbelievers. Could we car-
ry you up with us, if you should lay hold on
us ; would not the angels snatch us out of your
arms ; or would not devils tear you away frora
us ? And could I rescue any of you out of Sa-
tan's hands, when he comes to seize upon his
own ? Alas ! What can I do for you at this time ?
I must away, and begone, and bid you now
adieu? for ever ; the saints are all risen and have
put on their glorious attire, and we are called
for ; it is your own fault that you did not help
to fill up this number. And when such of us
as belong to Christ, should be caught up in
the clouds, how dreadful wijl it be for ypufc
80
and all that should he found in the number of
them that are left
5. The fifth and most dreadful antecedent to
the judgment of the wicked, will be the sight of
the Lord Jesus Christ himself who will be re-
vealed from heaven, at that day in flaming fire^
to take vengeance upon them ; 2 Thes. i. 7, 8.
The sight of their Judge will affright them,
Rev. i. 7. ' Behold, he cometh with clouds, and
every eye shall see him, and they also that
pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall
wail because of him, even so Amen/ Every eye
shall see him, not only the righteous, but also
the wicked ; and they also that pierced him,
that is the Jews which crucified him, as he
saith, Mat. xxvi. 64. < Hereafter shall ye see
the Son of man sitting on the right hand of
power, and coming in the clouds of heaven/ O
how fearful will the sight of Jesus Christ be to
Judas that betrayed him, unto the officers that
took him, unto the base servant that smote him
with the palm of his hand, unto the people
that mocked and spit upon him, unto the Phari-
sees that accused him, unto Pilate that scourged
and condemned him, unto Herod that scorned
him, unto the soldiers that mocked and crucifi-
ed him, unto the priest that stirred up the peo-
ple and Pilate against him, and in the midst of
his agony and anguish railed on him! Though
they did not see him come down from the cross*
81
yet when they see him come down from heaven
they will believe that he was the Messias ; and
O how will this sight terrify them ! Then they
will smite their breasts indeed, and be filled
with horror, when they perceive that the same
Jesus was the Son of God, and is now the Judge
of the world ; and is come to call them before
his bar, who then did stand before theirs. The
high priest that rent his clothes, when Christ
called himself the Son of God, will be ready
to rent himself in pieces, for not acknowledging
it, and with what face will Judas look his Master
in the face, when he sees him come in such glo*
ry ! And if some soldiers that kept Christ's ser
pulchre did so shake and become like dead men
at Christ's resurrection, when they saw the an-
gel, whose countenance was like lightning, and
raiment white as snow, come and roll away the
stone from before the door thereof, Mat. xxviii.
2, 3, 4. O ! how will they all that had a hand
in his death quake and tremble when they see
the Lord Jesus Christ himself come with such
power and glory, and all the holy angels with
him, to call them to judgment. Further, it is
said, ' That all kindreds of the earth shall
wail because of him ;■ Mat. xxiv. 30. ' All
the tribes of the earth shall mourn, when they
see the Son of man coming in the clouds of
heaven ;' This we are to understand of the wick-
ed kindreds and tribes of the earth ; the sight of
82
Christ will be matter of the greatest joy unto
his disciples, but of the greatest sorrow unto the
wicked world ; the mourning of the wicked, see
how it is set forth, Rev. vi. 15, 17, 18. ' And
the kings of the earth, and the great men,
and the rich men, and the chief captains, and
tha mighty men, and every bond man, and every
free man, hid themselves in the dens, and in the
rocks, and in the mountains ; and said to the
rocks and to the mountains, fall on us, and hide
us from the face of him that sits upon the throne^
and from the wrath of the Lamb ; for the great
day of his wrath is come, and who shall be
able to stand ?' Then profane and wicked kings, *
who would not submit to the government of
Christ, but break his bands asunder, and
cast away his cords from them, shall see the
King of kingSj and Lord of lords come down
from heaven to judge them ; and O with what
fear would they then run and hide themselves in
dens, or under some great rocks and mountains,
if they could, from the face of him that will
then sit upon the throne of judgment ; and with
what trembling will they stand among the mean-
est of their subjects, divested of all their pow-
er and dignity ; then the nobles and great men of
the earth, who having been lifted up above the
ordinary degree of men, have lifted up their
hearts also, with pride and haughtiness above
measure, and let loose the reins unto lascivious-
83
ness, and wallowed in filthy delights and plea-
sures, shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds, and how will their proud hearts then be
brought down ; and their haughtiness laid low,
and their sweet sinful delights be turned into gall
and worm-wood ! Then will they cry to the rocks
to cover them, and the mountains to hide them,
if they can find any such place, to receive them
in this terrible day. Then the chief captains and
the mighty men, who employed their forces and
strength under the banner of the devil, and en-
deavoured to promote the interest of his king-
dom in the world, and rebelled against the
Lord of Hosts, shall see the heavens opened, and
this mighty captain come down with the ar-
mies of heaven attending upon him in white, to
execute vengeance upon them ; and then their
courage will fail them, and the wrath of the
Lamb will make them tremble ; and they would
creep into a rock , or any hole to hide them ; then
the rich men who have placed their hearts and
confidence in their riches, especially those who
have heaped up riches by unjust and unrighte-
ous practices, shall see the Son of man coming
against them ; and weep and howl for the mise-
ries that are come upon them ; and their riches
will be so far from profiting them in the day of
wrath, that they will be witnesses to accuse
them, and aggravate their condemnation ; then
every bond man r and every free man, that are.
84
slaves to the devil and their own lusts, shall see
the Son of man coming to judge them, and be
in the number of mourners, crying to the moun-
tains to fall on them. Then there will be dis-
tress upon all nations, and great perplexity, sea
and waves roaring, and men's hearts failing
them for fear, when they are looking up into
the clouds and see the Son of man is come
down, and his throne is prepared for judgment
The heathen nations will mourn to see him, es-
pecially the wicked who have had the name of
Christians upon them, and have sat under the
light of the gospel. O how will their faces be
filled with shame and confusion, and their
hearts with terror and astonishment, when they
behold the face of the Lord Jesus Christ shin-
ing with such beauty and glory, but looking on
them with anger and disdain ! And is this glori-
ous King that Jesus Christ whom we heard so
much spoken of, when we lived upon the earth ?
Was he indeed so great, whose command we dis-
obey ed, whose threatenings we slighted, whose
grace we abused, and whose wrath we disre-
garded ! Was it so excellent a person who was
described and set forth to us by ministers in
such superlative expressions, all which he ex-
ceeds, and yet we could see no form, nor come-
liness in him, nothing for which we could de-
sire him ? Was this the Saviour that was preach?
ed to us, and proffered to us ? That the Jesus
85
Christ, that we were pressed so frequently and
so earnestly, to get an interest in, with so many
powerful arguments, and yet could not be moved
and persuaded ? Was it this person that did
call us, and did stretch forth his hand all the
day long to us, that did woo us, and entreat us
by his messengers, to accept of pardon, and
grace, and salvation, and knocked at the door
of our hearts again and again, by his word and
spirit for entertainment ? And did we shut our
ears and our hearts against him, and refuse all
his gracious tenders which were made unto us ?
What, did we hearken to the devil, when he
tempted us to sin, that lie might destroy us ; and
not hearken to Christ, who would have per-
suaded us to faith and obedience, that he might
save us ? Could we harbour base lusts, which
were like so many vipers in our bosoms, and
give no entertainment to Jesus Christ, who
would have brought riches and glory with him !
what fools and mad-men and women have we
been ! How have our cursed hearts deceived
us, and the devils deluded us ! How have we
been bewitched, to prefer the vanities of the
world, and the satisfaction of the desires of our
flesh, before an interest in such a Saviour ! Wo !
wo ! wo ! be unto us, for now the great day of
the Lord is come, and who is able to stand ?
This is the fifth antecedent to the judgment of
the wicked, they shall see the Lord Jesus com-
8
86
~ing in the clouds, and be summoned to the bar
and placed at his left hand.
6. The sixth antecedent, will be their seeing
the judgment, and hearing the sentence of the
righteous, ' Come ye blessed of my Father, in-
herit the kingdom prepared for you from the
beginning of the world/ And O ! how will they
grind and gnash their teeth> and their hearts be
ready even to burst with envy and indignation*
to'see these poor mean Christians, whom some
of them have separated from their company, and
accounted as the off-scouring of the earth, and
not worthy to sit with the dogs of their flock;,
exalted to such dignity, shining in such glory,
and adjudged to such happiness, when they
themselves are looked upon with such contempt,
and standing waiting for the judgment and final
doom to torments and eternal misery. These
are the antecedents of the judgment of the
wicked;
CHAPTER VIII.
Concerning the judgment of the wicked it-
self : I shall here speak of,
1. The Judge.
2. Assessors.
3; The malefactors.
87
4. The crimes.
5. The accusers and witnesses.
6. The conviction.
7 The sentence.
1 . The Judge of the wicked, as of the righte^
ous, will be the Lord Jesus Christ. It is said,
Rom. iii. 6. i God shall judge the world ; but
it will be God in Christ, and God by Christ/
Acts xvii. 31. ' God was in Christ reconciling
the world (of the elect) unto himself/ 2 Cor. v.
19. And God in Christ will judge and con-
demn the world of the reprobates. ' The Father
hath committed all judgment to the Son/ John
v. 22. ' And he hath given him authority to
execute judgment, because he is jthe Son of
man/ ver. 27. The same Jesus whom the
wicked would not submit unto, and take for
their king to rule over them, they must submit
unto, and have for their Judge, to examine and
condemn them. The properties of this Judge
are worthy here of our observation.
1. Christ will be a most gracious Judge ; ne-
ver was there such a Judge seen on the earth :
it will be the greatest judgment, there will be a
general assize of the whole world ; and Christ
will be the greatest Judge, the greatest for dig-
nity and glory, that ever eye did behold. Christ
will be most glorious, in regard of his person,
he will appear to be the Prince, the Lord of glo-
ry, and be admired, not only by the saints, but
88
also by the wicked, among whom, before they
saw him he was despised. The despisers shall
behold the lustre of their Judge, and wonder
and perish, as it is said in another case, Acts,
41. Christ will be more glorious in regard of
his retinue ; all the holy angels, those glorious
spirits, who are about the throne of God shall
attend upon him. Mat xxv. 31. 'When the
Son of man cometh in his glory, and all his
holy angels, with him ; yea, all the holy saints
also shall attend upon him in the judgment of
the wicked, Jude, ver. 14, 15. Behold the
Lord will come with ten thousand of his saints^
to execute judgment upon all the ungodly, yea„
and he will come with all his saints/ 1 Thes.
iii. 13. The whole innumerable company of
saints shall attend upon Christ in white shining
garments, with bodies like unto Christ's, more
beautiful and glorious, than the most splendid
attire can make them ; and Christ will then be
admired in all the saints and believers, by the
wicked which shall behold them ; and Christ
will sit upon the throne of his glory, Mat. Xxv.
31. f I saw a great white throne, and him that
sat upon it, from whoseTace the earth and the
heavens fled away,' Rev. xx. 21. We read of
a glorious throne which Solomon made, 1 Kings
X. 18, 19, 20. But the throne and tribunal seat
of Christ will be far more glorious than Solo-
mon Yor any monarch's that ever lived upon the
face of the earth*
89
2. Christ will be a most powerful Judge, he
will have power to raise all the wicked out of
their graves unto life again ; which requires as
much power to effect, as the giving them their
being and life at the first, he will have power
to bring all the wicked to his feet and keep them
in awe, that they shall not stir, nor lift up
the hand in the least, in a way of rebellion,
which is more than the most potent prince that
ever lived could do ; he will have power to exe-
cute vengeance upon all the wicked together ;
and inflict an infinite punishment upon them,
and he will put forth no less power in the de-
struction of the wicked at that day, than was
put forth in the first creation of the world, where^
in he will make his power known, Rom. ix. 22.
c When the wicked shall be punished with
everlasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord, and from the glory of his power/
2 Thes. i. 9.
3. Christ will be a most knowing Judg^
He will know all the persons of the wicked, not
one shall escape his eye ; he will not know
them in any way of nearness and familiar ac-
quainting himself with them ; but he will know
them in a way of perfect cognizance of their
persons ; he knew them when they lived and re-
belled against his laws ; and he will know theifl
again when they are raised. He will not only
have a general knowledge of them, but he will
8*
90
know them particularly ; none of the ancient re*
bels shall be able to hide themselves either un-
der rocks or mountains, or in the crowd and
throng of the wicked, which shall be gathered
together before him on that day. Christ will
find out all his enemies, and he will know all
their crimes, he will read them all written in
the book of God's remembrance ; and the book
of their own consciences being then opened,
will present all their sins to his view. The
eye of the Judge will be a piercing all-seeing
eye, which cannot be blinded ; and therefore
there will be no mistake or error in the judg-
ment, through ignorance, or false information,
as there may be in the courts of Judicature upon
the earth.
4. Christ will be a most holy Judge. He will
be without the least stain of sin ; he was so when
he lived among sinners on earth, and surely he
will be so when he descendeth from the holy
of holies in heaven. Some earthly judges are
guilty in the same kind with the malefactors that
are brought before them ; so that while they
judge others, they condemn themselves, but
there will not be the least mote of sin in the eye of
Christ ; nor any tincture of defilement ; and there-
fore as it will be impossible to blind him because
of his knowledge of,- so it will be impossible to
bribe and corrupt him in judgment, because of
his holiness. And by consequence.
91
5. Christ will be a most impartial and strict
judge ; he will be the most impartial in regard of
the persons whom he will judge ; the high de-
gree and quality of men upon the earth, will be
of no account with him ; the rich will be of no
more regard than the poor ; nor the highest
princes more than their meanest subjects. —
Death levels all men, and puts a conclusion to
all earthly dignities ; and in the resurrection all
will stand upon even ground. Now some lords
and great men may murder, and oppress, and
break laws, and through favour may escape
punishment ; which crimes if meaner persons
had been found guilty of, would have cost them
their lives ; but Christ will have no more favour
for a lord, or a knight, or a gentleman, no, nor
a king or queen, or greatest lady, than for the
most contemptible beggar ; he will not accept
of the persons of any, and connive at the sins of
some, which those that should reprove them
now can wink at, as if there were no faults, be-
cause the faults of such persons as are high,
whose favour they desif e, and from whom they
might receive damage, and disesteem, should
they be plain and faithful. But Christ he will
neither need the favour, nor fear the danger of
any ; and he will not court nor flatter any be*
cause of their nobility and greatness ; but impar-
tially judge the highest and the greatest by the
same rule as he will do tbe lowest and meanest
93
And Christ will be a more strict judge in regard
of crimes. He will bring forth all the sins of
the wicked to light ; not one sin which they have
committed from the day of their birth to the
hour of their dissolution, but shall be had in
remembrance, and be brought into public view,
when the Lord shall enter into judgment with
the ungodly world. Some of the wicked do
now sin more secretly, they have sweet mor-
sels rolling under their tongues, which are not
perceived ; they have their Dalilah^s in corners,
which are not known, they shroud themselves
tinder the shadows of the wings of the night,
that they may conceal some of their wicked
lewd practices, which should they be found in,
would fill their cheeks with shame and blush-
ing ; but Christ will call them at the last day to
a strict account, and bring to light the hidden
things of darkness, 1 Cor. iv. 5. And O the
contempt and confusion which they will be co-
vered with, when all their shameful and abo-
minable sins shall be made manifest.
6. Christ will be a most righteous Judge. He
will judge the world in righteousness ; some of
them will be found to have been unrighteous in
their judgment ; and others unrighteous in their
dealing, and all of them unrighteous in their
state : but Christ will judge them all in righte-
ousness. He will judge them according to their
works ; as he will be righteous, in not afflicting
93
upon them a greater punishment than their sins
have deserved, he will not punish lesser sinners
with more stripes, and greater sinners with few-
er stripes ; so neither will he be unrighteous in
inflicting upon them a lesser punishment than
their sins have deserved, but will proportion
their punishment to their offence, Rev. xvii. 17,
' How much she hath glorified herself, and
lived deliriously, so much torment and sorrow
give her/ Christ will be exactly righteous in his
judgment ; severely righteous without the least
mixture of mercy. The wicked shall have
from him the summum jus, and that sine ulk
injuria, they shall have the highest right and
justice without the least injury. God's justice
requires satisfaction for their sins, and Christ
will satisfy the demands of justice to the full
upon the ungodly, by distribution of such pun*
ishments as are the just desert of their sin&
Christ will even all scores that day between
God and sinners ; at the last he will begin to
take the payment of that debt from them which
they owe for sin, which they will be paying
unto all eternity. Christ will come with the
balances and sword of justice in his hand, he
will come to take vengeance upon disobedient
children.
7. Christ will be a most furious Judge. He
will be most gracious towards the righteous, but
most furious against the wicked, ' He will
94
come in flaming fire to take vengeance upon
them,' 2 Thes. i. 8. He will come in flames
of love towards his people ; but in flames of
anger against his enemies ; a fire shall devour
before him, and it will be very tempestuous
round about him, see Isa. lxi. 15. ' Behold the
Lord will come with fire, and with chariots,
as with a whirlwind, to render his anger with
fury, his rebukes with flames of fire/ We read
of such wrath on that day in the Lamb, as ma-
keth the kings and great men of the earth to
tremble, and to call to mountains and rocks to
fall on them, and hide them from it. Rev. vi. 1 5,
16, 17. Never was there greater love and more
tender bowels of compassion and pity than is
to be found now in the Lord Jesus Christ,
towards all them that apply themselves unto him
under a sense of sin for salvation here in this
world ; and never was there greater wrath and
revengeful fury than will be found in the same
Lord Jesus Christ, when sinners shall come be-
fore him to be judged at the last day ; he will
be very furious, ten thousand times beyond a
bear, when she is bereaved of her whelps, or a
lion when she is hunger-starved. How fiercely
will Christ look upon the wicked ? What scorn
and contempt of them will they see in his face ?
What dreadful frowns in his brow ? What fiery
anger will sparkle from his eye in his looking
upon them, as if he would look them dead, or
95
look them into hell, before he hath pronounced
the sentence ? How fiercely will he speak unto
them ? There will be terror in his looks, and
there will be terror in his voice 5 f He will
speak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his
hot displeasure/ His anger will then break
forth into a flame. He will appear to be jealous
and very furious, when he cometh to execute
vengeance on his adversaries, and punish his
enemies for their sins.
8. Christ will be an inexorable judge ; none is
now more easy to be entreated as a Saviour,
whosoever comes unto him, may be welcome to
him ; he hath promised in no wise to cast out
such. John vi. 37. The most rebellious sinner
may find entertainment with Jesus Christ now,
and prevail with him to procure pardon, and
peace, and salvation upon their repentance of
their sins ; but when he is come down from hea-
ven to judge the world, he will be inexorable :
No prayers, no intreaties, no tears, no arguments,
will in the least move him to take any pity on
such as shall then be found in their sins. When
the wicked at the day of judgment shall have
their eyes opened, to behold the Lord Jesus
Christ in his beauty : then one smile of his coun-
tenance will be really accounted of more worth
than the whole world ; and to be made like to
such a person, and to dwell for ever in his love
and joy, they will then clearly see to be incon-
96
ceivably beyond all the enjoyments of the crea-
tures in the fullest delights, and to be thrust out
of his presence, they will account their greatest
misery ; then they will have other apprehensions
of helFs torments, when they are just ready to
be cast into the burning lake ; when they are
awakened in the morning of the resurrection,
they are brought to Chrisfs bar and they per-
ceive how near they are to execution, and great
distress will be upon them, when they look
about them, and all refuge fails, and thej see
no way for them to escape ; if now with their cries
and supplications, they might prevail with the
judge for some commisseration ; if they had but
the least hopes of obtaining the favour and ad-
mission into the inheritance of the saints, how
would they all fall down upon their knees before
him, with the lowest submission and reverence !
How would they cry and weep, entreat and be-
seech ? How would they kiss his feet and wash
them with tears, and wipe them with their hairs ?
How earnest and importunate would they be
with him for a pardon, if importunity would
prevail ? If there were but one promise left in
the whole book of God for them, which might
possibly bring unto them some relief; how gree-
dily would they all catch at it ; and humbly
woo the Lord for mercy. No the Judge will
be then inexorable ; they may cry but it will
be to no purpose. He will shut his ears against.
97
their prayers, and hide his eyes from their mi-
sery ; they had promises enough whilst they
lived, but they did not regard them, they did
not believe and apply them ; and now nothing
but threatenings belong to them, and remain
for them. Christ often cried to them by his
ministers, and moved- them by his Spirit, to
open the doors of their hearts, and give him
room and entertainment ; but they shut their
ears and hearts against him ; and now Christ
will shut his ears, and the door of mercy and
heaven against them, fie will be inexorable :
Thus concerning the Judge of the wicked.
1. The assessors or those who shall sit with
Christ in the judgment of the wicked, will be
the righteous ; this promise the Lord makes par-
ticularly and especially to the twelve apostles,
Mat xix. 28. ' Verily I say unto you, that ye
who have followed me, that have denied your-
selves, and parted with all, and taken up your
cross, and followed me in the regeneration or
restitution of all things, when the day of the re-
surrection doth come ; and the Son of man shall
sit on the throne of his glory, when I shall sit
upon my judgment-se?t, and gather all nations
before my bar to receive their doom ; ye shall
^it on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes
of Israel ; an J though the apostles of Christ
will be especially honoured, and exalted in the
day of judgment, and have seats, or degrees of
9
98
dignity above others ; yet this honour also shall
all the saints have, to sit with Christ in judg-
ment/ 1 Cor. vi. 2. c Do ye not know that the
saints shall judge the world P They judge and
condemn the sins of the wicked world now, by
their holy conversation ; and they will judge
and condemn the person of the wicked at the
last day by their approbation of Christ's judg-
ment. The crimes of the wicked will be ex-
amined before the righteous, their secret sins
will be ript up and made manifest unto them ;
they will not only be brought in as accusers and
witnesses against some of the wicked, of which
I shall speak by and by ; but they also will join
with Christ in the examination of the wicked ;
and they will also approve of Christ's justice
and righteousness in the condemnation of sin-
ners for their sins ; and when Christ doth pro-
nounce the sentence of condemnation upon
them, ' Depart from me, ye cursed into everlast-
ing fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,"
they will join with him, and approve of this
sentence ; it may be they will with one voice
say, Even so Amen ; or with a loud shout ac-
companying Christ's words, saying, c Depart ye
cursed into everlasting fire/ A strange turn
and change of things will there be at that day.
Felix who sat on the judgment seat, when Paul
was at the bar, will stand at the bar when Paul
will sit among the judges. The Lord will bring
99
down the mighty from their seats, and all wick-
ed princes and judges of the earth shall be de-
throned, when the righteous, though of a low
degree, shall be exalted to sit as Judges upon
them.
3. The malefactors which shall be judged
will be, I, Devils. 2 Pet. ii. 4. The angels
which fell, are said to be delivered into chains
of darkness, and to be reserved unto judgment ;
they are punished in part now, but their pun-
ishment is not yet complete. When Christ
came the first time in the flesh, and began to
dislodge the devils from their habitation, in those
persons whom they had got the possession of,
they were afraid that he would have completed
their torment presently ; and therefore they
cried out, ' Art thou come hither to torment us
before the time ? r Mat. viii. 29. ' Let us alone,
art thou come to destroy us ?' Mat. xii. 42. But
when Christ comes the second time in his glory,
then he will judge and condemn the wicked
angels ; and the saints shall join with him therein,
1 Cor. vi. 3. ' Know ye not that we shall judge
angels T Then the measure of their sin will
be completed, and the time of their torment will
be come, and their punishment shall be com-
pleted too. The way and manner of their judg-
ment is not spoken of in Scripture, and there-
fore I shall not speak of it ; but that they shall
be judged to everlasting fire, is evident from the
JOG
sentence pronounced on wicked men, in which
it is said, that everlasting fire is prepared for
the devils and his angels.
2. All wicked men and women that ever liv-
ed, or shall live on earth, from the beginning
of the creation, unto the dissolution of the
world, that have no interest in Jesus Christ, will
be the malefactors which shall be judged at the
last day ; this day is called the day of judgment,
and perdition of the ungodly, 1 Pet. iii. 7. And
the unjust are said to be reserved to the day of
judgment to be punished, chap. ii. ver 7. And
the apostle Paul tells us that the Lord Jesus
should be revealed from heaven in a flaming
fire, taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and obey not the gospel. 2 Thes. i. 7. 8.
1. By them which know not God we may
understand the heathen and the Gentile nations,
this being the character given of them. 1 Thes.
iv. 5. Not in lusts of concupiscence, as the
gentiles which know not God. And the Ephe*
sians whilst heathens, before the gospel came
amongst them, were strangers to the covenant
of promise, having no hope, and without God
in the world, Eph. ii. 12. All the heathen na-
tions shall be judged by Christ ; but I shall not
speak of their judgment, in which we are not so
much concerned.
2. By them which obey not the gospel, we
are to understand all those nations upon whom
101
the light of the gospel hath shined, and unto
whom the sound of the gospel hath come ; but
yet have not yielded obedience thereunto so as
heartily to accept of Christ for their Saviour
upon his own terms; all Christless, graceless-
persons, who have heard of Christ, and enjoy-
ed the means of grace, will be the chief male-
factors in the day of judgment. I might here
give a catalogue of sinners which shall be judg-
ed, take one in 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. 'The unright-
eous, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effemi-
nate abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves,
covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, and
all other unjustified, and unsanctified sinners.
But more of this when I come to speak of the
conviction of the wicked.
4. The crime for which the wicked shall be
judged and condemned by Christ will be sin.
1. Sin against the law, and that, I. For sins
of omission, Mat. xxv. 48. ' I was an hunger-
ed, and ye gave me no meat ; I was thirsty, and
ye gave me no drink/ &c, 2. For sins of com-
mission, and that, 1 For sins of thought and
heart, 1. Cor. iv. 5. When the Lord comes, he
will make manifest the counsels of the heart;
he will condemn men for theif wicked thoughts
and contrivements, for their sinful lusts and de-
sires, and delights. 2: For sins of word. Mat,
xii. 36, 37. 'But I say unto you, that every idle
word which men will speak, they shall give an
9?
102
account thereof in the day of judgment ; for by
thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned/ If for idle
words men shall be judged, much more for tak-
ing God's name in vain, for heinous oaths and
blasphemies^ if for unprofitable speeches, much
more for corrupt communications, for lying,
slanderous, bitter reviling speeches. 3. Christ
will judge the wicked for their sins of deed.
Rom. ii. 6. 'He will render to everyone ac-
cording to their deeds/ and verses 8, 9. 'To
them that obey unrighteousness, indignation,
and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every
soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and
also of the Gentiles.
2. The sin against the gospel, will be the
chief condemning crimes of the wicked. No
sins against the law will be found so heinous ;
but if sinners be found after the commission of
them to have obeyed the gospel, to have repent-
ed and believed, and yielded the fruits of new
obedience, they will have all pardon and ab-
solution, on that day ; but final disobedience to
the gospel will be unpardonable; final impeni-
tency and unbelief in those which have been
called to repent, and to close with Jesus Christ,
will certainly bring men under the sentence of
condemnation. I might here give a more par-
ticular catalogue of the sins which the wicked
shall be judged for by Christ, but something
more of them under their conviction by Christ.
103
2. The accusers of, and witnesses against the
wicked, being the same, I shall join together,
and they will be, 1. God. 2. Men. 3. Devils;
4 Themselves.
1. God will be an accuser of, and witness
against the wicked at the day of judgment
1 . God's justice, to speak after the manner of
men, seeing this judgment is set forth in such a
manner, for our better apprehending of it, be-
cause we are not able to conceive in this state
the way exactly of God's proceeding against
sinners in judgment on that day, will arraign
the wicked before the judgment-seat of Christ,
and draw up (as it were) a bill of indictment
against them, ' Whereas these men and women,
who lived in such and such places, and times,
though they were my creatures and subjects^
were made by me and for me, and I gave them
my holy and righteous, and good law r , to be
the guide and rule of their life and actions ; yet
having no fear of me before their eyes, they did
cast my commandments behind their backs, and
lived in a course of rebellion and disobedience
against me, committing such and such sins. —
And when I sent my Son into the world to die
for sinners, who gave me sufficient satisfaction,
and I made him known, and the way of salva-
tion by him, and proffered him unto them, and
entreated them by my ambassadors to be recon-
ciled ; but they shut their ears, and hardened
104
tfheir hearts and refused my Son, trampling upon
his blood, grieved my Spirit, and neglected the
salvation of their own souls ; therefore I now
require satisfaction from themselves, and that a
condign punishment be inflicted upon them for
their disobedience.
2. God's goodness, and bounty, and patience"
will accuse them when they are thus arraigned
and indicted by his justice, which will aggra-
vate their sins. I nourished and brought up
these creatures like children and yet they re-
belled against me, I spared them as a man
spareth his son which saveth him, and yet they
had no regard for me ; I delivered them in six
troubles, and in seven, recovered them often
upon a sick bed, and brought them back from
the grave, when they were ready to go down into
the pit, yet they knew not that I healed them,
and were so much the more disobedient unto
me ; I loaded them with mercies, and yet they
loaded me with iniquities ; I would have led
them to repentance by my patience and good-'
ness, but they were the more impenitent and
hardhearted, and resolved to do evil ; I stretched
forth my hand all the day long to these disobe-
dient and gainsaying creatures, and would have
received them, had they returned unto the arms
of my mercy ; but nothing could win and persuade
them to leave their sins, and come to me ; and
-now my patience is spent, and long suffering is
105
at an end, and bowels shut up against them for-
ever ; and now let them smart for all their abu-
ses, affronts, and contempts, which they have
offered to me/
3. God's omniscience will be a witness
against the wicked at the day of judgment ; their
sins have been all committed under the view of
God's all-seeing eye ; and they have been noted
down upon the book of his remembrance ; and
God will witness against them : f I saw these
wretched sinners when they were born, and
traced all their steps, I compassed their path 3
and their lying down, and was acquainted with
all their ways ; I did beset them behind and be-
fore, and mine eye was continually upon them ;
I perceived the first sproutings and buddings
of sin in their tender years ; I took notice of
their disobedience to their parents, when they
were young ; of their lies and pride, and vani-
ty, of their idleness and sloth, and mispending
their precious time ; I was an eye witness to all
their sins, from their youth to their dying hour ;
I beheld them when no eye was upon them ;
I saw their privy lewdness, and all their deeds
of darkness, which they committed in dark cor-
ners ; when I kept silence and did not speak, I
was not blind so as not to see ; and although I
did not smite, I did note ; and what one of
them all have the confidence to deny any one of
their sins, which I have been a witness unto ?'
106
The first accuser and witness against the wick-
ed will be God himself.
2. Men will accuse and witness against the
wicked at the day of judgment ; and that both
the godly and ungodly.
1. The godly, and that both godly ministers
and godly friends.
1. Godly ministers will be the accusers and
witnesses against the wicked, ministers must
give an account then to their Lord, of the souls
which he committed to their charge. Heb. xiii.
1 7. And in some of their flock they will rejoice,
because their testimony concerning Jesus Christ
was believed ; because the gospel which they
preached amongst them was obeyed ; because
the word was received as the word of God ;
they will rejoice in them, which have been ef-
fectually wrought upon by their ministry ; in
those which they have been instrumental to re-
generate and espouse unto Jesus Christ ; to per-
suade to leave their sins, and submit themselves
to the yoke and sceptre of the Lord ; such will
be the joy and crown of rejoicing to their minis-
ters on that day ; of whom with unspeakable com-
fort, they will say to their Lord, behold the chil-
dren which thou hast given us, thine they were,
and are, and thou didst give them unto us, and
they have believed, and kept thy word ; and now
as they have shared in thy grace, let them with
us share in, and participate of thy glory. But
107
alas ! what a sad account will they have to give
of others of their flock, who have not believed
and yielded obedience to the gospel which they
have preached, it will be sad for them, when they
must bring in heavy accusations against them.
? Lord, thou didst send us upon thy embassage
unto them ; but they regarded neither messenger
nor message ; we preached often in thy name,
but either they would not hear when they might,
or they would not believe, and yield obedience
when they heard ; oft told them of their sins, and
foretold them of their danger, if they did not re-
pent and reform ; but the) would not receive con-
viction, nor be persuaded to repentance and re-
formation ; if we speak of sin more generally,
they did not look upon themselves as concerned
and made no application, except it were to
others ; if we came more home and close, they
shrouded their sins as close as they could under
the veil of some thin excuses ; they shut their eyes,
and would not see, and if the beams of light
break in upon them, and in start they opened
their eyes a little, they were either offended that
we should disturb them in their sleep, or they
quickly shut their eyes again and dropped asleep
faster than before ; and soon wore of the convic-
tions and troubles of mind, which sometimes they
have had under the light a*nd alarm of the word.
We often showed them their face in a glass, but
they have gone away, and forgotten what manner
108
of menand women they were ; we have told them
of the works of the flesh, which would certainly
exclude them from the kingdom of heaven. Gal.
v. 19, 20, 21. That no unrighteous persons, nor
unclean persons nor drunkards, nor covetous
persons, nor revilers nor extortioners, could be
saved without x repentance and sanctification,
1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 1 L And yet they would not leave
their sins, they would be unjust and unclean still ;
they would be covetous and revilers still ; they
would wallow still in their filthiness, and hold
fast their sins, whatever we could speak against
it. We preached unto them of the day of judg-
ment, and foretold them out of thy word of these
tery. things which are now come to pass ^ but
they did not believe it, nor consider it, nor take
any care to prepare for this day ; they thrust
the thoughts of judgment out of their mind, and
put the evil day far from them We preached
unto them the gospel, opened the rich treasures
thereof before them, made known the exceeding
great and precious promises of the covenant of
grace, the inestimable privileges and unspeaka-
ble benefits, which belong to those that belong
to Christ f and proffered all unto them in thy
name, if they would accept of them, and yield
obedience unto them ; but all these things were
slighted and undervalued by them. We called
and cried, we beseeched and entreated them
that they would be reconciled unto God ; but
109
they would not give ear unto us. We held forth
thee, O Lord to them, and studied to set thee
forth in the best words we could think of; told
them of thy beauty and love, and desirableness
above all persons and things in the world ; told
them of their need, and that they were undone
without thee ; tendered to them thy blood, and
the purchase thereof, pardon and peace, and
happiness for ever, but they were like the deaf
adder which will not hear, they were like rocks
unmoved, they refused thee and thy treasures,
trampled upon thy blood, and put both us and
thee to shame by their refusal, we invited them
unto the marriage feast, but they would not come,
all excused themselves with one consent ; one
had bought a farm, and he must go see it ;
another was engaged in a great trade, and he
must follow it ; another had married a wife, and
he could not, and none of them would come and
taste of the banquet ; the cares of the world,
and the deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures of
this life, and the lusts of other things, did so
over-charge their thoughts and hearts, that the
gospel and rich provisions thereof lay by dis-.
regarded.
Such will be the accusations of some minis-
ters ; such witness they must give at the last day,
against those of their flock, who shall be found
in the number of the wicked and disobedient to
the gospel ; then their sermons now forgotten
10
110
.will be remembered, and be so many evidences
against them. O that our people would remem-
ber them now ! O ! that they would now con-
sider and believe and turn and live, and avoid
the accusations and witness, which otherwise we
must be forced to give in against them.
2. The godly friends of the wicked will be
their accusers, and witness against them ; some
of them are linked in near relations to the godly
who now are endeavouring to be instrumental
for their salvation ; but if they do not prevail^
they will hereafter be their accusers and witness
for their condemnation.
1. The believing husband will then accuse
and witness against the unbelieving wife. ' Lord
she lay in my bosom, and was beloved by me
as myself $ I cherished her, and was as tender
of her as my own flesh, according to thy com-
mand ; but all my love and kindness to her,
Could not win her heart for thee ; I told her often
of thy beauty, and thy love, which was a thou-
sand-fold beyond what I, or any man alive
could possibly express ; but she was stupid and
unbelieving, and wholly disregarded both thy
person, and thy love ; I covered her faults with
love as much as I could from others ; and used
many entreaties and loving persuasions to draw
her to amendment, telling her the danger and
destructive issue of a sinful course : but she
Would not hearken to amend ; her heart was set
Ill
u'pon sin and vanity, she was proud and foolish,
she was wanton and froward, and would not be
reclaimed ; she did see my grief and sorrow for
sin, she was a witness to my tears and mourn-
ful complaints ; and yet she could bear up under
greater guilt without any sense ; she did see me
often retire into my closet, and knew that I
spent time daily between thee and me alone ;
and yet though her need was as great, she
would not be persuaded to an imitation ; I have
gften in the secret silent night, vvhen sleep hath
fled from both our eyes, taking advantage of
fiuch opportunities, to discourse with her about
her soul affairs, told her of the sleep of death
which ere long would seize opon us, the night
we must spend in the grave ; of the morning of
the resurrection, of the second coming, and our
appearing before the tribunal seat ; but nothing
would quicken her to make preparation for death
and judgment, she heard as if she were asleep ;
as indeed she was asleep whilst awake, and
dead whilst she was alive, asleep and dead in
sin and security/
2. The believing wife will then accuse the
unbelieving husband. c Lord theu knowest how
I loved and honoured, and reverenced, and
obeyed him in lawful things, and was faithful
to him according to my duty ; but he would not
love and honour thee ; he was unthankful, and
would not obey thy more reasonable command
112
unto whom he owed a greater subjection ; I have
often sat alone like a widow at home, when he
hath been revelling abroad with his companions ;
I have been pouring forth tears for him at the
throne of grace in my closet, when he hath been
pouring in wine and strong drink in taverns
and ale-houses ; I have been troubled for him
when he hath stayed out so late ; and troubled
more with him when he hath come in so full of
drink and passion, and with much patience have
endured his foul speeches and behaviour which
he hath used ; I have watched the most fit op
portunity I could take, to put him in mind of his
sin and danger, and I have done it with the
greatest humility and meekness, and tender af-
fection I could; but either he hath not regarded
my words, or flown out into a rage against me ;
O how fain would I have persuaded him to draw
in the same yoke of Christ with me ; but he
would draw another way do what I could, none
of my prayers, nor tears, nor arguments, no, nor
the love of Christ, nor the love of his own soul
eould prevail with him to change his course ; he
would not leave his drunkenness and adultery,
his worldliness and injustice, his lying and
over-reaching, his swearing, and bitterness
against thy people, by no means he would be
persuaded/
S. Believing parents will then accuse and
witness against their unbelieving children and
113
servants : ' Lord we endeavoured to bring thefct
up in the nurture and admonition of thee, we la-
boured to put good principles betimes into them,
we dropped many wholesome instructions upon
them, we prayed frequently for them, and with
them, and spake plainly and earnestly to them
about their soul concernment ; we told them of
the immortality of their souls, the preciousness
of their time, the evil of sin, their need of thee,
the excellency of grace, their danger of hell, the
way to escape it, the glory of heaven, the way
to attain it ; but alas to the grief of our hearts,
they shut their ears against all our instructions,
and would take none of our reproofs or counsels,
they would go foolishly and stubbornly on in a^
course of sin, and neither thy law nor thy fear
would restrain them.'
Thus these and other godly relations would
rise up in judgment, and witness against the
wicked.
2. The ungodly friends and companions of
the wicked, will at that day be their accusers
and wkness against them, especially those who
have been drawn by them into sin ; however,
now they are very well pleased with them, and
delight in their company, because sin pleaseth
them, and they do not feel nor believe the bit-
terness which will be consequent ; yet when
they come to be judged and punished for those
sins, they will with rage and madness accuse
10*
114
and curse those wicked persons, which were
their first tempters ; drunkards will accuse them
that drew them first into taverns, and ale-houses,
and persuaded them by healths, and otherwise,
to drink beyond their measure ; adulterers
and adulteresses will accuse those that first en-
ticed them to privy lewdness : ungodly servants
also will then accuse their wicked masters, and
ungodly children their wicked parents, who have
been drawn into sin by their example.
Thus men will be accusers and witnesses
against the wicked.
3. Devils will be their accusers and witnesses
against the wicked ; they are now accusers of the
brethren, then they will be accusers of the wick-
ed ; they accuse the brethren falsely, they will
accuse the wicked truly ; now they please and
flatter the wicked, and persuade them to sin ;
then they will accuse them for these very sins,
which they have persuaded them unto ; they
have done the devil's drudgery all their days, and
been his faithful slaves ; and this is his recom-
pense, he will be their accuser at the last day.
4. The wicked will be accused by themselves
their own thoughts will accuse them in the day,
when God will judge the secrets of men, bj
Jesus Christ, Rom. ii. 15, 16, 17. Their owj
consciences will accuse them, and be as a thou-
sand witnesses against them ; they will find all
fheir sins registered in that book, and that book
115
will then be opened, and they will not be able
to deny one word of what they will find there
recorded. Thus of the accusers and witnesses
against the wicked,
5. Concerning the conviction. And here I
shall speak of the conviction of some particular
sinners ; especially of such who have lived in
the days and places where the gospel hath been
preached, whom the Lord Jesus Christ with up-
braiding, having so full evidence, will convict
of their sin. To set this out the more lively,
Suppose that this very day were the day of
judgment ; and in this very church were the
judgment-seat ; that here were a great white
throne, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself sit-
ting upon it in his glory, with millions of holy
angels about him, and all the saints in white at
his right hand ; and oil his left all the wicked
gathered together into one body, as it will be at
the last day ; and the Judge should cry with a
loud voice, Bring the prisoners to the bar, bring
the sinners to Judgment ! and so summon and
convict particular sinriers. •
1. Come forth all ye ignorant persons, wh6
have not known the Father nor me, nor the
mysteries of salvation, however clearly revealed
in my word, who lived in darkness, and loved
darkness, and hated the light lest your deeds
should have thereby been reproved : What dark
in a Goshen ? Ignorant in London ? In apiece
Iff
of so much knowledge and instruction ? Did
not your parents teach you when you were
young ? How is it that you would not be taught ?
If parents neglected to instruct you, had you not
ministers who were ready to do it ? How is it
that you have not learned ? If knowledge did
not proffer itself to you, why did you not seek
after it ? Why then did you not learn of your-
selves ? Was there any thing in the world that
did concern you more to know ? Was not know-
ledge of me and my ways, worth the looking af-
ter ? Had you a capacity for other knowledge
and not for this ? Have not others learned,
who were naturally as dull, and had as few helps
as you ? Had you time to spend about other
things, in sports and sins, and not time to spend
in getting knowledge ? Had you an ear, and yet
not hear ; so as to learn ? Had you an eye and
yet not see, so as to understand ? And if you
were naturally blind, had I not eye-salve ? Could
not I have opened your eyes ? Was I not wil-
ling ? Did not I stand in the gates to call upon
you ? How long, ye simple ones will ye love
simplicity ? And fools hate knowledge ? Turn
unto me, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you,
and make known my words unto you. Prov. i.
32, 33. Have you negleetedme through igno-
rance ? Is not your fault double, because you
neglected knowledge too ? Have you commit-
ted many sins through ignorance ? \fr not this
117
an aggravation of your sin ? Did you not hate
knowledge, and therefore disregard it? Did you
love sin, and therefore shun the light, which
would have discovered it, and disturbed you in
your wicked courses ? Have you loved darkness
so well ? And is it not fit then that you should go
to the place where there is blackness of dark-
ness forever ? Take them devils, ' bind them
hand and foot/
£. Come forth all ye slothfuband unprofitable
persons, had you not talents committed to you
for my use and service, and what have you done
with them ? Did you bury them in the earth, off
lay them up in a napkin ? What, could you
down and slumber, when you had so much
w r ork to do ? Could you trifle away so many
hours, when time was so precious ? Could you
sleep in the day, in the day of grace, sleep in
the harvest, which was so rich and plentiful
where you lived ? Could you stand idle all the
day long in the market place ? Were you born
for nothing, that you lived so unprofitable, and
were good for nothing ? Would not religion have
found you employment sufficient, if you had fol-
lowed its directions ? Did the difficulties of
duties discourage you, and therefore you would
let them alone, though they were so necessary?
Had the command of God no force with you?
Would not your own good and happiness move
you at all to diligence ? Did the fear of men
118
gmd suffering damage in the world, keep you off
from zealous profession, and a strict course of
life ? And should not the fear of God, and the
danger of hell, have kept you from sin, and
stirred you up unto the most difficult and ha-
zardous duty ? Was there a lion in the way to
heaven p And were there no lions in the way to
hell ? Did not some sins cost you pain and la-
bour ? Did you find no difficulty in the service
of the devil, and your own lusts ? And was not
holiness more worth your pains to get ? Would
uot I have proved abetter master, had you been
diligent in my service ? Could you be diligent
in your callings, to get a livelihood for your-
selves and children, and neglect the life and
salvation of your precious souls ? Would not my
work have brought wages with it ? Was there
no sweetness mingled with the difficulty, and
would not the fruits have been sweet ? Would
not a crown and kingdom, a weight of glory, and
eternal pleasures, move you to undergo some
difficulty ? Was there so much difficulty in obe-
dience to my commands, which are not grievoi
to a spiritual heart ; and is there not more dil
culty in suffering what you must unavoidably
suffer for your neglect ? If my yoke were pain-
ful to an unaccustomed jieck, could not I have
fitted your neck to it, and made it easy ? If my
burthen were heavy to a weak back, could not,
would not I h^ve put under my shoulder, and
119
helped you to have borne it ? Were not the most
difficult duties I required, for your own good,
and so many privileges, and the best work you
could be employed in ? Were any of my ser-
vants so weary with my service, with the hard-
est work I set them about, as you were wearied
with your idleness, and doing nothing ? Did not
the earth groan under such unprofitable bur-
dens ? Did not hell gape for you long ago, and
devils long for this time, when you should be de-
livered into their power ? Take them devils,
€ bind them hand and foot/
3. Come forth all you that have neglected
family worship, and never sought after God in
your closets. Were not you creatures, and did
the law of creation require no worship ? Were
not you subjects, and should you not have showa
homage to your Sovereign ? Did you not live
upon God's finding and bounty every day, and
should not you have acknowledged dependence ?
Did not God bring you into your family rela-
tion, and did he require no duty ? Did not he
threaten to pour out his wrath upon irreligious
families, and yet would not you set up religion
in yours ? Had you any business to do in your
houses of that consequence, as worshipping of
God in your houses ? If you had not ability to
pray at first with others, might not you have at-
tained it, had you used to pray by yadf selves ?
Would not God have helped you, had you been
120
billing to Tiave been helped ? Had you been
sensible of sin, would you have wanted words
in confession ? Had you been sensible of your
wants, would you have lacked expressions to
make them known ? Was it curiosity and ele-
gancy of words, that God so much looked for ?
Would not sighs and groans have been under-
stood ? Would not the Scriptures have furnish-
ed you with expressions, had you used to read
them ? Would not sermons have furnished you
with matter and expressions, had you used to
repeat them ? Had you need of such and such
things for your families, and had you need of
God's blessing, and could you hope for his
blessing if you did not worship him ? Might
you not have prospered more in the world, if
you had used to pray more in your bouses ?
Might you not have had more comfort in your
relations, if you had daily engaged with them
in the duties of God's worship ? Might not fa-
mily-prayer have prevented much sin and sor*
row which you brought upon you ? Did not you
fall into many snares daily, for want of the ar-
mour of prayer ? Had your children and ser-
vants no need of religious education ? Were they
like to be obedient and faithful to you, if you did
not teach them to be obedient and faithful unto
God ? Had you not the charge of their souls put
into your hands, and what account can you give?
Have you not brought their blood upon )our
121
heads ? Have you not contracted to yourselves
the guilt of their sins ? Can you endure to hear
their curses, and banning of you, for neglecting
to give them such religious education as might
have been the means of their salvation ? And
you that were under government of families,
which had no religion, could you so willingly
imitate the governors, and the rest, in the ne-
glect of God's worship ? Could you contentedly
go to hell for company ? Is it an alleviation of
your grief and horror, that all your family is to-
gether ? Can your masters or fathers answer for
themselves or you ? Had not you a greater Mas-
ter in heaven, whom you should have rather
obeyed ? Did you not understand your duty ;
and if you could not worship God more publicly,
should not you have sought out retiring cor-
ners ; if others would not pray with you, should
you not have prayed alone by yourselves ? What
if you had no example for it in your house, had
you no precept for it in the world ? What if you
were under command, and much business was
required of you, and you were discouraged in
such duties, could you not have found some
time when business was over, or before business
began ? Could you not have redeemed time from
sleep and recreations, rather than have neglect-
ed God's worship daily ? Would not God have
encouraged and rewarded you ? What if you had
been scoffed at, and reproached for this, would
11
122
not the favour and smiles of God, have compen-
sated the flouts and scorns of men ? Would not
heaven have been worth all the reproaches you
could have undergone ? Could you eat and
drink, and sleep, and not pray to God, which
was more necessary, than any thing which is
most necessary for your bodies ? And if there
was no worship of God at home, could not you
have looked abroad ? Were there none that
lived near you who would have been glad of
your company in the worship of God, and way
to heaven ? Could you find out no religious
young men or young women suitable to your
degree, who would have quickened you, and
heartened you against discouragement ? Did
you not devote yourselves rather to the service
of some lusts, and were glad of any excuse when
conscience would have minded you of your duty
towards God ? Take them devils, ' bind them
hand and foot/
4. Come forth all ye Sabbath-breakers, you
that have spent the day in sleeping, in eating
and drinking to excess ; who instead of holy
meditations, have been thinking and contriving
your worldly business ; instead of religious con-
ference, have discoursed only of earthly matters,
instead of going to church to worship God ;
have walked into the fields, and spent the time
in recreations ; or if you have seemed to give
God a half-day service by your presence at
123
church one part of the day ; yet have worship*
ped him only with your bodies, when your hearts
were removed far from him : had not you an
express command for the Sabbath's observa-
tion ? And if the day of the first institution was
changed, was the day and worship thereof laid
aside and ceased to be a duty ? If the Jews
were obliged to keep a day holy, were not the
Christians much more ? Was not the Sabbath
made for man ? Was it not for his privilege to
take that time for holy rest and worship ? And
did the gospel straiten men's privileges ? Did
not the moral law, of which Sabbath observation
was one precept, bmd throughout all genera-
tions ? Could you call other days holy which the
Scripture gives no warrant for, and not observe
that holy day which you were enjoined ? Did
not God allow you six days for labour in your
calling, and was it unequal for him to take one
day for his own worship ? Had he eased you of
the burdensome ceremonies under the law ?
Was the Sabbath so burdensome to you ? Could
you reasonably hope to enter into eternal rest,
and keep a Sabbath in heaven, if you would not
celebrate the appointed Sabbaths on earth •
Were not the works of creation and redemp-
tion worthy your memorial ? . Was not commu-
nion with God in ordinances desirable ? Had
you no need of these spiritual provisions which
God did use to deal forth on the Sabbath days
124
to them that waited upon him for them ? What
not worship God either in your houses, nor in
his house, neither on work-day nor on Sabbath
day ? Could your sometimes cold and formal
services be counted worship I Did you think that
lip-prayers could ever be heard by God, that
searcheth and requireth the heart ? Did you
think that sermons unminded, unremembered,
which you did neither believe, nor were affect-
ed with, would be effectual to save you. Take
them devils, ' bind them hand and foot/
5. Come forth all ye swearers and profaners
of the name of God ; did you never read, nor
hear the third commandment which forbade
this sin ? Did you never hear my strict injunc-
tion that you should not swear at all in your
discourses, but that your communication should
be yea, and nay ? Were you never told that
swearers would fall into condemnation ? Was
the great and dreadful name of God of so little
regard, that you could not only use it irreverently
so frequently ; but also even rent it in pieces by
your oaths ? What profit did you get by your
swearing ? And are you like to sustain no loss ?
What pleasure did you find in your swearing •
And are you like to reap bitterness I Was it
for your honour to swear by the name of God I
Or rather was it not for your dishonour ? But
how did you dishonour God ? What an affront
did you offer to him hereby • You called upon
125
him sometimes to damn and sink you : Can you
speak in that language now, now damnation is
so near you ? Worms ! could not God have trod-
den you under his feet, or crushed you as easy
as you could do a fly, every time you profaned
his name ? And because he was patient, would
you presume ? Because he did not presently
punish, did you dare him, and fly in his face to
provoke him to fury ? You have sworn in your
folly, and have not repented ; and God hath
sworn in his wrath, and will not repent, that you
shall never enter into his rest. Take them
devils, ' bind them hand and foot/
6. Come forth all ye scoffers at religion and
the zealous professors thereof; who taught and
spoke of religion as if it had been a fancy and
cunningly devised fable, and of most holy, hum-
ble, and self-denying christians, as if they were
the most mean spirited, foolish, and contempti-
ble people upon earth, and have used the name
of a saint in derision, and proverb of reproach,
ffave you the same mind now, that religion
was but a fancy ? Is your resurrection, and my
appearance but a fancy ? Is your eternal punish-
ment in hell like to be but a fancy ? Had you
not sure ground and bottom for your faith in
the Scriptures ? Could you have desired more
reasonable evidence of things done before your
age ? Could you laugh at Scripture threatening ?
And can you laugh now, you are come to exe*
11*
\2&
cation ? Could you contemn gospel promises ?"
And are they so contemptible now in your eyes
when you now see the accomplishment of them
before you ? Against whom was it that you
opened so wide a mouth ? Whom was it that
you did flout and scorn ? What, my disciples,
because they were meek and humble, and did
not take the pleasure of sin with you, and were
strict in their profession and conversation ?
What think you of them now ? Were they so
mean spirited and contemptible ? Were they so
foolish, which made so wise a choice ? Did they
well, or ill, in staying till the time of their hap-
piness ? Look upon the persons now, whom once
ye scorned and thought unworthy of your com-
pany ; was it so ridiculous a thing to be a saint
as you imagined ? Was not shining with them in
glory at all desirable ? Would you not be glad
to be numbered among them now ? Why do you
not laugh and fleer at the saints now ? Ye fools,
and blind sots, do you know what you scoffed at ?
Could you see no excellency in holiness, and
the divine nature, in my image, which was en-
graven upon them ? Did any man of understand-
ing laugh at the light of the sun ? They were
lights in the dark world where they lived, What
mock at holiness ! hereby you mocked at God
himself, who is so infinitely glorious in his at-
tributes ; and hereby distinguished from all his
creatures. Vile wretches ! Take them devils*
* bind them hand and foot/
121
7. Come forth all ye persecutors of my disci-
ples ; was it not enough for you to mock them,
but you must persecute them too ? Was it not
enough for you to persecute them with the
tongue, but you must persecute them with the
hand ? What could you betray them like Judas
for a piece of money, or out of malice which is
worse ? Could you disturb them in their service
and worship of me, when they were praying for
your conversion and salvation ? Could you haul
and drag them to prison who endeavoured to
keep you out of the prison of hell ? Could you
seek the ruin of such as were the best friends of
your souls, when you never received injury from
them, could you be so envious to them ? Do you
know whom ye persecute ? It was me, it was
me, whom ye persecuted, when ye persecuted
my disciples. It was me whom ye wounded
through the sides ; it was me you betrayed in
betraying them ; it was me you imprisoned in
imprisoning them ; it was me ye spurned at,
when you lifted up the heel against them ; and
did you ever think to prosper in this way ? You,
have been above all other persons upon the
earth my professed enemies, most like your
father the devil : Come ye wretches gird up
your loijislike men, gather your forces together ;
put on strength and courage, if you have any r
and lift up your hand if you dare against me.
Do you find strength to fail you now, and yoyj
128
forces too weak to make resistance ? And were
you so foolish as to engage in battle, where you
might have known you should certainly be con-
quered at the last ? Doth your courage fail up-
on the sight of the captain ? And should you
not have been afraid to touch my anointed ones,
my listed soldiers ? You served the devil and
fought under his banner against me and mine,
and can he deliver you now out of my hand •
Can he defend you against my rage and fury ?
Or would he do it if it lay in his power ? Had
you ever more spite and malice against my peo-
ple, than the devil had against you, in setting
you about persecution work ? Did he not design
your ruin hereby ? Did he not think of this day
and on purpose draw you to this sin, that you
might be the more horribly tormented • And
doth not he and his angels wait now for you,
that they may drag you into torments I Take
Jhem devils, { bind them hand and foot/
8. Come forth all ye intemperate and licen-
tious persons, who have indulged your flesh
andlaidno restraint upon your sensual appetites,
who have made provision for your flesh, to
fulfil the lusts thereof; but made no provision
for my glory, and took no care to fulfil my com-
mands : Did you never hear of such a duty as
self-denial, which I required of all my disciples
and followers ? Were you never told that if you
followed the inclinations and obeyed the com-
129
piands of carnal-self, it would be to your ruin
and destruction ; that bitterness and sorrow
would be the issue of flesh-pleasing ; that lust if
conceived would bring forth sin, and sin when
perfected would bring forth death; did you
never read that if ye lived after the flesh, ye
should die, and that you must through the spi-
rit mortify the deeds of the body, otherwise life
and happiness could not be obtained ? And yet
could you lay the reins on the neck of your lusts ?
If you had no faith, had you no reason neither
to keep you from intemperance ? If you did not
live like christians, could not you live like men ?
Would you need be brutes, and live as if you
were all body and had no souls of such high ca-
pacities ? Were you so blind as not to see afar
off before this day of judgment, when I should
call you to an account, or see a little before you
to the day of your death which would put a con-
clusion to all your sensual pleasures ? Could you
bribe and muzzle conscience, and lay it asleep,
whilst you took your pleasures ? Could you tread
reason under foot, and resolve you would not be
controuled by any light or law, or government,,
from the eager prosecution of your carnal de-
lights.
Come forth all ye gluttons, who have pam-
pered flesh with delicious food, but never had
the least regard to feed your souls which had
more need, who have spent many hours and
130
days in feasting your bodies, nourishing your-
selves against the day of slaughter ; but when
you were invited by my messengers to the mar-
riage feast, to the feast I had prepared for you,
of the richest and most costly spiritual dainties,
you had no stomach, no appetite, and could not,
would not come : What, did you indeed make
your belly your God, and can such a God save
and make you happy ? Did you think food
which perisheth could give happiness to a
never dying soul ? Did you not know, that both
meat and belly would be destroyed ? And that
your bodies would become food for worms ? And
yet could you make it the chief business of your
lives to feed your bodies ? You were allowed
food convenient, and sometime for delight, that
your bodies might serve your souls with strength
and vigour, and both their Lord and Master ;
but excess you were forbidden, which did dis-
temper both body and mind, and unfit you for
the service of the Lord, and yet would you over-
charge yourselves ? Now reap the fruit of this
intemperance, and taste the gall and worm-wood
which your sweet baits are turned into.
Come forth all ye drunkards, who if you
have not overcharged your bellies with exces-
sive eating, yet have often intoxicated your
brains with the fumes of excessive drinking ;
who have drowned your understanding, wit
and fancy, your natural parts and ingenuity.
131
which might have rendered you useful in the
church or commonwealth where you lived, and
made yourselves mere sots by drunkenness ;
And what account can you give of the talents
you were entrusted withal ? What excuse can
ye give for this sin ? Were you enticed to it,
and overtaken before you were aware ? But
who would entice you to drink a potion which
would kill your bodies ? And was not the death
and damnation of your souls more to be avoid-
ed ? Would you be enticed to that, unto which
every beast, will not be enforced I But were you
not forward of yourselves to the sin I Did you
not like the company well that joined with you
therein ? Did you not overtake the sin by your
desires? Did not the liquor please your appe-
tite Did not you swill it in without persuasion ?
If you had been overtaken, would you have been
so often guilty Would you have come so often
unto the places and company where you fell in-
to it Was not your chiefest mirth amongst your
cups, and drunken companions ? Were you not
melancholick and troubled when your meetings
of good fellowship were disappointed I You
would have your cups, and drink wine in bowls
and strong drink without measure, and now al-
so you shall have a cup to drink of, even a cup
of the wine of the wrath of the angry Almighty
God: Now ye shall drink of the dregs of this
cup, which hath ten thousand times m< re bitter-
ness in it, than your other cups had sweetness.
132
Come forth all ye adulterers, you that have
neighed like full fed horses after your neigh-
bours' wives, and assembled by troops in har^-
lots' houses, or if not so, have committed this in
Secret corners : Was there no shame in you to
keep you from this nasty filthy sin? Could you
delight so much to wallow in mire and dung ?
Was there no fear in you to restrain you I Did
not conscience check and rebuke you when this
lust first conceived in you' Did you never hear
that whoremongers and adulterers God will
judge ? And did you not think you should be
called to an account for this sin Could you
melt in filth sinful pleasures for the flesh, and
not consider how you should consume in tor-
ment? Were your short pleasures comparable
to an eternity of pain and misery? Were there
no pleasure of a higher nature, and sweeter
relish attainable in life ; if you had forgone
and denied yourselves unlawful pleasures ?
Have you not lost them, and the unspeakable
eternal joys of heaven by your intemperance?
Take them devils, ' bind them hand and foot/
9. Come forth all ye covetous persons, whose
treasure and heart, hope and confidence, hath
been in earthly things, who have made the
word your God, desiring and loving, and de-
lighting, and trusting in your wealth and riches,
as if they could yield the most contentment, and
title best defence unto you ; whose greatest
133
thoughts, and care and labour have been spent
about getting and keeping an estate, and portion
in the world, with little heart to use it for your-
selves, and much less for the good of others.,
and glory of God that gave it : Did you not
know that covetousness was idolatry ? And that
no idolater should have any admittance into the
new Jerusalem ? Did you not know that the love
of the world was inconsistent with the love of the
Father ? Had you such mean thoughts of God,
that you chose the world before him ? Were the
riches of grace of so small esteem, that you
prefered earthly riches ? Had the treasures of
heaven no more worth in your account, that you
should neglect and disregard them, and make
choice rather of treasures on earth ? When you
had tried the world and found it vain and empty,
would you still set your heart upon it ? When
you felt such thorny cares and piercing sorrows
in your eager prosecution of this world, could
not this damp and deaden your affection to it ?
When your own and others riches sometimes
suddenly took flight as upon an eagle's wing,
should it not have lessened your desire af-
ter them ? Did you not foresee how naked
and bare death could strip you of all ? And
yet would nothing wean your corrupt hearts
from the love of the world ? Were you never
told that riches could not profit you in the day
of wrath i Is not all your wealth consumed now ;
13,
treasures there are indeed prepared for you, but
they are treasures of wrath which you have de-
served. Take them devils 'bind them hand and
foot/
10. Come forth all ye unmerciful persons,
whose bowels have been shut up against the
poor and needy ; who have spoken churlishly
to the poor, looked upon them afar off; or if
you have spoken to them fair, and said to the
naked and destitute of daily food, depart in
peace, be ye warmed, and be ye filled, yet have
not given unto them things needful for the body,
whatever abundance you had by you ; who have
had no pity on my distressed members, so as to
contribute relief unto my necessities ; * I was
hungry and you gave me no meat ; J was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink ; I was naked and ye
clothed me not ; I was a stranger and ye took
me not in ; I was sick, and ye visited me not ; I
was in prison, and ye did not administer unto
me/ Did ye not understand it was your duty to
relieve the poor ? Had you not your riches giv-
en to you for this end ? Was not this the best
use ye could put them unto ? Would not works
of mercy have brought unto you the best returns
at last ? Might you not hereby have laid up for
yourselves a good foundation against this day ?
If you had laid out your estates according to my
prescriptions, might you not now have laid hold
on eternallife • Were you never forewarned, that
such should have judgment without mercy that
135
did not show mercy ? And you that have had no
mercy to forgive, that knew not how to pass
real, or conjectural injuries, which you have re-
ceived ; that were ready to take your brother
by the throat for an hundred pence, when you
might have been forgiven your ten thousand ta-
lents which you owed unto God ? Were you
never told that the king of heaven would de-
liver you unto the tormenters, if you were
unmerciful ? Take them devils, c bind them
hand and foot/
11. Come forth all ye unrighteous persons,
who have wronged widows and orphans ; who
have over-charged your neighbours, in your
dealings ; who have over-heaped an estate to-
gether by unrighteous practices ; who have
squeezed and oppressed the poor, which have
had no helper : Was not the law of right writ-
ten upon your hearts ? Did you not read it more
plainly in the world ? Did not men condemn you ?
Did not your own consciences secretly condemn
you for your own unrighteousness ? And did not
you think that the righteous God would con-
demn you much more ? Did you know that no
unrighteous person should inherit the kingdom
of heaven ; that the Lord will avenge himself
upon you for this sin ? Did you wrong others so
much as you have hereby wronged yourselves ?
Is the gain of the world comparable to the loss
of heaven and eternal glory ? Did you think
136
such faults would be winked at ? Did you not
expect to hear of them again at the day of
judgment ; is it an unrighteous thing to punish
you for your unrighteousness ? Take them de-
vils, ' bind them hand and foot/
12. Come forth all ye liars ; who have taught
and accustomed yourselves to this sin, who
have not only reported lies, but also made
them ; whose words have been feigned and
deceitful : Did you not know that God who
made you, and to whom you owed all subjec-
tion and obedience, was a God of truth, and the
truth required truth ? That every man should
speak truth to his neighbour, that he abhorred
lying lips, and that he threatened to punish li-
ars with a second death, and give them their
portion in the lake of fire ? And had you no fear
of future judgment to restrain you ? Might you
not as easily have spoken truth as uttered false-
hood ? Wouldyou not hereby have gained more
credit in the world ? Would you not have been
more fit for society I Would you not have had
more peace in your conscience t Did you ex-
cuse faults by your lips ? But was it not a great-
er aggravation of them ? If you hide them by
lies from men, could you hide them from God
who searched your heart \ Did you show kind-
ness to any by your lies ■? And did you not in-
jure yourselves a thousand times more \ Did you
harm others by your lies so much as yourselves ?
137
Bid you not know that the devil was die lather
of liars ? And were you so desirous to be like
him ? Take them devils, 'bind them hand and
foot/
13. Come forth all ye slanderers and back-
biters ; who have walked about with slanderers,
and carried about tales unto the reproach and
injury of your neighbour's good name : Did you
not know it was your duty to endeavour the
preservation of your neighbour's reputation as
carefully as your own ? Were you not command-
ed to speak evil of none? Could you flatter
others before their faces, and alter your speech
so much when their backs were turned ? Did not
your own self-contradicting words condemn you?
Did you find good in back-biting, and speaking
evil of others ? Did you gain reputation by
wounding others reputation ? Or rather, did
you not give occasion to others to speak re-
proachfully of you ? Did ye not alienate affec-
tion, andseparate near friends by your slanders I
Did you not know manythings to be false, which
you spake to others disparagement? Could
you with confidence have averred the sam^
things to the persons themselves ? Would they
not easily have disproved you, and put you to
shame ? And if you were privy to some reafc
faults of others, should you not have concealed
them ? If you had real love, would you not have
covered them ? Did you do as you would be
12*
138
done by ? Had you not as great faults of your
own ? And could you be content to have them
blazed abroad ? You have accused others false-
ly, and now you are accused truly, and you
shall be punished justly. Take them devils,
' bind them hand and foot/
1 4. Come forth all ye proud and ambitious
persons ; you that have builded your nests on
high, that have taken many dirty steps to get
into the seats of honour ; whose hearts have
been lifted up with high-towering imaginations
and conceits of your own excellencies, unto the
scorning and contempt of others ; who have
had proud hearts, and proud looks, and proud
speeches, and proud carriage towards others,
especially towards them that have been of mean-
er degree ; who have looked upon others afar
off, and have disdained the converse and com-
pany of some, of whom the world hath not been
worthy : Were you acquainted with no higher
honour and dignity than the world could give
unto you ? Might you not have had seats in hea-
venly places, if you had looked after them, and
less after the other ? Did you not know that the
highest places on the earth, were the most slip-
pery pladtos ? Did you not foresee the turning of
the wheel upon you ? Did you not believe that
God woiBd cast down the mighty from their
seats ? That the higher you were lifted up in
dignity,, if your hearts were withal lifted up with
139
pride, the lower and greater would be yoar
fall ? And was the favour and applause of men
so desirable ? Was it not an empty breath, an
inconstant wind ? If you had been ambitious ;
should you not have been ambitious of the fa-
vour of the kingdom of glory, which would have
been so beneficial and lasting ? And are you
the persons that were once so proud and scornful?
You proud ! had you such reason ? Proud, when
creature , depending creatures ! who had nothing,
but what was borrowed and received from God \
Proud, when such mean creatures ! Proud, when
fallen into the dirt, and so defiled ! Proud, what
sinners so vile ! So full of sores ! When yoi* had
such loathsome spirits ! When you had such le-
prous souls ! Could you lift up the plumes,
when you had such black feet ? Could you be
proud when you had lost God's image, and
were so like unto foul devils? Proud, when
such beggarly sinners clothed in such filthy rags !
Proud, when such slaves and vassals to the
vilest and basest tyrants ! Proud, in chains and
fetters of Satan and lusts ! You had reason in-
deed to be proud and look so high, and speak
so big when you were so odious to God, and
such lotf, mean-spirited, miserable wretches,
who were drudging in mire and dirt, and were
led by the devils in chains like dogs, towards
the prison of hell : You had need scorn the com-
pany of my disciples ; as if dirty dung-hill beg-
140
gars should scorn the company of high-born
noble princes ; but now you shall be debased
and laid low indeed. Take them devils, ' bind
them hand and foot/
15. Come forth all ye envious and malicious
persons ; you that have grieved at the good of
others, which they have had or done ; that have
grieved at the good estates of others, and they
that have thrived faster than you in the world ;
that have grieved at the sweet and comfortable
relation of others, and that yours have not
been like to them, that have grieved at the
beauty or strength of body, the gifts and en-
dowments of mind of others, beyond what your-
selves have had ; that have grieved at the hon-
our of others, that they have been esteemed and
been preferred before yourselves, that they have
grieved because others have done more good,
and been more useful than yourselves ; and
hence have secretly hate them and borne malice
towards them in your minds, and have enter*
tained thoughts and desires of doing some mis-
chief ; and were glad when any mischief did
befall them ^ you, you have been children of the
devil indeed, and the likeness and lusts of your
father, you have had : Was your eye evil, be-
cause God was God j Did not God put the dif-
ference between them and you, and should you;
not have been contented ? Was not God good
toyou ? andhad you, nat reason to be thankful ?
141
Did you not put a stop to the current of God's
goodness, by your envy ? Did you not lose the
comfort of the good things you had, by this
sin ? Did you not hereby lose the benefit yort
might have had, by the good things of others ?
Should you not have rejoiced in their good
things ? If you have loved them indeed, would
you not have done it ? Did you not rack and tor-
ment yourselves by your envy ? Had you been
humble, would you have been troubled ? Had
your affections been set upon things above,
would this sin have so much prevailed?
Had you been sincerely desirous to promote
God's glory, would you have been so much
concerned that your glory should be clouded,
when God's glory was advanced, though by-
others more than yourselves ? Were you not
warned to lay aside all envy and malice, if you
would be christians indeed ? If you had put your
spirits under my government, would not I have
conquered by my Spirit their inordinate mo-
tions? Should you not have found sweetness,
and comfort and love, if you had laboured after,
and lived in the exercise of this grace ? Did you
not know, that these were works of the flesh,
which would exclude you from the kingdom of
heaven ? Take them devils < bind them hanil
and foot/
16. Come forth all ye wrathful and conten-
tious persons ; you that have had fiery spirits,
14£
and fiery tongues; whose tongues have beea
like swords, wherewith you have lashed and
wounded others in your reproaching and revil-
ing speeches ; who have had the poison of asps
in your hearts and lips, which have vented it-
self in virulent language ; whose words have
been bitter and clamorous, full of anger and
wrath, and contention ? Who have been incen-
diaries in the places where you lived ; who
have disturbed the peace of your families, and
turned all things into uproar and confusion ?
Did you not know the precepts of the gospel,
which commanded peace, and gentleness, and
meekness, and easiness to be entreated ? Did
you disturb others peace by your contentions,
and did not you disturb your own ? Did you
raise an uproar in your houses, and was there
not a greater uproar in your hearts ? Did you
not taste the bitterness of such a conversation
and yet would you persist therein ? Did you not
receive some blows and wounds by your con-
tention sometimes and yet would not hearken to
such rebukes ? Were you angry with others
without a just cause, and was the« not good rea-
son, that God should be angry with you ? Was
not the fire of your tongues kindled by the fire
of hell ? And is it unreasonable, that you should
be thrust in the place of burning for your con-
tention ? Take them devils, ' bind them hand
and foot*
143
17. Come forth all ye civil and moral per-
sons ; who have had moral righteousness, and
have been upright in your dealings, but wholly
strangers unto the power of godliness, who have
observed some precepts of the second table of
the law, in reference to yourselves and others
externally, but have grossly neglected the du-
ties of the first table, which have had reference to
God, who have had no knowledge of God, nor
fear of him, nor love to him, nor delight in him ;
who have never sanctified his name nor day in
your hearts, nor worshipped him in a spiritual
manner, according to the prescriptions of his
word, who never yielded obedience to the gos-
pel, never saw your need of me, obtaining in-
terest and acquaintance with me, whatever calls
and opportunities you had ; and do you think I
should know you and own you now, when you
are none of mine ? Will your moral righteous-
ness stand you now in any stead, when you are
to give so strict an account ? Did I not tell you
in my word, that unless your righteousness did
exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and
Pharisees, ye could in no wise enter into the
kingdom of heaven ? That you must be born
again or else you could not be saved ? That
you must be holy, or else you could not be
happy ? Did you not hear of the young man
who had as much moral righteousness as you,
•and yet missed of heaven, because he would not
144
obey my other commands ? Hath your moral
righteousness been so perfect, that it hath had
no flaw ? Have you lived free from sin, in re-
gard of the second table of the law, besides
your breaches of the first ? Will not conscience
tell you of some slips, some stumbles and falls 5
as to your own external walking? Were you
never guilty of unrighteous dealings ? Never
were lustful and wanton ? Never told any lies,
nor uttered any slander ? And if you had been
fair in your outward carriage, and converse,
have you not had foul insides ? Had you not
need of pardon for your sins, and my blood to
wash you from your filthiness ? Have not the
best of your works been sinful, in regard to
the principle, and end, and manner of perform-
ance * Did you think the works of nature would
save you, when the works of grace cannot,
without the imputation of my righteousness, be-
cause of their imperfection I Must not God's
justice be satisfied for your sins ? And how do
you think it should be done, but by your eter-
nal punishment in hell ? Had you believed in
me, and yielded obedience to me, my righteous-
ness should have been yours, and then you
might have held up your heads with joyful ex-
pectations of glory on this day, but you cleaved
to your own righteousness, and were well and
whole and did not see your need of me to be
your Physician an<^ Saviour, and would not
145
Submit unto, and accept of my righteousness ;
and what have you to say, why judgment should
not pass upon you ? Did you think that such
words as yours would satisfy justice, when, if
you had done better, and kept the whole law,
for the greatest part of your lives, yet, you had
but done your duty, and the sins of your youth
were enough to sink you to hell ; but was any
of your righteousness perfect ? Did you think to
merit heaven by such v^rks ? Do you think you
deserve a crown ** gl°ry for your civility or
morality ? Wfcre have you a promise of it ? And
if you had nD promise, could you think ever
you shnild attain it ? What, is your mouth stop-
ped, and are you speechless now ? Take them
devils, 'bind them hand and foot.'
18. Come forth all ye hypocrites, who have
made a show of holiness, and have borne the
name of zealous professors of religion, but have
been actuated by carnal designs and principles,
who have used religion as a cloak for your co-
vetousness ; who followed me only for the loaves;
who have been hollow at the heart, and rotten at
the core : painted sepulchres, blazing comets,
wandering and fallen stars, for whom the mist of
darkness is reserved forever : What do you
mean by your shows and outward appearance
of worship and service ? Do you think that the
all-seeing and heart-searching God, judged ac-
cording to outward appearance ? Did you think
13
146
that lip service and bodily exercise, would be
accepted by him ? Or was it an acceptation only
with men, which you sought after ? That reward
you had, and can you expect any other reward,
when ye did not desire it, nor design it ? And
what doth it ? Can it now profit you, that men
accounted you religious ? Will their esteem of
you, procure pardon and salvation for you ?
Could you be content to cast away and lose all
your external service to? want of sincerity, and
an eternal living principle ? Did you not think
that all your services would rist, U p one day in
judgment against you ? Did you noi H ff r0 nt the
Jhighest Majesty by that mockery of you* show-
worship ? Didhe not very well understand Wftich
way your heart went, when you seemed most de.
vout ? Was he not acquainted with secret lusts
which you harboured in your hearts, and secret
ways of wickedness which you walked in when
you made a show of mortification and self-de-
nial, and a holy and strict conversation ? Were
you not warned against hypocrisy, and told how
odious it was unto God ; and that hypocrites*
portion would be in utter darkness, where there
is weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth ?
Take them devils, 4 bind them hand and foot/
19. Come forth all ye back-sliders and apos-
tates, from me and my ways ; you that turned
back to ways of profaneness, and open wicked-
ness, after some time of profession, and joining
147
yourselves with my people, was my service so
burdensome, that you could endure it no longer;
Was the way to heaven so unpleasant, that you
would walk no longer therein ? After some trial
in show of me, did you prefer and make choice
of the devil before me ? After some washing of
yourselves, would you wallow in the mire again?
After having some vomit off your stomach, would
you again lick it up ? After some sweeping and
dressing, would you open the door, and let in
seven worse spirits, to defile your hearts ? After
you seemed to be escaped, were you again en-
tangled ? Would you needs put your foot again
into the snare, and biad yourselves even in fresh
bonds of sin ? Did you prefer the company of
the wicked, which were going hell-ward, before
the company of my people which were going
heaven-ward ? Could you now wish that you had
held on, and held out with them unto the end ?
Would you not have rejoiced, if you had been
now found in their society? Did you repent of
your repenting, and do you not now repent of
your back-sliding ? Were you not told, if you
drew back, my soul would have no pleasure in
you ? And you that have turned aside from me
and my ways, into the ways of error, that
sucked in damnable heresies from false teachers?
Did you not know that there were damnable
heresies, as well as other damnable sins ? Were
you not warned, that Satan sometimes appeared
148
as an angel of light ? Would you so quickly
turn aside after some workings and strivings of
my Spirit with you, and some hopes which you
gave of your conversion and reformation ? Did
you not perceive how Satan lay upon the catch,
so soon as you began to be awakened, to pre*
judice you against the truth, to drawyou aside in-*
to another way to serve him? If you had hearti-
ly loved the truth, as it was in me, would you
have been deluded ? Was not deep humiliation
and mortification of every lust, too hard a doc-
trine ; and therefore, you chose such as would
give you more scope and liberty, and shroud
your lusts under some other name, and term
your hatred and anger against my people, by
the name of zeal for my glory ? Did you think,
if you gave Satan one hold, that it would not be
sufficient to undo you ? Flad you stuck close to
my ministry and ordinance, would you have
been so deluded ? Did you think yourselves
wiser than my ministers ? So soon as you got a
glimmering of light, could you so readily open
your ear to slanders, and receive prejudices
against them through Satan, and his instruments,
persuasions, to the ship-wrecking of your own
souls ? Did you not find how wavering and un-
steady you were, how like children tossed to and
fro with every wind of doctrine, when once you
forsook my ministry, which I had appointed for
your establishment I Did you conceit that you
149
might live above ordinances in the world ? Did
you imagine to get into a higher form, when you
went forth of my school, and when you expect-
ed perfection most, were you not more imper-
fect than before ? When you fancied a clearer
light, were you not most full of darkness ? When
you thought yourselves so holy, as none like
you, and none must be holy but those of your
way, were you not most unholy, and like smoke
in my nostrils ? Could not I accept of your wor-
ship out of the way of my ordinance and institu-
tions ? When you thought yourselves most guid-
ed and acted by the spirit, was it not a spirit
of delusion ? Did my Spirit lead you, and acted
you in a way which my word did not allow of ?
Were you not the renters and tearers of my
church ? Was it not by reason of you that the
ways of truth were evil spoken of by evil men ?
Were not those without prejudice against my
very ways because of your delusions, which
made so forward a profession ? Suppose I per-
mitted some of mine to mistake in circumstan-
tials, was his a just excuse for your errors in
fundamentals ? When the word was open for
you to imform yourselves in the truth, did not
you wrest the scriptures to your own destruc-
tion? Suppose you deniedyourselves something,
were they those things that I commanded ? Sup-
pose you suffered something in your way, do
you hope for a reward for suffering, which I
13*
150
never called you unto, and which did but so
much the more harden your party, and promote
your delusion ! Did you know what a snare you
were hampered in, so soon as you put your foot
in the way of error, and turned aside from the
old strait narrow way of my word and ordi-
nances, which have brought so many to heaven ?
Were you not in a greater unlikelihood of being
called effectually, than drunkards and adulter-
ers and the most vicious, who lay more naked
to the blow of the word, and were more ready
to receive instructions ; you were more forward
to reprove my ministers, than to receive my mi-
nisters, and convictions from them ; ye could call
them anti-christian and false prophets, though
they adhered to and maintained nothing but the
truths of my word, and when I gave them so
many seals of their ministry in the conversion
of so many souls, you could call them self-seekers
and hirelings, though they gave such evidences
of self-denial, and many of them forsook all
that they had, rather than they would make a
breach upon their conscience. You could some
of you intrench upon their office , thoughyou had
no call or commission from me ; you had the
scripture to discover to you the right way, but
you shut your eyes against the light, and chose
the ways of darkness ; and it is now fit you
should go to the place of darkness. Take them
devils, c bind them hand and foot/
151
20. Come forth all ye impenitent, and unbe-
lievers, all ye that have been called to repent-
ance by ministers, and the Spirit in ordinances,
and when a stiller was not heard, were you not
called by a louder, by God in his judgment ?
Did you not know, that except you repented,
you would certainly perish ? That iniquity would
be your ruin, unless your heart were broken for
it, and from it, and yet you, though you lay un-'
der the guilt of so much sin, could be so impeni-
tent and hard-hearted ? Were you not called to
me by the voice of the gospel ? Did not I call
you, and stretch out my hand all the day long to
you ? Did not I stand at the door of your hearts,
and woo hard for entertainment, and yet could
you shut the door against me, though you had
so much need of me ? Had you not command
and encouragements to believe ? Could you ra-
tionally desire firmer ground and footing for your
faith ? Did you give God the lie by your unbe-
lief ? Have you not hereby fastened the guilt of
all other sins upon yourselves, which I was
willing to take off from you ? Would any sin
against the law have condemned you, had y u
turned from it, and yielded obedience to the
gospel ? Were you not foretold of the wrath to
come, and yet ye would not flee from it ? Were
you not proffered a Saviour, and yet would you
not accept of him ? Had you not treasures open-
ed before you, and would you not look after
152
them ? Were you not shown the way to heaven,
and would you not walk in it ? How can you es-
cape, that have been guilty of disobedience un-
to the gospel ? Take them devils, ' bind them
hand and foot/
Christ at the day of judgment, will convict
the whole ungodly world, especially those who
lived under the sound of the gospel, their crimes
will be made manifest and evident, and every
mouth will be stopped, when they are found
guilty before him, and they cannot deny it ; then
the wicked will be speechless, and stand, after
their full conviction, like so many rogues in
chains before the Judge ; and think now with
yourselves, what the behaviour of the wicked
will be, when they are thus convicted of their
sins, and are ready to receive their sentence. I
believe some of you have seen malefactors at the
bar, when the jury have found them guilty, and
the judge hath been proceeding to give the sen-
tence of death, how their countenances have
changed and their joints trembled ; and inex-
pressible horror seized upon them ; but the
dread and terror that will be upon the spirits
of the wicked ; when they are convicted of sin
by this judge ! and with what trembling expec-
tation will they wait for their sentence.
7. And this is the seventh particular, to
speak concerning the sentence which the Lord
Jesus Christ will pasjs upon the wicked id
153
judgment, see Mat. xxv. 41. 'Then shall he say
to them on his left hand, depart from me ye
cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels Depart from me ye that
have formerly said in your hearts unto me, de-
part, we will not have thee to reign over us ;
that have said to my ministers, depart, we will
not hearken to thy words ; that have said to my
Spirit, depart, we will not yield to thy motions ;
now depart from me ye that would not come
unto me ; ye have been often called and invited
to come, but ye refused, now depart. Ye shall
not have one call more, ye shall not have one
piOilol 01 g£ctv>t; iiiDIo AUi c;»"i . JL/epail, licvUl
shall ye hear my voice any more, never shall
ye see my face any more: Depart, begone
out of my sight ; Depart from me ye cursed, as
ye cared not for blessing, so shall it be Car from
you ; as ye loved cursing, so shall it be unto you ;
depart with the curse of the law, with the curse
of the great God upon you ; let the curse of God
clothe you like a garment, *and bind you like a
chain ; let it enter into your flesh and bones like
oil to enrage so much the more the flames of
hell about you ; and let it pierce into your soul,
and fill you with horrible anguish : c Depart
from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire/ Ye
shall not depart into your old habitations, to
spend an eternity in sinful sensual pleasures ;
ao, depart into torments, depart into fire, into
154
the fire of hell, into the burning lake, into To-
phet ordained of old for you, into a stream of
fire and brimstone, enkindled by the breath of
God : Depart into everlasting fire, go dwell with
devouring fire, and inhabit everlasting burning:
Depart into everlasting fire prepared for the de-
vil and his angels : ye served the devil and di-
vers lusts, whilst you lived in the world, now
go and live with the devil and his angels in hell-
fire for ever, partake of the torments primari-
ly prepared for him, and belong also to you,
because ye belonged to his kingdom.
And when the sentence is irreversibly pro-
;;c;;r,c™by tks judge ~pon iheivicked, what
direful shrieks will they give forth ! With what
horror will they cry out, how shall we be able
to endure the devouring flames, and everlasting
burnings in hell? Thus have I done with the
judgment itself, both of the righteous and the
wicked, at the appearance of Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER IX
The second thing is to speak of the execu-
tion of the sentence pronounced upon both in
the judgment, which you have spoken of to-
gether, Mat xxv. 46. c And these shall go away
into everlasting punishment, but the righteous
into life eternal/
155
1. Concerning the execution of the sentence
on the wicked, they shall go away into ever-
lasting punishment. Here I shall speak.
1. Of the wicked going away.
2. Of their going into punishment.
The former doth imply the punishment of
loss, the latter the punishment of sense.
1. The wicked when the sentence is pronoun-
ced, shall go away : And here I shall show.
1 . From whom they shall go away.
2. From what they shall go away.
3. The aggravations, or vexing considera-
tions, which gospel sinners will have in their
going away.
1. From whom the wicked shall go away.
1. They shall go from Jesus Christ : the
righteous are at his side, and shall remain with
him ; but the wicked shall go away from him ;
the righteous shall go with him, and abide with
him, where he is, there they shall be also, they
•shall be forever with the Lord ; but the wicked
must go away, and be eternally separated from
his presence. The righteous shall behold his
glory, and share in it, they shall see the smiles
of his face, and be entertained by him with inex-
pressible love ; but the wicked shall be thrust
out of his presence, with frowns and indigna-
tion, it will be one great part of the misery of
the wicked, then they shall go away from so
glorious a person as the Lord Jesus Christ.
156
2. They shall go away from the saints ; now
some of them are mingled with God's people, as
the tares and wheat grow up together, the sheep
and the goats feed in the same pasture : and
though it was bitter for the wicked to d'vell
with the righteous, because of the contradiction
which was in their lives to their lusts ; yet then
it will be more bitter to them to be excluded from
their society, because then they will perceive
their excellency with admiration, when they
seem to shine with such beauty, and rejoice with
songs of triumph, and they must be gone away
from them : this will fill their hearts with rack-
ing envy, and torment them unspeakably.
3. From what the wicked will go away. They
shall go away from happiness, from the happi-
ness of heaven ; and the doors of heaven shall
be shut upon them ; they shall see Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob, and many come from the east,
and the west, and the north, and the south, even
an innumerable multitude of all kindreds, and
nations, and tongues, and enter in, and sit down
in the kingdom of God, and themselves thrust
out, and thrust down to hell.
4. Concerning the aggravations, or vexing
considerations, which gospel sinners will have
in their going away : as the sin of those is more
heinous, who sin against the light of the gospel^
than of those who sin only against the light of
nature : so their punishment will be more severe,
157
all shall be beaten, but those persons with ma-
ny stripes ; as there will be degrees, some will
have a larger capacity ; so there will be degrees
of torment, of misery, all shall be filled with
torment ; but some will have a larger capacity,
especially gospel sinners will have stings be-
yond what heathens will be capable of in their
punishment of loss.
1. They shall have a clear discovery of the
glory and happiness which they have missed,
now they hear of heaven, and the happiness
which the saints shall have in the vision and
fruition of God ; but there is a veil of unbelief
upon their minds, that they do not apprehend
such a happiness, as is spoken of, they have
mean thoughts of God and of heaven, they
think there is no heaven like the earth, and no
happiness like the fruition of the creatures, no
glory like the glory of the world, no treasures
like earthly treasures, and no delight like those
which they find in the objects of their sense ; but
when their portion in this life shall be spent,
and the good things which they enjoyed shall be
taken away from them; when their honours
shall vanish like smoke, or a thin vapour, their
riches shall fly away like an eagle, or sail like
a ship out of their sight ; when their sensual de-
lights and pleasures shall fail them, and die
like sweet flowers in their hands, when the bright
cloud of earthly things, which shadowed the
14
158
glory of heavenly things from their view, shall
be blown away, and the veil shall be torn in
pieces which was before them, and hindered them
from looking into the holy of holies, and the
scales fall from their eyes ; in a word, when
the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,
and the earth with the works thereof shall be
burned up, and they shall be awakened out of
theirsleep in their graves, and shall be summon-
ed before the tribunal-seat of Christ, and stand
there stripped and quite naked of all their en-
joyments in the world which they have set their
hearts upon, and they shall be examined and
condemned for their sins ; then their eyes will
clearly see their mistake of happiness ; then they
will perceive and be fully persuaded of the ful-
ness of joy and unspeakable pleasures at the
right hand of God, the least taste of which would
ravish their hearts ten thousand times more,
than all the full draughts which they have taken
in the sweetest of all their sinful delights : I
say they shall see this happiness, and that which
will vex them to the heart will be, that they
shall only see it, not enjoy the store in it, !
what high apprehensions will they then have
of the glory of heaven ; they will see the crown
which will be put upon the head of the righte-
ous, which will have more worth then in their
esteem, than all the crowns and sceptres of the
159
greatest kings upon the earth ; then they will be
clearly convinced that the chiefest treasures were
in heaven, and the sweetest delights were to
come, and the thoughts of missing this crown
and glory, such treasures and sweetness, will
tear their very hearts ; they must go from hea-
ven and happiness.
2. In going away they shall remember the
capacity which they had once of obtaining this
happiness. If they had been brutes indeed, and
had capacity for a sensitive life only, and grace
and glory had been removed so far beyond their
reach, that it had been impossible for them to
attain it, it would mot so much trouble them to
lose it, whatever other miseries they should
endure, but they were capable of the beginning
of heaven in the life of grace, and the complet-
ing of their happiness in glory ;they will remem-
ber that they had souls endued with reason, and
hereby advanced to a higher capacity than beasts.
That they had minds capable of divine contem-
plation, and hearts capable of divine affection ;
that they had wills which might have chosen
God for their portion, and heaven for their in-
heritance : that they had desires, and loves, and
hopes, and joys, which if they had wrought
Godward, and Christward, as they did towards
the creature, if they had wrought upward and
heavenward, as they did downward and towards
the earth, and earthly things, they might have
168
been happy forever : they will see that others
who had the same nature as they had, and were
guilty at first of as great sins as they had com-
mitted, yet repented, and turned, and believed,
and reformed, were changed and saved ; and
with inexpressible vexation they will think, that
thus it might have been with them, if they had
not been fools, if they had seriously endeavour-
ed to fill up the capacity which God hath given
them.
3. In going away, they will remember the prof-
fers which they had of this happiness ; that they
lived ip. places where the light did shine, and
the gospel did sound, and Christ was preached
and tendered with all the benefits of his pur-
chase ; and they will remember how often they
were called to repent, how earnestly they were
entreated to be reconciled ; they will remember
the discoveries which were made to them of fu-
ture glory, and the invitations which they had
to come unto Christ, that they might have par-
don and life, and partake of the inheritance of
the saints in light, all which was little regarded
by them ; th$y will remember how long and how
loud Christ knocked at the door of their hearts
for entertainment ; that he knocked by such a
judgment, such a motion of the Spirit, by such a
sermon, by such an affliction, such adeliverance,
and yet they barred the door, deafened the ear ;
and if they did not fully resolve to keep him out,
161
yet they put him off with so many tedious de-
lays, until on a sudden, death knocked at their
door and broke it open, and dragged them away
to hell before they had given entertainment un-
to Jesus Christ, and had provided an eternal
habitation for their souls; they will then remem-
ber the opportunities and seasons of grace which
once they enjoyed ; that once they had a day, a
day of grace, and that with some of them, it
was a long summer's day ; and that they bad
calls at the first hour, and the third hour, and
the ninth hour, and the eleventh hour, and
then all the day long : God stretched forth his
hand unto them, but they did not know the day
of their visitation ; they were more foolish than
the crane, and the stork, and the swallow ; they
did not understand their appointed time ; they
did not mind the things that belonged to their
peace until they were hid from their eyes ; they
slept in the harvest, and loitered away and sin-
ned away their time, and wasted their day, in
which they should have made provision for their
souls : O how will they then be ready to tear
themselves in pieces, that they should then ne-
glect so great a salvation, in the day when sal-
vation was attainable ! Yea, that they should
refuse the proffers of grace, and pardon, and
peace, and life, and happiness, which in that
day were so frequently and earnestly made un-
to them : then they will wish that they had
* 14*
162
opened their ears and heart, that they had
regarded and accepted such gracious proffers,
whatever they had neglected or parted withal ;
then they will wish they had embraced and im-
proved the opportunities which once they had
for prayer, and hearing, and attending upon
God's ordinances ; that they had been in the
church when they were in the ale-house ; that
they had associated themselves with God's peo-
ple, when they frequented the company of the
lewd and ungodly ; that they had been upon
their knees with grief, confessing sin, when
they took so much delight in the commission
of it ; that they had taken time from their
sports to make their peace with God ; that they
had worshipped God in their closets, and wor-
shipped God in their families, and laid up for
themselves treasures in heaven : and horrible
will their vexation be, that they do not do so.
4. In going away, they will remember for
what it was, that they refused this happiness ;
that it was only the satisfaction of some foolish
and unprofitable lust ; if two kingdoms of equal
worth and glory were proposed to a man's
choice, it would not trouble him that he had re-
fused the one to obtain the other ; but if a man
were to choose whether he would be a king or
a slave ; if he should refuse the former and
choose the latter, when he came to feel the mi-
sery of his bondage, this would trouble himmore
163
than the bondage, that he might have avoided *
that he hath chosen his thraldom, and parted
with a kingdom for it, they will then perceive,
that they have chosen to be slaves unto sin and
Satan, rather than to be heirs unto the kingdom
of glory : I know that though now they ar&
slaves and serve divers lusts, and though their
bondage is a thousand times worse, than if they
were vassals to the crudest tyrant upon earth ;
yet they are not sensible, neither are they weary
of their bondage, because their wills are in thral-
dom, and their affections are captivated ; and
though heirdom to the glory of heaven be the
choicest privilege upon earth and most desirable,
yet they do not desire it, but prefer their slave-
ry before it, because they are blind, unbelieving,
besotted sinners, and judge of things according
to sense ; yet on the day of Chrisf s appearance,
all things will appear with a new face, and
they will look upon things with a new eye ; they
will then perceive that they were slaves all their
days, and that there was no such drudgery, as
that which they were employed in ; and that
there was no such glory and happiness, as that
which they refused, and foolishly cast away ;
then it will sting them indeed to remember, that
they have chosen rather to do the work of the
devil, and yield obedience to the basest lusts,
for which they must now be repaid with the
wages of death, aud eternal misery, than to do
164
the work of the Lord, who would have reward-
ed them with eternal life, and a crown of glo-
ry and immortality. Then they will say. what
profit have wegotby these things, whereof we are
now ashamed ? What fruit doth all our labour
and toil in the world yield unto us ? What are
we the better for our riches and great estates on
the earth, for our labour and high esteem among
men? For our lacivious pleasures and delights,
now vanished and gone, which we bought at so
dear a rate, at the loss of our precious and im-
mortal souls, and forfeiture of an inheritance in
the kingdom of heaven ? Then they will cry out,
O bewitching world ! O deluding devil ! de-
ceitful heart and lusts ! O what fools and mad-
men have we been, that we should trample jew-
els under our feet like swine, and instead of
them, put dross and dung into our cabinet ! That
we should so sweetly drink the poison of sin to the
bane and ruin of our souls ; and refuse to taste
of the cup of salvation, which all our days was
held forth unto us. Then they will cry out of
their voluptuousness, their covetousness, tl eir
pride and haughtiness and the like lusts, which
have kept Christ out of their hearts, and kept
them out of the kingdom of heaven.
5. In going away, some of them will remem-
ber how near they missed of their happiness,
that they were almost persuaded to be christians
in deed, as well a& in name, and to accept of
165
Christ upon his own terms, that they were not
far from the kingdom of heaven ; that they were
come even within sight of the heavenly Canaan,
and yet died in the wilderness ; that they were
come even to the gate of the New Jerusalem,
but finding it too strait for them, and the luggage
of their sins together, there they stuck and could
not enter in ; that they climbed up a great way to
the hill of Zion, but did not reach the top, and
tumbling down, their fall was the greater ; they
will remember the means of grace which they
enjoyed, the ordinances which they sat under,
and the treaties which the Lord did make with
them by his word and spirit about their life
and salvation, and the carriage of their heart
towards the Lord in these treaties, some of them
will remember what convictions the Lord
wrought in them of sin, and what troubling of
conscience for fear of hell and wrath to come,
and if they had followed that preparative work,
they might have quickly been acquainted with
Christ, and escaped the misery which they fear-
ed ; but they stifled convictions, and shook off
their troubles ; they shut up their eyes against
the light, and stilled the noise of their conscien-
ces, and calmed their spirits with the delights
and pleasures of the world, and so grew more
hardened in sin than before, and gave such re-
pulses to the Spirit, that the Spirit quite de-
parted from them. Others will remember, that
166
they were persuaded to ascend some steps high-
er, under the ministry of the word ; when they
were reproved for such and such gross sins,
which they lived in the practice of, that they
could have no ease in their consciences, until
they had broken off that wicked course ; that
they left off their drunkenness and their swear-
ing, their uncleanness and unrighteous deal-
ing, and were in a great part reformed in their
lives : but there were some lusts in their hearts
which they hugged secretly, and delighted in,
and would not be persuaded to leave, which were
their undoing, pride, revenge, uncharitableness,
covetousness, or the like, remained in their
reigning power, which were inconsistent with
the power of godliness. Others will remember
what profession they made, and that they went
with some kind of gladness in the company of
God's people, into his house and ordinances,
and heard the word, and received some impres-
sions thereof; yea obtained some kind of grace
under its influence ; that they had a kind of
righteousness, repentance, faith, desire, love,
joy and hope ; that they had some tastes of the
heavenly gifts, and the powers of the world to
come, and thought themselv es as fair for heaven
as the best, and whoever missed, that they could
not miss of glory, but the confusion and vex-
ation which will be upon the spirits of these
persons, when the Lord Jesus Will disown
167
them and shut them out of his kingdom ! what
tearing of heart will they have, when they per-
ceive that they were mistaken, and find them-
selves disappointed of the happiness which they
had such hopes of, and confident expectations to
obtain ; when they find that their silver was but
dross, and their graces were but counterfeit, and
not of the right stamp ; that they had not the
image and superscription of Christ upon them ;
when they remember that they had a righteous-
ness, but it was like the morning cloud, which
the wind of affliction or temptation had driven
away, that they had some repentance, but it was
legal, not evangelical ; that the tears they had
sometimes shed for sin, were like the early dew,
which the bright sun of prosperity did quickly
dry up ; that they had a faith, but it was a tem-
porary faith, which wanted deep root in the
heart, and whatever flourishing fruit it quickly
sent forth, yet the hot sun of persecution did
wither it, that it came to nothing, when they
were put upon the trial ; that they had desires
after Christ, and the favour of God and spiritual
things, but they were but faint velleities, they
were like the untimely birth of a woman, which
never came to any perfection ; that they had love
to God in show, or it may be sometimes a
passionate glow of heart upon an ordinance,
which was not enkindled by a spark falling
down from heaven upon them, blown up by the
168
spirit of God, but a false, or more inferior fire,
which arose from a sympathy with ministers, or
other christians in the more inferior working
and impressions of their love, which in the sin*
cere arose from a right principle ; that they had
some kind of hope, but it was like a spider's
web broken quickly to pieces, or swept down
with the besom of destruction with them into
hell : that they had some joys, but they were
fleshly and ungrounded, some tastes arising
from misapprehensions of gospel privileges, and
misapplication of gospel promises, all which did
quickly vanish and come to nothing ; they will
find, if not before, be sure at that day, that they
were mistaken, and have lost all their pains and
labour for want of a work of thorough grace,
for want of soundness at the root, for want of
hearty sorrow, deep humiliation, good ground-
ed, deep rooted faith, supreme love, well bot-
tomed hope, universal reformation, and mortifi-
cation of the deeds of the body, that none of
their actions were excepted by the heart search-
ing God, for want of a right principle and end.
And when these persons are sentenced to he)l,
and going away from C hrist, and the glory which
once they had hopes of, and were so near unto,
and, had they gone but a step or two furt er,
they might have attained : what inconceivable
grief and cuttings of heart will it be ! they will
remember then, that they did seek to enter in
16<J
at the strait gate, and they will wish with all
their hearts that they had striven, that they had
taken more pains, that they might not have
missed and fallen short of salvation ; possibly
then with unutterable anguish they may say,
There is a glorious inheritance in heaven, which
we are now departing from, we often prayed
for it when we were upon the earth, and if we
had been sincere and fervent, if we had resolved
to take the place by storm, and would not have
been denied, we might have gotten it ; we have
read of it in the word, and heard of it in ser-
mons, and it hath been proffered to us freely, and
if we had renounced the world and forsaken sin,
and chosen it for our portion, we might have
had it ; we parted with some sins, if we had left
them all, it should have been ours ; once we had
some hopes of it, when we had some taste of it,
and had done some things to obtain it, and if we
had gone a little further, we might have indeed
obtained it. If we had taken pains with our hearts
before God to get them raised to things above ;
if we had denied ourselves, and mortified our
members upon the earth, if we had put away
all our transgressions, and cast away our own
righteousness, and rolled ourselves wholly up*
on Jesus Christ, and acted faith upon him and
the promises, and his kingdom, and walked in
the narrow way, which we seemed to walk in,
we might now have been made possessors here-
15
170
of, and shined among yonder glorious saints,
some of whom were our companions, and hoped
for our company, and wondered to see us se-
parated from them ; but alas ! we were slothful
and careless, we were unwatchful and idle ; our
pains was more to appear religious, than to be
religious ..; we had some lusts which lay nearer
to our hearts, than Jesus Christ ; we did some
things with seeming vigour, but carnal motives
were the chief incentives to our duties ; and
however lifeless, faithless and empty of true
grace they were, yet we trusted in them, and
made them our Saviour, and never were brought
clear off from our own bottom, unto a closure
with Jesus Christ ; and we have fooled away
our salvation ; and made ourselves unworthy of
eternal life. Deservedly do we lose this crown
for -our own folly : that we had been sincere
and thorough Christians !
6. In going away, it will sling the wicked to
think that now the happiness of heaven is ir-
recoverable, once they might have obtained it,
and that upon easy terms ; yea after some refu-
sal of it they had rich proffers and invitations,
the door of mercy and the gate of salvation and
glory stood open a long time, but now the door
is locked upon them, and will never be opened
more, they must go away without any hopes of
ever entering into the New Jerusalem, or ob-
taining the least degree of the happiness of the
171
saints, they must bid adieu to joy and comfort
forever. These considerations will sting gospel
sinners in their going away. Thus concerning
the first particular, in the execution of the sen-
tence of the wicked, they shall go away.
2. They shall go into punishment ; and here
I shall speak,
1. Of the punishment they shall go into.
2. Of iheir entering into this punishment,
1. Concerning the punishment which the
wicked shall go into. Take two or three places
of scripture which set forth this punishment,
Mat. xxv. 41. ' Depart, ye cursed, into everlast-
ing fire/ Mark ix. 43, 44. ' Then go into hell,
where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not
quenched.' Rev. xiv. 10, 11. ' They shall drink
of the wine of the wrath of God, which shall be
poured out without mixture, into the cup of his
indignation, and be tormented with fire and
brimstone, and the smoke of their torment as-
cend up for ever and ever/ The punishment
then will be God's wrath which the damned
shall drink of, so as to feel the immediate im-
pression thereof upon their souls ; and fire and
brimstone kindled by the breath of God, the
impression whereof they shall feel upon their
bodies. But what tongue can express the pun-
ishment of the wicked in hell ? If some expres-
sions in scripture concerning it be metaphorical,
surely they fall short of what real punishment
.172
will be ; the drops and sprinklings of God's
wrath h£re 5 are but small in comparison with
the ocean which the wicked will be cast into ;
the top of the cup hath nothing of the bitterness
which they will find in the dregs. Never was
there such a fire on earth, as the fire of hell,
never was there such a pain endured by those
which have undergone the most exquisite tor-
ments, as the pains and torments which shall be
inflicted hereafterupon the damned. Yet though
we are not able here to conceive, how dreadful
this punishment will be, we may conceive it to
be inexpressibly more dreadful than any pun-
ishment upon earth, if we consider :
1. The inflicterof it
2. The subject of it
S. The properties of it.
1. Consider the inflicter of the punishment
which the wicked shall go into ; and that he
will be the most holy, just, powerful, and sin
avenging God ; the wicked will then fall into his
hands immediately, and O how fearful a thing
will it be to fall into the hands of the living God,
Heb. x. 31. Wicked men now have no fear of
God before their eyes, though their sins and
affronts to God be great, and his anger and dis-
pleasure against them be great ; yet because his
goodness and patience towards them is also great;
yet because hekeeps silence and doth not speed-
ily execute his vengeance upon them, therefor©
173
they are secure and insensible of his displeasure,
and have lighter thoughts and lesser fear of hiitf,
than of weak dying worms like themselves.
But when their eyes shall be opened at the
last day, and a discovery of God shall be made
unto them in his infinite majesty and greatness,
and power and holiness, and fiery indignation
against them ; O how fearful then will it be to
fall into his hands ! it will be very sweet to fall
into the arms of his love, but very dreadful tQ
fall into the hands of his displeasure ; when
God doth execute his vengeance himself, he will
do it very terribly, especially if we consider,
1. That he will glorify his infinite wisdom
in the punishment of the damned, which will
contrive such tortures for them, that if ajl the
men in the world would join their wits together,
and take to their help all the devils in hell, they
could not invent the like ; dreadful ingredients
will his wisdom find out to put into the cup
which will be put into the hand of -the wicked to
drink.
2. That he will glorify his infinite power, he
will make bare his arm, and smite with infinite
force ; the blow of a child will make little im-
pression, but if a Goliah smite with a Goliah's
sword, he will smite to the ground ; the {weighti-
er the hand, the heavier the stroke ; there is
more diflerence between [(he power of God and
the strongest creatures, than .between Jtjte jsrong-
15*
174
est creature, and the weakest child. It would be
dreadful to be delivered up to the power of
some strong and fierce cruel creatures. What
will it be to be delivered up to a potent and most
serious God ? God will glorify the power of his
anger in the destruction of the wicked, Rom.
ix. 22. What if God willing to shew his wrath,
and to make his power known, &c. God will
shew what his power can do in punishing the
wicked ; his last work of power in punishing
will be as glorious as his first work of power
in creating ; and he will glorify the power of his
anger in hell, as he will glorify his goodness
and love in heaven. In heaven he will open the
treasures of his love, and in hell he will open
the treasures of his wrath. God will inflict the
punishment.
2. Concerning the subject of the punishment
which the wicked shall go into, and that will
be both soul and body.
1 . The souls of the wicked will be punished,
not only with the loss of the glorious and
comfortable presence of God, and the happiness
of heaven, but also I conceive that they will be
filled with anguish through the impression of
God's wrath upon them. They will be filled up
to the brim with the wrath of God, the arrows
of the Almighty will be shot up to the head in
them, and pierce them through and through.
We read, Rom. ii. fc, 9, of indignation and
175
wrath, tribulation and anguish, which at the day
of wrath will be upon every soul that doth
evil.
The impression of God's indignation and
wrath on the soul will effect tribulation and an-
guish ; such wounds they will have in their spi-
rits as will be insupportable, such tribulations as
will be horrible, such anguish as is inconceiva-
ble, when the hand of the Lord is upon them,
when they see the frowns of his brow, when he
strikes them with his anger : Christ tasted the
bitterness of God's wrath in his soul, for the sins
of others which caused his bloody sweat in the
garden, and such roarings upon the cross : Ob t
how bitter will the wrath of God be to the wick-
ed, when their souls taste of it for their own
sins, it will be God's wrathful presence which
the souls of the damned will feel, the impres-
sions of which will make hell to be hell, as it
will be the glorious and comfortable presence of
God which the souls of the righteous will feel,
the impressions of which will make heaven to
be heaven.
2. The bodies of the wicked shall be pun-
ished ; they have been sharers in sin, and they
must share in torment, they must lie in the lake
of fire and brimstone, Rev. xx. 8. The torment
of the bodies of the wicked will be dreadful,
besides the impression which the anguish of the
soul will make upon them, they have their own
176
proper torment, through the sense of the fire
which will be kindled about them, and burn
more horribly than London fire did, when it had
gotten into the heart of the city, their torment
will be greater than if scalding lead were poured
in their bowels^ than if they were torn in
pieces with wild horses, than if their breasts
were ripped up and their hearts plucked out .of
them with burning pincers ; it will be worse
than if they were cast into a caldron of boiling
pitch, or lead ; or put into Phalaris's bull, or
Nebuchadnezar's fiery furnace ; the torture of the
bodies of the damned will be far beyond the sharp-
est pain now incident to human nature, by rack-
ing diseases, or have been inflicted upon any of
the children of men by the most cruel tyrant :
For the bodies of the wicked when raised again,
will be strengthened unto a greater capacity for
punishment when they will be made incorrupti-
ble and immortal, and punishment will be the
end of their resurrection : but more of this pun-,
ishment under the properties.
3. Concerning the properties of the punish-
ment which the wicked shall go into.
I . It will be universal ; it will not only he
in soul and body, but also in every part of both,
in every faculty of the sftul, m every member of
the body : fche btaek thoughts, the dismal ap^
prehensions the hideous fancies, the heavy
griefs, the siakiug fears, the dreadful terrors, th#
177
hellish gripes, the utter despair, the horrible an-
guish and confusion which the soul will have,
when the wrath of God shall be poured in upon
it like water. The wicked will not only be in
hell, but they will have a hell in themselves, in
their consciences they will have a never-dying
worm, which will gnaw and tear them ; they will
have a storm in their spirits, raised by the wind
of God's wrath, which will blow most fiercely
upon them ; every faculty of the soul will be af-
flicted according to its capacity, and every mem-
ber of the bodies of the wicked will be torment-
ed. O ! how will their eyes glance, their tongues
roar, their hands and feet fry, their flesh roast !
No part will be free from the devouring flames
of this horrible burning fire. There are many
diseases which the body is exposed unto in this
world, but very seldom do they meet together
in the same subject ; if the head ache, the mem-
bers may be free ; if the foot be pained, the head
may be at ease, and ready to contribute some
relief upon the pained parts ; And if t e body
be sick ; the soul may give some consolatory
arguments to alleviate the irksomeness of the
disease ; but in hell the punishment of the wick-
ed will be universal, it will be in every mem-
ber of the body, and every faculty of the soul.
2. The punishment of helhwill be extreme;
The souls of the wicked shall be filled with an-
guish, as full as they can hold. Their capacity
178
will be larger, and they will be filled up to the
height of their capacity, and their bodies also
will have the most exquisite pain it is possible
for them to endure ; their sense of pain will be
quicker, and their strength to endure pain great-
er, and their pain will be in the utmost extrem-
ity : Some pains of the body here are not very
acute, and some troubles of mind- may well
enough be borne ; but any disease in extremity
is very irksome ; the pain of the head or the
tooth in extremity, the gout, stone, cholic in ex-
tremity, especially the troubles of the mind in
extremity will make a man weary of his life;
but to have every part afflicted in extremity,
and the uttermost extremity, and that beyond
our own capacity, or conception, this will be
very dreadful.
3. The punishment of the wicked will be
continual, without any intermission, or allevia-
tion. The wicked will have no rest day nor
night, Rev. xiv.l 1. There will be nothing but
weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth,
Mat. xx. 13. The most painful diseases here
have their fits which do not continue long; the dis-
eased after these fits find some ease and assuage*
ment, they have intermissions sometimes, some
lucida intervalla, lightsome intervals ; but the
wicked in hell will have no ease or assuage-
ment, no lightsome intervals in their griefs and
pains ; there will be no mixture of comfortable
179
ingredients in the cup of God's wrath, which the
damned must drink. There will be but one
fit in their disease, and this fit will be always at
the height ; they will have not the least drop of
water to cool so much as the tip of their tongue,
which shall be tormented in flames: Their grief
will not have any allay, they will not have one
comfortable thought, no eye to pity them, none
to bring any relief unto them : O how bitter will
their sins be unto them, here they are but bitter
sweets, then they will be nothing but bitterness,
and gall and worm-wood unto them. Their
punishment will be continual.
The punishment of the wicked will be re-
mediless : There will be no escaping or flying
from the wrath of God ; now sinners may flee
from the wrath that is to come ; but when it hath
once come, and hath got hold of them, it will
hold them down, so that they shall never get
loose from it, now they may agree with their
adversary upon the way, they may make their
peace with God in the world, there is no sin for
which they may not receive a pardon, but the
unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, which
carries men away from God ; but hereafter in hell
there will be no more sacrifice for sin, the
Saviour of mankind will be their judge, and
pass an irrevocable sentence of condemnation
upon them : It is possible now for the wicked to
be delivered from this punishment, but it will
180
be impossible then to be delivered out of it ;«
their punishment will be remediless.
5. The punishment of the wicked will be
eternal. Hell fire will be unquenchable, Mark
ix. 34. Everlasting, Mat. xxv. 41. The smoke
of their torment will ascend up for ever and
ever, Rev. xiv. 1 1. This eternity of punishment,
will be a fearful aggravation of it ; if you saw
a malefactor torn to pieces, with wild horses, or
thrown down in a fiery furnace and there burnt
to ashes, you would say that either of these
were dreadful punishments, though the pain
possibly might not endure a quarter of an hour,
for death concludes all bodily pains here : What
then will it be to endure the torments of hell fire
for ever ? A small pain if it should last long
would be very irksome ; much more such rack-
ing pains by the stone, stranguary, gout, cho-
lic and the like ; if they should continue for a
year, or a month together, how miserable would
they make life to be ? Yea, if a man should
hold but one of his fingers in the fire but for a
day, it would afflict him more than all outward
comforts could delight him. The torments of
hell will not be in one part only, but in every
part, not in a weaker degree, but in the great-
est extremity ; not for a day, or a month, or a
year, but for ever ; the wicked will be always
dying, never dead ; the pangs of death will be
ever upon them, and yet they shall never give
181
up the ghost ; if they could die they would think
themselves happy ; they will always be roaring
and never breathe out their last ; always sinking
and never come to the bottom : always burning
in those flames, and never consumed ; the eter-
nity of hell will be the hell of hell. When our
Saviour endured equivalent punishment to this
of hell for his people, it had not this circum-
stance of eternity in it, there not being that need,
because of the excellency of his person ; in that
though the pains of hell got hold on him. yet
they could not keep him in hold ; but he brake
through them, and triumphed over them, and
could say in the conclusion, it is finished ; but
the damned wHl not be able to break through
their punishment ; they will be compassed about
with it, and hedged in and shut down, and never
be able to lift up the head ; never shall they say
of this punishment, it is finished, for their pains
^will always be as it were beginning ; when they
have spent the time of as many years in hell as
there are stars in the firmament, sands on the
sea shore, and motes in the sun, their torment
will be as it were beginning, and no nearer a
conclusion than the first day they were cast into
that place. Who can express this eternity ?
When we launch forth our thoughts in the con-
sideration thereof, we lose them quickly, it
being such a deep which cannot be fathomed ;
such a vast ocean which cannot be measured ; yet
is
182
a little to extend your thoughts in the conside-
ration of the eternity of the wicked's punish-
ment, I shall by one or two suppositions illus-
trate something of the vastness thereof.
Suppose this globe of the earth on which
we tread was hollow, and that it were filled up
with great folio books as full as it could hold ;
and moreover there were books heaped upon it
to fill up the whole circumference of the air
round about it ; yea, that the whole space to tike
place of the utmost verge of the etherial hea-
vens were filled with books, and all this vast
number of books were filled with figures in the
highest degree of multiplication : O whata num-
ber of books would there be in the whole space !
What a number of figures in these books ! And
what a vast number would there be deciphered
by these figures ? A bit of paper half as broad as
a half-penny will hold the figures of the number
of as many years as has been since the creation
of the world. What then would a whole leaf
of a great folio book hold ? What would a folio
book hold ? What then would a room full of folios
hold ? What would the whole world full of
folios hold ? Now if at the end of time, when
the wicked goto hell, Gocl should fill the whole
space of the world full of folios, full of figures,
of numbers, and tell the wicked that every
thousand years one of these numbers should be
subtracted, and promise them when all the
183
numbers were subtracted out of all these books,
they should have a release out df their torment*;
they would have a small spark of hope, that
after the subtraction of so many millions, mil-
lions millions, of innumerable numbers, in the
revolution of so many million millions millions,
of innumerable years yet at last there would be
an end, there would be time then set, and a
wearing towards an end : Yea, if w r e could cast
*our thoughts so far on a supposition, that all
this number of years, wherein all this number,of
years were subtracted, by one in a thousand
years were past and gone, yea, wherein they
were all subtracted, as many thousand times as
the numbers of the figures in all these books
would amount to ; yet even then the punishment
of the damned would be as far from ending as
' at the very first beginning of them.
Yea, suppose further, that there were as ma-
ny worlds, as the number of the books before
supposed would arise unto, and these worlds
should continue as many years, as by this account
there would be worlds; and all these worlds were
filled with angels and men, and all these angels
and men should be employed in nothing else
from the beginning of these worlds unto the
end of them, but in conceiving numbers of years
unto the uttermost conception, which they could
have of numbers ; to us what an inconceivable
number of years would there be conceived by so
184
many angels and men, in so many years, in so
many worlds ? Yet if all the vast number of
years were joined to the end of the time, wherein
all the number of the figures of so many be-
fore mentioned books, were subtracted by one
in a thousand years, and these multiplied as
many thousand times as numbers were conceiv-
ed ; such a vast number of years would reach a
great way, but they would not be so much as
a hair's breadth in the measure of eternity ; and
if you would suppose the space of all these
years too, to be spent by the damned in tor-
ments ! even then their torments would be as far
from a conclusion, as they were upon their first
entrance into hell. O eternity ! eternity ! How
infinite and immeasurable ! How horrible will
the thoughts of eternity be unto the damned, to
be punished so extremely, and that without any
intermission or hopes of conclusion, to fall into
such a horrible pit, and fiery lake, and there
burnt forever, without any possibility of evev
getting forth ! O dreadful ! O blind world ! O sot-
tish sinners ! that take no more care now to
avoid, and get deliverance from such a punish-
ment, as this which they are exposed unto, and
will be the certain consequent of sin, without re-
pentance. Thus concerning the punishment
which the wicked shall go into.
2. Concerning their entrance into this punish^
went ; when the whole crew of the wicked and
185
ungodly persons together with the whole flock
of devils are departed from the presence of
Christ and the glorious saints, and heaven is
now upon their backs, and hell before their
face, and they are now come to the very mouth
of the bottomless pit, unto the doors and great
gates of hell, and now they are opened before
them, and unto them and for them, and they
shall see the black smoke ascend up from
thence, and smell a horrible stink of the sul-
phurous fire which they must be thrown into ;
and when they behold the horrible flakes of
fire flashing forth from the furnace of hell, ten
thousand times more dreadful than those which
were seen to arise from London on the Mon-
day night, and now begin to feel ihe heat, and
see others tumbling in before them, and they
following them ; and when they begin first to
put their hands and feet into the fire ; and now
they are in, and covered with flames, and begin
to boil and fry, and when they perceive the gates
of hell to be shut upon them and great stones
rolled before them, which can never be re-
moved, and great bars put upon them, which
can never be broken, and they are out of all
hopes of ever breaking prison and getting forth ;
how will they shrink and roar, and cry out
in the anguish of their souls, and torture of their
bodies. Wo, be unto us miserable sinners ! And
is this the hell which the ministers warned us to
16*
186
flee from ? And yet would > we needs run* our-
selves into such flames ? Is this the wages of 0111*
sin ? Hath our drankenness, swearing, whoreing,
lying, and unrighteous dealing, such a dreadful
consequence as this ? Is this the company we
must take op our eternal abode withal ? And is
this the place of our eternal habitation ? " Mitet*
we then dwell • in this devouring fire, inhabit
these everlaisting burnings ? O miserable, for-
lorn wretches ! Would to God we bad never
been born ; O that we had foeeri dags or swine !
O that we had been serpents or toads ! that
we ha$ beert asttoe meanest worms or stones;
or any thing without souls, who are now»aftm-
hilated ! that we Wad been nothing, or might
be turted into nothing! O that we could recall*
our time, how would 'we improve it & O ? thatit r
were vtith us as ofree it was^ when our being-
and abode Was u£on the* earth, whfett the d&y of '
grace did sMtie*trp6b us, and the ttte&as of*grace
Wfere offered >t& us ? Hbw* wfcutd* "wfc pray afteP
hear, and Watebf, aM' strive, &M MUfe ? How
would we forsake sin, and accept of Christy atteP
deliver up oxMelvefc uttto universal obedience ?
X&talasl ttfbe is f&dytfte d&ps spent; th* ( door
is fchut, we are bbtmctWp in cl^inswhieli cannot'
be { remediecf ; afrd now arfe extreme, arid will ne^-
ver b^ enffilff* ! O th^p^nofWf^tefe^! would I
hadnbtte'! M^MW^tbt^e I wtftiM it f
were out, afrd I 'wferfe l dumb ! '(Mhetartfire of my
im
hands and feet ! would they were off, and my
whole body was consumed ! O I am sick ! and
here is no physician ! I am sad ! I am sore trou-
bled ! and here is none to pity me ! O my heart
doth burn ! my head doth ache ! O the terror
which I feel ! 0* the gripes and tearings of the
never-dying:worm within me.
But who can conceive what the thoughts and
complaints of the damned will be at the first en-
trance into the punishment of hell ? Thus con-
cerning the execution of the sentence protioitac^
ed by Christ upon the wicked.
CHAPTER %
The second thing is to spteak of the execu-
tion of the sentence pronounced by Christ upon
the righteous, Mat. xxv. 4ft. These shall go
away info everlasting puriishtti^nt!; there is the
execution of the sentence upon the wicked. But
the righteous into life eternal ; there is the exe-
cution- of the sentence on the rfgbte'ott'g. And
here I shaft Speak.
*. Of thie righteous goidgaWay.
2. Of the righteous goitig ifttb life tiftripft
1. Concerning the righteous going away.—
The wicked shall' gtf away, att# the rigbfedw^
-shall go away ateo'; ftife wicked s&al? ge
188
from Christ and saints, and the happiness of
heaven ; and the righteous shall go awaj from
devils and wicked persons, and the misery of
hell, which with some considerations will be un-
speakably comfortable unto them.
1. The righteous shall go away from devils ;
Christ doth here redeem them, and deliver
them from that tyrannical power which the devils
had over them before conversion, yet they are
not wholly free in this life from all his assaults,
and baits, and snares ; some of them are much
buffetted and oppressed by him, most part, if
not all their days ; but at the last day they shall
go away from Satan ; the devil and all his angels
will be locked up in the bottomless pit, and
the righteous will never be molested with any
of them any more : however the righteous some-
times are foiled by Satan here, and receive
some wounds in their spiritual combat ; yet then
they will be victorious, and triumph over prin-
cipalities and powers, and leave them bound
in chains behind them : they shall go away from
devils.
2. The righteous shall go away from all wick-
ed persons ; some of the wicked separated them
from their company while they lived on earth ;
now God will separate them from the company
of all the wicked. They were hated by the
wicked, and troubled by them, and some of them
Suffered much under their reproaches and per-
189
secutions ; the wicked will cease from troubling
them any more ; their hearts w r ere grieved with
their oaths and filthy lewdness, and ungodly
conversation in the world ; but now they will go
away from the wicked, no devils or wicked
persons shall be admitted into their society, or
have any room in the place whither they are
going.
2. The righteous shall go away from the
place and state of misery which the wicked
shall go into ; they shall be delivered from the
damnation and punishment of hell, and all the
fears of it for ever ; and herein their joys will
be inconceivable.
1 . They shall have deeper apprehensions of
the punishment of hell than ever did enter here
into their hearts to imagine ; they were told
by the word and ministers, what a dreadful
punishment was prepared for the damned ; and
they did believe it, and fear it, and flee from
it ; but the one half was not told them ! The fire
which they conceived, was but as it were a
painted fire in comparison of .that which they
will see the wicked cast into ; the pains they
fancied were^but flea bites, in comparison with
those which they will see the wicked undergo ;
they guessed something at the wrath of God, by
the little scorching thereof in the first conviction
of and contrition for sin ; by the sweetness of
God's smiles of love afterwards, they judged
196
that his displeasure and fury would be insup-
portable ; that their thoughts were mean and
short of that fiery vengeance and dreadful wrath,
which will then break forth into a flame to con-
sume the ungodly : as the wicked will have
high apprehensions of the glory and happiness
of the righteous, beyond whatever entered into
their hearts to conceive here in this world, and
it will be their unutterable grief to be deprived
thereof, and shut out forever from the kingdom
of heaven, which the righteous with joy and tri-
umph shall go into : so the righteous shall have
deep apprehensions of the sufferings and mis-
ery of the wicked, beyond whatever they did
imagine here, and it will be no small part
of their joy, that they were delivered from this
misery, and saved from the torments of hell, in-
to which they shall see the wicked go with such
dread and horror. Lazarus will see Dives
tormented, the other apostles will see Judas
thrust into hell, and all the righteous will be
spectators of the vengeance which the Lord Je-
sus will execute upon the ungodly world : and
O how will they then adore God's electing love ?
How will they value the blood of Christ, which
was shed for the redemption of them ? How will
they bless God for pardoning mercy ? How will
they hug the feet of the Saviour, who hath de-
livered them from this dreadful wrath and fear-
ful torment, which they will see inflicted upon
the damned ? Especially,
in
%. When they consider in their going away,
that they were by nature children of wrath even
as others, Eph. ii. 3. That they had as foul na-
tures as the vilest ; that they had as leprous,
poisonous, odious hearts, until they were re-
newed and sanctified, as those which they shall
see condemned and tormented ; that they were
sometimes foolish, disobedient, serving divers
lusts and pleasures, hateful and hating one
another, until the kindness and free love of God
was manifested, in the regeneration and renova-
tion of them by the Holy Ghost, Tit. iii. 3, 4,
5. That they were dead in sin with others^ and
walked according to the course of the world, ac-
cording to the prince of the power of the air, who
wroughtinthem,as in other children of disobedi-
ence, so that they were as forward as others, to
fulfil the lusts of the flesh, and of the mind, and
ran with others into the same excess of riot until
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love
wherewith he loved them, quickened them and
saved them by his grace, and hereby put a differ-
ence between them and the wicked, who went
on to the end of their sensual course, in which
sometimes they were running with them in com-
pany, Eph. ii. 1, 2, 3, 4. Yea, some of them will
remember, how they out-stripped oth< rs in sin,
and were guilty of more gross breaches of the
law than many millions of the wicked, wbooi
they will see condemned ; and that they shouki
i92
escape, and be awakened to repent, and enabled
to believe and reform ; and that they should ob-
tain pardon and salvation through Christ, when
others were passed by and let alone to perish
under smaller sins, this will fill them with aston-
ishing admiration, and wondering joy, when
they see some of their near relations going to
hell ; their father, their mother, their children^
their husbands, their wives, their sisters, their
intimate friends and companions ; however
they are grieved now to see them take such
courses, and walk in the way to hell, and
they labour to pull them out of that way, and
would fain persuade them to walk with them
in heaven's way, and are troubled to forethink
of the torment which they must endure if they
go on ; yet hereafter relative ties, and those
affections which now they have to relations
out of Christ, will cease, and they will not
have the least trouble to. see them sentenced to
hell, and thrust into the fiery furnace ; but re-
joice in the glory of God which will be mani-
fested upon them in their destruction ; and O
the joy that they will be filled withal, to think,
that they were not passed by with the rest
of their relations, that they are not under
the same deserved condemnation with them ;
that God should choose but one or two in ma-
ny families, and they should be in the number
of the chosen ones : that when his chosen were
198
( comparatively so few, and the reprobates so ma-
ny ; that they should be elected, when there was
no motive in them, to incline God to the choice
of them ; that he should choose them freely ; if
he had not chosen them ; if they were not to
change places with some of their wicked rela-
tions going to hell, this would be dreadful. But
that they are going from hell, when their rela-
tions are going into it, this will fill them with joy
unspeakable. Especially,
3. When they consider in their going away
that they were sometimes so near hell ; that
whilst they were in a state of nature, and under
the guilt of sin, that some of them w£re near to
death, that they were brought to the sides of the
pit, to the doors of the grave, to the very brink
of hell, before they had repented, and accepted
of Jesus Christ ; some of them will remember,
how near they were to death when they were
young ; how near they were to death by some
casualties ; how nearby some diseases ; some of
them will remember the great plague of Lon-
don, which swept away so many thousands, how
ill they were provided for death at the beginning
thereof, how nearly they escaped the disease,
and some of them which had the disease, how
nearly they escaped death by it ; and if they had
died then, they should have certainly gone to
hell : O how will they remember the providence
of God in keeping them alive, notwithstanding
17
194
the many dangers they were in of death, all the
days of their unregeneracy ; and when they
moreover consider how they tried God's patience,
and trampled upon it by their heinous provoca-
tions ; how they abused his goodness , and turn-
ed his grace into wantonness ; how they did
hasten in the ways of sin towards hell, and
were come even to the end of the line ; that some
of them were drunkards, and Sabbath-breakers,
and profane persons, and swearers, and unclean
persons, and persecutors of the people of God :
and were arrived even to the height of wick-
edness, and wanted but a step or two of falling
into hell, and yet that the Lord should meet
with them with a flaming sword in the way of
sin> they were driving on so fast and furiously
in, and stop them, and turn them, and change
them,andbrin£ them home to himself: Yea, when
they had deafened their ears against many calls
and stifled many convictions, and often quench-
ed the motions of his spirit, and were so unwil-
ling to leave their sins, and come out of the
way of destruction ; and were so desperately
bent upon their ruin, that yet he should knock,
and call again, and again, and follow them still
by his spirit, and that he should lay hold on
them as the angel did on Lot, and bring them
out of Sodom, even by force, and overpower the
contrariety of their stubborn wills, and break
open the door of their hearts, and overturn the
195
strong holds of sin and Satan, and set up the
throne of his Son within them ; that he should
snatch them like fire-brands out of the fire, and
pluck them out of the snare of the devil, that
had almost dragged them into hell ; O how will
they be astonished to remember God's infinite
pity and love, and the power of his rich grace,
that did work salvation for them ? Especially
when they perceive how dreadful the misery is
which they were hastening into. I have heard
of a man, who in the night galloped over a
high bridge, which was broken down all but a
narrow plank, which God's providence directed
his horse's feet upon, which, if he had slipped
ever so little on the one side or the other,horse and
man would have fallen into the deep stream, and
been drowned, which the man did not know till
the next morning ; but when viewing the place,
and considering the danger he had so narrowly
escaped, was struck with such astonishment at
it, that he fell down dead in the place. When
some of God's people shall go away from hell
at the last day, and look behind them into the
bottomless pit. and take a view of the streams
of fire and brimstone, which are running in the
burning lake, and remember how they have gal-
loped over those streams, when they were in
the career of their sins, and by how narrow a
plank they passed over them, that if they had
slipped but a little aside, they had fallen into
196
the lake, from whence they could never be got
out, when they shall remember how near they
were to hell, and how narrowly they have es-
caped such horrible torments, surely they will
be struck with such admiration and joy, which
now they could not bear, but would overwhelm
their spirits, and bring immediate death upon
them ; but then their nature will be strengthen-
ed to bear this joy, which might be enough to
sweeten an eternity, if they had no other hap-
piness, than the consideration of the misery
from which they have been so wonderfully de-
livered. Thus concerning the going away of
the righteous from the wicked, and the miseries
which they shall endure.
2. Concerning their going into life eternal ;
and here I shall speak,
1. Of the eternal life they shall go into.
2. Of their going into eternal life.
1. Concerning the eternal life which the
righteous shall go into. Eternal life is taken in
Scripture, frequently for the life of grace, but
chiefly, and so here, for the life of glory : by
eternal life, we are to understand, the glory
and happiness which the righteous shall have
in heaven ; of which happiness in heaven I shall
speak,
1. Subjectively. -
2. Objectively,
3. Formally.
197
1. Subjectively. The subject of the happi-
ness in heaven, will be both the bodies and the
souls of the righteous.
1. The bodies of the righteous, will be the
subjects of the happiness of heaven.
1. They shall be most glorious bodies, 1 Cor.
xv. 43. They were sown in dishonour when
they died, they shall be raised in glory at the
resurrection ; some glory and majesty is put
upon the bodies of men now, in comparison
with the bodies of inferiour creatures ; but the
bodies of the righteous shall then be made a
thousand fold more glorious ; there is not so
great a difference between celestial bodies and
terrestial bodies, between the body of the glo-
rious Son, and the body of the meanest fly or
worm, as then there will be between the bodies
of the righteous on earth and in heaven, they
will be celestial bodies, they will shine like
stars, Dan. xii. 3. Yea, like the Son in the
kingdom of their father, Mat. xiii. 43. The bo-
dies will be transformed, whereby their dirty
hue will be changed, more than if all the stones
in the street were turned into diamonds. Phil,
iii. 21. Their vile bodies will be fashioned, like
unto the glorious body of Jesus Christ now ;
their bodies are vile, being so frail, especially as
they are the instruments of sin, they are earthly,
as they bear the earthly Adam ; then they shall
be glorious, because they shall bear the image
17*
198
of the heavenly Adam ; the bodies of some do
now shine with gold and pearls, and costly ap-
parel, which are about them, and yet under all,
their bodies remain vile bodies ; but hereafter the
bodies of the righteous shall shine with marvel-
ous brightness and glory, through the qualities
which shall be in them, beyond what the richest
attire can give.
2. And by consequence, the bodies of the
righteous shall be most beauteous bodies ; they
shall have a perfect beauty, beyond whatever
eye did behold in the fairest woman, that ever
lived upon the face of the earth.
Their bodies shall have the most exact sym-
metry of parts, those which were misshapen
here, shall then be healed of that imperfection
in their bodies ; the crooked back shall then be
made straight ; the members which are now-
wanting shall be supplied, and the parts which
are now dislocated, shall be put into the right
place, and joined so exactly together, especially
the lineaments of their face shall have such
figure and composition, as shall render their fea-
ture most lovely and graceful, beyond what the
greatest observers and admirers of beauty can
conceive in their fancy.
Moreover the bodies of the righteous shall
have a most sweet mixture of colours ; there will
be no black skin, no swarthy complexion, no
pate face, no wait look ; their colour will be
199
most lovely without change or fading, there
will be no wrinkles of old age, but they will be
always young, fresh and blooming ; if the com-
position of the elements which are so dreggish,
doth give forth some such loveliness of colour,
what will the more refined compositions of the
bodies of the righteous do, when the Lord will
fashion their bodies after the pattern of his Son's
body ; and therefore I conceive farther that the
bodies of the righteous shall have a most comely
stature, not dwarfish nor gigantic, but according
to the measure of the stature of Christ.
And lastly, to complete their beauty, I doubt
not, but they will have more graceful gestures
and sparkling motions in their countenances ;
they will have no grief to deaden their beauty,
no anger or envy, or the like, to change or
transform their visages ; but love and joy will
continually look out at their eye ; which will
marvellously add to the lustre and sweetness of
their beauty ; they shall have most beautiful
bodies.
3. The bodies of the righteous shall be most
strong, that they may be suitable to their great
soul, and fit for such works, as in heaven they
must be employed in, were they weak as now
they are, they would never endure such work
and motions, they would tire and faint, their
spirits would quickly be spent, but in heaven
there will be no laziness and weariness, no
200
fainting nor failure of spirits, all their motions,
though never so great and continual, will be
sweet and delightful ; and therefore their bodies
must be strong, that they maybe suitable here-
unto ; moreover the glory of heaven which they
will have in their eye, will sink in a weak body,,
and the ravishing joys and love, the transports
of their souls in the visions which they shall
have, would crack a weak vessel to pieces ; they
must be strong to bear the glory of the place,
and when besides, they must endure to all eter-
nity ; and all this without reparation, by meat,
or drink, or sleep ; I conceive, that no bodies
visible to us are made so -strong, as the bodies
ef the righteous will be at the last day.
4. Hence it follows that their bodies will be
most healthful bodies, they will be free from all
pains and disease, which may in the least weak-
en them ; the temperature of their bodies will
be so exact, that there will be no fighting of
contrary qualities within them, no flowing of ill
humours. In heaven there will be no plague,
nor ague, nor fever, nor gout, nor strangury, nor
any distemper ; no need of food to preserve
health, nor physic to recover it.
5. The bodies of the righteous will be spi-
ritual bodies, 1 Cor. xv. 44, Not absolutely
spiritual ; for then they would cease to be bo-
dies : but comparatively to what they are now,
they will be spiritual, that is I conceive, they
201
will be quick and nimble in their motions like
spirits ; now they are dull and slow, and heavy,
and a clog to the spirit : I conceive, that hereaf-
ter they shall be like angels, for quick and nim-
ble motions ; they may be so qualified, as in a
moment to move many thousand miles ; why
may not they move so quick then, as well as the
sun and other stars in the firmament do so now,
which are bodies of many thousand times great-
er magnitude ?
G. The bodies of the righteous will be incor-
ruptible and immortal, 1 Cor. xv. 42. ' It is
sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption/
Ver. 52, 53. ' In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump, the dead shall be rais-
ed, incorruptible : for this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on im-
mortality/ And ver. 54. ? Then shall come to
pass the saying which is written, Death is swal-
lowed up in victory/ Now death is unavoida-
ble, and unto some very terrible ; death hath all
the children of men in the chase, and shoots his
arrows at the righteous as well as the wicked,
and though they be delivered from the sting of
death, which is sin, yet they are not delivered
from the stroke of death ; but however death play
the tyrant here on earth, and spare none, yet he
will have no footing in heaven : the bodies of the
righteous when raised up again, will be impas-
sable and immortal ; immortality will be swal-
202
lowed up of life, and the life of the body as
well as of the soul will be everlasting.
7. The souls of the righteous will be the sub-
jects, and the chief subjects of the glory and
happiness of heaven ; if their bodies shall be
glorious, as their souls shall be much more glo-
rious, being their most excellent part, and ca-
pable of more glory than their bodies will be.
We read, Rom. viii. 18. Of the glory that shall
be revealed in us, that is in the soul : And the
Apostle tells us, that the sufferings of this present
time, are not worth) to be compared with this glo-.
ry ; the greatest sufferings and calamities in this
world, have not that evil and misery in the least
shadow of comparison with the happiness of the
glory which shall be put into the souls of the
saints ; indeed the Apostle doth compare them,
and see how he makes his future glory to out-
balance, 2 Cor. iv. 17. 'The light afflictions
which are but for a moment do work for us a
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/
The afflictions are light, but the glory will be
weighty ; the afflictions are but for a moment,
the glory will be eternal ; the weight of glory
will be exceeding, more exceeding, far more ex-
ceeding ; here the Apostle lays one high expres-
sion on the back of another, and another upon
that, like so many great mountains upon the
back of one another, and when he had got to the
top of the highest of them, yet he is too low to
203
look into the glory of heaven, and his expres-
sions and apprehensions fall short of the glory
which shall be revealed in the soul, when it
shall be received in the New Jerusalem ; for
it is yet to be revealed : and therefore as the
Apostle John saith, 1 John, iii. 2. It doth not
yet appear, what we shall be, but when Christ
shall appear, we shall be made like him ; not
only the body shall be made like his glorious
body, but also the soul will be made like his
glorious soul, for we shall see him as he is ; as
the eye doth conceive the image of the object
which it looks upon, so the soul in its vision of
Christ, shall receive the image of Christ, and
have a perfect similitude and likeness unto him :
the soul will be made most beautiful, the perfect
lineaments of Christ will be drawn upon it ; if
grace makes the soul to shine here, how much
more will glory, which is grace in the perfection
of it, make the soul to shine in heaven ! And
therefore grace is called glory, it is glory be-
gun, 2 Cor. iii. 18. We all with open face,
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image, from glory to
glory : as by the Spirit of the Lord. The veil
which was under the law is now taken away,
and with open face we behold the glory of the
Lord, that is, I conceive, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is the glory of the Father, the brightness
of the Father's glory, which glory was more
204
dark to our view under the law, represented by
the cloud which filled the temple ; hut now there
is more clear revelation of Christ without the
veil and cloud of types and figures, whom we
now see in the glass of the word and ordinances,
and hereby we are changed into his image, and
receive from him impressions of grace, which is
glory begun, through the operation of his spirit
in his ordinances upon us. Yet still we see
him in a glass, and therefore there is darkness
through this interposition : and the eye of our
faith which looks through this glass upon Christ
is weak, and therefore our graces are imperfect
and our similitude to him is imperfect : but when
the glass shall be removed, and instead of the
sight of faith, we shall have an immediate vision,
then our souls will be changed into a perfect
conformity unto his image, and it will not be
from glory to glory, from one degree unto an-
other, but glory will be arrived unto its height,
and the souls of the righteous will be made per-
fectly glorious ; their souls will then have per-
fection of holiness, without the least remainder
of sin, from which in this world the most holy
persons are not wholly free.
1. Their thoughts shall be holy ; no blasphem-
ous thoughts shall then arise in their minds ;
no filthy thoughts ; no envious nor malicious
thoughts, yea, they shall not have the least va-
nity or impertinency in their thoughts ; all their
205
thoughts shall then be brought into perfect obe*
dience unto Jesus Christ.
2. Their understandings shall be holy : there
shall not be the least mist or cloud of ignorance
or error, to darken and sully them, when they
appear before the glorious Son of righteousness,
the brightness which will issue forth from his
face, will dispel all clouds ; and they shall have
a clear understanding of all things, which will
be needful for them to know to make them hap-
py : God will then unlock his treasures ; open
his books, which now are sealed, and open their
understandings too, that they may conceive those
mysteries of the word, and that manifold wis-
dom of God, which now doth exceed their com-
prehensions.
3. Their memories shall be holy ; they shall
be strengthened to retain and bring forth con-
tinually out of their treasures whatever things
new or old, shall tend to feed them with love,
and joy, and elevate their souls in the praises
of God.
4. Their wills will be perfectly holy ; there
shall be a sweet harmony between their wills,
and the will of God, a perfect compliance with
the sweet law which they shall be under, with-
out the least contrariety or contradiction ; they
shall not have any evil motion or inclination to
evil in heaven.
5. Their hearts and affections shall be per-
18
206
Fectly holy ; the inner room of their hearts shall
then be swept clean of all cob-webs, there shall
not then a dust of sin remain ; the roots of bit-
terness will be plucked up then, and the stains
which are now upon them will be washed off ;
all the disorders and distempers of their affec-
tions shall be removed ; yea, some affections
which now they have, and are suitable to this
estate of sin and imperfection, shall be removed,
in their estate of glory, such as griefs, anger, fear
and the like ; they shall have no bitterness upon
their spirits, no sorrow in their hearts, no sink-
ing and fainting of spirit, no discouragement
and despondency, no terror or perplexity, no
anguish or anxiety ; all these shall flee away like
a cloud, yea, they shall have no hope in heaven,
nor desire, as I conceive, because these affec-
tions suppose, the chief good to be absent, and
imply imperfections ; but there they shall have
a perfect enjoyment and rest of soul in the chiei
good, which is the next thing to be spoken of,
namely the object of the saints happiness in
heaven.
2. Objectively. The object of the happiness
of the righteous in heaven, or the chief good
which will make them perfectly and completely
happy, will be God, who is infinitely good in
himself, and infinitely blessed in the enjoyment
of himself, and in him will the happiness of the
righteous consist : that which fills the ocean.
£07
surely will fill a bucket, or nut shell : God will
be the happiness of the righteous, for ever : it is
but a thin and subordinate happiness which is
here to be found in the creature ; it is but an im-
perfect happiness which is here to be found in
God, because of our blindness and sin, and in-
capacity ; but in heaven, God will be perfect
happiness unto the saints : it is said, 1 Cor. xv.
28. Then shall God be all in all, God will be
the whole happiness of the righteous ; God in
himself, God in his Son, God in the Angels, God
in other saints, God in themselves, God will
be all, the only object of their happiness.
3. Formally. The happiness of the righteous
in heaven, will consist in the union of the sub-
ject and object together : God will be united
to their minds by vision, and to their hearts by
love, from whence will spring unspeakable joy,
1. The minds of the saints will have a per-
fect vision of God, which will infinitely tran-
scend all the visions and sweetest discoveries of
God which they have or are capable of in this
world ; hereafter their capacities will be elarg-
ed, their minds will be elevated ; here they see
God darkly, there they shall see him clearly •
here they see him afar off, there they shall see
him nearly ; here they see him as he is repre-
sented, there they shall see him as he is ; here
they see him in a glass, there they shall see him
immediately; here they see aliquiddeDoe, there
208
they shall Deum ; here they see his foot-steps,
some impressions of God upon the creatures, es-
pecially upon his children, chiefly they see his
back parts, but in heaven they shall see his face,
they shall see him face to face, they shall see
him as he is : this will be the happiness of the
righteous in heaven, to have the immediate sight,
the beautiful vision of God.
2. The hearts of the righteous shall be join-
ed to God, who is their chief good, by love ; but
who can utter the love which the saints shall
have unto God in heaven ? It will exceed our
narrow conception^ much more will it exceed
the love which those of the most intimate ac-
quaintance with God do here attain unto ; that it
will be heightened beyond what now it is, we
may apprehend, if we consider :
1. That the righteous will have an immedi-
ate vision of God, as hath been shown ; now they
live in a dark world, and have a cloud upon
their minds, and see but a little of God through
the perspective glass of his ordinances, a little
in the works of his hand, and in the works ol
his Spirit upon the hearts of his children ; an<
if when they see and know him so little, they
can love him so dearly above the whole world,
how will they love him when they behold his face,
when the cloud shall be dispelled, and the sun
breaks forth ? When they behold his beauty and
transcendent excellencies which are in him,
209
beyond whatever they could here imagine ; how
will their hearts be ravished with love to look
God in the face, when they see him in himself,
when they see him in his Son, when the divini-
ty of Christ shall appear in him, and shall shine
so gloriously before them, when they see the
angels so full of God, and the saints so full of
God, and every thing in heaven represent the
glorious Jehovah unto them !
2. The love of God will heighten their love
to him, to be loved by such an excellent person,
and with such a superlative love : O how will
this inflame their hearts with love to him, when
they take a review of the past expressions of his
love, and the love of God in many things, which
they did not mind when they were in the world !
and when they see a thousand fold more love
in those things which they did take notice of,
but with low apprehensions, and dull affections •
how will it raise their hearts, when their ap-
prehensions of his love shall be raised ? they will
admire electing love so free towards them, with-
out any provision of merit in them : they will ad-
mire his love in sending his Son to redeem, and
sending his Spirit to convert them ; his love in
pardoning their sins, in adopting them to be his
children ; now they admire his love sometimes,
i Behold what manner of love is this, that we
should be called the children of God/ 1 John,
iii. 1. Then they will admire it ten thousand
18*
210
times more, they will see God's love in all his
fatherly provisions, protections ; yea, in his chas-
tisements, and corrections, and all his provi-
dences working for their good : but O what love
will they see in his special distinguishing mer-
cies beyond what now they apprehend ! and
God's past love will have a present and deep
impression upon their hearts. Further, they
will see the treasures of his love open, the heart
of God opened, and the glory which is in heaven
he will confer upon them, of which theyshallne-
ver be deprived : and what a demonstration of
God's love will this be unto them ? Moreover, then
they shall have no doubtings of his love, which
here do damp affections, they shall know assur-
edly, that he hath loved them, doth love them*
and will love them unchangeably and eternally ;
and withal, they shall have a full sense of his
love upon their hearts, which will make such an
impression, as to raise their hearts to an incon-
ceivable height of love.
3. The righteous will have a higher capacity
for love in heaven, than here they have, and
they shall be filled with love unto the height of
their capacity, they will be able to love a thou-
sand times more than now they can do, and they
shall love unto their utmost ability: they will
see perfection of loveliness in God, and all that
are about him, and they shall have perfection of
love : here their love is sincere and growing up,
211
but it is weak and imperfect ; hereafter it will be
grown up to the full height of it, and perfect
love will cast out all torment ; here their love is
mixed, the stream is divided, it runs and wastes
itself in many small rivulets, which empty them-
selves upon the creatures ; but then the whole
stream will run forth unto God undividedly, not
a drop of their love shall be spilt on the ground,
God will be the sole object of their love : here
their love is uneven and inconstant to God, some-
times it ebbs, and sometimes it flows : some-
times they have a high and spring-tide of love
to God : but at other times it is low water : here-
after, love to God will be even and constant,
and always at the greatest height.
4. And, O what joy will there be in the
hearts, through the union which the righteous
shall have unto God their chief good, when
minds shall be joined to him in immediate vi-
sion, and their hearts in perfect love ! how
sweet a fruitmn of God will this be ! What de-
lights will spring from hence ? If the saints can
now rejoice exceedingly in God, when they see
him so little, and their love so imperfect, what
will they do when they see and love him per-
fectly and fully ? If they are now exceeding
glad sometimes with the light of his countenance,
though they have but a glimpse thereof, w at
will they be when they will have a constant
view thereof, and live eternally under the beams
212
of that light? Their love to God is sweet bow,
though it be weak ; but what will it be in hea-
ven, when the conjunction of their hearts to God
by love will be so near and close : If the saints
can now rejoice in hope of the glory of God,
what will they do in possession thereof, when
faith shall be changed into vision, and hope
turned into fruition ? O how will the saints joy
and triumph, when they have sailed quite through
the tempestuous sea of this world, and are
landed safely in heaven, where there is rest and
peace, without any windy storm ? When they
have got the victory over the devil and sin,,
and are placed out of gun-shot of the temptation.,
and have conquered through Jesus Christ, the
grave and death ; and are out of fear of his ar-
rows ; when they see that they have escaped the
terrible wrath of God, and find themselves in
the arms of his love, when they perceive that
they are in heaven, now indeed, notwithstand-
ing all their sins, and doubts, and fears, and
now they have the blessed vision of God which
they so much desired ; and the full fruition of
God's love which they hoped for ; when they
shall look about them, and see so mtich glory
about them, and shall look within them and see
so much glory there revealed beyond whatever
they could imagine : O how will they be trans-
ported with joy ! Then they will have fullness
of joy in tne presence of God, and their plea-
> 21S
sure and happiness will be perfect without f ntei>
ruption or possibility of a conclusion. And th#
eternity of their happiness will be the heaven of
heaven, as eternity of misery will be the hell
of hell.
Thus concerning the happiness of the saints,
or the eternal life of glory which they shall en-
ter into.
2. Concerning the righteous going or enter-
ing into eternal life. The righteous after the
pronouncing of their sentence, and their seeing
the execution of the sentence of the wicked,
shall pass away from them and go with Christ
into eternal life. They shall go with singing to
the Zion which is above, and everlasting joy
on their heads ; they shall obtain joy and glad-
ness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away, Isa.
li- 11. It will be a most glorious train, such as
ye never have seen, which shall go together unto
heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ will be,at the
head of his glory, and all the holy angels will
be with him, and the whole company of the
righteous will be together, that ever lived in all
generations ; and O with what mirth and glad-
ness will they move towards heaven together ?
With what shoutings and hosannahs will they
attend upon the glorious triumph of our Saviour
unto the New Jerusalem ? But when they are
come to the gates of heaven, and the everlasting
doors shall be lifted up to them, and they look
i
214
into the place prepared for their eternal abode,,
when the Lord Jesus shall bring them into the
glorious presence of the Father, and they shall
have the beautiful vision of his face, and see the
smiles of his countenance, and are received in-
to the embraces of his love : then they will find
themselves to be happy indeed ; then their hearts
will be filled with joy, and their tongues with
singing ; then they will sing the new song, the
song of the Lamb, which now cannot be learn-
ed ; then they will sound forth the praises of
God, and cry out with a loud voice, as Rev. vii.
10, 11. 'Salvation to our God, who sitteth up*
on the throne and to the Lamb/ And worship-
ping God they will say, ' Amen, blessing, and
glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and hon-
our, and power, Amen/ And there they shall
reign and live for evermore.
Thus concerning the execution of the sen-
tence on the righteous ; and concerning the se-
cond appearance of Christ, and the end thereof
CHAPTER XI.
Concerning the certainty of Christ's second
appearance. I shall prove this by several ar-
guments.
L Arg. If the Scriptures have clearly reveal-
215
ed and foretold Christ's second appearance to
judgment, and the Scriptures are certainly true,
then the second appearance of Christ is certain :
But the Scriptures have clearly revealed and
foretold this second appearance of Christ to
judgment, and the Scriptures are certainly true ;
therefore the second appearance of Christ is cer-
tain.
1. The Scriptures have clearly revealed and
foretold Christ's second appearance to judg-
ment. It is not a truth written in the book of
nature, it is not to be found in the writings of
the philosophers, and those who have had the
highest speculation of natural causes, and effects
and products ; this is a mystery which the world
by wisdom never could find out ; it is a secret
which hath been hid in God, and is revealed by
the Spirit in his word ; this coming of Christ
was foretold by Enoch, Jude, 14, 15. 'And
Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied,
behold the Lordcometh with ten thousand of his
saints to execute judgment upon all/&c. So that
it is of ancient revelation. The first coming of
Christ was foretold to Adam in the promise that
the seed of the woman should bruise the ser-
pents head. And the second coming of Christ
was foretold to Enoch. It is foretold by the
angels; Acts i. 10, 11. Whilst the disciples
looked steadfastly upon our Saviour in his as-
cension^wo angels said unto them, ' Ye men of
216
(Jalilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven T
This same Jesus which is taken up from you
into heaven, shall so come down in like manner
as ye have seen him go into heaven : However
devils are liars, and the father of lies and liars ;
yet the good angels are true, and ministers of
truth, and this is a true testimony ; further, this is
foretold by the apostles, who were employed to
be the pen-men of part of the Holy Scripture and
were guided by an infallible Spirit ; the apostle
Paul speaks often of it, especially, see his testi-
mony, 1 Thes. iv. 15, 16, 17. ' For this we say
unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which
are alive and remain unto the coming of the
Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep ;
for the Lord himself shall descend from heavea
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God, and the dead in
Christ shall rise first. Then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with
him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ;
and then shall we be ever with the Lord/ Thus
he sets forth Christ's coming in a comfortable
manner unto his people: therefore exhorteth
Christians to comfort one another with these
words, and hopes of Christ's glorious appear-
ance, when they should be caught up to meet
with him and be with him forever. And he sets
it forth in a dreadful manner, in regard of the
wicked, 2 Thes. i. 7, 8, 9. The Lord Jesus shall
£17
I
be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels,
in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and obey not the Gospel, who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord and from the glory
of his power. Moreover, this coming of Christ
is spoken of by the Apostle in every chapter of
both these epistles : first epistle, Thes. i. 10.
And to wait for his Son from heaven. Chap. ii.
19. What is our hope or joy, or crown of re-
joicing ? Are not ye in the presence of our Lord
Jesus Christ at his coming ? Chap. iii. 13. To
the end he may establish you unblamable in ho-
liness at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Chap. iv. 16. The Lord himself will . descend
from heaven with a shout. Chap. v. 23. I pray
that your whole spirit and soul, and body be
preserved blameless unto the coming of our
Lord Jesus. 2 epistle, Chap. i. 10. He shall
come to be glorified in his saints. Chap. ii. 1 5 2.
Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering to-
gether unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in
mind, &c. Chap. iii. 5. And the Lord direct
your hearts into the love of God and patient wait-
ing for Christ. I might turn you to other testi-
monies of his, Titus ii. 13. Looking for the
blessed hope and glorious appearance of the
great God, and our Saviour. Heb. ix. 28. Unto
them that look for him, shall he appear the
» 19
218
second time unto salvation. We have also the
testimony of the Apostle Peter, Chap. v. 4.
When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall
receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away,
2 epistle, Chap. iii. 10. The day of the Lord
will come as a thief in the night. Of the Apos-
tle John. 1 epistle. Chap. iii. 2. When he
shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is.
And in his revelation frequently, Rev. i. 7.
Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye
shall see him, and they also that pierced him ;
and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because
of him : Even so, Amen. To conclude, we have
the testimony of our Saviour himself whilst on
earth, to his disciples, Mat. xvi. 27. The Son
of man shall come in the glory of the Father,
with his angels ; and then he shall reward every
man according to his works. Mat. xxiv. 27. As
lightning, so shall the coming of the Son of man
be. Ver. 30. They shall see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven. Ver. 31. And
he shall send his angels with a great sound of
the trumpet to gather the elect from the four
winds. Mat. xxv. Especially from the 31, to the
end, where his judicial proceedings are set
forth : and our Saviour doth testify to his ene-
mies, that he would come again, Mat. xxvi. 64.
Hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting
at the right hand of power, coming in the clouds
of heaven j
219
And our Saviour testified by his angel to John
his beloved disciple, after his ascension unto hea-
ven, that he would come again, especially, Key.
xxii. where we have three promises of the same
thing. Ver. 7. Behold I come quickly, blessed
is he that keepeth the sayings of this nook. Ver,
12. Behold I come quickly, and my reward is
with me, to give every man according to his
works, &c. Ver. 20. Surely I come quickly,
Amen, even so come Lord Jesus. If any one
word in the whole book of God may be believ-
ed, this concerning Christ's second coming and
appearance may be believed, of which we have
such frequent and evident testimonies in the
word ; surely as he came the first time in the
flesh, according to the predictions hereof in the
Old Testament : so surely will he come the se-
cond time in glory, according to the predictions
of the New Testament. God can as soon cease to
be God^ as his word concerning Christ's second
coming fail. When the sun goes down in the
evening, we believe it will return and rise at
such a time in the morning, and accordingly it
comes to pass ; so Christ the Son of righteous-
ness is gone into heaven, whilst the night of
this world doth last, though we cannot know
the certain time, yet we may believe that he will
certainly return and come down from heaven in
the morning of the resurrection : it is more pos-
sible that the sun when it is set, should abide
220
forever in that other part of the world, and never
arise any more in our horizon, than that Christ
should abide forever in heaven, and not return
to judge the world, when the thing is evident-
ly revealed and frequently promised in Scrip-
ture.
2. That the Scriptures are true is evident, be-
cause they are the word of God, who is a God
of truth and cannot lie ; who can as soon cease
to be God, as cease to be true ; untruth in God
would argue weakness and imperfection in God
which cannot be, since to be infinitely perfect is
his essential property. That God doth know
whether Christ shall appear to judgment, I sup-
pose none will deny, who acknowledge the
Deity, and by consequence his omniscience and
presence, especially when the futurity of thinj
do depend upon his predetermination ; and thai
his revelations of future things are true, I sup-
pose none will deny, who acknowledge his beinj
and perfection, whence follows an impossibility
of God's speaking untruths, and falsehood, be-
sides that he needs not do it : But then the ques-
tion will be concerning the divine authority of
the Scripture ; whether they are indeed the word
of God ; which if proved, will evidence the cer-
tainty of Christ's coming to judgment, which is
there revealed and foretold.
That the Scriptures are the word of God will
appear :
221
1. From the superscription and image of God
upon them.
2. From the marvellous power and efficacy of
them.
3. From the historical relations in them of
prophecies fulfilled, and miracles whereby they
were confirmed, and the rational, unquestion-
able certainty of this history, as it is handed
down to posterity.
1. From the superscription and image of God
upon them, I mean in that, 1. They bear the
name of the word of God. 2. In that they bear
such evident marks and characters of divinity.
1. The Scriptures bear the name of the word
of God. 2 Tim. iii. 16. All Scriptures are
given by divine inspiration. We cannot ration-
ally imagine that the all-seeing and jealous God
should permit such an impious forgery and de-
ceit to receive credit for so many generations,
among the most zealous worshippers of him m
the world ; and by such wonderful providences
preserve and maintain the Scriptures against the
rage and fury of an ungodly world, who have
opposed the truths therein contained, and en-
deavoured the suppressing of the light which
herein hath shined, if so be that they had been
a forgery and deceit indeed, and the fancies
and inventions of men, and fathered them upon
him as his word and will, and proceeding
from the inspiration of his spirit. But that he
19*
222
would have made known their falsehood unto
^ome at least, who had the greatest love and
respect unto his name and honour, and have
been the most diligent inquirers after truth, and
unwilling to be imposed upon with deceits, es-
pecially in such things as are of the highest con^
cernmeyt, which the Lord having given no tes-
timony against, but along owned ; and when
none in the w r orld, either worshippers of him,
or others ofthehighestpretension to reason, have
any evidence and swaying reason to believe, that
the Scriptures are a deceit ; (whatever some
black mouths mutter in corners) it is not irra-
tional for us to believe, that the Scriptures are
indeed the word of God which they bear the
title of.
2. Moreover, and especially, the Scriptures
appear to be of divine inspiration, in as much
as they bear such evident marks and characters
of divinity beyond all other books.
1. The first character of divinity in the Scrip-
tures is the clear discoveries and high praises
which they give of God, and the chief design of
the whole book, which is God's glory. No hea-
then philosopher, or writer, could think or speak
so highly of God as the Scriptures do speak.
However, God hath put characters upon him-
self in the book of the creatures to be read of all,
making known by his works his eternal being,
his infinite power, wisdom and goodness ; yet
223
most of the wisest men, who have lived in the
heathen world, and have been the greatest stu-
dents of the book of the creatures, and have had
no view of the book of the Scriptures, have
been so gross in their conceptions of God that
as the apostle saith, Rom. i. 22, 23. When
they professed themselves to be wise they be-
came fools, and changed the glory of the incor-
ruptible God, into an image made like to cor*
ruptible man, and to birds and four footed beasts,
and creeping things. They have figured to
themselves and worshipped many gods unto the
dishonour of the true God : And if some of them
have arrived by the light of nature unto the no-
tion of God, yet their conceptions of him have
been low, mean and unworthy of him ; and in no
book in the world is God set forth so fully and
highly in his glorious attributes, and superlative
excellencies, as he hath set forth himself in the
book of the Scriptures. We may find in hea-
then writings high eulogiums and panegyricks of
some men and women, famous in their time for
their valour, and some moral virtues, whom
they defiled in other ages, and gave room
amongst their feigned gods and goddesses, de-
dicating temples, and giving worship unto
them : but ih no heathen writings shall we find
the praises of the true God and rules given for
the service and worship of him alone, as we
shall find in the Scriptures. Large volumes,
224
some heathens have left behind them, the design
^f which hath been their own glory, and (as
much as in them lay) the eternizing their fame,
which is an evidence that themselves were the
authors of them ; because we cannot rationally
think that any motive should induce others to
make and put forth books in their names, that
they might obtain glory for them unto whom it
doth not belong ; so this little volume of the
Scriptures, designing the glory of God, and pro*
moting of his interest in the heart of men, and
the pen-men employed in the writing thereof,
not in the least pretending that what they wrote
w r as the invention of their own brain, doth
evidence God himself to be the author of this
book. Wherefore the Scriptures being so clear
in the discoveries of the one true God, and set-
ting him forth more glorious than any other
book, and ascribing all praise and honour to
him, and appointing all religious worship to be
given to him only, and designing his glory
throughout the whole, doth evince that the
Scriptures are indeed the word of God.
2. The second character of divinity in the
Scriptures, is the sublime mysteries therein re-
vealed ; namely, concerning the Trinity of per-
sons in one nature and essence of God ; the hy-
postatical union of the two natures of God, and
man in one person of Christ ; the mystical union
of Christ ancf his members, and the like which
225
mysteries are so sublime, and so high, that no
mortal man of the highest reason and most ele-
vated understanding, could possibly invent ; in
as much as now they are revealed, they exceed
the capacity of the most enlightened to under-
stand, especially, if we further consider by whom
these mysteries were revealed ; not by the great
scholars, and subtile philosophers of the world ;
not by them who were brought up in schools,
and had conversed with books and learned men
of high parts, who had polished their reason,
and heightened their understandings, by all pos-
sible human helps ; but the most of the pen-men
of the Scripture, especially these by whom the
greatest mysteries are revealed, were fisher-men,
publicans, and the like, men of mean education ;
illiterate men, men of no reading, and but of
mean natural abilities, as appears not only by
the history, but also by the style of their writ-
ings, which hath not that politeness, as is to be
found in many human authors ; which doth not
run in such golden streams of eloquence, neither
is it dressed with such neatness of wit, nor gar-
nished with such flowers of rhetorick, which is
not methodized by the rules of logick, nor inter-
larded with any peepings of human wisdom ;
which doth not savour of high parts, and great
natural ingenuity, or give the least suspicion of
cunning and subtility, which these men had
above others ; but some of the highest mysteries
220
of divinity are set forth by these pen-men, in a
passing mean and home-spun dress ; yea, they
are left even naked and bare of such apparel as
the ingenious men of the world have clothed
their matter withal, which hath given the light
of the most glorious truths and mysteries more
evident discovery ; not but that some parts of the
Scriptures have such a strain of Divine elo-
quence as doth exceed human writings ; but the
plainness of the style, especially of the Apostle
John in his gospel, and Matthew, &c. do evi-
dence, that which they delivered was not their
own invention, but they were acted by another
Spirit in the right of them, ev^n by the Spirit
of God, who did reveal all the mysteries which
they spake of in the whole unto them.
S. A third character of divinity in the Scrip-
tures, is, the wisdom which doth appear, espe-
cially the wonderful contri vement of God's wis-
dom in men's redemption, and salvation by Je-
sus Christ, which is there made known ; no book
in the world doth shine with such beams of wis-
dom as the word doth ; it doth teach men wisdom,
spiritual and divine wisdom, in comparison with
which all the wisdom of the world is but foolish-
ness ; it doth irradiate the mind with the most
glorious light, and proposeth to the understand-
ing the most glorious objects : it discovers the
greatest truths of the greatest concernment : it
sheweth the way to avoid the most dreadful ef-
221
iects which sin will produce, and to obtain the
highest happiness which human nature is capa-
ble of, which is one part of its divine stamp ;
moreover, the scriptures do set forth the infinite
wisdom of God, in the wonderful contrivement
of the salvation of fallen men, by his holy Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of man-
kind ; which wisdom beingso transcendant, doth
evidence both the contrivement thereof in the
Scriptures to befrom himself; that as by the light
of the word we may know what this wisdom
was, even so by this wisdom, we may know
the word to be the word of God.
To clear this argument I shall show, 1 . That
the way of men's salvation by Jesus Christ,
which the Scriptures reveal, must needs be the
contrivement of God's wisdom. 2. That the re-
velation of thiscontrivement must needs befrom
God, which I suppose will be evident demonstra-
tion of the divine authority of the>Scriptures.
1. That the way of man's salvation by Jesus
Christ was the contrivement of God's wisdom,
will appear, because it was impossible for any
man of the most searching brain, and most not-
able invention to have imagined it. Men being
guilty of sin against the Law of God, inscribed
upon the hearts of all men, which natural con-
science will accuse of, if sinners listen there-
unto : God's justice being engaged to inflict a
punishment proportionable unto the crime with-
228
out a satisfaction, which right reason will say
is but reasonable ; and this justice of God being
infinite, must in reason require an infinite satis-
faction. Now what created understanding could
of itself have contrived or conceived a way how
this should be done ? Every thing that hath a
being, is either God, or a creature ; all the crea-
tures are finite in their beings and actions, and
therefore could not make infinite satisfaction : it
is God only who is infinite, and he being the
party offended, could not make satisfaction to
his own justice, especially since his justice re-
quires punishment for satisfaction, which God
as God, being impossible, is incapable of ; not to
say any thing that the same nature which did
commit sin, should injustice suffer the punish-
ment ; would not reason now conclude, that it
were impossible for this satisfaction to be made ?
Surely it was none but the wisdom of God, that
could contrive the way of satisfaction to his jus-
tice, by the incarnation of his Son, by the union
of the Divine nature in the second Person of the
Trinity, unto the human nature in the person
of Christ, that so by birth of the hypostatical
union, the human nature might not only be
strengthened to undergo the wrath of God which
was due for the sins of men, in the sufferings
which he endured before, and upon the cross ;
but also that through the communication of attri-
butes, that the sufferings of Christ might be of
229
infinite value, because the sufferings of such <a
person as was God, as well as man, that so
they might be a full satisfaction unto God's jus-
tice for sin, and through God's covenant with
him, and gracious acceptation of this satisfaction
from the surety, instead of the offenders them-
selves, the sins of men might be pardoned, and
their souls saved. the depth of the wisdom
of God ! Here is the wisdom of God in a mys-
tery ! Surely they are blinded and hood-winked
by the devil, who do not acknowledge that this
was the contrivement of God's wisdom.
2. That the revelation of this contrivement of
wisdom was from God will appear, that none
could know the mind of the Lord herein, unless
he himself had discovered it. What man, saith
the apostle, knoweth the things of man, but the
spirit of man which is in himj even so the things
of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God,
1 Cor. ii. 11. And the spirit of God searcheth
all things, even the deep things of God ; and
unless the Spirit had revealed these things, we
must have remained in our ignorance of them,
since it could not have entered into our hearts to
have conceived them ; seeing then thatnone could
have discovered the deep contrivements of God's
wisdom, unless God by his spirit had revealed
them ; and seeing these contrivements are reveal-
ed in no other book but the book of the Scrip-
tures, it is evident that the Scriptures must needs
20
230
be the word of God : which also will further ap-
pear, if we consider the mariner of the revela-
tion of the mystery of man's redemption and sal-
vation by Jesus Christ, that it was revealed by
pieces, and more obscurely at first ; and that
divers men were made use of in the discovery
thereof in divers ages, who spoke hereof mostly
in dark sayings ; and where they spake most
clearly, yet themselves had not a clear under-
standing of what they were moved to speak by
the Holy Ghost ; but searched what, and what
manner of time the Holy Ghost, which was in
them did signify, when it testified of the suffer-
ings of Christ, and the design of them, whence
it is evident that they were not, neither could be
the contrivers of what they had revealed, but
that the revelation was from the spirit of God,
which did inspire the prophets, and was the
same in all the pen-men of the holy Scriptures,
whom men of insight in the Scriptures may plain-
ly perceive to be guided and acted by the same
Spirit, in the revelation of the contrivement and
way of man's salvation by Jesus Christ.
A fourth character of divinity in the Scriptures,
the purity and holiness of them ; the Scriptures
are like silver and gold purified, and seven
times tried in the fire, wherein no dross doth
remain. Psalm xii. 6. The Scriptures are pure
and holy from the beginning.of them to the end ;
in no history shall we find such examples of
231
holiness, as the Scriptures do record ; in no writ-
ing of moral philosophers, shall we find such
precepts of holiness, as in the Scriptures are en-
joined ; indeed the light of nature hath been im-
proved by some heathens so far, that they have
given some excellent rules for the restraining of
vice, and obtaining of moral virtues, and the or-
dering their conversations in such a virtuous
way, that those persons who have observed
these rules, have been illustrious in their gene-
rations, and have shined with some kind of
brightness in the dark places where they have
lived ; but in no book that ever issued from the
brains of man, shall we find such exact rules
for holy living, as in the book of the Scriptures ;
in this book we find the moral law summarily
comprehended in the ten commandments, which
was written by God himself on the tables of
stone, when Moses was with him in the mount ;
in which there are such holy precepts, as no
heathen author can show the like : the heathens
were blind as to the duties of the first table of
the law, which have a reference unto God, and
in observance of which, man's holiness doth
chiefly consist : in the second table-duties they
had some understanding, yet they were much
mistaken in some things, accounting some sin,
as ambition, self-murder in some case, and the
like, to be virtues ; and they had not so deep an
insight into sin, they did not apprehend the
2m
inclination of the heart, and the previous motion
to the consent of the will to evil, which the
Scriptures do discover, to be sinful and offensive
in the eyes of a pure and holy God.
Moreover, in the Scriptures, we find the holy
precept of the gospel, which the heathens were
strangers unto ; and a way discovered not only
for the obtaining the pardon of sin, but also for
the subduing and mortifying of sin : wheremeans
are made known not only for the restraining of
a vicious nature but also the changing of it, for
the regenerating of the soul of man, and form-
ing it after the image of the holy God in know-
ledge, righteousness, and true holiness ; making
men partake of the divine nature, which the
heathens never understood the meaning of ; the
Scriptures show the way of obtaining the sanc-
tifying graces of God's spirit, which do further
exceed the moral virtues of the heathens in lus-
tre, than the sun doth exceed the lesser stars in
brightness and glory.
Marvellous is the purity and holiness of the
word, such as doth not savour of any thing ter-
rene and human ; yet, it is such as is directly
opposite to the natural bias of the hearts of
all men and women in the world, whilst they
are in a state of nature ; such as doth contradict
carnal affections, and against which the carnal
mind hath a natural enmity, and unto which all
such and none but such, have a liking and love.
233
as are regenerated by the spirit of God : whence
it strongly follows, that the Scriptures could not
proceed from men, but that this holy book did
proceed from the immediate inspiration of the
Holy Ghost, in those holy men, which were the
pen-men thereof.
2. It will appear that the Scriptures are the
word of God from the marvellous power and
efficacy of them. Such a power and spirit hath
and doth accompany the preaching of the gospel,
which in the Scriptures is contained, as doth
evidence them to be from God alone ; we read,
1 Pet. i. 12. of them which preached the gospel,
with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.
This hath been, this is unto this day,
1. The wonderful power of the gospel in the
first preaching of it, doth evince that it was from
God, when so great a part of the world was in
so short a time subdued unto the obedience
thereof ; when the gospel prevailed not only
among many of the Jews after Christ's ascen-
sion and the effusion of the Holy Ghost, more
largely upon the Apostles, so that three thou-
sand people were converted to the faith by one
sermon of the apostle Peter, Acts ii. 41. and five
thousand more, Acts iv. 4. But especially in
that it prevailed amongst the Gentiles and Hea-
then, and so many churches of Christ were
planted and brought, ^ot by carnal weapons but
piritual, to the subjection and obedience of
20*
234
the Lord Jesus. This power will appear to
have been from God, if we consider :
1. How few men were employed in the first
preaching thereof : there were not many which
we read of, besides Paul and Barnabas, who
preached unto the Gentiles at first. If there had
been multitudes of witnesses, it might have given
the more credit to the doctrine, when the testi-
mony of a few is not easily believed nor received.
2. That these men were of but little esteem in
the world ; that they were Jews, whom the Gen-
tiles had an antipathy against : and so were not
so ready to believe their report, and entertain
their messages ; that their persons were contemp-
tible in their eyes ; that they were like crucified
persons to the world, and therefore unlikely to
find acceptation.
3. That whatever human learningand wisdom
any of them were endowed withal, yet they did
not make use of it in their preaching, they did
not come with excellency of speech and wisdom
in declaring the testimony of God, but used all
plainness, which was not likely of itself to pra-
duce such great effects,
4. That the doctrine which they preached was,
1. New to the world and tended directly to
pull down the old religion, and superstitious
worship of the heathenish gods they had been
brought up in, and wedded unto, which could
not be done by any human power.
2S5
2. Strange, they preached such things as were
above reason, and therefore the world might
have had much show and pretence of reason,
to have excused themselves from yielding obe-
dience thereunto.
3. Strict, severe, and contrary unto natural
inclination and interest ; they taught the world
to deny themselves, to crucify the flesh, to mor-
tify the deeds of the body, to take up their cross,
to mourn and weep for sin, to endure hardship,
to forsake father and mother, and wife and chil-
dren, and houses and lands, if diey stood in
competition with Jesus Christ ; to venture im-
prisonment, yea, to lay down their life for Christ,
as many of necessity must and did, that would
be christians indeed in those days : and when
the doctrine of the gospel was such, surely it
was not likely of itself ta receive entertainment,
unless the power of God had accompanied it
4. The power of the gospel in the first preach-
ing, appears that it met with much opposi-
tion : the devil stirred up instruments against
it, the powers of the earth were against it, as
well as the power of hell ; great men did op-
pose it, philosophers were against it, learned
men did oppose it, the Jews were against it,
and raised up persecution against the Apostles,
and the hearts of men naturally were against [%
surely it was none but the power of God, which
could cause it to prevail and conquer, and cause
236
so many nations to bow and yield obedience
thereunto.
2. The wonderful pow r er and efficacy of the
word, where it is preached unto this day, is a
strong argument that it is the word of God.
1. The power of the word to search the heart
and convince of sin, Heb. iv. 12. The word of
God is quick and powerful, and sharper than a
two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of the soul and spirit, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart ; there
is a light in the word, which discovers the dark
filthy corners of the heart, and convinceth of
secret sins : and there is a sharp edge in the
word to cut and wound ; no word in the world
searcheth and pierceth like the word in the
Scriptures.
2. And especially, the power of the word
doth appear in the work of conversion and re-
generation, which it effecteth ; it is called the
incorruptible seed, by which men are born again,
1 Pet i. 23. Of his own will begat he us by
the word of truth, James i. 18. There is as
great power going along with it to break rocky
hearts, to bow stubborn wills, to spiritualize
carnal affections, to subdue strong lusts, to work
a gracious and thorough change in the heart of
man which exceedt-th the power of nature, or
moral swasion ; and insomuch as a}] are r.ot
wrought upon by it which read or hear it, yea,
237
sometimes the more desposed subject receiveth
no impression thereby ; and the less exposed
subject is effectually changed, which shows that
the power doth proceed from God, and that the
work is effected by his spirit, and proves the
divine authority of his word.
3. The word is powerful, not only for the
first working of grace, but also for the increase
thereof; for the building up believers, Acts xx.
32. for the perfecting of the saints, and the edi-
fying the body of Christ : there is milk in the
word for babes, and strong meat for strongmen :
wholesome words which have much spiritual
nourishing virtue in them. The word is power-
ful for quenching Satan's fiery darts, for the re-
pelling and drawing back the tempter, for the
comforting and rejoicing of distressed and dis-
consolate souls, when they are brought even to
the brink of despair ; there are no such joys in
the world, as those joys which Christians some-
times find in reading and applying the word,
when they mingle it with faith, and have the
breathings of the Spirit therewith ; and there is
no book in the world that can produce such pow-
erful effects as the Scriptures do : wherefore it
must needs follow, that these Scriptures are in-
deed the word of God.
3. The Scriptures appear to be the word of
God, from the historical relations in thenu or
prophecies fulfilled, and of miracles whereby
•238
they were confirmed, and the rational, unques*-
tionable certainty of this history, as it is handed
down to posterity.
1. In the Scriptures, we have relations of
prophecies and the fulfillingof them, which doth
prove these writings to be from God alone, be-
cause he alone can certainly foretel future things,
indeed wise men may guess, and through pru-
dence foresee the effects of some things and their
causes, and foretel some things that are not
very far off, yet not certainly, and with all
their circumstances ; but it is God^s prerogative
to foresee and foretel such things certainly, and
with their circumstances, and long before the
time, for which no cause in nature can be assign-
ed, such as many of the prophecies of the Scrip-
ture, where by this argument, doth God, by the
prophet Isaiah, prove the heathenish gods to be
no gods, because they could not foretel future
events, Isa. xli. 21, 22, 23. 'Produce your
cause saith the Lord, bring forth your strong
reasons : let them show us what shall happen,
and declare to us things to come ; show the
things that are to come hereafter, that we may
know that ye are gods/ And ver. 26, ; There is
none that showeth, there is none that declareth/
&c. Therefore he concluded, ver. 29, ' Behold
they are all vanity, their works are nothing ;
their molten images are wind and confusion/
The prophecies of Scripture, as they prove the
239
Lord, who spake them by the prophets to be
God ; so they prove the Scriptures in which they
were spoken to be of Divine authority. It would
take up too much room in this small treatise, to
enumerate all the prophecies of Scripture ; take
two or three instances, see Gen. xv. 13, 14. God
foretelling Abraham, that his seed should be
strangers in a land which was not theirs, and
serve them, and be afflicted of them four hun-
dred years, and that afterwards they should come
forth with great substance. This prophecy is
fulfilled Exod. xii. So also the return of the
children of Israel from the Babylonish captivity
after seventy years was foretold, Jer. xxv. 12.
And the name of Cyrus who should deliver
them, before he was born, Isa. xlv. 1, 2. So al-
so the name of Josiah, who should destroy the
altar which Jeroboam had reared up, and burn
the bones of the priests upon it, was foretold
three hundred thirty and three years before he
was born, the prophecy is in 1 Kings xiii. 2.
The fulfilling of it 2 Kings xxiii. 17. But es-
pecially the prophecies in the Scriptures con-
cerning the Messiah, are remarkable of his birth,
life, death, and the fulfilling of them in the his-
tory of the Evangelist : the prophecies of the
destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, by
Daniel, and especially by our Saviour, and the
fulfilling thereof, before that generation where-
in our Saviour lived, were all in their graves.
240
2. In the Scriptures we have relations of mi-
racles, whereby they were confirmed, such as
the plagues of Egypt, the dividing of the sea
for the Israelites to pass through, the raining of
manna from heaven, the standing still, and go-
ing back of the sun, the preservation of the three
children in the fiery furnace and the like, in the
Old Testament ; especially the miracles wrought
by our Saviour and his disciples, which the New
Testament do record, such as healing the sick,
the lame, blind, deaf, leprous, by a word, the
feeding many thousands with a few loaves of
bread, the calming of the sea, the raising of the
dead after the burial, and the like, all which did
exceed the power of nature. And however won-
derful things might be wrought by men in a pre-
stigiatory way, which God may permit some to
be deluded withal: yet all true miracles as these
were, could be wrought by none without his im-
mediate power, which he would never put forth
for the confirmation oflies and deceits; therefore
we may strongly argue from hence, that the
Scriptures which have been confirmed by these
miracles, are indeed the word of God. I know the
great question then will be, whether ever there
were such miracles wrought, which the Scrip-
tures make mention of ; whether the historical
relations, both of prophecies and of miracles, be
not a forgery for the introduction of the worship
which the Scriptures call for ? Therefore,
.3. I might show at large the rational, un-
questionable certainty of Scripture history, as
handed down to posterity ; but in brief, when
these things were so notable, and remarked in
their times ; when they were not done in cor-
ners, when they were the object of sense ; when
there were so many spectators and witnesses ;
when there are divers records of the same
things, and all in the main agreeing ; when the
way they are declared in, speak so much sim-
plicity in the relators ; when there were so many
copies of the records dispersed into so many di-
vers places ; when enemies could not deny the
truth of things recorded, only imputed them to
other causes ; when mention is made of these
things in profane histories ; when we have the
writings of the ancient fathers by us, who lived
in all the centuries between us and the time of
Christ, and with one consent acknowledged
these things, who might have easily found out the
deceit, had there been any ; when they lived
some of them so near to days wherein the chief
of these things were done ; when we cannot
rationally assign an end which should move
Christians to deceive themselves and posterity,
since they exposed themselves to such losses,
persecutions, reproaches, and afflictions, by
their profession of Christianity : neither can
we rationally imagine how all the Christians in
the world could meet together from so many
21
242
countries, for the forging of things which were
never done ; much less, how they should keep
this secret, but their adversaries would have
found it out, and made it known ; some hint of
it would have been given in history : all these
things being laid together, we may rationally
conclude, that the history of the Scriptures is
certain ; yea, more certain than any profane his-
tory, which we have not the least doubt of, and
in the histories of prophecies fulfilled, and mira-
cles wrought to be true, it is a strong argument
that the Scriptures which hereby are confirmed,
are indeed the word of God. These arguments
for the divine authority of the Scriptures, may
be sufficient to stop the mouth of gainsayers, but
without the testimony of the Spirit in and by
them, none will be sufficient to effect a saving
faith. Thus it is evident from the truth and
divine authority of the Scriptures, which do so
clearly reveal and foretel it, that the Lord Jesus
Christ will certainly appear to judgment.
The second argument to prove the certainty
of Christ's appearance may be drawn from the
certainty of the resurrection.
2. Arg. If all the dead shall certainly be rais-
ed at the last day, and the Lord Jesus Christ
shall raise them, then the appearance of the
Lord Jesus to do it is certain ; but all the dead
shall certainly be raised at the last day, and the
Lord Jesus Christ shall raise them, therefore
245
the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ is
certain.
1. That all the dead which are or shall be
brought into that state shall be raised at the
last day, is a truth so clear in the Scriptures,
that nothing is more clear. The general resur-
rection of the dead, is one great article of our
Christian faith, one principle of the doctrine of
Christ made mention of by the Apostle, Heb. vi.
1, 2. The dead small and great shall be raised,
and stand before God, Rev. xx. 12. We read of
the resurrection of the just and unjust, Acts xxiv,
15. I might multiply many Scriptures to prove
this doctrine of the resurrection, but I shall fur-
ther speak but of two places, which purposely
speak thereof, and being so full of argument,
I shall make use of no other than there I find for
the evidencing of this truth.
1. The former Scriptures in Matthew xxii.
from ver. 23 to 34. ' The same day came Sad-
ducees to him, which say there is no resurrec-
tion, and asked him, saying, master, Moses
said, — If a man die having no children, his bro-
ther shall marry his wife, and raise up seed to
his brother. Now there were with us seven
brethren, and the first when he had married a
wife, deceased, and having no issue, left his
wife unto his brother ; likewise the second also,
and the third unto the seventh : and last of all
the woman died also. — Therefore in the resur*
244
rection, whose wife shall she be of the seve*
for they all had her ? Jesus answered and said
A unto them, ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures,
nor the power of God : for in the resurrection
they neither marry, nor are given in marriage,
but are like the angels of God in heaven. But
as touching the resurrection of the dead, have
ye not read that which was spoken u$to you by
God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ; God
is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
And when the multitude heard this, they were
astonished at his doctrine. And ver. 34. It is
said, He put the Sadducees to silence. Here we
have a disputation concerning the doctrine of
4he resurrection, wherein we may take notice.
1. The opponents, that they were the Sad-
ducees, who denied the resurrection, they denied
the immortality of the soul, for they said that
there was no angel nor spirit, Acts xxiii. 8. And
they denied the resurrection of the body.
2. The respondent, and that was the Lord
Jesus Christ, the wisdom of the Father ; he
When he was about twelve years old, did dis-
pute with the doctors in the temple, and filled all
that heard him with astonishment at his under-
standing and answers, Luke ii. 46, 47. And
much more now, when he was so much increas-
ed in wisdom, he was able to deal with the Sad-
dticees, and answer them about this truth, of
245
which (he being out of the bosom of the Father,
and being acquainted with his secrets,) he had
so perfect knowledge; he had answered the He-
rodians before most wisely to their ensnaring
question, whether it were lawful to pay tribute
to Cassan and he was now able to give answers
to the Sadducees about the resurrection.
3. The objection of the Sadducees, master
Moses said, &c. Their argument against the re-
surrection is this, if th,ere were a resurrection,
then there would be a confusion in relations, in-
somuch as seven men having been in the world,
married to one woman, all of them should claim
a property in her, and to whom she would be-
long, would not this breed disorder? Must not
six of them with grief be deprived of her who
once was their wife ? And could this agree with
the state of perfection and happiness in which
all the just should be raised ? The Sadducees
thought now they had our Saviour perplexed :
they thought now it is likely, that they should
confound him with this argument, that they
should gravel him and shame him before the
people, they could not answer it themselves,
and they thought that our Saviour could not
answer it neither ; and truly the objection hath
subtility in it.
4. The answer of our Saviour lies in ver 30.
In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are
given in marriage, but are like the angels of God
21 *
246
in heaven. Hereby he gives them to understand
there would be no confusion in relations at the
resurrection ; that there would be no enjoyment
or deprivation of conjugal relations there, be-
cause such relations would then cease, and men
and women would be like angels, which neither
have such relations, neither do stand in need of
them ; the end of such relations will then cease,
$nd the relations will cease too.
1. One end of the conjugal relation here is,
the propagation of mankind insomuch as the
number is incomplete, and will be incomplete
till the end of the world, and the number is in-
complete by generation, but at the resurrection,
the number of mankind will be complete, the
number of the elect will be perfect, and in this
regard ihey will be like to angels, whose num-
ber was complete at the first, and therefore this
end of marriage ceasing, the relation will cease
also.
2. Another end of marriage is mutual help,
and this end also will cease ; at the resurrection,
the wicked, they shall have no help, the righte-
ous shall have no need of help from such rela-
tions : God will supply all and in all : God will
be instead of a father, mother, husband, and
wife unto them : like angels they shall behold
the face of their Father, and have no need of
conjugal relations.
3. And in this answer to the Sadducees ob-
241
jection, we may take notice of Christ's discove-
ry of their error, and the grounds thereof, name-
ly, their ignorance of the Scripture and the pow-
er of God : whereby our Saviour doth suggest a
strong argument, to prove the doctrine of the re-
surrection, drawn from the power of God and
the Scriptures : the argument is this, if there be
power in God to raise the dead, and in the Scrip-
tures he hath revealed that he will do it ; then
there will certainly be a resurrection of the dead:
but there is power in God to raise the dead, and
in the Scriptures he hath revealed that he will
doit
1. That there is power in God to raise the
dead, is evident, and none which acknowledge
his deity can rationally deny. He that had pow-
er to make the world out of nothing, hath pow-
er to raise the dead out of their graves : he that
hath power to give life, hath power to restore it;
he that hath all power hath this power ; he who
is infinite in power, who is omnipotent, unto
whom nothing is difficult : he can raise the dead,
and join soul and body together after a long se-
paration. There is little doubt but God can raise
the dead, but the great question lies in his will,
or whether he will or no.
2. The Scriptures reveal his will herein He
that in the Scriptures hath promised that he will
raise the dead being so powerful and faithful,
he will certainly do it ; but God hath promised
248
in the Scriptures that he will raise the dead. —
And though in the Old Testament the doctrine
of the resurrection be spoken of more obscurely,
yet our Saviour fetcheth a proof of the doctrine,
out of the book of Moses, which the Sadducees,
as it is observed, did only acknowledge, ver. 31,
32. As touching the resurrection of the dead,
have ye not read what was said to you by God,
I am the God of Abraham, &c. God is not the
God of the dead, but of the living ; our Saviour
proves the doctrine by strong inferences drawn
from this place, which needs a little opening to
perceive the argument.
It is not unlikely but our Saviour cleared the
thing in more words, for we have but the heads
in Scripture of many things which were deliver-
ed in large discourses ; he made it so clear that
it satisfied the people, and silenced the Saddu-
cees.
The argument formed up, is this, if Giod be
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob, when they are dead, then
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will rise again from
the dead ; and so there shall be a resurrection
from the dead ; but God calls himself the God
of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, when they are dead, as they were
when he spoke these words to Moses out of the «
bush ; therefore they shall rise from the dead.
The consequence our Saviour proves, because
219
he is the God of the living and not of the dead.
If that kb'rabamj and Isaac, and Jacob be liv-
ing before God, in regard of his purpose to raise
them from the dead, because he is their God,
when their bodies lie rotting in the grave, and
therefore they may be called living when dead,
by him who quickeneth the dead, and calleth
these things which are not, but shall be, as
though they were, Rom. iv. 1 7. Then Abraham,
and Isaac, and Jacob, shall be raised from the
dead, as certainly as if they were actually liv-
ing ; but they are living before God, in regard
of his purpose and promise to make them alive ;
which is evident from the nature of the cove-
nant, which he hath made with them, which
doth include a promise of blessedness and per-
fect happiness which he will give unto them.
If God be the God of Abraham, and the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob, he is their God in
covenant, and by consequence will make them
perfectly happy, not only in regard of their
souls, but receiving them into glory when they
die ; but also in regard of their bodies too by
raising them from the dead at the last day, till
which time their happiness is but in part, and
imperfect. And therefore hence may strongly be
infered, that they shall be raised, and by con-
sequence all in covenant shall be raised, to re-
ceive the perfect happiness promised in the
covenant, and by parity of reason, that all out
250
of covenant shall be raised to receive the coitk
plete punishment threatened to sinners for their
sin, and by consequence that there shall be a
general resurrection. Thus our Saviour con-
firms this great doctrine of the resurrection,
whereby he stopped the mouths of the Saddu-
cees ; his answer made the people astonished,
and the Sadducees confounded ; they came with
their mouths open, but they went away with
their mouths shut, they came with full cry, but
went away in silence ; he put the Sadducees to
silence.
2. The second Scripture to prove the resur-
rection, is in 1 Cor. chap. xv. throughout. It
seemeth that some among the Corinthians who
called themselves Christians, did deny the re-
surrection ; now the scope of this chapter is to
refute this dangerous error, and to prove the
truth, which the Apostle doth by several argu-
ments.
1. The first argument is drawn from the re-
surrection of Christ : if Christ be risen from the
dead, then believers which are his members
shall be raised also ; he shall not suffer his mem-
bers to lie forever rotting in the grave, because
his mystical body then would never be grown
up into perfection, ver. 20, As certainly as he
was awakened out of his sleep in the grave on
the third day, so certainly shall all those that
die, or shall sleep in Jesus, be awakened out
251
of their graves at the last day ; but Christ is
certainly risen from the dead, which the Apostle
proves.
1. From the prediction thereof in the Scrip-
tures, as his death was foretold so also his re-
surrection was foretold in the type of Jonah's
being cast out of the belly of the whale on the
third day.
2. From the testimony of those persons to
whom the Lord Jesus Christ did appear after
his resurrection, namely of Cephas, all the Apos-
tles, about five hundred brethren at once, who
saw him before his ascension ; and last of all, in
that he was seen by himself upon the way to
Damascus, after his ascension : all which wit-
nesses did with one mouth confirm the truth of
Christ's resurrection.
3. From the absurdity which would follow^
if Christ were not risen.
1. The Apostles would then be found false
witnesses, and the spirit of God which spake
in them, would be a false spirit, which is im-
possible.
2. Then their preaching would be in vain, and
the whole doctrine of Christianity which was
built partly upon this foundation, would fall to
the ground.
Then their faith would be in vain, because
if Christ were still dead, he would not bp a
meet object of their faith ; for then he would not
252
he the Son of God, nor a mediator between
God and man.
4. Then believers would be yet in their sins :
their sins would remain unpardonable ; because
satisfaction to God's justice w r ould not have been
complete, had the bonds of death still held oui*
Saviour.
5. Then they which are fallen asleep in
Christ would be perished in regard of their bo-
dies, like the beasts when they die ; because if
Christ were not risen, it would be impossible
that they should ever rise any more.
6. Then believers should have hope only in
this life ; because if Christ was not risen and as-
cended into heaven, to prepare room for them
there, they could not have any good grounded
hope of ever being received into that place ; and
by consequence it would follow, that believers,
the best of men upon the earth, would be the
most miserable men of all others, because they
are exposed to so many offerings for the sake of
Jesus Christ : if they had hope only in this life,
they would be most miserable in regard of sor-
row, though not in regard of sin ; for their hopes
of future glory do support and comfort them
under all their afflictions ; if they should lose
their hopes, they would lose their comforts, and
be of all others the most forlorn and sorrowful ;
it would break their hearts, and bring them to
despair. Certainly then Christ is risen, and a&-
certainly shall the dead be raised.
£53
2. The second argument whereby the Apos*-
tie proves the resurrection, is drawn from the
parallel between the first Adam, and Christ the
second Adam, ver. 21, &c. Since by man came
death, by man also shall come the resurrection ;
for as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be
made alive. By Adam, sin came into the world,
and death by sin, and death passed upon all his
posterity, because all have sinned, at least, in
him. By Christ came righteousness into the
world, and by righteousness life, and all his
posterity shall be raised by him unto eternal life
in the last day, because all are partakers of his
righteousness.
3. The third argument is drawn from the
reign of Christ at the right hand of his Father,
until all his enemies be put under his feet ; and
the last enemy which shall be destroyed is death :
and death is no way perfectly destroyed but by
the resurrection of the dead out of their graves,
and the putting immortality upon the body ; then
when this corruptible shall put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall put on immortality, death
shall be swallowed up in victory ; therefore since
death, with other enemies shall be put under
Christ's feet, it is of necessity there should be
a resurrection.
4. The fourth argument is in ver. 29. Else
what shall they do who are baptized for the
dead ? If the dead rise not, why are they bap--
22
254
tized for the dead ? the words are difficult : va-
rious are the interpretations which are given : I
like Calvin's best, if it will hold with the words,
why are they baptized for the' dead, or for
dead ? That is, why are they that are dying,
given over for dead, baptized ? If the dead rise
not, why will any when they are going out of
the world be baptized in the name of Christ, if
they did not hope for a resurrection at the last ?
That as they are buried with him by baptism
unto death ; so they should rise with him not on-
ly unto newness of life here, but also unto ever-
lasting life, and glory hereafter.
5. The fifth argument is drawn from the jeo-
pardy and sufferings of Christians, which they
would not undergo, unless they had hopes of
the resurrection.
(3. The denial of this doctrine opens a door
to licentiousness. People would eat and drink
and let loose the reins to sensual delights, and
eommit sin with greediness if they must die,
and there were no hopes of a resurrection to
glory and happiness, and no fears of a resurrec-
tion to torment and misery.
Besides, Scripture testimony and arguments,
which is the only firm proof of the resurrection ;
I might add for illustration some emblems of
the resurrection in nature.
Naturalists tell us of a Phoenix which rises
out of the ashes, into which she had burned her-
255
self before : but it is most certain that some birds
lie in holes dead all the winter, and get life again
in the summer ; we see plants, herbs, flowers,
and the like, wither in the winter, and spring
forth again when the cold weather is gone ; we
see the sun sets at night, and rises again in the
morning ; and we ourselves as we have an em-
blem of death upon us when we are asleep, so
our awaking again, and arising from our bed, is
an emblem of our resurrection at the last day.
It is certain that the dead shall be raised, which
hath been proved.
And secondly, it is certain, that Christ shall
raise them, I will raise them at the last day,
John vi. 40. This is spoken of believers ; but it
is spoken also of the wicked : John v. 28, 29.
The hour is coming in which all that are in
their graves shall hear his voice and come forth :
(they that have done good to the resurrection of
life, and they that have done evil to the resur-
rection of damnation.
Hence it strongly follows, if the dead shall
certainly be raised, and the Lord Jesus shall
raise them, that the appearance of Christ to do
it, is certain.
3. The third argument to prove the certainty
of Christ's second appearance may be drawn
from the certainty of the last general judgment.
If there will certainly be a day of general
? iudgment, and the Lord Jesus Christ will be
256
the judge, then the second appearance of Christ
is certain ; but there will certainly be a day of
judgment : and the Lord Jesus Christ will be
Judge ; therefore Christ's appearance is certain.
1. The certainty of the last judgment is evi-
dentfrom the Scripture, Heb. vi.2. 2 Pet. iii. 9.
Rom. ii. 5, 6, 7. and elsewhere frequently, and
I shall further prove it by Scripture argument.
Itdoth appearthere will be aday of judgment.
1. From God's appointment, Acts, xvii. 31.
He hath appointed a day wherein he will judge
the world in righteousness. God appointed the
creation of the world which accordingly he ef-
fected, he appointed the reconciliation of the
world to himself, which he brought to pass ; and
having appointed the judgment of the world, it
shall as certainly be brought to pass in its day.
Nothing can frustrate God's appointment, God
being so infinite in wisdom, doth not appoint
any thing about which there shall be any reason
to alter his determination ; and God being so
infinite in power, and nothing can hinder the ef-
fecting of what he had determined shall be done.
2. From God's supreme and universal sove-
reignty, he is the blessed and great Potentate
\yhich rules over all the kingdoms of the earth ;
he is the King of kings, and Lord of lords,
1 Tim. vi. 15. All the children of men are not
only his creatures, but also his subjects. As it is
the work of earthly kings to judge their subject^
257
and to dispense rewards and punishments ; so
God being the supreme Sovereign, will judge all
his subjects. Kings are but God's vicegerents,
they rule under him, and they must give an ac-
count unto him ; God will judge the judges of the
earth ; Men do often judge unrighteously, some-
times through their own wickedness and par-
tiality ; sometimes through ignorance and false
information ; the righteous are condemned by
some, and notorious offenders are acquitted ; and
those which judge most righteously, cannot find
out all that should fall under the lash of the law ;
and the strictest laws of men do not reach all
offences against God; therefore there is need that
the sovereign, Lord and King, should call the
whole world to another Judgment, which will
be at the last day.
3. From God's most excellent wisdom in the
management of his government over the children
of men ; the wisdom of God now is much out of
sight, and little taken notice of in the world ;
there seems now to be great disorder and con-
fusion in the government of men ; the most faith-
ful subjects of the King of heaven in most places
are trodden under foot, and have many bitter
cups put into their hands : and the most vile rebels
and traitors against the highest majesty, are lift-
ed up into the seat of honour, and spend much
of their days in mirth and jolity. We read in
Scripture of the various and great afflictions of
22*
25&
God's people, Heb. xi. 36, 37. Some there were
mocked, and scourged, and tortured, and were
sawn asunder, they were slain with the sword,
they wandered about in sheep skins and goat
skins ; being destitute, afflicted, and tormented,
and yet such as the world was not worthy of ;
whereas it is said of the wicked, Psal. lxxiii. 5,
7, 10. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they
have more than heart can wish, and waters of
a full cup are wrung out unto them, and they are
not in trouble like other men, neither are they
plagued like other men. See also Psal. xvii.
14. Job xxi. from the 7. ver. to the 14.
So that if there were not another judgment
God would seem to have been an ill contriver of
government for the welfare of his people, and to
have ill consulted his own glory in the world,
yea, his enemies would seem to have outwitted
him ; therefore it is needful there should be a
day of Judgment, when all things should be set
right, and plainly appear in the view of all,
and his glory be made manifest ; when his peo-
ple shall be exalted and his enemies debased.
4. From the infinite holiness of God. Now the
holiness of God is trampled under foot by un-
godly sinners, they scorn and deride it, wher-
ever they see any image or appearance thereof,
they scoff at the name of a saint, they hate holi-
ness, and many do their utmost to banish it from
the wotld, which is a high affront which some per-
259
sons offer to the highest Majesty in his high at-
tribute; it is therefore necessary that there should
be a day of judgment, that God may redeem the
honour of his holiness, which now lies under
their contempt ; then he will make his holiness
to shine with an amazing excellency in the eyes
of all those that did despise it.
5. From God's justice and righteousness, God
hath given unto men the most just and righteous
law, and hath annexed threatenings of everlast-
ing punishment, which he will inflict upon the
breakers thereof. God's justice cannot be satis-
fied without execution of his vengeance in the
punishment of all transgressors ; except it be of
such as have an interest in the satisfaction
which was made by the Lord Jesus Christ ; and
all the children of Adam being transgressors,
and very few of them having an interest in Christ
and his merits, and none conceiving condign
punishment for their sins in this life, therefore
there will be a day of the revelation of the just
and righteous judgment of God, Rom. ii. 5. The
righteousness of God doth engage him not only
to punish the wicked for their sins, but also to
give his people that reward which the Lord
Jesus Christ hath purchased and prepared, for
them : therefore there must be a day for him to
do it in.
Thus it doth appear that there will be a day
of general judgment
260
2. That Christ will be the Judge, is also evi-
dent from Scripture, Acts xvii. 31. He hath
appointed a day wherein he will judge the w r orld
in righteousness, by the man whom he hath or-
dained, whereof he hath given assurance unto
all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
And -Rom. xiv. 10. We shall all stand before
the judgment-seat of Christ. And 2 Cor. v. 10.
For we must all stand before the judgment-seat
of Christ, that every one may receive the things
done in his body according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad. And Christ's judi-
cial proceedings are set forth at large, Mat. xxv.
Hence then it follows that the Lord Jesus shall
certainly appear to judgment. I might add
other arguments drawn from the faith and hope,
and expectation of the righteous, and Christ's
faithfulness, love, and the engagement of his
honour to appear again; but so much concerning
the certainty of Christ's second appearance.
CHAPTER XII.
The third thing promised, is to show that
the Lord Jesus Christ will quickly appear.
1. He will come within a short time. 2. He
will come suddenly and unexpectedly when he
doth appear.
261
1. Christ will come quickly, that is, within a
short time, Heb. x. 37. Yet a little while, and
he that shall come, will come, and will not tar-
ry. He that shall come, will come, there is the
certainty of his coming, and yet a little while,
he will come and will not tarry, there is the
speediness of his coming. The Lord is at hand,
Phil. iv. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth
nigh, James v. 8. The judge stands at the door,
ver. 9. The end of all things are at hand, 1 Pet.
iv. 7. Therefore our days are called the last days,
2 Tim. iii. 1. And upon us the ends of the
world are come, 1 Cor. x. 11. We live in the
end of the world, in the last day in the old age
thereof. The world hath, as it were three ages :
the youth, the middle age, and the old age ; the
youth of the world was from the creation to the
flood ; the middle age from the flood to the com-
ing of Christ ; the old age from the first com-
ing of Christ to the second coming ; the old
and last days of the world began in the Apostles
time, now many of them are spent, and we are
come not only to the declining years, but also
the decript age of the world ; and if the Lord
i Jesus Christ were to come shortly in the days
of the Apostles, much more shortly will he come
now when so many years are past since the Scrip-
ture was wrote, and these things foretold.
If any should doubt the certainty of Christ's
appearance, because the Scripture speaks of tfre
262
speediness thereof, as if Christ had been hv
those days presently to come V and yet above
seventeen hundred years are past since the pro-
mise was made.
I answer that the Apostle Paul, who in his
first epistle to the Thes. speaks of Christ's coming
as if it might be in his time, 1 Thes.- iv. 16,
17. The Lord himself will descend from hea-
ven with a shout, &c. and the dead in Christ
shall rise first, then we which are alive and
remain, shall be caught up in the cloud, &c.
The same Apostle tells the Thes. in his se-
cond epistle, chap. ii. 3. That the day of the
Lord should not come till there was a falling
away, and the man of sin should be revealed, &c.
And ver. 7. That there was then a let to the
revelation of the man of sin which was the hea-
thenish Roman empire, which it was not likely
in haste, neither was removed till some hun-
dreds of years after; and therefore it is evident
from that place, that the coming of the Lord w^as
not to be until several ages after the writing of
Ihe Scriptures. This may be sufficient to give
satisfaction concerning the length of time, since
the Scriptures tell us that the Lord Jesus Christ
would quickly appear.
If any profane mocker, shall scoff at thfs an-
swer, and say, Where is the promise of his
coming ? Do not all things remain as they were
since the creation ? Do not the sun, and moon,
263
and star&keep their constant course ? And what
likelihood of the darkening of the sun, and the
falling of the stars, and the passing away of the
heavens with a great noise ? Is not the earth es-
tablished upon sure foundations, and what like-
lihood of moving it, and burning it with the
works which are upon it ? And if Christ would
have come so quickly, would not he have been
here before now ? I answer,
1. That the Apostle Peter foretels, that in
the last days such scoffers should arise, 2 Pefe
iii. 3, 4.
2. That all things are not as they were from
the creation, for the world in the time of Noah
was drowned with the flood, Noah only except-
ed, and those which were with him in the Ark ;
surely there was a great transformation of things
in that age, ver. 5, 6.
3. That by the same word of command,
whereby the old world was drowned with wa-
ter, by the same word, the world that now is
shall be burned with fire, at the day of judg-
ment and perdition of the ungodly, ver. 7.
4. That though many hundred years be past,
since the promise that the Lord would come
quickly, yet there is not a failure in regard of
God ; for though the time be long in regard of
our account, who are of so short continuance ;
and time seems tedious to us, because of the mi-
series of our short life ; yet in regard of the eter-
264
nal God, the time is but short, for in his sight a
thousand years are but as one day ; and by that
account there are not yet two days past since the
promise, ver. 8.
5. The reason of God's protracting this ap-
pearance of Jesus Christ to judgment, is for our
sakes, it is from his long suffering for us,
that he hereby might lead us unto repentance,
ver. 9. The Lord hath a number to be called,
some of which might be unborn, others not yet
new-born, but scattered among the wicked. But
when the elect are all called, and persuaded to
repent and believe, and are gathered unto God's
family, I doubt not but the Lord Jesus Christ
will be here immediately. The Lord Jesus sure-
ly now will come within a short time ; the cer-
tain time of his appearance is unknown. Mai.
xxiv. 36. ' But of that day and hour knoweth
no man, no not the angels but the Father only f
this is a secret which God hath locked up in his
own breast, it is written in the book of his de-
crees, and however other things are revealed
and unfolded to men, yet the leaf where this is
written is folded up and sealed, so that none
can read it ; yet surely it cannot be long before
the mystery be finished, and Christ be revealed
from heaven, yet a little while, and he will be
here, he stands at the door, and the door will
quickly be opened, and then he will make his
appearance.
265
2. The Lord Jesus Christ will come quickly,
that is, suddenly and unexpectedly, especially
in regard of the ungodly world : 4 The day of
the Lord will come as a snare upon all them
that dwell on the face of the whole earth/ Luke
xxi. 34, 35. And sudden destruction will come
Upon the wicked, as pains on a woman with
child, 1 Thes. v. 3. ' The Lord will come in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye/ 1 Cor. xv.
52. 'As lightning cometh forth out of the east
and shineth unto the west, so shall the coming
of the Son of man be/ Mat. xxiv. 21. Further,
this coming of the Lord Jesus is set forth in
Scripture.
1. By the coming of a thief in the night, Rev.
xvi. 15. 8 Behold I come as a thief, 1 Thes. v.
2. For yourselves know perfectly, that the day
of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, in
which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise/ &c. The Lord will not come like a thief
in regard of any wicked purpose and design ;
but he will come like a thief, in regard of the
suddenness and unexpectedness of his coming.
Men do not think of, they do not know of, they
are not aware of, they do not desire the coming
of thieves. So the Lord will come at a time
which men do not know of, when they do not
think of it, when they are not aware of it ; and
he will be more unwelcome at his second ap-
pearance to the greatest part of the world, than
23
266
a thief who comes suddenly in the night, and
breaks in upon their houses to steal their goods,
and take away their lives. When the Lord
Jesus shall suddenly unfold the doors of heaven,
and come down in his glory, and summon the
wicked to Judgment, how will they start and
be affrighted out of their deep sleep of security;
and be filled with horror and amazement.
2. Christ's coming is set forth by the coming
of a bridegroom at midnight in the parable of the
ten virgins, Mat. xxv. 6. c At midnight there
was a cry made, behold the bridegroom cometh
go ye forth to meet him/ The virgins were all
asleep, the wise as well as the foolish, they did
not expect the bridegroom at that time. The
coming of Christ will be sudden and unexpect-
ed as to the particular time unto his own disci-
ples j yet they will quickly arise and trim their
lamps, and receive him with joy, when the lamps
of the foolish virgins for want of oil will go out,
and they shall be shut out of the bride's cham-
ber, of heaven for ever.
3. Christ's coming is set forth by the coming
of the flood upon the old world, and Noah's en-
tering into the Ark, Luke xvii. 26, 21. And as
it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the
days of the Son of man, they did eat, they drank,
they married wives, and were given in marriage,
until the day that Noah entered the Ark, and
the flood came and destroyed them all. The old
267
world was very licentious, and secure in the
days of Noah ; though universal ruin and de-
struction was so near ; yet it being a thing which
was unseen they did not expect it, nor take any
care to prevent it It is said of Noah, Heb. xi. 7.
That by faith being warned of God, of things
not seen as yet, moved with fear, he prepared
an Ark to the saving of his house ; by faith he
knew that the flood would come, when there was
no appearance of it, nor possibility, in regard of
the ordinary way of the working of the second
causes ; he believed it, because God, who could
effect it, and who cannot lie, had foretold it ;
and therefore, he prepared, according to God's
direction, this great vessel to defend himself,
and his family, and some living creatures of every
kind, against the waters which he foresaw were
coming upon the earth. But the ungodly world
having no eyes of faith, could not discern this
unseen thing ; it is most likely they heard often
of it by Noah, who was a preacher of righteous-
ness, but they did not believe, therefore they
did not expect it, nor fear it, nor prepare for it ;
they eat, they drank, slept and sinned as if no
such thing had been coming upon them. It is
likely when they saw Noah build the Ark, such
a large capacious vessel on the dry land, that
they scoffed at him, and accounted him no better
than a madman, as we should do a man that
should build a ship on the top of a mountain^
268
and expect that waters should come up hither
and wash it away.
But when the days of an hundred and twenty
years, which the Lord had appointed the old
world to continue, after his threatening of their
destruction were expired, when the decree had
brought forth, and the year of God's recompence
was come, and the day of his fierce anger where-
in he sent the flood upon the earth : O the ter-
ror and amazement which did surprise the se-
cure sinners of the world at that time ! When the
windows of heaven were openedfrom above, out
of which God looked forth upon sinners with
such a furious countenance, and poured forth
his anger in such streams of water, and the foun-
tains of the great deep were opened from be-
neath, and the flood began to arise, and lift up
its head, and swell about them, when the vak
leys were filled with running waters, and the
plain were covered as if there had been a sea ;
when this enemy did combine so many forces to-
gether, having a commission from God to destroy,
and strengthened itself on every side, and envi-
roned these rebellious sinners round about, and
assailed them on every quarter ; when not only
smaller cottages were overturned, but also the
streams brake in with irresistible force upon the
strongest and greatest edifices ; when great doors
were lifted off their hinges, or broken to pieces,
and the water, like a thief, climbed in at the
269
windows, and roanM all about with a hideous
noise, pursued these that fled from it, followed
them up stairs, even to the highest room, until it
had overtaken them, and destroyed them without
mercy ; think what a hurry and affright the world
was in at that time : how every one shifted for
himself if possible to preserve himself from the
fury of this conqueror ; how they forsook the
lower grounds and flocked together to the hill-
countries in great haste, leaving their substance
behind them, with a sad heart ; how they were
drenched with the rain from heaven, and wet to
the skin as they went along, and scarcely were
able to take breath, the storms were so impetu-
ous about them, when they perceived the flood
to beset the highest mountains, whither some of
them were fled, and upon the top of which some
of them had climbed, hoping it may be, that they
had got into an inaccessible place, and that the
billows were mounting towards them, and now
the whole world see their death and ruin to
be inevitable, that there was no contending with,
nor resisting, nor flying from these armed waters,
which God had sent to execute vengeance up-
►n them for their sins, we may imagine some»
thing of the horrible perplexity of their minds.
how did they look upon one another, when
such a judgment as this was come upon them/
which they never looked for ! How did they
speak ! how did they weep ! how did they cry.
23*
270
and shriek ! what distress was there then upon
all nations ! and how did their hearts fail them,
and sink within them for fear, when they look-
ed upon the flood that was come upon the earth,
when they heard the winds blowing, and waves
roaring, and saw no way of escaping ! Then they
which had heard God foretel and threaten them
with this judgment, too late believed the truth of
his words, which before they did not regard ;
then they which had seen Noah build the Ark,
and had counted him no better than mad, were
convinced of their own folly and madness, that
they did not with him take some course for the
defence of themselves at this time ; when they
were persuaded of Noah's wisdom above all
others in the earth, and could have wished that
they had imitated his wisdom, in building for
themselves such an other Ark, orthat they were
with him in his ; and possibly, some when the
waters were come, j&nd Noah was shut in- by
$od in his Ark, might run to the place, and en-
deavour to clamber into it, and be washed off
with the stream.
Thus it will be at the second coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ to judgment, his coming will
be sudden and unexpected ; the wicked of the*
earth will be eating and drinking, marrying, and
given in marriage ; they will be as sensual, and
sinful, and as secure withal as they are at this
day. They are told frequently by the preaching
271
of the word, that the day of judgment is appoint-
ed, and that it hasteneth greatly ; that the Lord
Jesus Christ will come, and that he will come
quickly ; l)ut they want faith to believe it, and
therefore they do not expect it, nor fear it, nor
prepare for it. It is said, Luke xviii. 8. \ When
the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on
the earth V Some interpret this place as not spo-
ken of Christ's second personal coming to judg-
ment, but of his coming in a way of eminent de-
liverance of his people from the cruelty and op-
pression of their enemies, which will be so
strange and unexpected, because they shall be
brought so low, insomuch that there will hardly
be faith in any to believe a deliverance. Others
interpret this place, as speaking of Christ' s last
appearance to judgment ; that the earth will then
be generally secure, and that wicked men, and
unbelievers and oppressors of God's people will
abound, and that true believers will be rare, and
very hard to be found : I shall not determine
which is the true sense of the place : but sure I
am, the wicked will be many, and very secure
at the day of Christ's appearance : Though the
I wicked be forewarned of this day, yet they do
not believe this thing, than which, nothing is
more certain. The wicked which are mingled
amongst God's people, think it strange that they
do not run with them into the same excess of
riot ; they look upon them as no better than fools 2
212
and people beside themselves, when they see
them deny themselves, slight the pleasures and
profits and vanities of the world, and are so so-
licitous above all other things to prepare an Ark
for the saving of their souls, to get an interest in
Jesus Christ, typified by the Ark, that under his
shelter they may be defended from the storm of
God's wrath which shall beat upon the heads of
the wicked at the last day. The wicked do ex-
pect Christ's coming no more, than the old world
did the flood in the days of Noah.
But when the time which the Lord hath ap-
pointed the world to continue, is expired, and
the angel hath lifted up his hand to heaven, and
swore by him who liveth forever and ever, that
time shall be no longer ; when the mystery of
God is finished, and all the things to be done in
the world are accomplished, and the day of
judgment of old ordained, is now come, and
Christ hath received his commission from his
Father, to summon all to his judgment-seat :
O the dread that will on that day fall upon the
wicked tribes of the earth ! When they shall see
the heaven opened above, and such a glorious
Majesty, with such a glorious train appear in
the air, and when the earth and the grave
shall be opened beneath, and all the dead bo-
dies of all generations shall be raised and
come forth, and some of them shall be caught
up to meet the Lord in the clouds, and them-
273
selves with the most to be left behind ; and
when they feel the wrath of God begin to as-
sail them like a flood, and to be poured into
their souls like water ; when they see Christ
coming in a flaming fire to take vengeance upon
them for their sins : O this will be an unexpect-
ed and terrible appearance, and so much the
more terrible, by how much the less expected !
Then they will not endeavour to climb up
mountains, but to creep under them, to hide
them from the wrath of the Lamb, but all to no
purpose ; no mountain will receive them, for all
the mountains and the earth itself, with the hea-
vens, will fly away from the face of the Lord
Jesus Christ, when his throne is set for judg-
ment, Rev. xx. 11. They will then look about
them and perceive all refuge to fail them, and
no way of escaping for them ; then they will
with grief remember the warning which they had
of these things > and be vexed to the very heart,
that they did not take warning ; then they will
wish for an Ark ; and that they had an inter-
est in Jesus Christ ! And they will account be-
lievers, whom once they esteemed as fools
and mad men, to have been the wisest people
u ponthe earth : and that they was in their con-
dition! Possibly some may endeavour to clam-
ber up into the air with them, when they are as-
cended to their Lord : but they will have weight
sufficient to keep them down. The dread of sin-
274
ners at the last day, when Christ doth come so
suddenly and unexpectedly, will be far greater
than the dread of the old world in the day of
the flood.
4. And lastly, to name no more, the sudden-
ness and unexpectedness of Christ' s coming is
set forth by the raining of fire and brimstone
from heaven upon Sodom and Lot's going out
of that wicked place, Luke xvii. 28, 29, 30.
Likewise as it was in the days of Lot, they did
eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they
planted, they builded ; but the same day that
Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brim-
stone from heaven, and destroyed them all, even
thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man
shall be revealed. The Sodomites were notori-
ously wicked, they were worse than beasts, they
would have offered violence, and assaulted the
very angels which were sent to Lot ; they were
generally wicked, there were not so many as ten
righteous persons in the place. Though righte-
ous Lot dwelt amongst them ; it is likely there
was not one righteous person besides what was
in Lot's family ; and though they were so wick-
ed, and the cry of their sins were gone up to hea-
ven, and the Lord was provoked to so great dis-
pleasure by them ; yet they were jovial and se-
cure, they did not think in the midst of their peace
that sudden destruction was so near. Abraham
with his servants, had not long before delivered
275
them out of the hand of Chedorlaomer, against
whom they had rebelled, and Amraphel, and the
other kings which had conquered them, and
sacked the place, they did not think of a more
furious enemy, who was arming himself against
them, even the king of heaven, against whom
they had worse rebelled, and out of whose
hand none could deliver them. They eat and
they drank, they did not think that their flesh,
and all their provisions thereof should so soon
be devoured by flames ; they bought and they
sold, they did little expect that both money and
merchandize should be consumed suddenly ;
they planted and they builded, they did not in the
least imagine that instead of showers of rain
from heaven to water their plants, to make them
grow, they should have showers of fire and
brimstone to burn up their plants, and burn
down their houses to the ground. The Sodom-
ites did not in the least look for such a judg-
ment as this : It is said, Gen. xix. 14. That Lot
went out and spake to his sons-in-law r , which
had married his daughters, and said, up, get you
out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this
city ; but he seemed as one that mocked unto
his sons-in-law. His words were unto them like
idle tales, which they did not believe, otherwise
they would not have remained in the place un-
til they had been consumed ; and if Lot's sons-
in-law, who in likelihood were some of the
276
place, did not believe nor expect the judgment,
though they were forewarned by (heir father,
much less did the rest of the Sodomites expect
it, that had not before heard of it. The fire
from heaven was altogether unexpected in
Sodom.
But the same day that Lot went out of So*
dom, it rained fire and brimstone upon them,
and destroyed them all. The morning was clear
when Lot went forth, and the sun did shine
with a glorious brightness, when he got into
Zoar ; but then we may imagine, that a strange
darkness did quickly fill the heavens, when the
Lord came down clothed with vengeance as
with a garment, and Wrapped in thick clouds of
the sky, when the Lord thundered in the hea-
vens, and the Highest gave his voice, hail stones,
and coals of fire — when the Lord rained fire and
brimstone upon the place 5 who can utter the
horrible perplexity of the Sodomites on that day
under this unthought of, unexpected, sudden,
and so dreadful unheard of judgment ! When
they opened the windows and doors of their
houses in the morning, and perceived the fash-
ion of the heavens to be altered, and the tempest
of fire and brimstone to beat in upon them so
sorely and suddenly ; when the air was strange-
ly converted into fire, and such scalding sulphur-
ous matter enkindled by the breath of God fall
upon them ; when the whole place was put into
27?
flames together, and every house was set on fire
by this fire from heaven ; when they saw if they
went out of doors, they should be burnt by the
fire of heaven, if they staid within, they should
be burnt by the fire of their house ; when there
was such a dreadful burning heat by the fire,
accompanied with such a stinking, noisome, suf-
focating smoke by the brimstone ; when there
was a little kind of hell in that place, both for
torment and sin : the dread of the Sodomites
at that time ! then those beasts which would
have forced themselves into Lot's doors to com*
mit lewdness, and were stricken by the angels
with blindness, when they began to feel the vio-
lence of this fire, and their pampered flesh began
to be roasted by these flames, how did they howl
like dogs ! how did they roar and yell with an-
guish and horror ! Then all the sinners of the
place whose sins before went up with a loud cry
into the ears of God, what a loud cry did they
send forth out of every house, under the sense
of their torments ? Then the sons-in-law of Lot,
who were forewarned, I believe, were above
others perplexed and filled with unspeakable
vexation, that they did not hearken to the voice
of their father, and remove with him from that
place before the fire came ; then' they knew he
did not mock them, but was in good earnest, and
that his words were not idle tales, but the truth
of God's intention, which he was sent to give
24
278
them notice of. Sodom is now made a fiery fur-
nace, and all the wicked of the place are con-
sumed together, suddenly and unexpectedly.
Even thus it will be in the day when the Son
of man shall be revealed, when the Lord Jesus
Christ shall come to judgment. The world is
very wicked, and the longer it doth continue,
the worse it grows ; the sins of the wicked world,
like the sins of Sodom, have gone up with a loud
cry to God ; and the Lord hath exercised his
patience a long time to lead them to repentance ;
and if there had not been some righteous per-
sons on the earth, the day of judgment would
have been long ago ; if there had not been some
Lots in Sodom, I mean some elect persons in
their sins that are not yet called, and some as
yet unborn, that must be gathered, the world
would ere this have been consumed, for the
wickedness thereof; there is a measure appointed
for the world's sins, which will be filled up,
and there is a number appointed of chosen peo-
ple which ere long will be brought in , and so
soon as Lot is got into Zoar, God rained fire
and brimstone upon Sodom. I conceive, that so
soon as all the elect persons are got into Christ,
that then Christ will appear unto judgment. As
it was in the days of Lot, so will it be in the
day of Christ's appearance ; the wicked of the
world will be secure, eating and drinking, buy-
ing and selling, planting and building.
279
The day before Christ's coming will be a
merry day with some ungodly sinners, they will
be eating and drinking, feasting, carousing,
singing and rejoicing, and putting the evil day
far from them, even when it is so very near ; but
how will their cheer be changed the next morn-
ing, how will their singing be tin ned into howl-
ing, and their joy into heaviness and dreadful
terror !
The day before will be a gainful day, it may
be with many in their buying and selling ; pos-
sibly they may have got a good bargain in their
buying, and got good profit in their selling ; and
it may be a busy day with others in their plant-
ing and building, which may till their time and
thoughts with worldly cares and contrivements,
for many years to come, little thinking that the
world is not of a year, or two days standing
longer ; but O what terror will seize upon
these worldlings the next morning, when Christ
doth appear to judge them ! And they find, that
whilst they have gained something in the world
which they cannot now keep, and will yield no
profit in this day of wrath, that they have lost
their souls and happiness forever, which they
cannot regain ; that whilst they have been busy
about trifles they have neglected the one thing
necessary. Then they will wish, that instead of
planting trees in their ground, they had spent
their time in getting grace planted in their
280
hearts ; that instead of building houses for their
bodies, they had laid a good foundation for this
time, and got a title to the building of God, the
house not made with hands, which is durable
and eternal.
The day before Christ's coming will be a sin-
ing day with all the wicked, and a day of gen-
eral security. Some will be swearing and
cursing ; others will be oppressing and grinding
the faces of the poor ; others will be reproaching
and persecuting of God's people ; and the very
night before, it may be, many wicked persons
may be got together carding and dicing, and
drinking all night unto drunkenness, and others
it may be, got into an unclean bed, and there
lie in their wickedness, and all will be sleeping
in sin and security ; but the sound of the last
trumpet will startle and awaken them all. When
sinners open their eyes upon this morning, and
see the heavens open before them, and the Lord
Jesus Christ descend in such glqry as hath been
described, none can utter what their perplexity
will be at that day, and the suddenness of
Christ's coming will make their horror the
greater ; some of them were told of this day of
fire, when the heavens should pass away with a
great noise, and the elements should melt with
fervent heat, and the earth with the works there-
of, should be burnt up, and what course they
should take to escape the vengeance of this dayj
281
they were persuaded to leave their sins, to fly
from the wrath to come, to hasten out of Sodom,
if they would not be consumed in its flames, to
get away, and look back, to flee presently into
Zoar, where only they could be hid, to get into
the city of refuge, if they would escape the ven-
geance which did pursue them, which had them
upon the chase. They were invited into God's
family, and into the arms of his mercy; they were
invited unto Christ, and to partake of grace free-
ly. They were told again, and again, if they
did go on in the way of sin, that iniquity would
be their ruin ; that so long as they did abide in a
state of impenitency and unbelief, that the wrath
of God did abide on them ; they were told how
sweet a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ was,
and how ready he would be to receive them, if
they had applied themselves by faith, with re-
pentance for sin unto him ; and they were told
how furious and inexorable a judge he would
be, and what vengeance he will take upon them
at the last day, if they did not take warning in
the day of grace, which he had allowed them ;
they were told that hell-fire was very hot and
intolerable, and that heaven's pleasures were
very sweet, and most desirable, and they were
earnestly entreated to flee from the former, and
accept of the latter, upon the most reasonable
terms, on which they were proffered ; but they
Were like Lot's sons-in-law, they did not be>
24*
282
lieve. Ministers which warned them, seemed
in their eyes, as if they had mocked them, their
words seemed like idle tales ; whatever haste
the Lots made out of Sodom, they would not
stir ; they did not look after Zoar to fly unto,
they hugged their sins, and would not leave them ;
they heard of Christ, but they neglected, slight-
ed, and refused him. They did not apprehend
such need which they had of a Saviour : they
were fearless of future wrath, and careless of
the salvation and happiness of their souls. But
when Christ doth come down so suddenly and
unexpectedly to judge and condemn them, and
shall cast them into the lake which burns with
fire and brimstone, then they will remember
these things with vexations far greater than that
of Lot's sons-in-law, when fire and brimstone
was rained from heaven upon them, who would
not hearken to the counsel of their father to
escape it
CHAPTER XIII.
THE APPLICATION.
The Lord Jesus will certainly and quickly
appear.
The day is appointed by the eternal and un-
alterable decree of God ; and he hath revealed
283
the thing, though not the time, in his word of
truth ; the day approacheth, it cannot be far off,
time is fleeing away upon swift wings ; the day
of the world is almost spent, the shadow of its
evening is stretched forth to a great length ; yet
a little while, and Christ will be here, he will
appear in his glory ; never did eye of man be*
hold such glory and majesty in the greatest
earthly Potentate, as will be seen in the Lord
Jesus Christ on this day ; all the stores and pomp,
and splendour, and glittering glory which some
princes have been decked withal in their trium-
phant shows, is no more to be compared with the
pomp and splendour of the Lord Jesus Christ in
his appearance, than the shining of a candle, or
glow-worm, or rotten stick in the night, is to be
compared with the shining of the sun in its noon-
day glory. Ere long the great gates of heaven
will lift up their heads, and those everlasting
doors, within which Christ doth for the present
remain will be opened ; and then this King of
glory will come forth, and come down with mar-
vellous splendour and brightness of majesty. It
is said Psal. xlvii. 5. < God is gone up with a
shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet/
Then God will come down with a shout, the
Lord with the sound of a trumpet, 1 Thes. iv>
16. The chariots of the Lord are twenty thou-
sand, even thousands of angels, Psal. lxviii. 1 7,
All the holy angels shall attend upon him, and
284
»
blow the trumpet before him at this last assize,
to awaken and summon the world to judgment
Then the sun in the firmament willbe darkened ;
when this most glorious Son doth appear ; when
the whole frame of heaven will shake, and the
foundation of the earth will be moved, the ever-
lasting mountains will bow, and the perpetual
hills will shrink ; yea, the heavens will pas6
away with a great noise, and like a scroll, be
rolled together, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat, and the earth will be on fire, and
every mountain and island will flee away from
before his face. Then the sea will roar, and all
living creatures likely will be in a strange con-
sternation ; then the wicked tribes of the earth
will mourn, and the saints will rejoice at the
glorious appearance of the great God and their
Saviour.
But who will be alive on this glorious day ?
Who will be the spectators of these great things ?
Whose eyes shall behold the blessed sight ?
Whose shall see the Lord Jesus come in such
glory ? Many kings and prophets, and righte-
ous men desired to see Christ come in the flesh,
and did not see him, and hear the things which
he taught, but they did not obtain their desire ;
many generations were asleep in their graves,
before Christ's first appearance, the righteous
saw him afar off, and darkly in types and figures ;
few lived in the days when our Saviour's abode
285
was upon the earth, he had not many disciples/
whom he made happy with his personal ac-
quaintance, and abode with them. A great ac-
cess there hath been since Christ's departure in-
to the Church, who though they have loved him,
and believed in him, yet they never saw him
with bodily eyes. Three things one desired to
see, Christ in the flesh, Paul in the pulpit, and
Rome in its glory ; but past things are fled out of
sight, and the wishes of such things are to no
purpose, death hath closed the eyes of many
millions of Christ's disciples, who have heard
the report of him, but never saw him ; and is not
their hopes of seeing Christ perished in the
grave with their bodies, which are turned into
rottenness and putrifaction ? And are not all
hastening towards these dark chambers, where
no beam >f light doth shine, and nothing to be
seen ? The righteous indeed which remain when
Christ doth come down, will be happy when
they see the Lord in the air ; but if we die be-
fore the time, what shall we be the better ?
Beloved, let me tell you, or rather believe the
word of God, which doth tell you, that all of
you will be spectators of the great things which
shall come to pass at the last day, all genera-
tions of men and women that ever lived upon
the face of the earth, and are sleeping in the
dust, shall then be awakened and raised, and be
alive together, and you shall be found alive
286
amongst them. That which our Saviour spake to
the chief priests and elders of the Jews, before
whom he was accused, and stood as a prisoner :
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting at
the right hand of power, and coming in the
clouds of heaven, Mat. xxvi. 64. The same may
I say unto all that hear me this day, here-
after shall ye see the Son of man coming in the
clouds of heaven, Rev. i. 7. Behold he cometh
in the clouds, and every eye shall see him. —
These very eyes with which ye look upon me,
or upon one another, shall see the Lord Jesus
Christ come in the air ; these very ears with
which you hear me preach this doctrine unto you
shall hear the sound of the last trumpet, and the
great shout with which Christ will descend out
of his Father's palace into this inferior world ;
these very bodies which are standing or sitting
in this place, must stand before Christ's tribu-
nal-seat at the last day.
Death hath a commission from God, to pull
you out of your habitation, and drag your bodies
into its prison, and this enemy is upon the way,
and hath you all in pursuit, and how near he is
come to your doors you do not know ; his arrows
are flying about your ears, and you will be smit-
ten sooner or later, either when you are younger
or older, none can escape his stroke ; your time
is wasting, your glass is running, and ere long
you will be expiring your last breath, and these
281
bodies which you are clothing, and feeding, anil
providing for every day, will lie a-dying, and
be carried by your mourning friends to your
graves : and as certain as death, so certain will
your resurrection be at Christ's coming. Christ
hath received a commission from God to judge
the world, and he will come down from heaven
with the keys of death and hell, and open the
doors where you shall have your lodging, and
bring you forth to judgment. I must awake on
that day, if I fall asleep into my grave before,
and arise, and give an account of myself and the
souls committed to my charge, unto my Lord
and Master ; and you must awake also, and
give an account of yourselves and actions unto
this glorious Judge. Your lives then will be
reviewed, your actions will be examined, and it
will be known then what you have been doing,
ever since you came into the world, how you
have spent your time, how you have improved
the seasons and means of grace, then it will ap-
pear who are Christ's sheep, and who the
goats, however they now flock together some-
times in our company ; who are wise, and who
are foolish virgins, however now all have lamps
shining. Then it will be known, who have
been wise unto salvation, who have made their
peace with God in the way, who have furnished
their hearts with grace, laid up their treasures
in heaven, and improved their talents for their
#88
^Masters use upon earth ; and who have fool-
ishly slept and sinned away the harvest and day
of grace, neglecting Christ, and the things
which belonged to their peace and happiness,
until they were hid from their eyes ; who have
been hypocrites and unbelievers, and served di-
vers lusts, instead of serving the Lord of life
and glory : and all ungodly sinners will be found
out and punished. Then all of you, yea, the
whole world will believe the doctrine which we
now preach, concerning the vanity of the crea-
tures, the evil of sin, the necessity of Christ,
the excellency of grace, the happiness of God's
children : and O what will the pardon of sin, the
favour of God, the least measure of grace be
worth then ! Our doctrine concerning these
things is as true now, and the worth of Christ
•and grace, and salvation as great, though then
men's valuation will be greater, because the
worth will be more apparent.
But give me leave to apply this doctrine con*
cerning the certainty and speediness of the com-
ing of Christ to judgment.
1. To sinners. 2. To believers. 3. To both.
1. To sinners. 2. To discover them. 3. To
aw r aken them. 4. To exhort them.
1. For the discovery of sinners.
Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and
quickly appear to judgment? And must the
whole world be summoned unto this bar ? Surely
289
then it doth above all things concern all of you
to sit down, and consider how you are provided
for this day. All of you will be spectators of
Christ, and his glory on that day ; but you will
not be idle spectators, as sometimes you have
been at great shows in that city whilst it was
yet standing, which have passed away, and you
have gone away without much regard of the
things you have seen. No, you will all be most
highly concerned in this appearance of Christ,
more than persons who are to be tried for their
lives, are concerned at the appearance of the
judge, who comes to pass sentence upon them.
You will be tried upon that day, and your ever-
lasting weal or woe will depend upon the ac-
count you shall give, and the sentence which
shall be pronounced upon you by the great
Judge. Therefore let me beseech you all to
examine yourselves, whether you are prepared
for this day of judgment : It will be a woeful day
to such sinners whom the Lord Jesus will con-
demn into everlasting torments. And are there
no such persons amongst you ? Are there no
ungodly ones gathered together into this place ?
Are all of you saints and children of God ? If
you are not such, you will wish you had been
such at that time. But are you all such now ?
The worst of you may be such, if you seriously,
diligently, and timely seek such a privilege :
But are you such yet ? Are there not many here
23
290
whom the Lord Jesus Christ will come in flam*
ing fire to take vengeance upon ? It would take
up too much room to speak of all those sinners
whom Christ will condemn, especially having
already spoken particularly of them ; but briefly
and more summarily for the discovery of such
persons, that you may examine yourselves whe-
ther you are in their number. The sinners
which Christ will condemn at his appearance
may be known by these characters :
J. Carnal. 2. Sensual. 3. Earthly. 4. Devilish.
1. Christ will condemn such as are carnal ; I
mean such as are in the flesh ; such as are in the
state of nature, such as were never regenerated
or born again by the word and spirit, as never
have had experience of a work of grace upon
their hearts ; such as are blind, and never had
their eyes opened to see their sin, and their Sa-
viour, who are muffled up in darkness, and
hood-winked with the vail of ignorance and un-
belief, and upon whose eyes there are such thick
scales, that (he glorious light of the gospel hath
never been discerned by them in a spiritual and
saving way ; such who are asleep, and never had
their consciences awakened out of their carnal
security , whose consciences are seared as with a
hot iron, and permit them to sin with little check
or controul ; such who are dead in sin, and never
were quickened by the spirit of life ; such as are
slaves to thejr lusts, and under the reigning
291
power of sin, and never were delivered fron,*
this worse than Turkish bondage ; never were
humbled and emptied of themselves, never tru?
\y repented and mourned for sin ; never were
powerfully drawn unto ; and savingly closed
with Christ Jesus ; that never were renewed in
their minds and hearts, transformed after the
image of God, transplanted into the garden of
the Lord, and ingrafted into the new stock; such
in whom all old things remain, and are wholly
carnal ; in the same state in which they were
first born ; their persons will be condemned by
the judge, John iii. 3. Mat. xiii. Rom. viii. 13,
2 Cor. v. 17. Eph. iv. 22, 23, 24. 1 Cor. Xy.
50. Mat. v. 8. Heb. xii. 14. Luke xiii. 3. Rev,
xxi. 7.
2. Christ will condemn the sensual ; I mean
such who are so far from denying themselves,
crucifying the flesh, mortifying the deeds of th,e
body, taking up the cross, walking in the nar-
row way of strict obedience, striving to enter in
at the straight gate, which alone can bring into
eternal life and happiness, and subjugating their
thoughts, wills, and affections unto the govern-
ment of Christ, and so living as if they were
his servants, indeed whose naijie they bear, that
they labour either to imprison, or banish, or
hide themselves from the light of those truths
which would teach them these things, to bribe
or muzzle conscience, which would urge them. ;.
292
yea, to shake off the government of reason itself,
which would put a curb upon them, and so give
up themselves to licentiousness, making provi-
sion for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof, with
all greediness, such who are so far degenerated,
and fallen from that primitive holiness, which
nature was endowed with at the first creation,
that blotted out the characters of his law engra-
ven upon the hearts of all men, and have made
themselves like beasts, yea, more vile than the
beasts that perish ; such are they that are sen-
sual and luxurious, and seek for their chiefest
happiness in pleasing their sensual appetites,
such as drunkards, and gluttons, and adulter-
ers, who wallow in the mire of such sins, who
spend their days in such pleasures, and gather
as much of them as they can find, without any
regard to God^s law, which doth forbid them,
or to those higher, sweeter pleasures which they
are capable of, and might obtain, if- they did
seek after them in a way which God hath ap-
pointed ; all those which fulfil the desires of the
flesh, are children of wrath, Eph. ii. 3. And
they which please themselves, and live deli-
ciously here, will have torment and sorrow giv-
en them by Christ at his appearance, Rev. xviii.
7. Luke vi. 25.
3. Christ will condemn the earthly, such who
lay up for themselves treasures on earth, and
neglect the heavenly treasures, Mat. vi. 19,20.
293
Who love the world, and the things in the
world, and have no true love for the Father who
is the God of love, and the chief good of man-
kind, 1 John ii. 15. All covetous worldlings
will be condemned by Jesus Christ for their
heart idolatry, Eph. v. 5, 6. Especially unjust
and unrighteous persons, oppressors and extor-
tioners. Earth will be all the portion of such
who make choice of it, and no room will be
found for them in the kingdom of heaven, 1 Cor.
vi. 10.
4. C hrist will condemn the devilish ; all such as
are children of the devil, as bear his image*
and do his work ; that yield themselves to be
his slaves and servants, and endeavour the pro-
moting of the interest of his kingdom ; all such
as are under the power of devilish pride, and
devilish envy, and devilish malice, and devilish
liars, and devilish slanderers, and devilish
persecutors of God's people. In a word, all
such persons as live in a course of sin 5 and
never break off the trade thereof by repentance,
and obtain a pardon of sin through faith, and
yielding up themselves to the obedience of the
gospel, will be condemned by Christ at his ap-
pearance.
Beloved, examine yourselves seriously here-
by, and what hath before been said, whether
you are in the number of those persons ? Whe-
ther none of you are carnal, in a state of nature?
25*
294
Whether none of you are sensual or earthly ?
Whether none of you are children of the devil ?
Whether none of you are drunkards, adulterers,
liars, slanderers, unjust, unrighteous, and withal
impenitentpersons, unbelievers, and children of
disobedience, against whom the wrath of God
will be revealed, when the Lord Jesus Christ
shall be revealed from heaven to judgment.
& For the awakening of sinners. Will the
Lord Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear
to judgment ? Methinks this doctrine should
awake sleepy sinners, and rouse them out of
their carnal security. Doth conscience accuse
you, and secretly tell any of you, that you are
in the number of those persons whom the Lord
will condemn at the last day, and sentence un-
to hell ? Methinks it should make you startle,
and look about you ; methinks it should make
your hair stand an end, and every joint to trem-
ble : Methinks it should fill you with fear, and
imprint such trouble upon your spirits, as would
damp all your earthly comforts and delights, to
consider the danger which you are in by reason
of sin, the guilt of which doth still lie upon you>:
every word to this doctrine is awakening.
J. Awake sinners, awake, 1. Christ will ap-
pear to judgment $ Christ will appear whom ye
have read of, and heard of, and have had fre-
quent proffers of, but could *never be prevailed
to accept of; Christ will appear in glory, in whom
295
you could see no beauty or desirableness .; Christ
will appear as a Judge ; whom you might have
had as your Saviour. Sinners, the judge of the
whole world will appear, and can you sleep un-
der the guilt of sin ! He will be a most glorious,
powerful, wise, holy, righteous, strict, furious,
inexorable Judge, as hath been shown ; and yet
are you secure and fearless ? You have heard
God's terrible voice in the city, and that hath
not awakened you, and will not Christ's appear-
ance to judgment awaken you neither ? You
have been asleep under the sound of temporal
judgment. And can you sleep under the thoughts
of the last judgment, when the punishment
which shall then be inflicted will be eternal ?
2. Awake, sinners, awake ! Christ will cer-
tainly appear to judgment. If there were only a
peradventure of Christ's coining to judgment,
vnethinks itshould awaken the guilty ; but when
there is a certainty of it, how should it awaken
you : As certainly as God is true, as certainly
as the Scriptures are his word, as certainly as
you are creatures and sinners, so certainly will
the Lord Jesus Christ appear to Judge the un-
godly world for sin at the last day. England
hath of late been under the stroke of several
temporal judgments : England is in danger of
further and greater calamities : God may put a
more bitter cup into our hands to drink, than
jet we have tasted of, the danger of which
296
should awaken secure sinners, because they
cannot promise to themselves any shelter at such
a time. Yet there is a possibility that the Lord
may be entreated to spare, and put up his sword,
and prevent our ruin which we have deserved ;
but the day of judgment is most certain; God who
cannot change, hath decreed it; God who cannot
lie, hath revealed it \ the iniquities of the world,
which are great do call for it ; therefore it must
be, the day will certainly come ; and yet can
you sleep in sin ! If a thief knew alter he had
robbed his neighbour, that he should certainly
be taken, and judged, and condemned, and pun-
ished, it would affright him ; you may know
that Christ will certainly come to judgment, and
that all guilty sinners shall be brought forth and
condemned, and should not this awaken you,
especially, if you sleep on, your damnation and
eternal punishment will be certain.
3. Awake sinners, awake ! Christ will quickly
appear to judgment, the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh, the judge standeth at the door,
the Lord will suddenly come down ; when ye
least expect it, the Lord may be here. And
can you sleep when the appearance of Christ is
so sure, and so near too ? Can you slumber,
when your judgment lingereth not, and your
damnation slumbereth not ? If the day of gen-
eral judgment should be protracted forsome time
longer, until all the elect be gathered, and the
297
things foretold in the world be fulfilled, yet your
time for preparation may be always spent ; you
may suddenly go down into your grave, where
there is no operation. And can you sleep in sin
when you are liable every day to the stroke of
death, which will cut you off from all opportu-
nities of making your peace with God forever,
and deliver you up at the last day into the hands
of the judge, under the same guilt as it found
you, when it first laid its arrest upon you.
4. Awake sinners, awake ! when Christ doth
appear, ye also shall appear, when Christ is de-
scended from heaven, ye shall be raised from
the earth, you shell be awakened out of the sleep
of death ; and will not you be awakened out of
this sleep of sin ? If there were any hope that
by getting into your graves before this day,
you could hide yourselves, and lie buried there
forever, you might be the more secure : but when
your death is not more certain than your resur-
rection will be, when the appearing of Christ to
judgment is not more certain than your appear-
ance on that day to be judged, you have rea-
son to shake off sleep, and bethink yourselves
how you are provided. Death will be terrible
to you, if it come with the sting of sin in its
mouth, if it shoots its poisoned arrows into you ;
but your resurrection will be a thousand fold
more dreadful, if you awake at the last day, with
theguiltofsin in your consciences: Sinners think
298
what terror will invade you, when you fetr£
raised out of your graves ; when you first lift
tip your heads and eyes to heaven, and see the
Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious judge of the
world, come down with millions of mighty
angels, clothed with vengeance like flames of
fire, and look down with a furious countenance
upon you ; when in your rising you hear the
sound of the trumpet, and such a shout given
in the air, as will make a louder noise than if
twenty thousand pieces of cannon were shot off
together just before you, when you have a sum-
mon given you, and you are dragged with the
rest of that damned crew, which have lived in
all the ages of the world, to -the tribunal-seat of
Christ : O how will you quiver and tremble and
be filled with confusion then ! And yet can you
sleep securely now, as if you were not at all
concerned.
5. Awake sinners, awake ! when Christ doth
appear, you shall be judged by him ; when the
books will be opened where all your actions are
recorded, then your sins, now may be, forgot-
ten and slighted, will be called to remembrance,
and your secret sins which now you are asham-
ed of, will then be made manifest before the
whole world, your own sins will be reviewed,
your old uncleanness, your old drunkenness,
your old unrighteousness, and you will be made
to hear all your sins, past and gone many years
299
before, in such manner, as shall make your ears
to tingle, your hearts to quake and tremble.
And when Cod's justice shall arraign you, and
the devil accuse you, and your conscience shall
bear witness against you, and the Lord Jesus
Christ shall pronounce the sentence upon you ;
Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels ; and the
saints, it may be, accompany him with a loud
♦shout, even so, Amen : or say with one voice, go
ye cursed into everlasting fire, and so pass from
you into heaven, and leave the devil and his an-
gels to drag you into torments ; and when you
see there is no remedy, no reversion of your
condemnation* and the devil seize upon you, and
tear you, and haul you away, how terrible
will the judgment be unto you ! O how will the
terror of the Almighty flow upon you ! How
will your conscience gnaw, and sting, and tor-
ment you ! How will your spirits fail and sink
within you, and your hearts melt like drops of
water ! How will you weep, and wail, and gnash
your teeth ! And cry out in the fearfulness and
horror of your spirits, Wo, wo, wo, be un-
to us, that ever we were born ! Wo, wo, wo,
be unto us that ever we have sinned !
6. Awake sinners, awake ! The execution of
the sentence, which Christ will pronounce up-
on you for your sins, at the last day, will be
hell ! and do you know what hell is ? What
300
tongue can express the future torments which
the damned shall endure ? What heart can con-
ceive the miseries which God hath prepared for
sinners in hell ! Yet look into the perspective
glass of the word, and you may perceive some-
thing of the dreadfulness of the punishment
which will be inflicted upon you ; if you be
found in your sins at Christ's second appearance,
1. Sinners, consider the greatness of the pun-
ishment ; you must dwell with devouring fire,
and inhabit most horrible burnings ; and think
with yourselves, how you will be able to endure
to have these bodies, unto which the prick of a
pin is so irksome, and a little scorch of a culi-
nary fire is so painful, cast into the great fur-
nace of fire, which God will kindle with his
breath, which will turn them, it may be, into a
burning coal, that shall not waste, nor ever
be consumed ? be sure it will torment them with
a thousand fold more accute sense of pain, than
the body is naw capable of feeling, under the
most exquisite torment ; think what the over-
whelming grief, what the horrible anxiety, what
the dispairful agonies, what the hideous terror
and inexpressible anguish of your souls will
be, under^the immediate sense of God's wrath
and indignation, and the thoughts of that glory
and happiness of heaven, once proffered unto
you, but refused by you, which you will then
perceive yoprselves shut out of, for ever.-
301
Awake, sinners, awake ! Will you sleep in
sin uutilyou are awakened in the midst offlames?
Will you not leave the sinning, until }ou have
sinned yourselves into hell ? Will you needs run
into those burnings ? Awake ! open your eyes a
little, and look down, and see how deep the pit
is, into which you are leaping, it is a bottomless
pit, from whence there will be no returning. —
Consider how hot the fire of hell will be, unto
which you are hastening, it will be an incon-
ceivable hot fire, of which there will be no avoid-
ing, if you go on in that broad way of sin which
is leading thereunto. Awake, and look up sin-
ners, there is a door open, the door of mercy is
open, and the door of heaven is open, xlnd will
you shut your eyes, and turn your backs upon
God, and refuse the proffers of grace which are
made to you ? Will you trample crowns under
your feet, and slight future glory and happiness,
which now is possible for you to obtain ! Will
notthis tear your heart in bejl, to remember that
you have been the cause of your own ruin, and
brought misery upon yourselves, that you suffer-
ed yourselves to be cheated by the devil, and
your own deceitful lusts, of the unspeakable
joys and glory of heaven, which God did once
make tenders of untoyou.
2. Sinners, consider the sureness of the pun-
ishment of hell. It is most certain, that God hath
prepared such a punishment, and it is certain
26
302
-that you shall endure this punishment, if you
abide under the guilt, and persevere in a way
of sin, which you are now walking in ; God
hath threatened this punishment, and his justice
doth require it, and his truth doth engage him
to execute his threatened wrath, and inflict this
deserved punishment upon you. And can you
then have the least hope to escape it? Will God,
can God prove a liar, to save you from the tor-
ments of hell ? Is it not equal that you should
reap that which you have sown ? That you
should gather and taste the bitter fruits of your
own evil ways ? If you sow to the flesh, will not
torment be the fruit thereof ? If you sow sin,
will you not reap hell ?
Awake, sinners, awake ! Are not all your
hopes of happiness* in the uncertain and empty
cisterns of the creatures, mere dreams, when
such dreadful miseries are so surely prepared
for you ? And what senseless dreams then are
your hopes of heaven and salvation, whilst you
are going on in the way of sin to hell, and de-
struction ? Is there any mercy for impenitents?
Is there any pardon for unbelievers ? Doth God
love those which are haters of him ? Shall those
live with him, who have no likeness unto him?
To join these things together which God hath
never joined, is like the senseless fancies in the
sleep of strange chimeras and monsters, which
nature never produced. Awake, sinners, it is
303
but an idle fancy to join heaven to the end of
sinful courses : No, the footsteps of sin will
certainly take hold of hell ; and without holiness
Hone shall see God ; and as one says, ' Sooner
may angels turn devils, men beasts, and beasts
stones, and all the world just nothing, than that
an unholy person should have entrance into
heaven ;yea, and that it is as possible that God
should cease to be God, as that any man not
made after the image of God should be received
into the blessed vision, possession and fruition
of him in glory/ Sinners, if there be no room
for you in heaven, and your entrance there is
impossible, whilst you are in a state of nature ;
then your punishment in hell is sure, which
methinks should awaken you.
3. Sinners, consider the nearness of the pun-
ishment of hell ; I mean the soul punishment,
which will be the greatest part of the punish-
ment, the perfect and full punishment of body
and soul cannot be far off, but the punishment
of your souls will begin so soon as your lives
come to an end; no sooner will your souls be
separated from your bodies, but they will ap-
pear before God to receive their particular judg-
ment ; and they will be banished from his gra-
cious and comfortable presence, filled with hor-
ror, through the impression of God's wrath.
Awake, sinners, awake ! You lie upon the
brink of the pit, you are sleeping over the burn-
SOI
img lake; you are like sailors, which drop asleep
upon the top of a mast, whom a great wind
would blow into the sea. See the wind of death,
which may suddenly beat upon you, will blow
you into hell, into the ocean of God's wrath.
And can you secure yourselves from the stroke
of death ? When you are most secure, rmy not
death be most near ? When you think you shall
live many years to eat and drink, and take your
pleasure, like the rich fool in the gospel, may
not death knock at your door that night, and
break in upon you, and fetch away your bodies
to the grave, and devils drag your souls to hell ?
Awake then, before you sleep the sleep of
death ; awake out of your sleep of sin, think
with yourselves, this night we may be in hell ;
and free, or rather bound in chains of darkness,
and horror amongst the damned ; or to-morrow
we may be in torments with Cain and Judas,
with the devil and his angels ; and therefore
give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your
eye-lids, until you have redeemed yourselves
out of the snare of the devil and sin, as a bird
out of the snare of the fowler, or a roe out of
the hand of the hunter.
4. Sinners, consider the everlastingness of
your punishment in hell, when your souls are
once in, they shall never come forth, until they
are brought forth unto the last judgment, at
Christ's appearance ; and when soul and body
305
are joined and sentenced to this place of tor-
ment, and thrust into it, the door will be shut
upon you, and you will be locked in so that it
will be impossible for you to get forth for ever i
your bodies, as well as your souls will be im-
mortal, and the fire of hell will be everlasting,
those flames will never be quenched, and your
torments will never be ended. When you have
been ten-thousand times, ten-thousand millions
of years in hell, it will not bear the proportion
of a moment of time, to the immeasurable space
of eternity, in which you must be tormented for
sin ; your punishment will always be in the be-
ginning of it : never, never will it come to a con-
clusion, nor you to any hopes of it ; as long as
God lives and heaven continues, which will be
for evermore, so long will hell continue, and
you abide in extremity of torments, without any
possibility of release or deliverance.
Awake, sinners, awake ! Think how horrible
the thoughts of eternity in hell will be ; extre-
mity and eternity will be the great aggravation
of your misery. Methinks the danger of such
torment should fill you with such fear and ter-
ror, that nothing should be able to remove, un-
til you had secured yourselves by an interest in
him, who alone can deliver from the wrath to
come ; yet can you be secure when you are in
the greatest danger.
Awake, think whether the pleasures of sin
26*
306
tor a season are to be compared with the eter-
nal torments of hell or the uncertain treasures
of earth, with the eternal stores of God's wrath,
or the empty, vanishing, worldly honour, with
the exceeding and everlasting weight of misery,
which the damned shall sink under in hell ? If
any sleepy sinner begin to startle with such
thunder-claps of judgment, and being unwilling
to part with their sins, feel their hearts to rise
within them against- the message and messengers,
for thrusting such harsh things into their ears,
for molesting their spirits, and disturbing the
peace which they have hitherto had in their sin-
ful way. Cannot ministers let us alone ? Will
they be called to an account for us ? Will they
suffer for us ? And why do they affright us with
peals of judgment ?
Beloved, we ministers are set as watch-men to
sound the trumpet, and warn you of judgment,
which if we should neglect to do, your blood
would be required at our hands, Ezek. xxxiii
from ver. 1. to the 11. And we shall be called
to an account for the souls committed to our
charge, Heb. xiii. 1 7. And therefore having no-
tice given us by God in his word, of the coming
of Christ to judge and punish the ungodly world
at the last day, and knowing the terror of the
Lord, how terrible the day of judgment will be
unto you, if you be found among the ungodly,
and how terrible the day will be unto us, if we
S07
be found unfaithful to your souls 5 we warn you
and persuade you to flee from the wrath to come.
And can you blame us then for using harsh lan-
guage, when we cannot omit it without danger
to ourselves and your souls. When otherwise
we cannot be faithful to you, nor to our Master,
who hath sent us to declare these things. We
might indeed like some, flatter you. and sooth
you in a way of sin, we might speak smooth
things unto you and prophecy deceits ; but what
advantage would it be unto you to be deceived ?
If you were pleased with us, and did commend
us here, lam sure vou would curse us for our
unfaithfulnesshereafter. Sinners, it is no cruelty,
but pity and mercy, to shoot the sharp arrows of
God's threatenings into your consciences. It is
not out of hatred, but tender love to your souls,
that we endeavour to thrust the sword of the
Spirit into your bosoms, that if possible we
might wound sin to the heart, and fetch forth
the blood thereof, as it were, which if it still
live in you, will be your ruin. Christ will cer-
tainly and quickly be here, and when he doth
appear, we shall appear to be judged. And
is it not good you might know it beforehand^
that you might be prepared ?
If any be so awakened by this doctrine con-
cerning Christ's coming to judgment that they
begin to feel a sting and wound in their spirits,
and are so perplexed with fear of being con-
308
demned for their sins, which their consciences
do accuse them of, that they know what they do,
yet are willing to take any course to prevent
their ruin, and those dreadful miseries that they
are in danger of at that day, I shall speak unto
£uch by way of counsel and exhortation.
3. For the exhortation of sinners.
Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and
quickly appear to judgment? There are two
things I would exhort sinners unto, that we may
escape the wrath of God, which on that day will
be revealed and inflicted upon all the wicked of
the earth.
1 . Flee from sin. 2. Flee unto Christ.
If you would flee from wrath and hell.
Or, 1. Repent for sin.
2. Get an interest in Christ.
And then you may be able to stand with con-
fidence before the Son of man at his appearance,
yea, whatever your sins be now, do those things
effectually, and when Christ doth appear, you
also shall appear with him in glory.
Sinners, repent of sin, Acts xvii. 30, 31. God
commandeth all men every where to repent ; this
is a duty which God requires of all, because he
hath appointed a day in which he will judge the
world in righteousness, &c. This is the argu-
ment to enforce this duty. It is your duty to re-
pent, because you have sinned, and God com-*
manded you to do it And it is your interest
309
and concernment to repent, because God wilt
jttdge the world by Jesus Christ for sin. and
condemn you if you be found impenitent sinners.
You have tasted the sweetness of sin in the com-
mission of it : O ! labour to taste the bitterness of
sin in your repentance for it. Your sins have
been displeasing to a holy and jealous God, let
them be displeasing to your souls ; your sins
ha*.e wounded the Lord Jesus Christ, let them
pierce your hearts ; the Spirit of God hath been
grieved and quenched by them, be you grieved
and troubled for them, grieve for sin, not only
because of its consequential evil, but also be-
cause of its intrinsic evil ; not only because it
is like to damn you, but also because it hath so
much defiled you ; not only because it is likely
to sink you to hell amongst devils, but also be-
cause it hath debased you and made you more
vile than the beasts that perish.
Sinners, mourn for sin, 'be afflicted, mourn
and weep ; let your laughter be turned into
mourning, and your joy into heaviness/ James
iv. 9. Let your proud hearts be humbled, and
your hard hearts be broken for those sins,
whereby you have broken God's law. Get your
hearts broken for sin, and get your hearts bro-
ken from sin, break offyour sins by repentance ;
cast away all your transgressions like menstru-
ous clothes, saying, get you hence, Tsa. xxx. 22,
f Let the wicked forsake his way, and the un-
310
righteous man his thoughts, and turn unto the
Lord/ &c. Isa. Iv. 7. Thrust these inhabitants
out of doors, who have so long had possession,
suffer them not to lodge any longer within you,
remember that they are vipers which will poison
you, that they are enemies which will wound
and kill you. Do not harbour sin any longer,
do not entertain it with smiles and pleasing
countenance, but with tears and frowns ; getyour
hearts set against sin, labour for deep rooted
hatred for it, and accordingly behave yourselves
toward it ; get the strong holds of sin demolished
in your heart ; get the rooms in which your lusts
have scattered defilements, washed with the-
tears of repentance, and the blood of Jesus
Christ ; let Christ have his throne where sin
hath reigned ; let your thoughts and affections be
brought into captivity, and obedience unto Jesus
Christ ; keep the door of your hearts with all di-
ligence, lest your old enemy enter again upon
you, flee from sin as from a cockatrice, and if you
be pursued, manfully resist, even unto blood,
striving against sin ; never parley with sin,
hearken not to any terms of composition, be not
enticed unto sin by pleasing baits, neither be af-
frighted to sin by frowns and threatnings. Fight
the good fight of faith, then by repentance for
sin, break off the course of sin, and walk not
in the ways thereof, and turn by repentance un-
to the Lord ; let the bias of your hearts be turn-
311
ed unto him ; deliver up yourselves unto the
obedience of ins law ; yield yourselves unto God,
&c. Rom. vi. This is repentance. And that
you may repent of sin.
1. Examine yourselves ; Christ will examine
you at the last day, and you must give an ac-
count unto him ; examine yourselves, and call
yourselves to an account, that you may repent
and prevent the future misery, which will be the
consequence of sin : find out your sins, that you
may mourn and turn ; that which the eye seeth
not. the heart will not, cannot be affected withal ;
consult the register of your conscience, turn over
the leaves, and read what is recorded in that
book. Open your hearts to the beams of the
light of the word, and be ready to receive the
convictions of the Spirit. Find out your sins,
your original sin, the defilementof your natures,
your great conscience-wounding sins ; find out
your bosom sins, which your hearts are most
nearly joined unto, and are most loath to part
withal ; find out your constitutional, your calling
sins, the sins that bear the greatest sway, and
are most supported by the interest of the flesh,
and your hearts are ready to cloak and cover
under the veil of excuses and plausible pleas-
Think how you will be able to answer for them
at the great day, to the heart-searching judge.
Sinners, find out your sins, otherwise your
stos will find you out, and Christ will find you
312
out. and wrath will find you out, and then wo be
unto you.
2. Judge and condemn yourselves for your
sins ; this is the way to escape the judgment of
God. 1 Cor. xi. 13. If you judge others, you
shall be judged, Mat. vii. 1. But if you judge
yourselves, you shall escape : and therefore,
3. Make confession of sin. Spread the black
catalogue of your sins before the Lord. Come
with ropes about your necks, and tears in your
eyes, and sorrow in your hearts, unto the throne
x of grace, and fill your mouths with humble ac-
knowledgments of your sins ; rip up your hearts
before the Lord ; open before him your sores,
sftind not in your own defence and justification,
but fall down prostrate at God's feet, and con-
fess what sinful natures you have, what vile
hearts, what wicked lives you have led ; confess
bow ye have broken his laws, and disobeyed
his gospel ; charge upon yourselves the guilt of
your particular and most heinous sins, and do
not extenuate, but aggravate them with all the
circumstances you can think of : iook upon your-
selves as cursed wretches, whilst under the
guilt of sin ; as miserable, lost, forlorn creatures,
whilst God is your enemy, and his wrath abid-
eth on you. Acknowledge your sins, and the
demerit of your sins, that you have not only de-
served temporal plagues, but also eternal tor-
ments ; that you forfeited all outward mercies,
313
and were unworthy of the least grace and favour,
much more unworthy of eternal life. Lie very
low before God, lick the dust ; look upon your-
selves as worms, as toads ; yea, as more vile,
and more full of poison.
4. If under the view of sin, and confession
thereof, you find your hearts hard and senseless
like rocks, or adamant-stones within your hearts,
yet be not discouraged ; the sense of hardness is
some beginning of softness ; but do not rest in
beginnings, take pains with them to get them
melted thoroughly, to get them broken to pieces.
Read and consider, and apply, and urge at the
throne of grace the gracious promise, Ezek.
xxxvh 26. ' I will take away the stony heart
out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of
flesh ;' be sensible of your own inability of your-
selves, to repent of sin, and be persuaded that
it is God's grace. Remember that it is free,
but withal that it is promised ; beg the influence
of his Spirit upon your hearts to melt them; beg
the application of the blood of Christ to mollify
them; the blood of the goat can only break an ad-
amant-stone, and it is the blood of Christ, which
alone can break the hard heart of sinners.
If any be discouraged with the difficulty of re-
pentance, that it is hard to obtain-, and a very
grievous thing to endure : Let them,
1. Consider that repentance is necessary. It
is necessary, virtute precepti, by virtue of God's
27
314
precept : It is a necessary duty, Acts xvii. 30.
God commandeth not only some men, but all
men : not only in some places, but every where,
to repent : and it is necessary, virtute medii, as it
is a means to avoid misery and obtain happiness;
you must now sow in tears, if you would reap in
joy : and you must go forth weeping, bearing
precious seed, if you would return again rejoic-
ing, bearing your sheaves with you, Psal. cxxvi.
5, 6. The showers of tears make way for the
sunshine of comfort here, and the harvest of
everlasting glory and joy. And if repentance be
difficult, yet since it is absolutely necessary, this
should be so far from discouraging you, that it
should quicken you unto more diligent endea-
vours after it.
2. Consider that repentance is attainable. The
vilest sinners may be enabled through God's
grace to repent as well as the most holy saint,
at their first turning unto God. It is difficult
unto you 2 yea, impossible for you to repent for
yourselves, because, there are no seeds of this
grace in nature ; but it is easy with God to work
you to it, and he can carry you through the dif-
ficulty. Pray to God for this grace, and endea-
vour to repent, and in your endeavours God may
assist. God is easy to be entreated, and is ready
to give this grace unto them that desire it ; but
some are discouraged from Heb. xii. 17. where
it is said that Esau was rejected, and found uq
31 &
place for repentance; though he sought it care-
fully with tears. Hence concluding, that though
they seek repentance carefully with tears, they
may be rejected, and find no place for repentance.
I answer, 1, That the place which speaks of
Esau's rejection, hath not a reference to this re-
jection by God, though that may be included in
it ; but his rejection by his father Isaac, in refer-
ence to the blessings which his younger brother
Jacob had, by a will got before him. 2. That
Esau there did not seek to God for repentance;
but he sought to his father for his blessing. 3.
That he did not seek repentance for himself;
but he sought with tears to his father, that hd
would repent his giving the blessing to Jacob,
and give it unto him. Such as with tears seek
repentance of God, it is a sign they have some
measure of his grace.
3. Consider the worth and excellency of this
grace. Though it be difficult yet it is excellent :
Pulchra sunt difficilia, the best things are not
obtained without difficulty. Had you this grace,
you would not be without it for a world, you
would not change your tears and sorrow for sin^,
for all the sweetness and pleasure that others
find in the commission of it ; if you did but truly
repent, you would not think it so grievous a thing
to be borne, but the more you had of it, the
more you would desire, and be best pleased
w r hen you could act this grace most strongly.
316
4. Consider that the greatest difficulty 1s at
first, flesh may contradict and violently appear
the beginning of repentance, which doth mani-
festly seek its ruin and destruction ; but after
you are accustomed to the yoke, you will find it
more easy, after you have got master over your
flesh, and have attained some degrees of morti-
fication, you will find it suitable to the new man,
to live in the exercise of repentance and reap
much sweetness from it.
5. Consider that you must repent and mouru
for sin here, or you will be damned and burnt
for sin forever ; you cannot avoid grief for sin,
if you have it not in this world, you will be sure
to have it in the other world. And is it not a
thousand-fold more eligible to grieve for sin
here ? Especially considering,
1. If you repent of sin now, your grief will
not be in extremity, it will have some allay,
some alleviation, some mixture of secret com-
fort, at least something will be given in to support
you when you are even ready to be overwhelmed.
When the heart is most broken and contrite un-
der the sense of sin, and apprehensions of God's
wrath, God will not suffer the Spirit to fail be-
fore him, Isa. lvii. 15, 16. The Lord will keep
up the soul from quite sinking. And I am con-
fident, that such persons as are most heavy laden
with grief for sin, would not change their condi-
tion when at the lowest ebb, with the most pros-
317
perous worldlings ; but if you repent not till
hereafter, your grief will be extreme, without
the least mixture of comfort, or support. In
hell you will have nothing but weeping and
wailing and gnashing of teeth ;you will be there
utterly consumed with terrors, quite overwhelm-
ed with sorrows, and be always sinking in the
bottomless pit under the weight of grief, which
w r ill be insupportable.
2. Your repentance of sin now will be pleas-
ing unto God. We read, Luke xv. How well
pleased the father was, when his prodigal son
was returned home, and with grief did acknow-
ledge, that he had sinned against heaven, and
against him, and was not worthy to be called his
son : the father meets him on the way, and kissed
him, and clothed him with the best robe, and
kills the fatted calf for him, and maketh merry
with him ; so, though you have been prodigals
hitherto, have gone astray from God, and wast-
ed your time and talents in the service of the
devil, and your own lusts, and yet if at length
you come to yourselves, and with repentance and
humble confession of your sins, you return unto
the Lord, he will pity you, his bowels will
yearn towards you, whilst you are yet upon the
way, and he will meet you, and embrace you,
and clothe you with the robes of his Son's
righteousness, and be pleased with you, and re-
joice over you ; yea, and the angels will afeo
27*
318
rejoice in your conversation. There will be joy*
in heaven at your repentance amongst the angels,
and joy on earth amongst the saints ; ministers
will be pleased and rejoice, they will pity you,
and pray for you ; and saints will be pleased,
and be ready to help and advise you : but God's
pity is beyond all. See how God is taken with
repenting Ephraim, Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. 'I have
surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, &c.
Surely after I was turned, I repented : and after
I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was
ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did
bear the reproach of my youth/ There you
have a description of Ephraim's repentance; and
O the sweet words of tender love, which the
Lord doth express himself in, towards Ephraim
under his repentings ! ■ Is Ephraim my d£ar
son ? Is he a pleasant child ? For since I spake
against him, I do earnestly remember him still,
therefore my bowels are troubled for him. I
will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord/
But if you repent not till hereafter, your grief
will not only be extreme, but also you will
have none to pity you ; God will not pity you
in the least, but laugh at your calamity ; his
bowels will be shut against you ; your grief will
not then be pleasing in the least ; and your cries
and complaints of sin will then be like the
bowling of a dog in his ears : he will then, in-
stead of meeting you to embrace you, he will
319
meet you to destroy you ; instead of speaking
kindly to you, he will speak to you in his wrath,
and vex you in his hot displeasure ; angels and
saints will then turn away from you, and devils
will draw you with them into torments.
3. If you repent of sin now, you may obtain
the pardon of sin: i I will surely have mercy upon
him saith the Lord/ concerning Ephraim, Jer.
xxxi. 20. He that confesseth his sins, that is,
with repentance, so as not only to grieve for
them, but also to leave and forsake them ; shall
find mercy. Prov. xxviii. 13. Yea, God hath pro-
mised abundantly to pardon such as forsake
their evil ways and by repentance turn to him,
Isa. lv. 7. And if sinners cease to do evil, and
learn to do well ; and their sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow, though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool, Isa. u
16, 17, 18. And not only his mercy, but
also his justice and faithfulness is engaged
to pardon such as acknowledge their sins with
repentance, and apply themselves tp him by
faith, in 1 John i. 9. ' If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness/ The door
of mercy is now opened to all true penitents,
and the golden sceptre of grace and reconcilia-
tion is held forth unto them. The Lord Jesus
Christ is now interceding at the right hand of
God, ready to make their peace with God ; but
$20
if you do not repent until hereafter, a pardon
will be unattainable, there will remain no sacri-
fice for sin : then the day of grace will be quite
spent, and the door of mercy will be fast shut :
then Jesus Christ will have finished his interced-
ing work, and then it will be impossible to ob-
tain remission.
4. If you repent of sin now, you may get
strength against sin, you shall be delivered from
the reigning power of sin presently, and you
shall be freed from the rage and tyranny of sin
by degrees, and at the last you shall obtain a
perfect freedom from the being of sin, and be
wholly delivered from the bondage of corrup-
tion : but if you do not repent until hereafter,
you will forever abide under the power of sin,
you will not only be tormented in hell, but also
be forever sinning in hell.
5. If you repent of sin now, you will escape
the punishment of sin. I do not speak of some
temporal calamities, which God may exercise
his people withal, in this world, but you shall
assuredly be kept from the eternal punishment
of hell, which shall be inflicted upon the un-
godly world : but if you do not repent of sin un-
til hereafter, your punishment will be unavoida-
ble ; no cries, nor tears will then save you from
the torments of hell, which you will be condem-
ned unto. Now you are condemned for sin,
whilst unbelievers, but in this world the sec-
321
tence is reversible, you may flee from the bar of
justice to the throne of grace, and if with re-
pentance and faith you apply yourselves to
Jesus Christ he will deliver you from the
wrath to come, and free you from condemnation.
But hereafter when the Lord Jesus Christ shall
appear unto judgment, and summon you, and
examine you, and find you guilty, and pass
sentence upon you, to depart into everlasting
fire, this sentence will be irreversible, and your
repentance will be too late to obtain freedom
from, or the least mitigation of your punishment
6. If you repent of sin now, your grief will
be but for a time, for a season, a short time, a
few days, a night, a moment, a short moment,
1 Pet. i. 6. Rev. ii. 10. Psal. xxx. 5. Isa. liv. 6,
7. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy
cometh in the morning ; God will not permit you
to weep and grieve for sin long. It is not a life
of grief which he calleth you unto, but a life of
faith and love ; it is not grief for itself which he
requireth, but in order to comfort, and therefore
it shall not be of long continuance ; your grief
for sin doth make way for spiritual comfort, for
the joys of the Holy Ghost ; which after sorrow-
ing times, the Lord doth often give in abundant-
ly unto his children in this world, in which they
find incomparably more sweetness, than ever
they could find sweetness in sin, or bitterness in
sorrow ; they have pleasures of a higher and
$22
move transcendent nature. Be sure your grief for
sin will make way for your everlasting joy in hea-
ven, wh^re all tears shall be wiped away from
your eyes, and all sorrow and sighing shall be
removed from your hearts, and you shall obtain
gladness, unspeakable and everlasting. But if
you do not repent until hereafter, as the plea-
sures which you found in sin will be but for a
season, and your triumphing but short, death be
sure, will put a conclusion unto all ; so your
grief for sin then will be long, the days of dark-
ness and sorrow will be many ; yea, your grief
will be eternal.
Repent then sinners, repent, Christ will cer-
tainly come to judgment, therefore repent truly;
and Christ will come quickly to judgment,
therefore repent speedily, protract not the time,
endeavour presently without any further delay ;
considering,
1 . Your particular judgment may be sudden-
ly, and the time of your preparation, may be
spent quickly : you may be within a few months,
or weeks, or days, yea, it may be, within a few
hours smitten by death's arrow, and there will
be no place for repentance and preparation in
the other world.
2. If you defer your repentance, it is a thou-
sand to one, that you never repent as long as
you live, if your life should continue many years ;
because not one in a thousand that defer thetf
323
repentance, do afterwards repent. There are
millions in hell that lived under the light of the
gospel, who intended to repent hut were pre-
vented by death before they were aware : and it
is a thousand to one, if you defer it any longer,
but ere long you will be received into their num-
ber. Have not you deferred your repentance
before this till such a time, and such a time ?
And yet when such times have come again, and
again, have not you deferred it still ? And will
not your deceitful heart still find as plausible
excuses till it be too late ? Remember this sin-
ners, that it is a thousand to one but you will be
damned, if you any longer defer your repentance,
3. The longer you defer your repentance, the
more difficult you will find the word to be, be-
cause you will be the faster bound in Satan's
chains, and not so easily loosed because you will
be the faster asleep in sin, and not so easily-
awakened ; because your hearts will grow the
harder, by the longer practice of sin, and not so
easily broken ; because your sins will be the more
increased which you must repent of, because
your time willbe more decreased which you are
to repent in, so that if it should come to pass,
which is a thousand to one, that you should re-
pent after procrastination, or deferring repent-
ance, yet you will find the work to be very difficult
4- Think what glory you may bring to God,
what service you may do, if you repent and re^
324
form presently : all which time, whilst yon defer
repentance is spent in the service of the devil
and your own lusts, unto the dishonour of God.
5. Think what measures of grace and com-
fort you may attain here, and what degrees of
glory you may attain hereafter if you repent
without delay, which by deferring the work, you
are like to lose.
6. If you defer repentance, it is a question
whether your late repentance will be true, and
if it should be true, it is a question whether ever
you shall obtain the evidence of the truth hereof.
7. And lastly, if you defer your repentance
God may never call you to repentance ; yea, he
may give you up to judiciary hardness, and seal
you up unto condemnation, swearing in his
wrath, that you shall never enter into his rest.
Thus much for the exhortation of sinners to
repentance.
2. Sinners, will the Lord Jesus Christ cer-
tainly and quickly appear to judgment ?* be per-
suaded then to flee to him, and get an interest
in him before his appearance. I am sure there
is none of you but would be glad of an interest
in Christ, when he cometh in his glory to judge
the world. The vilest persons upon the earth,
those who despise and reject Christ now, those
who hate and scorn the ways of Godliness, as
being too mean a w$^ for their high spirit,
would give ten thousand worlds if they ha4
325
them, for the room of the meanest believers who
have an interest in Christ at that day. But let
me tell you sinners, that this world is the only
place, and this time, while the day of grace
doth last, is the only time for obtaining such a
privilege as this is. If you have not an interest
in Christ whilst you live, it will be impossible
to obtain it after death, or at the resurrection ;
if you are none of Christ's now, he will not
know nor own you at the day of his glorious ap-
pearance.
1. Get an interest in Christ as your high
priest and advocate. Be sensible of your sins,
be assured of his death for sin, and satisfaction
to God's justice ; be persuaded of his interces-
sion at the right hand of God, and that he is
able and willing to save you ; apply yourselves
to him, that through him you may obtain remis-
sion of sins and an inheritance amongst the
saints ; and if through the mediation of Christ
now you obtain a pardon of all your sins here,
how welcome will your Redeemer be unto you,
and with what joy will you lift up your heads
out of your graves^ when the day of your re-
demption and perfect salvation is come, and your
Saviour doth appear to take vengeance upon un-
pardoned sinners, but shall own and acquit you
before the whole world.
2. Get Christ to be your master. Enter your-
selves amongst his servants and disciples ; sub-
28
326
unit to his teaching, learn his lessons, believe and
obey his commands, follow his example, pro-
mote his honour and interest in the world, be
ready to do or suffer any thing for him, and
when your lord and master cometh in his glory,
you will find that it was not in vain to serve
him, though in ways harsh and grating to flesh
and blood. O what a reward will he give then
to his servants ! what a crown of glory will be
put upon their heads ! It is a sweet encouraging
promise which Christ has made now, and will
make good to all his faithful servants at that day,
John, xii. 26. If any man serve me, let him fol-
low me, and where I am, there shall also my
servant be ; if any man serve me, him will my
Father honour.
3. Get Christ to be your husband. Sinners,
we ministers are sent to invite and woo you, to
enter into this most near and sweet relation unto
Jesus Christ. We are to tell you of the beauty
and excellency of his person, of his love and
tender affection to poor sinners, of his willing-
ness to be yours, and to make you sharers in his
riches. accept of Christ to be your husband,
lay off your filthy garments, and put on the
white robes of his righteousness, join your hearts
to him, divorce yourselves from sin, and dedi-
cate yourselves unto Christ alone ; and if Christ
be your husband, O how joyful will his appear-
ance, be unto you, when ye shall see his glo-
327
rious face and sweet smiles, and be received in-
to his embracements, and be carried by him un-
to his Father's house, where you shall live
with, and delight in his love for evermore.
4. Get Christ to be your captain, list your-
selves under his banner ; wear his colours, arm
yourselves with his weapons, follow his conduct,
fight against his enemies, endure hardness as
good soldiers, and do not shrink when you are
put upon the trial ; and if you have an interest
in this captain, and be victorious here over your
spiritual enemies, when your captain doth ride
in triumph at the last day, you shall be caught
up into the clouds, and triumph with him, and
receive a crown of glory from him, which fadeth
not away.
Sinners, get an interest in Christ, in all his
offices, in all his relations : it is he only can save
you from sin and wrath, and eternal death. It
would be too large a subject here, to treat of sal-
vation by Christ, and the way of attaining it ; I
may, God giving leave, hereafter treat purpose-
ly on some words whereby we may be saved,
from Acts xi. 14. He shall tell thee words,
whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved,
which I thought to have added to the end of this
with some words of advice to young men, from
1 John ii. part of ver. 14. I have written unto
you young men, because you are strong, and the
word of God abideth in you, and ye have oyer-
328
come the wicked one. All which I indeed did at
first intend to have joined together in one small
volume with God's terrible voice in the city, but
thoughts have so multiplied in putting them in-
to writing, that I am even forced to separate
them into three parts, which I thought at first
the room of one would hold.
CHAPTER XIV.
Having spoken to sinners, I come now to
speak,
2. To believers, and that in two words.
1. For the trial of them.
2. For the comforting of them.
1. For the'trial of believers. The doctrine of
Christ's certain and sudden appearance to judg-
ment, is a most dreadful doctrine to sinners
which are in sin : and it is a most comfortable
doctrine to believers which are in Christ ; but
because many sinners which are still held fast
in the bond of iniquity, and are under the
reigning power of some sins, are apt to mistake,
and without good ground do persuade them-
selves that they are believers, who at the last
day will be found to be hypocrites ; and through
their mistake of their state, do ward oflf those
strokes of God's threatenings which are made
320
tit them, and save themselves hereby from those
terrible apprehensions of Christ's appearance to
judge and condemn them, which did they enter-
tain, might be a mean to startle them, and
awaken them, to take an effectual and speedy
course for the salvation of themselves from the
future vengeance : and because many true be-
lievers, who are really united unto Christ by
faith are apt also through the temptation of Sa-
tan, and their own ignorance, and doubting,
misgiving heart, to mistake themselves, and
look upon themselves to be hypocrites, and
therefore fear that when Christ doth appear, that
they shall be condemned by him, being so ready
to condemn themselves, and therefore gather
matter for trouble from this doctrine, which in-
deed is matter of the greatest comfort ; therefore
it will be needful, for the undeceiving of the
former, that they may not falsely apply comfort,
and rectifying the mistakesof the latter, that they
may not put off comfort, to make some trials of
true believers. It would be too large to present
to you all the characters, which we may find in
the word of God of true believers, therefore I
shall make mention but of one, which the text
holds forth, and is the second doctrine observed
from the words in the beginning of our discourse.
Doct. 2. That there is an earnest desire in the
church, or true believers, after the second ap-
pearance of the Lord Jesus Christ.
28*
330
You may try yourselves whether you are true
believers, by your desires after Christ's appear-
ance. This is the character which the Apos-
tle Paul giveth of believers that they are such
as love, and by consequence* desire the appear-
ance of the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. iv. 8.
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge shall give, and not unto me only,
but unto all them that love his appearance.
All such, and none but such, shall have a crown
of righteousness who love Christ's appearing.
Believers are said to look for Christ's coming,
Heb. ix. 28. Unto them that look for him shall
he appear the second time, without sin unto sal-
vation. He will appear unto all, but only to
them that look for him will he appear unto sal-
vation. Believers look for Christ's appearance
with an eye of faith, of hope, and of desire.
L Believers look for Christ's appearance
with an eye of faith; they expect it as sure as
death, yea, as more sure, because the death of
some will be prevented by it. It is not impossi-
ble that th£ Lord Jesus should come in our days,
they surely believe that the Lord will come.
2. Believers look for the appearance of Christ
with an eye of hope, Tit. ii. 13. Looking for
that blessed hope, and the glorious appearance
of the great God, and our Saviour. As they
have hopes of the glory of heaven, sq they hav^
331
hopes of the coming of Christ, who will receive
them into glory, who will put a crown upon
their heads, and bring them with triumph into
the new Jerusalem.
3. Believers look for the appearance of Christ
with an eye of love and desire, they love and
long for his appearance, they look with many a
glance of love towards the place above, where
their Lord is, and they have many a longing
wish, that he would come forth, and come down
and receive them unto himself, that where he is,
there they might be also. The bride saith,
Come, and the desire of the spouse is, Make
haste my beloved, and be as a roe upon the
mountains of spices, Cant. viii. 14. Believers
pray, Thy kingdom come, in the Lord's prayer,
which he taught to his disciples, they desire the
coming not only of the kingdom of grace but also
of the kingdom of glory ; and in the text the
church breathes forth this desire after Christ's
appearance, Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus.
Now examine yourselves, whether you are
true believers, by this character ; do you love
and desire Christ's appearance.
Obj. If any object against themselves, and
say, Alas ! we fear then that we are not true be-
lievers, because we cannot say, that we love and
desire Christ's appearance, we are so far from
desiring it, that we are afraid of it, and it is a
matter of the greatest trouble to think of it
332
Ans. 1. See you to that, many go under the
name of believers, which have only the name ;
take heed that none of you be found in the num-
ber of such at the last day.
2. Possibly some of you may condemn your-
selves without reason, as God's children are
more forward to do than hypocrites, who have
most reason ; it may be you do not desire that
Christ should come immediately; but do you not
desire that Christ should come at all ? A wife may
sincerely and greatly desire the coming home
of her husband, when he is gone along journey,
and yet if her house be out of order, and not
fitted to her mind for the receiving of him; if she
be not dressed, and got into such a garb as she
knows would be pleasing to him, she may be
content that he would stay a little longer ; until
she be better prepared ; yea, she may be afraid
of his coming whilst she is unprepared. The
harlot or adulteress could be content that her
husband should never return ; but the true
wife doth desire the coming of her husband,
though sometimes not the present coming, so
true believers do desire Christ's coming; who is
gone a long journey to heaven, though they may
not desire his present coming, because they are
not so fitted as they desire to be for the receiving
of him ; they desire his coming, they would not
for all the world that he would stay away for
ever in heaven. Unbelievers could be content
.*
333
Christ should stay away for ever, and that they
might live for ever upon the earth ; but believ-
ers could not be content, they may fear Christ's
immediate coming, because of their unprepara-
tion, but they desire his coming. .
Q,uest. How should we know whether our de-
sires after Christ's coming be sincere ?
Ans. I. If you love Christ's person, it is a
sign your desires after his coming are pure
and sincere. Do you love Christ in sincerity ?
Do you love him for himself, for his own ex-
cellencies, his loveliness, his love, and spiritual
love-tokens ? Do you love him upon a spiritual
account ?
2. If you do sincerely desire the coming of
Christ into your hearts, in regard of his Spirit
and grace, it is a sign you have sincere desires
after his coming in glory, when grace will arrive
at its perfection. Can you understanding^ and
heartily pray, thy kingdom come : I mean that
Christ's kingdom of grace should be erected in
your hearts ; and are you sincerely desirous to
have all things within you, brought into subjec-
tion and obedience thereunto : do you sincerely
and earnestly desire the presence of Christ, and
the breathings of his Spirit upon your hearts in
hisordinances ? it is a sign that there are at least
true radical desires in you after his second ap-
pearance, though by reason of doubts and fears
they may not be so express.
334
3. If you have laid up your treasure in hea-
ven ; and placed your happiness in things above ;
if you have cast your anchor of your hope up-
ward into that which is within the veil, it is a
sign you have true desires after Christ's ap-
pearance, that he might give you possession of
the happiness which you have made choice of.
k If thou art careful to please the Lord, and
whether present or absent, to be accepted of him,
and are afraid of sin, because it is grievous to
him ; and are diligent in the use of means to fit
and prepare yourselves, and make all things
ready for the receiving of him, it is a sign you
do both look for his coming, and do desire it.
5. And lastly, if you have lively hopes of his
coming, and can rejoice in these hopes, if you
can with earnestness pray, come Lord Jesus
Christ, come quickly ; this is a sign indeed of
your desires, though all true believers have not
attained to so great a height.
Unbelievers, they do not desire Christ's ap-
pearance, because they do not believe in him,
because the) do not love him, because their
hearts are set upon the world, because they are
under the guilt and power of sin, and because
when Christ doth appear, he will judge them,
and condemn them, andpunish them ; but though
they do not desire Christ's coming, nor think of
it, nor prepare for it, yet Christ will come, and
his coming will be dreadful unto them.
335
Believers, they desire Christ's coming, they
&re looking for it, and waiting Tor it, they are
hoping for it, and preparing for it, and he will
certainly, he will quickly appear, and they shall
appear with him in glory, and his appearance
will be a most comfortable and joyful appear-
ance unto them, which leads unto the second
word which 1 am to speak.
2. For the comforting of believers.
Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and
quickly appear to judgment? Then there is a
full breast of the sweetest consolation, at which
you may stick and be satisfied, and exceedingly
refreshed. As every word in this doctrine speaks
terror to sinners ; so every word doth breathe
forth comfort to true believers ; and therefore I
shall endeavour hence to work up your hearts
unto spiritual joy.
1. Rejoice believers, rejoice ! Christ will ap-
pear to judgment : Christ will appear in his glo-
ry, the great God and your Saviour will appear,
he that is your Saviour and Advocate, will then be
the judge of the world • your Lord and King will
appear, attended with a glorious train of hea-
venly courtiers, decked with glorious beams of
his most excellent majesty. Your Captain will
appear, the Captain of your salvation, with the
spoils of his and your enemies ; and he will ride
triumphantly in the clouds ; your dearly beloved
friend and husband will appear with such beauty
336
and loveliness in his face, and with such dear
love towards you in his heart, as hath not en-
tered into your hearts to conceive : the Lord
Jesus Christ will be glorious in the eyes of the
whole world on that day ; and should not this
rejoice your hearts to think of the glory of your
Lord, which will be then so conspicuous, and of
your interest in such a person ?
2. Rejoice believers, rejoice ! Christ will cer-
tainly appear ; if there were any ground to doubt
the truth of this thing, you would have reason
to grieve ; but when the thing is so certain, when
God hath revealed it in his word so clearly, when
the Lord hath promised it to his people so faith-
fully, and given his people hopes and expecta-
tions of it, he will not disappoint them* You
have reason to rejoice, there is nothing more
certain, as hath been proved, than the second ap-
pearance of our Lord Jesus Christ at the last day.
3. Rejoice believers, rejoice! Christ will quick-
ly appear ; the coming of the Lord draweth
nigh, there is a time set though you cannot
know it ; because God hath locked up this se-
cret in his own bosom ;yet you may know that
it cannot be far off. The Lord will not tarry
much longer in heaven, before he comes down to
judgment. Look up then, and lift up your heads
with joy, for the day of your redemption draw-
eth nigh, Luke xxi. 28. You will not long
groan under the bondage and burden of corrup-
337
tion : you will not long mourn and complain un-
der the persecutions of cruel enemies ; you will
not Ions; be assaulted and buffetted with the
temptation of Satan ; you will not long live in
the dark prison of the world ; Christ will quick-
ly be here, and open the prison doors, and deliv-
er you into the glorious liberty of the children
of God.
4. Rejoice believers, rejoice ! When Christ
doth appear, ye shall also appear. Possibly
some of you may remain alive until his appear-
ance ; be sure all of you shall be made alive : if
you go down into your dust before, you shall
not be hid there for ever, you shall not be bu-
ried there in eternal oblivion ; but the Lord
Jesus Christ will awaken you out of your long
sleep of death, and raise you out of your beds
of darkness. He will send his angels to gather
you from the four winds. Think, think, Low
joyful a day this day will be unto you, when
the voice is proclaimed, the bridegroom is come,
go ye forth to meet him ! when the trumpet doth
sound in the air, and you are called out of your
graves by the angels, and gathered into the
company of all the saints of God which lived
in all generations from the beginning of the
creation, and in a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, such of you as are alive, shall find your
bodies strangely transformed, and all that come
forth of the ground made incorruptible and
29
>
333
immortal ; and when you shall see the Lord
Jesus Christ come down with such brightness
and beauty, and glory, and such royal atten-
dants, and you are caught up to meet him in the
air ; when you shall find yourselves in the num-
ber of those blessed and happy ones, whom the
Lord will send for. and receive to himself ; when
the greatest part of the world will be left behind
crying to the rocks to cover them, and the
mountains to fall upon them, to hide them from
the wrath of this furious judge, that is come to
condemn them. how will your hearts then be
filled, and even ravished with transporting joy,
which no heart can conceive.
5. Rejoice believers, rejoice ! When Christ
doth appear, ye shall be judged by him ; ye shall
not be condemned by him, but ye shall be
judged by him ; your advocate will be your
judge ; who shall then lay any thing to your
charge ? God will then justify you, who then
shall condemn you ? Christ will acquit and ab-
solve you ; you will openly be declared righte-
ous on that day, through the righteousness of
Jesus, which there hath been imputed to you.
Christ will own you then for his redeemed peo-
ple, whom he hath purchased with his own
blood. Then all your works of mercy will be
made mention of; all your services of Christ in
the world will be had in remembrance, all your
graces will be taken notice of, and the Lord
339
will kindly accept of the improvement of the
smallest talent, which he hath entrusted you
withal. Well done good and faithful servants
ye have been faithful over a few things, enter
into the joy of your Lord, Mat. xxv. 21. And
if you have been persecuted for righteousness
sake, if you have been imprisoned, banished,
reproached, and greatly afflicted for Christ's
sake : if you have left father, mother, wife, chil-
dren, houses, lands ; yea, and have laid down
your lives for the testimony of Jesus, and that
you might keep a good conscience, think what
entertainment the Lord Jesus will give to you
at that time. O how will you rejoice that
the Lord should confer so great honour and dig-
nity upon you, as to call you forth, and enable
you to suffer for his name — and think how
sweetly the sentence which Christ will pro-
nounce upon you will sound in your ears : ' Come
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom pre-
pared for you, from the foundation of the world/
Rejoice believers, rejoice ! when Christ doth
appear, he will reward you, he will give you a
crown of glory which fadeth not away ; he will
not only judge and sentence you to inherit the
kingdom of heaven, but he will receive you into
the kingdom ; he will give you possession there-
of ; he will carry you along with him into glory ;
he will lead you and bring you into the new
Jerusalem ; he will show you the Father unto
340
your satisfaction, and you shall behold his glory,
and share in it, he will put you into those man-
sions which he hath prepared for you ; then,
and never till then, shall you be perfectly happy,
and the forethought of this is matter of exceed-
ing great comfort, especially if you consider
these four properties of heaven's happiness.
1. Believers, consider the greatness of the hap-
piness of heaven^ it will be full, and you will be
filled therewith unto your utmost capacity ; yea,
beyond what here you are capable of. Consider
these particulars in your happiness of heaven.
1. Think what bodies you will have ; they
will be most beautiful and glorious bodies, they
will be most healthful, strong and immortal bo-
dies ; you will then bear the image of the hea-
venly Adam, in regard of your bodies, as well
as in regard of your souls.
Rejoice then believers, rejoice ! What though
some of you have crooked and deformed bodies
now ? What though some of you are blind, or
lame, or maimed, or have your bodies filled with
irksome pains, and weakened with long sickness?
What though you live in expectation of death,
and those bodies whatever their mould and shape
be, must ere long be carried to the cold stink-
ing grave, and be turned into putrefaction ! Yet
rejoice, you that are believers, because your bo-
dies will be made so glorious in the resurrection,
when all blemishes of nature will be healed.
341
and all sickness and pain shall be removed, be-
cause they will be raised in incorruption, and
freed from any more dominion of death forever.
2. Think what souls you will have — you will
be glorious without, your bodies will shine ;
but you will be far more glorious ; within, your
souls will shine much more ; then your souls
will be washed clean from all the remainders
of sin, so that they shall not have the least
spot or stain ; then you shall be cleansed from
all filthincss of the flesh and spirit, and arrive
unto perfection of holiness ; then the seeds of
grace will be grown up into the flowers of glory,
and O what a fragrant garden will your souls
be ! When the rude draught as it were of Christ
here on your hearts shall be finished, and per-
fected by God's pencil, and your spirits shall be
made perfectly like unto your glorious Lord, O
how beautiful will they be in the eyes of God !
Rejoice then believers, rejoice ! It grieveth
you when yojj look within you ; and perceive so
much remaining defilement ; when you feel such
strong oppositions of the flesh against the Spirit,
and you find yourselves sometimes foiled there-
by, your weakness and infirmities trouble you;
but rejoice believers, because in heaven you will
be perfectly freed from sin, you never will be
troubled nor defiled with it any more, but you
will be made perfectly holy and perfectly happy.
3. Think what habitations ye shall have — ye
29*
U2
shall have mansions in the Father's house, John
xiv. 2. A building of God, an house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens, 2 Cor. v. 1.
Your person shall be glorious, and your habi-
tations will be glorious.
Rejoice then believers, rejoice! What though
some of you live in poor and mean cottages,
then you shall live in the glorious palace of the
King of Kings ; what though your houses have
been burned with fire, and some of you have no
where to lay your head, and none of you have a
certain dwelling place, which you can secure to
yourselves: yet rejoice, because there are man-
sions provided for you, out of which it will be
impossible for you to be burned, or turned out
for ever. The city which is above, hath a foun-
dation which cannot be overturned, and the
building of God which is not made with hands,
cannot be destroyed by hands, neither is it ex-
posed to flames of fire, which may demolish the
fairest city in the world.
4. Think what company ye shall have — ye
shall have the presence of the Father, you shall
dwell with the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit
of God will dwell in you forever ; you shall
have the company of holy angels and all the
glorified saints ; all your companions will be
most lovely and glorious.
Rejoice then believers, rejoice ! What though
the wicked here separate you from their com-
343
pany, and think you unworthy of their fellow-
ship ? God will not think you unworthy of his
fellowship nor separate you from his presence ;
what though some of you are forced to dwell in
Mesech, and are linked in near relations to
some ungodly persons, and are every day vex-
ed with their ungodly conversation ! rejoice, for
in heaven you shall be freed from such compa-
ny, no wicked person will be permited to come
unto that place.
5. Think what treasures you shall have — you
shall have treasures which cannot be corrupted
by moth, nor stolen by thief, your riches will
be durable and unsearchable.
Rejoice then believers, rejoice ! What though
you are poor in the world, you are rich in faith
and hope ; what though you have no inheritance
on earth ; yet you are heirs of the kingdom of
heaven, you shall have an inheritance which is
incorruptible, and undefiled ; what though you
endure such hardship in your journey through
the world, when you come home to your Fa-
ther's house, you shall be freed from all want,
and have such treasures to spend upon, which
can never be exhausted.
6. Think what honour you shall have, the
meanest of you will be exalted unto higher dig-
nity than the greatest monarch that ever lived ;
you will be crowned with immortal glory, you
will be honoured by God, and the angels ; you
344
will not only have honour, but you will be made
most honourable.
Rejoice then believers, and take comfort,
though you are scorned by some, and acgounted
as the oflf-scourings of the earth ; you are re-
proached and vilified by men here ; but all your
reproaches, especially those which you have
borne for the sake of Jesus Christ will be
wreathed into a crown, and make you the more
glorious in heaven ; there you shall not have the
least disgrace cast upon you any more ; and you
shall be kept from any unbecoming actions, to
blot and sully you in the least, but you shall
shine like so many stars, or glorious suns in the
kingdom of your Father.
7. Think what peace and rest you shall
have, you shall have a most sweet peace and
tranquility of mind ; no enemy without to dis-
turb and molest you, no devil to tempt and
assault you, no lusts within, or distempered
passions to disquiet you, then you shall have
perfec^peace, and then you shall rest from all
wearisome employments, and take up your re-
pose for ever.
Rejoice then believers, and let this cheer
your hearts in your passages through the tem-
pestuous sea of this world, ere long you shall
come to the haven where there shall be no
waves or winds. Sometimes now you are trou-
bled on every side, and have no rest in your
345
spirits, without are fightings, within are fears \
but in heaven you shall be freed perfectly from
all disturbance and molestation.
* 8. Think what joys and pleasures you shall
have ; you shall have fullness of joy, Psal. xvi.
1 1 . You shall drink of the rivers of pleasure,
Psal xxxvi. 8. the delights which you shall
have in the immediate view of God^s face ; in
the sense of God's love, in the high actings of
your love, in the employment which you shall
have in heaven !
Rejoice then believers, rejoice! In hopes of
these joys, now you mourn and weep for your
sins ; and because of the eclipses of the light of
God's countenance, it troubles your hearts that
you can see and enjoy so little of God, that your
love is so low and inconstant, that your highest
services are but mean, and diverted many times
by little trifling business in the world, from con-
verse with God in heaven ; all tears will be
wiped away from your eyes, and all sorrow,
with all the grounds thereof will be removed,
you will come with singing into the new Jeru-
salem, you will enter and live in the vision and
fruition, in the love and joy, and spend an eter-
nity in the presence of the Lord.
2. Believers, consider the sureness of the hap-
piness of heaven ; as surely as ye are believers,
so surely shall you obtain this happiness —
you cannot be sure of any thing in the world ;
346
but you may be sure of the glory of heaven,
and though there be not the certitudo subjecti,
and many of you are not assured of it, but
all full of doubts and fears that you shall fall
short ;■ yet there is certitudo objeeti, the thing is
sure to believers.
Rejoice then believers, rejoice ! Your names
are written in the book of life, out of which they
shall never be blotted ; labour to answer your
doubts and to get your hearts wrought up to a
full assurance of this happiness by such argu-
ments as these, which will evidently prove that
if you be true believers, you shall not, you can-*
not miss heaven.
JL God hath chosen you to glory, he hath
elected you to salvation before the world was,
Acts xiii. 48. As many as were ordained to
eternal life, believed. Hence it follows, that all
believers were ordained to eternal life. And
2 Thes. ii. 13. God hath chosen you to salvation,
through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief
of the truth. All true believers are elected per-
sons, and God's decree of election cannot bo
frustrated, because God is unchangeable, be-
cause God changelh not, therefore you are not
consumed, because God changeth not, therefore
you shall be saved.
2. God hath promised this happiness to you,
1 John ii. 25. This is the promise which he bath
promised, even eternal life. And Tit. i» 2. I»
347
hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie
hath promised. If God hath promised this hap-
piness, and your faith do give you interest in
the promises, and God be faithful to fulfil them,
it being impossible for God to lie; then as cer-
tainly as God is true, you that are believers shall
obtain.
3. The Lord Jesus Christ hath purchased
this happiness for you, it is called the purchased
possession, Eph. i. 14. As certain as the pur-
chase, so certain will be the possession.
4. The Lord Jesus hath taken possession of
heaven for you, the forerunner is for us entered.
Heb. vi. 20. He is preparing these mansions in
the Father's house for you, John xiv. 2. And
as certain as Christ is in heaven, so certainly
shall those that are believers be received thither
in due time.
5. Christ prayed that you might have this hap-
piness whilst he was on the earth, John xvii. 24.
Father I will that those which thou hast given
me be with me where I am, that they may be-
hold the glory which thou hast given me. —
Which prayer was made for you ; if believers,
as well as for his present disciples, ver. 20. —
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them
also which shall believe on me through their
word. And for this thing Christ intercedes
above, and whatever he prays and intercedes for,
he will prevail for you, and therefore you shall
obtain.
348
8. Ye are Christ's as ye are believers, and
therefore *dl things are yours, saith the Apostle.
1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. Amongst which things to
come are enumerated ; ye are Christ's servants,
and do his works, and he will give you your
wages ; you honour him in the world, and there-
fore you shall be honoured by him ; you follow
your master in a way of self denial and suffer-
ing, and if you suffer with him. you shall reign
with him, 2 Tim. ii. 12. and be glorified togeth-
er, Rom. viil. 17. and where Christ is, there shall
his servants be, John xxii. 26. Ye are Christ's
members, and where the head is, there shall the
members be ; ye are Christ's spouse, ye are join-
ed, married to him, therefore shall live with
him, all the powers of earth and hell cannot se-
parate you from his love, and therefore cannot
separate you out of heaven, Rom. viii. 35, 36,
38, 39.
7. Ye are justified by faith, Rom. v. 1. and
therefore absolved from the guilt of sin, there-
fore freed from the condemnation of hell, Rom.
viii. 1. Therefore you shall not perish, seeing
the cause thereof is removed, therefore you
shall have eternal life, John iii. 15. Whom God
justifieth, them he also glorifieth, Rom. viii. 30.
• 8. Ye are the adopted children of God, Gal.
iii. 26. For ye are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus. And if children then
heirs, Rom. viii. 17. and if heirs you shall be
sure to have the inheritance.
349
9. Ye are called with an holy calling, and
sanctified with the Holy Spirit, and thereby in
some measure fitted and qualified for this hap-
piness by the word of grace, conformity to the
Lord in holiness, grace is glory begun ; and is
called eternal life, and God hath promised to
perfect it Phil. i. 6. Grace hath relation to hea-
ven, as sin hath relation to hell; and as sin
will certainly bring men to hell, if it be not par-
doned and subdued, so grace will certainly bring
men to heaven, because it cannot wholly be erad-
icated.
10. You have made choice of heaven for your
portion, you have laid up there your treasures,
and God hath set your souls a longing after it,
and given you hopes of it ; and therefore you
shall not miss it, your desire shall be satisfied,
and your hopes shall not make you ashamed,
Rom. v. 5.
And if besides all this, you have the witness,
and seal and earnest of the Spirit, giving you
some first-fruits, and fore-tastes of this happi-
ness, though all believers do not obtain it, then
you may know without question, that this is a
sure happiness, both in itself and unto you. —
Therefore believers exercise your faith, that you
may be filled with all joy and peace in believing.
Believers, consider the nearness of the happi-
ness of heaven, Christ's appearance is not far
Gff, but your happiness may be nearer, I mean
30
350
the happiness of your souls in heaven, which
will begin as soon as your lives come. to an end ;
the wicked walk upon the brink of hell every
day, when they die; thither they are carried ;
you walk upon the borders of the heavenly
Canaan, the paradise which is above, when
you die, thither shall you be conveyed. And 3011
may die suddenly, and as suddenly you will be
in glory. Rejoice then believers, rejoice ! You
may be in heaven before you are aware ; it may
be to-morrow, God will send for you, within a
few days you may be out of the body, and pre-
sent with the Lord Jesus, and among the spirits
of just men made perfect ; when you break pri-
son from the body, you will be delivered into
the marvellous light of God's glory ; rejoice to
think how near your happiness is. Believers,
consider the everlastingness of the happiness
of heaven, there is fulness of joy and pleasures
for evermore, Psal. xvi. 1 1. When you come
to heaven there you shall abide, your happiness
will be constant and eternal without diminution,
intermixture of sin and sorrow, without inter-
ruption, or possibility that ever it should be
brought to an end. It would alleviate the torments
of the damned, if they had any hopes of ever be-
ing let out of hell, and would weaken the joys of
the saints ; yea, fill them with unspeakable grief,
if there were any fear and danger of ever being
thrust out of heaven. Rejoice then believers, ye
351
shall rejoice for evermore in the eternal vision
and fruition of God. Labour to begin } our hea-
ven's joys now, h t faith realize and bring near
things which you hope for, and make evident
the things which as yet you do not see, but
shall possess, that you may have a sweet fore-
taste of this happiness, and begin your heaven's
work to praise the Lord for his great and unde-
served love, wherewith he hath loved jrou, arid
for these things beyond conception, which out
of love he hath prepared for you.
CHAPTER XV.
Lastly, to conclude, I shall speak a word
both to sinners and believers. Will the Lord
Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear to
judgment ? Let me then in his name persuade
you to three things.
1. Believe that Christ will appear, mingle
the doctrine you have heard and read, with faith;
you have had evident proof of it, believe the
thing. Sinners believe that Christ will come
to judge and condemn you, if you be found in
your sins ; did you believe it effectually, you
would quickly become saints.
Believers, labour for more faith in this truth,
did you believe it more strongly, you would live
at a higher rate.
352
t. Consider that Christ will appear, medi-
tate on this thing, let it dwell on your thoughts,
let it lie down with you at night, and rise with
you in the morning, let it sit down with you at
table, and walk with you abroad ; think often of
the antecedents of Christ's coming, the judgment
itself, and the consequence thereof, and get
deep impression of the last judgment on your
spirits. Sinners, consider how the wicked shall
be judged, think how they shall be accused and
condemned, think of the dreadful sentence, and
the execution thereof in hell, and then think
that you are in the number of those that
are in such danger, unless you speedily secure
yourselves by making your peace. Believers,
consider how the saints will be judged, think
how Christ will acquit them, and invite them
to take possession, and then will give them pos-
session of heaven ; and then think that you are
in the number of the blessed ones, which shall
be made thus happy.
3. Prepare for the appearance of Christ to
judgment, and that you may be prepared, as a
conclusion to this doctrine, take these directions.
1. Be diligent that you may be found of him
in peace, is the advice of the Apostle, after his
discourse of the coming of the Lord and the
glorious things of that day. Wherefore be-?
loved, seeing that ye looked for such things,
be diligent that you may be found of him in peace,
353
2 Pet. iii. 14. l.Make your peace with God,
sinners ; God is your enemy, make your peace
with him, you have offended him by your sins,
and his justice must be satisfied. O labour to
get an interest in the satisfaction of Christ, that
your sins may be pardoned, and God may be
reconciled ; lay hold on Christ by faith, as yet
you may be welcome to him, hereafter it will
to too late. Believers, make sure of a pardon,
you cannot be too sure in a thing of such con-
cernment.
2. Diligently endeavour after a peace in your
conscience ; sinners get the wound which sin
hath made there, healed with the blood of Christ;
believers take heed of making any breaches
there, maintain peace within, when you have
obtained it.
3. Diligently follow after peace, one with an
other, take heed of hatred,, variance, emulations,
wraths, strifes, seditions, envjings, divisions,
clamours, evil speaking, back bitings, whisper-
ings, swellings, tumults ; and follow after those
things which make for peace, as love, joy,
humbleness of mind, meekness, long sufferings,
patience and the like, that you may be found
of the Lord in peace.
4. Give diligence, that ye may be found of
the Lord, without spot, and blameless, as the
Apostle doth advise in the same 14 ver. and
read ver. 1 1 . Seeing all these tilings shall b§
30*
354
dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to
be in all holy conversation and Godliness. Get
the spots of sin washed off, not only the guilt
of sin removed, but also the defilement ; labour
to be holy in all manner of conversation, to be
blameless and harmless, the Children of God
without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse generation ; take heed of the sins of
time, and place wherein you live, join not
with them in their sins, lest you share in their
plagues at the last day. Let your conversation
be as becometh the gospel ; let your actions be
squared by the word, as those which must give
an account and receive a reward according to
your work.
5. Sit loose from the world. Let not your
hearts be overcharged with the cares of this life,
nor filled with the love of the world, and that
day overtake you unawares, Luke xxi. 34
Remember that riches will not profit in the day
of wrath ; that the fashion of this world passeth
away, and you are passing away, and therefore
live as strangers and sojourners.
4. Lay up your treasures in heaven, Mat. vi,
20. And get your affections set on things above,
Gol. iii. 2. And then the appearance of Christ
will be joyful to you, because he will give you
possession of heaven.
5. Be ready to do and suffer, whatever the
Lord calls you unto : patient in well doing.
355
for in due time ye shall reap ; be steadfast and
immoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, because your labour shall not be in
vain in the Lord, Gal. vi. 9. 1 Cor xv. 58.
And whatever afflictions you suffer for Christ,
they are light and momentary : but the glory
which Christ will give is weighty and eternal,
2 Cor. iv 17.
6. Give Christ your hearts. Let him have
the highest room, give him your whole hearts,
let him have the choicest and chiefest of your
affections ; and then he will give you his king-
dom, and such expressions of his love will he
make unto you at his appearance, as now you
have not thoughts to conceive.
7. Maintain communion with Christ in his
ordinances ; prize ordinances upon thisaccount a
because Christ doth walk there ; and improve
ordinances for this end, that you may be with
Christ ; rest not in the outside and carnal part of
the ordinances ; but seek after Christ in them,
until you find him, and labour to grow into ac-
quaintance with Christ, and to keep fellowship
with him, and then when he doth appear, he will
know you again, and own you, and receive you
to live with him forever.
8. Stand up for the honour of Christ in the
world ; confess him before men, and he will con-
fess you before his father in heaven, Mat. x. 32.
Be not ashamed to profess yourselves his disci-*
356
pies, and to own his ways and truths, when
they are contemned and despised by the ungod-
ly world, because if you be, he will be ashamed
of you when he cometh in his glory, Mark viii. 38.
9. Improve your talents for the use of the
Lord, who hath intrusted you with them ; all of
you have talents, lay them not up in a napkin,
but lay them up in the service of the Lord. —
Whatever gifts of grace you have put them forth
to usury, that you may give an account with
joy unto your Lord when he shall come to call
you to an account.
10. Stand upon your watch ; when your Sa-
viour had foretold his disciples of his coming, he
exhorts them and all to watch, Mark xiii. 37.
What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch.
Watch against sin, watch your senses, which
are the inlets of sin, watch your hearts from
whence are the issues of sin, watch, take heed
of sleeping in sin, lest you lose your garments,
and be found naked.
11. Be frequent and fervent in prayer, our
Saviour joins these duties together in his exhor-
tations to his disciples, Luke xxi. 36. Watch
therefore, and pray always, that you may be
counted worthy to escape all those things which
shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of
man. Pray without ceasing, pray without
fainting, be often upon your knees, and be earn-
est with the Lord> that he would prepare you
357
for this day, that he would deliver you from
the dreadful wrath, which shall be revealed
when Christ doth appear, and which you have
deserved for your sins ; and pray that he would
give you those qualifications as may embolden
you at the last day, to hold up your heads with
confidence ; that he would keep you without spot
and blameless, until the coming of the Lord.
12. And lastly, look for the appearance of the
Lord, look with an eye of hope, labour to
abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Ghost,
and let this hope be an anchor fastened within
the veil, to stay your sinking hearts in the midst
of these fierce storms, which do, or may beat
upon you in the world, and look with the eye
of desire. Look and long for Christ's appear-
ance ; dart up your wishes often to heaven. O
when shall we see the heavens opened, and be-
hold our Lord in his glory ? When shall we
hear the trumpet sound, and be gathered by the
angels from all the quarters of the earth ? When
shall we put off this dust and corruption, and be
clothed with robes of immortality. When shall
the Lord Jesus come down and show us his glo-
ry, and receive us to himself, that where he is,
there we may be also ? Christ hath spoken from
heaven to earth. Surely I come quickly, let
there be an echo back from earth to heaven in
your desires to this voice : Amen> even so come
LORD JESUS, come quickly.
358
I shall conclude all with the words of the
Apostle Jude, ver. 24, 25. Now unto him that
is able to keep you from falling, and to present
you faultless before the presence of his glory
with exceeding joy to the only wise GOD, our
SAVIOUR, be glory and majesty, dominion
and power, now and ever, Amen.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
Page 16, line 2 from the top, r*or 24 read 54.— p. 20, 1. 15 from t.
for xvii. read xxv.. and J. 12 fr. b. for vn. read v. 1 1. — p 23, 1. 14 fr,
t.forxii. read x.ii. aid 1 11 fr. b. for xxvi. read xxiv. — p. 23, 1.15 fr.
t. for xx read xx. — p. 2b, I. 6 fr. b. for vi.. read xu. — p. 32, I. 12
fr. b. for xxv. read xxsv. — p. 46, I. 7 fr. b. for 31, read 21. — p. 60,
1. 8 fr. t. for 49, read 45. — p. 65 y I. 13 fr. t. for Abraham, read
Abiram. — p. 73, t. 11 fr. t. for xxn. veud xvii. — p. < c 2, 1. 4. fr t. tor
17, 18 read 16. 17.— p. 88, 1. 6 fr, b. for 21 read 1 1.— p. 93, 1. 7 ir.
t. for xvii 17. read xvni. 7 — p 94, 1. 6 fr. t. for Ixi. read Ixvi. — p. 99,
1. 12 fr b. for Mat xii. 42. read Luke jv. 34 — p. 100, 1. 10 fr. t. for
1 Pet read 2 Pet. and ! 12. for 7, read 9.—p 101, 1. 11 fr. b. for 48,
read 42. — p 175, 1 i'fr b. for xx. read xxi — p. 178, 1. 8 fr.b. for
xx. read xxii. — p, 180, 1. 5 fr. t. for 34 read 44.
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