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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29699	Paradice opened, or, The secreets, mysteries, and rarities of divine love, of infinite wisdom, and of wonderful counsel laid open to publick view also, the covenant of grace, and the high and glorious transactions of the Father and the Son in the covenant of redemption opened and improved at large, with the resolution of divers important questions and cases concerning both covenants ... : being the second and last part of The golden key / by Thomas Brooks ...; Golden key to open hidden treasures. Part 2	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1675 (1675)	Wing B4953; ESTC R11759	249,733	284

gathered them And in the New Testament Christ sends his hearers to the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred search signifies a strict narrow curious diligent search we must search the Scripture as we would search for Gold or for some Precious Stones which we would f●in find we must search the Scriptures as Hunters seek and search out their Game The Scripture is so perfect a Rule that the most specious observances the most glorious performances the most exact worship is no way acceptable unto God if not directed in his word They may have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colos 2. 23. A shew of Wisdom in Will-worship to the pleasing of men not to the honour of God God gave Moses a pattern for Exod. 25. 9. the making of the Tabernacle and David for the Temple and all Heb. 8 5. things were to be ordered and regulated according to this pattern God hath set us a perfect Rule of Worship in his Word and no Service pleaseth him but what is according to this Rule As our Joh. 4. 20 21. 22. Saviour told the woman of Samaria concerning the Samaritan Worship at Mount Gerazim and the Jewish Worship at Jerusalem That the Samaritans worshipped they know not what the Jews knew what they worshipped for Salvation was of the Jews Why so because the Jews had God's special direction and appointment of God's Word for their Worship and Service which the Samaritans had not All our Worship must be regulated by God's Will not our own Non ex arbitrio Deo servi●ndum sed ex imperio Not according to our own fancy but God's Command and Prescription I say of all humane invented Will-worship of God as Tertullian of the Heathen Worship Ex religione super s●itio compingitur eo irreligiosior quanto Ethnicus paratior Men in this are no better than laboriously superstitious taking pains to be irreligious And so the Apostle sends his hearers to the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 19 20 ●● as to a surer word than that of the Revelation all which speaks out the sufficiency of the Scripture to direct us in all matters of Divine Worship and in what ever else may help on the internal and eternal welfare of our precious and immortal souls That which bred the Popish Religion Superstition Idolatry and Pompous Worship was men's departing from the word and not cleaving to the word as a sufficient rule to direct them in all matters of worship and what woful mischiefs and miseries have been brought upon the people of the Lord in this Land and else where by men that make not the word the rule of their worship but cry up an outward pompous worship I have no mind to enumerate at this time But how will these vain men that accuse the holy Scriptures of insufficiency blush be ashamed and confounded when in the great day the Lord shall plead the excellency and vindicate the Sufficiency and Authority of his blessed Book in opposition to all the mixtures of men's Traditions with Divine Institutions Now they that suffer for asserting the holy Scriptures to be a sufficient rule to order guide and direct them in all matters of worship they have a good Cause and they suffer as Christians for well doing But They that are Assertors of the true God in opposition to the Idols of the Nations have a good Cause and they that suffer upon this account suffer as Christians for well doing Upon this foot the Christians under the Heathen Emperours in the primitive times suffered great things and are there none that suffer this day upon this account by the Romish Powers But Fifthly They who assert that God will not bear with mixtures in his worship and service but revenge himself upon the corrupters of his worship they have a good cause and they that suffer upon that account suffer as Christians for well doing All mixtures Isa 29. 13 14. Mat. 15. 3 6 8 9. debase the worship and service of God and makes the worship a vain worship as the mixing of water with wine is the debasing of the wine and the mixing of Tin with Silver or Brass with Gold is debasing of the Silver and Gold so for men to mix and mingle their Traditions and Inventions with God's Institutions is to debase the worship and service of God and to detract from the excellency and glory of it You know that the Kings and Princes of the world have most severely punished such who by their base mixtures have imbased their Coyn. And assuredly there is a day a coming when the King of Kings will most severely punish all such who have imbased his worship and service by mixing Humane Inventions and Romish Traditions with his holy Institutions Rev. 22. 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophecie of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in There will come a day when Jews Turks Papists shall pay dear for adding to the Scriptures this book And no wonder for what horrible pride presumption stoutness and baseness is it in foolish man to be so bold with the great God as to dare to mix any thing of his own with his worship and service which according to Divine Institution is so perfect and compleat God will never bear it to see men lay their Dirt upon his Gold and to put their Rags upon his Royal Robes Ah Christians 't is best to stand up for holy Ordinances and pure worship in opposition to all mixtures whatsoever Oh do not touch a polluted worship do not plead and contend for a polluted worship but let Baal plead for Baal and though all 1 King 18. 21. Rev. 13. 3 4. 6 17. cap. 14 9 11. the world should wander after the Beast yet do not you wander after the Beast and though every forehead should have the mark of the Beast upon it yet do you abhor his mark and whatever else it be that does but smell and savour of the Beast 'T is a very dangerous thing for any Mortals to be adding to God's worship and word there is a horrible curse that hangs over the heads of all such that add or detract from the blessed Scriptures If falsifiers of Coin are liable unto the Civil Curse of the Law how much more shall the Anathema of Eternal Damnation be inflicted upon the corrupters of God's word and worship To them that add thereto God will add all the Plagues of this book to wit the seven last Plagues and cast them into the lake of sire and brimsion● Rev. 19. with the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet Now they that suffer for asserting that God will not bear with mixtures in his Worship and Service but revenge himself upon

7. 2 Sam. 22. 5. Heb. 7. 25. 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. Isa 54. 10. whom I reserve Now Oh holy God I cannot but observe that in the New Covenant thou hast made such necessary choice absolute and blessed provision for thy poor people that no sin can disanul the Covenant or make a final separation between thee and thy Covenant-people Breaches made in the first Covenant were irreparable but breaches made in the New Covenant are not so because this New Covenant is established in Christ Christ lies at the bottom of the Covenant the New Covenant is an everlasting Covenant and all the breaches that we make upon that Covenant are repaired and made up by the blood and intercession of dear Jesus Every jar doth not break the marriage Covenant between husband and wife no more doth every sin break the new Covenant that is between God and our souls Every breach of peace with God is not a breach of Covenant with God That free that rich that infinite that sovereign and that glorious grace of God that shines in that Covenant of Grace tells us that our eternal estates shall never be judged by a Covenant of works and that the want of an absolute perfection shall never damn a believing soul and that the obedience that God requires at our hands is not a legal but an Evangelical obedience So long as a Christian doth not renounce his Covenant with God so long as he doth not wilfully wickedly and habitually break the bond of the Covenant the main the substance of the Covenant is not yet broken though some articles of the Covenant may be violated As among men there be some trespasses against some particular clauses in Covenants which though they be violated yet the whole Covenant is not forfeited 't is so here between God and his people And oh blessed God I cannot but observe that in the Heb. 8. 12. Jer. 31. 34. He is a forgiving God Nehem. 9. 31. None like him for that Mic. 7. 18. He forgives naturally Ex●d 2 2. abundantly Isa 55. 7. 3. constantly Psal 130. 4. Mal. 3. 6. New Covenant thou hast engaged thy self to pardon all my sins I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Here are two things worthy of our notice 1. The reconciliation of God with his people I will be merciful to their unrighteousness he will be merciful or propitious appeased and pacified towards them which hath respect to the ransome and satisfaction of Christ 2. That God will pardon the sins of his people fully compleatly perfectly here are three words unrighteousness sins and iniquities to shew that he will forgive all sorts kinds and degrees of sins The three Original words here expressed are all in the plural number 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unrighteousnesses This word is by some appropriated to the wrongs and injuries that are done against men 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinnes is a general word and according to the notation of the Greek may imply a not following of that which is set before us for he sinneth that followeth not the rule that is set before him by God The third word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquities according to the notation of the Greek signifieth in general transgressions of the Law This word is by some appropriated to sins against God The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is frequently translated iniquity is a general word which signifieth a transgression of the Law and so it is translated 1 Joh. 3. 4. The word iniquity is of as large an extent as the word unrighteousness and implyeth an unequal dealing which is contrary to the rule or law of God And all this heap of words is to intimate to us that 't is neither the several sorts of sins nor degrees of sin nor aggravations of sin nor yet the multitude of sins that shall ever prejudice those souls that are in Covenant with God God hath mercy enough and pardons enough for all his Covenant-people's sins whether original or actual whether against the Law or against the Gospel whether against the light of nature or the rule of grace whether against mercies or judgments whether against great means of grace or small means of grace The Covenant Remedy against all sorts and degrees of sin doth infinitely transcend and surpass all our infirmities and enormities our weaknesses and wickednesses our follies and unworthinesses c. What is our unrighteousness to Christ's righteousness our debts to Christ's pardons our unholiness to Christ's holiness our ● C●r 1. 30. Phil. 1. 3 9 10. Mal. 4 2. emptiness to Christ's fulness our weakness to Christ's strength our poverty to Christ's riches our wounds to that healing that is under the wings of the Sun of Righteousness Parallel to this Heb. 8. 12. is that noble description Exod. 34. 6 7. that Moses gives of God in that book of Ex●dus The Lord the Lord merciful and gracious forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Some by these three words do understand such sins as are committed against our neighbour against God or against our selves A merciful God a gracious God will pardon all sorts of sinners and all sorts and degrees of sin by what names or titles soever they be stiled or distinguished Some by iniquity do understand sins of infirmity and by transgression they understand sins of malice and by sin they understand sins of ignorance God is said to keep mercy and to forgive all sorts of sins as if his mercy were kept on purpose for pardoning all sorts of sinners and all sorts of sins The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnavon that is here translated iniquity signifies that which is unright unequal crooked or perverse it notes the vitiosity or crookedness of nature it notes crooked offences such as flow from malice hatred and are committed on purpose Secondly the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pashang that is here translated transgression signifies to deal unfaithfully it notes such sins as are treacherously committed against God such sins as flow from pride and contempt of God Thirdly the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chataah generally signifieth sin but is more especially here taken for sins of ignorance and infirmity Oh! what singular mercy what rich grace is here that God will not only pardon our light our small offences but our great and mighty sins c. And I cannot oh dear father but further observe that in the New Covenant thou hast frequently and deeply engaged thy self that thou wilt remember the sins of thy people no more Oh my God thou hast told me six several times in thy word that thou wilt remember my sins no more In the New Covenant thou hast engaged thy self not only to forgive but also to forget and that thou wilt cross thy debt book and never question or call me to an account for my sins that thou wilt pass an

cast away their transgressions as Ephraim did his Idols saying Hos 14. 8. what have I any more to do with you Fourthly You have the way and manner of the Elect's delivery and that is not only by paying down upon the nail the price agreed on but also by a strong and powerful hand as the original Rom. 11. 26. Isa 59. 20. Ru●mends 〈◊〉 imports in the Scriptures cited in the margin The Greek word that is used by Paul and the Hebrew word that is used by Isaiah do both signifie delivering by strong hand to rescue by force as David delivered the Lamb out of the Lyon's paw Fifthly you have the special blessings that are to be conferred upon the Elect viz. Redemption conversion saith repentance reconciliation turning from their iniquity all comprehended under that term the Redeemed Sixthly You have the Lord Jesus Christ considered as the head of the Church from whom all spiritual gifts viz. sanctification salvation and perseverance do flow and run as a precious balsom upon the members of his body My spirit that is in me saith God the Father to Christ the Redeemer and my word which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed c. In these words God the father engages that his spirit and word should continue with his Church to direct and instruct it and the children of it in all necessaries throughout all ages successively even unto the world's end But The Seventh Scripture is that Zach. 6. 12 13. And The 7. Proof speak unto him saying thus speaketh the Lord of hosts saying behold the man whose name is the Branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the temple of the Lord. Even he shall build the temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a priest upon his throne and the counsel of peace shall be between them bot 〈…〉 ●ow that the business of man's Redemption was transacted betwixt the father and the son is very clear from this text And the counsel of peace shall be between them both that is the two persons spoken of viz. the Lord Jehovah who speaks and the man whose name is the Branch Jesus Christ This counsel was primarily about the reconcilation of the riches of God's grace and the glory of his justice What ever Socinians say 't is most certain that Recon●iliation is not only on the sinner's part but on God's also the design and counsel both of the father and the son was our peace The counsel of reconciliation how man that is now an enemy to God may be reconciled to God and God to him this counsel or consultation shall be betwixt them b●th that is Jehovah and the Branch There were blessed transactions between the father and the son in order to the making of peace between an angry God and sinful men I know several learned men interpret it of Christ's offices viz. of his Kingly and Priestly office for both conspire to make peace betwixt God and man Now if you will thus understand the text yet it will roundly follow that there was a consultation at the counsel-board in heaven concerning the reconciliation of fallen man to God which reconciliation Christ as King and Priest was to bring about Look as there was a counsel taken touching the creation of mankind between the persons in the blessed Trinity Let us make man after our Image so there was a consultation held concerning Gal. 1. 26. Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. the restauration of mankind out of their lapsed condition The counsel of peace shall be between them both Certainly there was a Covenant of Redemption made with Christ upon the terms whereof he is constituted to be a Reconciler and a Redeemer To say to the prisoners Go forth to bring deliverance to the captives and to proclaim the year of release or Jubile the acceptable year of the Lord as it is Isa 61. 1 2. But The Eighth Scripture is that Psal 40. 6 7 8. Sacrifice The eighth proof and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required Then said I lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Heb. in the midst of my bowels compared with that Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared for me In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God In these two Scriptures two things are concluded 1. The impotency of Legal Sacrifices vers 5 6. 2. The all sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice vers 7. There is some difference in words and phrases betwixt the Apostle and the Prophet but both agree in sence as we shall endeavour to demonstrate Pen men of the New Testament were not Translators of the Old but only quoted them for proof of the point in hand so as they were not tied to syllables and letters but to the sence That which the Prophet speaketh of himself the Apostle applieth to Christ say some this may be readily granted For David being a special type of Christ that may in history and type be spoken of David which in mystery and truth is understood of Christ But that which David uttered in the aforesaid text is questionless uttered by the way of Prophecy concerning Christ as is evident by these reasons First In David's time God required sacrifices and burnt offerings and ●ook delight therein for God answered 1 Chron. 21. 26. 1 Sam. 26. 19. David from heaven by fire upon the Altar of burnt-offering and David himself advised Saul to offer a burnt offering that God might accept of it Secondly David was not able so t● do the will of God as by doing it to make all sacrifices void therefore this must be taken as a Prophecy of Christ Thirdly In the verse before namely Psal 40. 5. such an admiration of God's goodness is premised as cannot fitly be applied to any other evidence than of his goodness in giving Christ in reference to whom it may be truly said That eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. Fourthly These words used by the Apostle when he cometh into the world he saith are meant of Christ which argue that that which followeth was an express prophecy of Christ These things being premised out of the Texts last cited we may observe these following particulars that make to our purpose First That the holy spirit opens and expounds the Covenant of

all the creatures for their good for their service and benefit Sixthly and lastly In this Book they might run and read what a most excellent what a most admirable what a most transcendent workman God was What are the Heavens the Earth the Sea but a sheet of Royal Paper written all over with the Wisdom and Power of God Now in the great day of account this Book shall be produced to witness against the Heathen World because they did not live up to the light that was held forth to them in this Book but crucified that light and knowledge by false ways of worship and by their wicked manners whereof the Apostle gives you a Bead-roll or Catalogue from vers 21. to the end of that 1. of the Romans But Secondly there is the Book of Providence wherein ● all particulars are registred even such as Atheists may count trivial and inconsiderable Mat. 10. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbred And where is their number summed up even in the Book of Providence The three Worthies were taken out of the fiery furnace Dan. 3. 27 with their hairs in full number not one of them singed Paul encouraging the Passengers to eat who were in fear and danger of death tells them that there should not an Act. 27. 34. hair fall from the head of any of them And when Saul 1 Sam. 14. 45. would have put Jonathan to death the people told him That there should not a hair of his head fall to the ground Christ doth not say that the hairs of your eye lids are numbred but the hairs of your head where there is the greatest plenty and the least use Though hair is but an excrement and the most contemptible part of man yet every hair of an Elect person is observed and registred down in God's Books and not one of them shall be lost Nor the Holy Ghost doth not say the hairs of your heads shall be numbred but the hairs of your head are all numbred God has already booked them all down and all to shew us that special that singular care that God takes of the smallest and least concernments of his chosen ones This Book of Providence God will produce in the great day to confute and condemn the Atheists of the World who have denied a Divine Providence and whose hearts have swelled against his Government of the world according to the counsels of his own heart But Thirdly There is the Book of men's afflictions this some account an entire Book of it self Psal 56. 8. Thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy bottle are The Septuagint for my wandrings or flit●ings have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my L●fe to teach us saith one that our life is but a flitting they not in thy book God told all those weary steps that David took in passing over those two great Forrests when he fled from Saul or thou cypherest up my flittings as the words may be read whilst David was hunted up and down like a Partridge and hushed out of every bush and had no certain dwelling place but driven from post to pillar from one Countrey to another God was all this while a noting down and a numbering of his flittings and a bottleing up his tears and a booking down his sighs Put thou my tears into thy bottle Heb. my tear that is every tear of mine let not one of them be lost but kept safe with thee as so much sweet water God is said in Scripture to have a Bag and a Bottle a Bag for our sins and a Bottle for our tears and Oh that we would all labour to fill his bottle with our tears as we have filled his bag with our sins and certainly if the white tears of his servants be bottled up the red tears of their blood shall not be cast away if God keep the tears of the Saints in store much more will he remember their blood to avenge it and though Tyrants burn the bones of the Saints yet they cannot blot out their tears and blood out of God's Register Are they not in thy book are they not in thy Register or Book of Accounts where they cannot be blotted out by any time or Tyrants i. e. yes certainly they are thou dost assuredly book them down and wilt never forget one of them according to the usual Interrogatory that was used among the Hebrews when they affirmed a thing past all doubt Let the great Nimrods and oppressors of the Saints look to themselves for God books down all the afflictions sufferings and persecutions of his servants and in the great day he will bring in this Book this Register to witness against them Ah sinners sinners look to your selves in the great day of account the Lord will reckon with you for every rod that he hath spent upon you he will reckon with you not only for all your mercies but also for all your crosses not only for all your sweets but also for all your bitters not only for all your cordials but also for all your corrasives In this Book of Afflictions there is not only Item for this mercy and that but Item also for this affliction and that this sickness and that this cross and that this loss and that And will not the opening of this Book of the Saints afflictions and sufferings and of sinners afflictions and sufferings be as the hand-writing upon Dan. 5. 5 6. the wall to all the wicked of the earth in the great day of account surely yes for as they cannot answer for one mercy of ten thousand that they have enjoyed so they cannot answer for one affliction of ten thousand that they have been exercised with But Fourthly There is the Book of Conscience Conscience saith Philo is the little Consistory of the soul Conscience R●m 2. 14 15. is Mille Testes A thousand Witnesses for or against a man Conscience is God's Preacher in the bosom Conscience hath a good memory saith one The chief Gen. 41. 9. Butler forgot the promise that he had made to Joseph but Conscience told him of it Fama propter homines conscientia propter Deum saith Augustine A good name will carry it amongst men but it is a good conscience only that can acquit us before God In this great day the Book of every man's Conscience shall be opened for their conviction The Conscience is a Domestick and true Tribunal saith Nazianzen●● wherein they shall read their guilt in legible Characters for that is a Book of Record wherein men's actions are entred and although now it be shut up close and sinners will by no means be brought to look into it ●and though many things that are written in this Book seem to be so greatly obliterated and blotted that they can hardly be read Yet in that great day of Accounts God will refresh and recover the lustre of those Ancient Writings and sinners in that day shall find that

Conscience hath an Iron Memory In the last day God will bring the Book of Conscience out of the Rubbish as they did the Book of the Law in Josiah's time and the very laying open of this Book before sinners will even put them besides their w●ts and fill them with unspeakable horrour and terrour and be a hell on this side hell unto them In this Book they shall find an exact account of every vain thought they have had and of every idle word they have spoke and of every evil action they have done and Oh what amazement and astonishment will this fill them with By the Books in this Rev. 20. 12. Origen does Comm. ad Rom. 14. understand the Books of Conscience which now are hid not from God but from most men for the hidden things of the heart are not now known but then they shall be opened and manifested to the Consciences of every sinner so as there shall be no place no room left for any Ambr. in Ps●l 1. excuse or Plea Ambrose saith that the Books that are here said to be opened are the Books of men's Consciences and God's Omniscience Oh what dreadful challenges and accusations will every sinner be forced to read out of this Book of Conscience in the great day Oh how in that great day will all wicked men wish that they had followed the counsel of the Heathen Orator when he said A recta conscientia ne latum quidem unguem discedendum Ci● ●● Ossic A man may not depart an hairs breadth all his life long from the dictates of a good Conscience The Book of God's Omniscience takes in all things past present and to come as if he had kept a Diary of every man's thoughts words and actions But Fifthly There is the Book of Scripture and of all Books this Book is the most precious Book The Book of the Creature is but as the Inventory of the Goods the Book of the Scripture is the evidence and conveyance and assurance of all good to us The Book of Scripture is the Book of the Statutes and Ordinances of the King of Heaven which must be opened and consulted and by which all must be judged in the great day Jam. 2. 12. So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged Jam. 23 25. by the law of liberty i. e. by the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the whole Word of God registred in the blessed Scriptures Now the whole Word of God is called the Law of Liberty because thereby we are born again to a new spiritual life and so freed from the Bondage and Slavery of sin and Satan Our Lord Jesus Christ in his proceedings Let the Word be President in all Assemblies and Judgments saith Beza In the Nicene Council Censt●n●●e caused the Bible to be set upon a Desk a● Judge of all controversies the Word shall be the Judge of all men's Estates at last every man shall stand or fall according as he holds weight in the Ballance of the Sanctuary in the great day of Account will judge us by the Scriptures and pass everlasting sentence upon us according to the tenour of the Scriptures At the great and general Assizes Christ will try all causes by the Word of God and pass Judgment upon all sorts of persons according to the Word Joh. 12. 48. He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The persons that are to be judged in the great day are not believers in Christ they are not receivers of Christ but such as reject his person and receive not his Doctrine He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him c. However the rejecters of Christ may escape Judgment for a time yet they shall never be able to escape the Judgment of the last day they shall assuredly they shall unavoidably be judged in the last day Though the rejecters of Christ had none to witness against them yet the Word of the Lord shall be more than a thousand witnesses against them in the great day The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day The Word of the Lord is so sure and infallible a word that Christ's Sentence in the great day when heaven 2 Pet. 3. 7 10 11 12. and earth shall pass away shall proceed according to the Verdict and Testimony thereof For the word that I have spoken shall judge him in the last day Christ will pronounce then according to what it saith now and that as well in favour of Believers as against unbelievers Ad. 17. 31. Look as Christ himself is ordained to be the Judge of quick and dead so the Word the Doctrines which he hath delivered will be the rule of all his Judicial proceedings both in acquitting the righteous and condemning the wicked By the Books in this Rev. 20. 12. Augustine Lib. 20. De C. Dei c. 14. and Beda saith the same with Austin understands the Books of the Old and New Testament which shall then be opened because according to them the Judge will pronounce sentence Rom. 2. 16. When God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel which promiseth heaven and happiness to all believers The Sentence of the last day shall be but a more manifest declaration of that Judgment that the Lord in this life most an end hath passed upon men Heathens shall be judged by the Law of Nature profligate Professors by the written Law and the Word Mar. 16. 16. preached Believers by the Gospel which saith He that believeth shall be saved He that believes shall not Joh. 3. 15 16. 36. cap. 5. 24. Pa●eus 2 Cor. 8. 12. perish but have eternal life He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life He that believeth shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Christ shall in the great day give Sentence according to the Doctrine of the Gospel which saith If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not The Jesuits report of a Student at Paris who coming to Confession and not being able for tears and sobbings to speak was willed by his Confessor to write down his sins which he did and when the Confessor received it the writing vanished and there remained nothing but the white and clean paper this say they was by a miracle because of his great contrition Let the credit of this story be upon the reporter but upon the credit of the Word of God if we believe really savingly and repent unfeignedly all our sins shall be blotted out and a Book of clean paper in respect of sin shall be presented to the God neither needeth nor useth Books to judge by but this is spoken after the manner of men