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book_n	dead_a	great_a	open_v	5,672	5	8.2508	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93110	Of the foure last and greatest things: death, iudgement, heaven and hell. The description of the happinesse of heaven, and misery of hell, by way of antithesis. With the way or means to passe through death, and judgement, into heaven, and to avoid hell. / By VVilliam Shepheard, Esquire.	Sheppard, William, d. 1675?	1649 (1649)	Wing S3196; Thomason E551_7; ESTC R205687	96,747	120

If at that time we be not prepared we are undone forever if we be prepared we are made for ever Matth. 25. 9 10 11. 4. None but such as are prepared will be able to stand justified in that judgment Luke 21. 36. Watch c. that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall come to passe and to stand before the Son of man If now you shall ask me how you may be prepared for Christs comming I answer 1. We must labour for true repentance which doth consist in contrition confession faith and reformation Acts 17. 30 31. Now God commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained c. 1. Cor. 11. 31. If we judge our selves we shall not be judged Now let us weep over him in time because we have offended him least we be forced to weep and wail to late that we did not weep in time Acts 3. 20 21. Repent and amend that your sins may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ c. Mat. 11. 20 21. Luke 13. 3 5. 2. We must beleeve and obey the Gospel of Christ Acts 16. 31. Beleeve on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved By this faith we are united to Christ the Judge and make him a sure friend to us Phil 3. 9. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. 2 Thes 1. 10. when Christ comes to Judgement he shall be admired of all them that beleeve And he is a Saviour onely to them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. But he will shew himself from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring veng●an●● to them that do not know God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 7 8. 3. we must labour for a holy and unblameable life 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse looking for and hasting to the comming of the day of God And after verse 14. be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Rev. 3. 4 5. They who have not defiled their garments i have kept themselves from the contagion of sin even from the shew of evil Iude ver 23. they shall be clothed in white ● gloriously and their names shall not be put out of the book of life in which the names of the elect are written But the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement Psal 1. 5. and into the holy Citie there shall not enter any unclean thing neither whatsoever worketh Abomination or Lies but they which are written in the Lambs book of life Revelation 21. 27. 4. We must labour with all diligence to make good our Election to our selves for thereby we shall be made sure of salvation if we can be sure our names are written in the book of life Reve. 21. 27. Reve. 20. 12 15. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of Life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their 〈◊〉 And whosoever was not found written in the books of life was cast into the ●ake ●of fire And we shall finde out our Election by our Sanctification Rom●n●s 8. 30. 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. and Iude ver 1. 1 Thes 4. 7. 5. We must have a care to to keep our Accounts alwaies even between God and us For this purpose we must 1. set them down exactly 2. We must cast them up often Thus thriving men and such as mean not to be bankrupts use to doe by their Civill accounts 6 We must seek the Lord now whiles he may be found Esay 55. 6. Let us now su● out our pardon and make our peace with him in Christ and get the favour of the Judge for now is the day of mercy of grace the day of Judgement is a day of wrath and vengeance 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. Luke 3. 7. Rom. 2. 5. 7. We must not sleep in 〈◊〉 but be alwayes awake unto righteousnesse and having our Accounts ready live alwayes in an expectation of Christs suddain appeareance Luke 21. 34 36. Matth. 24. 42. Rom. 14. 12. 2 Thes 5. 4 6 It is doubtlesse one main cause of the freedom and boldnesse of men in sinning that either they think not of giving any account at all or if they do they put that day far from the● he that without all consideration taketh up money and runs in debt doth certainly never mean to pay it again Come saith the Ha●lot Prov. 7. 8. Let us take our pleasure to the full c. my husband is gone a far journey c. Matth. 24. 48. The evil servant that smiteth his fellows and eateth and drinketh with the drunken saith My master doth defer his comming Amos 6. 3. They put far from them the evil day and approach to the seat of iniquity 8 If we be professours of religion we must not be content with the lamp of profession onely but also labour to get the oile of true grace and piety in our hearts Matth. 25. 1. 2 3 c. 2 Tim. 3. 5. 9 We must be faithfull and active in the places wherein God hath set us and in the trusts put into our hands Mat. 24. 46 10. We must pray alwayes Luke 21. 36. Pray with David Psal 143. 2. Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy fight shall no flesh be justified 11 And thus we must love long and wish for the speedy comming of this day and of Christ our dearest friend Rev. 22. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 7. And rejoyce that it draweth nigh Acts 3. 19. Luke 21. 28. 12. We must continue withpatience a●d sobriety to wait for Christs comming till he come For 1. it will be long ere he come Mat. 25. 5. 2. A generall securitie will be upon all sorts of people Mat. 25. 5. 6. Mat. 24. 38. 39. 3. Securitie is dangerous to all Mat. 25 5 6. 7. 8. 4 Herein is watchfulnesse indeed in an earnest care and bending of the mind to live every day as one would live upon his Judgement day which may fall out to be every day for ought that he knoweth Thus let us be alwayes prepared for Christ will come in an hour that we think not of 4. Since at the day of judgement every man shall receive according to his works let us be from hence exhorted in the next place to take care that our works be good and that we be fruitfull in good works Rom. 2. 6. 7 8. Especially in succouring the needie members of Jesus Christ Mat. 25. 35. I was hungry and ye fed me c. The last definitive sentence

shall passe upon men according to their forwardnesse and freenesse in shewing mercy to the family of faith and the meanest kindenesse done to them Christ will accept and will reward as done to himself Mat. 10. 41. 42. God is not unfaithfull that he should forget your labour of love c. 5. In the next place since at this great day our conscience shall give evidence against us and either accuse or excuse us and it will be a time of great trouble let us labour to get good and quiet consciences towards God and man 2 Pet. 3. 14. And if at any time the conscience happen to be defiled or disquieted by sin let us by repentance and application of Christs blood by faith get it to be cleansed and quieted again A good conscience will be more worth than all the worlds good at the day of judgement Acts 24. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 6. In the next place let this serve to perswade us that are Gods people to be patient under all the sufferings of this present life Iames 5. 6 7 8. Be patient therefore for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh and then when he comes all will be well for then his people shall have rest from all their troubles 2 Thes 1. 6 7. But of this we shall have more in the use of comfort 7. Let us be perswaded in the next place to think and speak more reverently of the Judge of all flesh the Lord Jesus If we honour our civill Judges we are much more bound to honour this Judge Rev. 14. 7. 8. Since that at this day of judgement all things shall be dissolved by fire Let this in the next place perswade us to moderation in our desires after and delights in all earthly things the works either of creation or natures daily production or arts invention 2 Pet. 3. 11. 1 Cor. 7. 31. Let us use the world as if we used it not 9 In the next place since after the dissolution of all things there shall be n●w heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. i none but righteous persons Let us then labour by regeneration to be such persons 10. Since this time of Christs second comming will be such a troublesome time Let us take care to be in a safe place at that time as men do when a city is to be stormed Let us put our selves into Gods hands Psal 31. 5. 11. In the next place let this perswade us to a reverent fear of Gods judgements which are so terrible Psal 119. 120. Hab. 3. 16. Quest But here a question may be made whether there be any prepared for Christs comming And whether any shall be thought worthy to escape the things that at that time shall come upon the world and that will have cause to rejoyce at Christs comming And who they are that shall be thus prepared c To the first part we answer That doubtlesse there are such as doth clearly appear by these Scriptures Luke 21. 28 36. Acts 3. 19 Rev. 22. 17. Ans For answer to the second part since the day of judgement is a day of so much good to some and so much evil to others that some shall have cause to rejoyce others to weep and howle when it comes we shall spend some time in examination For which purpose Vse The next use therefore shall be a use of triall and examination to shew men of which side and sort they are and to discover to them whether they are of the sheep of Christ and shall at the day of judgement be set on his right hand and taken up to glorie or whether they be goats to be placed on his left hand and sent down to hell Let us trie our selves whether we be in the faith or no. 2 Cor. 1. 5 Let us see whether our names be written in the book of life i whether we are elected to life and our names are written in heaven to be taken up into life and glorie with them that are appointed thereunto for those whose names are not written there are to be cast out Rev. 21. 27. And hence it is that this Book is to be opened at the day of Judgement Rev. 20. 12 ●5 to see whose names are written there Rev. 3. 5 21 27. Phil. 4. 3. The work is then to finde whether our names are written in this Book of life for if once written there they can never be put out again But you will say how shall we know this which is not to be known we answer First this is to be known 1. For otherwise Moses spake he knew not what in Exod. 32. 31 32. And Christs speech must needs be idle in Luke 10. 12. When he bids his disciples rejoyce that their names were written in the Book of life And the Apostle 2 Pet. 2. 10. spake unadvisedly when he bid them make their Election sure 2. The Saints have known this Iob 19. 25 26. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Secondly their names are written in the Book of life i they are Elected which are Christs sheep And they are Christs sheep which have 1. Christs Eare mark an inward and effectuall C●l●●ng i that are drawn by the work of Gods Spirit from sin to holinesse and made of sinners saints and sons of God 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Acts 2. 39. Rom 8. 28 30. Whom he predestinated them he called c. 2. Christs brand mark brotherly love 1 John 3. 14. Iohn 13. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another 3. His mark in their foreheads they mourn for sin Ezek. 9. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 7. 4. His Seal the spirit of God Rom. 〈◊〉 8 9 10. 5. They feed in his pastures upon his ordinances and grow and thrive thereby in grace Ephes. 2. 21. Psal 23. 2. Psal 84. 7. 6. That are like to sheep in nature and qualitie 1. Tractable and meek that may be easily governed and reduced from their strayings Psal 100. 3. Esay 11. 6. Matt. 5 5. Ephes 4. 1. 2. 2. Chast Tit. 2. 5. 3. Innocent Matt. 10. 16. 4. Patient Iames 5. 7 8. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Psal 40. 〈◊〉 Esay 53. 7. 5 Profitable Phil. ver 11. 6. Temperate Tit. 1. 8. Luke 21. 24. 1 Peter 1 6. 7. Sociable and loving Heb. 10. 25. Ephes 4. 1 2. 8. Clean from soul 2 Pet. 3. 14. Rev. 3. 4 5. 7. They have not onely a form but a power of godlinesse not onely oyle in their lamps but in their vessels also Matt. 25. 1 2. 3. c. 8 They are active and faithfull in their places for Gods glory and his Churches good Matt. 24. 46. And finally they are such as beleeve and obey the gospell of Iesus Christ turn from sin sincerely stick to God constantly and suffer patiently the evil of this present time desire wait and lock for the appearing of this Christ to judgement 2. Thes 1. 7 8. Matt. 24. 48 13 33 37. Heb.

see as he is seen he shall have a most cleer beatifficall sweet and comfortable beholding of God by the understanding of the minde as far as the creature is capable And this sight of God shall be 1. True not imaginary and by delusions 2 It shall be perfect according to the capacity of the soul 3 It shall be immediate without the help of any other thing 4 It shall be joyfull as one that seeth his deerest friend and not terrible as one that seeth his Judge or Tormentour And this must needs be a blessed thing For 1. God is Light 2 He is joy 3 He is satisfying to the soul 4 There is participation of him by this means to the creatures 1 Io. 1. 5. Psal 16. 7. 171 Ioh. 3 2. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Cor. 13. 12. Iob 19. 5. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall see him c. And faithfull shall also have a sweet and comfortable and certain knowledge of one another Mat. 27. 3. 4. From the perfect conformity of the whole man to Gods will for then the work of grace shall be perfect and entire 1 Cor. 13. 10. When that which is perfect i● come then that which is in part shall be done away then and there the faithfull shall not sin for they shall enjoy a perfect rest which cannot stand with sin and they shall doe Gods will perfectly as the Angels in heaven and as Christ him self Mat. 6. v. 10. 22 30. Psal 103 v. 21 22. 1 Jo. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Wee shall all meet together c. unto a perfect man and the measure of the age of the 〈◊〉 of ●hrist Ephes 4. 13. The Church shall be glorious at last not having spot or wri●kle or any such thing Ephes 5. ●7 When he is manifest we shall be like him 1 Jo. 3. 2. Then shall the Saints be freed from that body of death under which they groan so much now then shall they be freed from that body of corruption under which they cry out so much O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c. Rom. 7. 23 24 25. Rev. 〈◊〉 4. 1● 5. From their fruition of what they have for they shall not onely have much but enjoy what they have they shall therefore know it that is theirs what it is and that they cannot lose it none can take it from them There are these things in fruition 1. there must be a propriety in the thing 2. a possession of the thing 3. an accommodation of it to the ends for which it is appointed 4. an as●urance that they shall not lose it all this is here for then he shall dwel on high and his defence shall be the munition of Rocks Esay 33. 16. compare then the happines and security of this estate together and we must needs say it is a very happy estate Iohn 10. 28. 6. From their contentment and satisfaction in it For then shall they not desire more or other then they have but God alone shall be their portion they shal desire none other with him or besides him then shal● it come passe that God shall be all in all 1 Corinthians 15. verse 28. 7. From their work and Imployment which shall be that and nothing but that wherein the regenerate man doth much delight Rom. 7. 21. They serve God night and day in his Temple and sing praises to him Revel 7. 15. Halleluia Salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God Revel 1. 1. And when those Beasts gave glory and honour and thanks to him that sate on the Throne who ●●o●th for ever and ever the foure and twenty E●●ers fall down before him that sate on the Throne and worship him that liveth for ever and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour a●d power for thou ha●● created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Revel 4. 9 10 11. And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred tongue and nation and people i. From the state of the wicked as the Israelites turned back on the Sea and saw the Egyptians drowned themselves delivered And as there shall be no evill person so there shall be no evill work there Revel 21. 27. 22. ● 〈◊〉 15. 2 Pet. 3. 13. All things that offend shall be removed Mat 13 41. 9. That nothing shall disturbe their happines or in the least measure lessen it and that there shall be no intermission of it but that it shall be night and day continued Great peace shall they have that keep thy Word and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. Your joy shall no man take from you Io. 16. 22. Add we to all this the su●dennesse and ●nexpectednesse of them the place the company and the time wherein and with whom all this happines shall be enjoyed and we will see and say that there is indeed matter of wonderfull joy and delight in it 1. From the place in 3. particulars 1. It is above and on high it shall be very conspicuous and therefore more glorious it doth somewhat add to the glory of a building that it is a little mounted Jerusalem which is above Gal. 4. 6. Acts 1 9 10 11. 2. It is a place of unmeasurable greatnes and largenes it ads to the glory of a ●arm and the hapines of hi● that ows it that it is spacious to have 〈◊〉 that very good a fair 〈◊〉 it and ●ll in a sweet soile and fa●●ly ●●●tuated all this together is in this possession for the Heaven is the biggest of all created bodies and infinitely bigger then the Earth 2 Cor. 12. 2. and all this shining with exq●●●te glory and brightnes of purest light Men love stately houses built by curious workmen especially if ●hey be safe pleasant and delightfull h●●●tations Such is this Heb 11. 12. Jo. 14. 2. In my fathers house are many mansions It is called the great City Rev. 21. 10. and the City of the great and mighty King and Lord of Heaven and Earth made of purpose for the manifestation of his glory and the habitation and entertainment of his dearest friends 3. It is a place of incomparable and supercelestiall light of a perfect and constant light for there shall be no night there It is set out by a City whose wal is of Jaspar building of Gold Gates of Pearls and foundation of precious stones I● needs not the light of the Sun and Moon For the glory of the Lord shall enlighten it and the Lambe shall be the light thereof And it must needs be infinitely shining and bright for God himself in his most ●●●nsparent glory shall there shine out most admirable the glorified body of Christ shall shine brighter then the firmanment and the splendor of many millions of

stand Rev. 6. 17. And then shall hee send his Angels with this great sound of a trumpet to gather together his elect from the foure windes Mat. 24. 31. And then shall all flesh appear before his judgment seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. Who is the judge of quick and dead Acts 10. 42. And he shall sit whose garment shall be white as Snow and the haire of his head like pure Wool his Throne like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire a fiery stream shall issue and come before him thousand thousands shall mini●er unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand shall stand before him the judgement shall be set and the Books shall be opened Dan. 7. 9 10. Jude 14. And before this Judge for his knowledge is infinite his courage in comparable his uprightnes incorruptible these wicked Catifs shall have a most just and equal tryall and be convinced by more then a thousand witnesses and being separated as Goats from the Sheep of Christ hear that dreadfull sentence Depart yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels which shal be speedily effectually and eternally executed in the state place we have before spoken of And what will yee do in the time of visitation and in the desolation which shal come from far and to whom will yee flye for help and where wil lyee leave your glory oh consider this all yee that forget God least he tear you in peeces and there be non● to deliver you Esay 10. 3. 4. Psal 50. 22. In the third place if Hell be such a miserable condition then how much thanks do they owe to God that are delivered and preserved from this estate that are not appointed to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ Had a man been taken captiveby the Turks and there being appointed to die and another man no way obliged to him of whom the captive had deserved no good but evil should ransom him at a great rate all men would say that this captive was infinitely bound to give thanks to this redeemer But ala● what is this to the work of redemption by the Lord Iesus Christ surely nothing at all then are we much more bound to God who hath translated us from darknes to light and from the power of Satan to God Col. 1. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 57. Ps 16 9 10 11. 1 ●et 18. 19. In the fourth place if Hell be such a miserable condition and there be no perswading of us to keep our selves from it yet let us be perswaded not to further others towards this misery as all men do that by wicked councell or example provoke perswade and draw men to sin or dishearten or drive them back from good a monstrous and barbarous cruelty yet common in most yea frequent in Parents to children but rather let us pity them that are under this misery and do what we can to keep others especially these that are neer us from it If we saw another one of our children especially ready to fall in the fire or water do we not should we not do our best to save and preserve them even nature teacheth it much more then let us so do in this case by Councel Prayer and Correction also where we have authority Iude 22 23. And have compassion on some in putting 〈◊〉 other save with fear pulling them out of the fire And to move us hereunto let us consider 1. that he that converteth a sinner from going astray out of the way shall save a soule from death and hide a multitude of sin Jam. 5. 20. 2. H. this turneth others to righteousnes shall 〈◊〉 the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12. 2. 3. Otherwise we shall seem to be worse then the damned in hell for Dives would have A●●●ban to send to his brethren to 〈◊〉 them that they might not come into this place Luke 16. 27. 28. 4. hereby God is glorified much In the last place since it is so that there be degrees of torments in Hell and that the wicked man will thither say what we can O that we might yet perswade him not to sin so much if he will to hell and there be no nay hee would a● least provide that his torments in hell may not be in the most extream degree But if none of all this will do to perswade him then have we no more to say to him but the words of the Holy Ghost Rev. 22. 1● He that is unjust let him be unjust still And be which is filthy let him be filthy still Finis