be opened therefore when we are about to do any thing unworthy say as he Acts 19.40 We are in danger to be called to an Account for this day uproar there being no Cause whereby we may give an Account of this Concourse so should you We that are to give an Account how careful should we be how we use our Time Health Strength Understanding Authority Wealth and other Blessings of God The commonness of these Notions maketh them to lose their Life and Influence Therefore we should especially act Faith in Believing and urging the Soul with this Account Secondly 'T is particularly described and there 1. Of the Servants Allegation 2. The Masters Approbation 1. The Servants Allegation vers 20 and 22. The two first Servants came chearfully to their Account as having discharged their Duty faithfully and with all diligence improved the Talents received Not that in the day of Judgment good men shall make any Narrations of what they have done they need not for Christ shall do it for them they rather wonder that any thing that they have done is taken notice of as in the 37 th verse of this Chapter but all this is spoken after the manner of men and to keep up the Decorum of the Parable if it signifieth any thing it signifieth the Confidence of a good Conscience and what Comfort and boldness it breedeth in the day of our Accounts Doct. That a faithful Discharge of our Duty will give us Comfort and Boldness when our Lord cometh to reckon with us 1. There is a Confidence and Comfort that ariseth from a good Conscience or from Sanctification as well as Justification In the inward Court Conscience is one of the Witnesses as well as the Spirit of God Rom. 8.16 and much Comfort ariseth from its Testimony 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the Testimony of our Conscience A Carnal man is ashamed of the Grounds of his rejoycing and what it is that keepeth his Heart merry but a Godly man can own the Causes of his joy which are in the first place the Blood of Christ Rom. 5.11 We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the Atonement next the Testimony of his Conscience concerning his sincere walking But if a man can live with these Comforts can he dye with them 2. The Review of a well-spent life is a great Comfort in Death Our Lord Jesus at the end of his days when he was to go out of the World John 17.4 saith I have glorified thee upon Earth and finished the Work thou gavest me to do Hezekiah when that sad Message was brought to him that he must die and not live Isa. 38.4 that comforted him upon his Death-bed Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done what is good in thy sight So the Apostle Paul when he drew nigh his end 2 Tim. 4.7 8. saith I have fought a good fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day Oh 't is a blessed thing if we can have this Comfort when Conscience puts off all Disguises and the everlasting Estate is at hand and we are immediately to appear before the Lord to remember then that we have been careful to please and honour God and done his work how sweet is it 3. In the Day of Judgment their works follow them into the other World Rev. 14.13 Their Wealth doth not follow them but the Conscience of having done well abideth with them Conscience is Heaven or Hell to us in Hell it maketh up a part of the Worm that never dyeth so in Heaven it giveth us Confidence 1 John 2.28 and 1 John 4.17 That we may have boldness in the day of Judgment Works are not Meritorious and have no causal influence upon our Salvation yet they have the full place of an Evidence and so may wonderfully Comfort and embolden our Hearts VSE Let us labour to get this Evidence The time of Death is a time that will rifle all our false Hopes You are in your Health and Strength now but how soon you may shoot the Gulph you know not we are hastening into the other World apace When you are immediately to appear before God you will have other thoughts of the World to come and the necessity of Preparation for it than you have now that which will comfort you now will not comfort you then you must look that the Devil will then be most busie to tempt and trouble you and as now he prejudiceth you against the Precepts of the Gospel so then against the Promises of it all your worldly Comfort then will fail and have spent their Allowance and become to you as unsavoury as the white of an Egg. Will this Comfort you that you have sported and gamed away your precious time that you have fared of the best and lived in Pomp and Honour Oh no But this will comfort you I have made it my business to glorifie God I have been Faithful in my place have gotten some Evidence of the Love of God It is not Riches or Greatness or any Earthly Advantage will do you good Oh 't is a Cutting Thought to the Careless and Negligent Now I must give an Account of every day and hour I have spent in this World The Improvement of every Opportunity will be called for Then all your Vanities and carnal Pleasures will be smart upon you and vex your Souls with the grievous Remembrance of them Well then can you in any measure look back upon the Discharge of your Duty There are two Extreams First Some are Presumptuous and Confident because they are not gross Sinners but what have they done for God The sluggish and unprofitable Servant was cast into utter Darkness he did not mispend his Talent but yet he did not improve it The Tree that bringeth forth no Fruit is hewen down though it did not bring forth bad Fruit. 'T is not a Negative Religion will comfort thee but a Positive and a Fruitful one You are no Drunkard no Adulterer no Prophane Person but have you been at work for God Secondly Others are Pusillanimous and Diffident because they do not arrive at the Eminency and Perfection of the highest David had other Worthies besides the first three There were two faithfull Servants one brought five Talents the other two Now the middle is of those that can see in themselves more Zeal than Formality more Grace than Corruption that for the main have made it their business to Honour God though conscious to many Weaknesses and Defects yet throughout Grace gets the upper hand according to the degrees of Grace received they are faithful with God 2. The Masters Approbation Well done thou good and faithful Servant The Faithful Servants are well accepted by Christ. First He entertaineth them
1 Thess. 1.10 because there was never such Wrath before The Holy Ghost useth such Expressions as we are acquainted with 1. The Extremity of these Pains cannot be told us Fire is an active furious Elemenâ— the Pain most searching and no Fire more scalding than Brimstone to Sense that 's most grievous and bitter But the Pains of Hell surpass all that is spoken Look as when Heaven is set out by Gold and Pearls and precious Stones the Joyes there are much above these shadowes so all Notions come short of Hell 2. The whole Man is under the Pains of it both body and soul Both are fellowes in Sin and both are punished It appeareth partly from Scripture Matth. 10.28 Fear not him that can kill the Body but fear him that can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Mark not only the Soul but the Body The Body is not only the Instrument but the Occasion of many Sins the Law in the Members bruitish motions of Lusts the Eye is fed with Lust Therefore the body hath its share 1. For the Body what the Torment shall be we cannot tell the Scripture is silent only in the general that it shall have its share of Punishment is certain and not only by the Grief and Anguish of the Soul but by Pain residing in the Body As the Saints have not only an Happiness for their Souls but their Bodies their vile Bodies shall be changed At the day of Judgment when their Bodies are united to their Souls their Torments are increased Here in the Text 't is said Depart ye the whole Man no part free There is a Place of Torment as we proved before as well as a State of Torment therefore the Body hath its Inconveniences their Eyes meet with nothing but affrighting Spectacles the Devils and the Damned Every time they look on their Tempter it revives their Guilt as the Saints when they look on their Redeemer it filleth their Hearts full of Love and Adoration What see they but Devils to torture them or other Damned tormented with them Wives and Children through their negligence or Neighbours by their cursed Example brought into this place of torment Their Ears are filled with nothing but Yellings and Howlings and hideous Outcries More particularly I shall not define 2. For the Soul The Souls Evils arise from a lively and effectual Sense of the Wrath of God and the gnawings of Conscience There is a Fire and a Worm Mark 9.44 the Wrath of God and the Horrors of Conscience There is an Allusion to the Worms that breed in dead Bodies and the Fire wherewith they were burned I. Let us speak a little of the Worm that breedeth within the Worm of Conscience consisteth in three things There is 1. Memoria praeteritorum 2. Sensus praesentium 3. Metus futurorum All the Periods and Distinctions of Time yield matter of Sorrow and Anguish to them past present and to come 1. Conscience worketh on what is past the remembrance of their former enjoyments Miserum est dixisse fuisse Beatos 'T is the miserablest thing that can be to outlive our Happiness to think of what we once enjoyed but now want Luk. 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Thy day is past now no more Pleasures now all thy Carnal Delights are spent The Riches of Gods goodness that I despised I shall enjoy no more The reflection on past Comforts I was thus and thus but where hath sin brought me The very remembrance will aggravate their present Misery especially when the memory shall be quickened by Conscience to consider their Ingratitude their carnal Confidence how they neglected God in the abundance of all things and nothing remaineth but the sin of their Comforts and the Curse Where now are all your stately Houses pleasant Gardens costly Tables furnished with delicious Meats your gorgeous and pompous Apparel your merry Meetings These things I have enjoyed but now they are come to their full and final Period 2. The Time wasted this is a Commodity never valued 'till it be lost and then it cannot be recovered in Hell they see the folly of it the mispence of time is a killing circumstance experience maketh us value time The horrours of the Damned may be guessed at by the Complaints of the dying Oh! for a little time if they had but one year one month more here men are Prodigal of nothing so much as time as if they had more than they could tell what to do with but when they come to die Oh if God would spare them a little longer 3. Especially Opportunities of Grace sleighted God reckoneth to a day how long how often he hath warned them Luk. 13.7 These three years came I seeking fruit from this Fig-tree but behold I find none cut it down Here is Christs righteous expectation These three years came I seeking fruit their ungrateful frustration But I find none and then his final denunciation Cut it down Whenever God reckoneth with a People he reckoneth with them for time and opportunities of Grace Did not I warn you What means we have had and offers of Grace Gods drawing nigh to us in an acceptable time every Sermon will sting our Conscience There was a fair advantage 't is good to feel the Worm while it may be killed to take notice of Checks of Conscience for the present and the motions of Gods Spirit This is a spark that will not be quenched 4. The Folly of their own Choice Men will not see now but they shall see Isa. 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed Their Understandings are cleared to know the worth of things and their Eyes opened when 't is too late Jer. 17.11 At his latter end he shall be a Fool. He was a Fool all his Life-time to neglect God for a Trifle but now he is a Fool in the Judgment of his own Heart If I had been as active for God as for my Lusts it would have been otherwise with me Temptations are gone Lusts are gone the World passeth away and the Lusts thereof There is no relish of Pleasures in Hell if they could have them they have now the bitter experience of the cost they have been at therefore sadly reflect upon their folly Conviction heightens their torment Jer. 2.17 18 19. Hast thou not procured this unto thy self in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way And now what hast thou to do in the way of Aegypt to drink the Waters of Sihor Or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria to drink the waters of the River Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy Backslidings shall reprove thee Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God This is your way in the Valley As when Children burn and feel the gripes of a Disease we
upbraid them This is your eating of raw Fruit Experience maketh them feel the smart of it Secondly There is the Sense of their present Pain Here when we are corrected we are sensless like Stocks and Stones but there must needs be feeling because there is nothing to mitigate their torment no carnal Comforts wherein to steep Conscience no carnal Companions that can be a Comfort to us The more we look upon them the more we see our own sorrow by reflection There is nothing left but Indignation and Impatience and gnawing their Tongues because of their Anguish Their discontent is part of their torment Thirdly For the future their Condition is hopeless If there could be Hope in Hell the Punishment would be the better borne but there remaineth nothing but a fearful looking for of the fiery Indignation of God Heb. 10.27 And 't is a living God who liveth for ever and ever that is their Enemy Oh! who can think of it without Astonishment When they have run through thousands of Years they still expect more 'T is tedious to think of a short fit of Pain of the Stone or Gout but that is for ever They endure all at once by thinking of what is to come II. There is the Fire or an active Sense of the Wrath of God Consider the Greatness of it in these Circumstances 1. God hath an Immediate hand in the Sufferings of the Wicked Heb. 10.33 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God The Wicked fall immediately into his hands the Quarrel is his own therefore he will take revenge by his immediate Power No Creature is strong enough to convey all his wrath as a Bucket cannot contain an Ocean Mans Anger is like himself weak and finite but Gods is infinite Psal. 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thine Anger Surely we do not consider what it is to fall into Gods hands 2. God sets himself a-work to see what he can doe and what a Creature can bear The Capacity of the Creature is enlarged to the utmost Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his Power known endured with much long-suffering the Vessels of Wrath fitted to destruction His Justice decreeth it his Wisdom designeth it and his Power executeth it He falleth upon us as an Enemy to the utmost with one hand he upholdeth the Creature and with the other punisheth it Here he sheweth what a Creature can do when armed by him hereafter what he can do himself Psal. 78.39 For he remembred they were but flesh he did not stirre up all his Wrath. It doth not break out in its full weight and force 3. Consider some Instances of Gods Wrath When his Anger is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal. 2.12 In Corrective Discipline when Gods Children fall into any Disease the Burnings of a Feavour the gripes of the Chollick the torment of the Stone they cannot endure two or three dayes pain how wilt thou dwell with devouring Burnings These are nothing to the sharp Punishments of Hell on the Body Poor Creatures are at their Wits-end when but a Spark or Flash of this Fire lighteth into the Conscience Judas hanged himself Job cursed the day of his Birth yet this is but a drop these come from Hell they have been in the Suburbs of it Dives wished that Lazarus might but dip the tip of his Finger in water to cool his Tongue these are Warnings they can tell you what a dreadfull thing it is The Lord Christ who was the Son of God perfect in Faith and Patience he wanted no Courage he was under no Despair in the midst of his Agonies yet he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh! what will become of them whose Portion it is Thus for the Nature Secondly The Duration Everlasting Fire The Pains of Hell are Eternal 1. The Moral Reasons of it are 1. Partly because our Obligations to God are infinite in a way of Love God hath done as much as he could We turn the back upon Eternal Happiness which was offered in the Gospel They can never restore the Honour to God which they have deprived him of therefore their Punishment is for evermore the Justice of God can never be satisfied by a finite Creature Believers do it in Christ but the Wicked are in their final Estate 2. They still remain Impenitent the Damned are not changed in Hell Melted Mettal groweth hard again the bad Thief that had one foot in Hell dieth blaspheming their Judgments are changed but not their Hearts If one should come from the dead he might speak to you of Eternity and that in Hell they suffer Eternal punishments 2. The Natural Reasons are 1. The Fire continueth for ever Heb. 10.33 The Breath of the Lord still keepeth the Flame burning the Fuel continueth for ever and Wicked men continue for ever they consume not but are Immortal in Body and Soul Oh think of this there is no End no Intermission No End the Fire on Sodom lasted but a day but when the Wicked have lain in Hell a thousand years 't is but as the first day When a Man is sick he tumbleth and tosseth and telleth the Hours of the Night and wisheth it were Day We are wont to think a Sermon long a Prayer long what will Hell be Conscience will ever be talking to thee repeating over the Story of thy Life and putting thee in Remembrance of the Wrath of God that endureth for ever And 2. 'T is without Intermission Revel 20.10 They shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Not a drop to cool their Tongues Here Sin is everlasting all day it runneth in the Mind and all night it playeth in the Fancy Wicked men begin the Morning with it and end the Day with it Man is ever haunted with his own Horrours and the Wrath of God inflicted upon him Thirdly The next Aggravation is 't is prepared for the Devil and his Angels for them principally and others to bear them company Sathan and all that are seduced by him are tormented together There is a Principality among the Devils one that was chief and Ringleader in the Rebellion against God he and his Angels and then Wicked men make up the Company in that Region of Darkness 'T was a sad Judgment on Nebuchadnezzar when he was turned out among the Beasts but the Cursed of the Lord are turned out among Devils If a Man knew a House were haunted he would not lie in it for a Night You must keep Company with Sathan and his Angels for evermore The Saints enjoy God and have the Company of good Angels but you must dwell with Devils If the Devil should appear to thee in some terrible Shape would not thy Heart fail thee Thou canst not look upon any in Hell but thou must remember Enemies to thy Soul as well as to God 1. VSE This should make us consider the
Government than reward we owe much of our safety to Prisons and Executions so in Gods Government tho love be the mighty Gospel Motive yet fear hath its use at least for those who will not serve God out of love slavish fear tieth rheir hands from mischief 3. For the converted they find all help in this part of the spirits discipline to guard their love When their minds are in danger of being inchanted by carnal delights or perverted by the terrors of sense when the flesh presents the bait Faith shews the hook Matth. 10.28 Or are apt to abuse our power because none in the world can call us to an account Job 3.23 Destruction from God was a terror to me He stood in awe of God who is a party against the oppressor and will right the weak against the powerful 2. Secondly Since 't is threatned we may conclude the certainty of its accomplishment The world will not easily believe that none shall be saved but the Regenerate and those that live not after the flesh but the spirit and love God in Christ above all the world even their own lives that besides these few all the rest shall be tormented in Hell for ever flesh and blood cannot easily down with this Doctrine but Gods threatnings are as sure as executions 1. Because of the holinese of his nature Psal. 11.6 7. Vpon the wicked he will rain snares fire and brimstone and horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness But men feign God as they would have him to be and judg of Gods holiness by their own interest Psal. 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self As if God were less mindful because he is so holy and will not be so indulgent to their flesh and sin as they are themselves and would have him to be 2. His unalterable truth God cannot lie Tit. 1.2 Tho the threatning in the present judgment doth not always shew the event but merit yet it follows afterward for the Scripture must be fulfilled or else all Religion will fall to the ground he cannot endure any should question it 't is not a vain scare-crow Deut. 30.19.20 I call Heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that thou and thy seed may live that thou mayest love the Lord thy God that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life and the length of thy days 3. His all-sufficient Power 2 Thes. 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power and Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction If God will do so surely he can there is no let there Heb. 10.29 30. Vengeance belongeth to me and I will recompence saith the Lord and again the Lord shall judg his people He liveth for ever to see vengeance executed if it seem co be so terrible to you God knoweth 't is with a design of love to awaken those that are carnal What a case am I in then And to make the converted more cautious that they do not border on the carnal life God maketh no great difference here between the righteous and the wicked hereafter he will SERMON XVII ROM VIII 13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die 1. USe is Information 1. To shew the lawful use of Threatnings 2. The folly of two sorts of people 1. Of those that will rather venture this death than leave their sinful pleasure 2. Those that would reconcile God and flesh God and the world c. 1. The lawful use of threatnings 1. Threatnings are necessary during the law of Grace Two Arguments I shall give for the proof thereof 1. If Threatnings were needful to Adam in the State of Innocency and Perfection much more are they useful now when there is such a corrupt Inclination within and so many Temptations without in the best there is a double principle and many inordinate lusts that we need the strongest bridle and curb to suppreis them 2. If Christ eame to verifie Gods threatnings surely God hath some use of them now But so it is the Devil would represent God as a lyer in his comminations Gen. 3.4 Ye shall not surely die Christ came to confute the Tempter and would die rather than the Devils reproach of Gods threatnings should be found true surely this is to check thoughts of iniquity 2. The folly of two sorts of people First Of those that will rather venture this death than leave their sinful pleasures and live an holy life carnal men think no life so happy as theirs being escaped out of fetters of Religion and bonds of Conscience in the Apostles Expression Free from righteousness Rom. 6.20 Whereas the truth is none are more miserable for they carry it so as if they were in love with their own death Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul and they that hate me love death You hazzard soul and body and all that is near and dear to you for a little carnal satisfaction for the present you get nothing but the guilt of conscience hardness of heart and the displeasure of the eternal God and for the future everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord when the body and soul shall be cast into Hell Fire Consider this before it be too late there is no man goeth to Hell or Heaven but with violence to conscience or lusts those that go to Hell offer violence to their conscience 2. Those that would reconcile God and flesh God and the world and secure their interest in both that hope to please the flesh and yet to be happy hereafter for all that would keep up a profession of Godliness while they live in secret league with their lusts God will not halve it with the world nor part stakes with the flesh you cannot please the flesh and enjoy God too for you have but one happiness if you place it in contenting the flesh you cannot have it in the fruition of God Their end is destruction whose God is their belly and who mind earthly things Phil 3.19 Wordly pleasures will end in eternal torments and so much delight so much more will your torments be for contraries are punished with contraries Rev. 8.11 How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much sorrow give her Therefore so much as you gratifie the flesh so much you endanger the soul Will you for a little temporal satisfaction run the hazzard of Gods eternal wrath 2. USE is to disswade you from this course To this End I shall lay down some Motives and some Means Motives are these 1. You think the flesh is your friend do all that you can to
before him Conscience is privy to their constant uniform self denying obedience and this Testimony is of greatest stead to them at the last Isa. 38.3 Remember Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect Heart He dareth appeal in a dying hour for his sincerity and care to please him A good or a bad Conscience is the beginning of Heaven or Hell The checks of an accusing Conscience are the first bitings of the worm that never dyeth And the approbation of a sincere Conscience a preface of the Joy of the Blessed 3dly They know it shall go well with them in that day There are two causes of fear and shame knowing for certain that it shall go ill with us or not knowing it shall go well with us Now they that are under any of these Conditions cannot groan cannot desire a change of state Did you ever know a guilty malefactor long for the Judges appearance and send to him to hasten his coming Indeed those who are confident it shall go well with them they desire the Assizes and are weary of lying in prison and long to be delivered Now those that are absolved from guilt and have sin weakned in their Hearts they know it shall go well with them in the other world Partly by the promise of God who hath assured the Justified and the Sanctified of an Heavenly Inheritance That 's the drift of the whole Gospel For to this end Christ dyed that he might first reconcile them to God and then present them holy and unblameable and irreproveable in his sight Col. 1.21 First sanctifie and cleanse them from the stain and guilt of sin and then present them to himself Clothe them with the fine Linnen which is the Righteousness of the saints Eph. 5.26 27. The Justified and Sanctified may draw near to God in Heavenly Glory Partly by the earnest of the Spirit in their Hearts Eph. 1.13 14. 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Sealing up to them their own Interest to the promise or their right to the Heavenly Inheritance and that in due time they shall possess it Use Is to press us to get ready and to be Clothed that we may with comfort expect and long for the day of our translation The first motive is in the word found 'T is often used with respect to the day of Judgment Found naked And in 2 Pet. 3.14 Matth. 24 46. Blessed is that Servant whom when his Lord cometh he shall find so doing 't is a Blessed thing for a servant to be found at his work So Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him not having my own Righteousness which alludeth to the day of our general or particular doom Now this word implieth three things 1. That there will be an exact search and scrutiny after every one of us Wrath maketh inquisition for sinners and every man will be found out naked or Clothed There is no hiding in the throng of mankind In a particular Judgement God said he would search Jerusalem with Candles Zeph. 1.12 Drag sinners out of their lurking holes Much more in the general Judgment we shall be found 2dly The word found intimateth a surprize God may break in upon us sooner than we are aware of as usually he cometh to the greatest part of mankind unthought of unexpected 2 Pet. 3.10 The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night They do not look for such a day or not prepare for it but are found by it 3dly We remain in the state wherein we are found They that are found naked at their Death shall remain naked to all Eternity There is no change of Condition in the other world as Death leaveth us Judgment findeth us Luke 2.14 On earth peace Now you may be reconciled to God you may agree with your Adversary quickly while you are yet in the way But in the other world Men are in Termino in their final Condition Well then gather up this first motive escape the knowledge of God you cannot You will be found to be what you are Naked or Clothed And you may be sought after and found sooner then you are aware And when Christ hath found you in an unprepared Condition what will you do How will your naked trembling Soul dread to depart out of the Body into an unknown world Secondly My next motive shall be from the words Naked and Clothed Other qualifications than Christs renewing and reconciling grace will not serve the turn 'T is sin which rendreth us odious to God 'T is sin that keepeth us out of Heaven 't is sin that makes us uncomfortable in our selves and hinders our own Joy and peace The Condition of one that is yet in his sins is represented by nakedness upon a Twofold Reason Because it rendreth us loathsome to God and ashamed of our selves Well then will you be naked remain in your natural deformity how then can you appear before the bar of your Judge or look God in the face with any confidence Joseph washed himself and changed his garments when he was to appear before Pharaoh And is there not a greater reverence due to God Oh! Therefore since you are blind and miserable and naked get Clothing That is get the spots of sin washed off by the frequent application of the Blood of Christ your polluted natures changed by the Spirit of Christ. This is the Clothing which must render you acceptable to God and will make you comfortable in your selves so that you will not shun his presence but desire it 'T is said of the Spouse Psal. 45.14 15. Her Clothing is of wrought Gold she shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle work and then with gladness and rejoicing shall she be brought into the Kings Palace The more we get rid of sin and are beautified with holiness the more amiable and lovely in his Eyes And because of likeness and suitableness the more we delight to come to him yea the more we shall long to be admitted not only to present Communion but to constant habitation with him and when we are brought into the presence of God 't will be a welcome day to us at the death of every particular Saint or at the day of our Lords second coming when we shall have no imperfection spot or wrinckle or want of any thing which may perfect our Glory Then we shall put on immortality and incorruption and this Body of flesh shall be like to Christs Glorious Body and then there will be great rejoicing Oh then see that you be Clothed What must we do That we may not be found naked but Clothed 1. We must humbly seek Reconciliation with God by Christ when the Prodigal came humbled himself to his Father presently Luke 15.22 Bring â—orth the best Robe put it on him Then his nakedness is covered with the Robe of Christs Righteousness and the poor penitent believer is received into Gods Family and injoys all the Priviledges thereof and
the Righteous and the full Vengeance of the Wicked keep time and pace Christ cometh to fetch the Saints to Heaven in Sate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.19 The earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God Then it shall be seen what God will do for his Children They are clad in their best Robes to set off Christ's Triumph So suitably the Wicked's Judgment is not yet full upon the last day it shall be increased Christ sets himself a-work to shew the power of his Wrath to cloath them with Shame and Contempt 2. Scripture 2 Thess. 1.6 7 8 9 10. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power Heb. 10.27 There remaineth nothing but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversary And in many other places 3. Reason The Body which hath so long Respite then hath its share of Misery upon the Re-union of the Body and Soul they shall drink the Dreggs of God's Wrath The Soul worketh on the Body and the Body on the Soul As an heavy sad Spirit weakens the Body and dryeth up the Marrow of the Bones and a sickly Body maketh the Soul sad and mopish so when the Soul is filled with Anguish and the Body with Pains their Torment must needs be greater because they have had a great sense of the Joyes of the glorified Saints as that Nobleman Thine Eyes shall see it but thou shalt not taste of it It worketh upon their Envy to see them glorified whom they have maligned and used despightfully and it worketh upon their Conscience this they have lost by their own folly As a Prodigal that cometh by the Houses and Fields which he hath sold and thinks This was mine 't is a grating thought to think This might have been mine Partly because of Judgment and Sentence Then the Books are opened and all their wayes are discussed They are ashamed but God is cleared and vindicated There is a Worm as well as a Fire The Fire signifieth God's Wrath the Worm the gnawing of their own Conscience 'T is hard to say which tormenteth them most the Terribleness or the Righteousness To consider that God is righteous in all that we feel and we our selves have been the Causes of our own Ruine this is a cutting thought to the Damned It maketh them gnash their Teeth and though they hate God they can discharge the anger upon none but themselves Besides their Companions are gathered together those that sinned by their Inticement or Example which are as Fuel to kindle the Flames bind them in Bundles and set Fire on one another Objects reviving Guilt are very displeasing here when Conscience flieth in the face as when Amnâ—n hated Tamar They cannot look upon the Devils but they think of Temptations upon the Damned but either they read their own Guilt by Reflection they are the same or else it bringeth to mind their former Example they brought them to this place Again Christ's final Sentence is past and therefore Wrath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Wrath as they cannot have more for he will no more deal with them 1. VSE Observe how a Sinner hasteneth to his own Misery by steps and degrees In this life we are adding Sin to Sin and in the next God will be adding Torment to Torment Here God beginneth with us Joh. 3.18 He that believeth not is condemned already Do not say 't is a long time till the last Judgment the Halter is about thy Neck and there needeth nothing but turning over the Ladder Men are not sensible of it till they come to die then there is an Hell in the Conscience a Sip of the Cup of Wrath. The Honours of the dying Wicked are the Suburbs of Hell then Yellings and Howlings begin At Death the Bond of the old Covenant is put in Suit and at the Separation the Gaolâ—r carryeth us away to Prison there the Soul is detained in Chains of Daâ—kness in a fearful Expectation of more Judgment I am horribly tormented in this Flame But after Christ's coming to Judgment we are plunged into the depth of Hell the whole Man is overwhelmed with Misery Well then if you add Drunkenness to Thirst God will add to your Plagues till Wrath come upon you to the uttermost II. Observe the Patience of God he doth not take a full Revenge of his Creatures till the last day The most miserable Creatures are suffered to enjoy some degree of Happiness or rather do not feel the whole Misery at the first In the most dreadful Executions of God's Justice you may read Patience God is patient to the fal'n Angels though presently upon their Sin they were cast down into Hell 2 Pet. 2.5 but much more to sinning Man In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt 〈◊〉 was the Sentence yet the Sentence is prorogued till the day of Judgment To those whom he hath a mind to destroy he is patient The old World he bore with first an hundred and twenty Years and then the Rain was forty dayes in coming and Reprobates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.22 He endureth them with much long-suffering Intermission of Wrath in this life and Respite to the Body till the great Day How doth God bear with a company of Hell-hounds he suffereth them to stand by as a Dog while the Bread of Life is distributed to the Children To bear with his Children is much but to bear with his Enemies who seek not his favour and are the worse because forborn and do provoke him daily and do not relent and acknowledge their Offence is much more yet all this while God holdeth his hands Admire his Patience but do not abuse it We are apt so to do Eccles. 8.11 Because Sentence against an evil Doâ—r is not speedily executed therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully set in them to do evil Reprobates fare well for a time live in plenty and ease and therefore think Hell but a Dream and vain Scare-crow But take heed that which is kept off is not taken away And when you see wicked men endured and not presently â—ut off be not offended their day is coming 1 Pet. 2.9 they are but reserved Justice shall break forth though the Cloud of Mercy long overshadow it Their Doom was long since past God might strike them dead in an instant III. One Judgment maketh way for another Our Anger is rash and therefore cooleth by degrees 't is at the heighth at first but it is not so with God his heateth by degrees and is worst at last There is first Snares then Chains oâ— Darkness then a most active sense of the wrath and displeasure of God Let no man
the Trial of all Doctrines God himself wrote the first Scripture that ever was written with his own Finger Exod. 24.12 And the Lord said to Moses Câ—me up to me into the Mount and be there and I will give thee Tables of Stone and a Law and Commandments which I have written that thou mayest teach them And then commanded Moses and the Prophets to do the same Exod. 17.14 And the Lord said unto Moses Write this for a Memorial in a Book And Exod. 34.27 And the Lord said unto Moses Write thou these Words for after the Tenor of these Words I have made a Covenant with thee and with Israel So he bids Jeremiah Chap. 36.2 Take thee a Roll of a Book and write therein all the Words that I have spoken thee And so God spake to all the Prophets tho it be not exprest and by inward Instinct bids them write their Prophecies that it might be a publick Record for the Church in all Ages Now this Way was always accompanied with Prophetical Revelations until Christ's time who as the great Doctor of the Church perfected the Rule of Faith and by the Apostles as so many Publick Notaries consigned it to the use of the Church And so when the Canon was compleat then John as the last of the Apostles and outliving the rest closed up all and therefore closeth up his Prophecy thus Rev. 22.18 19. For I testify unto every Man that heareth the Words of the Prophecy of this Book If any Man add unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book And if any Man shall take away from the Words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City and from the Things that are written in this Book Which sealeth up the whole Canon and Rule of Faith as well as the Book of the Revelations And therefore 3. There is now Writing only without the Word without Visions and Revelations There needeth no more now because here is enough to make us wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. And that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works It is sufficient to make us wise to preach and you wise to practise It is now certain enough God hath left a publick Record that we might not spend our time in doubting and disputing And it is full enough you need nothing more either to satisfy the Desires of Nature or to repair the Defects of Nature to satiate the Soul with Knowledg For God hath given to the Church sufficient Instruction to decide all Controversies to assoil all Doubts and to give us sure Conduct and Direction to everlasting Glory III. The next Question is Of what Concernment it is to enquire of the Truth of the Scripture Many think that such a Discussion needs not because this is a principal matter to be believed not argued and Arguments at least beget but an humane Faith Yet certainly it is of great necessity if you consider four things 1. It is good to prepare and induce carnal Men to respect it and to wait for the Confirmation of the Spirit An Humane Faith maketh way for a Divine when Men hearken to the Word upon common grounds God may satisfy them as those John 4.42 Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Son of the Living God They first believed upon the Woman's Report and then upon their own Experience So it is good to establish sound Grounds that we may know the Truth of God first upon Hear-say and afterward upon Experience This way we induce and invite Men to make a Trial. 2. Because it giveth an additional Confirmation and greater Certainty to the People of God Foundation-Stones can never be laid with exactness and care enough For if you mark it you will find all doubting in your Belief all disproportion in your Practice ariseth from this because the supreme Truth is not setled in the Soul We ought to believe it more and more then it stirs up greater Reverence greater Admiration and makes way for your Delight and Joy to have your Charter cleared It is good to look upon this Argument that it might further Our Comfort and that this Fire may be blown up into a Flame and that Truth may have more Awe upon the Conscience 3. It awakeneth them that have received the Word upon slight grounds to be better setled Most Men look no further than humane Authority and publick Countenance they have no other grounds to believe the Scriptures than the Turks to believe the Alcoran because it is the Tradition of their Fathers Most Mens Belief is but an happy Mistake a thing at peradventure and they are Christians upon no other grounds than others are Turks God loveth a rational Worship he would have us to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reason of the Faith that is in us But they are Christians by Chance rather than Choice and solid Reason it is because they know no other Religion not because they know no better Well then that you may be able to justify your Religion For Wisdom is justified of her Children Mat. 11.19 that you may take up the Ways of God upon a rational Choice it is good to see what Grounds and Confirmations we have for that holy Faith we do profess 4. That we may know the distinct Excellency of our Profession above all other Professions in the World The Daughters of Jerusalem are brought in asking the Spouse Cant. 5.9 What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved O thou fairest among Women What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved that thou dost so charge us What can you say for your Christ and for your way of Salvation and for your Scriptures above what other Men can say for their Worship or their Superstition A Christian should know the distinct and special Excellency of his Profession Jer. 6.16 God bids us Stand in the way and see and ask for the old Paths Where is the good Way It is good to survey the Superstitions we have in the World and compare the Excellency of our holy Profession with other Professions In Scripture we are required not only to glorify God but to sanctify him Isa. 8.13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts in your Hearts So 1 Pet. 3.15 Sanctify the Lord God in your Hearts and be ready always to give an Answer to every Man that asketh you a Reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness and fear Now what is it to sanctify It is to set apart any thing from common Uses This
to have a good opinion of a thing till we make trial The Testimony of the Church hath inclined us to think that the Scriptures are the Word of God not that the Church can make and unmake Scripture when it pleaseth as a Messenger that carrieth Letters from a King doth not give Authority to them 3. How the Church hath witnessed to the Truth of the Scriptures in all Ages Partly by Tradition partly by Martyrdom 1. By Tradition Holy Books were indited one after another according to the necessity of Times and still the latter confirmed the former Moses was confirmed by Joshua Chap. 23.6 Be ye couragious to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses And Joshua and others by succeeding Prophets and all were confirmed by Christ Luke 24.44 These are the Words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and 〈◊〉 the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me For the New Testament it was confirmed by all the succeeding Ages of the Church Christians different in other things yâ—t agreed these to be the Writings of the Apostles So that we have a more general consent than we have about any other Matter probable in the World Men of excellent Parts and Learning that were not apt to take Matters on trust all assent to Scripture as the publick Record for the trial of Doctrines When Heirs wrangle they go to the Last Will and Testament 2. By Martyrdom The Patience and Constancy of the Martyrs who have ratified this Truth with the loss of their dearest Concernments yea even of Life it self Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of their Testimony and they loved not their Lives unto the Death It is possible that a Man may suffer for a false Religion and sacrifice a stout Body to a stubborn Mind but because there is counterfeit Coin is there no true Gold The Devil's Martyrs are neither so many for number nor for temper and quality so holy so wise so meek as Christ's Champions The Christian Religion can shew you Persons of all Ages Young and Old of all Sexes Men and Women of all Conditions of Life Noble and of low Degree of all Qualities Learned and Unlearned Persons that could not be suspected to be mopish or melancholy or tired out with the Inconveniences of an evil World but were in a capacity to enjoy temporal Things with the highest delight and sweetness and yet counted not their Lives dear to them to confirm the Truth of this Word What is dearer to Men than Life And this not out of any desire of vain Glory their Death being accompanied with as many disgraceful as painful Circumstances not out of any sensless stupidity or fierceness of Mind they being of a meek Temper and blamed for nothing else but their constancy in asserting that Truth which they professed not out of any confidence in their own strength in bearing those horrible Cruelties that were inflicted upon them but humbly committing themselves to God and imploring his Strength did deliberately and voluntarily give up themselves to be cruelly butchered and tormented as a Testimony of the Power of this Truth upon their Hearts some of them kissing the Stake thanking the Executioner others wrestling a while with Flesh and Blood and natural desires of Life yet the Love of the Truth prevailing came at length to encounter the Horrors of a cruel Death with a well-tempered Constancy and Resolution which certainly in so many thousands even to an incredible Number could not be without some Divine Power and Force upon their Souls That all this should be done by Persons otherwise of a delicate tender Sense and a meek and flexible Spirit what should move them to it but the Power of the Truth This being a Religion of little Reputation in the World which the Philosophers and Disputers of that Age sought to batter down with Arguments the Politicians with all manner of Discouragements the Orators with a Flood of Words the Tyrants with Slaughters and Torments the Devil by all manner of Crafts and Subtilties What had the poor Christians before their Eyes but Prisons and wild Beasts and Gibbets and Fires and Racks and torturing Engines more cruel than Death They had Flesh and Blood as well as others a Nature that continually prompted them to spare themselves as well as others Life was as dear to them and their care of their Families and Little-ones as great their respect to Parents and Friends as much in them as any yea more Religion requiring natural Affection in the highest Exercise and intendering their Hearts with a sense of their Duty Yet rather than give their Bibles to be burnt or be led away from their Religion they could trample upon all Certainly such an invincible constancy could not be imputed to any rigid Sullenness or foolish Obstinacy or distempered Stiffness but meerly to the love of Truth which prevailed over all other Concernments Let it shame us that they could part with Life and all their Interests for Christ and his Truth and we cannot part with our Lusts they with their well-being and we not with our ill-being Could they suffer the Persecutors to destroy their Bodies and will not we suffer the Fire of the Word to consume our Lusts Reason and Conscience is calling upon us to quit these things and yet we hug them to our great Prejudice we to whom a little Duty is so irksome a little pains in Prayer so tedious what would we do if the Fires were kindled about us and we were every day to carry our Life in our Hands and could look for nothing but Halters and Stakes and Instruments of Destruction Surely our Spirits are too silken and soft for such a Religion so abstracted from Ease and Pleasure and worldly Interests III. The Malignant World hath owned it the deadly hatred of the Devil and the constant opposition of wicked Men is a proof of it The Malignant World know it and therefore they hate and oppose it The Reason of the Argument is because the Heart of Man is naturally averse to God 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Now that which all wicked Men do universally and constantly oppose and malign certainly that is of God As Christ saith of his own Disciples John 15.19 If ye were of the World the World would love its own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you So may we reason If the Scriptures were of Men if devised by them and suitable to their Lusts and Humours the Men of the World would receive them with a great deal of stillness Flesh and Blood would love its own But carnal Men have constantly
the chief Object and Center of our Rest Otherwise we are troubled with divers Cares Fears and Desires Thus Grace worketh upon us But the distance lieth not only on our part but God's Before God and the Creature can be brought together Justice must be satisfied Christ came to restore us to our Primitive Condition 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself The Merit of Christ bringeth God to us and the Spirit of Christ bringeth us to God It is as necessary Christ should be united to us as we to God 5. Our Happiness in God is compleated by degrees In this Life the Foundation is laid we are reconciled to him upon Earth But the compleat fruition we have in Heaven there we are fully made perfect in one Here there is weakness in our Reconciliation we do not cleave to him without distraction there are many goings a whoring and wandring from God after our return to him And here on God's part our Punishment is continued in part God helpeth us by Means at second and third Hand We need many Creatures and cannot be happy without them we need Light Meat Cloaths House Our Life is patched up by Supplies from the Creature But there God is all and in all 1 Cor. 15.28 We find in God whatever is necessary for us without Means and outward Helps There God is all and in all he is our House Cloaths Meat Ordinances We have all immediately from God and in all all are made perfect in one We cannot possess any Thing in the World except we encroach upon one anothers Happiness Worldly Things cannot be divided without lessening and we take that from others which we possess our selves Envy sheweth the narrowness of our Comforts But there the Happiness of one is no hindrance to another all are gratified and none miserable As the Sun is a common Privilege none have less because others have more All possess God as their Happiness without Want and Jealousy Vse If to be drawn into Unity and Oneness with God be our Happiness and Perfection then take heed of two Things 1. Of Sin which divides God from you 2. Of doting upon the Creatures which withdraweth you from God 1. Of Sin which maketh God stand at a distance from you Isa. 59.2 Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you As long as Sin remaineth in full Power there cannot be any Union at all What Communion hath Light with Darkness And the more it is allowed the more it hindreth the Perfection of the Union What is the Reason we do not fully grow up to be one with God in this Life that our Communion with him is so small Sin is in the way the less Holy you are the less you have of this Happiness such unspeakable Joys lively Influences of Grace and immediate Supplies from Heaven In bitter Afflictions we have most Communion with God many times that is nothing so evil as Sin as Afflictions abound so do our Comforts 2. Of doting upon the Creatures which withdraweth your Heart from God The more the Heart is withdrawn from God the more miserable Let the Object be never so pleasing it is an Act of Spiritual Whoredom Sin is Poyson Creatures are not Bread Isa. 55.2 Why do you spend your Mony upon that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not It cannot yield any solid Contentment to the Soul These things are short uncertain things beneath the Dignity of the Soul there is a Restlesness within our selves and Envy towards others they are not enough for us and them too Not for us if enough for the Heart not for the Conscience If God do but arm our own Thoughts against us as usually he doth when the Affections are satisfied with the World he will shew you that the whole Soul is not satisfied therefore he awakeneth Conscience As Children catch at Butterflies the gawdy Wings melt away in their Fingers and there remaineth nothing but an ugly Worm Desertion is occasioned by nothing so much as Carnal Complacency Many times the Object of our Desires is blasted but if not God awakeneth Conscience and all the World will not allay one Pang You may understand this Oneness with respect to our Fellow-Members and so you may understand it jointly of the compleatness of the whole Mystical Body or singly of the strength of that brotherly Affection each Member hath to another There is a double Imperfection for the present in the Church every Member is not gathered and those that are gathered are not come to their perfect growth So that let them be perfect in one is that the whole Body may attain to the integrity of Parts and Degrees First Let us take it Collectively that they may all be gathered together into a perfect Body and no Joints lacking Observe That all the Saints of all Places and all Ages make but one perfect Body In this sense the glorified Saints are not perfect without us Heb. 11.40 God having promised some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect It is no derogation for Christ is not perfect without us The Church is called the Fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes. 1.23 They are as to their Persons perfect free from Sin and Misery made perfect in Holiness and Glory but not as to their Church-Relation So Ephes. 4.13 Till we all come to the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ. All the Body must be made up that Christ Mystical may be compleat Now there are some Joints lacking all the Elect are not gathered Vse 1. See the Honour that is put upon the Saints The Saints on Earth and the Saints in Heaven make but one Family Ephes. 3.15 Of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named In a great House there are many Rooms and Lodgings some Above some Below but they make but one House So of Saints some are Militant some Triumphant and yet all make but one Assembly and Congregation Heb. 12.23 We are come to the General Assembly and Church of the First-Born which are written in Heaven we upon Earth are come to them Our Christ is the same we are acted by the same Spirit governed by the same Head and shall be conducted to the same Glory As in the State of Grace some are before us in Christ so some are in Heaven before us their Faces once as black as yours We have the same Ground to expect Heaven only they are already entred Vse 2. It is a ground of Hope we shall all meet together in one Assembly Psal. 1. 5. The Vngodly shall not stand in the Judgment nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous Now the Saints are scattered up and down where they may be most useful then all shall be gathered together
the presence of God and so an exclusion from all Bliss and Glory 2 Thess. 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power So Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire Secondly The Pain is set forth by two Notions Mark 9.44 The worm that never dyeth and the fire that shall never be quenched by which is meant the sting of Conscience and the wrath of God both which constitute the second Death and make the Sinner for ever miserable 1. The sting of Conscience or the fretting remembrance of their past folly and madness in following the pleasures of sin and neglecting the promises of Grace What a vexing reflection will this be to the Damned to all Eternity And besides this 2. There are pains inflicted upon them by the wrath of God and the Body and Soul are delivered over to eternal Torments Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels There is no Member of the Body or Faculty of the Soul but feeleth the misery of the second Death for as no part is free from sin so none from punishment in the second Death the pain lyeth not in one place head or heart but all over and though in the first Death the more it prevaileth the more we are past feeling yet in this death there is a greater vivacity than ever the capacity of every sense is enlarged and made more receptive of pain While we are in the Body vehemens sensibile corrumpit sensum the sense is deadned the more vehemently and violently the object striketh upon it as the Inhabitants about the fall of Nilus are deaf with the continual noise too much light puts out the eyes and the taste is dulled by custom but here the capacity is not destroyed by feeling but improved As the Saints are fortified by their Blessedness and happily injoy those things the least glimpse of which would overwhelm them in the World so the wicked are inabled by that power that torments them to endure more and all this is eternal without hope of release or recovery II. This Death is Wages a Debt that will surely be paid for it is appointed by the Sentence of Gods righteous Law Now here we must consider 1. The Righteousness of it 2. The Certainty 1. The Justice and Righteousness of it for many make a question about it upon this ground because between the work and the wages there must be some proportion now how can an Act done in a short time be punished with eternal Death or everlasting Torments I answer 1. We must consider the Object against whom sin is committed it is an offence done against an infinite Majesty Now sinning wilfully against the infinite Majesty of Heaven deserveth more than any thing done against a man can do 1 Sam. 2.25 If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him Sins against men are not so great as sins against God and the reconciliation and satisfaction is more easie 2. Consider the Nature of Impenitency in Sin 1. Their great unthankfulness for Redemption by Christ they forsook their own mercies and Gods healing grace to the last Joh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation And then when they are in Termino there is no further Tryal their time and day of Grace is past 2. God offered them eternal Life and then their foolish choice is justly punished with eternal Death Every sin includeth a despising of eternal Life for rather than men will leave their brutish and sordid pleasures that they may live an holy life they will run this hazard the loss of that eternal Life which God offereth and the incurring these eternal pains which he threatneth This immortal happiness far exceedeth all those base pleasures for which they lose their Souls Well then man wilfully exchanging his everlasting Inheritance for momentany and transient pleasures becometh the Author of his own wo whilst he preferreth such low things before Gods eternal joyful presence 2. The Certainty This Debt will be paid if we consider 1. The Holiness of Gods Nature which inclineth him to hate sin and sinners Psal. 5.4 5. Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all the workers of iniquity They that take pleasure in sin God cannot take pleasure in them and if they will not part with sin God and they must part and therefore if they will do sins work all that sin bringeth to them by way of stipend is everlasting separation from the presence of God that is implacably adverse to all that is evil and though he hath prepared a place where the holy may dwell with him yet he cannot endure the wicked should be so near him 2. His Justice moveth him to punish it As Holiness belongeth to his Nature so his Justice to his Office his Holiness is the fundamental Reason of punishing the wicked his Justice is the next Cause His Holiness is indeed the fundamental Cause as appeareth by the fears of Sinners 1 Sam. 6.20 And the men of Bethshemesh said Who is able to stand before this holy God And by the security of Sinners Psal. 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but the nearest Cause is his Justice as Rector of the World declared both in his Laws and Providence Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death c. Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right 3. His unalterable Truth which is firmer than Heaven and Earth if he threaten will not he accomplish The truth of his Threatnings is as unchangeable as the truth of his Promises for in both God is one 1 Sam. 15.29 The strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not as man that he should repent it is spoken in the case of deposing Saul for his disobedience to God The doubt is this Gods Threatnings do not always foretel the Event they shew the merit but not the event I answer The object is changed but God remaineth for ever the same if from impenitent we become penitent we are not liable to his Threatnings but objects of his Grace and capable of the benefit of his Promises a man walking in a room upward and downward hath sometimes the wall on his right hand sometimes on his left the wall is in the same place but he changeth posture 4. His irresistible Power God is able to inflict these punishments upon them Deut. 32.39 There is none that can deliver out
forgetful of God unapt for spiritual things the flesh governeth but if the spiritual life doth more and more discover it self with life and power in our thoughts words and actions the Flesh is on the wane and we shall not be reckoned to have lived after the flesh but after the spirit we have every day an higher estimation of God and Christ and Grace weaneth and draweth off the heart from other things that we may grow more dead to them and live to God in the Spirit and more intirely pursue our everlasting hopes 4. Some things more immediately tend to the pleasing of the flesh as bodily pleasures and therefore the inclinations to them are called the lusts of the flesh 1 John 2.16 Other things more remotely as they lay in provisions for that end as the honours and profits of the world now tho a man be not voluptuous he may be guilty of the carnal minding because he is wholly sunk and lost in the world and is thereby taken off from a care of and delight in better things Envyings Emulations Strife and Divisions make us carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 For ye are yet carnal whereas there is among you envyings strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men They have little of the spirit in them that bustle for greatness and esteem in the world tho they be not wholly given to brutish pleasures and those that will be rich are said to fall into foolish and hurtful lusts which drown the soul in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6.9 These are taken off from God and Christ and the world to come and therefore the fleshly minding must be applied to any thing that will make us less spiritual and heavenly Luk. 12.21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God They seek outward things in good earnest but spiritual things in an overly careless or perfunctory manner 5. Some please the flesh in a more cleanly manner others in a more gross Gal. 5.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The works of the flesh are manifest adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft These are the grosser out-breakings of the flesh now tho we fall not into these yet there is a more secret carnal minding when we have too free a relish in any outward thing and set loose the heart to such alluring vanities as draw us off from God and Christ and Heaven and these obstruct the heavenly life as well as the other therefore still all must be subordinated to our great Interest some are disingaged from baser lusts but are full of self-love and self-seeking I proceed to the Second Thing 2. What is that death which is the consequent of it Death signifieth Three Things in Scripture Death Temporal Spiritual and Eternal The first consisteth in the Separation of the Soul from the body The Second in the Separation of the Soul from God The Third in an Eternal Separation of both body and Soul from God in a State of endless Misery 1. Death is a separation of the Soul from the body with all its antecedent preparations As Diseases Pains Miseries Dangers these are death begun in deaths often 2 Cor. 11.13 that is in dangers that he may take from me this death Exod. 10.7 Meaning the Plague of the Locusts and death is consummated at our dissolution 1 Cor. 15.55 Now all this is the fruit of sin and they forfeit their lives that only use them for the flesh they are unserviceable to God and therefore why should they live in the world 2. Spiritual Death or an estrangement from God as the Author of the Life of Grace so we are said to be dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 and so it may hold good here 1 Tim. 5.6 She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth That is hath no feeling of the life of Grace But 3. Eternal Death which consisteth in an everlasting separation from the Presence of the Lord called the second death Rev. 20.6 On such the second death hath no power and v. 14. Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death This is most horrible and dreadful and is the portion of all those that are slaves to the flesh Now this is called death 1. Because In all creatures that have sence their dissolution is accompaneed with pain Trees and Vegetables die without pain and so doth not Man and Beast and death to men is more bitter because they are more sensible of the sweetness of life than beasts are and have some forethought of what may follow after and because 't is a misery from which there is no release as from the first death there is no recovery into the present life This second death is set forth by two solemn notions The worm that never dieth and the fire that shall never be quenched Matth. 9.44 By which is meant the sting of Conscience and the Wrath of God both these make the sinner for ever miserable the sting of conscience or the fretting remembrance of their past folly when they reflect upon their madness in following the pleasures of sin and neglecting the offers of Grace and besides this there are pains inflicted upon them by the Wrath of God there is no member or faculty of the soul free but feeleth the misery of the second death as no part is free from sin so none shall be from punishment in the first death the pain may lie in one place head or heart but here all over the agonies of the first death are soon over but the agonies and pains of the second death indure for ever The first death the more it prevaileth the more we are past feeling but by this second death there is a greater vivacity than ever the capacity of every sence is inlarged and made more receptive of pain while we are in the body vehemens sensible corrumpit sensum the more vehemently any thing doth strike on the Sences the more doth it deaden the sense as the inhabitants about the fall of Nilus are deaf with the continual noise and too much light puts out the eyes tast is dulled by custom here the capacity is improved by feeling the power of God sustaining the sinner whilst his wrath torments him as the Saints are fortified by their Blessedness and can indure that Light and Glory the least glimpse of which would overwhelm them here so the wicked are capacitated to endure the torments in the first death our praying is for life we would not die there our wish shall be for destruction we would not live Every man would lose a Tooth rather than be perpetually tormented with the Tooth-ach these pains never cease this Death is the fruit of the carnal Life Secondly To be spiritually minded is Life and Peace Here all will be easily and soon dispatched 1. What it is to be spiritually minded I Answer When we know the Things of the Spirit so as to believe them and believe
them so as to affect and esteem them and esteem and affect them so as to seek after them and so to seek after them as to seek after them in the first place 1. We must know them For the Things of the Spirit must be understood before they can be chosen and desired John 4.10 If thou knewest the gift The brutish world know not the worth of spiritual and heavenly things therefore mind them not 2. Believe them None will seek after that which they judg to be a fancy or of the certainty of which they are not perswaded especially when they must forgo present delights and contentments to obtain it such is Salvation by Christ 2 Pet. 1.5 10 16 And besides this giving all diligence to add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledg Wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 3. Affect and esteem them above all other things Heb. 11.13 Being perswaded of these things they imbraced them So esteem them that your desires may not be checked and controled by other things Heb. 11.26 By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter 4. To pursue after them with all diligence Phil. 2.10 Working out your salvation with fear and trembling and John 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but that which endureth to everlasting life 5. Seek them in the first place that you may not only make it your business but the chiefest business of your lives to obtain these Things Mat. 6.33 First seek the kingdom of God This is to set your faces heavenward when you make it your great business to please God and save your souls 2. This is Life and Peace By Life and Peace is meant Eternal Blessedness he addeth to the Word Life the Term Peace because in Eternal Life there is freedom from all evil and the presence of all good for there can be no true solid peace where there is the fear of any evil or a want of any good but here being neither the Soul is fully at peace and rest therefore 't is said that God will give glory honour and peace to every one that doth good Rom. 2.10 Heaven is the new Jerusalem the City of Peace where we converse with God who is a God of Peace and enjoy full peace and rest from all our Molestations but tho it be meant of Heaven yet peace of Conscience is not excluded partly because 't is the beginning and earnest of it that peace which we now have in the Kingdom of the Messiah by our Reconciliation with God Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God and the testimony of a good conscience 2 Cor. 1.20 This is a continual feast Now the fruit of righteousness is peace Peace in Heaven and peace on earth Luke 2.14 and Luke 19.38 Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord. Peace in Heaven and Glory in the highest 'T is begun here and perfected there And partly because whatever the Spirit worketh tendeth to our Peace and Blessedness not only hereafter but now Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing The Reasons are in common 1. With respect to Gods Justice God who is the most Righteous Governour of the world will make a just difference between the Righteous and the wicked by rewards and punishments it belongeth to his general Justice ut bonis bene sit malis male that it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do ill Psal. 11.5 6. Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest shall be the portion of their cup for the righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance beholdeth the upright Surely God is not indifferent to good and evil to them that will please the flesh and obey the Spirit his Justice will not permit that the carnal and the regenerate who are so different in their lives should meet together in the end no surely the end of the one will be death and the other life and peace 2. To suit his Motives to the profit of Men. 1. There needeth something frightful to make sin a terror to us therefore doth he counterballance with advantage the pleasures of sin that are but for a season we are vehemently addicted to carnal delights therefore to check this inclination God ballanceth the choicest and highest pleasures with eternal pain that by setting one against the other we may be deterred from pleasing the flesh Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall die 2. To encourage the godly in their self-denying Obedience The godly quit and forgo many pleasures which others enjoy Now to restrain and deny the flesh seemeth a pain and trouble therefore to encourage them to continue in an holy course tho it be distastful to the flesh and to renounce worldly pleasures and sensual delights while they may injoy them God hath told them of life and peace they shall have joy enough 1. VSE is Information To shew us the folly of wicked men who are self-destroyers and wrong their own souls while they despise the ways of Wisdom and prefer carnal satisfactions before the pleasing of God All that hate me love death Prov. 8.36 Not formally but consequentially a wicked man sinneth not purposely that he may be damned but that is the issue 2. It sheweth us the security of the wicked they sleep most soundly when their danger is nighest as Jonah in the storm that was raised for his sake they are upon the brink of Hell yet they go on merrily lulling their Consciences asleep with outward and vain delights but tho they sleep their damnation sleepeth not it were better to waken and escape the danger Prov. 27.12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself but the simple pass on and are punished A little sober Consideration of this truth may be of use to them VSE 2. Is Admonition Oh let this stop us from going on in a flesh-pleasing course Consider whither it will lead you what followeth upon this 1. 'T is Death If it were a small thing you might bear it but 't is a case of Life and Death eternal Life and Death This will be the eternal ruin of your precious and immortal souls The more you please the Flesh the more you add Fuel to that Fire which shall never be quenched and provide matter for that never-dying Worm or eternal sorrow and confusion of face to your souls Those things that now please the Senses will one day sting the Conscience We should not affect that which will be Death to us Remember the Hook when the Flesh looketh only to the Bait. 2. T is Death threatned in the Word of God and therefore certain as well as dreadful Rom. 6.21 The wages of sin is death and Rom. 7.5 The motions of sin did bring forth fruit unto death If a man warn
that please me and take hold of my covenant They thankfully accept the offered benefits and resolve by the strength of the Lords grace to perform the required duties 3. That our hearts be set to fulfil our covenant vow For otherwise we double and deal unsincerely with God Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good conscience willing in all things to live honestly The habit and bent of the heart is for God and obedience to him 4. That there be some answerable endeavours and pursuance of this resolution and care to please God in all things Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men 5. That these endeavours be uniformly carried on that our sincerity may be evidenced to conscience For then 't is matter of Rejoicing and assurance to us 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoicing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world 1 John 3.19 And hereby we know we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him Grace constantly and self-denyingly exercised hath an evidence in the conscience and conduceth also to give liberty and boldness before God 2. The witness of the spirit Because this is often mistaken I shall the more distinctly lay it before you 1. The spirit layeth down marks in Scripture which may decide this question whether ye are the children of God yea or no. As for instance 1 John 3.10 In this the children of God are manifested and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother And again Rom. 8.14 As many â—â— are led by the spirit are the sons of God So every where in the Scripture God expresly telleth us who shall go to Heaven and who shall go to Hell and that there is no neutral and middle estate between the Holy and Carnal all are of one sort or other Now if we should go no further the Text would bear a good sence The spirit beareth witness with our spirit when our conscience can witness our sincerity in a course of obedience unto God The spirits witness in Scripture that this is a sound so a true evidence and the Testimony of conscience confirmed by Scripture for whatever is spoken in Scripture 't is supposed to be the very voice and Testimony of the Spirit as Acts 28.25 Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers so Heb. 3.7 Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice So the spirit speaketh or witnesseth to our spirits namely in the word supposing what is to be supposed this must not be slighted yet this is not all for the context speaketh not of a witness without but motion within whereby we are restrained from sin and inclined to cry Abba Father 2. He worketh such graces in us as are peculiar to Gods children and evidences of our interest in the Favour of God as when he doth Renew and Sanctify the Soul and so many of the choicest Divines take the word witness for evidence or the objective Testimony namely that the presence and dwelling and working of the Sanctifying Spirit in us is the Argument and matter of the proof upon which the whole cause or traverse dependeth That it is so to be taken is clear in that exclusive mark Rom. 8.9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his And in that positive mark 1 John 3.24 And he that keepeth his commanments dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us and again 1 John 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he is us because he hath given us his spirit That Holy and Charitable spirit The gracious operations of his presence are the Argument whence we conclude 3. He helpeth us to discern this work in our souls more clearly Conscience dothits part to discover it and the spirit of God doth his part namely as he helpeth us to know and see that Grace which he giveth and actuateth in us for he revealeth the things given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 not only in the Gospel tho chiefly but also in our hearts The workman that made a thing can best warrant it to the buyer First he Sanctifieth and then he certifieth sometimes we overlook our Evidences through the darkness and confusion that is in our hearts Hagar saw not the Fountain that was near her till God opened her eyes Gen. 21.19 There is a misgiving in the conscience we cannot see grace in the midst of weakness and imperfections Mary wept for the absence of Christ when yet he stood by her John 20.14 15. The spirit dwelleth and worketh in their hearts but they know it not 4. He helpeth us not only to see grace but to judg of the sincerity of grace 'T is more easie to prove that we believe than to know that our faith is saving to love Christ than to know that we love him in sincerity because of the deceitfulness of the heart and the mixtures of unbelief self-love and other sins and some degrees may be in hypocrites as temporary faith tasts imperfect love partial obedience and besides Grace where it is weak is hardly perceived the air will shew it self in a windy season the fire when 't is blown up into a flame 't is no more hidden grace strengthned increased acted is more evident to conscience habits are discerned by acts and exercise and God is wont to reward the faithful soul with his assuring seal of light and comfort 1 John 3.18 Love not in word or in tongue only but in deed and in truth The less we are Christians in shew and the more in sincerity the more joy and peace 5. He helpeth us with boldness to conclude from these evidences Many times when the premises are clear the conclusion is suspended we find in case of condemnation 't is suspended out of self-love many know that they that live after the flesh shall die yet they will not judg themselves and the same may be done in case of self-approbation out of legal fear or jealousie for persons of great fancy and large affections are always full of scruples or loathness to apply the comforts due to them the spirit concludeth for them that they are the children of God 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life 1 John 2.3 And hereby we know that we know him 6. He causeth us to feel the comfort of this conclusion Rom. 5.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing 'T is an impression of the comforting spirit and Acts 9.31 They walked in the fear of the Holy ghost The spirit is necessary to
bitter but the birth will occasion joy enough to countervail the tediousness of it 4. They are complaining accusing groans the Apostle saith Jam. 5.4 Grudg not one against another groan not one against another that is give not occasion to one another to complain against you to God 'T is sad when one Christian complaineth against another for his froward and perverse and unbrotherly carriage much more of near relations Husbands and Wives Ministers and People The Apostle saith 't is not profitable when they give their account with grief and and not with joy Heb. 13.17 This groaning of the creature must be interpreted by the standard of this notion The creature groaneth not with us but groaneth against us because of the slavery we put them unto they groan for vengeance and destruction not in fellow-feeling with thee but in indignation against thee if thou be a wicked man There is a groaning by way of Sympathy and Compassion as we are bidden Rom. 12.15 to rejoice with them that rejoice and weep with them that weep And there is a groaning by way of accusation and appeal for revenge against those that have wronged us we have abused the creature the groan of a worm in the ear of the Lord of Hosts will be heard so James 5.2 3. Your riches are corrupted your garments are moth-eaten your gold and silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire you have heaped up treasure together for the last days In the day of Judgment the groans of the creature and the circumstances of our sinful actions shall be brought forth as witnesses against us the moth-eaten garments the cankered silver shall be produced so Hab. 2.11 The stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shall answer it That is the materials of the house built by oppression shall come as witnesses there is a kind of antipathy between them therein represented The stones of the wall shall cry Lord we were built up by rapine and violence and the beam shall answer True Lord even so it is The stones shall cry Vengeance Lord upon our ungodly ones and the Beam shall answer Wo to him because he built his house with blood Conscience is a terrible remembrancer The very creatures which sinners abused will be brought in testimony against them to their conviction and condemnation You will say What is this to the Restoration of the Universe or those Elementary Bodies in this lower world to which you seem to confine this restoration These creatures shall be consumed in the last fire how then brought into the Judgment Answer 1. The Elementary bodies do concur to the increase and preservation of these things Lands gotten by violence are made fruitful by Sun Air and Rain the Sun now shineth upon these wicked men and the Rain falleth upon their fields the creatures abused to excess come from both the Sunshine and the Earths Fertility which is the mother of all wealth 2. Tho many of these creatures shall be consumed in this last fire yet they shall have an esse cognitum in the memory and conscience of the sinner tho not an esse rei an actual existence And thus the wine abused to drunkenness may witness against the drunkard the sacrilegious mâ—rsels which the glutton alienated from the poor and devoted to lust and appetite shall witness against the glutton Memoria praeteritorum is one of the punishments in Hell Luke 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things The very cloathing by which they did manifest their Pride shall witness against the proud The Lands Goods and Houses of worldlings Isa. 5.8 shall witness against the worldling The Gold and Silver which they preferred before everlasting riches shall witness against the carnal The Place the Room the Bed wherein men committed filthiness and lewdness shall witness against the unclean when conscience shall be forced to the review all these things shall come into his mind To this also may be referred that passage Josh. 24.27 And Joshua said unto all the people Behold this stone shall be a witness unto us for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us it shall be there for a witness to you lest you deny your God How could the stone which he had placed under a great Oak which was very near the Sanctuary of the Lord hear or give witness Partly by Gods Appeal and partly by their memory and conscience it was a monument to put them in mind of this solemn covenant and so might serve to convince them of their sin Thus hearing is ascribed to a sensless stone because it was a circumstance that might be produced in the judgment Thirdly How we know it For whoever heard the groaning of the whole Creation 1. By sensible experience we know the vanity of the creature Ocular demonstration is enough to tell us all that things are frail and perishing Psal. 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection 2. The Word affirmeth First That this came in by mans sin and the common apprehensions of mankind attesteth it That wicked men are unprofitable burdens of the earth and bring a judgment on the place where they live Secondly That God having repaired the world by Christ there is a better estate appointed for man and so by consequence for the creatures which are an appendage to him Isa. 11.6 7 8 9. The enmity of the creature shall cease there as in Noah's Ark. 3. The Spirit improveth it both the vanity of the creature and our mortality and the hopes of restauration God must teach us the plainest Lessons Psal. 90.12 Lord teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Deut. 29.2 3 4. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharoah and unto all his servants and unto all his land the great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signs and the great miracles yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day And the hopes of restauration Faith is his meer gift and production Eph. 2.8 For by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God From the whole take these Corallaries 1. That sinful man is an enemy to all the creatures as well as to himself He hath brought misery upon himself and all the world which was his palace to dwell in The Creation was a well-tuned Instrument upon which man might make musick to the praise and honour of God But the strings of the Harp are broken and there is nothing but jarring instead of harmony and groans for praise Yea man himself who is the mouth of the Creation is very dumb and tongue-ty'd in the praises of God 2. That every particular land fareth the worse for wicked
called life and well deserveth it This life is but a continued death it runneth from us as fast as it floweth to us and 't is burdened with a thousand miseries but that life which is the portion of the faithful 't is a good and happy life and 't is endless it hath a beginning but it hath no end One moment of Immortality is worth a full age of all the health and happiness that can be had upon Earth what will you call life The vegetative life or the life of a plant Alas if that may be called life 't is not an happy life for the plants have no sense of that kind of life they have The sensitive life or the life of the Beasts will you call that life They are indeed capable of pain and pleasure but this is beneath the dignity of man and those that affect this kind of happiness to injoy sensual pleasure without remorse degrade themselves from that dignity of nature wherein God hath placed them and make themselves but a wiser sort of beasts as they are able only to purvey for the flesh more than the bruits can Wherein then will you place Life Surely in reason mans Life is a kind of light given us John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the light of men Reason and understanding was mans perfection Well then this is the Life which we must enquire after Now when is this Life of light in its full perfection While the Soul dwelleth in flesh and looketh out by the senses to things near at hand the proper contentments of the body are the poor paltry vanities of this deceitful World Now this is not the life which we were made for but when it seeth God and injoyeth God in the highest manner that we are capable of our true life lyeth in the vision of God 1 Cor. 13.12 And Matth. 5.8 For he is only that universal and infinite object which can satiate the heart of man and our proper and peculiar Blessedness Whom have I in Heaven but thee Psa. 73.25 This is our full and continued Happiness Alas the present life hath more gall than honey its injoyments are low and base and short and fading and its troubles and miseries are many Gen. 49.9 Few and evil are the days and years of my pilgrimage But in the other World there is nothing but Glory and Blessedness A glorified Soul in a glorified Body doth for ever behold God and delight its self in God 2. The other notion is punishment the Word signifieth not only punishment but torment So we render it 1 John 4.18 Because fear hath torment Annihilation were a favour to the wicked they have a being but 't is a being under punishment and torment Divines usually distinguish of poena damni and poena sensus the loss and the pain both are included Matth. 25.41 in Christs sentence Depart and go into everlasting fire God doth not take away the being of a sinner but he taketh away the comfort of his being he is banished out of his sight for evermore and deprived of his favour and all the joys and blessedness which are bestowed on the Godly and that is enough to make him miserable 'T is true a wicked man now careth not for the light of Gods countenance because looking to visible things he hath no sound Faith of those things which are invisible but now he cometh to understand the reality of what he hath lost and besides hath no natural comforts to divert his mind no Plays or Balls or Pleasures or Meat and Drink and company which now do draw off his heart from better things and solace him in the want of them Secondly the pain of sense that 's double the worm that never dyes and the fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.44 The worm is the worm of Conscience reflecting upon his evil choice and past folly which hath brought him to this sad and doleful estate When he considereth for what base things he sold his birth-right Heb. 12.15 He parted with felicity and the Life to come this will be a continual torment and vexation to them And being under despair of ever coming out of this Condition his torment is the more increased If there were no more than this Conscience reflecting upon the sense of his loss with the cause and consequents of it surely this will fill him with anguish and the Body united to such a miserable self vexing and self-tormenting Soul can have no rest Secondly besides this there is the fire that shall never be quenched which is the wrath which bringeth on unspeakable torments on the Body For Wo Wrath Tribulation and Anguish is the Portion of every Soul that doth evil Rom. 2.9 10. What kind of punishments they are we know not but such as are grievous and come not only from the reflection of their own Consciences but the Power of God Rom. 9.22 God will shew his Wrath and make his Power known 4. Eternity is affixed to both Everlasting Punishment and Eternal Life 1. The joys of the Blessed are Everlasting There shall never be change of and intermission in their Happiness but after Millions and Millions of Imaginary years they are to continue in this Life as if it were the first moment Paul telleth you 1 Thes. 4.17 That we shall for ever be with the Lord. And what can we desire more in this Life if we had the confluence of all manner of comforts yet the fear of losing them is some infringement of our Happiness But there whatever Glory we partake of we shall never lose it it will be thy Crown for ever thy Kingdom for ever thy Glory for ever thy God and thy Christ for ever Oh why do we no more think of this This Life that scarce deserveth the name of a Life yet we would fain continue it though in pain and misery Skin for skin all that a man hath would he give for his Life Oh then how welcome should Eternal Life be which compared with this Life is like the Ocean to a drop When we lay both of these lives together this fading moment and that enduring Eternity how much more valuable doth the one appear than the other Our sorrows will soon end but these joys when they once begin will never end 2 Cor. 4.17 This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory Cannot we suffer with him for one hour deny our selves a little contentment in the World Shall we begrudge the labours of a few duties when assoon as the vail and curtain of the flesh is drawn we shall enter into Eternal Life and Joy 2. The Punishment is Everlasting The wicked are everlastingly deprived of the favour of God and of the light of his Countenance When Absolom could not see his Fathers Face kill me saith he rather than let it be always thus 2 Sam. 4 32. The wicked are never more to be admitted into
apt to content your selves with a sleepy profession Paul counted this terrour or matter of fear to be an help to him and should not we who are so much beneath him in holiness Will you that must shortly be in another World will you be careless and please the flesh and give up the boat to the stream 2. Do you perswade your Family Children Servants Friends and Neighbours with your Children about it tell them what a dreadful thing it is they have a conscience apt to fear Dives in the parable is represented as desirous of his brethrens welfare lest they should come into that place of Torment Luke 16.27 28. Then he said I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldst send him to my Fathers House for I have five brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of Torment Shall we be less charitable than a man in Hell is represented to be If we have a friend or a Child falling into the fire we save him by violence though we break an Arm or a Leg your Children by Nature are Children of wrath pluck them as brands out of the burning SERMON XIX 2 Cor. 5.11 But we are made manifest unto God and I trust also are made manifest in your Consciences 12. For we commend not our selves again to you but give you an occasion to Glory on our behalf that you may have somewhat to answer them who Glory in appearance and not in heart THe Apostle having proved his sincerity and fidelity in his Ministry now asserts it with confidence 1. By an appeal 2. An apology 1. An appeal to God as the Supream Judge 2. To the Corinthians as inferiour witnesses and he appealeth to the most impartial and discerning faculty in them their Consciences who are most apt to give infallible Judgment and to take Gods part and own what is of God 2. By an Apology or answer to an objection which might be framed against him by his adversaries verse the 12 th where First The objections were intimated We commend not our selves again to you Secondly His vindication from the end The reason why he spake so much of his fidelity and integrity But give you occasion to glory in our behalf that you may have somewhat to answer them Thirdly a description of the false Apostles at Corinth or those vain-glorious teachers who went about to lessen the Apostles Authority They glory in appearance and not in heart Let me explain these passages 1. The intimation of the objection for we commend not our selves again to you The Adversaries were wont to say upon all occasions he runneth out into his own praises which doth not become a modest and a sober man for boasting is the froth of pride and how can Paul be excused from pride This was the objection against Paul that he did commend himself too much 2. Pauls answer and vindication was from his end 'T was not to set forth his own praise but to arm them with an argument and an answer against the false teachers whereby they might defend his ministry and the doctrine they had heard from him 't was not pride and ostentation in Paul but a necessary defence of the credit of his ministry Their Faith and obedience to the Gospel depending thereupon 3. The false Apostles are described by their Hypocrisy and ambition They Glory in appearance and not in heart For the opening of this clause observe First That there were false Apostles at Corinth who sought to depretiate Paul and to lessen the Authority of his Doctrine 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. For such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light Therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers also be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their works Secondly These false Apostles were great boasters and apt to Glory when ever they are spoken of we hear of this glorying That wherein they Glory we may be even as they Thirdly Their glorying as that of all Hypocrites was in some external thing Called a glorying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11.18 Seeing that many Glory after the flesh I will Glory also And here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what fleshly and external thing they gloryed in is not expresly mentioned Some leave it in the general that they boasted before men otherwise than their Conscience and the truth of the thing did permit Omne id quod inter homines Humana sapientes maximi fieri solet Grot. Others instance in particular birth wealth abilities of speech frothy eloquence 1 Cor. 2. In a coloured shew of mans wisdom and eloquence and not in true godliness Some think in the multitude of their followers or in the applause of their hearers Some a shew of Zeal Holiness and Fidelity when they were destitute of the truth of godliness and that sincerity which is truely a comfort Some in their taking no maintainance to gain credit and advantage that appeareth by 2 Cor. 11.9 Of all the Churches planted by the Apostles Corinth was the richest And Macedonia the poorest yet Paul preaching at Corinth was maintained from Macedonia 2 Cor. 11.9 Wherefore As he himself puts the question that I may cut off occasion from them that desire occasion that wherein they Glory we may be found even as they 2 Cor. 11 12. But what if it be such things as had a nearer Connection with and respect to Religion As their acquaintance with Christ that they had known him in the flesh and owned him while yet a live which is supposed to be intended in that expression 1 Cor. 1.12 I am of Christ Others received the Doctrine of Life from Peter Paul Apollos They immediately from Christ himself This boasting these Corinthian Doctours used to keep up their own fame among the people and to weaken the credit and esteem of Pauls Apostle-ship for this objection lay against him that he had not as other Disciples conversed with our Lord Jesus Christ while he was upon Earth Now Paul that he might give the Corinthians occasion to Glory in his behalf and furnish them with an answer to those that gloryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in external priviledges when their Consciences could give little Testimony of their sincerity Paul had more valuable things to boast of namely that he was much in Spirit much in labours much in afflictions for the honour of the Gospel To all which he was carryed out by the hopes of Eternal Life the terrour of the Lord at the day of Judgment and the Love of Christ these were more valuable Considerations whereupon to esteem any one than bare external priviledges could possibly be nay in their outward priviledges he could vye with them for though he was none of Christs followers whilest he was here upon earth yet herein he was equal to them if not exceeded them by having seen Christ
of or never did but we are all guilty 2. Partly that he would not prosecute his right against us as a revenging and just Judge calling us to a strict account and punishing us according to our demerits which would have been our utter undoing Psa. 130.3 If thou shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who could stand Psa. 143.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified There is not a man found which hath not faults and failings enough and if God should proceed with him in his just severity he would be utterly uncapable of any favour 3. Partly because he found out the way how to recompense the wrong done by sin unto his Majesty and sent his Son to make this recompense for us who was made sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Our iniquities were laid on him Isa. 53.4 And his Righteousness imputed to us Rom. 4.11 4. And partly that he did this out of his meer Love which set a work all the causes which concurred in the business of our Redemption John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life The external moving cause was only our misery the internal moving cause was his own grace and mercy And this love was not excited by any love on our parts Rom. 3.24 Justified freely by his grace that is by his grace working of its own accord 5. And partly that this negative or non-imputation is heightned by the positive imputation There is a non-imputing of sin and an acceptance of us as righteous in Christ his merits are reckoned and adjudged to us that is we have the effect of his sufferings as if we had suffered in person Christ is become to us the end of the Law for Righteousness Rom. 10.4 2. 'T is matter of great priviledge and Blessedness to the Creature if so be the Lord will not impute our sins to us and account them to our score This will appear 1. If we consider the evil we are freed from guilt is an obligation to punishment and pardon is the dissolving and loosening this obligation Now the punishment of sin is exceeding great what maketh Hell and Damnation but Not-forgiveness Hell is not a meer Scar-crow nor Heaven a May-game 't is eternity maketh every thing truly great an everlasting exile and separation from the comfortable presence of the Lord which is the poena damni Matth. 25.41 Go ye cursed and Luke 13.27 Depart from me ye workers of iniquity They are shut out and thrust out from the presence of the Lord. When God turned Adam out of Paradise his case was very sad but nothing comparable to this God took care of him in his exile and made coats of skins for him God gave him a day of patience afterwards promised the seed of the woman intimated hopes of a better paradise But instead of all comforts how sad is it to be sent into an endless state of misery which is the poena sensus Mark 9 44. The worm that never dyeth and the fire that shall never be quenched The worm of Conscience when we think of our folly imprudence disobedience to God A man may run away from his Conscience now by sleeping running riding walking working drinking distract his mind by a clutter of business but then not a thought free the Soul will be always thinking of slighted means abused comforts wasted time and of the course wherein we have involved our selves then our repentance will be fruitless our sorrows now are curing then tormenting when under the Wrath of God You coldly now entertain the offer of a pardon then Oh for a little mitigation a drop to cool your tongue 2. Because of the good depending upon it in this life and the next First In this life Partly because we are not fitted to serve God till sin be pardoned Heb 9 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God God pardoneth that he may further sanctify us and fit us for his own use The end of forgiveness is that God may have his own again which was lost and we might be ingaged to love him and live to him Forgiveness tends to holiness as the means to the end and so there is way made for our thankfulness and love to our Redeemer which is the predominant ruling affection in the Kingdom of grace and the main motive of obedience Partly because we cannot please God till sin be pardoned for God will not accept our actual services till our guilt be removed till pardoning grace cover our defects Whence should we hope for acceptance From the worth of our persons That is none at all From the integrity of the work Alas after grace received we are maimed in our principles and operations much more before Heb. 11.6 Without faith no man can please God Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God Till we are adopted reconciled absolved neither our persons nor our actions can find acceptance with him And partly because we have no found comfort and rejoycing in our selves till we obtain the pardon of our sins and be in such an estate that God will not impute our trespasses to us For while sin remaineth unpardoned and the sentence of the Law not reversed the Soul is still in doubt or fear if not it proceedeth from our security and forgetfulness which will do us no good for we do but put off the evil rather than put it away and deal as a Malefactor that keepeth himself drunk till he cometh to execution In Scripture a pardon is made the solid ground of comfort Isa. 4.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned When Gods Wrath is pacified and appeased then there is ground of comfort indeed when God for Christ's sake hath forgiven and forgotten all our transgressions and accepted a ransom for us So Matth. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee Ay then misery is stopped at the fountain head our great trouble is over but till then all our comforts are soured by our fears When the Sun by its bright beams appeareth it dispelleth mists and clouds 2. In the next life we are not capable of injoying God and being made happy for evermore in his love till we be in such an estate that God will not impute our trespasses to us For till we escape wrath we cannot injoy happiness nor till his anger be pacified can we have any interest in his love Rom. 5.18 The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life Now our right beginneth when sin is taken out of the way and hereafter our impunity in Heaven is a
must be heartily bewailed to God While a ship is leaking water we must use the pump and the room that is continually gathering soil must be daily swept the stomach that is still breeding ill humours must have new physick We still make work for pardoning mercy and therefore for repentance and faith 2. From the several things which we ask in asking a pardon 1. For the grant that God would accept of the satisfaction of Christ for our sins and of us for his sake Christ was to ask and sue out the fruits of his mediation Psal. 2.8 And we are humbly to sue out our right For notwithstanding the condescensions of his grace God dealeth with us as a Sovereign and doth require submission on our part Jer. 3.13 Only acknowledge thine iniquities that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God The debt is humbly to be acknowledged by the Creature though God hath found out a means to pardon it 2. We beg the continuance of a pardon as in daily bread though we have it by us we beg the continuance and use of it so in sanctification we beg the continuance of sanctification as well as the increase because of the relicks of corruption God may for our exercise make us feel the smart of old sins as an old bruise though it be healed yet ever and anon we feel it upon change of weather accusations of Conscience may return for sins already pardoned Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things againt me and makest me possess the sins of my youth Sins of youth may trouble a man that is reconciled to God and hath obtained pardon of them Gods Children may have their guilt raked out of its grave and the appearance of it may be as frightful as a Ghost or one risen from the dead the wounds of an healed Conscience may bleed afresh Therefore we need beg as David Psa. 25.6 7. Remember thy mercies which have been of old remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions When we are unthankful unwatchful or negligent God may permit it for our humiliation 3. The sense and manifestation Few believers have assurance of their own sincerity God may blot sins out of his book when he doth not blot them but of our Consciences God blotteth them out of the book of his remembrance assoon as we repent and believe but he bloteth them out of our Consciences when the worm of Conscience is killed by the application of the blood of Christ through the Spirit Heb. 10.22 Sprinkled from an evil Conscience David beggeth the sense when Nathan had told him of the grant Psa. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation Forgive it in our sense and feeling 4. The increase of our sense For it is not given out in such a degree as to shut out all fear and doubt 1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath Torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love 5. The effects of pardon or freedom from those evils which are the fruits of sin We would have God to pardon us as we pardon others fully and intirely forgive and forget that he would not execute upon us the temporal punishment farther than is necessary for our good Compare 2 Kings 23.26 with Ezek. 33.12 13 14. Either he will not chastise us or if he doth he will sanctify our afflictions when God remits the eternal punishment yet he inflicteth temporal evil not to compleat our justification but to further our sanctification If we knew only the sweetness of sin and not the bitterness we would not be so shy of it Jer. 2.19 Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee faith the Lord God of Hosts Chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned 1 Cor. 11 32. 6. A renewed pardon for every renewed sin which we commit 1 John 2.1 My little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Assoon as we repent and believe there is a general pardon the state of the person is changed he is made a child of God 1 John 12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believe in his name John 13.10 He that is washed needeth not to wash save his feet Because by going up and down in the World we contract new defilement He is translated from a state of wrath to a state of grace all sins past are remitted God doth not pardon some and leave others Though Gods pardon be not antedated Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his Righteousness for the remission of sins that are past And such an one hath free leave to sue out pardon for future sins and so have a greater hold-fast upon God they have a present certain effectual remedy at hand for their pardon that is the merit of Christs blood the Covenant of grace in which they have an interest Christs Intercession and the Spirit to excite them to Faith and Repentance Well then let us fly to Christ for daily pardon as under the Law there were daily sacrifices to be offered up Numbers 28.3 God came to Adam in the cool of the day Gen. 3.8 Reconciliation with man is to be sought speedily Eph. 4.26 Let not the Sun go down on your wrath The unclean person was to wash his clothes before the Evening Our hearts should be humbled within us to think that God is displeased 7. We pray for our pardon and acceptance with Christ at the last day of general Judgment Luke 21.36 Watch and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man Some effect of sin remaineth till then as death on the Body So that whil'st any penal evil introduced by sin remaineth we pray that God will not repent of his mercy VSE 2. It sheweth how much we should prize pardon as a special fruit of the Love of God and Christ Rev 1.5 To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood 1 John 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins If we be serious we will do so Those that have felt any thing of the burden of sin will entertain the offer of pardon with great thankfulness It is a priviledge welcome to distressed Consciences What man in chains would not be glad