loathsom condition The ungodly at their death are like the Thistle-seed but at their rising they will be like the Thistle grown more noysom offensive and provoking to rejection abundance Then such dishonour shame and contempt will appear in them that neither God nor Christ Saints nor Angels will so much as once regard them or vouchsafe one to come near them He beholdeth the wicked a far off because in the day of Grace they would not come to hand and be saved therefore now they shall all as thorns be thrust away as with fences of Iron 2. Sam. 23. 6 7. Their rising is called the Resurrection of the unjust and so they at that day will appear and will more stink in the nostrils of God and all the Heavenly Hosts then if they had the most irksome Plague-soars in the World running on them If a man at his Birth be counted as one cast forth to the loathing of his person how loathsom and irksom dishonourable and contemptible will those be that shall arise Godless Christless Spiritless and Graceless when the Trumpet sounds to their Judgement they coming out of their Graves far more loathsom and filthy then if they should ascend out of the most filthy hole on Earth Thirdly As the Just shall arise in power so the wicked and unjust in weakness and astonishment Sin and guilt bringeth weakness and faintness in this life how much more when both with all their power and force like a Gyant fasten on them as God saith Can thy hands be strong and can thy heart indure in the day that I shall deal with thee Eccless 22. 14. Now will the gastly Jaws of despair gape upon thee and now will condemnings of Conscience like Thunder-claps continually batter against thy weary Spirit It is the Godly that have boldness in the day of Judgement but the wicked will be like the Chaffe which the Wind driveth away 1 John 4. 17. Psal. 1. 4. O the fear and the heart-aking that will seiz them in their rising the frightful thoughts that then will fill their throbbing hearts Now must that Soul that hath been in Hell-fire among the Devils possess the body again Possess it I say with the hot scalding stink of Hell upon it They shall not be able to lift up the head for ever pangs shall take hold on them all their hands shall faint and every mans heart shall melt They shall be amazed one at another their faces shall be as flames Isa. 13. 6 7 8. Every thing they see hear or think of shall tend to their discomfort They must needs be weak whom God hath left whom guilt hath seized and whom death is swallowing up for ever Fourthly As the Just shall arise spiritual Bodies so the unjust shall arise onely as meer and naked lumps of sinful nature not having the least help from God to bear them up under this condition Wherefore so soon as ever they are risen out of their Graves they will feel a continual sinking under every remembrance of every sin and thoughts of Judgement in their rising they fall fall I say from thenceforth and for ever And for this Reason the Dungeon into which they fall is called bottomless Rev. 20. 1. Because as there will be no end of their misery so there will be no stay or prop to bare them up in it Onely as I said before they shall not now as afore be separate Body from Soul but both together be bound in the cords of sin and iniquity in which they shall now tremble as Theeves and Murderers c. as they go before the Judge to hear what he will say unto them Now when the wicked are thus raised out of their Graves they shall together with all the Angels of darkness their fellow Prisoners be brought up being shackled in their sins to the place of Judgement where there shall fit upon them Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Lord chief Judge of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth On whose right hand and left shall fit all the Princes and Heavenly Nobles the Saints and Prophets the Apostles and Witnesses of Jesus every one in his Kingly Attire upon the Throne of his Glory Joel 3. 11 12 13 14. Then shall be fulfilled that which is written As for these my enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them before me to slay them Luk. 19. 27. When every one is thus set in his proper place the Judge on his Throne with his Attendants and the prisoners coming up to Judgement forthwith there shall issue forth a mighty fire and tempest from before the Throne which shall compass it round about Which fire shall be as Bars and bounds to the wicked to keep them at a certain distance from the Heavenly Majesty As David saith Psal. 50. 3. Our God will come and not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him And again Dan. 7. 9. His Throne was like the fiery flame and his Wheels like burning fire A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him c. This Preparation being made to wit the Judge with his Attendance on the Throne the Bar for the Prisoners and the Rebels all standing with gastly Jaws to look for what comes after Presently the Books are brought forth to wit the Books both of Death and Life And every one of them opened before the sinners now to be judged and condemned For after that he had said before Dan. 7. 10. A fiery stream issued and came â—orth from before him he adds thousands thousands ministred to him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Judgement was set and the Books was opened And again I saw a great white Throne and him that sate upon it from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no more place for them and I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book were opened which is the Book of Life And the Dead were Judged out of the things that were written in the Books according to their works Rev. 20. 11 12. He doth not say the Book was opened as of one but the Books as of many And indeed they are more than one two or three out of which the Dead shall in the Judgement be proceeded against First then there is the Book of the Creatures to be opened Secondly The Book of Gods Remembrance Thirdly The Book of the Law And fourthly The Book of Life For by every one of these that is out of what is written in them shall the World of the ungodly be judged And the Books were opened First The Book of the Creatures shall be opened and that first it concerns mans nature and next as it relates to all other Creatures First he will shew in what the principles if nature were as they were Gods Creation
1 Cor. 15 16. He that denyeth the Resurrection of the members denyeth the Resurrection of the Head for seeing the Resurrection of the Saints is proved by the Resurrection of Christ he that doth deny the Resurrection of the Saints must needs deny the Resurrection of Christ that proves it Now this errour as it is in it self destructive to all Christian Religion so it like an Adder carrieth within its bowels many other alike devilish and filthy as 1. He that denyeth the Resurrection of the Saints he concludeth that to preach deliverance from sin and death it is vain preaching for how can he be freed of sin that is swallowed up for ever of Death the Grave as he most certainly is that is always contained therin as Paul saith if Christ be not risen whose Resurrection is the ground of ours then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain then we preach fables and you receive them for truth 1 Cor. 15. 14. 2. This errour casteth the Lie in the face of God of Christ and the Scriptures ye and we also saith Paul are found false Witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised Christ up if so be that the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15. 15. Mark before he said Christ in his Resurrection doth prove our Resurrection but now he saith that our Resurrection will prove the truth of his and indeed both are true for as by Christs rising ours is affirmed so by ours his is demonstrated oâ— 3. The denyal of the Resurrection it also damneth all those that have departed this World in the faith of this Doctrine If Christ be not raised as if he is not we rise not then is not onely your faith vain and ye are yet in your sins that are alive but then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished 1 Cor. 15. 17 18. 4 He that denyeth the Resurrection of the Just he concludeth that the Christian is of all men the most miserable Mark the words If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men the most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. First of all men the most miserable because we let go present injoyments of those that will never come if the deaâ— rise not of all men most miserable because our faith our hope our joy and peace are all but a lie if the dead rise not But you will say he that giveth up himself to God shall have comfort in this life Ah but if the dead rise not all our comfort that now we think we have from God will then be found presumption and madness because we believe that God hath so loved us as to have us in his day in Body and Soul to Heaven which will be nothing so if the dead rise not If in this 〈◊〉 onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Poor Christian thou that lookest for the blessed hope of the Resurrection of the Body at the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ how wilt thou be deceived if the Dead rise not but now is Christ risen and become he first fruits of them that sleep for since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection from the dead 1 Cor. 15. 20 21. 5. But again he that 〈◊〉 the Resurrection of the dead he setteth open a â—â—â—udgate to all manner of impiety he cutteth â—he throat of a truly holy life and layeth the Reins upon the neck of the most outragiâ—us â—ustâ— For if the dead rise not let us eat and drink that is do anything though never so diabolical and hellish let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die and there is an end of us we shall not arise again to receive either evill or good 1 Cor. 15. 32. 6. To deny this Resurrection nay if a man do but say it is past either with him or any Christian his so saying tendeth directly to the destâ—uction and overthrow of the faith of them that hear him and is so far from being according to the Doctrine of God that it eateth out good and wholsome Doctrine even as Cankers eat the face and flesh of a man how ill favouredly do they look that have their nose and lips eat off with the Canker even so badly doth the Doctrine of no Resurrection of the dead look in the eyes of God Christ Saints and Scripture 2 Tim. 2. 18. Lastly I conclude then that to deny the Resurrection of the Bodies of the Just it argueth First Great ignorance of God ignorant of his power to raise ignorant of his promise to raise ignorant of his faithfulness to raise and that both to himself Son and Saints as I shewed before therefore saith Paul to those that were thus deluded Awake to Righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame 1 Cor. 18. 32 33 34. as if he had said Do you profess Christianity and do you question the Resurrection of the Body Do you not know that the Resurrection of the Body and glory to follow is the very quintessence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Are you ignorant of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus and do you question the power and faithfulness of God both to his Son and his Saints because you say there shall be no Resurrection of the Dead you are ignorant of God of what he can do of what he will do and of what he will by doing glorifie himself Secondly As it argueth very great ignorance of Gods power faithfulness c. so it argueth gross ignorance of the Tenor and curâ—ant of the Scriptures for as touching the Dead that they are raised have ye not read in the Book of Moses saith Christ how that God said unto him in the Bush I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living ye do therefore greatly erre Mark 12. 26 27. To be the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob it is to be understood of his being their God under a new Covenant-Consideration as he saith I will be their God and they shall be my People Heb. 8. 10 11. John 8. 44. 1 John 38. 9 10. Hos. 6. 2. Col. 3. 4. Ephes. 1. 4. Now thus he is not the God of the Dead that is of those that perish whether they be Angels or men Now I say they that are the Children of God as Abraham Isaac and Jacob they are counted the Living under a threefold Consideration 1. In their Lord and Head and thus all the Elect may be said to live for they are from Eternity chosen in him who also is their life though possibly many of them yet unconverted I say yet Christ is their life by the eternal purpose of God 2. The Children of the new Covenant do live both in their spirits in glory by open vision and here by Faith Gal. 2. 20. and the
to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. And Jude saith for them is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude 13. The punishment of the ungodly it is reserved till the day of Judgement which will be the time of their Resurrection Observe first The wicked must be punished Secondly The time of their punishment is not now but at the day of Judgement Thirdly This day of Judgement must be the same with the Resurrection of the Dead at the end of this World As therefore the Tares are gathered and burned in the fire so shall it be in the end of this World The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity and shall cast them into a Furnace of fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Mat. 13. 40 41. There shall then be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Fourthly The Soveraignty of the Lord Jesus over all Creatures doth plainly foreshew a Resurrection of the bad as well as of the good Indeed the unjust shall not arise by vertue of any relation they stand in to the Lord Jesus as the Saints shall but yet because all are delivered into his hand and he made Soveraign Lord over them therefore by an Act of his Soveraign Power they that are ungodly shall arise this is Christs own Argument The Father judgeth no man saith he but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son that is Count him and fall before him as their Soveraign Lord even as they honour the Father and he hath given him authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of Man And then he adds Marvel not at this for the hower is coming that all that are in their graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill to the Resurrection of damnation Joh. 5. 22 23 27 28 29. From hence also Paul argueth saying For this cause he both dyed rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living And then adds We must all stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ. Rom. 14. 9. 10. Pray mind these words Jesus Christ by his Death and Resurrection did not onely purchase Grace and Remission of sins for his Elect with their Eternal Glory but did thereby also obtain of the Father to be Lord and Head over all things whether they be things in Heaven or things on Earth or things under the Earth All Power saith he in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me and I have the Keys of Hell and of Death Mat. 28. 18. Rev 1. 18. So that all things I say whether they be visible or invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Col. 1. 16. This being thus at the Name of Jesus every knee must bow and every Tongue confess that he is Soveraign Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Now that this may be done He hath his Resolutions upon a Judgement-day in which he to shew himself his People his Way and Word in their Glory will have all his Enemies raised out of their Graves and brought before him where he will sit upon them in the Throne of his Gloâ—y and will shew them then who is the onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Mat. 25. 31 32. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15. Beloved He comes with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed and of all their wicked speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14 15. Fifthly The great preparation that God hath made for the Judgement of the wicked doth clearly demonstrate their rising forth out of their Graves First He hath appointed the day of their rising Secondly He hath appointed their Judge to judge them Thirdly He hath Recorded all their acts and doings against that day Fourthly He hath also already appointed the Witnesses to come in against them Fifthly The Instruments of death and misery are already prepared for them For the first he hath appointed the day of their rising which day John calleth the time of the dead that they should be judged Which time Paul saith is a time fixed he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World c. This time and day Christ brings down to an houre saying The hour is coming when all that are in their Graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth c. Revel 11. 18. Acts 17. 30 31. Joh. 5. 28 29. Secondly As he hath appointed the day so he hath appointed the Judge He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained of which he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the Dead This Man is Jesus Christ for it is He that is ordained of God to be the Judge of the Quick and the Dead Acts 17. 30 31. Acts 10. 40 41 42. Thirdly All their deeds and works to a word and thought and every one already Recorded and Inrolled in the Books of the Laws of Heaven against that day The sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond upon the Tables of their heart And again saith God Write it in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come even for ever and ever that this is a rebellious House c. Jer. 17. 1. Isa. 30. 8 9. Fourthly God hath prepared his Witnesses against this day James 5. 1. Job 20. 27. Mat. 24. 14. Rom. 2. 14 15. Malac. 3. 5. Fifthly The Instruments of Death and Eternal misery are all already prepared He hath prepared for them the Instruments of Death he hath ordained his Arrows against the face of persecutors Psal. 7. 11 12 13. Psal. 21. 12. Hell is of old prepared he hath made it deep and large the fire the everlasting fire is also now of a long time prepared the heavy weights of Gods Curse are also ready and their damnation now of a long time slumbereth not Isa. 30 33. Mat. 25. 41. Deut. 29. 19 30. 2 Pet. 2 3. But now I say how rediculous a business would all this be if these things should be all prepared of the onely wise God and there should be none to be judged or if he that is ordained Judge should not either through want of power or will Command these Rebels and force them before his Judgement-Seat Glad indeed would the sinners be if these things might be true Glad I say at very heart if they might be in their secret places of darkness and the Grave for ever but it must not be the day of their rising is set
deal with sinners in the day of Judgement and will bring in I say all the Counsels and warnings he hath given men by these things both to clear up and to agravate their Judgement to them The second Book that will be opened at this day it will be the Book of Gods Remembrance Mal. 3. 16. For as God hath in his Remembrance Recorded all and every particular good thing that his own People hath done to and for his Name while they were in this World so he hath in his Remembrance Recorded all the evill and sin of his adversaries even every thing Eccles. 12. 14. Now Gods Remembrance is so perfect every way that it is impossible that any thing should be lost that is committed to it to be kept and brought forth to the Judgement at the time appointed for as a thousand years are but as yesterday with his Eternity so the sins that have been committed thousands of years since they are all so firmly fixed in the Remembrance of the Eternal God that they are always as fresh and clear in his sight as if they were but just now in committing He calleth again the things that are past Eccles. 3. 15. and hath set our most securest things in the light of his Countenance Psal. 90. 8. As he also saith in another place Hell it self is naked before him and destruction hath no covering Job 26. 6. That is the most secret cunning and hidden contrivances of the most subtle of the infernal spirits which yet are far more slethy then men to hide their wickedness yet I say all their wayes hearts and most secret doings are clear to the very bottom of them in the Eyes of the great God All things are open and bare before the Eyes of him with whom we have to do who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the heart Heb. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 4 5. Ye that say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Understand O ye bruitish among the People and ye fools when will ye be wise He that planted the Ear shall not he hear He that formed the Eye shall not he see He that chasteneth the Heathen shall not he correct He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know Psal. 94. 7 8 9 10. See also Hos. 7. 2. 8. 13. Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him that is when he is committing wickedness saith the Lord Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. Now to know and see things it is the cause among men of their remembrance Wherefore God to shew us that he will remember all our sins if we die out of Christ he tells us that he knoweth and seeth them all and therefore must needs remember them for as is his sight and knowledge so is his Remembrance of all things When this Book of his Remembrance therefore is opened as it shall be in the Judgement then shall be brought forth of their hidden holes all things whatsoever hath been done since the World began whether by Kingdoms in general or persons in particular Now also shall be brought forth to open view all the transactions of God and his Son among the Sons of men and every thing shall be applyed to every particular person in equity and Justice to whom they belong the sins that thou hast committed shall be thy own and thou thy self shall bear them The Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed It will be marvellous to behold how by thousands and ten thousands God will call from their secret places those sins that one would have thought had been dead and buried and forgotten yea how he will shew before the Sun such things so base and so horrid that one would think it was not in the hearts of any to commit for all is Recorded in the Book of Gods Remembrance While men are here they have a thousand tricks to present themselves one to another far more fair and honest then they are or ever were As Christ said to the Pharisees Ye are they who justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts Luk. 16. 15. I God knoweth indeed what a nest what a heap what swarms yea what Legions of hellish wickednesses there is with power lurking like Cockatrices in those men that one would swear a thousand times are good and honest men The way of men in their sins it is like an Eagle in the Air a Serpent upon the Rock a Ship in the midst of the Sea and of a young Man with a Maid saith Solomon Prov. 30. 19 20. That is hiddenly closely covertly burying all under fair pretences wipeth their mouths in the close of their evill saying I have done wickedness But this though it may serve for the time present and no longer God will not be deluded nor blinded nor mocked nor put off Gal. 6. 7. They consider not that I remember all their wickedness saith he but I will reprove thee and will set them in order before thine eyes Hos. 7. 2. Psal. 50. 21. Here will be laid open the very heart of Cain the murderer of Judas the Traytor of Saul the adversary of David and of those that under pretences of holiness have persecuted Christ his Word and People Now shall every Drunkard Whoremaster Thief and other wicked person be turned their inside outward their hearts right open and every sin with every circumstance of place time person with whom with the causes also that drew them to the commission of every evill be discovered to all Here will be no hiding your selves behind Curtains nor no covering your selves with the black and dark night If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me yea O God darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and light are both alike unto thee Psal. 139. 11 12. The piercing Eye of God beholds all places persons and things the holy hand of his Justice writeth them down in the Book of his Remembrance and by his Power and Wisdom will he open and read to all men exactly distinctly and convincingly whatever hath passed from them or bin done by them in their whole life For for all these things God will bring thee into Judgement Eccles. 11. 9. Again as God will bring out of the Book of his Remembrance what ever hath passed from thee against him so also will he then bring forth by the same Book all things and carriages of his towards thee Here will he bring to thy mind every Sermon thou hast heard every Chapter thou hast read every conviction thou hast had on thy Conscience and every admonition that hath been given thee in all thy life when thou wast in the Land of the Living Now will God lay open before thee what patience he extended to thee how he let thee lâ—ve
speaking for themselves behold how earnestly they groan how gastly they look and how now the brinish tears flow down like Rivers from their eyes ever re-doubling their Petition Lord Lord Lord Lord first thinking of this thing and then of that ever contending seeking and striving to enter in at this strait Gate As Christ saith When once the Masters of the House is risen up that is when Christ hath laid aside his mediation for sinners and hath taken upon him onely to judge and condemn then will the wicked begin to stand without and to knock and contend for a portion among them that are the blessed Ah how will their hearts twitter while they look upon the Kingdom of Glory and how will they ake and throb at every view of Hell their proper place still crying O that we might inherit life and O that we might escape eternal death But now to take away alâ— cavils and objections that of this nature will arise in the hearts of these men forthwith the Book of Life is brought ouâ— for a conclusion and a finall end of eternall Judgment As John saith The Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judgâ—â— out of those things that were written in the Books according to their works Rev. 20. 12. But this Book of Life it is not at this time opened because there are not any godly to be tryed for as I have shewed before their Judgment is past and over before the wicked rise The Book of Life then it is now opened for further conviction of damned Reprobates that their mouths may be stoped for ever as touching all their cavils contendings and Arguments against Gods proceeding in Judgement with them For believe it while God is judging them they will fall to judging him again but he will be justified in his sayings and will overcome when he is judged at this day Rom. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Yet not by a hasty and and angry casting them away but by a legall and convincing proceeding against them and overthrowing all their cavils by his manifest and invincible truth Wherefore to cut off all that they can say he will now open the Book of Life before them and will shew them what is written therein both as to Election Conversion and a truly Gospel-Conversation And will convince them that they neither are of the number of his Elect neither were they ever regenerate neither had they ever a truly Gospel-Conversation in 〈◊〉 World By these three things then out of this Book thou who art not saved must at last be judged and overcome First Here will be tryed whether thou art within that part of this Book wherein all the Elect are Recorded for all the Elect are written here as Christ saith Rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven And again in thy Book saith he to his Father are all my members written Luk. 10. 20. Psal. 139. 16. Heb 12. 22 23. Now then if thy name be not found either among the Prophets Apostles or the rest of Saints thou must be put by as one that is cast away as one polluted and as an abominable branch Isa. 14. 18 19. Thy name is wanting in the Genealogies and Rolls of Heaven Ezra 2. 62. Thou art not prickt for everlasting life therefore thou must not be delivered from that Soul-amazing misery for there are no Souls can though they would give a thousand Worlds be delivered at the day of God but such that are found written in this Book Every one of those that are written though never a one of those that are not written shall in that day be delivered from the wrath to câ—me Dan. 12. 1. But O methinks with what careful hearts will the damned now begin to look for their names in this Book Those that when once the long suffering of God waited on them made light of all admonition and slighted the Counsel of making their Calling and Election sure would now give thousands of Treasures that they could but spy their names though last and least among the Sons of God but I say how will they fail how will they faint how will they die and languish in their Souls when they shall still as they look see their names wanting What a pinch will it be to Cain to see his Brother there Recorded and he himself left out Absalon will now sound and be as one that giveth up the Ghost when he shall see David his Father and Solomon his Brother written here while he with all is written in the Earth among the damned Thus I say will sadness be added to sadness in the Soul of the perishing World when they fail of finding their names in this part of the Book of the life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. Secondly The second part of this Book is that in which is Recorded the nature of Conversion of Faith Love c. And those that have not had the effectual Word of God upon them and the true and saving operation of Grace in their hearts which is indeed the true life which is begun in every Christian they will be found still not written in this Book for the living the holy living Souls are they onely that are written therein as the Prophet saith And he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem Isa. 4. 3. Eternal life is already in this life begun in every Soul that shall be saved as Christ saith He that believeth in me hath everlasting life And again Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 54. And hence they aâ—e called the living that are written in this Book Here then the Lord will open before thee what Conversion is in the true and simple nature of it which wher thou beholdest thou wilt then be convinced that this thou hast mist of for it must needs be that when thou beholdest by the Records of Heaven what a change what a turn what an alteration the work of Regeneration maketh on every Soul and in every heart where the effectual Call or the Call according to his purpose is that thou who hast lived a stranger to this or that hast contented thy self with the notion onely or a formal and feigned profession thereef I say it cannot be but that thou must forthwith fall down and with grief conclude that thou hast no share in this part of the Book of Life neither the living onely are written herein There is not one dead carnall wicked man recorded here No but when the Lord shall at this day make mention of Rahâ—b of Babylon of Philistia and Ethiopia that is of all the cursed â—abble and crue of the damned then he will say that this man was born there that is amongst them and so hath his name where they have theirs
namely under the black Rod in the Kings black Book where he hath Recorded all his Enemies and Traytors It shall be said of this man of this ungodly man that he was born there Psal. 87. 4. That he lived and dyed in the state of nature and so under the curse of God even as others for as he said of wicked Coniah Jer. 22. 30. Write this man childless so he saith of every ungodly man that so departeth out of this World Write this man Graceless Wherefore I say among the Babylonians and Phylistians among the unbelieving Moors and Pagans his name will be found in the day when it will be inquired where every man was born for God at this day will divide the whole World into these two Ranks the Children of the World and the Children of Zion Wherefore here is the honour the priviledge and advantage that the Godly above the wicked will have at the day of their counting When the Lord maketh mention of Zion it shall be then acknowledged that this and that good man was born in her the Lord shall count saith the Prophet when he wrighteth up the People that this man was born there Psal. 87. 5 6. This man had the work of Conversion of Faith and Grace iâ— his Soul This man 〈◊〉 Child of Zion of the Heavenly Jerusalem which is also written in Heaven Blessed is the People that are in such a case Gal. 4 26 Heb 12. 22 23. Psal. 144. 1â—â— But poor Soul Counters will not go for Gold now for though so long as thou didst judge thy self by the crooked rule of thy own reason fancy and affection thou wast pure in thy own eyes yet â—ow thâ—u must be judged alone by the words and rule of the Lord Jesus Which word shall not now as in times past be wrested and wrung both this way and that to smooth thee up in thy Hypocrites hope and carnall confidence but be thou King or Keser be thou who thou wilt the Word of Christ and that with this interpretation onely It shall judge thee in the last day Joh. 12. 44. Now will sinners begin to cry with loud and bitter cryes Oh! ten thousand Worlds for a saving work of Grace Crowns and Kingdoms for the least measure of saving Faith and for the love that Christ will say is the love of his own Spirit Now they will begin also to see the work of a broken and a contrite spirit and of walking with God as living 〈◊〉 in this World But alas these things appear in their hearts to the damned too late as also do all things else This will be but like the repentance of the Thief about whose neck is the â—alter and he turning off the ladder for the unfortunate hap of the damned will be that the glory of Heavenly things will not appear to them till out of season Christ must now indeed be shewed to them as also the true nature of Faith and all Grace but it will be when the door is shut and mercy gone they will pray and repent most earnestly but it will be in the time of great Waters of the flouds of eternall wrath when they cannot come nigh him 1 Tim. 6. 15. Matth. 25. 10 11. Psal. 32. 6. Well then tell me sinner if Christ shouâ—d now come to judge the World canst thou abide the tryal of the Book of Life Art thou confident that thy Profession that thy Conversion thy Faith and all other Graces thou thinkest thou hast will prove Gold Silver and precious Stones in this day behold he comes as a Refiners fire and as Fullâ—rs Soap shalt thou indeed abide the melting and washing of this day Examine I say before hand and try thy self unfeignedly for every one that doth â—ruth cometh to the light that their deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. Thou sayest thou art a Christian that also thou hast repented dost believe and love the Lord Jesus but the question is whether these things will be found of equall length heighth and bredth with the Book of Life Or whether when thou art weighed in the ballance thou wilt yet be found wanting Dan. 5. 27. How if when thou comest to speak for thy self before God thou shouldest say Siboleth instead of Shiboleth that is though almost yet not rightly and naturally the Language of the Christians Judg. 12. 4 5 6. If thou miss but one letter in thy evidence thou art gone for though thou mayst deceive thy own heart with Brass instead of Gold and with Tin instead of Silver Gal. 6. 7. yet God will not be so put off You know how confident the foolish Virgins were and yet how they were deceived They herded with the Saints they went forth from the gross pollutions of the World they every one had shining Lamps and all went forth to meet the Bridegroom and yet they mist the Kingdom They were not written among the living in Jerusalem they had not the true powerful saving work of Conversion of Faith and Grace in their Souls they that are foolish take their Lamps but take no Oyl no saving Grace with them Mat. 25. 1 2 3 4. Thus you see how sinners will be put to it before the Judgment-Seat from these two parts of this Book of Life But Thirdly There is yet another part of this Book to be opened and that is that part of it in which is Recorded those noble and Christian acts that they have done since the time of their Conversion and turning to Christ. Here I say is Recorded the Testimony of the Saints against sin and Antichrist their suffering for the sake of God their love to the members of Christ their patience under the Cross and their faithful frequenting the Assemblies of the Saints and their incouraging one another to bear up in his wayes in the worst of times even when the proud was called happy and when they that wrought wickedness were even set up As he there saith Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a Book of Rememrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name Mat. 3. 14 15 16. For indeed as truly as any person hath his name found in the first part of this Book of Life and his Conversion in the second so there is a third part in which there is his noble spiritual and holy actions Recorded and set down As it is said by the Spirit to John concerning those that suffered Martyrdom for the truth of Jesus Write blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them Rev. 14. 13. And hence it is that the labours of the Saints and the Book of Life are mentioned together signifying that the travels and labours and acts of the godly are Recorded therein Phil. 4. 3. And hence it is again that the Lord