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
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
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
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
THE Resurrection of the Dead AND Eternall Judgement OR The truth of the Resurrection of the Bodies both of Good and Bad at the last day Asserted and proved by Gods Word Also the manner and order of their coming forth of their Graves as also with what Bodies they do arise Together with a Discourse of the last Judgement and the finall Conclusion of the whole World By John Bunyan a Servant of the Lord's Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 51 52. Behold I shew you a Mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trump shall sound and the Dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed John 5. 28 29. Marvel not at this for the houre is coming in which all that are â—n 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 London Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Barre Courteous Reader THough this be a small Treatise yet it doth present thee with things of the greatest and most weighty concernment even with a Discourse of Life and Death to Eternity opening and clearing by the Scriptures of God that the time is at hand when there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust even of the Bodies of both from the Graves where they are or shall be at the approach of that day Thou hast also in these few lines the order and manner of the rising of these two sorts of People wherein is shewed thee with what Body they shall then rise as also their states and condition at this day with great clearness For here thou shalt see the truth and manner of the terrible Judgement the opening of the Books the examining of Witnesses with a finall conclusion upon good and bad Which I hope will be profitable to thy Soul that shall read it For if thou art godly then here is that which will through Gods blessing incourage thee to go on in the faith of the truth of the Gospel but if thou art ungodly then here thou mayst meet with conviction yea and that of what will be without fail thy end at the end of the World whether thou continue in thy sins or repent If thou continue in them blackness and darkness and everlasting destruction but if thou repent and believe the Gospel then light and life and joy and comfort and glory and happiness and that to Eternity Wherefore let me here beg these things at thy hand First That thou take heed of that spirit of mockery that saith 2 Pet. 3. 4 5. Where is the promise of his coming Secondly Take heed that thy heart be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon thee unawares Luke 21. 34 35. Thirdly But be diligent in making thy Calling and Election sure that thou in the day of which thou shalt read more in this Book be not found without that glorious Righteousness that will then stand thee instead and present thee before his glorious presence with exceeding joy to him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus World without end Amen John Bunyan OF THE Resurrection of the Dead and Eternal Judgement But this I confess unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Father believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Acts 24. 14 15. MY Discourse upon this Text will chiefly concern the Resurrection of the Dead wherefore to that I shall immediately apply my self not medling with what else is couched in the words You see here that Paul being upon his Arraignment accused of many things by some that were violent for his blood and being licenced to speak for himself by the then Heathen Magistrate he doth in few words tell them that as touching the Crimes wherewith they charged him he was utterly faultless onely this he confessed that after that way which they call Heresie so he worshipped the God of his Fathers believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and that he had the same hope towards God which they themselves did allow that there should be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust Whence note by the way That an hypocritical people will persecute the power of those truths in others which themselves in words profess I have hopes towards God and that such a hope which themselves do allow and yet I am this day and that for this very thing persecuted by them But to come to my purpose there shall be a Resurrection of the dead c. By these words the Apostle sheweth us what was the substance of his Doctrine to wit that there should be a Resurrection of the dead and by these words also what was the great argument with his Soul to carry him through these temptations afflictions reproaches and necessities he met with in this World even the Doctrine of a Resurrection I have hope towards God saith he and there is my mind fixed for there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust The reason why I cannot do what these Jews would have me also why I cannot live as do the Gentiles it is because I have in my Soul the faith of the Resurrection This is the Doctrine I say which maketh me fear to offend and that is as an undergirder to my Soul whereby I am kept from destruction and confusion under all the storms and tempests I here go through In a word this is it that hath more awe upon my Conscience then all the Laws of men with all the penalties they inflict Vers. 17. And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men Now here seeing this Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead hath that power both to bear up and to awe both to incourage and to keep within compass the Spirit and Body of the People of God It will be requisite and profitable for us to inquire into the true meâ—ning and nature of this word the Resurrection of the dead And for the better compassing of this matter I shall briefly inquire First what this place is meant by the dead Secondly What is meant by the Resurrection Thirdly Why the Apostle doth here speak of the Resurrection of the dead as of a thing yet to come there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust For the first The dead in Scripture go under a five-fold Consideration as 1. Such as die a natural death or as when a man ceaseth to be any more in this World
to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. And Jude saith for them is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude 13. The punishment of the ungodly it is reserved till the day of Judgement which will be the time of their Resurrection Observe first The wicked must be punished Secondly The time of their punishment is not now but at the day of Judgement Thirdly This day of Judgement must be the same with the Resurrection of the Dead at the end of this World As therefore the Tares are gathered and burned in the fire so shall it be in the end of this World The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity and shall cast them into a Furnace of fire there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Mat. 13. 40 41. There shall then be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the just and unjust Fourthly The Soveraignty of the Lord Jesus over all Creatures doth plainly foreshew a Resurrection of the bad as well as of the good Indeed the unjust shall not arise by vertue of any relation they stand in to the Lord Jesus as the Saints shall but yet because all are delivered into his hand and he made Soveraign Lord over them therefore by an Act of his Soveraign Power they that are ungodly shall arise this is Christs own Argument The Father judgeth no man saith he but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son that is Count him and fall before him as their Soveraign Lord even as they honour the Father and he hath given him authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of Man And then he adds Marvel not at this for the hower is coming that all that are in their graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill to the Resurrection of damnation Joh. 5. 22 23 27 28 29. From hence also Paul argueth saying For this cause he both dyed rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living And then adds We must all stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ. Rom. 14. 9. 10. Pray mind these words Jesus Christ by his Death and Resurrection did not onely purchase Grace and Remission of sins for his Elect with their Eternal Glory but did thereby also obtain of the Father to be Lord and Head over all things whether they be things in Heaven or things on Earth or things under the Earth All Power saith he in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me and I have the Keys of Hell and of Death Mat. 28. 18. Rev 1. 18. So that all things I say whether they be visible or invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Col. 1. 16. This being thus at the Name of Jesus every knee must bow and every Tongue confess that he is Soveraign Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2. 9 10 11. Now that this may be done He hath his Resolutions upon a Judgement-day in which he to shew himself his People his Way and Word in their Glory will have all his Enemies raised out of their Graves and brought before him where he will sit upon them in the Throne of his Gloâ—y and will shew them then who is the onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Mat. 25. 31 32. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15. Beloved He comes with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed and of all their wicked speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14 15. Fifthly The great preparation that God hath made for the Judgement of the wicked doth clearly demonstrate their rising forth out of their Graves First He hath appointed the day of their rising Secondly He hath appointed their Judge to judge them Thirdly He hath Recorded all their acts and doings against that day Fourthly He hath also already appointed the Witnesses to come in against them Fifthly The Instruments of death and misery are already prepared for them For the first he hath appointed the day of their rising which day John calleth the time of the dead that they should be judged Which time Paul saith is a time fixed he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World c. This time and day Christ brings down to an houre saying The hour is coming when all that are in their Graves shall hear his Voyce and shall come forth c. Revel 11. 18. Acts 17. 30 31. Joh. 5. 28 29. Secondly As he hath appointed the day so he hath appointed the Judge He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained of which he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the Dead This Man is Jesus Christ for it is He that is ordained of God to be the Judge of the Quick and the Dead Acts 17. 30 31. Acts 10. 40 41 42. Thirdly All their deeds and works to a word and thought and every one already Recorded and Inrolled in the Books of the Laws of Heaven against that day The sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond upon the Tables of their heart And again saith God Write it in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come even for ever and ever that this is a rebellious House c. Jer. 17. 1. Isa. 30. 8 9. Fourthly God hath prepared his Witnesses against this day James 5. 1. Job 20. 27. Mat. 24. 14. Rom. 2. 14 15. Malac. 3. 5. Fifthly The Instruments of Death and Eternal misery are all already prepared He hath prepared for them the Instruments of Death he hath ordained his Arrows against the face of persecutors Psal. 7. 11 12 13. Psal. 21. 12. Hell is of old prepared he hath made it deep and large the fire the everlasting fire is also now of a long time prepared the heavy weights of Gods Curse are also ready and their damnation now of a long time slumbereth not Isa. 30 33. Mat. 25. 41. Deut. 29. 19 30. 2 Pet. 2 3. But now I say how rediculous a business would all this be if these things should be all prepared of the onely wise God and there should be none to be judged or if he that is ordained Judge should not either through want of power or will Command these Rebels and force them before his Judgement-Seat Glad indeed would the sinners be if these things might be true Glad I say at very heart if they might be in their secret places of darkness and the Grave for ever but it must not be the day of their rising is set
deal with sinners in the day of Judgement and will bring in I say all the Counsels and warnings he hath given men by these things both to clear up and to agravate their Judgement to them The second Book that will be opened at this day it will be the Book of Gods Remembrance Mal. 3. 16. For as God hath in his Remembrance Recorded all and every particular good thing that his own People hath done to and for his Name while they were in this World so he hath in his Remembrance Recorded all the evill and sin of his adversaries even every thing Eccles. 12. 14. Now Gods Remembrance is so perfect every way that it is impossible that any thing should be lost that is committed to it to be kept and brought forth to the Judgement at the time appointed for as a thousand years are but as yesterday with his Eternity so the sins that have been committed thousands of years since they are all so firmly fixed in the Remembrance of the Eternal God that they are always as fresh and clear in his sight as if they were but just now in committing He calleth again the things that are past Eccles. 3. 15. and hath set our most securest things in the light of his Countenance Psal. 90. 8. As he also saith in another place Hell it self is naked before him and destruction hath no covering Job 26. 6. That is the most secret cunning and hidden contrivances of the most subtle of the infernal spirits which yet are far more slethy then men to hide their wickedness yet I say all their wayes hearts and most secret doings are clear to the very bottom of them in the Eyes of the great God All things are open and bare before the Eyes of him with whom we have to do who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the heart Heb. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 4 5. Ye that say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Understand O ye bruitish among the People and ye fools when will ye be wise He that planted the Ear shall not he hear He that formed the Eye shall not he see He that chasteneth the Heathen shall not he correct He that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know Psal. 94. 7 8 9 10. See also Hos. 7. 2. 8. 13. Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him that is when he is committing wickedness saith the Lord Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. Now to know and see things it is the cause among men of their remembrance Wherefore God to shew us that he will remember all our sins if we die out of Christ he tells us that he knoweth and seeth them all and therefore must needs remember them for as is his sight and knowledge so is his Remembrance of all things When this Book of his Remembrance therefore is opened as it shall be in the Judgement then shall be brought forth of their hidden holes all things whatsoever hath been done since the World began whether by Kingdoms in general or persons in particular Now also shall be brought forth to open view all the transactions of God and his Son among the Sons of men and every thing shall be applyed to every particular person in equity and Justice to whom they belong the sins that thou hast committed shall be thy own and thou thy self shall bear them The Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed It will be marvellous to behold how by thousands and ten thousands God will call from their secret places those sins that one would have thought had been dead and buried and forgotten yea how he will shew before the Sun such things so base and so horrid that one would think it was not in the hearts of any to commit for all is Recorded in the Book of Gods Remembrance While men are here they have a thousand tricks to present themselves one to another far more fair and honest then they are or ever were As Christ said to the Pharisees Ye are they who justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts Luk. 16. 15. I God knoweth indeed what a nest what a heap what swarms yea what Legions of hellish wickednesses there is with power lurking like Cockatrices in those men that one would swear a thousand times are good and honest men The way of men in their sins it is like an Eagle in the Air a Serpent upon the Rock a Ship in the midst of the Sea and of a young Man with a Maid saith Solomon Prov. 30. 19 20. That is hiddenly closely covertly burying all under fair pretences wipeth their mouths in the close of their evill saying I have done wickedness But this though it may serve for the time present and no longer God will not be deluded nor blinded nor mocked nor put off Gal. 6. 7. They consider not that I remember all their wickedness saith he but I will reprove thee and will set them in order before thine eyes Hos. 7. 2. Psal. 50. 21. Here will be laid open the very heart of Cain the murderer of Judas the Traytor of Saul the adversary of David and of those that under pretences of holiness have persecuted Christ his Word and People Now shall every Drunkard Whoremaster Thief and other wicked person be turned their inside outward their hearts right open and every sin with every circumstance of place time person with whom with the causes also that drew them to the commission of every evill be discovered to all Here will be no hiding your selves behind Curtains nor no covering your selves with the black and dark night If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me yea O God darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and light are both alike unto thee Psal. 139. 11 12. The piercing Eye of God beholds all places persons and things the holy hand of his Justice writeth them down in the Book of his Remembrance and by his Power and Wisdom will he open and read to all men exactly distinctly and convincingly whatever hath passed from them or bin done by them in their whole life For for all these things God will bring thee into Judgement Eccles. 11. 9. Again as God will bring out of the Book of his Remembrance what ever hath passed from thee against him so also will he then bring forth by the same Book all things and carriages of his towards thee Here will he bring to thy mind every Sermon thou hast heard every Chapter thou hast read every conviction thou hast had on thy Conscience and every admonition that hath been given thee in all thy life when thou wast in the Land of the Living Now will God lay open before thee what patience he extended to thee how he let thee lâ—ve
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
upon every unconverted soul fiercely accusing every one that now would gladly enter in through the gates into this City Joh. 5. 45. So then he that can answer all its most perfect and legal commands and that can live in the midst of devouring fire and there injoy God and solace himself he shall dwell on high and shall not be hurt by this Law His place of defence shall be the munitions of Rocks bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure thine eyes shall behold the King in his Beauty they shall see the Land that is very far off Isa. 33. 14. 15 16 17. Blessed then is he whose Righteousness doth answer every point of the Law of God according to 1 Cor. 1. 30. he shall be able to escape all those things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man for in himself ouâ— God is a consuming fire and man out of Christ is but as stubble chaff thorns briers and fuel for the wrath of this holy and sinner-consuming God to seize upon for ever Nah. 1. 6. Heb. 12. 29. Mala. 4. 1. Mat. 3. 12. Heb. 6. 7 8. Isa. 27. 4. 2 Sam. 23. 6 7. Who can stand before his indignation Who can abide the fierceness of his anger His fury is poured ouâ— like fire and the Rocks are thrown down by him Now when these three Books are thus opened there will without doubt be sad throbbing and pricking in every heart that now stands for his life before the Judgement-Seat of Christ the Righteous Judge and without all question they will be studying a thousand wayes to evade and shift the stroak that by the sin that these three Books do charge them with will immediately fall upon them But now to cut off all these at a blow forthwith appear the Witnesses who are ready to evince and make full and Soul-killing proof of every particular charged against them And the first is God himself I saith he will be a swift witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false swearers and against those that oppress the hireling of his wages the widow and the fatherless and that turn aside the stranger from his right and that feareth not me saith the Lord. Mal. 3. 5. This must needs be of great sway with every Soul that God should now come in I will witness saith God that these things of which you are accused before the Judge is true I hâ—ve seen all know all and writ down all There hath not been a thought in your heart nor a woâ—d in your Tongue but I have known it altogether all things have alwayes bin open and naked to my Eye Yea my Eye-lids try the Children of men I have known your down-sitting and your up-rising and have understood your thâ—ughts a far off I have compassed your path and am well acquainted with all your wayes Heb. 4. 13. Psal. 11. 4. Psal. 139. 1 2 3 4. 1. You have not continued in that state of nature in which I did at first create you Eccles. 7. 29. you have not liked to retain that knowledge and understanding of God that you had and might have had by the very Book of the Creatures Rom. 1. You gave way â—o the suggestions of fallen Angels and so your foolish â—earts were darkned and alienated and estranged from God 2. All the Creatures that were in the World have even condemned you they have been fruitful but you fruitless they have been fearfull of danger but you fool-hardy they have taken the fittest opportunity for their own preservation but thâ—◠〈◊〉 both blindly and confidently gone on to thy punishment Prov. 22. 3. 3. Touching the Book of my Remembrance who can contradict it Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord was not I in all places to behold to see and to observe thee in all thy ways My eye sâ—w the Thief and the Adulterer and I heard every Lye and Oath of the wicked I saw the hypocrisie of the dissembler They have committed villany in Israel and have committed Adultery with their Neighbours Wives and have spoken lying words in my name which I have not commanded them even I know and am a Witness saith the Lord. Jer. 29. 23. 4. God will also come in against them for their transgressing his Law even the Law which he delivered on Mount Sinai he will I say open every tittle thereof in such order and truth and apply the breach of each particular person with such conâ—â—â—â—g Argument that they will fall down silenced for ever Every mouth shall be stopped and all the World shall become guilty before God Secondly There is yet another wâ—â—â—â—s for the condemning the transgressors of these Laws and that is Conscience their Consciences also beating witness saith 〈◊〉 Apostle Rom. 2. 14 15. Conscience is a 〈◊〉 Witnesses Conscience it will cry Amen to every word that the Great God doth speak against thee Conscience is a terrible accuser it will hold pace with the Witness of God as to the truth of Evidence to a hairs bredth The Witnesses of Conscience it is of great Authority it commands guilt and fastneth it on every Soul which it accuseth And hence it is said if our hearts or Conscience condemn us 1 Joh. 3. 20. Conscience will thunder and lighten at this day even the Consciences of the most pagan sinners in the World will have sufficiently wherewith to accuse to condemn and to make paleness appear in their faces and breaking in their loins by reason of the force of its conviction O the mire and dirt that a guilty Conscience when it is forced to speak will cast up and throw out before the Judgment-Seat it must out none can speak peace nor health to that man upon whom God hath let loose his own Conscience Cain will now cry My punishment is greater then I can bear Judas will hang himself and both Belshazzer and Felix will feel the joynts of their loins to be loosened and their knees to smite one against another when Conscience stirreth Gen. 4. 13. Mat. 27. 3. Dan. 5. 6. Acts 24. 23. When Conscience is once thorowly awakened as it shall be before the Judgment-Seat God need say no more to the sinner then Solomon said to filthy Shimei Thou knowest all the wickedness that thy heart is privy to 1 King 2. 44. As who should say thy Conscience knoweth and can well inform thee of all the evill and sin that thou art guilty of To all which it answereth even as face answereth to face in a Glass or as an Eccho answereth the man that speaketh as faâ—â— I say as God chargeth Conscience will cry out guilty guilty Lord guilty of all of every whit I remember clearly all the Crimes thou layest before me Thus I say will Conscience be a witness against the Soul in the day of God Thirdly As God and Conscience will at this day be most dreadful witnesses against the sinful man at this day so
also will those severall thoughts that have passed through mans heart be a witness also against him As he said before their Conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 14 15. The thoughts come in as a witness for God against the sinner upon the account of that unsteddiness and variety that was in them both touching God and their own selves Sometimes the man thinks there is no God but that every thing hath its rise of it self or by chance or fortune The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Psal. 14. 1. Sometimes again they think there is a God but yet they think and imagine of him falsly Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self saith God but I will reprove thee Psal. 50. 21. Men think that because they can sin with delight that therefore God can let them esscape without punishment Nay oftentimes they think that God doth either quite forget their wickedness or else that he will be pleased with such satisfaction as they are pleased to give him even a few howling prayers fained and hypocritical tears and weepings which passe from them Hos. 7. 14. Mal. 2. 13. More for fear of the punishment of Hell-fire then because they have offended so holy so just and so glorious a God and so loving and so condescending a Jesus Sometimes again they have had right thoughts of something of God but not of him together either thinking so of his Justice as to drive them from him and also cause them to put him out of their mind Job 21. 14. or else so thinking of his mercy as that they quite forget his Holiness and Justice Now both these are but base thoughts of God and so erronious and sinful thoughts Sometimes also they have prety right thoughts of God both as to Justice and Mercy but then through the wretchedness of their unsatisfied nature they against this light and knowledge do with shut eyes and hardened hearts rush fiercely knowingly and willingly again into their sins and wickedness Heb. 6. 2 3 4. Heb. 10. 26. 2. Pet. 2. 20. Secondly As men have these various thoughts of God so also their thoughts are not steddy about themselves 1. Sometimes they think they are sinners and therefore they have need of mercy 2. Sometimes again they think they are righteous and so have not so much need mark and yet both alike rotten and base because as the last is altogether senseless so the first is not at all savingly senseable Mark 10. 17 18 19 20 21 22. Luk. 18. 11 12. 3. Sometime again they think they are Gods that they shall never die or that if they do die yet they shall never rise again or if they do rise again yet they shall be saved though they have lived vilely and in their sins all the dayes of their life Ezek. 28. 1 2 3 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 15. 12. Deut. 29. 18. 12. 20. Now I say every one of these thoughts with ten thousand more of the like nature will God bring in against the Rebels in the Judgment-day Which thoughts shall every one of them be brought forth in their distinct order He sheweth to man what is his thought And again I know that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be hid from thee Amos 4. 13. Job 42. 2. We read that when the strangers at Jerusalem did but hear the Apostle speak to every one of them in their own Language how it amazed and confounded them Acts 2. 6 7 8. But I say how will they look and be amazed when God shall evidently clearly and fully speak out all their hearts and every thought they have had before them Now the reason and strength of this witness will lie here that God will by the variety and crossness that their thoughts had one to another and by the contradiction that was in them prove them sinners and ungodly because that I say sometimes they thought there was a God sometimes again they thought there was none Sometimes they thought that he was such a God and sometimes again they thought of him quite contrary Sometimes they thought he was worth regarding and sometimes they thought he was not As also sometimes they thought he would be faithful both to mercy and Justice and sinners and sometimes again they thought he would not What greater Argument now can there be to prove men vanity froth a lie sinners deluded by the Devil and such as had false apprehensions of God his wayeâ— his Word his Justice his Holiness of themselves their sins and every action Now they will indeed appear a very lump of confusion a mass of sin a bundle of ignorance of Atheism of unbelief and of all things that should lay them obnoxious to the Judgments of God This will God I say by mustering up the thoughts of man and by shewing of them that every imagination and thought of their heart was onely evill and that continually by shewing of them what staggering drunken wild and uncomely thoughts they have had both of him and of themselves convince them cast them and condemn them for sinners and transgressors against the Book of Creatures the Book of his Remembrance and the Book of the Law By the variety of their thoughts they shall be proved unstable ignorant wandring Stars Clouds carryed with a Tempest without order or guidance and taken Captive of the Devil at his will Now while the wicked are thus standing upon their tryal and lives before the Judgement-Seat and that in the view of Heaven and Hell they I say hearing and seeing such dreadful things both written and witnessed against every one of them and that by such Books and such Witnesses as do not onely talk but testifie and that with the whole strength of truth against them they will then begin though poorly and without any advantage to plead for themselves which plea will be to this effect Lord we did find in the Scriptures that thou didst send a Saviour into the World to deliver us from these sins and miseries We heard this Saviour also published and openly profered to such poor sinners as we are Lord Lord we also made profession of this Saviour and were many of us frequenters of his holy Ordinances We have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Lord we have also some of us bin Preachers our selves we have prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name have we cast out Devils and done many wonderous works Nay Lord we did herd among thy People we forsook the profain and wicked World and carryed our shining Lamps before us in the face of all men Lord Lord open to us Mat. 7. 21 22 23. Luk. 13. 24 25 26 27. Mat. 25. 1 2. 10 11. And all the while they are thus pleading and
the like and cut off all opportunity of good leaving no place for mercy or amendment these shall go away into everlasting punishment c. Mat. 25. 40. This word depart c. is the last word the damned for ever are like to hear I say it is the last voice and therefore will stick longest and with most power on their slaughtered souls there is no calling of it back again it is the very wind-up of Eternall Judgement Thus then the judgement being over the Kingdom ceaseth to be any longer in the hand of the Man Christ Jesus for as the Judges here among men when they have gone their Circuit do deliver up their Commission to the King so Christ the Judge doth now deliver up his Kingdom to his Father And now all is swallowed up of Eternity Mat. 21. 8. The damned are swallowed up of eternal justice and wrath the saved of eternal life and felicity and the Son also delivereth up I say the Kingdom to the Father and subjects himself under him that did put all things under him that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 24 25 26 27 28. For now is the end come and not before even the end of the reign of death it self for Death and Hell and sinners and Devils must now together into the Lake that burns with fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 14 15. And now is the end of Christs Reign as the Son of Man and the end of the Reign of the Saints with him in this his Kingdom which he hath received of his Father for his work sake which he did for him and for his Elect. Then cometh the end faith Paul when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father But when shall that be why he answers saying When he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power for he must reign saith he untill he hath put all his enemies under his feet which will not be untill the finall Sentence and Judgment be over for the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death For God hath put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under him it is manifested he is accepted that did put all things under him And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject to him that did put all things under him that God may be all in all All things being now at this pass to wit every one being in its proper place God in his Christ in his the Saint in his and the Sinner in his I shall conclude with this brief touch upon both the state of the Good and Bad after this Eternal Judgment 1. The Righteous now shall never fear Death the Devill and Hell more And the Wicked shall never hope of life 2. The Just shall ever have the Victory over these things But the Wicked shall everlastingly be swallowed up of them 3. The Holy shall be in everlasting Light But the Sinner in everlasting Darkness Without light I say yet in Fire ever burning yet not consumed always afraid of death and hell vehemently desiring to be annihiâ—â—ted to nothing Continually fearing to stay long in Hell and yet certainly sure they shall never come out of it Ever desiring the Saints happiness and yet alwayes envying their felicity They would have it because it is easie and Comfortable yet cannot abide to think of it because they have lost it for ever Ever loaden with the delight of sin and yet that is the greatest torture alwayes desiring to put it out of their Mind and yet assuredly know they must for ever abide the guilt and torment thereof 4. The Saints are always inflamed with the Consideration of the Grace that once they imbraced but the Wicked most flamingly tormented with the thoughts of rejecting and refusing it 5. The Just when they think of their sins they are comforted with the thoughts of their being delivered from them but the Ungodly when they think of their righteousness will gnaw themselves to think that this would not deliver them from Hell 6. When the Godly think of Hell it will increase their Comfort but when the Wicked think of Heaven it will twinge them like a Serpent Oh this Eternal Judgment What would a damned Soul give that there might be though after Thousands and Hundreds of Thousands of Millions of Years an end put to this Eternal Judgment But their misery is they have sinned against a God that is Eternal they have offended that Justice that will never be satisfied and therefore they must abide the Fire that never shall be quenched Here is Judgment Just and Sad. Again As it will be thus with Good and Bad in general so again more particularly when the Wicked are thus adjudged and Condemned and also received of the Fiery Gulph then they shall find That as he that busieth himself to do good shall have more glory than others So they that have been more busie and active in sin than others they shall have more Wrath and Torment than others For as doing good abundantly doth inlarge the Heart to receive and hold more Glory So doing evil abundantly doth inlarge the Heart and Soul to receive Punishment so much the more And hence it is that you have such Sayings as these It shall be more tolerable in the Judgment for Sodome than for others that is then for those that had sinned against much greater Light and Mercy For these as he saith in another place shall receive greater Damnation Yea it standeth to reason that he who had most Light most Conviction most means of Conversion and that was highest towards Heaven he must needs have the greatest Fall and so sink deepest into the Jaws of Eternal Misery Luke 10. 12. Luke 20. 47. As one Star that is as one Saint differeth from another in Heaven so one damned Soul shall differ from another in Hell It is so among the Devils themselves they are some worse than others Matth. 9. 34. Mar. 3. 22. Belzebub is the Prince or the Chief of the Devils That is One that was most glorious in Heaven Chief among the reprobate Angels before his Fall Isa. 14. 2. and therefore sinned against the greater Light Mercy and Goodness and so became the Chief for wickedness and will also have as the wages thereof the Chief of Torments For that will be true of the damned in Hell which is prayed for against Babylon Revel 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Can it be imagined that Judas should have no more torment who betrayed the Prince of Life and Saviour of the World than others who never came near his Wickedness by ten thousand degrees He that know his Masters Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many stripes With many moâ—e stripes than others that through ignorance did commit sin worthy of many stripes But what should I thus discourse of the degrees of the Torments of the damned Souls in Hell For he that suffers least will the waters of a full Cup be wrung out to him The least measure of wrath it will be the Wrath of God eternal and fiery Wrath insupportable wrath it will lay the Soul in the Gulph of that Second Death which will for ever have the Mastery over the poor damned perishing Sinner And Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire which is the Second Death And whosoever was not found in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of fire Rev. 20. 14 15. FINIS See more of this in their Judgement The first Book opened in its first part Mans nature is a Book or law to it self The Book of Gods Remembrance opened The Witnesses give in their Evidence The sinners plea for himself at the Judgment-Seat The Book of Life opened
and how contrary to these principles the World have walked acted and done The principles of nature are concluded under these three generall heads First That man by his own natural Reason and Judgement may gather that there is a God a Deity a chief or first or principal Being who is over all and supreme above all This instinct I say man meerly as he is rational Creature findeth in himself and hence it is that all Heathens that mind their own natural Reason do conclude that we are his off-spring that is his Creation and Wormanship That he made Heaven and Earth and hath made of one blood all Nations of men That in him we live and move and have our Being c. Acts 17. 24 25 26 27 28. It appears further that man by his own nature doth know that there is such a God 1. By his being able to judge by nature that there is such a thing as sin as Christ saith Why do ye not even of your selves judge that which is right as if he had said you are degenerated even from the principles of nature and right reason as Paul saith in another place Doth not even nature it self teach you Luke 12. 57. 1 Cor. 11. 14. Now he that can judge that there is such a thing as sin it must of necessity be that he understandeth that there is a God to whom sin is opposite for if there be no God there is no sin against him and he that knowes not the one knowes not the other 2. It is evident further that man by nature knowes that there is a God by those fits of fear and dread that is often begotten in themselves even in every man that breatheth in this World for they are by their own Consciences and thoughts convicted and reproved judged and condemned though they know neither Moses nor Christ. For the Gentiles which have not the Law these are a Law to themselves and shew the works of the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14 15. that is by this very thing they hold forth to all men that God created them in that state and quality that they might in and by their own nature judge and know that there is a God And it further sheweth it self saith he by those workings of heart convictions of Conscience and accusations that every thought maketh within them together with the fear that is begotten in them when they transgress or do those things that are irrational or contrary to what they see they shall do I might add further that the natural proneness that is in all men to Devotion and Religion that is of one kind or another doth clearly tell us that they by the Book of nature which Book is themselves do read that there is one great and eternall God Secondly The second principle of nature is that this God should by man be sought after that they might injoy Communion with him for ever As I said before the light of nature sheweth man that there is a great God even God that made the World and the end of its shewing him this is that they might seek the Lord if happily they may feel after him and find him though he be not far from every one of them c. Acts 17. 26 27. Thirdly This light of nature teacheâ—â— that men between themselves should do that which is just and equall As Moses said and that long before the Law was given Acts 7. 26. Exod. 2. 13. Sirs ye are Brethren why do ye wrong one another as who should say you are of equall Creation you are the same flesh you both judge that it is not equally done of any to do you wrong and therefore ought to judge by the same Reason that ye ought not to wrong one another Now against every one of these three principles hath every man in the whole World transgressed as Paul saith For both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin Rom. 3. 9. For as touching the first who is he that hath honoured reverenced worshipped and adored the living God to the heighth both of what they saw in him and also according to the goodness and mercy they have as men received from him Rom. 1. 25. All have served and worshipped the Creature more then the Creator who is blessed for ever and so have walkt contrary to and have sinned against this bond of nature in this first principle of it Secondly Men instead of minding their own future happiness as nature teacheth they have through their giving way to sin and Satan minded nothing less for though Reason teacheth all men to love that which is good and profitable yet they contrary to this have loved that which is hurtfull and destructive Yea though sense teacheth to avoid the danger that is manifest yet man contrary to Reason and sense both even all men have both against light and feeling rejected their own happiness as Paul saith Though they knâ—w the Judgements of God that they which do such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but take pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1. 33. Thirdly Man instead of doing equity and as he would be done by which nature it self teacheth he hath given up himself to vile affections being filled by refusing the dictates of nature with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness envy murder debate deceit malignity whispering backbiting to hate God to be dispiteful proud bosters inventors of evill things disobedient to Parents without understanding Covenant-breakers without naturall affections implacable unmerciful Rom. 1. 28 29 30 31 32. And observe it he doth not say that all these things are by every man put into practice but every man hath all these in his heart which there defile the Soul and make it abominable in the sight of God They are filled with all unrighteousness which also appears as occasion serveth sometimes one of them sometimes more Now man having sinned against that natural Light Judgement Reason and Conscience that God hath given him therefore though as I said before he neither knew Moses nor Christ yet he shall perish As many saith Paul as have sinned without Law they shall perish without Law Rom. 2. 12. Yea here will man be found not onely a sinner against God but an 2 Tim. 12. 25. opposer of himself a contradictor of his own nature and one that will not do that which he judgeth even of himself to be right Their sin is written upon the Tables of their own heart and their own wickedness and back-sliding shall both correct and reprove them Jer. 17. 1. Jer. 2. 19. It is marvellous if we consider how curious a Creature man was made of God to behold how much below besides and against that state and place man acts and does in this state of sin and degeneracy Man in his Creation was made in the Image of God Gen. 1. 26. but man by reason of his yielding to the tempter hath made himself the very figure