THE BOOKS OPENED Being several DISCOURSES on REV. 20.14 By HENRY PENDLEBURY A. M. late Minister of the Gospel at Rochdale in Lancashire Author of the Plain Representation of Transubstantiation LONDON Printed by J. D. for Ann Vnsworth of Manchester and sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1696. The EPISTLE to the Reader Christian Reader THere are two things which if firmly believed and duly considered would have a great Influence upon Men and Womens Lives viz. First That they are mortal Secondly Accountable Creatures It is the indispensible Statute-Law of Heaven that never will be repealed or dispensed withal Heb. 9.27 Death is a Debt which all Men owe and how soon the great Creditor may exact it none can tell We are all here as Tenants at Will in Cottages of Clay whose Foundation is in the Dust These earthly Tabernacles are continually mouldring down about our Ears do what we can by Food and Physick to patch them up for a little while There is no Man liveth and shall not see Death And Death hath always Judgment attending at the very Heels of it And as the Tree falls so it lies As Death leaves us Judgment will find us And as it is with us when we go out of this World so it will fare with us for ever This short uncertain Life we have here is the only time of Preparation we have for another World Death sets Men on the other side the Water there will be no working there no praying nor repenting and believing and seeking to get our Sins pardoned and an Interest in Christ and a Right to Heaven if this Work be to be done then we shall be undone to all Eternity If we once die in a Christless and graceless Condition we shall perish for being so to all Eternity There will be no Time then to correct former Mistakes At Death we must all appear before an impartial Judg to receive our final conclusive determining Sentence to a fixed eternal unchangeable State of Misery or Happiness in another World And things will then appear quite otherwise than they were stated and did appear here Then all Vizards and Masks will be pluck'd off and naked Breasts will be in fashion What hath been here concealed will then be made manifest what hath been spoken in secret will then be told on the House-top Nothing hid but shall then be made manifest At this opening Day there will be a Manifestation of the Sons of God then all the Sincerity and secret Graces and Holiness of Believers will be openly declared and all those Marks and Evidences of the Truth of Grace which here are often clouded and obscured will evidently appear And all the secret Wickedness and Hypocrisy and False-heartedness of Vnbelievers will then be discovered and laid open And the Apostle lets us know what an Influence the Belief and Consideration of this had upon himself and other Ministers of the Gospel to quicken them to Diligence and Faithfulness in their Ministerial Function 2 Cor. 5.9 10. We must all appear 1st All without Exception High and Low Rich and Poor Young and Old Ministers and People there will be no declining or escaping of it 2dly All in our own Persons without a Proxy there will be no hiring of another to appear for us every one of us must give an Account of himself to God Rom. 14.12 Now the great Design of the worthy Reverend Author in these ensuing Sermons is to quicken and direct Persons to prepare and make ready for this opening Day And herein he shews himself a skilful Workman that needeth not to be ashamed dividing the Word of Truth aright and giving to every one their Portion He doth not put the two-edged Sword of the Spirit into a silken Scabbard and flourish it in the Air but dexterously weilds it that it might reach the Consciences of Men he speaks plainly but pertinently and substantially his Words are not only intelligible but also penetrating And tho these plain Discourses are posthumous and want the polishing that he was able to have given them had he designed them for the Press yet they are genuine copied from his own Notes and you have the truest Character of him in the constant Course of his Preaching amongst his People Some serious Christians that were affected with them themselves have desired to have them printed that others might share in the like Benefit with them And that thy Heart may be warmed as others have been upon the reading of them and thou be quickned and helped in this Preparation for the great opening Day as it was the Design of the Author in preaching of them so it is of others in the publishing them and of none more than of one of the meanest and unworthiest of Christ's Ministers R. S. THE BOOKS Opened REV. xx 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works THE Apostle Paul tells us that we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Of this Judgment to come and which we must all come unto we have a Description in this part of Sacred Writ as it was shewed unto John in a Vision where are set forth 1. The Person of the Judg ver 11. who is described 1. By his Posture Sitting the ordinary Posture of Judges in the Administration of Justice and Judgment and a Token of Dominion and Authority 2. By the Place where he sat a great white Throne Not in a Manger as at his first Coming not on the Ground as when in Flesh he dwelt amongst us nor on a Cross as at his leaving the World but on a great white Throne He that lay in a Manger that stood at Man's Bar falsly accused and wickedly condemned he that hung upon the Tree shall sit supreme Judg Sedebit Judex qui stetit sub Judice What this Throne is or of what it shall be made tho some say the Angels others a glorious Rainbow others a bright Cloud Scripture being silent you must not know of me 3. By his Power and Glory From whose Face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no Place for them At his first Appearance Herod seeking his Life he is forced to fly Mat. 2.14 At his second and glorious Coming Heaven and Earth shall flee away not being able to abide his Majesty and Power 2. The Persons to be judged ver 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God the Dead of all sorts and degrees We must here include those that shall be found alive at this day who shall pass through a Change that shall be to them instead of Death 3. The Form
of this Judgment the manner how the Judg shall proceed viz. by Books that shall be opened 4. Sentence is passed on the Parties brought to Judgment according to what is found written in the Books when thus opened And the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works 5. The Execution of this Sentence ver 14 15. And Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire This is the second Death And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire The Words which are the Subject of the ensuing Discourse contain in them the third Particular in this Description sc the manner of Process in this great Work the Books shall be opened The word Book is in Scripture used 1. Properly for a Volume wherein something is written or for the things writ in that Volume Isa 30.8 Luke 4.17 Gal. 3.10 2. Improperly and metaphorically for the certain Knowledg and Remembrance that one hath of a Person or Matter and all the Circumstances thereto belonging Mal. 3.16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a Book of Remembrance was written before him According to this twofold Acceptation of the Word God is said to have a double Book 1. Materialis i. e. the Bible which is called the Book of the Lord Isa 34.16 Luke 4.17 the Book containing the Mind and Will and Ways of God 2. Metaphoricus which is ascrib'd to him after the manner of Men who use to note those things in Books that they would preserve the Knowledg of Thus there is a threefold Book figuratively ascribed to him viz. 1st The Book of Providence which is the certain Knowledg he hath of all Persons Actions and Things with all their Circumstances Psal 56.8 139.16 2dly The Book of Life Rev. 20.12 This is the certain Knowledg he hath of the Elect and Reprobate 3dly The Book of Universal Judgment Dan. 7.10 We are not to understand this Phrase literally as if there should be some material Books produced and opened at this day No the Lord hath neither Need nor Use for them But it must be interpreted metaphorically as a Form used for the Help of our Understanding spoken 1. By way of Allusion to Courts of humane Judicature into which are brought and wherein are produced Charges Accusations Proofs Depositions of Witnesses Confessions of Parties and all other Writings that contain Matter of Fact relating to such Causes as are to be try'd 2. To show that the Judgment will be as accurate and particular in the Examination and Trial Durham p. 743. and as just in the Determination as if all had been recorded Nothing shall be omitted nor the least Circumstance mistaken but things shall be so equal in themselves and so manifested to others as if an exact Register had been kept and then published From the Words observe That in the great Day of Judgment the Books shall be opened or There is a Day a coming when the Books shall be opened The Judgment was set and the Books were opened Dan. 7.9 10. That this Truth may be prepared for Application it must be enquired I. What Books they are that shall be opened II. What the opening of these Books implies III. Who they are these Books are to be opened about IV. About what are these Books to be opened I. What Books are they that shall be opened They are of three sorts viz. Those wherein 1. All things have been recorded 2. All things shall be discovered 3. All things shall be judged First Those wherein all things have been recorded and they are 1. The Book of Divine Omniscience Here all things stand on Record and will hence be as certainly known as had they been writ in a Book for there is not any Creature that is not manifest in his Sight but all things are naked and open to the Eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 His Eyes are upon the Ways of Man and he seeth all his Goings There 's no Darkness nor Shadow of Death where the Workers of Iniquity may hide themselves Job 34.21 22. He knows our Works Rev. 2.13 There is not a Word in our Tongue but lo he knows it Psal 139.4 Here are our Thoughts writ Thou understandest my Thoughts afar off v. 2. No Thought can be with-holden from thee Job 42.2 Here are the Hearts described 1 Chron. 28.9 The Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the Imaginations of the Thoughts The Lord knows and remembers all the Actions Thoughts and Words of all Men and shall make it appear at this day that he doth so as fully and plainly as if he had kept a Diary from the Beginning of the World to the end thereof and therein writ in order every particular Action of every individual Man and Woman O remember this God sees thee round about always can tell all that thou dost and this Book wherein all is written shall one day be opened 2. The Book of Conscience this carries all our Actions in it Volumen grande quo omnia conscribuntur It is a great Volume in which all we do is writ Austin takes that other Book mentioned in the Text to be the Book of Conscience which is the Book of each Man's Life wherein all the Passages thereof are recorded Tho this Interpretation agree not with this Place yet Conscience is such a Book as he here describes Quocunque vadis ubicunque es semper Conscientia tua tecum est c. Whithersoever thou go where-ever thou art thy Conscience is always with thee carrying in it whatever thou put'st therein whether good or bad Conscience is not always speaking nor always chiding many have silenced it but it is always writing when we are at our Tables when on our Beds when we are alone or in Company it keeps an exact Account and this Book also shall be opened Secondly The Books shall then be opened whereby all things shall be clearly discovered and attested These are 1. The Book of Divine Omniscience As all things are inclosed herein so this shall then be opened and all the things contained in it thereby disclosed He will by the opening of this make manifest to all that which is now hid from Men and Angels and only known to himself God knows all things and will make all Men know that he doth so by setting in order before their Eyes all things at this day Psal 50.21 2. The Book of Conscience Herein all things are writ and by the opening hereof shall appear Quod in cujusque Conscientia occultum fuit id omnibus manifestum fiet In this day Conscience shall be enlightned and awakened Memories shall be rouz'd and strengthned all past things shall appear new and come in fresh upon the Sons of Men. Then every Thought of thy Heart every Word of thy Mouth every Action of thy Life with the Circumstances thereof then
Silver is cankered and the Rust thereof shall be a Witness against you and shall eat your Flesh as it were Fire This will be brought as an Evidence of your Covetousness and will beget in you such stinging Reflections as shall gnaw upon you with Anguish and Torment Ver. 4. And behold the Hire of your Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the Cries of them which have reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth One observes that the same word in the Hebrew signifies both a Wedg of Gold and a Tongue and some say that Achan's Wedg had the shape of a Tongue Surely Gold Wealth Estates ill got will have many Tongues and cry aloud at the great Day of opening the Books Then the corrupt Judg will hear of his Bribes and perverting Justice then the unjust Lawyers Estate will cry against him then the Possessions of Oppressing Landlords will declare that they were got by wracking poor Tenants then 't will be the Language of the full Bags of idle Ministers that they were fill'd by starving immortal Souls then the Treasures of Covetous Mammonists will acknowledg themselves to be the Products of Usury Oppression c. 6. The Book of the Talents wherewith Men are intrusted shall be opened at this opening Day and these when opened will bring to light all the Days Means Advantages and Opportunities of Grace that Men have had all the Truths and Duties that have been preached to and pressed on them what Pains have been taken and how much done that they might be saved One observes that God is very curious in Scripture to record the Time how long his faithful Servants lived on Earth and says he among other Reasons this is not the least sc to convince us that he intends to reckon with those who lived with them for every Year yea Day and Hour they had them amongst 'em they shall know they had a Prophet a Husband a Parent a Master that was Godly and that they had them so long and God will know of them what Use they made of them Gurn. Christ Arm. Part 2. Pag. 262. Another observes that the Year and Month and Day when the Word of the Lord came to the Prophets stands upon record in Sacred Writ as Ezek. 1.1 2. to teach us that all our Betrustments with all their Circumstances are now recorded and will at this Day be made manifest Then will be declared the Year the Month the Day when such a Sermon was preached such a Truth urged when such a Minister was sent with the Lord's Message among you In this opening Day Ministers will open their Mouths We preached so long to you Sabbaths and Sermons will speak We were continued so long to you Prayers will witness that they were put up for you so often to the Throne of Grace Truths now imprisoned shall then speak yea the Dust shaken off from the Feet of those Ministers you despise and will not hear shall speak against you Mat. 6.11 Thirdly The Books shall then be opened whereby all things shall be examined try'd and judged As in earthly Courts when Matters of Fact are opened and proved then the Statutes are also produced and Sentence is past on such Matters according to the determination of the Law So at the great Tribunal when the Books of Record the Books of Evidence and Proof are opened then shall also be opened the Law whereby Matters shall be finally adjudicated and this is the Holy Scripture The Holy Bible being the Law-Book of the great King is now the Rule of our Lives and shall be the Rule of Judgment at the opening Day Christ himself who is the Judg tells us John 12.48 The Word that I have spoken the same shall judg him at the last Day This the Apostle Paul witnesses Rom. 2.16 In the Day when God shall judg the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Who shall judg God What shall he judg The Secrets of Men not only their outward Actions which are manifest to all but their most hidden Sins and secret Duties their inward Purposes Designs and Aims By whom By Jesus Christ By what Rule According to my Gospel the Gospel committed to and preached by me Men shall be judged according to their Works their Works by this Word The final Sentence passed at this Day shall be but a more solemn and manifest Declaration of that Judgment which the Lord hath in his Written Law already passed upon Men that which is now said shall then be done Now the word says He that believeth on him shall have everlasting Life John 3.16 Then Believers shall be crown'd with a Crown of Life Now the word says That the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 That the Wicked shall be turned into Hell Look what Sentence this Law now passes on thee the same will Christ pronounce in this Day for this is the Book that must be opened and which he will proceed by in giving Judgment Thus you see what Books are to be opened II. The next thing to be considered is what the opening of the Books implies and it doth denote 1. A manifestation of Mens Works that they shall come to Light While a Book is shut we are ignorant what is in it but when it 's open every one may see and know what 's therein writ So many of Mens Works both Good and Bad are like a clasped or sealed Book secret and unknown but in this Day they shall be like a Book open legible to every one 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore judg nothing before the Time come until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of Darkness and will manifest the Counsels of the Heart When the Lord comes he will make great Discoveries and bring to light things that are now Secret Some Mens Sins says the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.24 25. are open before hand going before to Judgment and some Men they follow after Likewise also the good Works of some are manifest before hand and they that are otherwise cannot be hid Tho these Verses are taken to have another meaning yet I may as some make this Gloss on them i. e. Some Mens Sins are open notorious appear to all now in this Life they shew their Sin as Sodom and some Mens Sins they are kept secret to the Day of Judgment there 's no noise heard no notice taken of them in the World but these follow after to be opened at this Day Likewise the good Works of some are evident cannot be denied and they that are otherwise cannot be hid i. e. those good things in the Saints that are not manifest but are either concealed by themselves or mistaken and misrepresented by others shall come to light secret Duties shall come abroad wronged Innocence and Integrity shall be cleared This is the first thing this opening imports sc a discovery of Mens Doings a
where-ever you are whatever you do let this Opening be in your Eye and upon your Thoughts Think on this when you go to Prayer This Prayer my Preparation for it my Frame Carriage and Ends in it must all be opened another day Think on this when you go to hear this Sermon every Truth and Duty laid before me herein will meet me again at the opening of the Books Think on this when you have to do with others to buy or sell or transact any Affairs about this Life with them These Actions I now do and all the Circumstances thereof will be found in the Books at the last Day Think on this when Temptations come on you and are in their Power if now I yield I give place to the Devil and lay Sin at my door and it will abide in the Books till they open and all come out And so in all other Cases carry this along with you in your Thoughts Pray read hear buy sell eat and drink and do all that ever you do as remembring this Remember this Opening of the Books Christians and let the Remembrance of it 1. Be a Remedy against Sin a Preservative against Iniquity in these sinful sinning times wherein Iniquity abounds It 's the Remedy that Solomon prescribes to young Men Eccles 11.9 and there is much Weight in it if Persons would but lay it to Heart Remember Sirs when you are ready to turn into any Act or Way of Sin and let no Secrecy no hope of hiding it from Neighbours Friends or the whole World incourage you to venture on it for choose how you may now cover it the Books will open it Let no seeming Littleness of any Sin draw you to make light of it for there is none so little but there will be room enough found for it in the Books The Tradesman hath not only a room in his Books for Pounds Shillings and Pence but also for Half-pence and Farthings and will not leave out one but put it in its place So be sure God hath a room in his Books for your least Sins which will cost says one either the Blood of Christ or your own Ruine er'e they be wiped out O remember that Sin goes out of your Thoughts out of your Words out of your Works and Ways into these Books that are ready to be opened before all the World Watch therefore Temptations watch carefully against Sin against the Occasions of Sin and Appearance of Evil. 2. Let the Remembrance of this Day invite you to Repentance Paul urges this as a forcible and pressing Motive to this Duty and tells us that upon this Account God commands Men every where to repent Acts 17.30 31. Art thou an impenitent Sinner one who hast been and art backwards to the Thoughts of Repentance be forward in Thoughts of this O think what thou hast in the Books already how many things and foul things are on Record against thee how many Oaths that thou hast sworn how many Lies that thou hast told how many vain and idle Words that thou hast spoken and how many sinful and unlawful Deeds that thou hast done Take but up these Thoughts and they 'l convince thee of the need of Repentance they 'l induce thee to the Practice of it The Books must be opened how sad will it be if they open on thee in an impenitent State Art thou one who hast laid the Foundation of Repentance from dead Works May not this be a mighty Motive to thee to keep on building every day upon that Foundation Thou renewest thy Sins every day is there not then Cause every day to renew thy Repentance Surely Sirs if you think of this Opening and how you are sinning it may be enough to make you say as Tertullian said of himself Nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae that he was born for nothing but to repent Saints should not put more Sins in God's Book than they put Tears in his Bottle 3. Let it put you upon the Mortification of your Corruptions and travelling after Deliverance from this Body of Sin If your Sins be found alive at the opening of the Books you must die If they be not then dead then your Life goes for them for if ye live after the Flesh ye shall die Rom. 8 13. And may not this put you on this Study We find that when Nebuchadnezzar had erected a golden Image with this Commination That whosoever would not fall down and worship it should be cast alive into a firy Furnace Dan. 3. that this took such Impression on all that heard it that there were none except three or four which did not presently fall down unto it the Thoughts of a firy Furnace made them do any thing God hath kindled a Fire that shall never be quenched and when the Books open all that have not thrown down their Corruptions their Pride Passions and Worldliness shall be thrown into it without Exception And may not the Thoughts of this be enough to set us upon throwing our Lusts down before us It is said of the Roman Cato that for a long time he never declared his Opinion about any Matter in the Senate but he would still close with this Expression Methinks Carthage should be destroyed This sat much on his Spirits So truly if we look at this Opening methinks this should be on our Hearts whatsoever else we think or do that our Corruptions should be destroyed the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts mortify'd 4. Let it quicken and engage you to Sincerity in your Professions Actions Ends Aims and all that you do or say The Welch have a Proverb That it is hard to know three things an Oak a Day and a Man An Oak for the privy Wind and Shakes that may be within when it seems fair without A Day for the Variableness of Weather and Accidents A Man for his hollow Hypocrisy Why truly now it's hardly known who is a Hypocrite and who sincere who is really for God and Godliness and who in Shew and Pretence only One that is a Sheep without may be a Sow within But Sirs make sure to be what you seem to be to do what you seem to do to do that with your Heart that you do with your Hand Let this Opening be an Antidote against Hypocrisy carnal and corrupt Ends in Religion and Profession Harbour not an unsound Heart under fair Pretences corrupt Ends under specious Performances or a made Religion in the Life without Truth in the inward Parts For the very Hearts must be ripp'd up and laid open at this Day which will unmask and make naked all the Jehu's and Judasses in the World the most close and wily Hypocrites that ever were under Heaven In our Life-time we have been judged by our selves and others with our Clothes on then we shall all be judged naked all Vizards shall be laid aside O remember remember this Opening and let it quicken you to Sincerity Luther tells us of one Arsenius who made
Angels for their Companions what Weeping and Wailing will there be among them 5. If we look at the Consequents of this Opening these are very dreadful for this Opening will be immediately followed 1st With an Eternal Opening 1. Of Conscience which will cause restless and endless Terror Horror and Torment 2. Of the bottomless Pit and Lake of Fire where they shall be for ever tormented with everlasting Punishment Mat. 25.46 2ly An everlasting shutting 1. Out of the Presence of God and Kingdom of Heaven 2. In Darkness and under Damnation Now if any say how may we get into such a readiness for this great Opening of the Books as that they may not open to our Shame Confusion and Condemnation Why if you would be ready so as that when the Books open Heaven may not shut and Hell open on you to all Eternity then 1. Be often thinking on this opening Day spend some time every Day in serious Thoughts of this great Day I have before pressed this as a Duty incumbent upon all and now urge it as a Direction for those who would be ready at this Day Wouldst thou be prepared then let this Day be ever in thy Eye by serious Meditation this will be a good help unto thee in several Respects as have been before shown O therefore carry carry this Opening ever in thine Eye When thou openest a Book to read or seest another open one let it put thee in mind of this Opening of the Books When thou seest the Morning opening after a dark Night and bring many things to light that lay covered with Darkness let it put thee on thinking what an Opening there will be in the Morning of the Resurrection and final Judgment how things will then come out When thou seest the Day shutting think what a shutting this great Day will have When thou art undressing thy self and putting off thy Clothes think what a Day this will be when thou and all the Sons of Men must be strip'd and laid open before the World of Angels and Men. When thou hearest of strange discoveries of Thefts Murders and Whoredoms let it mind thee of this Opening that will open all the hidden things of Darkness from the beginning of the World to the end thereof let every thing be thus a Remembrancer to thee of this and set afoot in thee some Thoughts about it I have read of one of the Antients noted for his singular Piety and eminent Holiness who being asked what Books he made his Companions and used most he answered that it was his Practice every Day to read over a Book that had three Leaves one Red a second Black a third White Liber cujus tria folia rubrum nigrum candidum In the Red he used to read and meditate on the bloody Passion of Christ in the Black the Darkness and Damnation of Hell in the White the Light and Glory of Heaven whereby he gained more in the way of practical Godliness than by any other study I would here add a fourth Leaf to this Book viz. This opening Day and commend the reading of it to every one that would be then ready 2. Watch and Pray This is our Saviour's Direction that he prescribes in this Case Luke 21.36 In the foregoing Verses you have 1. Our Saviour's description of this Day 2. His admonition to his Disciples not to be taken unawares and unready ver 34. 3. The Reason of this Admonition For as a Snare shall it come on them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth Ver. 35. It shall come suddenly and take them unready And then 4. In these words you have his means of prevention prescribed and they are two Watch and Pray Would you not be taken unready Watch exercise your selves in a universal Carefulness over your Hearts and Ways over the Wiles and Ways of Satan over the stirrings and motions of Corruptions in your selves the Occasions and Advantages of Sin in the World that you fall not into Snares And to Watchfulness join Prayer that great safeguarding Duty Watch and Pray Pray and Watch that ye may be accounted worthy Never think that you can be ready at this Day if now in your Day you live at large if you make no matter what Company you walk with what Temptations you run into what Sins you lay at your Door if you 'll be false with God in your Profession unjust with Men in your Dealings if you 'll Drink and Swear and Profane the Lord's Day no no this work will not do I tell you Sirs it will not do Wo to you if any of you put it to this venture and say as alas the Practices of too many say aloud either this shall do or I 'll be undone for then you are sure to be undone for ever If you would have this Day find you ready let to day and to morrow and the next Day find you Praying and Watching find you with your Loins girt and your Lights burning as Servants that wait for their Lord. We read of four Beasts Rev. 4.6 8. that were full of Eyes both before and behind and within Why thus as these had not one but many Eyes so you must be full of Eyes there must be Eyes looking forward observing ever what we have before us what we enter on or put our Hand to and there must be Eyes looking backwards ever reflecting on past Actions on what we have done that we may spy and correct our Errors and there must be Eyes looking inward watching over that cunning deceitful Piece the Heart and the workings thereof They that would be ready at this Day must Watch and Pray at their Day 3. Make the Word of God the Rule of your Conversation in the World This must be the Rule of Judgment then let it be the Rule of your Life now you must be judged by this Book at the great Opening if you would then stand live by it now in your Day This is another thing I would leave with you by way of Direction O take it up You see there must be a great Opening Men must be judged according to their Works and their Works according to the Word so that if you would be ready live now according to this Book and learn to walk according to this Rule in all your Ways and Actions keep an Eye on this We find that the four Beasts Rev. 4.8 had each of them six Wings about him and they were full of Eyes within Wings are for Motion Eyes for guidance and direction in that Motion so that this Phrase imports that their Motion was not blind and lawless but regular and orderly Why thus we must have Eyes under our Wings i. e. our Actions and Motions must be ordered guided and directed by the Light of the Word says David Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path q. d. I am as one in the dark who dare not walk nor stir a step from his Station
without a Light to direct him I dare not walk without thy Word turn into any Way and Course but such as this guides me into and shines on me in So he shows that God's Testimonies were his Counsellors ver 24. He alludes unto the Customs of Kings who have their Counsellors ever ready to assist them in their great and arduous Affairs q. d. As Kings have their Counsellors so have I too thy Testimonies they are the Men of my Counsel in all my Matters I go to them and consult with them I hear what they say and of them I take Direction Why thus Sirs if you would be in readiness for an opening Day let the Word of God be a Lamp to your Feet and let his Testimonies be the Men of your Counsel e're you entertain or take in Thoughts before you send out any Words or set upon any Actions go to this Word with them and hear what it hath to say of this Thought that Word of those Works and let it be your utmost endeavour as far as is possible to put nothing into those Books which shall be opened but what this Book now open warrants and allows If such and such an Action Way or Practice will not stand before the Word let it not stand in your Lives this is the Way to see a comfortable opening at last Si hunc librum Conscientiae recte vis scribere scribe eum secundum exemplar libri vitae Liber vitae est Christus c. If you will write the Book of Conscience aright write it according to the Book of Life the Book of Life is Christ Let the profession of your Faith be conformable to the Rule of his Doctrine and in your Life imitate the Life of Christ Every one that doeth Evil hateth Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved John 3.20 They cannot abide to be tried by Scripture-Rules they dare not put their Doing to be tried by the Book of God but this will make foul work for an opening Day If your Ways cannot stand before the Word now never think that they shall stand before it another Day The Word that now condemns Drunkenness will then condemn it the Word that condemns Oaths and Lies now will condemn them at that Day The Sentence at this great Opening shall not be another or different Sentence but only a Manifestation Confirmation of that which is now passed in the Word upon Men and their Actions O if we would but make it our Care to follow this one Direction and write nothing in those Books which are to be opened but what we take out of the Book which is now open and set before us as our Exemplar and Copy putting nothing on record there but what we find allowed here then what manner of Persons should we be and how far otherwise would the Books be found at this great Opening than most must find them 4. Reckon often with your selves call your selves frequently to account be much in self-examining self-judging Exercises I have read of one who would ask himself three Questions every Night 1. What Evil hast thou healed to Day 2. What Corruption hast thou stood against to Day 3. Wherein or in what art thou bettered now this Day is gone Why on this manner Sirs be often dealing with your selves lay the Word and your own Hearts the Word and your own Ways together at the end of every Day When you have gone over a Day in the World go over it again between the Word and your own Souls and seriously renew your Repentance and Self-accusations You say Often reckoning keeps long Friends O reckon oft with God and your own Souls for if we would judg our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 Our self-accusations would prevent Satan's Accusations against us He is the Accuser of the Brethren and will have many things to charge us with but when a Man accuses and humbles himself Satan is prevented tho he come in with this and the other complaint God will say as it were Why Satan this Man hath accused himself before thou camest thou art here with this now but he was here with it and mourned over it as soon as it was done the same Day and he hath been oft at my Feet about it with Sorrow in his Heart and Tears in his Eyes yea this would not only prevent Satan's Accusations but the Judgment of God Judicio poenitentiali evacuatur judicium poenale Amas If we would judg our selves with a Penitential the Penal Judgment would be prevented Says David Psal 32.5 I acknowledged my Sin unto thee and mine Iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my Sin The Spouse privy to her own Infirmities called her self black Cant. 1.5 but Christ calls her fair If we will condemn our selves God will justify us if we put out our Tears that come from a right Spring into his Bottel he will not seal up our Iniquities for which those Tears were shed in a Bag. 5. Make it your great study and care to have and keep Conscience your Friend this is now your constant Companion and goes whither you go this will be a thousand Witnesses yea and a Judg in your own Bosom at that Day Exercise your self as Paul to have always a Conscience void of Offence toward God and toward Men Acts 24.16 Labour to have such a Conscience as may speak well of thee when thou comest to Judgment In die judicii plus valebit Conscientia pura quam marsupla plena Bern. In the Day of Judgment a good Conscience will be better than a full Purse for which many Men wound and wrong and waste their own Consciences This will in that Day be no better than Mire in the Streets but to have a good Conscience go with us to the Bar and witness for us there will be something As you would stand in the Judgment look to this in all your Ways and be often listening to hear what it says to you and of you It 's said of Apelles the famous Painter that when he had finished a Draught he would usually expose it to view and lie behind it that he might hear what others said of it Why on this manner bring all your Actions to the view of Conscience and hear what this going by a right Rule and rightly informed says of them for if our Heart condemn us God is greater than our Heart and knoweth all things 1 John 3.20 This is but the Deputy-Judg and if this condemn the great and supreme Judg will not absolve Art thou forced now to neglect and disregard to silence and slight nay to wound and resist thy Conscience would it stop thee and thou wilt not be stopped Why alas the Day is coming when this Conscience will surely condemn thee and God who is greater than Conscience will condemn thee Sirs if you would have Conscience your Friend
manifestation of their Works this shall be done by the opening of the Books of Record 2. A Testification of the Works manifested that they shall not only come abroad but also be so fully evidenced and clearly prov'd that no Man shall be able to deny any part thereof Sometimes in Mens Courts the Prisoner at the Bar denies the Matter of Fact that he is charged with pleads not Guilty and stands upon his own Justification but when Witnesses come in one after another and depose plainly positively punctually and directly against him bringing undeniable Evidence then he is forced to confess Thus now many are ready to deny their Deeds of Darkness ay but so many Witnesses shall come in at this Day and with such Evidence as will force Confessions O Sirs the Secrets of Sinners shall be so fully witnessed attested and proved that they shall confess and the Saints that have been slandered aspers'd defam'd and wronged shall have their Innocence so fully evidenced that the World shall see it and be satisfied This is a second thing this opening implies viz. That all Matters shall be found and fully made out as they are in themselves with their several Circumstances which will be done by the opening of the Books whereby all things shall be discovered 3. A Determination or Judgment to be passed on the Works of Men thus manifested and made out that there shall be a final determining and definitive Sentence passed on them This is another thing this opening is an opening to pass Sentence as Judges after full Trial open and read the Sentence out of a Book an opening to absolve or condemn therefore it follows immediately in the Words the Dead were judged that is Sentence was passed on them III. You have seen what Books shall be opened and what the opening of them implies the next Inquiry may be this About whom must they be opened To this I say they shall be opened about all Men Universally the whole Off-spring descending from Adam by ordinary Generation without Exception This will appear 1. From the Universality of Scripture-Assertions in this present Case The Scripture speaking of this brings in 1. All Men. Rom. 14.10 We shall all stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ Ver. 11. For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall confess to God What doth the Apostle hence infer Ver. 12. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God 2 Cor 5.10 2. All Nations Mat. 25.32 Before him shall be gathered all Nations not a few Persons but whole Nations not a few Nations but all Nations 3. All the World Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a Day at which he will judg the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath ordained Observe here is a Day appointed the End for which it was appointed sc to judg the Object of this Judgment the World the whole World whosoever is of the World shall come to this opening Day 2. From the special Distribution the Scriptures make in this Case distributing the Parties that are to come to this opening 1. Into Quick and Dead therefore Christ is stiled Judg of Quick and Dead Acts 10.42 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Into great and small Rev. 20.12 the King and the Beggar the Rich and the Poor the Old and the Young they that have been so high that they have judged others and they that have been so low that their Judgment hath been taken away 3. Into Good and Bad Eccles 3.16 17. Solomon there reports what he saw practised in the Place of Justice and Judgment sc he saw their publick Injustice the Good oppressed the Bad exalted Upon which he communicates his Thoughts or that which was his Comfort against these unjust unequal dealings of Men and it was this that God would have a Day of judging all Men and all things over again I said in my Heart I comforted my self in this God shall judg the Righteous and the Wicked for there is a Time there where why with God before his Tribunal for every Purpose and for every Work Ver. 17. Thus God shall judg the Righteous with a Judgment of Discussion and Approbation the Wicked with a Judgment of Discussion and Condemnation the Persons that must come to this opening are thus distinguished Now all Men come under one of these Ranks either they are Great or Small Good or Bad therefore all shall be judged IV. Now you have seen about whom the next thing to be considered is about what they are to be opened what things they are that the Books shall discover evidence and determine when opened These are the Actions of Men the Works Words and Thoughts of Men. Take for this but these two Scriptures The one is Eccles 12.14 where the things to be brought to Judgment are described 1. Generally every Work none shall escape be pretermitted or passed by each one shall come in its Place for there is a Time for every Work 2. Particularly in regard 1. Of their manner every open Work shall come in none of these shall escape no not an idle Word Mat. 12.36 Every secret Work the Secrets of Men shall God then judg by Jesus Christ Rom. 2.16 2. Of their Matter every good Work shall come in the Feeding of Christ in his Hungry the Clothing of him in his Naked the Harboring him in his Desolate the Visiting him in his Sick Members and every Evil Work not an ungodly Word nor hard Speech shall pass Jude 14 15. The other is 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be Good or Bad. The things to be brought in are the things done in the Body which is to be understood not exclusively as if external Actions only should appear but extensively as including every thing we do while in the Flesh whether internal even the naked Thoughts or external Words and Actions Omnia omnino opera quae fiunt dum vivimus in corpore sive interius nudis cogitationibus sive exterius verbis factis peragantur Tho I desire as much as I may to decline Matters of Controversy yet here comes in a Query that I cannot well pass over in Silence it is this viz. Whether the Sins of the Saints shall be laid open and manifested at this Day or whether the Books when opened shall open the Sins of the People of God as well as the Sins of the Wicked It is a Question agitated among the Learned some maintain the Affirmative and say they shall be made known others are for the Negative and say they shall not be manifested I 'll only premise these three or four things and with Submission give my Thoughts about it in short The Sins of the Godly shall not be opened 1. To their Condemnation our Saviour himself says Joh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you he
it and is worthy to be written in Letters of Gold There is nothing under Heaven worth obtaining by these means or that being thus obtained will bear its cost or prove a saving Bargain when the opening and accounting Day comes O do nothing in your Callings and Affairs in the World that you would not meet at last You would not meet the Tears and Cries of those that you have wronged the poor sunken Families that you have oppressed the Widows or Fatherless whose Land-marks you have removed O do no such things as these now or if any of you have done make Restitution make Restitution otherwise ye will as Father Latimer in his last Sermon before Edward the sixth said to the Kings Officers cough in Hell that all the Devils there will laugh at your Coughing 5. Live for this great Day in ordering the whole of your Conversation in the World walk so as you would meet your ways again let your Lives be uniform and all of one piece It is Solomon's advice Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the Fear of the Lord all the Day long If you would for an opening Day practise this be in the Fear of the Lord all the Day and every Day let to morrow be as this Day and the next Day as to morrow There are some Gurn. Part 2. p. 138. if you would see their Goodness and be acquainted with their Godliness you must hit the right Time or else you will find none like some Flowers that are seen but some Months in the Year or like some Physicians that they call Forenoon Men they that would speak with them to any purpose must come in the Morning because commonly they are drunk in the Afternoon Thus may be in the Morning you may take the Hypocrite upon his Knee in the Saints Posture but when that fit is over you shall see little of God in all his Ways till Night brings him again of course to the like Duty Thus Sirs too many are of different and contrary Tempers changes of Time of Place and Company make strange alterations in their Frames and Carriages As it is said of the Women in Italy that they are Saints in the Church Goats in the Garden Devils in the House Angels in the Streets so it is with many you may see them Praying at one Time Cursing or Swearing or Lying at another Time Serious in one Place Light and Vain in another Religious and for Religious Exercises in one Company but Ranting and Drinking and Healthing in another carrying as Christians in some Things as Infidels or Atheists in other Things But such Carriages as these will not serve for an opening Day they are sad now and a great reproach to Religion but however any of you make them serve now they 'll never serve the turn when the Books are opened for our Actions and Carriages of all Times Places and Companies must be put in the Books one as well as another not only what we have done at such a Time in such a Place among such Company when in our better Moods but also what we have done at another Time Place and Company when we were in a worse Frame If thou pray in the Morning and drink and live loosely all the Day and yet come to thy Knees again at Night these things shall be pieced and put together just as thou hast acted them but such Mixtures will make mighty bad work for an opening Day it will be dismal to find the Books thus writ over Here a Bible in the Hand and next a pair of Cards or Dice here on thy Knees in thy Family next drunk in the Street or Tavern here taking a turn in God's way next walking in Sins way Books thus written will open terribly If you would live for this opening you must study an oneness and equality of Carriage and be Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 not in some turnings of your Life but in your whole Course you must do Righteousness at all Times Psal 106.3 one and another without Exception If we Ride Holiness unto the Lord should be writ on our Bridles if we Drink Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts should be upon our Pots Zecha 14.20 21. 6. Live for this opening in laying out your Receivings and imploying all your Talents the right way whether Spiritual Graces or Temporal Blessings We find in the Parable Mat. 25.14 30. that the Servants who were entrusted with Talents were called to a Reckoning at last This is that you must come to the Lord will require from you an account of your Stewardship Would you live for an opening an accounting Day lay out your Talents in a right manner Hath God betrusted you with a Talent of Grace or Gifts or Wealth or Authority Take heed what use you put them to endeavour in your Place and to your Power to profit others by them use your Gifts and Graces in Comforting Exhorting and Counselling others Have you Wealth and Estates think what good you may do with it It 's lamentable to see what use many that have useful Estates are making of them One hath a fair Talent in this respect but he laps it up in his Napkin the Church hath no help the Poor fare no better no good Work goes on faster for him Another hath the like Talent and he uses it but how Why as Beasts do their Horns in acts of Violence and Oppression through Usury and pinching Bargains he sucks the Blood and eats the Flesh of many poor Neighbours about him thriving as People on the Sea-Coasts by the Wrecks of Ships Another sort waste their Estates in Riot and Excess in Surfeiting and Drunkenness in Pleasures and Pastimes Were these to be painted says Baines on the Ephesians p. 552. they must be brought in with Dogs Hawks Dice Cards Curtizans not clothing the Naked not feeding the Hungry nor converting any of their Estate to any good Use But what will these do when the opening and reckoning Day comes O beware of such Practices And whatever God betrusts you with be it more or less make now the Use of it that you would be found to have made when the Books are opened This the second Word remember it and remember to practise it O look on your Actions every Day and think with your selves will this and this serve for an opening Day will this do at the great Assizes Would I meet my Time thus spent my Opportunities thus entertained Duties thus performed Business thus transacted Conversations thus ordered Talents thus imploy'd at the opening Day Will these Prayers these Performances these Bargains these Ways do in that Day Thus commune with your selves and live as those that must come to the opening of the Books 3. Shall there be an opening of the Books then prepare and get ready for it Make it your Work Night and Day to get into a Readiness for a comfortable meeting of this great opening Day be perswaded to this whatever you leave undone For
past but are as Seeds which are sown in Time and come up in Eternity Non transeunt opera sicut transire videntur sed velut aeternitatis semina jaciuntur There are Books of Remembrance all is put on Record that we do and is in a sort eternal Says one every Thought we think is eternal every Word we speak is eternal every Work is eternal none of these but shall live to this opening Day O remember this Sirs your Actions pass not away all that you do to Day all that you shall do to Morrow will remain till the Day of Judgment All that in any Place on any Account in any Company proceeds from you will tarry till this Day come 2. That all our Actions must come to Light They are not only lasting but shall be opened All those things that have been covered in Darkness that Men have acted under a Cloak that no Eye but that which is all-seeing ever saw shall come abroad I remember a Story of Ottochus King of Bohemia who refused to do Homage to the Emperor till at last chastis'd with War he was content to do it privately in a Tent which Tent was so contrived by the Emperor's Servants that by drawing one Cord it was all taken away and so the King was presented on his Knees doing Homage to him in the view of three Armies then present That which he thought to have kept covered was manifested before a great Number of Persons Thus will God at this Day uncase and lay open Mens Doings There are many who care not what they do so they can but do it secretly O but this Cover shall be taken from over them and they represented as doing such and such things before Armies not only of Men but Angels There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known and come abroad Mat. 10.26 Luke 8.17 Whatsoever ye have spoken in Darkness shall be heard in the Light and that which ye have spoken in the Ear in Closets shall be proclaimed upon the House-tops Luke 12.3 Your most secret Talk and Communion one with another shall be made publick All the Hypocrisy of Men shall be brought out all their Guile and Fraud all their Force and Violence they have used in their Dealings shall appear all their By-ends they have had in any Action all their vile and abominable Practices of which I may say as the Apostle Eph. 5.12 it is a Shame to mention them even these that it 's a Shame for Christians to speak of shall be seen to their eternal Shame that have done them As the Lord by Nathan said to David 2 Sam. 12.12 Thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sun So may I say You do this or that secretly but the Lord will make it openly known 3. That we must meet all our Works again All that ever we do in the Body now we shall meet in the Books then The things that now slip away from us and we see them no more will come again into our Sight when the Books are opened Historians tell us of some Rivers which after they have run some space fall under Ground and cannot be seen but after many Miles running in the Bowels of the Earth they break up again into a great Stream Thus the River Ana in Spain burieth it self and runneth under Ground fifteen Miles and then comes up again whereupon the Spaniards brag they have a Bridg on which ten thousand Cattel feed daily So there are many things we do which are no sooner done than we forget them they pass out of our Sight as Waters buried under the Earth But every one of these after they have been a long time hid will come up again Sirs all that we do in this will meet us in the World to come Our Sabbaths our Duties our Works will meet us yea our Thoughts and Words will meet us Art thou a God-fearing Man or Woman all thy Goodness shall meet thee not a Prayer a Tear a Sigh shall be missing nor any thing that thou hast done or suffered for God Art thou a Person working Iniquity Thy Works first and last thy old and new-done Deeds will meet thee Perhaps now thy Deeds of Darkness lie all asleep and make no Noise in thy Conscience O but at this day of opening these sleepy Lions will awake and roar upon thee Thy Oaths thy Lies thy Drunkenness thy Worldliness all thy Sins will then stare thee in the Face as so many Ghosts 4. That we have need to be circumspect and careful what we do at all times and how we carry in our Generation for there are many Notaries about us continually God as I may say is ever writing Conscience is ever writing Devils and Creatures are ever writing Nothing that we do escapes their Books they take all at length to the last and least Circumstance of every Action and Work what manner of Persons then ought we to be Chronologists tell us of some Kings that tho otherwise they would have taken more Liberty yet they have been circumspect in their Actings because they knew what they did would be registred and transmitted to Posterity Did this so influence them What Circumspection should it beget in us when we seriously consider that all we do will be registred by many Hands and certainly transmitted to Posterity and not only so but to this great opening Day where it shall be opened to all Generations that have gone before or shall come after us to the end of the World O think of it It 's said of Apelles the famous Painter that he carried on his Work very leisurely and being asked why he was so deliberate and curious his Answer was Diu pingo quoniam aeternitati pingo I am long in painting because what I paint I paint for Eternity q. d. I am thus exact because not only the present but many Ages to come are to look on and judg my Work Thus Sirs many Eyes and many Ages to come are to look on and judg our daily Works and Ways and all the Passages of our Lives O therefore let this teach us to live for an opening Day to be careful nothing now be writ but what we would have read then by the whole World of Angels and Men 5. That this opening Day will be a great Day 'T will be a great thing to see all Mankind meeting together all that ever have been are or shall be over the Face of the whole Earth standing in one Company before the supreme Judge O but will it not be much more to see all the Doings of all Men laid open the Secrets that have been hid from Ages and from Generations now made manifest all the things that have been done in Darkness and covered with as much Darkness as that wherein they were committed O what what a Day will this be and what will many appear to be when the Books are opened and
be for hiding his Brother's Blood a Covetous Achan for hiding his Golden Wedg an Oppressing Ahab for hiding his Naboth's Vineyard a Drunken Nabal for hiding his Vomit the filthy Fornicator for hiding his Uncleanness O where where will one cry may I hide my Gain of Oppression Where will another say may I now hide my Tricks and Sleights that I raised my Estate by Where will a third cry may I now hide my Lies and Oaths O where may I hide my profaned Sabbaths mis-spent time of Grace abused Seasons of Salvation Where may I hide this Sermon and that Ordinance that are ready to rise up and condemn me Where may I who have lived in a Time of great Gospel-light hide my Ignorance O I would give all that I have for some where to hide these things so as they may never come to light But all this will be in vain there will be no Place to hide either your selves or Sin in 6. That you must come to an Account and Reckoning for all As all must out so all must be accounted for to the very last and least idle Word Matth. 12.36 You must be accountable for all the Evil you have committed of all the Good you have omitted of all the Talents you have been betrusted with as Time Health Wealth Gospel Sabbaths Sermons and Ordinances all must be accounted for 7. That as you must come to Account so you can in no wise answer for what you have done Alas Sirs your Doings your Lies your Oaths your Drunkenness will be unanswerable Matters all your witty Distinctions Shifts and Excuses will be of no Use when God shall say Why have you done so and so why were you drunk at such a time in such a Place why did you defraud one another why did you profane my Day I say you 'l then be silent The Man who had not on the Wedding-Garment was speechless Matth. 22.12 This shows how little you can answer for Sin how shiftless and speechless Guilt will make you O think on this and let the Consideration of the Unanswerableness of your Doings put you to break from your sinful Ways And that the rather because as you cannot answer for them your selves so 8. There will be none to answer for you Job 5.1 To which of the Saints wilt thou turn Alas it will be in vain to turn to any of them None of them will answer in thy Behalf nor can they if they would Only Christ Jesus can answer for Souls in this case but if thou come to this Opening in thy Sins he will not then answer for thee Acts 5.31 God hath now indeed exalted him with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance unto Israel and Forgiveness of Sins But when this opening Day comes it will be the great Day of his Wrath and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.17 This will be a Day wherein he will not come to plead for them that are found in their Sins but to render Vengeance to them 9. You are sure to be cast and fall in the Judgment This will be the Issue you 'l not be able to answer for your selves Christ will not answer for you God will abate you nothing therefore surely you cannot stand Psal 1.5 There are but two ways of Standing in the Judgment either First by Christ's Righteousness apprehended by Faith and they who have this shall stand For he that believeth on him is not condemned John 3.18 He says Christ that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into Condemnation John 5.24 Or Secondly by our own Righteousness or the Works of the Law an absolute and every way perfect Conformity to the Law if a Man had this he might stand thereby But now Sirs the Ungodly can stand neither of these two ways Not by Christ's Righteousness for they are Christless Creatures Not by their own Righteousness for they are Transgressors of that Law that curses for the least Breach thereof Gal. 3.10 This way of standing is and ever hath been impossible for all Mankind since the Fall Therefore says the Apostle Rom. 3.20 by the Deeds of the Law there shall be no Flesh justified in his Sight Therefore wherefore why ver 19. That every Mouth may be stopped and all the World become guilty before God This way the most eminent of Saints cannot stand Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand David himself says Psal 143.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be justified Thus Sinners you are sure to fall in the Judgment you have not Christ's Righteousness and Man is not justified by the Works of the Law Gal. 2.16 And 10. If once you fall in Judgment you must fall into Hell where you must lie till you have paid the uttermost Farthing Mat. 5.26 And when will that be Why never the Punishment there will be everlasting ch 25.46 Your Damnation everlasting Damnation because you can never make Satisfaction Well Sirs these are the things I would intreat you to take into your Thoughts they are certain Truths and will you yet continue in your sinful States and ungodly Ways Will you tho you know that the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men Will you tho your Ungodliness and Unrighteousness be on Record Will you tho you be bound over to this opening Day and must unavoidably come to it Tho you must there meet all your Actings fairly writ in the Books Tho all your Deeds of Darkness and wicked Works shall be fully displaid before God Angels and Men Will you tho you must come to a Reckoning for all tho you 'l not be able to answer for your selves neither will there be any to answer for you Will you tho you are sure to fall in Judgment and to be cast into Hell Will you I say notwithstanding all this persevere in Sin Truly if this be your Resolution it 's a sad Resolution You are resolved to damn your selves to all Eternity But O! if you knew but what Damnation is if you had but once seen what 's doing in another World or but felt that one Hour which the Damned are groaning under and have to groan under to Eternity you would be of another Mind 3d Vse is of Exhortation First General to all Secondly Particular 1. To Sinners 2. To Saints First General to all Shall the Books be opened Then 1. Remember this Opening and carry it on your Thoughts every day This is the first Word I would leave with you Think O think much of this Day this Day that never had the like before nor ever shall again have after it You have probably heard of that Saying Whether I eat or drink whether I wake or sleep methinks I hear that Voice sounding in mine Ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment Jerom. Why so Sirs