be no mistake not only the more openly profane and notoriously vile generation of the wicked who were even professed enemies of Gods people and shun their company and separate themselves now shall be separated from them by Jesus Christ at the last day but also all those who were more â—ober and had some kind of love to them but none unto Jesus Christ Yea all hypocrites who seemed to be of their company shall then be parted from them Christ will look upon all with a pierâ—ing distinguishing eye he will easily discern and discover all the hypocrites however they may plead that they have eat and drunk in his presence and some of them cast out devils in his â—ame he will not judge according to the outward appearance but according to the truth which hath been in the heart and they which â—ave so much deceived men shall not be able to â—eceive him None of them shall twine themselves â—â—perceivably and croud into Heaven amongst 〈◊〉 righteous Then the lamps of the foolish virâ—â—ns will be gone out then the vail and mask of 〈◊〉 outward show will be rent and torn to pieâ—â—s then the sheeps-skin will be pluckt off and â—â—ey will appear unto the whole world to have â—een but goats and amongst the goats they must 〈◊〉 Christ will not leave one of the goats â—mongst the sheep and he will not leave one of 〈◊〉 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 Iesus Christ the Books will be opened out of which all must be judged Rev. 20. 12. I saw the dead small and greaâ— stand before God and the Books were opened and another Boâ—k was opened which is the Boâ—k of Life and the dead were judged out of thâ—se things which were written in those Books according to their works There are five Books which will then be opened 1. Thâ— Book of Gods remembrance 2. The Book of Menâ— own consciences 3. The Book of the Law 4. Thâ— Book of the Gospel 5. The Book of Life 1. The Book of God's Remembrance will be opened This we are to understand in a spiritual sense no as if there were a real Book which God did makâ— use of for his remembrance of things as men 〈◊〉 who have fraiâ—e and weak memories which woulâ— let slip many things of note without such a help but hereby we are to understand that God doâ— take an exact notice of things and remembers theâ— as if he had them written in a Book by him The Boâ—â— of Gods remembrance will be opened whereiâ— will be sound recorded 1. The names of all the Sons and Daughters 〈◊〉 Adam what ever Age and Generation they haâ—â— lived in from the beginning of the Creation 〈◊〉 the consummation of all things as also the relâ—â—tions they stood in and the charge was commiâ—ted to them Such and such were Magistratâ— and had such and such subjects under them 〈◊〉 had the sword of justice put into their hands 〈◊〉 their charge was to rule under Christ to encâ—â—â—rage and reward them that did well and to punish evil dâ—ers such and such were Ministers and they were entrusted with the care of souls they were set by the Lord for Watch-men to forewarn the people of judgments as Stewards to dispence the food of the Word and to give every one their portion such and such were Governours of Families whose work was to set up Religion and the worship of God in their houses and labour in their places after the salvation of the 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 charge was to yield obedience to Parents and Governors in the Lord with meeknesse and fear with readinesse and diligence 2 There will be found recorded the places where such Persons lived such indeed lived in the dark places of Heathenisme 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 heard such heart-awakening and heart-warming Sermons and had such sweet showers of the Word dropping upon them they were planted in a fertile soile and they had fat pastures to feed in 3 There will be found recorded the various dispensations of Gods providence towards them for their good such and such had not only Gods Word but also Gods Rod to teach them they lived under the sound of awakning Judgments they lived in London when the Plague raged so sorely and when the Fire brake forth and consumed the City and such were preserved when thousands fell into the Pit they were brought down to the Doores of the Grave and Eternity and they were brought up again they were preserved and provided for and every day tasted of the Cup of Gods goodness they were loaden with his mercies 4 And especially there will be found recorded all the actions of all the Children of men and their carriage towards God and towards one another in those places in those relations under 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 Child-hood to their dying hour such and such they were obedient to Parents when they were young they were diligent in learning their Catechisme and ready to receive instructions in the Principles of Religion such were acquainted with the Scriptures when they were but Children such had tender hearts in their tender years such loved God and followed 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 awakned by such Sermons and convinced and humbled for sin and perswaded 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 and put their necks under his yoke Such and such were frequenters 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 upâ—ight in their dealings in the World such used to deny themselves and took up their Cross and laboured to follow Jesus Christ where ever he led them such mourned for the sins they could not reform were thankful for the mercies they received were faithful in the relations they were placed were fruitful under the means they enjoyed were merciful to their brethren in misery were patient and chearful 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 untoward children slighted the commands of God and their Parents were idle and careless of instruction and would not open their eare to discipline such were old in sin when young in years were strong and skilful in wicked sinful practices when their bodies were but weak and minds sotishly ignorant in the things of God such had good examples before them but they would not follow them they saw dreadful judgments but were hardned under them they received many mercies but they abused them they had seasons of grace but they mis-spent them they had calls but they shut their eare against them they had convictions of conscience but they stifled them they had motions of the spirit but they quenched them they had proffers of Christ and pardon and salvation but they refused them and turned Gods glory into shame and his grace into wantonness Such and such were Sabbath breakers Such were Svvearers Such vvere Drunkards Such vvere unclean persons and Adulterers Such vvere Thieves Such vvere covetous persons and Idolaters Such vvere unjust and unrighteous in their dealings Such were bitter and reproachful in their speeches Such vvere injurious in their actions All the sins of Men and Women will be found in the Book of Gods remembrance Deut. 32. 34. Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed amongst my treasures God stores and treasures up the sins of the wicked and ungodly against the day of his vvrath and their perdition it is said Iob 14. 16 17. Thou numberest my steps dest not thou watch over my sin my transgressions are sealed up in a Bag and thou sowest up mine iniquities God numbereth the steps of sinners one by one sin by sin as a man vvould number every step and he vvatcheth that he may number aright he takes exact notice of the foot-steps of every sin vvhich leave an impression in the Book of his remembrance as the foot-steps of the body do vvhen a man walketh in soft Clay He putteth the transgressions in a bag and soweth the Bag and sealeth the bag all which expressions denote Gods exactness in recording and laying up the sins of men It is said Ier. 17. 1. That the sin of Iudah is written with a Pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond All secret sins will be found there recorded for nothing is secret to God whose eyes are like a flame of fire which gives light to every dark corner darkness hideth not from him but the night shineth as the day he looks into every corner of the Earth and into every corner of the heart and hath set our 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 remembrance and when Christ comes at the last day the book of Gods remembrance will be opened 2. The second Book which will be opened at Christs coming will be the Book of Mens own Consciences and this will be the counter-part to every Mans particular of What is written in the book of Gods remembrance they will finde the same thing there registred indeed conscience now may seem to be asleep and say nothing whilst men are eating and drinking and â—inning yet conscience is secretly awake and busie in writing and taking notes of every Mans actions every day conscience hath its day-day-book which hath not an empty page the mouth of conscience may be shut and with much adoe 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 registring what it takes notice of every one in the World hath as it were whole volumes of his own actions in his bosome written down by conscience and though the letters of some things done long agoe may seem to be rased 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 characters like as when a Man writes with the juice of a Lemmon upon fair paper the juice is white and the paper is white and he cannot read a word when it is written nor while it is writing but let him keep the paper many years by him and after bring that paper close to the fire the white letters will turn black and become very legible so the conscience of wicked persons is 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 committing them but when the last day is come and Christ is come who will be reveased from heaven in flaming fire to take vengeance upon them and the Book of their Consciences shall be opened before the fire then all the notes of conscience will be plain and easie to be read and a ready confirmation conscience will give of all that is written in the Book of Gods remembrance and O how sweet will the testimony of conscience be of good actions how bitter will its records be of sins 3. The Third Book which will be opened will be the Book of the Law which requiring perfect and perpetual obedience will condemn all both righteous and wicked because all have sinned and by the Law are cursed Gal. 3. 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 righeous will finde the merits of Christ though they have had none of their own they will finde exceeding great and precious promises of pardon and salvation and eternal happiness which have been made to all them that did repent and believe in Christ and restifie the same by their sincere love to God making choice of him for their chief good and happiness and laying up their treasure in Heaven and by their sincere obedience to his commands and walking in heavens way and then conscience will give in evidence and Gods remembrance will confirm it and the Spirit will witness it and Christ himself will acknowledge 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 though it were but weak that they did truly lay hold on Christ though it were with a trembling hand that they had the faith of reliance 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 that measure of godly sorrow which they desired that sin did not
corrupt communication for lying slanderous bitter reviling speeches 3. Christ will judge the wicked for their sins of deed Rom. 2. 6. He will render to every one according to their deeds And vers 8 9. To them that obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of Man that doth evil of the Iew first and also of the Gentile 2. The sins 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 repented and believed and yielded the fruits of new obedience they will have a pardon and absolution on that day but final disobedience to the Gospel will be unpardonable final impenitency 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 particular Catalogue of the sins which the wicked shall be judged for by Christ but something more of them under their conviction by Christ. 5. The accusers of and witnesses against the wicked being the same I shall joyn them 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. Gods justice to speak after the manner of men seeing this judgment is set forth in such a manner for our better apprehending of it because we are not able to conceive in this state the way exactly of Gods 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 to be the guide and rule of their life and actions yet having no fear of me before their eyes they did shake off my yoke and break my Laws they did cast my Commandements behind their back 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 salvation by him and prâ—ffered him unto them and entreated them by my Embassadors to be reconciled but they shut their ear and hardened their heart and refused my Son trampled upon his blood grieved my spirit and neglected the salvation of their own souls therefore I now require satisfaction from themselves and that a condigne punishment be inflicted upon them for their disobedience 2. Gods goodness and bounty and patience will accuse them when they are thus arraigned and indicted by his justice which will aggravate their sins I nourished and brought up these creatures like children and yet they rebelled against me I spared them as a Man spareth his Son which serveth him and yet they had no regard of me I delivered them in six troubles and in seven recovered them often from a sick Bed and brought them back from the Grave when they were ready to go down into the Pit and 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 goodness but they were the more impenitent and hard-hearted and resolved to do evil I stretched forth my hand all the day long to these disobedient and gain-saying Creatures and would have received them had they returned into the armes of my mercy but nothing would win and perswade them to leave their sins and come unto me and now my patience is spent and long-suffering is at an end and bowels shut up against them for ever and let them now smart for all their abuses affronts and contempts which they have offered unto 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 I saw these wretched sinners when they were bâ—rn and traced all their steps I compassed their path and their lying down and was acquainted with all their waies I did beset them behinde and before 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 vanity of their idleness and sloath and mis-spending 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 besides was upon them I saw their privy lewdness and all their deeds of darkness which they committed in dark corners when I kept silence and did not speak I was not blinde 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 The first accuser and witness against the wicked will be God himself 2. Men will accuse and witness against the wicked at the day of Judgment and that both the Godly and â—ngodly 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. 13. 17. And in some of their Flock they will rejoyce 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 rejoyce in them which have been effectually wrought upon by their Ministry in those which they have been instrumental to regenerate and espouse unto Jesus Christ to perswade to leave their sins and submit themselves unto the yoke and Scepter of the Lord such will be the joy and crown of rejoycing to their Ministers on that day of whom with unspeakable comfort they will say to their Lord Behold the Children which thou hust 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 and us share in and participate of thy Glory But 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
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 break the Serpents head and the second coming of Christ was foretold to Enâ—ch It is foretold by the Angels Acts 1. 10 11. Whilst the Disciples looked stedfastly upon our Saviour in his Ascension two Angels say unto them Ye men of Gâ—lilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven this same Iesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come down in like manner as â—e have seen him go into Heaven however Devils are Lyars and the Fathers of Lyes and Lyars yet the good Angels are true and Ministers of truth and this is a true restimony further this is foretold by the Apâ—stles 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 testimony I Thes. 4. 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 Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord Thus he sets forth Christs coming in a comfortable manner unto his people therefore exhorteth Christians to comfort one another with those words and hopes of Christs glorious appearance when they should be caught up to meet with him and be with him for ever and he sets it forth in a dreadful manner in regard of the wicked 2 Thes. I 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them which 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 of these Epistles I Epist Chap. 1. 10 And to wait for his Son from Heaven Chap. 2. 19. What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not ye in the presence of the Lord Iesus at his coming Chap. 3. 13. To the end he may establish you unblameable in holiness at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Chap. 4. 16. The Lord himself will descend from Heaven with a shout Chap. 5. 23. I pray that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. Epist. Chap. 1. 10. He shall come to â—e glorified in his Saints Chap. 2. 1 3. Now I beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not soon shaken in minde c. Chap. 3. 5. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and patient waiting for Christ. I might turn you to further testimonies of his Tit. 2 13. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Heb. 9. 28. Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time unto salvation We have also the testimony of the Apostle Iames Chap. 5. 7. Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Of the Apostle Peter 1 Epist Chap. 5. 4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory which fadeth not away 2 Epist. Chap. 3. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night Of the Apostle Iohn 1 Epist. Chap. 3. 2. When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And in his Revelation frequently Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also that pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him Even so Amen To conclude we have the testimony of our Saviour himself whilst on earth to his Disciples Mat. 16. 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 Matth. 24. 27. As lightning so shall the coming of the Son of Man be V. 30. They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven V. 31. And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet to gather the Elect from the four Winds Mat. 25. especially from the 31. to the end where his judicial proceedings are set forth and our Saviour doth testifie to his enemies that he would come again Matth. 26. 64. Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power coming in the clouds of Heaven And our Saviour testified by his Angel to Iohn his beloved Disciple after his ascension into Heaven that he would come again especially Rev. 22. where we have three promises of the same thing V. 7. Behold I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of this Book V. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be V. 20. Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus If any one word in the whole Book of God may be believed this concerning Christ's second coming and appearance may be believed of which we have such frequent and evident testimonies in the Word as 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 second time in glory according to the predictions in the New Testament God can as soon cease to be God as this Word concerning Christs second coming fail when the Sun goes down in the evening we believe it will return and arise at such a time in the morning accordingly it comes to pass So now Christ the Sun of righteousness 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 possible that the Sun when it is set should abide for ever in the other parts of the world and never arise any more in our Horison than that Christ should abide for ever in Heaven and not return to judge the World when the thing is evidently revealed and frequently promised in the Scripture 2. That the Scriptures are true is evident because 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