Sixthly The dependence that all the Creatures have upon God they teach thee to depend on him that made thee yea and will in the Judgement condemn thee for thy unlawful practices and dealings for thy preservation The young Ravens seek their food from God and will condemn thy lying cheating over-reaching defrauding and the like they provide neither Store-house nor Barn but thâ— art so greedy of these things that thou for them shuttest thy self out of the Kingdom of Heaven Psal. 147. 9. Job 38. 41. Luk. 12. 24. Prov. 17. 16. Seventhly The love and pitty that is in their hearts to their young and one another will judge and condemn the hard-heartedness that is in thee to thy own Soul What shall I say The Heavens shall reveal thy iniquity and the Earth shall rise up against thee Job 20. 27. That is all the Creatures of God they will by their fruitfulness and subjection to the will of their Creator judge and condemn thee for thy disobedience and rebellion against him Now as these Creatures do every day call unto thee and lay before thee these things so he hath for thy awakening in case thou be asleep and senseless Creatures of another nature as 1. Thy Bed when thou lyest down in it preacheth to thee thy Grave thy sleep thy death and thy rising in the morning thy Resurrection to Judgement Job 14. 12. Job 17. 13. Isa. 26. 19. 2. The Goal that thou seest with thy eyes and the Felons that look out at the Grate they put thee in mind of the Prison of Hell and of the dreadful state of those that are there Luke 12. 58 59. 3. The fire that burns in thy Chimney it holds forth the fire to Hell unto thee Isa. 10. 16. Rev. 20. 14. 4. The ugly smell stench and steam of the burning Brimstone it shews thee the loathsom odious and dreadful torments of Hell Rev. 19 20. 5. The darkness of the night in solitary places and the fears that do commonly haunt those that walk therein it preacheth to thee the fears and frights the scares and amazements that will for ever attend all damned Souls Matth. 8. 12. Deut. 28. 65 66 6. 7. 6. By thy delighting when thou art cold to lay sticks on the fire to warm thy self not caring how fiercely they flame therein so thou canst be warm and be refreshed thereby by this I say God preacheth to thee with what delight he will burn sinners in the flames of Hell for the easing of his mind and the satisfaction of his Justice Ah! saith he I will ease me of my adversaries and avenge me of mine enemies Isa. 1. 24. 7. Yea by thy blowing the fire that it may fasten upon the wood the better thou preachest to thy self how God will blow the fire of Hell by the rigour of his Law to the end it may be its flames to purpose kindle upon damned sinners Isa. 3. 33. All these things as inconsiderable and unlikely as they may appear to you now yet in the Judgement will be found the Items and warning words of God to your Souls And know that he who could overthrow the Land of Egypt with frogs lice flies Locusts c. will overthrow the World at the last day by the Book of the Creatures and that by the least and most inconsiderable of them as well as by the rest This Book of the Creatures it is so excellent and so full so easie and so suiting the capacity of all that there is not one man in the World but is catched convicted and cast by it This is the Book that he who knows no letters may read in yea and that he who neither saw New Testament nor Old may know both much of God and himself by 'T is this Book out of which generally both Job and his friends did so profoundly discourse of the Judgements of God and that out of which God himself did so convincingly answer Job Job was as perfect in this Book as we are many of us in the Scriptures yea and could see further by it then many now a dayes do see by the new Testament and old This is the Book out of which both Christ the Prophets and Apostles do so frequently discourse by their Similitudes Proverbs and Parables as being the most easie way to convince the World though by reason of their ignorance nothing will work with them but what is set on their heart by the holy Ghost One word further and I have done with this and that is God hath sealed the Judgement of the World by the Book of the Creatures even by mans own carriage unto such of them which through any impediment have disappointed his expectations As thus if thou hast but a Tree in thy Orchard that neither beareth fruit nor ought else that is good why thou art for hewing it down and for appointing it as fewel for the fire now thou little thinkest that by thy thus judging thou shouldest passe sentence upon thy own fruitless Soul but it is so For now is the Ax laid to the Roots of the Trees and every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire For as truly as thou sayest of thy fruitless Tree cut it down why doth it cumbet the ground so truly doth thy Voyce cause Heaven to Eccho again upon thy head Cut him down why doth he cumber the ground Mat. 3. 10. Luk. 13. 6 7 8. Ezek. 15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Further The inclination of thy heart towards fruitless and unprofitable Creatures doth fore-preach to thee the inclination of the heart of God towards thee in the Judgement If thou hast either Cow or any other Beast that is now unprofitable to thee though thou mayst suffer them for some time to be with thee as God suffereth sinners in the World yet all this while thy heart is not with them but thou wilt take thy time to clear thy hands of them Why just so shall thy Judgement be as God saith Though Moses and Samuel stood before me that is to pray me to spare this People yet my heart could not be towards them therefore cast them out of my sight and let them go forth Jer. 15. 1. Ezek. 14. 13 14. Thus I say will God judge the World at the last day he will open before them how they have degenerated and gone back from the Principles of nature in which he created them Also how they have slighted all the instructions that he hath given them even by the obedience fruitfulness wisdom labour fear and love of the Creatures and he will tell them that as to their Judgement they themselves have decided it both by their cutting down that which was fruitless and by the withdrawing of their hearts from those things which to them were unprofitable As therefore the Tarâ—s are gathered and burned in the fire so shall it be in the end of this World As men deal with weeds and rotten Wood so will God
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
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
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
and say even the very dust of your City which cleaveth to us we do wipe off against you c. But I say unto you saith he to his Ministers It shall be more tolerable for Sodom at the Judgement then for that City Luk. 10. 10 11 12 13 14. It may be that when thou hearest that the dust of the street that cleaveth to a Minister of the Gospel while thou rejectest his word of Salvation shall be a witness against thee at the day of Judgment though wilt be apt to laugh and say the dust a Witness Witnesses will be scarce where dust is forced to come in to plead against a man Well sinner mock not God doth use to confound the great and mighty by things that are not and that are despised And how sayst thou if God had said by a Prophet to Pharaoh but two years before the Plague that he would shortly come against him with one Army of Lice and a second Army of Frogs and with a third Army of Locusts c. and would destroy his Land dost thou think it had bin wisdom in Pharaoh now to have laughed such tydings to scorn Is any thing to hard for the Lord hath he said it and shall he not bring it to passe You shall see in the day of Judgment of what force all these things will be as witnesses against the ungodly Many more witnesses might I here reckon up but these at this time shall suffice to be nominated for out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established And at the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death 2 Cor. 13. 1. Deut. 17. 6. Joh. 8. 17. Thus then the Books being opened the Laws read the witnesses heard and the ungodly convicted forthwith the Lord and Judge proceeds to execution And to that end doth passe the sentence of eternall death upon them saying Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels You are now by the Book of the Creatures by the Book of Gods Remembrance by the Book of the Law and by the Book of Life adjudged guilty of High Treason against God and me and as murderers of your own Souls As these faithful and true witnesses here have testified every one of them appearing in their most upright testimony against you Also you never had a saving work of Conversion and faith past upon you you died in your sins neither can I find any thing in the last part of this Book that will serve your turn no worthy act is here Recorded of you When I was an hungred you gave me no meat When I was a thirsty you gave me no drink When I was a stranger you took me not in I was naked but ye cloathed me not I was sick and in prison but ye visited me not I have made a thorow search among the Records of the Living and find nothing of you or of your deeds therein Depart from me ye cursed c. Mat. 25. 41 42 43. Thus will these poor ungodly Creatures be stript of all hope and comfort and therefore must needs fall into great sadness and wailing before the Judge yea crying out as being loath to let go all for lost and even as the man that is fallen into the River will catch hold of any thing when he is struggling for life though it tend to hold him faster under the water to drownd him So I say while these poor Creatures as they lie strugling and twining under the ireful countenance of the Judge they will bring out yet one more faint and weak groan and there goes life and all their last sigh is this Lord when saw we thee an hungred and gave thee no meat or when saw we thee thirsty and gave thee no drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee not in or naked and cloathed thee not or when wast thou sick or in prison and we did not minister unto thee Mat. 25. 44. Thus you see how loath the sinner is now to take a Nay of life everlasting He that once would not be perswaded to close with the Lord Jesus though one should have perswaded him with tears of blood behold how fast he now hangs about the Lord what Arguments he frames with mournful groans how with shifts and words he seeks to gain the time and to defer the execution Matth. 25. 10 11. Lord open unto us Lord Lord open unto us Lord thou hast taught in our streets and we have both taught in thy name and in thy name have we cast out Devils Mat. 7. 21 22 23. VVe have eat and drank in thy presence And when did we see thee an hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to thee Luk. 13. 25 26 27 28. O poor hearts how loath how unwillingly do they turn away from Christ how loath are they to partake of the fruit of their ungodly doings Christ must say depart once and depart twice before they will depart When he hath shut the door upon them yet they knock and cry Lord open unto us when he hath given them their answer that he knowes them not yet they plead and mourn Wherefore he is fain to answer again I tell you I know you not whence you are depart Luk. 13. 25 26 27. Depart O this word depart how dreadful is it with what weight will it fall on the head of every condemned sinner for you must note that while the ungodly stand thus before the Judge they cannot chuse but have a most famous view both of the Kingdom of Heaven and of the damned wights in Hell Now they see the God of Glory the King of Glory the Saints of Glory and the Angels of Glory and the Kingdom in which they have their eternal aboad Now they also begin to see the worth of Christ and what it is to be miled upon by him from all which they must depart and as I say they shall have the view of this so they will most famously behold â—he pit the bottomless pit the fire the Brimstone and the flaming beds that Justice hath prepâ—red for them of old Jud. 4. Their Associates also will be very coâ—spicuous and clear before their watery eyes They will see now what and which are Devils and who are damned Souls now their great Grandfather Cain and all his brood with Judas and his Companions must be their fellow-sighers in the flames and pangs for ever O heavy day O heavy Word This word depart therefore it looketh two wayes and commands the damned to do so too Depart from Heaven depart to Hell depart from life depart to death depart from me now the Ladder doth turn from under them in deed The Saviour turns them off the Saviour throwes them down He hath given him authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of man Joh. 5. 27. Depart from me I