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A62911 The preaching of Christ and the prison of God, as the certain portion of them that reject Christ's word opened in several sermons on 1 Peter III. 19 / by Samuel Tomlyns ... Tomlyns, Samuel, 1632 or 3-1700. 1694 (1694) Wing T1862; ESTC R9741 60,054 138

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Soul of Jesus Christ being separated from the Body did go and Preach to some of the Fathers of the Old Testament that were not as they say yet admitted into Heaven but were reserved in some out-rooms of Hell where they felt no pain but did not yet see the Glorious Face of God nor enjoy his Blessed Presence But this cannot be the true genuine sense of the words For 1. If Spirit signifies here the Soul of Christ and quickned imports his Resurrection then Jesus Christ must Preach to these Spirits not while his Body was dead but after his Resurrection which the Papists themselves will not own or admit 2. Spirit in the 18th Verse signifies Christ's Divine Nature and it was not in this or by this that he preached to the Spirits of the Old Testament after their Souls were separated from their Bodies 3. Those that Christ preached to lived and were disobedient in the days of Noah it is not said they did Repent of or break off from their sins but were hardned in their Unbelief and dyed in their Iniquities they went down uncircumcised in Heart into the Pit and so Eternal Death was their Wages and Hell was their own Place Now even Papists dare not say that Christ preached to the Damned their state is remediless the Sentence irrevocable their Loss irrecoverable there is no Year of Jubilee no Goal-delivery for imprisoned Spirits confined to and shut up in Hell Jesus Christ would not Preach to those that God had cast off for ever and doomed to Eternal Misery for their continued and obstinate Disobedience they whose Nature was not changed on Earth their Condition could not be altered in Hell 4. If the Soul of Christ had preached to Souls in the Prison of Hell what Reason can be assigned why he should Preach rather to those that were disobedient in the days of Noah than to those that were disobedient in the days of Abraham Moses or in the after-times of the Prophets This one Argument may shame this Notion and confute this ungrounded Exposition of the words that the Soul of Christ went down to Hell to Preach to Spirits there Before I come to the main Doctrines that the words afford I shall observe several other great Truths that the words do offer to us 1. That the Scripture is a most Excellent and Divine Book in that it gives us such a true Account and such sure Notions about a future and eternal state after Death As it tells us what is the Condition of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Holy Prophets that they are in the Palaces and Kingdom of God Luke 13.28 so it informs us what is become of the Sinners of the Old World that these are cast into the Prison of God He that appoints Portion in the Paradice above and assigns places in the Prison below and adjudges to each of these by an irrevocable Sentence can best tell what is become of Saints and Sinners now they are departed out of the World 2. This Evidences the Immortality of the Soul that the Spirits of wicked Men are said to subsist after Death and to abide in God's Prison though their Garments of Flesh were pluckt off their Houses of Clay thrown down to the Dust yet their Souls did not expire or sleep as a Man can live though his Garments are put off or his House be demolished or drop down So the Soul hath no such necessary dependance on the Body but can exist though this Garment be put off this House be pulled down This Candle will burn though taken out of the Lanthorn of the Flesh Death doth not blow out only it removes this Light into another World 3. We may observe the Mercy and Goodness of God that though he had threatned a Flood and adjudged all the World besides eight Persons to be drowned by it yet the Son of God Preaches to this degenerate and wicked World before he destroys them though God designed Severity against their Bodies yet he offers Mercy to their Souls that though they could not avoid the first yet that they might decline the second Death and though their baser part were cast away yet that their Souls might swim to and Land safely on the Shoars of a blessed Eternity and God's means do not use to be totally ineffectual and in vain The Word is seldom if ever preached but that some are to be drawn out of the dead Sea and called out of their Graves by it Peter seems to tell us that the Word was not wholly lost on the Old World but that some received saving Benefit by it 1 Pet. 4.6 For this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that were dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit This may be Vid. Piscal in locum and is expounded to relate to and point at the state of the Old World the Gospel was preached to them that though they were judged were drowned and perished in the Eye of Men as to their Flesh yet they might live to and with God in their Spirits Though God proclaimed War against their Bodies yet he tendred Peace to their Souls 4. We may further Observe that even those that the Son of God Preaches to may stop their Ears close their Eyes harden their Hearts and for their Unbelief and Impenitency may be cast into God's Prison and perish everlastingly The Gospel is to some the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 They did shut Christ out of their Souls and for this are shut up under the wrath of God and are the Subjects of Eternal Vengeance 5. We may Observe what a hainous Evil Sin is and what a terrible Adversary God is He did not only sweep away the sinners of the World and drown their Bodies in a Flood of Waters but he imprisoned and punished their Souls God drowned their Spirits in Destruction and Perdition 1 Tim. 6.9 Sin is committed against an Infinite Majesty and cannot be sufficiently punished or satisfied for in a Finite Time by a Finite Creature It is an Axiom in the Civil Law Accusatio rei morte finitat An Accusation is finished by the death of the guilty Person all Process and Proceedings then cease against the Delinquent But it is otherwise here God's Accusation is not let fall his Actions are not withdrawn his Controversie doth not cease when sinners dye he pursues and overtakes them in another World there he meets them as one bereaved of his Authority Honour and Glory by them he resents the wrongs done to him he pours out the full Vials of his Wrath on them and fights against them for ever They are that they may be Miserables a bare Stock of Being is continued that God may graft Misery and Eternal Torments on it The words afford us two Doctrines First That the Son of God did Preach before he was Incarnate and doth as truly Preach by Instruments as he doth immediately in his
presence The 3d. thing I proposed to speak to was to shew you how dreadful this Prison is and that I shall open to you in these following particulars 1. This Prison is a very dark Prison the Scripture calls the darkness of it outer darkness Matt. 8.12 The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness so the unprofitable servant is sentenced to and sent into outer darkness Matt. 25.30 Sinners now are in darkness yea they are said to be darkness Ephes 5.8 but this expression points at the inward darkness of the minds of Sinners there is a Cataract on the Eye of the Soul a Veil on the Understanding but there is besides this inward darkness an outer darkness when sinners shall be removed at the greatest distance from God the Father of Lights James 1.17 They shall be eternally separated and cut off from the Communion with God In his light Saints shall see light Psal 36.9 In the light of his Countenance they shall see the light of Life but wicked men shall go to the generation of their ungodly Fathers they shall never see the Light Psal 49.9 The mist of darkness is their portion 2 Pet. 2.17 yea the blackness of Darkness is reserved for them as an eternal inheritance Judes Epist the 13th v. what Terrour is there in this expression The blackness of darkness Neither Creatures that Shine as a Candle to them nor God as a Sun shall arise on them Luke paints out the sadness of Pauls State and of those that were in the Ship with him Acts. 17.20 That no small Tempest laid on them and that neither the Sun nor the Stars for many days appeared to them Thus it shall be with the Damned in Hell a dreadful Tempest of the wrath of God will lye upon them and he will never appear as a Sun to chear them nor suffer Creatures as Stars to shine for their Comfort they will be shut out from Gods gracious presence and also shut up from the Creatures they shall neither have Beams from Heaven nor Lamps from Earth they shall leave all their Idols behind them in the world they shall loose all their sensual pleasures and delights God will give them no joy and Creatures will lend them no comfort therefore blackness of darkness must needs follow Thick darkness that might be felt was one of the plagues of Egypt Exod. 21.22 23. but this lasted but three days but here is Eternal Darkness 2. This prison is a strong prison there is no breaking out of it no Filing off the Chains of the Damned or Forcing open the doors the Judg himself by the arm of his own Omnisciency is the Keeper of this Prison the Eye of his Omnisciency still watches over the Prisoners that there is no flying or escaping God challengeth all creatures who shall deliver out of my hand Deut. 32.39 if he do tare in pieces and deliver up the body to the first and the Soul to the Second Death there will be none to rescue or deliver Ps 50.22 when God shuts up there is no opening Job 12.14 Tho there may be millions of Prisoners in Hell yet this Evidences their weakness and evinces Gods strength that this huge and vast multitude cannot wrest themselves ou● of the Hand of the Judg or break his Prison God that cast them thither will hold and secure them there 3. Gods Prison is a close Prison there will be no Addressing to Visiting or Releiving of his Prisoners Luke 16.26 consider what Abraham there speaks to Dives And besides all this between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they that would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence There is a great gulf that cannot be filled up or passed over and this gulf is Fixed it shall remain and continue for ever Gods Decree is Stable it cannot be changed revoked or repealed there is an unalterable an eternal separation between the blessed and the damned it is not to be thought that any of the Saints will pity the Damned will relent towards them or melt over them Saints that be perfected and even swallowed up in the Love of God they shall fully acquiess in his will and rejoyce that his Justice is Magnified and his Power Glorified in the Eternal Destruction of the Wicked but Abraham makes only a supposition if any such thing were possible if Saints could sympathise with the Damned if their Bowels did yearn towards them if they were willing to relieve them or to carry over any supplies to them if they did endeavour to case their Pains or mitigate their Torments all such desires would be in vain all such endeavours would be frustrated and inefiectual they could not get to the Damned their Kindness could not reach them or affect them all Communicatition with them is obstructed all passages are shut up these tormented Creatures are inaccessible Saints can carry no water to cool their Tongues can bring them no Cordials to revive their Souls the Damned cannot come forth nor others come in to them to succour or ease them 4. It is an Eternal Prison there will be no Goal-delivery no dismission or releasing of these Prisoners We read in Isa 24 21.22 of some that should be gathered together and shut up in Prisons but after many days they should be Visited Piscator understands this of Kings and Princes that should be Conquered by the King of Babylon and held in Bondage for many years but these oppressed men should at last be Visited and releived by the gracious Kingdom of Je●●s Christ that should give liberty to their Souls freedom to their Consciences But those that God apprehends and shuts up in his Prison shall never be visited and recover their Liberty Jeremiah was by the Fury of his Adversaries cast into a deep and miery Dungeon but God rais'd him up Friends Ebed-melech and others did let down Cords into his Dungeon drew him up and saved his life Jer. 38.10 11 12 13. But no Beam of Hope shall shine no Cord of a Promise shall be let down to the Damned to draw them up out of their Dungeon It was an Act of Oppression Cruelty and Tyranny in the King of Babylon that he opened not the House of his Prisoners Isaiah 14.17 but this is an Act of Pure and High Justice in God that he will never open the House of his Prisoners they that sinned without Dread of his Justice shall suffer without Relief from his Mercy There is now a Wall of Partition between God and sinners in this Life but this may possibly be broken down but there is a Gulf fixed in Hell that can never be passed over This is dreadful to consider that God executes sinners and yet they continue his Prisoners to feel more Wrath and suffer more Vengeance the guilt of sin still cleaves to them and the wrath of God will still abide on them John 9. last John 3. last sin is
said to remain and so wrath doth abide Repentance in Hell will be without any Fruit their Grief without Relief their Groans Cries Petitions will not prevail can obtain nothing at the Hand of God sinners were deaf to God in time and he will be deaf to them in eternity Their Hearts were hardned and his Bowels will be shut The Fewel of Gods Anger will be everlasting therefore the Fire will be eternal an Immortal Death an ever dying Misery and endless Torments will be the Portion of the Damned The suffering Jews complain and say that God had hedged them about and they could not get out Lam. 3.7 so the damned in Hell are so hedged in by their own guilt and the just wrath of God that they can never get out Their Destruction will be everlasting their Ruin irrecoverable God will not Release them and they cannot Rescue themselves 5. This heightens the Misery of departed Souls that their Prison is a place of Torments as well as of Restraint Dives complains he was tormented in that Flame Luke 16.24 and would have his Brethren warned that they might not come into that place of Torments Luke 16.25 God will exact his debts of and execute his threatnings on sinners He will tread them in the Wine-press and press out all that is sweet grateful and pleasant and leave only a dry Husk of Being the Damned seem to be called Carcases Isaiah 66. last Ye shall go forth and see the carcases of the men that transgressed against me The Expression is Elegant Significant and Emphatical Christ will command his Enemies that would not have him to reign over them to be brought before him he will sentence them to be slain in his presence when they are slain when all the Peace Joy Comfort of their Souls is destroyed what will remain but a meer Carcase of Being When men shall be only to be miserable to endure vengeance to suffer Torments this may well be stiled a Carcase of Being Bullinger de Triumph tells us that the day that an Emperour Triumphed the Prisoners were led in Chains and exposed as an open spectacle to the Eyes of the Spectators and that when the Chariot of him that Triumphed turned to go up to the Capitol then the Prisoners were led away to the Prison and the Triumpher staid in the Capitol till news was brought him that the Prisoners or some one of them was put to death in the Prison the Prison this day was a place of Execution among the Romans Gods Prison will be a place of Eternal Execution and Torments Dives begged that Lazarus might but dip the Tip of his Finger in Water and let fall a few drope to cool his Tongue Luke 16.24 his Request seems very modest he did not desire that Lazarus should dip his whole Hand no not his whole Finger but only the Tip of his Finger this was a very small Petition yet it is not granted but rejected and decried Sinners in Hell shall not obtain the least ease refreshment or mitigation of their Torments God will deal with sinners as they did with Jesus Christ he cried out I Thirst John 19.28 but did he receive any thing to refresh or ease him no his Enemies only filled a Sponge with Vinegar and put it to his Mouth John 19.30 this was to Torment rather than Relieve him As Christ obtained nothing from men to refresh him so sinners shall get nothing from God to ease them when once they are shut up in his Prison as the wicked Jews Priests and Scribes upbraided Christ with his words and works Mat. 27.40 41 42 43. that he said he would build the Temple that he asserted himself to be the Son of God that he saved others so a Righteous God and an Awakened Conscience will upbraid Sinners with their evil words and their sinful actions to eternity the iniquity of their Heels will compass them about the reward of their Hand will be given to them Isaiah 3.10 they shall feed on the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own inventions Prov. 1.31 They that glory in their wisdoms and applauded themselves in their inventions as of they had found out the true and chief Good as if they had discovered the true Pleasures the true Liberty the true Happiness shall smart for their Inventions and feel the woful effects of them for ever 6. This renders the Condition of those that are in Gods Prison terrible that they are under the fear and dread of future evils and of a more severe punishment As the thoughts of the Affizes are bitter and terrible to Malefactors they know that then their Crimes will be remembred accusations will be formed Witnesses will appear against them they will be Condemned and Executed So sinners in Hell may dread the appearing of Jesus Christ and the Judgment of the Great Day Sinners are not yet at the bottom of their Pit they are not yet fallen under the heaviest hottest fullest expressions of the Wrath of God they do not yet see the worst of their Condition It is said that Death and Hell shall be cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone this is the second death Revel 20.14 What is intended and meant by Death and Hell I suppose by Death here is meant the Body that died and so fell under the power of Death and Hell here signifies the Souls of the Damned that were cast into Hell The Continent is put for the thing Contained the Bodies of the wicked were held under death and their Souls were shut up in Hell but the Bodies of the Wicked shall not still sleep in the Grave they shall awake and rise be joined to and united with their Bodies but this resurrection will not be a benefit but a hurt to them it will not be a priviledge but a punishment their Bodies shall rise that they may fall into the Lake of Fire that they may feel Torments that they be obnoxious to punishment from the Revenging Hand of God those that are now in Hell do know that this will be that their Souls and Bodies must meet again that as they joined in sin so they may be Companions in misery this conjunction they dread they would rather their Bodies should dwell in the Grave for ever than that Soul and Body both should be united to be drowned in a Lake of Fire to be swallowed up of the second Death 7. Sinners shall have the misery of their Prison heightned by these two aggravations 1. They that remember what Mercy was once offered to them and was rejected by them 2. They that behold what happiness others enjoy and they are eternally deprived of 1. Sinners shall call to mind what means of Grace they once enjoyed what tenders of Salvation were made to them the Son of God preached to the old World he called them to Repentance he warned them to fly from the Wrath to come yet their Understandings were darkned their Consciences stupified their Hearts hardned their
of Gold and Silver And should not we more greedily and earnestly catch at the Doctrine of Reconciliation and the Promise of Eternal Life 5. We should yield submit to and obey Christ's Word The Scripture speaks of receiving Christ's Testimony John 3.33 34. and of receiving Christ John 1.12 If we receive the Doctrine of Christ we shall receive Christ himself on the other hand we reject Jesus Christ if we receive not his Word John 12.48 The Natural Man receiveth not entertaineth not the things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though Men do exercise Hospitality and take in Natural and Moral Truth yet how is the door of the Heart shut against those supernatural Doctrines and Mysteries that the Spirit revealeth There is no room no Lodging or Entertainment for these wonderful and Divine Truths But we must comply with and yield Obedience to these things that the Spirit makes known We must believe them that they may work effectually in us 1 Thess 2.13 The Word of the Gospel must be a Mold to shape and fashion our Souls Rom. 6.17 You have obeyed from the heart that mold of Doctrine into which ye were delivered for so it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gospel of Christ is elegantly compared to a Mold into which the Hearts of Men as melted running Metal are delivered that they may be fashioned aright and conformed to the Word that they may be Holy Spiritual and Heavenly as the Word is The Gospel must leven all the Powers and Faculties of your Souls Mat. 13.33 and so give them a new taste and relish as a Graft doth meliorate improve the Sap of the Stock and makes it to bring forth better Fruit than ever it could otherwise do so the Gospel heightens ennobles and advances all the Faculties of the Soul to better and more excellent Operations than otherwise they would rise to or bring forth We must steadily look into this Spiritual Glass and behold the Glory of Christ in it 2 Cor. 3. last So by beholding the Glory of the Lord we shall be changed and transformed into the same Image Yield therefore to Christ and his Word let Christ erect his Tribunal in your Souls suffer him to Judge your State Condemn your Sins to pass Sentence on your Lusts that when he hath wounded he may heal you when he hath cast you down he may raise you up Isa 2.4 It it said of Christ That he shall Judge among the Nations and Rebuke many People Christ executes a Judicature by his Word to this you are to stand by this you are to be sentenced to Life or Death O therefore when you come to hear do not carp cavil and judge the Word because it thwarts your Foolish Notions or crosseth your vise Affections but yield and submit to Christ Judging and Commanding of you by his Word I shall now proceed to give and press some Motives to urge you to listen to comply with and obey the Son of God that Preaches to you 1. It is Wisdom that Preaches to you Prov. 1.20 21 22. The Son of God is the Wisdom of God and Wisdom is now come forth into our Nature and cries without in our Streets Doth not Wisdom deserve to be styled A wonderful Counsellor Isa 9.6 who is so fit to advise us how to fly from the Wrath to come to escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust Who is so meet to Teach and Direct us how we may come out of Debt and get out of Prison as Infinite Wisdom Who can so well Instruct us how our Consciences may be purged the fore-skin of our Hearts cut off our Diseases healed our Guilt and Filth purged away as the Wisdom of God Shall we exalt our vain Minds and our foolish Understandings in Opposition to the Counsels and Dictates of Wisdom We are entangled in a Wilderness of Woe we are in a Labyrinth of Iniquity and Guilt and Wisdom only can teach us the right way to get out and lead us to the Glorious City of God above We knew not how God should be Just and yet justifie the Ungodly how his Righteousness should be glorified in Punishing and yet his Mercy magnified in Pardoning how Sin should meet with a Hell of Punishments and yet Sinners enjoy a Heaven of Blessedness Yet the Son of God that is Wisdom doth reconcile these things and make them to consist with each other 2. The Son that Preacheth is Love it self Cant. 3.5 The Church chargeth the Daughters of Jerusalem not to stir up nor awake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Love Christ is called by way of Excellency that Love that admirable that transcendent Love O will you not listen to him that is Love it self If he had not been Love it self he could never have stooped so low have drank so bitter a Cup have endured so heavy a Burden have exposed himself to so dreadful a Storm He that was Rich became Poor 2 Cor. 8.9 He that was the Holy One of God and without spot and blemish was made Sin he that was God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Was made a Curse John 3.14 And in order to all this he that made all things was made Flesh John 1.1 2.14 He shewed himself to be Love that as a Head he would choose and take a Body below and as a Bridegroom be related to a Spouse on Earth O how wonderful is this that Nobility should wooe Vileness and Baseness That Riches should court Poverty And Beauty be enamoured with Deformity O! is it not wonderful Love that the Heir of all things should make Addresses to those that had nothing yea were indeed worse than nothing For nothing cannot go Astray cannot run a Whoring cannot Rebel and Provoke yet sinful Men and Women are guilty of all these If the Son of God were not Love would he have dyed to open a Fountain to wash us Zech. 13.1 to provide a Remedy to heal us Isa 53.5 By his stripes are we healed If he had nor been Love would he have been a Sacrifice 1 Cor. 5.7 8. that we might have a Feast on his Altar Heb. 13.10 If Jesus Christ were not Love would he cast his Net to draw us out of a dead Sea * Ezek. 47.10 Would he speak to raise us out of a Spiritual Grave * John 5.25 Would he call us out of a dark and doleful Prison Isa 49.9 If he were not Love would he Preach to raise Sinners out of their Ruins and to build them up as a House and Temple for God 1 Pet. 2 4 5. Would he enclose and take us within the Walls of the Spiritual Jerusalem Jer. 31.38 39 40. Jer●miah Prophesies of a Jerusalem that should be built to the Lord that is for him to dwell in the Name of this City is Jebovah Shammah Ezek. 48. last It is an Honourable and Glorious Name that Jehovah is there that his special Presence is to be found
and enjoyed in this City It is farther said that this City shall be Holy to the Lord that is consecrated and devoted to God and that it should never be pluckt up nor thrown down the Rage of Men the Fury Policy and Power of Satan should never prevail against it And this commends this City yet the more to us that it is greater larger and wider than the Earthly Jerusalem The Building-Line for the raising of this City should go forth and be stretched over the Hill Gareb The Hill Gareb signifie the Hill of the Scabby or of the Lepers Such diseased Persons were to be shut out of the Earthly Jerusalem and it seems at least probable that such Lepers pitched their Tents on this Hill Yet the Hill Gareb should now be taken into the Spiritual Jerusalem besides the Valley of dead Bodies and of the Ashes was to be inclosed within the Walls of this Spiritual Jerusalem We Gentiles were as Spiritual Lepers Ulcers and Scabs were upon us we had even Plague-sores on our Hearts we were dead in Sins and Trespasses vile Dust unclean Ashes And is not this most surprizing Love that Jesus Christ will Preach to gather all Nations into this Holy and Spiritual Jerusalem Jer. 3.17 Jerusalem shall be called the Throne of the Lord and all Nations shall be gathered unto it to the Name of the Lord to Jerusalem neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil hearts Here is an excellent Exposition what is meant by building a Jerusalem with larger Walls that the Gentiles should be brought into and joyned with the Church John 10.16 be in the same Fold of the same Flock under the same great Shepheard And that though the Gentiles were in themselves unclean Creatures as wild Beasts and polluted creeping things Acts 10.11 12 13 14. yet they should be transformed into Sheep and be wrapt up in the same Sheet of the Church with the Jews And why doth the Son of God Preach but to build up Spiritual Jerusalem to enlarge its Walls and increase the number of its Citizens And what Love hath the Son of God expressed that he Preaches to call the Gentiles to make them Fellow-Citizens with the Saints Members of God's Family and partakers of his Promise in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.19 and 3.6 3. The Son of God is Lord of all Acts 10.36 He sits on a Throne above and speaks from his Heavenly Glory Heb. 12.25 1. Will you not listen to him speaking to you from Heaven whose Blood must speak for you in Heaven or else you must perish everlastingly Heb. 12.24 2. Will you not regard his Voice that can call you out of the World when he pleaseth If he saith Return ye Sons of men Psal 90.3 we can continue in the Body we can stay on Earth no longer If he speak the word we must return to the Earth and be crumbled to Dust his Command cannot be gainsaid or contradicted 3. Will you not listen to him that can and will call you out of your Graves at the last day John 5.28 29. All that are in their Graves shall hear his voice and come forth Job saith to God Thou wilt call and I will answer thou wilt have a desire to the work of thy hands Job 14.13.15 O what Authority and Power hath the Son of God that can make the dead to hear and obey 4. Will you not listen to him that will give the last and perfecting call to Saints Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World How much is it our Interest to regard believe and obey him who can at the last day call us into his Eternal Kingdom and Glory 4. Will you not listen to the Son of God when his Word is the Rule of Judgment and the very Ground of the Eternal Sentence of Men and Women Christ saith The Word that I have spoken shall Judge you at the last day John 12.49 Men shall be sentenced to Life or Death be adjudged to Heaven or Hell as they receive or reject Christ's Word 5. Those that Receive not Christ's Word and Reject his Person have one that will Judge them John 12.48 The Father will call such to a strict Account will enter into Judgment with them and execute Vengeance on them Moses did Prophecy of Christ Deut. 15.18 19. That God would raise up a Prophet like to him And God saith That he would put his words into his mouth and he shall speak all that I command him and it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my Name I will require it of him God will require an Account of his Unbelief and Disobedience and will requite him for it Christ seems to have a respect to these very words when he saith He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that will Judge him Will you not dread the Impartial and Righteous Judgment of God and fear Punishment from his Hand 6. Consider the Matter that Christ Preacheth He speaks excellent things Prov. 8.6 Wonderful things Psal 119.18 Open thou my Eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law The Apostles filled with Christ's Spirit did Preach the Mighty Works of God Acts 2.11 Jesus did Preach the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Matth. 13.11 He revealed the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11. And did declare the Wisdom of God hid in a Mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 and manifest the Name of the Father John 17.6.26 There is a Name of the Father that the World would never could never have known had not the Son declared it The Law declares That God loves Righteousness and hath a delight in Righteous Men and that he will do good to those that be good But if Men break his Laws cast off his Yoke reject his Authority the Law denounceth Wrath and Vengeance threatens Sinners with Perdition and Destruction Those that rob God of his Honour and Glory must make Restitution to him by their Eternal Sufferings and Misery The Light of Nature or the Law of God gives us no. Account that God hath Grace to exercise towards the underserving yea ill deserving that he hath any Pity to extend to those that have provoked his Anger and affronted his Infinite Majesty This is a great Secret that God will stretch out his Hand from Heaven to raise up fallen Man that he will provide a Laver to wash foul and filthy Sinners in that he will out off his own Plea against Offenders sheath his Sword and provide a Satisfaction for his own Justice and pay himself out of the Blood of his own Son And how deep a Mystery is this that the God that might have required us to be Sacrifices to his Revenging Justice should call his own Son to make his Soul an Offering and lay down his Life for Sinners Isa 53.10 John 10.18 That he should be just in bruising and
Depart from us Job 12.14 15. they would not suffer such Thoughts to break in upon them to lodg or stay with them because they begin their Hell and anticipate their Torments before the time yet tho it be so greivous to sinners to remember God to have their Thoughts fixed to have their Minds dwell on God yet they must behold they must Converse with this Angry God for ever O! what a doleful dreadful Prison will it be when a guilty Creature and an angry God shall be alone together Sinners now have their divertisements they drink deep draughts of the Pleasures of Sin of the Wine of Sensual Delights that they may forget their Misery and shake off the thoughts of a Final Account of a Righteous Condemnation and of an Everlasting Destruction but in this Prison they can no more steep their Souls in Pleasures nor soak them in Sensual Delights all the Comforts of the World are gone but sin remains guilt abides Conscience can never be Charmed Silenced or suppressed When sinners lye down among Thorns of Terrours and in Sheets of Flames when they make their Bed in Hell Behold God is there Psal 139.3 This is an awakening a dreadful Behold O think on it behold God is in Hell There he meets Sinners with a frowning Face with a punishing Hand behold God is there to remember Iniquity against men to bind the yoke of their Transgressions on them This will most surprise and astonish this will most dismay sink overwhelm the Damned to meet with a God they have so wearied so grieved so vexed so burdened with their Iniquities Behold God is there but it is still to fill their Cup of wrath to deal out blows and give wounds to them by his Almighty Power Behold God is there and doth unveil his rowning Face to scorch them and make bare his glorious Arm to destroy them The second thing that I proposed to speak to is That the Spirits of Sinners when they go out of the Body shall be cast into and shut up in Gods Prison The Scripture confirms this truth in several places The rich man is said to die and in Hell he lifted up his Eyes being in Torments Luke 16.22 23. No sooner was his Soul out of the Tabernacle of the Body but it was in the Prison of Hell So Judas is said to go to his own place when he passed into the Regions of Darkness and of Misery Acts 25. The filthy Sodomites after their Bodies were burnt with a Temporal Fire their Souls were Tormented in Eternal Fames Judes Epistle 7. He that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the Congregation of the Dead in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies Giants some have thought that Hell is called the Congregation of the Giants there were Giants before the Flood Gen 6.4 as they were of High Stature in Body so they were no Dwarss in Sin and Wickedness their Iniquities grew to so great a Height that God was provoked to send a destroying Flood these Giants were not only drowned in the Waters but also swallowed up of Eternal Death These were such heinous Sinners that they seem to be presented as chief Proprietors and Principal Possessors and Inhabitants of Hell I shall endeavour to Demonstrate to you that it must needs be so That the Souls of wicked Men when they go out of the Body do pass into a Prison For 1. Here in this World they do cast off all restraints they are all for Carnal Liberty they exempt themselves from Gods Jurisdiction they count their Hearts their own they will Love and Lust as they please Heb. 9.10 Their Abominations were according as they Loved Sinners reckon their Tongues to be their own Psal 12.4 Our Lips are our own Who is Lord over us Therefore they will Talk and speak as they please The ten Tribes are called Aholah Ezek. 23.4 as much as to say her Tent because that Israel like an Adulterous Wife left the House of God her Lawful Husband forsook him and repaired to her own Tent Idolatrous Israel built high places set up Temples in Dan and Bethel these were the Israelites own Tents they did break off from Gods Temple they thought it Bondage and Slavery to be tied to Worship in Gods House they would Offer their Sacrifice in their own Tent. The Prodigal thought himself not a Freeman while he was under his Fathers Eye and Government he would not depend on him for Maintenance or be controuled by his Authority or Subject to his Commands he would have his Portion in his own Hands and Live of himself so he gathered together all that his Father gave him and departed into a far Country Luke 15.12 13 14. There he lived according to his own Lusts and liking he wastes his Fathers Goods keeps bad Company and indulgeth his vile affectiones to the height So Sinners carry it as if they were not under Gods Eye or Subject to his Authority Jer. 5.5 It is said of the great Men That they altogether broke the Yoke and burst the Bonds So Psal 2.23 The Kings of the Earth did set themselves and take Counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed saying let us break their Bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us Tho Jesus Christ came as a Redeemer to ransom and as a Deliverer to rescue Souls from Slavery yet they took up such wrong Notions such hard Thoughts of him as if he came to chain and fetter them to yoke and enslave them to spoil them of the Pleasure and deprive them of the liberty of their lives Hose tells us that the Princes of Judah were like those that remove the bound Hos 5.10 Sinners will not be restrained and limited by Gods Bounds or be held by his Bonds or bare his yoke Our first Parents affected inordinate Liberty to cast off all restraints to remove all bounds to be lawless and independent tho this indeed be Monstrous to have the limited Nature of a Creature and yet the boundless unlimited will of God Our first Parents thought to change their Tenure and of Tenants to become absolute Lords They denied God that little Quit Rent that he reserved to himself and invaded the Fruit of that Tree that he restrained them from that Carnal Liberty that Sinners so much hunt after and aspire to is a stream from this Poysoned Fountain and pernitious Fruit from this corrupt root their degenerate Children have all like sheep gone astray and have turned aside into their own way Isa 53.6 yea they love to wander Jer. 14.18 They choose their own ways and their Soul delights in their Abominations Isa 66.3 They think God a poor Master that can do little for them Job 22.14 15. Job 22.17 What can the Almighty do for them They account him a hard Master that requires too much of them Matt. 25.24 I knew thou wast a hard Man Reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast
it must not be a doubtful Opinion but a rooted Perswasion God is wronged by wicked Men and he must right himself they have pressed him with their Iniquities as a Cart is pressld under the sheaves and he must ease himself Isa 1.24 Ah I will ease me of my Enemies and avenge me of my Adversaries Sinners rise up proudly against God Psal 138.21 Am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee and God must humble and abase them Psal 73.29 Thou settest them in slippery places thou castest them down into destruction Ungodly men break God's Yoak Jer. 5.5 and therefore must be broken with that Rod of Iron that is in Christ's hand Psal 2.9 God will draw near to them in Justice Mal. 3.5 I will come near to you to Judgment that are gone far from God as to Obedience Psal 73.27 Lo those that are far from thee shall perish 2. Acknowledge that you have deserved to be thrown into this Prison Have you not lived without God in the World Eph. 2.12 and and so have you not begun your Hell on Earth have you not executed a great and grievous part of the Eternal Punishment on your selves by neglecting Converse with God and cutting your selves off from Communion with him Have you not contentedly been without God in Time and is it not righteous that you should be without him to Eternity 3. Submit to the Spirit of God when it becomes a Spirit of Bondage to your Souls Rom. 5.15 It is then a Spirit of Bondage when it arrests the Conscience with a deep heavy sense of Sin when it sets home the Threatnings and Curse of the Law when it seals to a Sinner a Sentence of Condemnation and fills the Soul with the Terrors of God Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under Sin the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might as well be rendred shut up The Scripture hath shut up all men and all the Acts of the Natural man under sin it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things that appertain and belong to the Natural man and flow from him For they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 The Sacrifice of the Wicked that is his best Religious Service is an Abomination to the Lord And the Prayer of the Wicked that is all his common Actions are also an Abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 9. If the Sacrifice and the Way of the Wicked be an Abomination then the Scripture may well conclude his All under Sin Ungodly men seem to walk at Liberty to be secure merry and unconcerned at Sin the Wrath of God and an Eternal State but the Spirit of God comes and arrests secure Sinners and shuts them up under the bitterness of Sin and the dreadful sense of the Wrath of God in this Case it is dangerous for Persons to shake off the Terrors of God to despsse his Threatnnings and to break God's Prison Those that quench Convictions and return to a loose and licentious Life are in great danger of undoing themselves to Eternity Be therefore perswaded that the Spirit and the Scripture do mercifully shut up Unregenerate Men and all their Actions under sin it is not that they may sink under their Guilt languish under their Disease and perish everlastingly but all this is to humble their proud Minds and break their hard Hearts that they may sue to Free Grace to remit their Debt break their Chains heal their Disease and save their Souls The Scripture shuts up all under sin that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe The Spirit of Bondage prepares Persons for the Spirit of Adoption that Men may act Faith on Jesus Christ lay hold of the free Promise and so have Justification and Salvation as an Alms of Mercy 4. Listen to Christs Voice that calls you out of the spiritual Prison Isa 49.9 That thou mayst say to the Prisoners Go forth and to them that are in darkness Shew your selves O desire and cry to Jesus Christ to speak this effectually to your Soul You need he should speak with a strong hand Isa 8.11 Look to Jesus Christ to open the door of Gods Prison Isa 61.1 and also to open the door of your hard heart Acts 16.14 God opened the Heart of Lydia O desire Jesus Christ to speak so that your Chains may fall off your Doors fly open and you be brought out of darkness and the Prison-house Isa 42.7 You need to be sprinkled with the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep destroying Justice out The Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled on the Door-posts of the Israelites was a Sign to the destroying Angel that he was not to break into that House or kill any there Exod. 12.22.23 It is the Blood of Jesus Christ the True Paschal Lamb 1 Cor. 5.7.8 that must be our Guard Security Protection and where this is sprinkled God sets a Sign on those Souls that they shall not perish but escape that they are not appointed to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ God saith in Isa 66.19 that he would set a Sign among the Jews Calvin on the Place thinks that there is an allusion to the Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled on the Israelities Doors that was a Sign they should be safe So Christs Blood applyed to us and sprinkled on us is a sure Sign and Token of our Salvation that we shall not come into Condemnation but find Mercy with the Lord O therefore apply your selves by Faith to Jesus Christ as a Redeemer Isa 59.20 that you may be Ransomed by the Blood he hath shed by the Price he hath paid address your selves to Jesus Christ as a Deliverer Rom. 11.26 that you may be Rescued by that Power he can put forth Jesus Christ is a Redeemer by Price and a Deliverer by Power these two conjoyned do render him a Compleat and perfect Saviour If Jesus Christ be a refining Fire to you in this World Mal. 3.2 3 4. God will not be a Consuming Fire to you in the world to come Heb. 12. last 5. Repent unfeignedly of and truly break off from your Sins Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospel O wash your Hearts from Wickedness put away the evil of your doings escape that Corruption that is in the World through Lust Jer. 4.14 Isa 1.16 17. 2 Pet. 1.4 Break and shake off the bond of Iniquity Acts 8.23 Get out of the Snare of the Devil 2 Tim. 2. last and you need not dread the Eternal Prison God will not condemn those that bear his Image live his Life wage War with his Enemies As you seek to Jesus Christ to quench the Fire of God's Wrath by putting his Blood on it so do you pluck away the Fuel of this Fire by Repentance and continual Mortification suffer in your Flesh in your corrupt Nature here 1 Pet. 4.1 that you may not suffer in your Soul for ever hereafter dye to sin that you may not dye for sin If your Lusts do still find Favour with you how can you hope to find Mercy with God Curb your Flesh restrain your selves from Carnal Liberty and you shall be safe and secured from eternal Bondage Make a Covenant with your Eyes Job 31.1 restrain them from wandring and gazing on tempting and enticing Objects Cry to God Lord turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity Psal 119.37 Keep your Hearts with all diligence Prov. 4.23 suppress vain thoughts that spring up quash sensual desires that are ready to sprout forth The old man is a stock still budding In-dwelling sin is still tempting this Womb would still conceive and bring forth Fruit to death there is a Law in us Rom. 7.21 that Satan hath enacted Members that he hath made Col. 3.5 Lusts that he hath kindled 1 Joh. 2.15 16. Our daily Work therefore must be to contend with our corrupt Wills and vile Affections to fight against sin to conflict with and overcome our selves He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death Rev. 2.11 You must restrain your Tongues and set a Watch before the door of your Lips the Psalmist said he would take heed to his ways that he did not sin with his Tongue he would keep his Mouth with a Bridle Psal 39.1 Much sin would be prevented if we did watch over our Words Christs great silence when he was falsly accused points at Sinners great sin in abusing their Tongues in rash and evil speaking We must also refrain our Feet from the ways of Sin and Death Psal 119.101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep thy Word By the Word of thy Lips I have kept my self from the Path of the destroyer Psal 17.4 Wicked men take Liberty to themselves to say or do what they please Jer. 14.10 They love to wander they have not refrained their Feet It is dangerous for you to affect a Liberty for your corrupt Hearts roving Senses and wandring Feet If you give Liberty to your Lusts God will proclaim Liberty to the Sword Jer. 34.17 Would you have Gods punishing hand at Liberty to destroy you would you have his Glistering Sword at Liberty to cut you off shall all banks be cut and the Flood of the Wrath of God be at Liberty to overwhelm and swallow you up for ever Abridge your selves deny carnal Liberty to your Flesh and it's Lusts If you walk in the Narrow Way of the Law-giver you shall not fall into the strait Prison of the Judge FINIS