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
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
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
doth tell Sardis that those among them that stood it out to the last gasp in the Faith and Love of the Gospel should not be blotted out of the Book of Life but they with the work of God on their Soul and their labour for God in this World should be confessed before his Father and before his Angels Rev. 3. 5. This part of this Book is in another place called The Book of the Word of the Lord because in it I say is Recorded those famous acts of the Saints against the World flesh and the Devil Numb 21. 14. You find also how exact the Holy Ghost is in Recording the travels pains labour and goodness of any of the Children of Israel in their Journey from Egypt to Canaan which was a Representation of the Travels of the Saints from nature to Grace and from Grace to Glory King Ahasuerus kept in his Library a Book of Records wherein was wâ—it the good Service that his Subjects did for him at any time which was a Type also of the manner and order of Heaven And as sure as ever Mordecai when search was made in the Rolls was found there to have done such and such service for the King and his Kingdom Esth. 6. 1. 2. so surely will it be found what every Saint hath done for God at the day of inquiry You find in the Old Testament also still as any of the Kings of Judah dyed there was surely a Record in the Book of Chronicles of their memorable acts and doings for their God the Church and the Common-wealth of Israel which still doth further hold forth unto the Children of men this very thing That all the Kings of the New Testament which are the Saints of God have all their acts and what they have done for their God c. Recorded in the Book of Chronicles in the Heavenly Jerusalem Now I say when this part of the Book of Life shall be opened what can be found in it of the good deeds and Heaven-born actions of wicked men Just nothing for as it is not to be expected that Thorns should bring forth Grapes or that Thistles should bear as Figs so it cannot be imagined that ungodly men should have any thing to their Commendations Recorded in this part of the Book of Life What hast thou done man for God in this World Art thou one of them that hast set thy self against those strong struglings of pride lust covetousness and secret wickedness that remain in thy heart like Job and Paul Job 1. 8 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. 2. And do these struglings against these things arise from pure love to the Lord Jesus or from some legall terrours and conviction for sin Gal. 5 6. 3. Doest thou I say struggle against thy lusts because thou doest in truth love the sweet holy and blessed leadings of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus its leadings of thee I say into his blood and death for thy Justification and deliverance from wrath to comâ— Phil. 3. 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 5. 14. 4. What acts of self-denyal hast thou done for the name of the Lord Jesus among the Sons of men I say what house what friend what Wife what Children and the like hast thou lost or left for the Word of God and the Testimony of his truth in the World Matth. 19. 27 28. Revel 12. 10 11. 5. Wast thou one of them that didst sigh and afflict thy self for the abominations of the times and that Christ hath marked and Recorded for such a one Ezek. 9. 3 4. Zeph. 3. 18. 6. In a word Art thou one of them that wouldest not be won by neither fear frowns nor flatteries to forsake the wayes of God or wrong thy Conscience or art thou one of them that slightest those opportunities that Satan and this World did often give thee to return to sin in secret Heb. 11. 14 15. These be the men whose prayse is in the Gospel and whose commendable and worthy acts are Recorded before the Judge of all the World Alas alas these things are strange things to a carnal and wicked man Nothing of this hath bin done by him in this life and therefore how can any such be Recorded for him in the Book of Life wherefore he must needs be shut out of this part also As David saith Let them be blotted out of the Book of the living and not be written with the Righteous Psal. 69. 28. Thus I say the wicked will find nothing for their comfort either in the first part of this book where all the names of the Elect are neither will they find any thing in the second part thereof where is recorded the true nature and operation of effectual Conversion of Faith or Love or the like and I say neither can any thing be found in this third part wherein is recorded the worthy acts and memorable deeds of the Saints of the Lord Jesus Thus when Christ therefore hath opened before them this book of life and convinced the ungodly at this day out of it he will then shut it up again saying I find nothing herein that will do you good you are none of my Elect you are the sons of perdition For as these things will be found clear and full in the book of life so they will be found effectually wrought in the hearts of the Elect all whose conversion and perseverance shall now be opened before â—hy eyes as a witness I say of the truth of what thou here seest opened before thee and also of thy unregenerate estate Now thou wilt see what a turn what a change and what a clinging to God to Christ and his Word and wayes there was found in the Souls of the saved ones here shall be seen also how resolvedly unfeignedly and heartily the true child of God did oppose resist and war against his most dearest and darling lusts and corruptions now the Saints are hidden ones but then they shall be manifest this is the morrow in which the Lord will shew who are his and who they are that fear the Lord and who that fear him not Psal. 83. 3. Sam. 8. 19. Numb 16. 5. Mal. 3. 18. Now you shall see how Abraham left his Country how close good Lot did stick to God in prophane and wicked Sodom Heb. 11. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. Mat. 19. 29. how the Apostles left all to foâ—low Jesus Christ and how patiently they took all crosses afflictions persecutions and necessities for the Kingdome of Heavens sâ—ke how they indured burning starving stoning hanging and a thousand calamities how they manifested their love to their Lord his Cause and people in the worst of times and in the dayes when they were most rejected slighted abused and abased then shall the King say to them on his right hand and that when all the Devils and damned sinners stand by Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World you are indeed the truly converted
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
one year two years ten yea twenty and twenty years and all to try thee Yea now also will he bring to thy view how many times he warned rebuked threatned and chastised thee for thy wickedness how many awakening Providences and Judgements he continually laid before thy face yea how many a time thou didst like Balaam run upon the point of the Sword of Justice and how he gave back as being loath to kill thee Numb 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. Now also again shall be brought before thee and all men how many struglings God had with thy heart on thy sick Bed to do thee good yea and at such times how many Vowes Promises Ingagements and Resolutions thou madest before God to turn if he would release thee from thy affliction and take off his Rod from thy back Mar. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. and yet how thou didst like the man possessed break and snap in twain all these Chains of Iron with which thou hadst bound thy Soul and that for a very lust and sin Here also will be opened before thee how often thou hast sinned against thy light and knowledge how often thou hast laid violent hands on thy own Conscience how often thou hast laboured to put out that light that hath stood in thy way to hinder thee from sinning against thy Soul Ah Lord what a condition will the Christless Soul be in at this day How will every one of these things afflict the damned Soul they will pierce like Arrows and bite like Serpents and sting like an Adder With what shame will that man stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ who must have all things he hath done against God to provoke the Eyes of his Glory to jealousie laid open before the whole Host of the Heavenly train It would make a man blush to have his Pockets searched for things that are stolen in the midst of a Market especially if he stand upon his Reputation and Honour But thou must have thy heart searched the bottom of thy heart searched and that I say before thy Neighbour whom thou hast wronged and before the Devills whom thou hast served yea before God whom thou hast despised and before the Angels those holy and delicate Creatures whose holy and chast Faces will scarce forbear blushing while God is making thee Vomit up all thou hast swallowed for God shall bring it out of thy belly Job 20. 12 13 14 15. For as for God to forget iniquity is one of the chief heads of the Covenant of Grace and is an Argument of the highest nature to beget and to continue Consolation in the godly so the remembrance of Iniquity by the Lord it is one of the heaviest loads and Judgements that can befall any poor Creature Lord saith the Prophet remember not against us former iniquities And again if thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand Psal. 130. 3. And the Reason is because that which the Lord forgetteth is forgiven for ever but that which he remembreth it is charged for ever and nothing can take it away Heb. 8. 12. Rom. 4. 6 7 8. Though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much Soap yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord God Jer. 2 22. The third Book that will at this day be opened and out of which God will judge the World it is the Book of the Law or ten words given forth on the Mount Sinai But this Book will more specially concern those that have received it or that have had knowledge thereof Every one shall not be judged by this Book as there delivered though they shall be judged by the works of it which are written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14. As many as have sinned without Law shall perish without Law and they that have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law Rom. 2. 12. That is the Heathens that never knew the Law as delivered on Sinai they shall be judged by the Law as it was written in mans heart in his Creation which is comprised within the Book of the Creatures but those that have knowledge of the Law as delivered on Sinai they shall be judged by the Law as there given Now then this Book when it is opened at the day of Judgement it will to those to whom it especially relates be a most terrible Law far surpassing the two afore-mentioned This Law as I may so say it is the chief and most pure Resemblance of the Justice and holiness of the Heavenly Majesty and doth hold forth to all men the sharpness and keenness of his wrath ' above the other two that I have before mentioned I say both because it hath been delivered more plain and open both as to the duty injoyned and the sin prohibited and therefore must of necessity fall with the more violence upon the head of all that shall be found within the compass of it This Law it hath in it to be opened at this day these two general heads First A discovery of the evill of sin that is so against plain light and truth And Secondly A discovery of the vanity of all things that will at this day be brought by sinners for their help and plea at the Judgement Alas who can but imagine that the poor World at the day of their Arraignment should muster up all that ever they can think of as Arguments to shelter them from the execution of that fierce wrath that then with sinking Souls they will see prepared for them As to the first of these the Apostle tells us that the Law was added that the offence might abounâ— or be discovered what it is As he saith again I had not known sin but by the Law Rom. 5. 20. Rom. 7. 7. Rom. 7. 13. Thus it is in this life and thus it will be in the day of Judgement that is those that see sin and that in its abounding nature and in its exceeding sinfulness they must see it by the Law for that is indeed the Glass by which God discovereth sin Jam. 1. 22 23 24 25. And the filthy spots of leprosie that is in the Soul Now those that have not the happiness to see their sin by the Law in this life while there is a Fountain of Grace to wash in and be clean they must have the misery to see it at the Judgement when nothing is left but misery and pain as the punishment for the same At which day those little Titles of this holy Law that now men so easily look over and sin against with ease they will every one of them appear with such dread and with such flaming Justice against every offence committed that if Heaven and Earth it self should step in to shelter the sinner from the Justice and wrath due to sin it would turn them up by the Roots It is easier for Heaven and Earth to passe away then for one tittle of the Law to fail Luke 16. 17. If there